Ben "Phantom" Roberts

[Baseball Furies]

Let me start off by saying I'm a Holdsworth fan, I also rate Roberts but wanted to see Holdsworth starting at 5/8 and Roberts on the bench (in place of Perry).

Roberts over the last few weeks has been on the team sheet but i'm not sure if he's been on the field - surely he's getting close to at least going back to the bench. He lacks the ability to guide a team around and Sherwin has to take on extra when he's on the field. He needs to demand the ball and do more then that step which he seems to do everytime he gets the ball.

The play that he put on in the last 5 minutes - on the 2nd tackle was ridiculous (even if we did nearly score an absolute miracle try), we should have put more pressure on and got the ball back again at the very least.

I'm expecting the usual suspects to bag Holdsworth and say how poorly he's been going in PL (cause we everyone goes to watch all the PL games after all) and saying Roberts is the "next Thurston" etc. etc.

I don't doubt they boy has a great deal of talent, I just think he looks like he's struggling big time.

If you've noticed, he spends a lot of time at dummy half when he's on the field so if he cam off the bench and filled that role (as his defence is great), I think he would be awesome.

 

[Bry]

He was quiet tonight. If he just gets hold of the ball more, he can form a lethal combination with Tonga. Matty johns said something similar. I havent seen Holdsworth in PL, but I think Roberts will be a better player long term than Holdsworth.

 

[luke]

here here i think he is a great player but maybe a year or so away, but in saying that he didn't cost us the game but could of been more dangerous if he made some different decisions

 

[Mitch Connor]

Needs to get involved more: Yes.

Has awesome skills that DJ doesnt: Yes.

Cut down Grothe 9 times out of 10: Yes.

Let in any tries: No.

Better then DJ: Yes.

 

[LG]

when he gets the ball, he looks great, just needs to get more involved

 

[Horse]

i think you could easily say the same about sherwin in the past couple of weeks also, they both have not been at there absolute best but they certainly havent been playing badly either.
our bench is where we lack plus not having 2 key forwards and a fullback..

we need some spark off our bench, kouparitsas is the only player on the bench who does something when injected, briggs, MORRIN, and perry are poo

 

[TCB-BD]

He's still very dangerous, he showed that tonight with Phelpsy try... true brilliance that was..

HOWEVER he went missing for large periods tonight.. he needs to support Shifty a lot more and help him to create second phase play... we have the backline to utilise it now... but Roberts wasn't there for a lot of the time tonight.. when he finally did get there, we got some great play and the forwards started finding big gaps....

Oh and by the way, if we ever need a playmaker, throw it to the number 8.. that kick from Luva... was out of the backline textbook and was sublime..

 

[kanecleal]

No way do we want Holdsworth back, he is useless. I watch almost every PL game and he does nothing. Roberts is far better then him, Holdsworth has no attack or flair nor can he defend.

 

[MP4 - Eedz]

Its 3 games now, isnt really getting involved and the most annoying thing about is that his SOOOOOO dangerous with Tonga

Every time he plays a little wide they are causing havoc IMO

 

[_G-Dog_]

Roberts has been quite but Shifty is dominating more.
Roberts took the wrong option by kicking early leading to Sonny steal - no try

 

[Haztrick]

He was quiet tonight, yes. But who's fault is that? Do you blame it on Roberts because he didn't come in field looking for it? No. He works very well next to Tonga and he stayed in his position. Sherwin didn't spread the ball and did so very rarely tonight. When Roberts did get the ball, he displayed some magic. You can't tell me it wasn't amazing work from Roberts for Phelp's second try? His kicking tonight has also improved again I felt. A couple of nice grubbers and bombs. A couple of off kicks also but the same can be said for Sherwin.

The past few months, Roberts has played very well at five-eighth and he continued to do so tonight, even with minimal ball. The halves combo is gathering some momentum and is improving. No way should it be changed, especially when Roberts isn't doing anything wrong.

 

[Strikerdog]

Roberts should be put back to premier league simple as that

 

[TCB-BD]

He was quiet tonight, yes. But who's fault is that? Do you blame it on Roberts because he didn't come in field looking for it? No. He works very well next to Tonga and he stayed in his position. Sherwin didn't spread the ball and did so very rarely tonight. When Roberts did get the ball, he displayed some magic. You can't tell me it wasn't amazing work from Roberts for Phelp's second try? His kicking tonight has also improved again I felt. A couple of nice grubbers and bombs. A couple of off kicks also but the same can be said for Sherwin.

The past few months, Roberts has played very well at five-eighth and he continued to do so tonight, even with minimal ball. The halves combo is gathering some momentum and is improving. No way should it be changed, especially when Roberts isn't doing anything wrong.

Spot on... that is exactly what it is about... I think Sherwin needs to have more confidence in Benny.. because what he can do is pretty brilliant.

If you looked in the game, he almost got us something really special with a kick that just went over the dead ball line... he forced the Eels back into the ingoal to run out and was consistently kicking with an idea... something DJ is not doing ATM in PL.

I am a huge fan of DJ's, but ATM, definitely keep Roberts in there, he has done nothing to say he shouldn't be there.

 

[Mitch Connor]

Roberts defence tonight was all class. He cut down Grothe almost everytime.

There's no limitations to what he could do. Just needs to get involved.

 

[Mitch Connor]

Needs to get involved more: Yes.

Has awesome skills that DJ doesnt: No.

Cut down Grothe 9 times out of 10: 5/10.

Let in any tries: Yes.

Better then DJ: No.

why lie? lol

 

[luke]

roberts? still unconvinced

 

[TdoggBulldog]

he is a good player that is better than holdsworth by far

and tries harder than holdsworth by far imo

just needs to be involved more...

 

[Alan79]

Personally if we see another 5/8 playing this year i hope it is Barba. Roberts has been doing well and looks dangerous every time he has the ball. We also have other go to guys like SBW who tend to be thrown the ball when they ask for it. Roberts can't be involved in every movement of the ball. You guys get so bloody harsh about certain players every time we lose. Give it up.

 

[Baseball Furies]

Needs to get involved more: Yes.

Has awesome skills that DJ doesnt: Yes.

Cut down Grothe 9 times out of 10: Yes.

Let in any tries: No.

Better then DJ: Yes.

Let's be honest man, if Holdsworth played like Roberts did you and every other person on here would be calling for his head.

 

[JayBee]

Holdsworth has not been great in PL

He looks like a frustrated footballer