Edinburgh Monarchs vs Glasgow Tigers (BSN Series) - Friday 7th April

[JanAndersen]

And so it begins. Both teams presumably at full strength in front of a bumper crowd as everyone returns to get their speedway fix.

Struggle to see anything other than a comfortable Edinburgh win. 60-30........... 

Edinburgh Monarchs 

• 1  Josh Pickering                  8.92
• 2  Lasse Fredriksen              4.00       
• 3  Kye Thomson                    6.60
• 4  Paco Castagna                  4.93 
• 5  Craig Cook                         8.24
• 6  Jacob Hook                       4.00
• 7  Kyle Bickley                       2.86

Glasgow Tigers 

• 1  Chris Harris                        8.76
• 2  Marcin Novak                    5.00
• 3  Benjamin Basso                8.52
• 4  Claus Vissing                    5.00 
• 5  Tom Brennan                     6.71
• 6  Lee Complin                      4.00
• 7  Ace Pijper                          2.00

[xvcjk]

I believe Jacob will ride at 2 and Lasse at 6.

[Bagpuss]

Very tight meeting, could even be a draw.

[Mr Blobby]

With majority of the boys not having had any track time and no laps round Armadale till they get to the tapes on Friday with practice being off I think track time and race rust might be a factor in the outcome of the result. 

Think it’ll be close, think either could win this by around 2/4 points. 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Mr Blobby

[Jaizer]

Quite hard to call, top 3 pretty evenly matched, maybe we have the advantage at 2nd string but not necessarily around armadale. Come down to reserves imo, would take 6-10 defeat given the bonus point is back

[mac101]

4 minutes ago, Mr Blobby said:

With majority of the boys not having had any track time and no laps round Armadale till they get to the tapes on Friday with practice being off I think track time and race rust might be a factor in the outcome of the result. 

Think it’ll be close, think either could win this by around 2/4 points. 

think there trying for a practice on Thursday 

[Mr Blobby]

18 minutes ago, mac101 said:

think there trying for a practice on Thursday 

Doubt it’ll happen weather isn’t looking great.

[Noelinho]

I'd take Glasgow's team all day long - but not round Armadale. Home win.

Different story come the Sunday meet. Hopefully that's a bigger home win!

Edited April 3, 2023 by Noelinho

[MD]

Castagna to come alive in ht14 having otherwise been anonymous. Close meeting in prospect.

[King Jamie]

17 hours ago, JanAndersen said:

And so it begins. Both teams presumably at full strength in front of a bumper crowd as everyone returns to get their speedway fix.

Struggle to see anything other than a comfortable Edinburgh win. 60-30........... 

Edinburgh Monarchs 

• 1  Josh Pickering                  8.92
• 2  Lasse Fredriksen              4.00       
• 3  Kye Thomson                    6.60
• 4  Paco Castagna                  4.93 
• 5  Craig Cook                         8.24
• 6  Jacob Hook                       4.00
• 7  Kyle Bickley                       2.86

Glasgow Tigers 

• 1  Chris Harris                        8.76
• 2  Marcin Novak                    5.00
• 3  Benjamin Basso                8.52
• 4  Claus Vissing                    5.00 
• 5  Tom Brennan                     6.71
• 6  Lee Complin                      4.00
• 7  Ace Pijper                          2.00

Those line-ups look very boring / standard.

I'd like the team managers to think outside the box a bit more. For example, if the Italian plumber was more consistent, we could move Kye to no.2 and form a powerhouse opening pairing. Move Lasse / Jacob to no.3.

For Glasgow, move Brennan to no.2. Vissing rode at 5 during his Monarchs' days, so no reason why he couldn't cover there. Let Nowak and Basso knock 10 bells out of each other at 3 and 4. Entertainment for the paying punter if nowt else.

[ragdoll64]

31 minutes ago, Noelinho said:

I'd take Glasgow's team all day long - but not round Armadale. Home win.

Different story come the Sunday meet. Hopefully that's a bigger home win!

Think reserve performances could have a big bearing on both meetings too and I wouldn’t be surprised if Cookie went through the card at both venues.

