Burton Albion A 4/08/07

[the_game]

Just spotted BBC state it was 3-1 to us ?

so it does, maybe it was i did leave like 5 mins early so not sure

[1933]

Beacon Radio were saying it was 3-1 as well but YGA_Saddler text me at full-time saying it was 2-1. Don't know who to believe nowadays!

[We-ARE-Walsall]

good game espiecally 2nd half, Carlos Carneiro is total rubbish!

Made your mind up then ? BOOOOOOO

[shrewsbury saddler]

I thought it was 2-1 but Sky are saying 3-1.think it's a mistake.If anyone missed DD's interview ,Sonko had a slight hamstring strain and Caneiro had a flight back to Portugal today to see to business outstanding from before he signed.DD didn't seem too happy about the Villa friendly being so close to the start of the season ,and admitted it had affected his plans.

[Delves Saddler]

Just to confirm, it was actually 2-1 to us, rather dull game though, but i guess that is pretty much what I expected

[Bernie]

A fairly mediocre peformance. Burton were the better team generally. Their two first choice centre-halves are both injured, which was a weakness that was well exploited for our goals. Their forwards missed several very easy chances.

Ince: fine performance, still some pretty dodgy kicking.

Wrack: only really a back up in that position. Struggled in the second half against a winger with pace.

Dann: took his goal very well. Solid at the back.

Gerrard: OK

Boertien: OK, did little wrong defensively. Did not contribute enough going forward.

Sonko: only on for 25 minutes. Had little chance to impress

Hall: came on for Sonko. Very good when standing still; he uses the ball pretty well from a fixed position. Lovely long pass for the first goal. Does not take the ball past opposition players. Is he more of a Cooper than a Harper?

Dobson: a typical Dobson performance that will have pleased his many fans. :?

Fox: what is Fox doing in the middle of midfield? Strolled around and occasionally did one or two useful things, but makes no impact at all.

Butler: as usual - but despite that he took the goal well.

Carneiro: I want to see more of him before I decide. He made some space and won the ball a few times.

Mooney: OK. A handful for defenders as usual. I would not want to see him on the left too often.

Ishmel: Seemed to use the ball better than usual. One silly high challenge near the end - when he was lucky that he made contact with the ball rather than break the opponents leg.

Bradley: came on for Wrack with a few minutes to go. Did he touch the ball?

In the first half we were totally lacking in pace and not showing much control. We did not try to play much football - both our goals came from long balls followed by a combination of defensive error and good finishing. We rarely managed to keep possession of the ball for more than one pass before either giving it away or kicking it out. When Burton had the ball, they were not brilliant but they did manage to string a few passes together fairly often. Generally we were much better at winning the ball from the opposition than keeping hold of it and using it to mount a decent attack.

[cyclothymic]

Bernie has beaten me to much of what I had to say, but my positives from today include:

1. Our back four looked solid - Ant and Dann did a fine job and to be honest they will be battling between themselves for a place alongside Roper anyway

2. I thought Wrack looked good tbh - fully fit and got himself about a fair bit. Boertien was also soild but does tend to be late at times - I do fear this might be our red card winner for the season :?

3. Butler scored at last, and scored well.

4. Sonka did show a bit of pace and if he really is not fully fit then this could develop to be useful

5. When Ishi came on he did what he does and left the opposition stuned - please let this be his season

6. Ince was solid

My concerns were:

1. 4-3-3 to start??? Did not work and they were all over us for the first 20 minutes

2. Midfield seemed to disappear :?

3. Mooney is solid as a brick out-house but I am unsure he has League 1 pace :?

4. Apart from the goal it was 'second half of last season' Martin Butler when we want 'first half of last season' Martin Butler

All in all I am not too worried about next Saturday - but we will have to add to that midfield at some point during the season

A note on Burton's ground: A great ground - easy to get to, good facilities, nice choice of food and drink - wish them well for the forthcoming season :D

[YGA Saddler]

Bernie has beaten me to much of what I had to say, but my positives from today include:

1. Our back four looked solid - Ant and Dann did a fine job and to be honest they will be battling between themselves for a place alongside Roper anyway

2. I thought Wrack looked good tbh - fully fit and got himself about a fair bit. Boertien was also soild but does tend to be late at times - I do fear this might be our red card winner for the season :?

