Shrewsbury Town (H) F-A Cup Ist Round Saturday 10/11/07.

[Whitti Steve]

Not the most inspiring first half, Rickett took his goal well - ghosted in like Wayne Clarke used to - great cross too from Fox (I think). Not much else to speak of, neither team seemed "up for it".

Start of the second half I thought Shrews had a very good 10-15 minutes where they were well on top. We weathered the storm with the defence standing firm. Ishy took his goal brilliantly - hit it so hard that is moved a lot and gave the keeper no chance.

Crowd.... where was the crowd. Firstly, they only brought about 750 maybe? Why? Also - where were the Walsall fans? Very disappointed in the attendance.

Anyway, overall I was happy, we did "OK" in the last 30, the passing was good, personally I would have given Ricketts MOTM, his link up play was really good - his passing game has improved considerable over the time he spent away. You can only beat what is put in front of you - and we did.

Note to rest if team.... if Ishy scores, dont all jump on him, he is only a "slip" of a lad and you might break him :lol:

[Greg WP]

Not the most inspiring first half, Rickett took his goal well - ghosted in like Wayne Clarke used to - great cross too from Fox (I think). Not much else to speak of, neither team seemed "up for it".

Start of the second half I thought Shrews had a very good 10-15 minutes where they were well on top. We weathered the storm with the defence standing firm. Ishy took his goal brilliantly - hit it so hard that is moved a lot and gave the keeper no chance.

Crowd.... where was the crowd. Firstly, they only brought about 750 maybe? Why? Also - where were the Walsall fans? Very disappointed in the attendance.

Anyway, overall I was happy, we did "OK" in the last 30, the passing was good, personally I would have given Ricketts MOTM, his link up play was really good - his passing game has improved considerable over the time he spent away. You can only beat what is put in front of you - and we did.

Note to rest if team.... if Ishy scores, dont all jump on him, he is only a "slip" of a lad and you might break him :lol:

Good q. Salop didn't show, neither did we. Perhaps people dont give a rats about the FAC.

[Dave Gittins]

I'll second most of the comments so far, the first half was very disappointing from both sides, Ricketts took his goal excellently, cracking header from a great cross by Fox.

Second half, Shrews came out all guns blazing and we were really under the cosh but the defence held firm. From where I was sitting (WBBS stand) Ishy's goal looked an absolute cracker, worthy to win any match.

I have to comment though, our fans were not at all vocal again today - well and truly outsung and outshouted by our visitors.

[Dave Gittins]

What was the crowd today by the way?

[Purple Toucan Saddler]

What was the crowd today by the way?

just over 10

[Zece_WFC]

I'll second most of the comments so far, the first half was very disappointing from both sides, Ricketts took his goal excellently, cracking header from a great cross by Fox.

Second half, Shrews came out all guns blazing and we were really under the cosh but the defence held firm. From where I was sitting (WBBS stand) Ishy's goal looked an absolute cracker, worthy to win any match.

I have to comment though, our fans were not at all vocal again today - well and truly outsung and outshouted by our visitors.

:shock: Did you go home after the first half or something??? :roll:

[latviancheese]

Whats all this we didnt sing tripe?

were any of you sitting in the F2G lower?

[Joe90]

I'll second most of the comments so far, the first half was very disappointing from both sides, Ricketts took his goal excellently, cracking header from a great cross by Fox.

Second half, Shrews came out all guns blazing and we were really under the cosh but the defence held firm. From where I was sitting (WBBS stand) Ishy's goal looked an absolute cracker, worthy to win any match.

I have to comment though, our fans were not at all vocal again today - well and truly outsung and outshouted by our visitors.

:shock: Did you go home after the first half or something??? :roll:

Christ, I could hear the crowd from here, and I'm in South London!

[latviancheese]

oh and ishys goal wasnt that amazing

[Joe90]

oh and ishys goal wasnt that amazing

Er...At 5.56 you reckoned it was "flukey". Make your mind up :roll:

[Dave Gittins]

I was sitting front row of the WBBS stand just by the half way line, all the noise was coming from the away end unfortunately. I suppose that's what comes of having such a high roof on the F2G stand.

[latviancheese]

oh and ishys goal wasnt that amazing

Er...At 5.56 you reckoned it was "flukey". Make your mind up :roll:

My mind is made up, Easy save for goalkeeper, it went through his arms. It wasnt a godly goal like some peoples say.

[Joe90]

oh and ishys goal wasnt that amazing

Er...At 5.56 you reckoned it was "flukey". Make your mind up :roll:

My mind is made up, Easy save for goalkeeper, it went through his arms. It wasnt a godly goal like some peoples say.

My apologies. I completely misread the punctuation. I read it as "Ishy's goal. Wasn't that amazing?"

Sorry. My fault. :oops:

[saddlerken]

Slops were very poor, absolutely dire going forward, I was never really worried that they would score even with clanger Clayton at the ready

We were ok, didn't really need to be brilliant against a div 4 side (loved the div 4 mullet on that little striker :lol: )

Very impressed with Mark Bradley, looks to have a great future, he needs a better partner though. I noticed Wrack doing his very clever manouvering away from challenges and generally away from the play, clever bloke that Wrack, hides so well people think he's good

Ricketts and Mooney look like a good partnership

Weston is dreadful, get rid

Dann is a class act

[Bernie]

I thought that was a very good performance.

