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Lincoln (H)- League, Friday 16th February

Reports and reaction from the 2006-07 season as Walsall finished 1st (C) in League 2
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Dave Gittins
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 7:48 pm

Good start - Kiansmom and Saddler4life on TV!!!

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the_game
 
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:10 pm

good goal by lincoln, however quick responce by the saddlers :)

TofDover
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:33 pm

1-2

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Cheesebag
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:43 pm

Not great but come on the lads for the 2nd half....

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Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:44 pm

Well. It aint the worst game I have seen. Although dobson was to blame for giving away the ball for the second goal, his team mates aint helping by giving the ball to hoim whilst surrounded by players. The atmosphere has been much better than of late. Come on the lads

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Cheesebag
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:46 pm

Ho Ho Ho

BathSaddler
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:53 pm

Onwards and upwards...

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the_game
 
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:56 pm

BathSaddler wrote:Onwards and upwards...

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AYE!! AYE!!

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Cheesebag
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:41 pm

bum, not great

BathSaddler
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:41 pm

Onwards and downwards then... :(

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Dave Gittins
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:48 pm

Well, I've seen us play worse and win.

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hullsaddler
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:54 pm

Massive disappointment. Didnt feel that we played too badly & we definitely had opportunities. You cant plan for 2 individual errors giving away possession like that. Dobson's pass that gave them possession for the 2nd was an absolute shocker.
I suppose they can claim they should have had a penalty.
Pity Butler could not get a better shot in on his 2 efforts. I think Stockport game will now define whether we can stay in contention or not.

BathSaddler
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:55 pm

DD says "we have been looking over the last week or two to bring people in" or words to that effect. Discuss.

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Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:05 pm

Let's get reacting...

On the one hand I'm tempted to say we played OK tonight. We didn't really deserve to be losing at half-time and we had all the possession in the second half, created some very presentable openings and kept Lincoln penned back. The balance of play suggested that should have been a draw at worst for us.

On the other hand, I say stuff that. We are dropping like a stone. Our form since Swindon is 17 points from 13 games which is midtable form. Worse than that, we have won one of the last six games. And we have only got ourselves to blame. The goals we conceded again tonight were horrendous. Following on from own goals against Boston and Rochdale, we contrive to present the ball to Lincoln twice, who take full advantage.

It is sloppy. But equally as sloppy was our finishing in the second half. Butler (x2), Dann and Wrack all should have scored but one missed the target and two of the others were easy for the keeper. That's just the tip of the iceberg - there were passes not finding the target, crosses going astray, men not picked up in defence, players labouring to get back in position, stupid fouls conceded time and time again. It is basic, it is unprofessional and standards have slipped from earlier in the season.

I'm still fully behind DD and the players, but for the first time tonight I am not confident, or even hopeful, of automatic promotion. We missed a trick in the January transfer window with the players we brought in and the players we didn't. A new central midfielder would be nice, but if we can't get it then Dobson, Keates and Pead will really have to up their game. Defensively we need to get back to the organisation and rigidity we showed early on in the campaign and up front I hope DD stops substituting Hector Sam, because he is the best partner we have for Butler.

We can get promotion, but we need to turn things around and fast. Maybe not being top dogs would help to take the pressure off a bit. Whatever happens though, the players need to wake up and realise that no one is going to hand them promotion on a plate. I remember games like Hereford (a), Stockport (h), Macclesfield (h) when we came away with the points through sheer bloody-minded effort. That's how we ended up nine points clear at the top. Please don't let it all go to waste.

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Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:13 pm

Just got home and i have to say i am GUTTED. One of the best performances of the season IMO, dobson at fault but i would have to question ropers marking on the second one, but he had a fantastic game today.

Ince- Okay bit dodgy today.
Pead- First half okay, good in the second half but a bit powderpuff
Fox- Naff defensively
Westwood- Quality
Roper- Good game but still didnt look his usual self
Dobson- Rubbish
Keates- Played well today hsi touch let him down a bit though.
Dann- Why wasnt he playing from the start!?
Wright- PUFF, did okay today put a few decent crosses in, when he loses the ball he just stands there. Wingers rights or no rights, hes lazy.
Butler- worked hard to no avail, should of scored one on one with the goalie.
Sam - My man of the match, did nothing wrong.
Ciderfest- added fresh legs but didnt do alot.
Wrack- Bizzare substitution i thought, okay to tighten it up bt his lack of pace offered nothin on the left.
Krissy Taylor- Good game played some nice balls.

Two defensive errors cost us, but i am not downhearted tonight, we will win on tuesday.

I also thought us, the fans were terrific, best support all season, even the moaning ba*tard that sits in F"G lower who moans everyweek was silent.

