MD

It is a long season but if riders like Starke are only riding once a week with an occasional week off they arent going to improve unless they invest their own time in track days. Flint def needs more track time at Ashfield, needs to carry more speed into turn three and know when to hug the curve and when its a lost cause. He'll get better as the season goes on but in the meantime I think it'll be more of the same from him.

The chickens have come home to roost for Glasgow and another competition we are out of. Congratulations to Edinburgh, up to ht10 they won many of their points tapes to flag unopposed and worked out there was an inside line when the home riders were relentlessly skimming the fence for little reward. Ht15 and the Super heat were superb. How Starke got four rides is beyond me, he should have been subbed out in ht8. His last heat looked like a change of machinery that was somehow slower than his earlier heats.

On 3.52 he would be very difficult to replace. He is only 0.02 above Complin who could find himself in the 1 - 5 at the next set of averages if Starkey's average keeps heading south.

That might be fine on that occasion but there are riders, and experienced ones at that who will rip the p!ss at the start gate if they can get away with it. They're not getting away with it any more from the meetings I've seen.

Werent we interested in Tate before his massive crash? Give it time on Brennan, its still the early part of the season. I doubt he'd be the same if we retained him, he seemed quite lethargic last season and plateaud on his average. I've not heard a dissenting voice about him moving on this year, that seems reserved for Vissing. It is what it is now, we've got to get on with it and get more out of Worrall and our middle pairing.

Thats the second time its happened at Ashfield this season, the other being Schlien. Refs have possibly been told to apply it to the letter and hopefully it changes riders culture as the tapes fannying about has been needing dealt with for years. If there is no sanction it wont stop.

Heat 1 helped us enormously in the end but it shouldnt have been needed. Stevie needs to lose the single line mentality, a good bit of dirt for the racers tonight and he was lost, despite looking faster than those he was chasing in his middle two heats. Decent meeting overall and excellent guest choice in Dan T who looks like he's moved up a level.

Leon lacks speed into the third bend making him vulnerable coming off the fourth though much better tonight. Smith made it much more comfortable than expected especially when Pijper crashed out. Makes Wednesday very interesting though choice of guest for Ace will be crucial if he is out.

They might be but if they had to fly someone in they would, and could. Its a choice.

I wouldn't expect travel expenses to be an issue, its got to be something else. Last year we were flying in Marcin, Claus and Basso. Even this early in the season it looks an act of gross self harm and will only heighten fans frustration when Leon isnt so good at home. Thats not Leon's fault, he has the whole season to get to grips with Ashfield but get to grips with it he must.

Absolutely, and tonight makes it all the more frustrating seeing him be a third heat leader at home. Leon would have got 5 or 6 tonight likely setting us up for a last heat decider to win the meeting rather than the aggregate point. On the positive side Sam Hagon is doing a decent job at reserve and Pearson looks like he'll hold his average at home. If they could help Starkey find some speed we might be more solid overall.

Agree with what you say, no one is getting on his back but merely observing. Perhaps its a cultural difference but any meeting against the 0131 especially at home requires full gusto, its not a cosy derby against the team just over the border. I'm sure Leon will come good in time.

That was Leon's first learning point tonight, you need speed to get on at Ashfield. Being lined up and picked off by Fredricksen won't do, in any heat.

Team needs restructured now, we wont find an equivalent rider on 3.50. What a f**king let down.

Hopefully, he's never shown an appetite for passing at Glasgow and we are clearly banking on him quickly getting comfortable and outperforming his starting average. Going to be interesting especially at Berwick this Sat!

I often wonder if it would be the case that his continental meetings were becoming an issue with his Glasgow commitments.

Was largely absent when we really needed performances in big meetings, he had a few good rides just not many. After 2.5 years at GLA would frustratingly still run the inside when the racing line had long since moved up high. No surprises he wasn't re-signed. Vissing on the other hand, I hope Leon finds his Ashfield knack quickly.

Getting him and Etheridge sick tickets for Armadale may prove even more astute. The Dickson era awaits!

He can't ride Armadale and was a waste of points for a team struggling to win home meetings. Edinburgh get a loan fee for him and Berwick get what appears a big track rider. A good move for both parties.

Pricing? Really!

Kings Lynn, Ipswich and Leicester are good tracks for the tv viewer? Even Sheffield outside the play offs is usually a bore fest. I gave up my Discovery subscription early this year as the PL meetings they had on were just awful. Watching Doyle win heats at Ipswich half a lap ahead and with many meetings having almost zero passing bar ef's isnt entertaining. Diluting the CL this year is frustrating but moving leagues isnt the solution to it IMO.

We never saw the best of Starkey when he rode for us previously. Whenever he got some momentum going he was injured again though frustratingly none of the crashes were his fault. He never seems to have gotten over that shocker of a crash in the British Final, also not his fault. On a 4 he should be fine though even he will know GLA won't tolerate poor prep or equipment. He will hold his own at that level though perhaps we need more realistic expectations that he may not be as good as before.

Brennan had plateaued at Glasgow. He was often absent in the big heats and had a prolonged slump this season where he just looked tired. Perhaps too much travel. He came back to life when Harris took the captaincy from him and he was switched to No2 but he's better than that. I wish him well but don't think you'll find many GLA fans unhappy he's moved on. Replacing Vissing with Flint is perhaps a different story.

It wont unfortunately, drugs are now so prevalent amongst the under 30's its the minority who dont indulge IMO, and even spans the professional classes. Recreational drugs have replaced alcohol for the younger generations.

Nowak regularly beat Masters et al in Poland but averaged less than 6 here. Its not always of equivalence what they do elsewhere where tracks are totally different. In a 42 point team you can risk an unknown quantity on a 5 but at 38 every point is a prisoner and needs put to good use.