3. Butler scored at last, and scored well.

4. Sonka did show a bit of pace and if he really is not fully fit then this could develop to be useful

5. When Ishi came on he did what he does and left the opposition stuned - please let this be his season

6. Ince was solid

My concerns were:

1. 4-3-3 to start??? Did not work and they were all over us for the first 20 minutes

2. Midfield seemed to disappear :?

3. Mooney is solid as a brick out-house but I am unsure he has League 1 pace :?

4. Apart from the goal it was 'second half of last season' Martin Butler when we want 'first half of last season' Martin Butler

All in all I am not too worried about next Saturday - but we will have to add to that midfield at some point during the season

A note on Burton's ground: A great ground - easy to get to, good facilities, nice choice of food and drink - wish them well for the forthcoming season :D

A pleasure to meet you today dear sir.

[shrewsbury saddler]

DD said at the end of the game,that friendlies to him were about getting 1st teamers with a full game than being his final plan.he was specifically answering a question about Wrack being right-back,but the same rationale could explain Fox in centre-midfield.anyway,I just don't think you can predict performance over a season from friendlies .as a predictive device ,I regard them as useless.Even the first few games of the real season aren't enough.It's well into September before anything starts to straighten out.Remember the season we went down,we won the first 3 games under "Sir Stella" before finishing bottom-desrevedly.

[YGA Saddler]

DD said at the end of the game,that friendlies to him were about getting 1st teamers with a full game than being his final plan.he was specifically answering a question about Wrack being right-back,but the same rationale could explain Fox in centre-midfield.anyway,I just don't think you can predict performance over a season from friendlies .as a predictive device ,I regard them as useless.Even the first few games of the real season aren't enough.It's well into September before anything starts to straighten out.Remember the season we went down,we won the first 3 games under "Sir Stella" before finishing bottom-desrevedly.

I agree with alot of that. However I think the people that were expecting a fast passing Walsall side will be very disapointed considering every pre-season game I have seen so far it is very much as you were last season. We are still very difficult to break down however sometimes we look lacklustre going forwards.

Still no sign of Picken :twisted:

[cyclothymic]

A pleasure to meet you today dear sir.

A pleasure to meet you to young Kevin :D

And Big Baz and Linda (again) - I trust you got home safely - there was a rather nasty accident on the A38 just after we all left.

[YGA Saddler]

A pleasure to meet you today dear sir.

A pleasure to meet you to young Kevin :D

And Big Baz and Linda (again) - I trust you got home safely - there was a rather nasty accident on the A38 just after we all left.

Yeah we got home fine! We wasnt too far behing you and saw the crash as we went past. That car didnt look too good in the hedge! :shock:

[WFC_Rob]

3. Mooney is solid as a brick out-house but I am unsure he has League 1 pace :?

League 1 pace - What's that all about? Mooney has never been blessed with pace, but if we get crosses into the box, he (and Butler) will score goals.

Cheers for the report.

[cyclothymic]

3. Mooney is solid as a brick out-house but I am unsure he has League 1 pace :?

League 1 pace - What's that all about? Mooney has never been blessed with pace, but if we get crosses into the box, he (and Butler) will score goals.

Cheers for the report.

That is true - I don't doubt that he is strong on the ball and hungry for goals.

Let's hope we use the wings and get crosses in to him then :D

[Pedagogue]

Always interesting to read the opposition's point of view

A fair report, I feel.

[Stu]

DD said at the end of the game,that friendlies to him were about getting 1st teamers with a full game than being his final plan.he was specifically answering a question about Wrack being right-back,but the same rationale could explain Fox in centre-midfield.anyway,I just don't think you can predict performance over a season from friendlies .as a predictive device ,I regard them as useless.Even the first few games of the real season aren't enough.It's well into September before anything starts to straighten out.Remember the season we went down,we won the first 3 games under "Sir Stella" before finishing bottom-desrevedly.

