- Fail to nail a position on the wing - Ashton was playing well but was told to improve on his defence and didn't, got dropped… You can see where I'm going with this.
That there's been a wild changing of players on the wing as Lancaster tries to find someone to fit ever-changing and illusory ideals? Which is my point.
Players have been tried and dropped in short notice, where others, in other positions, haven't. That's what's unfair. Dropping May is fine, provided it's equally applied to a) other wingers and b) other backs.
- On Farrell and Ford... Booolllllocks. "blatant weaknesses", I'm not sure about that. Also your having some perceived idea there are players out there with a rounded skill set like a young carter at 10. Again, Lancaster's picked from available.
Yes, blatant. Farrell is a poor attacking fly-half at international level. Ford is a poor defender. Lancaster has picked what's available and played around their weaknesses. If only he did that with his wingers, rather than searching for the perfect defender.
- His selection policy leaves alot to be desired in certain aspects but he's kept the team pretty consistent and for the most part we've been pretty good, top 2 inches have been missing but that may or may not come.
I think England have the potential (player base, funding, youth, and domestic league) to be one of the best sides in the World. I think the U20s, U18s, and womens' teams' successes show this. In four years we've gone from being ranked fourth in the world to… fourth. Meanwhile, Ireland are now ranked third, with back-to-back Six Nations ***les.
Not good enough. I'm sick of being told consistent mediocrity is acceptable. And being promised jam tomorrow.
- He's trying your criteria of looking to pick in form, whilst picking proven performers. He's also looking at the back 3 to be very good under the high ball as the primary skill. That immediately takes Roko...
I presume you haven't seen Rocko play for Bath much then? Or heard Lancaster mention his solidity when he picked him to play against New Zealand?
He's also picked out of form many, many times. Ever heard of "credit in the bank"? It's Lancaster for "I know he's crap, but I like him, and know him from my time at Leeds.".
His selection criteria he goes by means the selections he makes make sense. Whether you want to pick them differently is up to you but Ireland's dismantling of us with poor back 3 catchers, Goode, Watson and Nowell (Nowell actually did well but the other 2 were shocking)... you can now see why.
Nothing to do with being beasted at the breakdown? Another area of failing, unaddressed for four years now. Largely caused by loyalty to players who are unlikely to be part of the best side in the world.
Those three players have all played fullback, yet were awful at returning kicks? Well, with one a fullback out of position, the other the worst back in the 50-man training squad, and the third just back from injury, colour me shocked.
I still have no idea exactly what he wants his back three to do. Other than defend. Which is an appalling compromise with the number of players at his disposal.
I think Burgess was earmarked as England's 12 a long time ago regardless of his performances in the AP.
So he's been assigned a position regardless of how he turns out? So we're in agreement, Lancaster has shoehorned him in. Sod Burgess, I need a big inside-centre, and he's big.
He discarded and chopped players over the years because they didn't perform, maybe they weren't good enough in the first place is another question but we can't just say there's automatically another international coming along.
We can for certain players. Hence, it's unfair. Either all players have "credit in the bank" or you're ruthless to every one of them.
Inside centre is an issue period because I'd argue no one has stepped up to the plate once.
How long have they had each? Four or five caps, and then they're dropped. Farrell probably played with five or six centre combinations before he went.
How many permutations of back three will Lancaster get through before he plays two wingers and good fullback for more than four games in a row? Or realise a certain player, with an ironic-sounding name, is a wasted pick.
He can only work with the hand given. Don't try and find flaws for the sake of it.
I don't have to look hard. They're blindingly obvious at times, and have been for years. As I've said, we have the potential to become one of the world's best sides. At this point, I have very little confidence the current coaches can deliver that.
He's also been dealt probably the best hand of any coach outside New Zealand. It's only because he's discarded his aces to be certain of getting a pair of twos. (Poker joke, geddit?)
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TL;DR: Lancaster's a poor coach.
