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OLDHAM (H)- 26TH March 2005

Reports and reaction from the 2004-05 season as Walsall finished 14th in League 1
ShropsSaddler
 

Sun Mar 27, 2005 9:12 am

Another depressing performance. Another poor result. As others have said, I could not understand taking Taylor off unless we were worried that he would get himself sent off. Two players stood out as needing to be taken off - Merson and Wrack. With Merson playing like that,we effectively played the game with 10 men (not for the first time this season). As for Wrack, some of the comments amaze me. His lack of passion and commitment was there for all to see. When you need your "senior" players to step up to the plate and take some responsibility, what does Wrack do? Spends 90 minutes hiding, getting rid of the ball as soon as possible and pulling out of challenges which he could win. Amazes me that through all this talk from Merson about players letting us down this season, he's the one player who seems to get picked every week. Might it be because he always passes to Merson when he calls for the ball?

Of the new lads, Pead was ok, not much going forward and I think we did miss Wright in that respect. Perpetuini was ok but, as someone else said, not as good as Aranalde on an average day. Gerrard was the pick of the bunch - whydoes it take a youngster just learning the game tobe the one to be organising and shouting at the defence? Joachim - won plenty of headers, some moments of danger butoverall didn't look fit (as he's admitted himself).

As for taking Fryatt off, wasn't the lack of movement up front noticeable once he'd gone? He is still learning and he can try tobe too intricate at times but he does make intelligent runs and get into good positions - which Leitao doesn't these days.

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sj
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Sun Mar 27, 2005 9:34 am

I thought Fryatt was poor yesterday. moreover, he would be my 3rd choice, no I would sell him.

Talked myself into that--well it's done now.

I think Im going to start watching Ice-Hockey next year.

Hednesfordred
 

Sun Mar 27, 2005 9:51 am

I totally agree with you about Fryatt. He may make "intelligent runs" off the ball, but they are never in any areas which will hurt the defenders. He & Joachim played far too far apart yesterday. When JJ won any header, Fryatt was some 20 - 30 yards away, with no chance of picking up the peices. Did anyone see that this was the way Beckett & the other Oldham forwards were playing. It is exactly the way Fletcher & Haytor played against us for Bournmouth. I think that is why Merson took off Fryatt, in the hope that Jorge would win the ball in the air & JJ would feed off him. DIDNT WORK because Leito does not win enough ball in the air these days.

Heres a rash suggestion. Play ATIENO & JJ together. One strong in the air, the other quick & skillfull. Please tell me that "qualified" people like Maerson & Halsall can see this. If not our club is ALREADY DEAD IN THE WATER.

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Neil Ravenscroft
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Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:02 am

Addo, you couild have posted that about almost every home performance this season- even ones we've won!

philthesaddler
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Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:07 am

redalways wrote:I still think we will just survive this year. If we are to continue with Merson, he must be given the director of coaching role


I think this is the crux of the problem though...

We all know about Merson's attitude on the pitch, he doesn't put the work in, and we all know he's refuses to do too much training.

I think the problem is that Merson is in charge of training and coaching - because it is quite obvious the players aren't fit enough, plain to see by the way we simply dont compete for the ball enough. He has a liassez faire attitude, and that is our problem - Merson has had nearly 12 months of influence, we now have a squad of Paul Mersons. Lazy, cursing their luck, no work ethic.

There is no way that he will be given a contract at the end of the season. Bonser implied that if we get relegated PM would leave. However, if we stay up by goal difference, I cannot believe that would be acceptable to the board. It is simply naive to draw a definate line between relegation and staying up, but when those comments were made, relegation wasnt an issue, now that it is, i'd say Merson has already lost his job. Simply sacking him would only disorientate the club even more.

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geoffwhiting
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Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:27 am

Must agree with Hednesfordred about playing Atieno alongside JJ. After his 15 minute substitute appearance vs Bournemouth, he is clearly stronger and more aware, and will win balls in the air far more than either MF or JL.

I could not understand how he was not even on the bench at Vale, but this week he was said to be injured, so maybe that happened before the Vale game, which could explain it. Then again, who knows, with PM's legendary ability to miss a decent performance and play the same old stuff over and over, maybe it was just him that left Atieno out.

Just hope he's available next week - he could make quite a difference in an area where we are failing completely right now.

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Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:54 am

[quote="Hednesfordred"]I totally agree with you about Fryatt. He may make "intelligent runs" off the ball, but they are never in any areas which will hurt the defenders. He & Joachim played far too far apart yesterday. When JJ won any header, Fryatt was some 20 - 30 yards away, with no chance of picking up the peices. Did anyone see that this was the way Beckett & the other Oldham forwards were playing. It is exactly the way Fletcher & Haytor played against us for Bournmouth. I think that is why Merson took off Fryatt, in the hope that Jorge would win the ball in the air & JJ would feed off him. DIDNT WORK because Leito does not win enough ball in the air these days.

