ZODIAK

He has a point though Baldy, the team is nowhere as bad as they're currently showing and their starting averages and their averages for this season back that up. We are badly underperforming, AGAIN. This has been a theme in every one of the season's we've been in the PL since we dropped down and it's difficult to understand why. If it happens now and again you can just say oh well it happens, but when it literally happens every year when Louis always seems to put together a good side "on paper" then you have to start wondering if there's something very wrong within the club. I had some time to kill and was looking on updates the other night from last season. The team was.. King Heeps Manzares Tungate Covatti Nielsen Morris Now how the hell did that team not even make the top 6 and the play offs? It's baffling.

Their NL averages have got nothing to do with the PL. Ritchings has been very good in the NL and beaten most of the PL 3 pointers in that league. However, he's then struggled badly to transfer that form in to the PL and has been beaten more often that not by those same riders he's been beating regularly in the NL. It's a strange one because like you rightly say, he's been riding very well at NL level but for whatever reason he's failed to take that in to the PL and to be frank, he's been utterly abysmal. He can have no complaints.

lol nah mate I'm in the same camp as well! 👍🏻

Ipswich Vs Edinburgh, this season the equivalent of two bald men fighting over a comb!

Yes from Mike Bacon's tweet it seemed like it was either Connor Mountain or Danyon Hume and turns out it's neither! Oliver Greenwood replaces Daryl Ritchings. A shame for Ritchings but I'm afraid he's been woeful so the right decision by the promotion. Oh and a riding order change, Kerr moves to 2 and Sargeant moves to 4 to partner Risager. Someone's been reading Mr beerhut's posts on here it seems ​

Tomorrow, some big Witches news, hear from @chrislouisIWSC @rhr_211 @DanyonHume_ & @CMountain57 (who was awesome 4 @MildenhallFT today BTW) So it's either Hume or Mountain for Ritchings? Sounds like Connor Mountain as why else tag him in to the Witches news? Would be a bit ironic seeing as I only just mentioned how well he's been going on here an hour ago!

Has Ritchings' partner given birth? Surprised he rode today for Birmingham seeing as he missed last nights meeting at Rye due to his partner being in "slow labour".

Connor Mountain 15+1 today for Mildy. Been superb this season and tipped for a bright future. Ritchings 7+1 and Hume 8+2 in the same meeting.

The track has been a disgrace and it has been for a while now. Bob Ellis can get the hump all he likes, but the supporters are not stupid and we know what we see! It's appalling. It's one thing having a poor team and losing meetings, but when the entertainment is non existent as well then that's a double whammy. No wonder people are voting with their feet at the moment.

There a few factors why we've struggled IMO. Firstly, we seem to have come off worse than the majority with our NL 3 pointer. Those are vital points and if you look around you'll see a lot of them chipping in 3,4 and 5 points in some cases. Ritchings has struggled to notch a point, and that makes a big difference. An even bigger issue has been King. He's been utterly abysmal since the season started. He is supposed to be in the top 3 riders in this league, and he's riding nowhere near it. That is hurting us badly. Kerr was a gamble that so far isn't paying off, he's been poor and Sargeant has been poor in the majority of meetings bar the odd one here and there. Risager has done his job as expected. Basically, we're crap!

I didn't go, but it looked pretty decent from the pics from the Ipswich twitter feed! Certainly looked to have more material than we currently have at Foxhall that's for sure.

Hume replaces Ritchings for the Witches. Ritchings missing as his partner has gone in to "slow labour". Here's your chance to impress Danyon lad good luck!

I have no idea what has been removed from your post there macca, but I'll take a wild stab in the dark and assume you didn't particularly enjoy the racing Thursday evening?

Thought the meeting was poor to be honest.

Morris From Gate, Zagar and Tungate having a fantastic tussle passing and repassing for 3 laps Read more: http://speedwayupdates.proboards.com/thread/15519/belle-vue-swindon-el-45pm#ixzz48OBMN03h Not just gating either it seems. Well done lad.

What a beautiful day. Perfect for an Evenings speedway..

TBF he's probably been Birmingham's best or at least, most consistent performer so far this season. Unfortunately he's looked absolute guff for us and that's all I'm concerned about.

Good on them. Some clubs are ambitious and proactive, and some aren't..

I see Gino has tweeted this morning that he scored an 18 point max in his first meeting of the season. Not sure what meeting it was or how strong/competitive, but a great first meeting nonetheless. With Tungate hitting his second consecutive max at Somerset and Heeps also starting the season well at Rye, then it kind of rubs salt in to the wounds with our poor start!

TBF to Louis he did publically state a few weeks ago that he was bitterly disappointed with the start of the season and it wouldn't be allowed to continue indefinitely. Actions speak louder than words of course, but having read the attendance was very very poor on Thursday I don't think Louis can afford to sit on his hands and not be proactive if the team don't improve quickly.

Ritchings is struggling to score a point even at home where he's had a few meetings now. If you can't even beat the opposition NL 3 pointer at home then you have to start looking elsewhere unfortunately.

Paco should be feeling a lot better after last week and then following it up by beating Covatti to win in Italy the following day. The lad is no mug and rides well abroad, just needs to get going over here! He's a cracking lad and is actually good to watch and the fans are definitely on his side as we saw last Sarurday. We won well on Saturday with King in particular and Kerr scoring well below their capabilities. Just shows we have a good team and when we get everyone firing on the same night somebody will be on the end of a hiding. Can't make it tonight but for those who can, enjoy the meeting hope it's a good un.

I'd also get your thermals out of the cupboard if I were you they're not done with yet! Safe journey and enjoy the meeting.

Can't be doing with Mushroom either. Not a fan of eating fungus! Mind you I think I'd prefer to eat Mushroom and Haggis than I would a pot noodle!! Now that definitely isn't edible..

Must admit the thought of eating Haggis makes me heave. Anyway what is this the Witches thread or MasterChef