Gillingham (A) League 1 Saturday 1st September 2007

[ws3]

All we need now is a post from FOSB and i will be slitting my wrists !! :lol:

At least that gives us somethin to look forward to.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

:oops: I don't mean looking forward to you slitting your wrists of course.

[OldPenkSaddler]

Full Time Statistic

Gillingham v Walsall

Goal Attempts 12 : 8
On Target 5 : 4
Crosses 6 : 4
Corners 6 : 4
Offside 2 : 0
Fouls 4 : 5
Free kicks 7 : 6
Yellow cards 1 : 0
% Possession 51 : 49

Constable gets a hat trick. Benjamin scores. K Taylor scores. Our attack couldn't score in a brothel. :evil: Loan signings needed asap.

[Salop Saddler]

It didn't sound too bad on the round up. Still early days and we've got to stick with it.

[Neil Ravenscroft]

Chances made. Chances not taken - again. Despite all of the rubbish in the summer, it is not the midfield that's the main problem, it's up front - both because we aren't taking chances and because they aren't holding the ball up. Report:

http://www.steveroy.com/walsall/

[BathSaddler]

I still don't think we should panic. Sounds like we had a lot of the game. We hit the woodwork a couple of times and had other great chances right up to the death. Story of the season so far but we've been in every game and could have won them all. With just one point the table looks bleak. Early in the season but next week is massive. Let's all give it a big go next Saturday and take stock after that game.

Why on earth shouldn't we panic. We can't score and we can't defend.

I am a little concerned. Aren't you?

Some people would still be talking about missed chances and us having lots of possession if we were adrift at the bottom in January.

Yep, there is a pattern emerging here of missed chances and defensive mistakes, game after game. At the moment we are just not good enough and it's hard to see how we will improve unless we strengthen a squad which is woefully weak in key areas [midfield and upfront].

[OldPenkSaddler]

Duplicated post deleted

[Plastic Hawk]

I thought we were going to be Gillingham's worst nightmare?

If it wasn't so sad it would be laughable.

Many said we should wait until we started playing teams that weren't one of the better in this division before we panicked :roll:

I am now considering joining you at panic stations.

It's alright talking about missed chances (again) and excellent goalkeeping (although we only had four shots on target all game so I suspect that's a bit of WM bias coming in) but you get what you deserve in football. If you score more goals than the other team then you deserve to win, otherwise you don't - strikers and goalkeepers are as much a part of the team as midfielders. Gillingham will struggle big time this season so today's result is not a good sign.

And "competing" every week but losing is a bad sign not a good one. What separates sides at the end of the season (at both ends of the table) is the ability to turn draws into wins and defeats into draws. It's something we were excellent at last season, but we're doing the opposite this season.

[Plastic Hawk]

Full Time Statistic

Gillingham v Walsall

Goal Attempts 12 : 8
On Target 5 : 4
Crosses 6 : 4
Corners 6 : 4
Offside 2 : 0
Fouls 4 : 5
Free kicks 7 : 6
Yellow cards 1 : 0
% Possession 51 : 49

Constable gets a hat trick. Benjamin scores. K Taylor scores. Our attack couldn't score in a brothel. :evil: Loan signings needed asap.

All those goals were scored in lower leagues. No offence, but we need to stop thinking about players who have left and concentrate on the ones who are still here - or who we can bring in.

[PT]

I still don't think we should panic. Sounds like we had a lot of the game. We hit the woodwork a couple of times and had other great chances right up to the death. Story of the season so far but we've been in every game and could have won them all. With just one point the table looks bleak. Early in the season but next week is massive. Let's all give it a big go next Saturday and take stock after that game.

of course we need to panic.

How would you suggest we should panic? Demonstrations, effigy burning, sacking the manager, stocking up on petrol and food essentials? And this would achieve..............?
As I suggest above let's give it a good go next week.

[geoffwhiting]

Full Time Statistic

Gillingham v Walsall

Goal Attempts 12 : 8
On Target 5 : 4
Crosses 6 : 4
Corners 6 : 4
Offside 2 : 0
Fouls 4 : 5
Free kicks 7 : 6
Yellow cards 1 : 0
% Possession 51 : 49

Constable gets a hat trick. Benjamin scores. K Taylor scores. Our attack couldn't score in a brothel. :evil: Loan signings needed asap.

Spot on. I cannot believe the complacency displayed by DD this week, having a go at the fans, saying he's not worried, he's happy with what we've got and he wasn't looking for anyone else before the transfer deadline.