Heres a rash suggestion. Play ATIENO & JJ together. One strong in the air, the other quick & skillfull. Please tell me that "qualified" people like Maerson & Halsall can see this. If not our club is ALREADY DEAD IN THE WATER. i agree

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Stu
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Sun Mar 27, 2005 11:04 am

I was listening to the team line ups on WM yesterday on my way to the ground, as was my old man who made his own way there. When we got to the ground, we both said the same thing.

That being that Oldham's formation switch to 3-5-2 was done purely to kill Merson's involvement in the game, and that only 4-4-2 would bring any success today. Could Merson see that on the pitch? No. Could Halsall see that off the pitch? No. Could my Nan see that from her grave? I bet she bleedin could.

How obvious does it need to be for the folk on the sidelines? The usualy story of a team coming to Bescot and flooding the middle as well as man marking him so Merson can't get involved.

Dull, boring, no flair, no creativity, no nothing. This is more boring to watch than anything at the end of last season.

Thought the defence looked quite sound for a change, although Roper was at fault for losing Beckett completely on the goal.

I think Merson's fate is decided, as he isn't getting any luck either. It was blatantly our throw yesterday that led directly to their free kick, and then the time we do something to score, the bloke who has been marking Merson suddenly appears on the line to clear away.

Fortunately, we won't go down as I don't think it'll need 50 points to stop up. Does anyone really think Torquay will get 12 points from their last 8 matches, or Wrexham get 13 from their last 9? I certainly don't to be honest, not when the former are throwing away 2 goal leads.

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Neil Ravenscroft
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Sun Mar 27, 2005 11:30 am

I can see Wrexham getting them, but not both

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Sun Mar 27, 2005 11:40 am

redalways wrote:Can not agree with many of the comments about Joachim. He did not move to the ball, his first touch was awful and he barely caused a problem to their keeper. He looked another Leitao to me. We can not give him half a dozen games to get match fit.


The only part of that I agree with is the fact he's not match fit. He won more headers than any of our strikers have all season even though he's about 6inches shorter. They were all good flick ons which if Fryatt had been more alert to/interested he'd have had a few chances on goal.

His first touch was also far superior to that of Jorge or Fryatt that was clear because the ball stuck to his feet instead of bouncing 10 yards like it does with Lazytiao and Fryup.

I also agree about Wrack. I have been a fan of his over the years but he really doesn't look interested at the moment.

McSaddler
 

Sun Mar 27, 2005 9:13 pm

Just got round to posting my thoughts on the game.

From where I was sitting the defensive unit looked as though they'd never played together before(which they hadn't!). Emblem would have helped as Roper (who I thought played pretty well) isn't the most vocal. I was impressed with Oakes, the save in the first half off Beckett from inside the 6 yard box was class (no matter if it was straight at him) strikers will hit the target 99 times out of 100. Thought Gerrard played well bearing in mind it was his league debut, altough I did notice quite a few times in the first half especially where he and Pead were getting into a tangle over who was picking up their man.

Like many of the above have said the midfield four is essentially a three with Merson drifting. I thought Wrack had one of his less effective games. Taylor was so so, with Osbourn the pick of the three. Merson gave a usual performance a mixture of brilliance and mediocraty. I think he still created the most chances but we just didn't take them.

I thought Fryatt was below par and Joachim played ok in patches, I don't think they are necessarily the best partnership and Jorge might have been able to feed Joachim's pace with more flick ons if he had started.

Oldham probably just shaded the game. Looking at the matches we have left you'd have to say Torquay and Stockport are the must win games with a ptential to squeeze a point out of either Hull at home or Peterborough away. Can't see us getting much out of either Barnsley or Hartlepool.

My record this season at live games has been abysmal (P5 W1 D0 L4). Am planning to go to Hartlepool which is about as close to a "home" game as you get living in Scotland. No predictions this season I seem to remember Easter Monday last year going to see Walsall at Gillingham last year and being well beaten despite Jimmy's heroics here's hoping Barnsley is not half as bad as that.

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Mon Mar 28, 2005 12:00 am

Merson would create most of our chances because every other player just gives him the ball when we are attacking so it is obvious that he creates most although yesterday he went missing in the second half when we needed him most. Wrack was truly abysmal, he is one player who i think is too much in the comfort zone of knowing no matter how bad he plays he never gets dropped. Was suprised to see Taylor substituted as i thought he was doing a decent job. As for Roper, well he let Beckett get away from him for the goal, this followed up his cock up last week which cost us the 2nd goal at Vale but never mind its good old Ropes. Oakes did make some excellet saves but the goal did go straight through him and you really would expect a goalie to save this, imagine the reaction if Murphy had conceded this goal. The forwards really didn't trouble their defence too much but the service too them wasn't at all good. Surely Merson has to go after this season can the realistic fans really see where the improvement is going to come from next season because quite frankly i can't.

