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Author Topic: The under utilisation of Smith  (Read 817 times)

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Robbo83

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The under utilisation of Smith
« on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 12:31* »
Good article by Rugby Pass on how we are not suing Smith properly.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/analysis-what-harlequins-need-to-do-to-maximise-their-most-valuable-asset-marcus-smith

I have noticed DC is kicking the ball ALOT more this season, must be a tactic from PG, but I don't like it...

fandg2

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #1 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 12:38* »
Good article by Rugby Pass on how we are not suing Smith properly.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/analysis-what-harlequins-need-to-do-to-maximise-their-most-valuable-asset-marcus-smith

I have noticed DC is kicking the ball ALOT more this season, must be a tactic from PG, but I don't like it...

Funny enough I noticed in the A league, Lewis making more runs with the ball than he ever did last season, along with Mulchrone and DC got me thinking that part of the plan is to play closer to 9 at times

JammyGit

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #2 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 12:41* »
You'd like it a lot less if Smith kicked more. He really needs to learn how to get more distance and accuracy on long punts.
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DOK

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #3 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 12:47* »
Have to say the rugbypass site is becoming a good site for reading rugby related stuff. That analysis does hint that maybe with the forwards we have we can't play the tactics that most suit Smith. This is still JK's team, and his recruitment surely didn't take into account Marcus Smith as a player.

The Quin Meister

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #4 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 12:52* »
Some interesting points but to say Smith is in the middle of "a second year slump" is ridiculous. Young Smith is progressing just fine. When Gussy put him on the bench recently I was pleased he had the guts to rotate him and give Lang his chance with Catrakilis still out. Hopefully Demitri can now get some game time and if he gets his form back he will certainly put pressure on Smith as our starting 10.

A222Quin

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #5 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 13:24* »
An interesting analysis but I think it lacks a bit of context. Steenson and Farrell are both very experienced 10s playing in the two most settled sides in the league while PG is trying to get us from an unstructured team who thought defending and looking after the ball when in possession were optional to a well drilled hard to beat side. In other words, it's a process that won't happen overnight and using those 2 experienced campaigners isn't the best comparator IMO. Even with Joe Simmonds, he's slotting into a well oiled machine vs Marcus slotting into a team that's starting to look like a unit.

Smith is still learning and to mark this as a 2nd season slump is daft. It'll do him good not to permanently be in the limelight and be talked about as the next biggest thing ever (BT have Cipriani to keep them busy and hype up) and for him to learn his trade at a good pace as the team as a whole develops its playing style.

 
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oakhaven

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #6 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 13:43* »
I'm also not entirely convinced about their characterisation of our pack - it's not as if we've blasted teams away with our power and size in recent years (our scrum is about average and our rolling maul below average), plus the likes of Sinckler and Robshaw have far better handling skills than are presented in the article.

Which I suppose in a way makes it all the more curious that we operate the system described.
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JammyGit

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #7 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 14:45* »
Yes, it's farcical to suggest that the sink and Robbo don't have the hands to distribute the ball.

We keep Smith out of things until he can make an impact because Danny keeps defences honest and Smith isn't yet physically up to getting hammered all day.
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Chipstead Quin

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #8 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 15:22* »
Last season Smith was protected a lot at 10 and regularly Roberts would stand in the first receiver position .

I thought it was sensible at the time as he had been thrown in the deep end by the injury to Cat , and we couldn't afford to have him flattened as well by over enthusiastic opensides

Many have expressed the point that James Lang is better at the basics but his experience is gained from a  stint in the Welsh Championship , having spoken to him about it he says once they heard his English accent  he had to be on his toes against the Welsh Back rows , so learnt quickly

I do worry that Marcus is being over protected and therefore not learning his craft or being allowed to develop his own game . I hope his natural ability and inclination to attack isn't coached out of him .


fandg2

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #9 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 16:12* »
"Many have expressed the point that James Lang is better at the basics but his experience is gained from a  stint in the Welsh Championship , having spoken to him about it he says once they heard his English accent  he had to be on his toes against the Welsh Back rows , so learnt quickly"

 :) :) :)

poorfour

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #10 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 16:29* »
Yes, it's farcical to suggest that the sink and Robbo don't have the hands to distribute the ball.

We keep Smith out of things until he can make an impact because Danny keeps defences honest and Smith isn't yet physically up to getting hammered all day.

I do want to see Smith running a diamond-shaped attack with a big runner off either shoulder, but fundamentally we need to sort the defence first and then open up in attack. Saturday was a big step towards that.

As to whether Sinck and Robbo can distribute, one of them's a former fullback and I seem to remember that other one once played an entire game at first receiver, against the best team in the AP (as it was, and they were) and won rather convincingly.

DOK

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #11 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 16:46* »
I think worrying about the first team exposure Marcus is getting, when you think what an "average" 19 year old would be getting, is just short of laughable. Agreed he is a special talent, but he was over worked last season.

Grins

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #12 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 16:59* »
Not sure I rate this article much at all.  We play a lot off 9, and did so last season too.  This is because we have a very promising, but inexperienced 10. It takes the decision making pressure off him.


Also to describe our pack as somehow suited to the winter is not backed up by results in recent seasons.  I bet Sarries pack on Saturday weighed more.

The author seems to forget that for all Smith's "electric play last season", we had terrible results.  Not Smith's fault by any means, but we might have done better with a 10 more capable of game management.  There is a reason you don't get many 18 year olds playing fly half in the premiership.
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Gone

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Re: The under utilisation of Smith
« Reply #13 on: Monday 08-Oct-2018, 22:00* »
Yeah it’s one of those pieces that uses a broken down approach to seem more insightful than it is.

It’s basically horse poop. Smith’s kicking out of hand isn’t good, he’s being protected after being overplayed - and we were utter utter dross last year.

The first thing we need to do is build a strong pack and a great defence, we’re not here to win the Prem.

It’s written as if we’re a top side and not a basket case.

So actually it’s ill-informed.

 

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