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Whitti Steve
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:24 pm

Better 2nd half - thought Sam did OK tonight. Westwood was my MOM. Dan looked a shadow of his usual self IMHO. Lincoln were the better team as far as attacking is concerned - clinical finishing. But no need to throw in the towel yet IMHO.

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Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:48 pm

Jesus ! I didnt go tonight, DD pissed me off, he does not understand what it is like to be a WFC fan.
However, I did watch it, and I have to say we were awful again. I dont have rose tinted specs like some but the back four 1st half were all over the place. Midfield er what midfield ? Add to that the passing / distribution was horrendous. A massive game for us, again we didnt show. I could go on, about the whimp that plays on the right, the lack of pace in team, the lack of movement, passion but I wont.
Thoroughly depressed Saddler, but hark I hear you - We are top of the league ? How is my question.

philthesaddler
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:52 pm

What a pile of steaming sh!te that was.

In the last couple of days we've had the discussion about what Money said. He criticised the fans big time, and we responed with a lot of noise. It's just a shame he didn't keep his end of the deal up.

I said from the moment he came out with those comments he'd got a cheek to do it, and it's backfired right in his face and made him look a complete fool. We gave the players support, a lot of it, but we performed atrociously, again.

As a team, we have little idea of how to play good football, thats what worries me. People say we have to play hoofball because thats the style other teams use, so we must adapt, rubbish. Absolute rubbish. We play hoofball because we have the most inept midfield collective to ever wear our shirt.

Keates is living on his reputation, and for all his bustling runs tonight, he's very weak, offers nothing in the air, and gave the ball away countless times. Fox was once again totally lazy, doesn't want to know. We play him on the left wing, but ladies and gentlemen, did he get a cross in all night? No. He might aswell not be there. As for Mark Wright, well... Two years ago we were told he was premiership clarse by Merson, he's played over 100 games for us now, and he still isn't worthy of being a professional footballer if you ask me. He cant cross, he cant run with it, he can't beat his man, and he wimps out of everything - tonight for instance, he wimped out of a header because it was coming from too high, then he was clean through on goal, all he needed to do was win a 90:10 challenge [in his favour] to knock it past the covering defender - and he wimped out.

And as for Dobson, well, my god, i've never seen such ineptitude. Money said on the radio after the match that he's had a dip in form? A dip in form? A dip in effin form? Tonight he presented the opposition with two guilt edged chances because he gave the ball away. Utterly atrocious. It says something when after 30 minutes one of your own players is cheered because he's finally found a collegue.

At the back, Roper wasn't his normal self, I've never been convinced by Westwood as a central defender, and when Pead and Taylor are doing their level best to give the ball back to the opposition everytime they come near it, things aint going well.

Hector Sam, I thought, played really really well, he seems to be able to turn his man better than Butler, probably because of his lower center of gravity, and seemed to find the gaps in the defence more often than Butler.

We had plenty of possession in the second half, but we only really made the keeper save once - the butler oppurtunity. Dann should have buried his chance, but regardless of the chances we had we've lost two very, very important games on the trot, two games we never looked like winning from the outset, not to mention Rochdale

On the radio after the match, Money seemed apologetic, like he knew his little galvanisation plan had backfired and made him look a fool. He said we're going to try and bring in "as many players as we need" to not give this away - its a real shame Richard Money, because we could all see that 6 or 7 weeks ago.

However, I don't want to be too critical of Money as I think this comes down to Bonser. We didn't sign anyone decent because we were top - Bonser had his usual attitude of "we're doing well enough, so nothing needs strengthening", just like he did under Lee. Money's just a mouthpiece, he can't criticise Bonser for not giving him the funds, and can only do his best with what is an awful midfield.

What's happened tonight is that they have finally realised that something needs to be done, they finally realised that if something is not done, then the wonderful position we have occupied for most of this season will be frittered away. Money said he's been looking and looking for players to bring in, you watch us bring in two decent players on monday just like that - it's not that the players aren't out there, it's like I keep saying, it's down to no funds being available. From Bonsers point of view, it's cheaper to wait and wait until we are utterly desperate for fresh legs before bringing them in, it saves a wage, Bonsers sole interest in WFC is monetary, and it's damaging our progress- but thats nothing new, he's been doing it for nigh on 17 years.

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Barren Flak
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:52 pm

I think that's a bit harsh.

I thought we played better than our last two home games, but we made and paid for silly mistakes. We certainly had our chances and also the opportunity to create them from corners, set pieces and free play crossing opportunities. We need to improve that area drastically.

cal wfc fan
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:55 pm

larryhaggler wrote:Jesus ! I didnt go tonight, DD pissed me off, he does not understand what it is like to be a WFC fan.
However, I did watch it, and I have to say we were awful again. I dont have rose tinted specs like some but the back four 1st half were all over the place. Midfield er what midfield ? Add to that the passing / distribution was horrendous. A massive game for us, again we didnt show. I could go on, about the whimp that plays on the right, the lack of pace in team, the lack of movement, passion but I wont.
Thoroughly depressed Saddler, but hark I hear you - We are top of the league ? How is my question.