I am not sure why so many people thought the first half was dull, to me we played better in the first forty five minutes than we did in either half against Cheltenham, and nearly everyone else thought that we were great last week.

Mooney did not score this week, but his all round game was far better than last week, he was a definite contender for man of the match. Ricketts was also very good this week. I am really optimistic about the Mooney-Ricketts partnership being a big success.

Good efforts from Fox, who is easily the most improved player of the season, Dann and Gerrard. Wrack and Bradley were OK in midfield, but we could do with someone of the quality of Mattis there really. Ince made some excellent saves - not spectacular ones, but the sort that could easily go in if the goalkeeper is not on form. Weak links, in my opinion, were Sonko, Hall and Weston. I do not understand what Hall is doing in the side ahead of Ishmel, whereas our right hand side did not produce much going forward, and was often under pressure from Shrewsbury.

[Plastic Hawk]

Decent, workmanlike performance today. Nothing special, but a team as poor as Shrewsbury were never going to be good enough to do anything so long as we weren't totally awful. For anyone who still thinks there isn't a huge gulf between Leagues 1 and 2, today should persuade you otherwise.

First half was disappointing after the early goal (which Ricketts took well from a fantastic cross). We seemed to sit off and just wait for things to happen when if we'd kept the tempo of the first 15 minutes then we'd have been looking at a couple more goals by half time.

We came out totally asleep for the first 10-15 minutes of the second half - just like last week. Midfield couldn't win a tackle, we had no pace to break with and as a result we struggled to get the ball away from our penalty area. The common factor is the absence of Dobson (he was on the pitch, but not fit last week, not there at all this week). Wrack seemed to be playing as the deeper of the two central midfielders, but it just wasn't working - at least partly because he still seems afraid of tackling after his broken leg (understandable, but we can't afford that in such an important area). Probably not his fault as that's not his game at all. If DD thinks that Bradley can't play in that role then we need a defensive midfielder in on loan - and I don't see that being Lunt.

Ishmel came on and allowed us to break with some pace and relieved the pressure. The fact he got Man of the Match despite only coming on after an hour says it all. His goal was a good hit and moved in the air, but the keeper really should have saved it - it was only about a foot to his left and he got a big hand on it but still failed to keep it out. If he's injured now then I see us having big problems on the wing too. Hall's no footballer anymore and Sonko disappointed again. We need Ishmel to allow us to stretch the play - and fitness (and central midfielders) permitting I'd play him and Wrack wide next week and leave Sonko kicking his heels on the bench as a wake-up (Hall wouldn't make my 16).

Overall, a below average but acceptable performance (except from Weston, who was abysmal), but we'll lose to Luton next week if we play like that. All they need is to come and bully us and we'll stand no chance.

[Cheesebag]

Comfortable

[SaigonSaddler]

Sweet.

[Cheesebag]

Tennis

[Leonard]

Coconut

[Joe90]

Tennis

Think you not about it... :evil:

[Whitti Steve]

I thought Hall had a good first half, but faded in the second. forgot to mention how poor Sonko was.... STOP FEEDING HIM - he was better when hungry!

[Stephen]

What a goal by Ishmel. Barely could celebrate!

Didn't deserve Man Of The Match though. Didn't do much apart the goal really.

Mooney should of had it. Thought Foxy had a good game - has really improved this season.

[Neuromantic]

Easy win.

Scott Dann wont be at us much longer.

Darren Wrack cannot play in midfield anymore - he was awful.

Bradley was very good again.

Rocketts and Mooney looks like a dream partnership.

Well Done DD

[latviancheese]

Paul Hall has the ball control of a dead duck.

[Cheesebag]

Only real negatives for me today were Weston and Wrack, Hall was OK but thats about it, Never really had to move out of 2nd gear.

[Jane]

Clayton was my man of the match. Perhaps the sponsors thought it was goal of the match instead!

[Registered Saddler]

Agree with a lot of what has been said. On the Ishy debate - firstly, his goal. He hit it fantastically and it was a fabulous bit of skill to fire in a shot so hard that it was swerving around all over the place like one of Ronaldo's. However, the keeper should still have stopped it. Not sure if he's the man to start for us, so far all the evidence has been that his most effective performances have been off the bench. Does that mean he deserves a place in the team, or we keep using him as an impact sub? I would sway towards the latter, but it's a tough call.

Other performances of note came from Ince, Gerrard (1st half), Bradley (2nd half), Ricketts (my MOTM) and Fox (some people really should own up to being wrong about him). We still need a centre-mid though. And badly, with Bradders being absent next week.

However, I'll tell you what seeing this game made me think. Last season, we had two really tough games against the Sloppies - the away match we were perhaps a bit fortunate to get a point, the home game relied on a bit of Wrighty magic ( :wink: ) to settle matters. Fast forward 12 months and we're easily a division better than them. DD is doing a fantastic job.

[belgiansaddler]

I thought Hall had a good first half, but faded in the second. forgot to mention how poor Sonko was.... STOP FEEDING HIM - he was better when hungry!

:lol: :lol: Good point!!

[m&m]

Just happy to be in round 2.Fairly uninspiring really except for Ishy's wonder strike.
Latviancheese--How many had you had before the game? Wrack played well? Not only did he immediately get rid of the ball when it came his way but he bottled every single 50/50 ball.Awful performance.Some of our fans really worry me!