Re: French : Mon Dec 02, 2019 8:47 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

Lam may be saying he’s not sure where players will play but there’s no doubt he’ll have a fair idea. I doubt he’ll just throw 17 names up in the air come Wire and run with the order he picks them up in. The guy isn’t going to want to publicly state his teams nailed down and put a pin in 15 other lads hopes of a place in the Wire game. He’s said already he is aware of the vast majority of his team but has said a couple of places are open. That is surely good management? Dangle that carrot to them all to go and rip it up in pre season. There’s guys like Jack Wells, Navarette, Harry Smith etc who currently you’d think may sit outside Lams team for that first game but if they smash it in the friendlies then things can change.

I don't think anyone, and not me, are saying it's '17 names up in the air' that's a massive extreme, but he did state he doesn't know where to play a new signing.
Again, no ones saying about having a time nailed down, but knowing your starting halves/fb again is different.
And not knowing where key signings/positions play isn't good management.

Re: French : Mon Dec 02, 2019 10:34 am  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

I don't think anyone, and not me, are saying it's '17 names up in the air' that's a massive extreme, but he did state he doesn't know where to play a new signing.
Again, no ones saying about having a time nailed down, but knowing your starting halves/fb again is different.
And not knowing where key signings/positions play isn't good management.

Agree with all of that.
If we don't know where to play him why sign him? Conversations surely took place at the club when we targeted his signature unless we took the word of agent on how good he was.
French could be a sensational signing let's hope we don't make a mess of it by not giving the guy a significant role at the club and be an 80 minute player rather than a cameo role to cover tiredness and a final play of the dice when plan A hasn't worked.

Re: French : Mon Dec 02, 2019 10:58 am  

Itchy Arsenal wrote:

Agree with all of that.
If we don't know where to play him why sign him? Conversations surely took place at the club when we targeted his signature unless we took the word of agent on how good he was.
French could be a sensational signing let's hope we don't make a mess of it by not giving the guy a significant role at the club and be an 80 minute player rather than a cameo role to cover tiredness and a final play of the dice when plan A hasn't worked.

Exactly. Why sign a player if you don’t know what to do with him? We don’t have that luxury; we’re salary capped. Especially when we’re crying out for a play maker.

Was he signed as a FB? Probably not. We have Hardaker and other players who can cover. Not including youngsters coming through.
Was he signed as a winger? Doubt it. At the time of his signing we had an abundance; Davies, Marshall, Burgess, Manfredi plus others who can cover.

So, especially considering he’s squad number, he’s been signed as a half.
So...this either means he’s now expected to be a playmaker (which didn’t look like a good option from the back end of last season) or that Lam is literally going to change the way the entire team plays to compensate French as a strike 6 playing as a second pivot off Hastings.

Re: French : Mon Dec 02, 2019 11:13 am  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

Exactly. Why sign a player if you don’t know what to do with him? We don’t have that luxury; we’re salary capped. Especially when we’re crying out for a play maker.

Was he signed as a FB? Probably not. We have Hardaker and other players who can cover. Not including youngsters coming through.
Was he signed as a winger? Doubt it. At the time of his signing we had an abundance; Davies, Marshall, Burgess, Manfredi plus others who can cover.

So, especially considering he’s squad number, he’s been signed as a half.
So...this either means he’s now expected to be a playmaker (which didn’t look like a good option from the back end of last season) or that Lam is literally going to change the way the entire team plays to compensate French as a strike 6 playing as a second pivot off Hastings.

Again I have to agree with you,I don’t think anyone doubts he has pace to burn but as a signing it didn’t make sense back in the summer nor now unless it is to play in the halves,which really he didn’t look that comfortable in that position,but it’s unfair to judge him to harshly.

Given the cover the club had in the wings surely if a player was to be brought in it perhaps should have been a prop given that the side was a little light there rather than a player that doesn’t seem to fit anywhere.

As I say an odd signing but as ever I hope he settles into whatever role Lam has planned for him

Re: French : Mon Dec 02, 2019 12:04 pm  

With French being given the 6 shirt then that does suggest he'll p[lay there. I'm not bothered about what happened last season when he went to 6 as that was after a team injury when players were swapped around.
French has a full pre season although Hastings won't return until the new year or so.
With our spine of the team being - Hardaker, French, Hastings, O'Loughlin & Powell then I do think there's a very good balance between ball players, strike players and high workrate players.
Lam has to get this right. He will leave himself options but a winning team is essential for Lam given the quality and cost of this squad.

Re: French : Mon Dec 02, 2019 12:15 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

Exactly. Why sign a player if you don’t know what to do with him? We don’t have that luxury; we’re salary capped. Especially when we’re crying out for a play maker.

Was he signed as a FB? Probably not. We have Hardaker and other players who can cover. Not including youngsters coming through.
Was he signed as a winger? Doubt it. At the time of his signing we had an abundance; Davies, Marshall, Burgess, Manfredi plus others who can cover.

So, especially considering he’s squad number, he’s been signed as a half.
So...this either means he’s now expected to be a playmaker (which didn’t look like a good option from the back end of last season) or that Lam is literally going to change the way the entire team plays to compensate French as a strike 6 playing as a second pivot off Hastings.

That’s why I labelled him as a “problem signing”, nothing to do with his ability but more where does he play. It’s still creating issues now and I don’t expect those issues to be resolved next season either. It’s an issue that if Lam doesn’t get right, could well cost him his job

Re: French : Mon Dec 02, 2019 12:55 pm  

100% Warrior wrote:

That’s why I labelled him as a “problem signing”, nothing to do with his ability but more where does he play. It’s still creating issues now and I don’t expect those issues to be resolved next season either. It’s an issue that if Lam doesn’t get right, could well cost him his job

You're right to do so. If we didn't have a FB he'd be a great signing, or even if we were short on wingers; as it happens we're not.

I bet Lam plays him at 6 and doesn't split the halves. Even worse for French; Hastings likes to move in from the left; that's where French filled in for Williams last season.

Re: French : Mon Dec 02, 2019 1:03 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

You're right to do so. If we didn't have a FB he'd be a great signing, or even if we were short on wingers; as it happens we're not.

I bet Lam plays him at 6 and doesn't split the halves. Even worse for French; Hastings likes to move in from the left; that's where French filled in for Williams last season.

We’ll find out the answer come pre season friendlies (of which there’s only one so far). As much as I’m excited for the new season, I’m also concerned.

Re: French : Mon Dec 02, 2019 1:04 pm  

100% Warrior wrote:

We’ll find out the answer come pre season friendlies (of which there’s only one so far). As much as I’m excited for the new season, I’m also concerned.

That pretty much sums up how I feel. Interested to see what Lam does with our squad.

Re: French : Mon Dec 02, 2019 2:27 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

I don't think anyone, and not me, are saying it's '17 names up in the air' that's a massive extreme, but he did state he doesn't know where to play a new signing.
Again, no ones saying about having a time nailed down, but knowing your starting halves/fb again is different.
And not knowing where key signings/positions play isn't good management.

I think he knows exactly where he’s playing him to start 2020 but he’s not saying as of yet and why would he.

It was made clear when he signed that he’d have a totally different role in 2020 to 2019. He was viewed as a utility last year but I’m pretty sure Lam knows and has known for a while where he’ll be turning out come that Wire game.