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geoffwhiting
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Mon Mar 28, 2005 9:18 am

Having watched Darren Wrack play for the Saddlers since he arrived, I find it unbelievable that anyone could describe him as "truly abysmal" or "in the comfort zone". If you don't like him or think he is ineffective in this team/formation/tactics, OK just say so, but don't lie about him being abysmal or idle to emphasise your point. If some of the players around him had the first idea about looking for runs off the ball and getting into positions, we might see some more constructive stuff from him.

Can anyone tell me whether Wrack has been played in his best position, (wide right) for four years or more. No, but he still never shirks his responsibilities and does his best wherever he's asked to play, even LEFT BACK on occasions as I recall. That from a guy in the comfort zone, give me a break. He's as committed to Walsall FC as anyone there.

The point about Saturday's goal - maybe you need to have played in goal to appreciate how hard that would be for a 'keeper and why it was not his fault. The blame is with Roper or Gerrard, the central defenders, who should have tracked Beckett's run across the edge of the 6-yard box. The free kick was well-flighted and just about cleared the head of the first defender, unfortunately. It then took a bounce before Beckett got the faintest of touches as it bounced up - probably more luck than judgment that it just diverted the ball very slightly at the last moment, giving Oakes no time to react. The 'keeper had virtually no chance, we've seen 'em in the Prem, we've seen 'em in Internationals, they're tough to defend against but, IMHO the defenders have to take the blame for this kind of goal every time.

Have to agree with you about Kris Taylor though, unless he was injured - which I certainly did not notice - it was a major cock-up to take him off, especially as Osborn seemed to have indicated to the bench that HE was either hurt or knackered and wanted to be taken off.

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Mon Mar 28, 2005 12:52 pm

Sorry Geoff but whilst I agree with your point about the central defenders part in Oldham's goal (Roper stood ball watching and let his man Beckett go with a clear run) I disagree with your version of Oakes' part in it.
Beckett did get a faint touch but it still went through his hands and then legs.If he had gone down to collect the ball with his legs closed the worse that could have happened is that the ball would have bounced back of his legs.

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geoffwhiting
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Mon Mar 28, 2005 5:57 pm

Sorry stig, we have to agree to disagree. No goalie could possibly know which way to move once the defenders had (a) missed the ball and (b) gone awol and Beckett had come in with his run across the flight of the ball. He might have got a good touch (he didn't), he might have got no touch at all (he didn't) and he might have got a slight touch (which he did). At that range a goalie has no time to react, and his chances of saving it are down to pure luck or instinct.

As you say, he could have kept his legs closed, but then he would have had virtually no chance of flinging himself either way if a stronger touch from Beckett had diverted the ball either side of him. He was in a no-win situation really, other than getting lucky. It's one of the toughest situations to judge to be honest. I know this from having played in goal in the past, and I'm fairly sure Stu would know that too as he is still currently a 'keeper - don't know if you have played that position yourself, but I'd have a shot at it and guess not.

kaseyeverton
 

Saddlers v Oldham

Mon Mar 28, 2005 6:21 pm

To reply to the London Saddlers opinions of the recent signings, can i correct him on Anthony Gerrard, this lad has more skill and composure than Stephen Gerrard, we are very lucky to have him on board. He will fight to the death and never shirk a challange, we shall see at the end of the season but it is impossible to comment after one game, i have watched Anthony Gerrard for years, being firstly an Everton fan, class is the word i would use. Get behind the team! instead of taking cheap, blindfolded potshots about something that you know nothing about. Remember you heard it here of the Blue saddler.

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Tue Mar 29, 2005 12:02 am

Geoff i said i thought Wrack was abysmal in this game not throughout his Walsall career, i have also seen him since he joined Walsall and yes he has played in alot of positions for us, which i truly admire him for. I also think he is one of our better players but in my opinion and yes it is only my opinion but one that i am entitled to have i just feel that Wrack should as one of the senior players grab games by the scruff of the neck more especially lately. If you read my post properly you will also notice that i did blame Roper for letting beckett get away from him for their goal but i also thought that Oakes should have done better. We will have to agree to disagree but all i want is the best for my team as you obviously do.

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geoffwhiting
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Tue Mar 29, 2005 12:47 am

"All I want is the best for my team as you obviously do".

Regardless of anything else, on this I am certainly 100% with you mate, and no mistake.

On the subject of Wrack, when you described him as "in the comfort zone" I think that statement would suggest to anyone that the opinion rested on more than just one performance - if it reflected your thoughts on just this one game, then I apologise, but on that basis I think I would regard the remarks as rather OTT.

perpetuini
 

Mon Apr 25, 2005 1:08 pm

PerStener wrote:team for saturday?

Oakes

Wright Emblen Roper/Gerrard Perpetuini

Pead Standing Kinsella Wrack

Joachim Fryatt

david perpetuini
 

Mon Apr 25, 2005 1:14 pm

PerStener wrote:team for saturday?

Oakes

Wright Emblen Roper/Gerrard Perpetuini

Pead Standing Kinsella Wrack

Joachim Fryatt

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