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SON finals Togliatti Sat/Sun July 20th/21st Live on BT Sport

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Having watched last night the really annoying thing is that it is now obvious that Cook, for whatever reason, is able to be quick enough to be competitive around there. The fact he was still quick enough with an injured hand to be competitive tells us that. 

Not only does that mean we could have potentially won with Woffinden but we would certainly have been competitive for a top 3 spot with Cook and Lambert if Cook hadn't carted straight into him. Then, once you are in the semi-final, anything could happen. As a result, anyone that suggests we should have picked Bewley is just wrong. We had a chance to game the system with Cook on a track he is good at and being able to track our best two riders in all heats and have a chance of winning the thing so it would be frankly mismanagement to not do so.

This is not a suggestion that Harris was necessarily the right guy, but the fact that until we no longer can, Lambert HAS to be the U-21 rider. Therefore we would have needed to pick an over-21 rider at number two.

  

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2 hours ago, waytogo28 said:

That is why the sport is in danger across Europe, with the exception of Poland. And America and Australia brighten it up with variety and are eager to entertain. If merely money took the SoN to Togliatti it was a poor investment. let's hope they don't buy a GP or it will be Krsko all over again. Not worth watching.

Krsko is not a good racing track, but Togliatti is much worse IMO. Look at the results of the 2017 go challenge from there.... Przemyslaw Pawlicki, Artem Laguna, Dudek, Cook (Cook qualified because Dudek came in top 8 gp,s year before). Three renowned gaters not racers. It’s got to be a NO to a gp in Togliatti.

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9 minutes ago, Welwyn said:

Having watched last night the really annoying thing is that it is now obvious that Cook, for whatever reason, is able to be quick enough to be competitive around there. The fact he was still quick enough with an injured hand to be competitive tells us that. 

Not only does that mean we could have potentially won with Woffinden but we would certainly have been competitive for a top 3 spot with Cook and Lambert if Cook hadn't carted straight into him. Then, once you are in the semi-final, anything could happen. As a result, anyone that suggests we should have picked Bewley is just wrong. We had a chance to game the system with Cook on a track he is good at and being able to track our best two riders in all heats and have a chance of winning the thing so it would be frankly mismanagement to not do so.

This is not a suggestion that Harris was necessarily the right guy, but the fact that until we no longer can, Lambert HAS to be the U-21 rider. Therefore we would have needed to pick an over-21 rider at number two.

  

So, if not Harris, which over 21 rider would you have picked?

Without Tai, it could still have been Cook, Lambert and reserve Bewley. the reserve has to have a least one ride, hence in the disastrous last heat Sweden put i their reserve - they had to.

If Tai had been fit, the team picks itself..... Tai, Cook and reserve Lambert. That’s a well formed team, if Cook does not perform you put Lambert in. 

Not the best chance from pre start yesterday, but GB first race wrecked any chance of top 3.

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3 minutes ago, OveFundinFan said:

So, if not Harris, which over 21 rider would you have picked?

Without Tai, it could still have been Cook, Lambert and reserve Bewley. the reserve has to have a least one ride, hence in the disastrous last heat Sweden put i their reserve - they had to.

If Tai had been fit, the team picks itself..... Tai, Cook and reserve Lambert. That’s a well formed team, if Cook does not perform you put Lambert in. 

Not the best chance from pre start yesterday, but GB first race wrecked any chance of top 3.

Danny King

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4 minutes ago, OveFundinFan said:

Without Tai, it could still have been Cook, Lambert and reserve Bewley. the reserve has to have a least one ride, hence in the disastrous last heat Sweden put i their reserve - they had to.

Think you misunderstand my point. With Lambert at reserve we have the advantage that all the others don't have. If Bewley is at reserve we are in the same boat as all those others. If we were allowed an injury replacement for Day 2 (no idea if we are or not), then that is were I would have Bewley out there as. Once we picked up an injury it is game over in terms of Day 2 so I would just then ride Bewley in all 6 rides tonight.

As for who I'd have gone for, probably Lawson or King as they are the best in the Prem at the minute (if we were allowed to).

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It’s pretty obvious without Tai we had no chance of winning, but it is a sad fact that apart from sending a under21 for experience we don’t really have a decent replacement .Harris selection cannot be considered the worsed. They are all I the same boat.I would have picked S Worrell personally.

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One thing that I haven't seen anyone pick up on is the unevenness of the gates. If I've calculated it correctly, the results were: Red and Blue 51 White and Yellow 74.There were only 4 advantages for gates 1 and 3, 3 of these being against GB or Germany. All six of the 5-1s were from gates 2 and 4.

