TheScotsman Posted August 5, 2017 Report Share Posted August 5, 2017 Every team would pick us given the choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted August 5, 2017 Report Share Posted August 5, 2017 Fact is Monarchs have flattered to deceive from the very first match this season. The back up to the heat leaders has been weak all along but has been ignored by the faithful in the hope that they'd eventually come good. They haven't. Too many inconsistencies even from the heat leaders, with only Sam Masters excepted. I'm afraid the bottom end of the team has (even though some will hate me for saying it) been nothing short of pathetic on far too many occasions.They have been lucky that Pickering has been very good or they would be in right trouble.Clegg is very inconsistent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icicle Posted August 5, 2017 Report Share Posted August 5, 2017 The wheels seem to have fallen off for Edin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted August 5, 2017 Report Share Posted August 5, 2017 The wheels seem to have fallen off for Edin. Hardly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclone Posted August 5, 2017 Report Share Posted August 5, 2017 They have been lucky that Pickering has been very good or they would be in right trouble.Clegg is very inconsistent. Don't think signing Pickering was down to luck as they had positive recommendations on him from contacts in Oz, including current PL riders. In fact he is the only new Australian to appear in our leagues this Season. Last Season we gave Etheridge a decent run but unfortunately it didn't work out for him, so credit to Jye for persevering and coming good in 2017 and also Berwick on giving him a further opportunity. Bringing back Mark Riss on a starting GSA of 4.00 was also a shrewd move, and until his injury, he had upped this to 6.34, whilst younger brother Erik has increased his by more than 1.5 also. The real weakness as such, imo, has been in the recruitment of the statutory two eligible UK riders, who have shown little sign of improving, albeit Clegg is currently around half a point above his start point, though this is mainly via his home form, whilst Davey has went to 3.03 from his 3.00 start. It might seem that we have been punching above our weight, but apart from that shock away win at Ipswich, we have already met the weaker sides at home twice, and with Peterborough, Ipswich, Workington, & Glasgow due for the B fixtures, reckon we might well drop at least another nine points at home, and drop out of the top four Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerblade Posted August 5, 2017 Report Share Posted August 5, 2017 Sheffield now title favourites after that humbling of the Monarchs . Is that the first time Sheffield have ever won at Armadale ? We won by a couple of points in September 2001, but this is definitely the most impressive result there. I was totally not expecting that, especially after Lasse was ruled out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewmac Posted August 6, 2017 Report Share Posted August 6, 2017 They have been lucky that Pickering has been very good or they would be in right trouble.Clegg is very inconsistent.So inconsistent that he couldn't even be bothered to appear for Edinburgh's final meeting last year. I'm sure he was only brought back because no other Brit could be found to fill the position. And as for Davey? That may well be a nice lad, but nice lads don't win matches and he should never ever have been handed a racejacket. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotchopper Posted August 7, 2017 Report Share Posted August 7, 2017 The first thing that has to be said is well done sheffield, they have been close in the first 2 matches at armadale already this season so edinburgh had been well warned. But they were solid all the way through with lots of heat winners, the perfect guest and a little bit of bad luck for the home boys but very worthy winners. Ironically it was probably the best start monarchs have had against sheffield in the 3 matches with the top 3 looking impressive and a good win from josh in heat 2. But even whilst we were up there were vital points dropped with mitchell dropping a point to georgie wood and kurtz beating clegg twice. Kurtz win in heat 8 was also a surprise as he turned in a key performance for the tigers. So we were only 6 ahead when we could have been more but howarth (sheffield's best rider) had raced his r/r and 3 of his races you would have thought everything was ok and under control but then the match turned on its head on a bike failure and a brilliant piece of team riding. A comfortable 4-2 to put us 8 points up with masters miles ahead turned into a 2-4 and it was game on again. The tigers took full advantage with kurtz jumping out the gate in the next one and harris pulling off some of the best team riding seen at the dale to level the scores with a 5-1. erik was looking quicker in 3rd and i don't think there are many other riders in the league that would have prevented him getting through. Then another disappointment with bates beating wells and graversen who had been very ordinary so far beating davey and suddenly we were in trouble and then disaster struck. For half a lap it looked like the big guns were going to save the day with erik well clear and sam backing him up. Harris then drove underneath masters who tried to turn back off the 4th bend but just locked up a little too much and howarth could not avoid him, a broken collarbone the result. so another heat advantage was lost and insult was added to injury as erik missed the gate in the rerun, monarchs now needed snookers. with the momentum well in their favour both sheffield boys jumped out the start again in heat 14 and it took a brave ride around the boards ride from josh pickering to limit the damage but with clegg a poor last the match was lost. could they finish off and collect the bonus point for winning by more than 6, of course they could with sam masters in the back of an ambulance monarchs missed the gate and for his 3rd race in a row erik riss found himself trying to break up a team riding pair. never will have someone worked so hard for 3 points in 3 races but the cherry was firmly on top of the cake for sheffield. lots of things to think about for edinburgh, they are still a good bet for the play offs but Sam will be a massive miss and this friday is now huge. Bomber has had a look at the track and comes back with a peterborough team on a massive high after winning the fours without jack holder and a number of riders who go well at armadale. The guest will be important and when you add the 5% for home matches Craig Cook is the only rider in the league who is too high. However with the other matches on the same night the best and possibly only options are Ipswich and Glasgow riders. Using them will give them valuable track experience ahead of their own teams visit to Edinburgh. So it is going to be a very hard few weeks for the monarchs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclone Posted August 7, 2017 Report Share Posted August 7, 2017 (edited) . The guest will be important and when you add the 5% for home matches Craig Cook is the only rider in the league who is too high. However with the other matches on the same night the best and possibly only options are Ipswich and Glasgow riders. Using them will give them valuable track experience ahead of their own teams visit to Edinburgh. So it is going to be a very hard few weeks for the monarchs. Have you forgotten about Nick Morris who was an excellent guest previously, or even Josh Grajczonek who has no other UK fixture on Friday? Edited August 7, 2017 by cyclone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotchopper Posted August 7, 2017 Report Share Posted August 7, 2017 (edited) Have you forgotten about Nick Morris who was an excellent guest previously, or even Josh Grajczonek who has no other UK fixture on Friday? fair point on Morris, Sheffield are at Redcar on Friday so Grajzonek is out. if richie worrall is fit he would be first choice. be strange riding for us on friday then against us on saturday Edited August 7, 2017 by scotchopper 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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