I agree with alot of that. However I think the people that were expecting a fast passing Walsall side will be very disapointed considering every pre-season game I have seen so far it is very much as you were last season. We are still very difficult to break down however sometimes we look lacklustre going forwards.

Still no sign of Picken :twisted:

So it looks like we won't be pleasantly surprised with the style of football this season, as has been said by quite a few folk on here, who thought we'd move to something slightly more easier on the eye.

Thrilling, I can't wait.

[tinned]

DD said at the end of the game,that friendlies to him were about getting 1st teamers with a full game than being his final plan.he was specifically answering a question about Wrack being right-back,but the same rationale could explain Fox in centre-midfield.anyway,I just don't think you can predict performance over a season from friendlies .as a predictive device ,I regard them as useless.Even the first few games of the real season aren't enough.It's well into September before anything starts to straighten out.Remember the season we went down,we won the first 3 games under "Sir Stella" before finishing bottom-desrevedly.

I agree with alot of that. However I think the people that were expecting a fast passing Walsall side will be very disapointed considering every pre-season game I have seen so far it is very much as you were last season. We are still very difficult to break down however sometimes we look lacklustre going forwards.

Still no sign of Picken :twisted:

So it looks like we won't be pleasantly surprised with the style of football this season, as has been said by quite a few folk on here, who thought we'd move to something slightly more easier on the eye.

Thrilling, I can't wait.

The arrogant one ( :wink: ) has insisted for months that we're going to play a more open attacking style this season. Unfortunately it looks like I'm going to be proven right.

[Stu]

So it looks like we won't be pleasantly surprised with the style of football this season, as has been said by quite a few folk on here, who thought we'd move to something slightly more easier on the eye.

Thrilling, I can't wait.

The arrogant one ( :wink: ) has insisted for months that we're going to play a more open attacking style this season. Unfortunately it looks like I'm going to be proven right.

Well, I hope we're pushing on for promotion then (even though I think thats completely unrealistic) because I certainly can't say the thought of scrapping around in mid-table whilst playing slow, predictable, long ball football is going to make me relish those 200 mile round journeys with anticipation.

[Bernie]

http://www.walsall.vitalfootball.co.uk/ ... sp?a=76557

"The Walsall midfield was far more orgainised with Daniel Fox in midfield, he has a wide range of passing and the ability to get a shot off when in an attacking position."

"Fox was particulary impressive with Dobson in midfield"

STAR PLAYER:
Daniel Fox, proved he a skilled left foot in spreading play and gave vital protection to the back four."

Reading that makes me think that Daniel Fox's little brother has taken over the Vital Football website.

Or does anyone else who went to the match think Fox looked good in the middle of midfield? I really would like to know.

[Bennie]

Does anyone else think Daniel Fox should be hung drawn and quartered and his body parts scattered accross all parts of the land, because I certainly do.

[tinned]

So it looks like we won't be pleasantly surprised with the style of football this season, as has been said by quite a few folk on here, who thought we'd move to something slightly more easier on the eye.

Thrilling, I can't wait.

The arrogant one ( :wink: ) has insisted for months that we're going to play a more open attacking style this season. Unfortunately it looks like I'm going to be proven right.

Well, I hope we're pushing on for promotion then (even though I think thats completely unrealistic) because I certainly can't say the thought of scrapping around in mid-table whilst playing slow, predictable, long ball football is going to make me relish those 200 mile round journeys with anticipation.

I won't even anticipate the 5 mile train journey with too much excitement :wink:

[a.j.]

Does anyone else think Daniel Fox should be hung drawn and quartered and his body parts scattered accross all parts of the land, because I certainly do.

I don't :twisted: :evil:

[Exile]

Does anyone else think Daniel Fox should be hung drawn and quartered and his body parts scattered accross all parts of the land, because I certainly do.

I don't :twisted: :evil:

woosh :lol:

[philthesaddler]

Boertien: OK, did little wrong defensively. Did not contribute enough going forward.

strange you say that, because against the blues, he was superb going forward, he must have made half a dozen dashes forward over lapping the left winger. I don't think Fox did that 3 times the whole of last season!

