After stumbling to a fourth straight loss in the ITM Cup, Sean Horan’s side would lose nothing by showing up with clear heads for tonight’s game with competition leaders Canterbury in Mount Maunganui.

During the last four weeks, the Steamers seemed to have run out of ideas while other teams have feasted on the Bay’s indecision with ball in hand and habit to concede penalties when they don’t.

After watching Saturday’s game twice _ crazy I know _ it seems structure may have gotten in the way of having a crack which is traditionally the Bay’s playing style.

Game breaking backs like Steve Kefu and Lelia Masaga seem to have become battering rams as the Steamers creep slowly from side to side trying to suck in defending teams with little real gains.

In rugby coaching terms, they are playing in pods (in groups across the field), but it seems everybody else in the competition is aware of this also.

Dynamic ball runners like Luke Braid and Sam Cane are not getting the ball out wide which means the continuity displayed by the Steamers in the first few games of 2011 is no longer happening.

It would nice to see some simple decoy runners and skip passes out to the likes of Phil Burleigh and Toby Arnold who have the speed and footwork to set up their outsides. That would allow Kefu and co to run the inside lines and provide options in motion.

Playing with pace and width would bring in the Bay’s skilful loosies: Braid, Cane, Tanerau Latimer and Colin Bourke who should be the strength of this side and thorns in an opponent.

However, there are some issues up front with the scrum becoming a liability to attack from an area for opposition attacks. We can’t change front row resources, we have what we have, but some return to basics would help rather than bleating about the opposition’s input.

Penalties are frequent. Bad decisions are made under pressure and this Bay team is under pressure with two games to go.

Skipper Colin Bourke, normally an eloquent, insightful and quick witted interview following a game, is starting to sound like a broken record with the “have a look in the mirror and our own worse enemy” comments.

The reality is the Bay were stunning over the first four weeks and since sending in the B team to play and lose to Northland they have been average to poor.

The winning habit is long gone and the losing one is clearly about but there is the talent in this side to turn on some magic.

Maybe the coaching staff should take the night off: leave the team to stand on its own and avoid another loss which would put them in a probable loser gets relegated match against Southland this Saturday.

A result that was unimaginable four weeks ago and is not a good look for the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union’s Centenary Year season.