EPS Watch / Player Form Thread

[Digby]

I really hope this isn’t a reason to play Solomona, but I guess it will be.

The more I watch how we're setting up the more I can see why he wants a workhorse on the one wing, which doesn't suggest Solomona. Though he's on the little I've seen of him so far a fantastic finisher. Still think to pick Solomona we might want to change the attack a little, or maybe we will see Solomona carry more, he's certainly not small for a winger

[Digby]

Eddie on Dylan

"English rugby is quite traditional. And Dylan is not a traditional product of English rugby. I think that always creates a certain interest around him, because of his poor record at club rugby."

"he’s not the greatest player in the world."

" He’s got a record as a thug. Again that doesn’t sit well.”

However

"But he’s a good tough player and he’s a brilliant captain. And sometimes a team needs that.”

“He’s been great for the team, and at the moment he’s still the best person to captain the team.”

[Which Tyler]

At least we know* now, he's in for his captaincy, not his play.
I'm not a fan of that sort of thing, but it has its place; and a good team can carry a captain.
I guess we're just waiting for Itoje to mature enough to take over the arm-band...



* Well, know in the way that Eddie said a thing so we probably need it corroborated before believing it.

[Oakboy]

So, the starting back line looks like Youngs, Ford, Watson, Farrell, Joseph, May, Brown (if fit). If Brown is out, Watson moves to 15 with a raw winger coming in. Even if fit, I can't see T'eo starting.

[Oakboy]

At least we know* now, he's in for his captaincy, not his play.
I'm not a fan of that sort of thing, but it has its place; and a good team can carry a captain.
I guess we're just waiting for Itoje to mature enough to take over the arm-band...



* Well, know in the way that Eddie said a thing so we probably need it corroborated before believing it.

In Eddie's eyes, presumably, the overall pack performance is better with Hartley in it than if George is. Most of us can't understand that. What may need to be the concern is not that Eddie sees something positive in Hartley that we don't but that he sees something negative in George that we don't (relatively). It might just be leadership but is George no sort of influential character? Odd.

[Timbo]

At least we know* now, he's in for his captaincy, not his play.
I'm not a fan of that sort of thing, but it has its place; and a good team can carry a captain.
I guess we're just waiting for Itoje to mature enough to take over the arm-band...



* Well, know in the way that Eddie said a thing so we probably need it corroborated before believing it.

In Eddie's eyes, presumably, the overall pack performance is better with Hartley in it than if George is. Most of us can't understand that. What may need to be the concern is not that Eddie sees something positive in Hartley that we don't but that he sees something negative in George that we don't (relatively). It might just be leadership but is George no sort of influential character? Odd.

I don’t think it’s a criticism of George particularly, other than to say that George is probably a step short of genuine world class and therefore not completely impossible to leave out.

From the outside it would appear to me that we have enough leaders to forgo whatever it is that Hartley brings, but clearly Eddie thinks different.

[fivepointer]

Hartley redefines "unseen work"

No one can see it, but its there and a mighty influence on our performances.

As long as Eddie presides over a healthy win-loss ratio its a nonsense that we're just going to have to accept.

[TheNomad]

It's less 'unseen' and more 'not actually done'

Re: that backline, assuming Brown is out, if Daly was fit I'd be perfectly happy with it. He's not though...

[TheDasher]

Eddie seemingly won't leave Farrell out. I imagine Farrell has the leadership ability that Hartley has, I'm surprised Ed hasn't gone to Farrell with the armband yet to be honest.

[Mellsblue]

At least we know* now, he's in for his captaincy, not his play.
I'm not a fan of that sort of thing, but it has its place; and a good team can carry a captain.
I guess we're just waiting for Itoje to mature enough to take over the arm-band...



* Well, know in the way that Eddie said a thing so we probably need it corroborated before believing it.

In Eddie's eyes, presumably, the overall pack performance is better with Hartley in it than if George is. Most of us can't understand that. What may need to be the concern is not that Eddie sees something positive in Hartley that we don't but that he sees something negative in George that we don't (relatively). It might just be leadership but is George no sort of influential character? Odd.

George was captain of the u20’s so he must have some leadership capabilities.
I think a lot of it is that he doesn’t see enough ‘nasty’ in our team. He’s repeatedly banged on about public school boys cocooned in academies. His love of both Hartley and Brown over superior players and his quick promotion of Sinckler and Genge based on their attitude says a lot. I think he’s just as interested in the balance of the attitude in the squad as he is the balance of playing talent.
For those who are or could/will be test quality you can understand it - fifteen players with the same attitude to life as Jonny May wouldn’t work too well - but to repeatedly pick someone playing miles below test level, as Hartley has for a large percentage of Jones’ reign, doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.

[Mellsblue]

Eddie seemingly won't leave Farrell out. I imagine Farrell has the leadership ability that Hartley has, I'm surprised Ed hasn't gone to Farrell with the armband yet to be honest.

Having watched the way Farrell interacts with referees, I’m glad Hartley is capt if that is the alternative.

[TheDasher]

Eddie seemingly won't leave Farrell out. I imagine Farrell has the leadership ability that Hartley has, I'm surprised Ed hasn't gone to Farrell with the armband yet to be honest.