It's disappointing when results in a big meeting, or indeed any meeting, are skewed in this way. The big finale winner-takes-all race is likely to be decided either by luck or by whichever team gets the better gates, assuming the balance is the same on the second day.

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19 minutes ago, Welwyn said:

Think you misunderstand my point. With Lambert at reserve we have the advantage that all the others don't have. If Bewley is at reserve we are in the same boat as all those others. If we were allowed an injury replacement for Day 2 (no idea if we are or not), then that is were I would have Bewley out there as. Once we picked up an injury it is game over in terms of Day 2 so I would just then ride Bewley in all 6 rides tonight.

As for who I'd have gone for, probably Lawson or King as they are the best in the Prem at the minute (if we were allowed to).

I dont think I misunderstood you, think I knew where you were going.  You said "If Bewley at reserve we are in the same boat as all those others", maybe except for one country - Poland, who have Drabik, they could equally have had Smektala, or even Kuberra. Point is, their reserves are pretty good. Why? Because they have been exposed to top class racing for so long.  ONly now for last couple years is it, GB has the Poultec training. But what is the point of training youngsters if we dont expose them to international racing. Even last year Dan Bewley who is what 20?, is still behind Drabik/Smektala even younger Kuberra. Without Tai our chances of a win were massively reduced, but still in with a chance maybe of a top 3 place, but still tough. But importantly we got to bring the youngsters through. I understand why you say keep Rob at reserve (he will still get the rides) but does GB go for a minor place this year, or invest in future years. When Robert is over 21 (isnt this his last year at under 21"s competition), then Cook is out it will be Tai and Robert, but who at under 21 reserve. It will be an inexperienced rider who HAS to have a ride, maybe finish last, best 3rd place. Get them trained up at every opportunity, like now, when we cant win, and maybe when they do race they are well capable of 3rd or even 2nd. Those points may be the difference between win or loose.  Cook, Lambert, Bewley for me this year.

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FACT  ;  Reality is we have no chance of a top 3 without Tai.

As the commentators said better to give a young rider the chance of experience,... that should have been Rossiter's stand point

No disrespect to Chris  ..   he has had his time at the top and is not the rider he was a few years ago

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18 minutes ago, KIRKYLANE said:

FACT  ;  Reality is we have no chance of a top 3 without Tai.

As the commentators said better to give a young rider the chance of experience,... that should have been Rossiter's stand point

No disrespect to Chris  ..   he has had his time at the top and is not the rider he was a few years ago

I don't know that's a fact... None of the other pairs were that impressive, only stand out individual performances from 3 riders. Had Cook and Lambert both been fit they could have quite easily gone through the meeting getting 3-3's and maybe the odd advantage and then who knows in the semi's and final. Look at Sweden, you wouldn't say they were out of it, it would only take a stand out performance from Fred on day 2 and they could be in with a shout of a medal

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Both Lambert and Cook are fit to ride today.

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At the end of the day, Harris (or whoever else might have been selected) was just there to be replaced.

In theory it was fine, with GB's best rider (Lambert) at reserve we would not have had to track a weakened pair in one heat, and Harris's big meeting experience and patriotism would work well for team spirit.

It all fell apart in our first heat, but you can't blame the manager for that.

After Woffinden, Lambert and Cook we have nobody who can compete at this level, although Harris at least has experience of top level competition.

It's all debateable really. Harris probably wouldn't have even ridden if Cook and Lambert hadn't crashed.

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Much, I mean really MUCH, has been made of the new Great Britain Team management and structure.

Being facetious I would say that they have improved the lads skipping technique no end. Though I am sure it goes much further than that. Behind the scenes.

But up front, on show, with what matters on the Speedway side. Very little is different.

Both last year's SON with nativity on tactics and this year's uninspiring team selection shows  that they haven't advanced the actual speedway thinking one iota.

Alun's personal stylist does get a ten out of ten for effort though. Must be the hardest job of the lot.

Edited by Grand Central
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Many have mentioned about Dan Bewley should be in the team, but would he be fit enough to take his place after crashing at Peterborough last Monday. Personally I dont see him being ready to take the step up to this level as he seems to be still rebuilding his confidence from last seasons injuries, after that you are looking at Danny King, Steve Worrall etc with Chris Harris and Chris Harris after all has qualified for big meetings this season.

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13 minutes ago, screm said:

Many have mentioned about Dan Bewley should be in the team, but would he be fit enough to take his place after crashing at Peterborough last Monday. Personally I dont see him being ready to take the step up to this level as he seems to be still rebuilding his confidence from last seasons injuries, after that you are looking at Danny King, Steve Worrall etc with Chris Harris and Chris Harris after all has qualified for big meetings this season.

Bewley rode in sweden the day after doing really well scoring paid 6 from 4 rides

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