Well I for one AM worried, and I AM sure we needed to strengthen, and yes there are only four games gone, but the quality is clearly not there in the team, and it showed from the first half of the first match.

OK we appear to have been unlucky today at times, with the Gills keeper making 3 fantastic saves to keep out Deeney, Butler and Dann, but that only hides the fact that once again we seem to be drifting aimlessly through the first 45 minutes of games, only waking up after a half-time dressing-down.

This is a disastrous start, make no mistake about it, and we have to act quickly if we're to avoid a relegation scrap. However, the soundings coming from the club suggest to me that we are definitely heading for a battle to stay up, and if JB and Co still haven't learned from past experiences that you have to invest to compete, it'll be a battle we could well lose.

[BathSaddler]

Chances made. Chances not taken - again. Despite all of the rubbish in the summer, it is not the midfield that's the main problem, it's up front - both because we aren't taking chances and because they aren't holding the ball up. Report:

http://www.steveroy.com/walsall/

The midfield is clearly a problem area too. It's clearly stated in the report. We have few options when our first choice pairing of Dobson and/or Sonner are not available.

[OldPenkSaddler]

All those goals were scored in lower leagues. No offence, but we need to stop thinking about players who have left and concentrate on the ones who are still here - or who we can bring in.

No offence taken, my example were just for effect. We desperately need to find a loan signing that can score goals.

[Duke]

Chances made. Chances not taken - again. Despite all of the rubbish in the summer, it is not the midfield that's the main problem, it's up front - both because we aren't taking chances and because they aren't holding the ball up. Report:

http://www.steveroy.com/walsall/

we are conceding goals also , that a worry .

[kh1959]

lets all keep the faith up the saddlers :D :D

[Cheesebag]

The pigs will be in the trough tonight :lol:

[TofDover]

I'll wait for a report from someone who went to the game not listen to it

[WFC_Rob]

Chances made. Chances not taken - again. Despite all of the rubbish in the summer, it is not the midfield that's the main problem, it's up front - both because we aren't taking chances and because they aren't holding the ball up. Report:

http://www.steveroy.com/walsall/

Too right. I've been far from impressed with the combination in midfield, but I can't argue with the chances we're creating. Money will put this defeat down to bad luck, but can we really blame luck 3 games in a row? We need someone who can put the ball in the back of the net. That person could be in the squad right now but if not, we're in trouble.

[Bernie]

Our run of DLLLL is the worst start to the season, when you look at the four league games and the league cup game, since before I started watching Walsall.

In 1996 we went DLLL in the league but at least we did have a home win the league cup.

In 1978 we went LLLD in the league but during that run we won twice in the league cup.

In 1963 we went LDLLD in our first five league games. We did not play in the league cup until our 7th game.

In 1955 we went LLLDD in our first five league games, (the league cup had not been started then).

In 1954 we drew our first match and then lost the next five matches. So that start was at least as bad as this one.

It was back in 1952, when we lost our first six matches, that you really can say we had a worse run in the first five matches of the season.

[Manchester Saddler]

I'm a bit concerned but I'm sure we'll turn this around. From the sound of it, we deserved at least a point today. It's early days yet - we just need a win to boost the confidence (am I being too optimistic :( )

[Plastic Hawk]

All those goals were scored in lower leagues. No offence, but we need to stop thinking about players who have left and concentrate on the ones who are still here - or who we can bring in.

No offence taken, my example were just for effect. We desperately need to find a loan signing that can score goals.

Too right. I was amazed that we only brought in one unproven player this week. I thought we'd be looking to strengthen big time, even if only with loans.

(And, yes, I know that I was calling for us to accept the Butler bid, but that was on the basis that we'd reinvest the money immediately.)

[Goose277]

I'm a bit concerned but I'm sure we'll turn this around. From the sound of it, we deserved at least a point today. It's early days yet - we just need a win to boost the confidence (am I being too optimistic :( )

Yes you are but surely that's the only way to be. I'm sure even the most ardent happy clappers are a bit concerned but it really is still early days. I did expect better against Gillingham though :(

[Plastic Hawk]

I'm a bit concerned but I'm sure we'll turn this around. From the sound of it, we deserved at least a point today. It's early days yet - we just need a win to boost the confidence (am I being too optimistic :( )

Apparently we've "deserved" something from all our games so far. As I've said above, that concerns me more than if we'd just got thumped every week. Teams that get points from games they "should" have lost tend to be battling at the top of the table, those that lose games they "should" have drawn or won struggle at the other end.

In any case, the point is to score more goals than the other side. If you do that you deserve to win, if you don't then you deserve to lose or draw. Anything else is just making excuses.