Come on...I dont think they played as bad as the last couple of times, there was some better passing than of late!

philthesaddler
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:58 pm

Max & Daddy wrote:I think that's a bit harsh.

I thought we played better than our last two home games, but we made and paid for silly mistakes. We certainly had our chances and also the opportunity to create them from corners, set pieces and free play crossing opportunities. We need to improve that area drastically.


But we have lost a game we absolutely could not afford to lose. Football is a results business.

When we were playing sh!te earlier in the season, but scraping wins, everyone would say it's the result that counts now we've lost a couple of very important games, but hey it's the performance that counts

:roll:

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Barren Flak
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:02 pm

philthesaddler wrote:
Max & Daddy wrote:I think that's a bit harsh.

I thought we played better than our last two home games, but we made and paid for silly mistakes. We certainly had our chances and also the opportunity to create them from corners, set pieces and free play crossing opportunities. We need to improve that area drastically.


But we have lost a game we absolutely could not afford to lose. Football is a results business.

When we were playing sh!te earlier in the season, but scraping wins, everyone would say it's the result that counts now we've lost a couple of very important games, but hey it's the performance that counts

:roll:


Sorry Phil, my post was actual in response to these comments:

Larryhagler wrote:Jesus ! I didnt go tonight, DD pissed me off, he does not understand what it is like to be a WFC fan.
However, I did watch it, and I have to say we were awful again. I dont have rose tinted specs like some but the back four 1st half were all over the place. Midfield er what midfield ? Add to that the passing / distribution was horrendous. A massive game for us, again we didnt show. I could go on, about the whimp that plays on the right, the lack of pace in team, the lack of movement, passion but I wont.
Thoroughly depressed Saddler, but hark I hear you - We are top of the league ? How is my question.

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Whitti Steve
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:02 pm

Phil - were you at the same game? I didn't see Bonser on the pitch :wink:

cal wfc fan
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:05 pm

philthesaddler wrote:
Max & Daddy wrote:I think that's a bit harsh.

I thought we played better than our last two home games, but we made and paid for silly mistakes. We certainly had our chances and also the opportunity to create them from corners, set pieces and free play crossing opportunities. We need to improve that area drastically.


But we have lost a game we absolutely could not afford to lose. Football is a results business.

When we were playing sh!te earlier in the season, but scraping wins, everyone would say it's the result that counts now we've lost a couple of very important games, but hey it's the performance that counts

:roll:

So what exactly do you want Phil? Result or Performance????
When they win..they play shi*, when they drew they play shi* when they loose they play shi* according to you!

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Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:08 pm

There was talk at half time that Dobson was feeling unwell before kick off . don't know how true this was but it would certainly account for his dismal first half performance , both goals although the final passes were brilliant and super finishes were both down to Dobson for giving the ball away and losing possession . to fair he was not the only one to be guilty of that Taylor could'nt find a Walsall shirt if his life depended on it .

Second half we looked better , kept the ball much better and created a few good chances of which Butler , Wrack and Dann should hace done better .

Thats back to back defeats for the first time season . if thats not worring enough we have fell behind the 2 points per game ratio ,that will take some getting back

How Pead got MOTM i don't know , Westwood for me hands down.

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Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:08 pm

Nothing wrong whatsoever with the general performance, we matched them first half and were far better second half. Two shocking errors from Dobson cost us the game. Our finishing second half when we could and should have put them to the sword was woeful.

Two good subs from Money, one shocking one.

Hector Sam, on his form from early December onwards whould be first pick, Par Cederqvist should be auditioning for the Right Said Fred comeback tour. He's like the big overgrown skinhead at school that got his head kicked in by the first little pre-pubescant lad that turned round and refused to give up his dinner money. Useless.

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Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:08 pm

I agree with Phil. After Mansfield I'm amazed that nothing has been done.

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Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:13 pm

Harsh M&D ? Harsh ? Well maybe, but it needs to be said, I tip my hat to Philthesaddler. A dose of realism. I watched the game with fans from other midland clubs, they laughed through most of it.I can take that mind, I cant take what we as fans have been labelled with this week.

philthesaddler
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Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:13 pm

Max & Daddy wrote:
philthesaddler wrote:
Max & Daddy wrote:I think that's a bit harsh.

I thought we played better than our last two home games, but we made and paid for silly mistakes. We certainly had our chances and also the opportunity to create them from corners, set pieces and free play crossing opportunities. We need to improve that area drastically.


But we have lost a game we absolutely could not afford to lose. Football is a results business.