[Mr Blobby]

9 minutes ago, ragdoll64 said:

Think reserve performances could have a big bearing on both meetings too and I wouldn’t be surprised if Cookie went through the card at both venues.

Well he’s not touched a bike since last October so I doubt it. 

[JanAndersen]

3 hours ago, King Jamie said:

Those line-ups look very boring / standard.

I'd like the team managers to think outside the box a bit more. For example, if the Italian plumber was more consistent, we could move Kye to no.2 and form a powerhouse opening pairing. Move Lasse / Jacob to no.3.

For Glasgow, move Brennan to no.2. Vissing rode at 5 during his Monarchs' days, so no reason why he couldn't cover there. Let Nowak and Basso knock 10 bells out of each other at 3 and 4. Entertainment for the paying punter if nowt else.

No offence but I’m glad you’re not the team manager! We’ve got to push Kye to be a solid heat leader - that isn’t going to happen riding at no.2. 

[LisaColette]

3 hours ago, King Jamie said:

Those line-ups look very boring / standard.

I'd like the team managers to think outside the box a bit more. For example, if the Italian plumber was more consistent, we could move Kye to no.2 and form a powerhouse opening pairing. Move Lasse / Jacob to no.3.

For Glasgow, move Brennan to no.2. Vissing rode at 5 during his Monarchs' days, so no reason why he couldn't cover there. Let Nowak and Basso knock 10 bells out of each other at 3 and 4. Entertainment for the paying punter if nowt else.

I have never understood why Tom is at 5 and Ben at 3. Ben's average is nearly 2 points higher.

[Jaizer]

9 minutes ago, lisa-colette said:

I have never understood why Tom is at 5 and Ben at 3. Ben's average is nearly 2 points higher.

He started there last season because ulle was coming back from injury and Ben was still on a 5. He must be happy there is my only guess. When/ if Ben gets to no.1 I'd guess bomber would go to 5 and Tom move at that point 

[LisaColette]

3 minutes ago, Jaizer said:

He started there last season because ulle was coming back from injury and Ben was still on a 5. He must be happy there is my only guess. When/ if Ben gets to no.1 I'd guess bomber would go to 5 and Tom move at that point 

He must love a challenge! Steve Worrall said he liked riding at 3 as it is so much easier than 1 or 5. Maybe Ben has realised this also? Also Tom might be thinking of keeping average down, to be appealing for following season? 

[szkocjasid]

4 hours ago, lisa-colette said:

I have never understood why Tom is at 5 and Ben at 3. Ben's average is nearly 2 points higher.

 

4 hours ago, Jaizer said:

He started there last season because ulle was coming back from injury and Ben was still on a 5. He must be happy there is my only guess. When/ if Ben gets to no.1 I'd guess bomber would go to 5 and Tom move at that point 

I'd put the riders where I think it suits the team best, which for me would be Tom at 3 & Ben at 5.

[ragdoll64]

8 hours ago, Mr Blobby said:

Well he’s not touched a bike since last October so I doubt it. 

Good to see he has your full support…….lol

[King Jamie]

15 hours ago, JanAndersen said:

No offence but I’m glad you’re not the team manager! We’ve got to push Kye to be a solid heat leader - that isn’t going to happen riding at no.2. 

I never take offence 

I'm not actually advocating moving Kye to number 2. I did say Castagna isn't consistent enough, so that rules out any such move, unfortunately.

I would argue that Kye could still become a "solid heat leader", regardless of what number race jacket he dons. The added bonus being that paid wins behind Josh would only ever make his maximum average 9.00 (he would obviously win heat 8), as opposed to 12.00.

There's too much emphasis on heat 8 being an 'easy race'. The same can be said for heats 12 and 14, thus making the difference between 2, 3 and 4 marginal.

Anyway, roll on Friday. Kids - don't forget - chocolate is a laxative. Say no to Easter eggs.

[Mr Blobby]

11 hours ago, ragdoll64 said:

Good to see he has your full support…….lol

He’s got my full support seen the light and returned to the good side and all that. Think a lack of bike time and no having raced in 5 months isn’t ideal preparation.