Well we are out and we deserve to be out. I guess I was hoping against hope that despite the turgid performances up until now that England would break out and make use of the many talented players they have.The slight improvement in the second half in no way compensates for the unbelievably pathetic first half. Johnson and the England coaching set up have bought this upon themselves. They were shown in the game against Australia last autumn, and for a lot of the six nations, how much potential England had to play an ambitious, width based game. Instead they choose the safe option. Johnson also put a couple of his mates in the team, despite neither being close to good enough in the twilight of their careers. Surely England have to move away from Wilkinson and Thompson now, it was no coincidence that there was more urgency and dynamism without them on the pitch.As much as I respect Johnson, and admire him for what he achieved as a player and captain, he simply does not cut it as a coach. His tenure started poorly, had a really bright spell which he failed to build on, and has now returned to poor. Time to go.
Quote from: taylorsworkrate on October 08, 2011, 10:36:51 AMWell we are out and we deserve to be out. I guess I was hoping against hope that despite the turgid performances up until now that England would break out and make use of the many talented players they have.The slight improvement in the second half in no way compensates for the unbelievably pathetic first half. Johnson and the England coaching set up have bought this upon themselves. They were shown in the game against Australia last autumn, and for a lot of the six nations, how much potential England had to play an ambitious, width based game. Instead they choose the safe option. Johnson also put a couple of his mates in the team, despite neither being close to good enough in the twilight of their careers. Surely England have to move away from Wilkinson and Thompson now, it was no coincidence that there was more urgency and dynamism without them on the pitch.As much as I respect Johnson, and admire him for what he achieved as a player and captain, he simply does not cut it as a coach. His tenure started poorly, had a really bright spell which he failed to build on, and has now returned to poor. Time to go.Spot on. Dreadful decision making today and all tournament for me. Amazing to leave Haskell out when he has been one of our best players and to persist with Wilkinson when he provides so little attacking dynamic. His penalty kicks to touch were awful today, gaining almost no ground at all, and just one symptom of the huge decline in his all round game. Add in the disciplinary issues and I don't think Johnson has got what it takes. Wales vs France will be a cracker of a semi as, unlike England, we shall see some free flowing, exciting, attacking rugby...
Feel free to hate Steve Thompson, too, even though he has come back from what was thought to be a career-ending neck injury. Whatever. He's still a dick. If anyone in a French jersey is throwing punches, he's probably throwing them at Thompson. And Thompson definitely deserves them. Also, his lineout throws are an abomination to the hooker's arts.
I'm afraid Johnno has to go now and take his awful coaches, with the exception of Rowntree with him and lets get Mallinder in from Northampton or Toby Booth. Coaches who have done their time and understand coaching and not someone straight from playing and into the National job. Problem is, the RFU is in such strife that I don't know who can make that decision.
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Topic: Rugby World Cup (Read 55743 times)