When we were playing sh!te earlier in the season, but scraping wins, everyone would say it's the result that counts now we've lost a couple of very important games, but hey it's the performance that counts

:roll:


Sorry Phil, my post was actual in response to these comments:

Larryhagler wrote:Jesus ! I didnt go tonight, DD pissed me off, he does not understand what it is like to be a WFC fan.
However, I did watch it, and I have to say we were awful again. I dont have rose tinted specs like some but the back four 1st half were all over the place. Midfield er what midfield ? Add to that the passing / distribution was horrendous. A massive game for us, again we didnt show. I could go on, about the whimp that plays on the right, the lack of pace in team, the lack of movement, passion but I wont.
Thoroughly depressed Saddler, but hark I hear you - We are top of the league ? How is my question.


I know max, just highlighting how fickle the attitudes of some people are. one minute it's the performance that matters, the next its the result.

The bottom line [this bit is for cal] is that both matter ... If you're playing well and not getting results you arent unlucky, you're just not playing well enough, if you are playing badly and getting results then you're very lucky. The performance needs to be in place, then the results will come.

Tonight, how people can say that was a good performance is beyond me, we played at home, against a side missing their top scorer, and they embarassed us with some good moves, and matched us everywhere on the park, in fact bettering us in many areas. How is that a good performance?

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Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:14 pm

Terrific atmosphere. Well done to the fans who were superb. But unfortunately another poor performance and another dreadful result. And again the opposition looked very comfortable. Difficult to say how good Lincoln were as currently we are making most teams look good

Wrong team selection to start with. Those who have seen us last season know Ropes and Westwood in centrral defence does not work. It didn't work today. When Westwood has been great at right back this season and Dann commanding at centre half, why was Dann dropped? Also bizarre 2nd and 3rd substitutions. Wrack on for Taylor? Wrack who in his last home appearance made Wright look like Ronaldinho was bought onto the left wing. Offered nothing tonight going forward or defensively. And Sam (one of our best players tonight) off and Cederquist on (did nothing again)

The goals we conceded were simple and down to Dobson. Both times, under no pressure, he stood there wondering what to do, was easily dispossed, and 2-3 passes later each time the ball was in the back of the net

Defensively we were shambles in the 1st half and unable to cope with Lincoln's quick fire passing and cute ones and twos. When, in the 2nd half, Dann and Roper were reunited in central defence and Westwood went right back in the 2nd half, guess what? Lincoln didn't have a shot on goal. Ince didnt stand a chance with either goal but again looked hesitant and almost dropped another clanger from a corner in the 2nd half, but luckily the defense were able to hack the ball away. Taylor showed again tonight why last season he was playing non league football

In midfield, again Wright was superb and the only attacking outlet. I will say this, despite his critics, if we had another Wright on the left wing, at least we would look threatening more often. Keates ran around and worked hard but again the game bypassed him often. Peade same as Keates. Fox continued to look the non league player he has looked in almost every game he has played. And now we come to Dobson. I have supported him earlier in the season and backed him. But he has been getting worse in the last 2 months and tonight was possibly the worst 45 mins i have seen by a Wasall player. Gave away both goals. Rarely won a tackle. And gave away the ball 95-99% of the time. The only surprise was that it took until half time to sub him. People were screaming for him not to be given the ball as he was a disaster waiting to happen. I remember during RG's 1st promotion campaign early in the season in a home game against York. Keates had a mare and by around half way in the 1st half we were 2 goals down and Keates i think had a hand to play in both goals conceded and RG subbed him half way in the 1st half. Should have happened to Dobson today

Up front Sam took his goal well and worked very hard. The kindest thing one can say about Cederquist so far is that he looks like a striker version of Dakinah(remember him!). Looks bewildered and out of his depth. Butler great as usual. Had 2 one on ones in the 2nd half. Weak finish for the 1st and unlucky for the 2nd. But spent too long having to pick the ball up in midfield and down the wings and having to do the donkey work(due to inadequecys of others) when he should be in the box. I wonder how many goals Butler would have scored this season had he been playing for a team that creates plenty of chances like Lincoln or Swindon?!

We succeeded earlier in the season unlike now because we kept clean sheets. Now Ince and the defense are conceding the odd goal or two and teams have worked us out, we are struggling. Midfield is the same as it was earlier in the season(crap) and up front the same(wonderful given the lack of service). Problem is when you only score the odd goal per match and only create about 1 or 2 other chances(like we did tonight and again against Boston and Rochdale), unless you keep a clean sheet, you are not going to win matches

Our blip has now been going on for over 2 months. If it carries on another few games, i will stop looking how Swindon and Lincoln get on and start worrying about teams like Bristol Rovers and hope that we don't actually throw even a play off place away! I have just spoken to a friend in Manchester whose house i am staying at for the Stockport game. He says that Stockport have just won several games in a row and not even conceded a goal. Oh dear !

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