Having watched the way Farrell interacts with referees, I’m glad Hartley is capt if that is the alternative.

I'd rather that (with Eddie trying to make him a better communicator) than Hartley starting over George.

[Digby]

If that's a problem drop Hartley and Farrell, problem solved

[TheDasher]

If that's a problem drop Hartley and Farrell, problem solved

Farrell is a better player than Hartley imo, much better in fact.

[Digby]

If that's a problem drop Hartley and Farrell, problem solved

Farrell is a better player than Hartley imo, much better in fact.

So is Dan Cole, though yes Farrell is much better. Still there was a concern raised about Farrell staying and then taking the armband, and given Farrell is far from undropable as a 12 there is an easy solution if such concern is valid to simply drop both.

[twitchy]

Eddie says Slade our for 4 weeks, Robshaw and Brown touch and go for Italy and Nowell back for Scotland at best, will know more about Sinckler today but almost certainly out of Italy game. Te’o however, is flying in training.

Definitely the worst Eddie has had in terms of injuries and suspensions.

What a shit show this is turning out to be.

[Which Tyler]

Eddie seemingly won't leave Farrell out. I imagine Farrell has the leadership ability that Hartley has, I'm surprised Ed hasn't gone to Farrell with the armband yet to be honest.

Having watched the way Farrell interacts with referees, I’m glad Hartley is capt if that is the alternative.

Agreed entirely.
TBF Hartley does appear to have andecent relationship with most ref.s, I've only ever seen Farrell piss them off - with or without the arm band.

[Digby]

Brown seemingly has some concussion issues rearing up, that's very alarming and puts into question much more than the Italy game.

[Digby]

Eddie seemingly won't leave Farrell out. I imagine Farrell has the leadership ability that Hartley has, I'm surprised Ed hasn't gone to Farrell with the armband yet to be honest.

Having watched the way Farrell interacts with referees, I’m glad Hartley is capt if that is the alternative.

Agreed entirely.
TBF Hartley does appear to have andecent relationship with most ref.s, I've only ever seen Farrell piss them off - with or without the arm band.

A decent relationship, or antecedent relationship (i.e. he's a granny shagger like another England captain)?

[Puja]

Brown seemingly has some concussion issues rearing up, that's very alarming and puts into question much more than the Italy game.

I noticed that too. If there's any doubt, he wants to be taking a month off at minimum. He might lose his England place, but better that than losing your mind.

Puja

[Digby]

Brown seemingly has some concussion issues rearing up, that's very alarming and puts into question much more than the Italy game.

I noticed that too. If there's any doubt, he wants to be taking a month off at minimum. He might lose his England place, but better that than losing your mind.

Puja

I don't even want him in the side, but stuff that for a moment as this is actually rather alarming. It could be Billy V and I'd hope we'd all hope playing wasn't the obvious way forward.

[Which Tyler]

Yup, he's had a few too many for my liking, over the last 2 years (IIRC).

On the bother hand, there has been some research out recently calling into doubt our concerns over the long term affects of repeated concussions...
http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/23/1481[quote]HAS BATMAN EVER SUFFERED A CONCUSSION?
. This article published by Bruce W et al. (2016) in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) looked for any evidence of concussion in the big screen representation of Batman.
.
METHODS
"The sole participant studied was that of the DC Comics character of Batman".
.
RESULTS
Highest number of concussive events sustained in a big screen representation: 43 (Batman, 1943. Actor: Lewis G. Wilson)
.
Lowest number of concussive events sustained in a big screen representation: 5 (Batman Forever, 1995. Actor: Val Kilmer)
.
Grand total of concussive events throughout Batman's career on the big screen: 176 (over a period of approximately 27 hours)
.
CONCLUSION
"It is worth noting that on the big screen Batman has never seen a physician or healthcare provider for possible diagnosis
or treatment for concussive head trauma in the movies.
.
Interestingly, in The Dark Knight Rises, Bruce Wayne does see a physician with specialization in sports medicine and orthopaedics for discussion of his chronic injuries (but not head injury).
.
The advice that he is given is immediately ignored so we might suggest that, after a night of crime fighting trauma, Batman should at least work with Alfred to follow accepted and evidence-based concussion protocols. This would go a long way to determining when (and if) Batman is fit to return to the ‘game’ the next day"
[/quote]

[Mellsblue]

I did read/hear that the latest study out of the US shows that the big issue is the number of blows rather than severity, ie a high number of small impacts is worse than one concussion. How you police and reduce that I've no idea. It must be an even bigger worry for football.

[Which Tyler]

You heard correctly, though the jury is out on how conclusive it is - how many of those minor blows resulted in undiagnosed concussion? Especially when everyone was bending over backwards to deny that concussion was happening, let alone that it was serious.

By definition, if there's injury, then there's concussion, and if there's no injury then there's likely no damage and likely no long-term damage either. The trouble is, were pretty shit at working out when concussion has happened when we are looking for it, let alone when we're not.

Besides that, of course; the article linked probably wouldn't be taken too seriously.

[Timbo]

I did read that Browns issues are not concussion related. Has something been said to contradict that?