[Salop Saddler]

I'm sure DD will pull things around, he's not the sort of bloke to give up without a fight. When people call for investment on the pitch, they must remember that we have very little scope for doing that because no finance is availble TO invest. Let's get the next couple of games out of the way and see how things lie then.

[futuresobright]

Full Time Statistic

Gillingham v Walsall

Goal Attempts 12 : 8
On Target 5 : 4
Crosses 6 : 4
Corners 6 : 4
Offside 2 : 0
Fouls 4 : 5
Free kicks 7 : 6
Yellow cards 1 : 0
% Possession 51 : 49

Constable gets a hat trick. Benjamin scores. K Taylor scores. Our attack couldn't score in a brothel. :evil: Loan signings
needed asap.

All those goals were scored in lower leagues. No offence, but we need to stop thinking about players who have left and concentrate on the ones who are still here - or who we can bring in.

Chairmen and fans do judge managers by their ability to sign and release the right players, hence the eight word chant soon to be echoing around the Banks' stadium 'YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!'

[m&m]

Did anybody go today? DD needs to take a long hard look at himself --8 players released from a championship winning team with poor replacements brought in --sorry old/unknown replacements.Great for team spirit!
I for one am extremely concerned at this point.DD in my opnion has a poor record in the transfer market.signing 3 players aged 35 and over is just crazy.
I hope there is still some money left in the kitty and we can do something similar to what Colin Lee did when bringing in O'Neil and Baird.Surely if Villa reserves are using the Banks's they could help us out? We need it!

[sack]

Right just got back. Any one who phinks our midfield is good enough could not have been there today, or is a mentalist. our strikers cannot score when they are constantly dropping back to try to get the ball, our wingers cannot create when they are never given the ball properly, our defenders cannot cope when the ball is constantly comeing straight back at them. I know i sed i wouldn't comment for a month, but if the club don't address this for a month it will be allready to late. Sonner is out for the next 2 games and let's face it he wouldn't solve it anyway. DD stop being so flameing arrogant and sort it out, this politics of i'll prove we don't need a keates type is going to end up with us back where none of us want to be.

[m&m]

Oh and playing Wrack whose sell by date expired about 3 years ago is laughable. Moan over!

[Salop Saddler]

Full Time Statistic

Gillingham v Walsall

Goal Attempts 12 : 8
On Target 5 : 4
Crosses 6 : 4
Corners 6 : 4
Offside 2 : 0
Fouls 4 : 5
Free kicks 7 : 6
Yellow cards 1 : 0
% Possession 51 : 49

Constable gets a hat trick. Benjamin scores. K Taylor scores. Our attack couldn't score in a brothel. :evil: Loan signings
needed asap.

All those goals were scored in lower leagues. No offence, but we need to stop thinking about players who have left and concentrate on the ones who are still here - or who we can bring in.

Chairmen and fans do judge managers by their ability to sign and release the right players, hence the eight word chant soon to be echoing around the Banks' stadium 'YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!'

Isn't that six words?

[Jolly Johnny]

Full Time Statistic

Gillingham v Walsall

Goal Attempts 12 : 8
On Target 5 : 4
Crosses 6 : 4
Corners 6 : 4
Offside 2 : 0
Fouls 4 : 5
Free kicks 7 : 6
Yellow cards 1 : 0
% Possession 51 : 49

Constable gets a hat trick. Benjamin scores. K Taylor scores. Our attack couldn't score in a brothel. :evil: Loan signings
needed asap.

All those goals were scored in lower leagues. No offence, but we need to stop thinking about players who have left and concentrate on the ones who are still here - or who we can bring in.

Chairmen and fans do judge managers by their ability to sign and release the right players, hence the eight word chant soon to be echoing around the Banks' stadium 'YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!'

Isn't that six words?

He fell on his own sword of contraction!! :wink:

[Goose277]

Did anybody go today? DD needs to take a long hard look at himself --8 players released from a championship winning team with poor replacements brought in --sorry old/unknown replacements.Great for team spirit!
I for one am extremely concerned at this point.DD in my opnion has a poor record in the transfer market.signing 3 players aged 35 and over is just crazy.
I hope there is still some money left in the kitty and we can do something similar to what Colin Lee did when bringing in O'Neil and Baird.Surely if Villa reserves are using the Banks's they could help us out? We need it!

But we're in a higher division now and I don't recall any of the released players going on to bigger and better things. At the moment things don't look great and I understand many people's frustration, but DD won us a league title last season so we know he's got something about him. We're only 4 games in and sometimes, when changes have been made to a team, things take time.