I wonder if Money will discourage him from making such forays forward? It would fit in with the negative attitude of our tactics

[WarsawPact]

Call me a footballing Philistine if you will, but I'd have thought the ideal team should play a mixture of long ball and short passing, so as to keep the opposition guessing as to what's coming next.

There again, I never did understand this snobbery about the long ball game.

[Over The Moon]

Boertien: OK, did little wrong defensively. Did not contribute enough going forward.

strange you say that, because against the blues, he was superb going forward, he must have made half a dozen dashes forward over lapping the left winger. I don't think Fox did that 3 times the whole of last season!

I wonder if Money will discourage him from making such forays forward? It would fit in with the negative attitude of our tactics

This is a local club for local people we will have no exciting football here :wink:

[King Crimson]

Call me a footballing Philistine if you will, but I'd have thought the ideal team should play a mixture of long ball and short passing, so as to keep the opposition guessing as to what's coming next.

There again, I never did understand this snobbery about the long ball game.

I agree.

"It's not about the 'long ball', or the 'short ball' - but the 'right ball'." Bob Paisley

[big baz 1]

I though foxy was very good in the centre used the ball well and tackled hard.
Ishy: Same old story when he comes the game changes and he destroys defences time and time again.
Tommy tommy tommy mooney: Worked his socks off on the left why he was playing there is beyond me. It was very funny to see him and ince have a right ding dong infront of us.
Scott zidann: Rarely troubled and took his goal well .
Ant Gerrard : looked depenable and solid.
Hall: I was impressed with him and he used the wing well and put a few decent balls into the box.
Wracky: Did a good job at right back looks like he is getting back to his best.
Dobbo: Solid and worked hard.
Boertin: Impresses me with every game i see him play a far better left than foxy, and i dare to say it the best left back ive seen play for walsall fc.
Ince: Usual, Solid all round
Butler: Took his goal really well and hpoefully he will back to his best soon.
Caniero: Want to see more before i make a judgement.
Roper: Didnt come on , but i couldnt stop laughing when it was near the end of the game whitney made ropes and nicholls do some running down the side of the pitch by us and he hated every minute of it and doesnt look fit at all.

[Neil Ravenscroft]

Call me a footballing Philistine if you will, but I'd have thought the ideal team should play a mixture of long ball and short passing, so as to keep the opposition guessing as to what's coming next.

There again, I never did understand this snobbery about the long ball game.

Especially when there were posters on here praising Kiddie the other day for playing the long ball, trying to hit it in behind our defenders for their two wingers and two strikers, who were criticising us for playing "long ball" tactics last season. There's nothing wrong with going long as an alternative to mix things up.

[Magic Man Fan]

DD said at the end of the game,that friendlies to him were about getting 1st teamers with a full game than being his final plan.he was specifically answering a question about Wrack being right-back,but the same rationale could explain Fox in centre-midfield.anyway,I just don't think you can predict performance over a season from friendlies .as a predictive device ,I regard them as useless.Even the first few games of the real season aren't enough.It's well into September before anything starts to straighten out.Remember the season we went down,we won the first 3 games under "Sir Stella" before finishing bottom-desrevedly.

I agree with alot of that. However I think the people that were expecting a fast passing Walsall side will be very disapointed considering every pre-season game I have seen so far it is very much as you were last season. We are still very difficult to break down however sometimes we look lacklustre going forwards.

Still no sign of Picken :twisted:

So it looks like we won't be pleasantly surprised with the style of football this season, as has been said by quite a few folk on here, who thought we'd move to something slightly more easier on the eye.

Thrilling, I can't wait.

The arrogant one ( :wink: ) has insisted for months that we're going to play a more open attacking style this season. Unfortunately it looks like I'm going to be proven right.

We played lots of good passing football against the footballing teams last season. Unfortunately, the passing sides were limited to Peterborough, and er, Lincoln. Unless anyone can remember more? We ripped Pish apart both times (as anyone who went to both the home and away games will know) even though the away game was in the middle of a bad run.

There will be a lot more teams in League One who will let us play the same way and Burton don't fit that category. My only concern is how much Ishmel and Nicholls will play. If they play 15-20 minutes most games will will see a different style of football. If we don't then we may not.