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Chesterfield (h)- League - 15th January 2005

Reports and reaction from the 2004-05 season as Walsall finished 14th in League 1
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YGA Saddler
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Chesterfield (h)- League - 15th January 2005

Thu Jan 13, 2005 11:34 pm

Thought id start it off. 3-1 to the saddlers, god i am optimistic!

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Exile
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 12:57 am

With two threadbare defences, I predict something shocking, like a 6-4 win.

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Jorge14
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 1:07 pm

2-2 draw or a 3-1 Walsall win, but not much in it.

I wonder if the lads will applaud the fans today?

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derbysaddler
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 2:55 pm

just bloody win. thats all thats required. one of me housemates is a doncaster fan, its getting embarassing.

come on walsall , sort it out, send chesterfield back to crooked town with F all!

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hullsaddler
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 4:01 pm

Well half time & we seem to be putting in a much better performance.Sounds like crowd will be very low though

LancsSaddler
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 5:05 pm

3-0 wrack, leitao n fryatt!!! come on u Saddlers!!

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Sat Jan 15, 2005 5:12 pm

See what happens when you give them a week off! That PM is a genius!!

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Burnside
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 5:25 pm

I thought we were fan-bloody-tastic.

Good alround team performance

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Jorge14
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 5:45 pm

I think us being "fan-bloody-tastic" has alot to do with Chesterfield being absolutely awful, and surpassing Hartlepool and Peterborough as the worst team at Bescot this season.
Saying that, to get the moaning out of the way, we were good today. It was a tidy performance, and from the first 20 minutes it was obvious that 3 goals was the bare minimum we should expect to get from Chesterfield.

A word for Muphy, Wright and Kinsella, all criticised this season, and all turned in their best performance of the season (in Wright and Kinsella's case) and Murphy pulled off some impressive looking saves. Not sure if Merson is dellusional in keeping a clean sheet, but Wrighty a Premier quality right-back? :wink: Maybe he will make it after all?

Cracking goal from Wracky and he put in a typically tidy and busy performance (give him the contract and the armband Merse!), Standing linked well with the rest of midfield and didn't stop running, whilst Merse didn't do much except set up our second and third, and put the corner across in the build-up to the first. But who's complaining?

The back four weren't stretched, although Emblen could have done better on a couple of occasions. Bennett was solid, and was Wright. Zigor gave us some nervous moments, but was on the whole sound. Good to see Scott Dann given a League Debut today. Our First clean sheet since the Stockport game!

Jorge got on the end of the cross for the second, and that is what he is there to do. Another disapointing overall display, but if he keeps on putting the ball in the onion bag, it doesn't matter. Fryatt didn't look overly sharp today, but took his goal well and was busy. Could, and maybe should, of had a hatrick.

A good result, and our most convincing performance of the season, but lets not go overboard. This was only Chesterfield...

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Bristol Fan
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 6:17 pm

Only Chesterfield, yes, but we've played worse teams than them and lost or drawn, and this is the first time I've seen us cruise to a victory which never looked less than certain all season. Everyone played well, but special notice to Wright and Kinsella, who I've criticised heavily, and both had their best games for us.

Merson wasn't at his best but he still created two goals and for him to be booed when named MOTM was an absolute disgrace. He didn't deserve MOTM but he didn't deserve to be booed.

More of the same next week? I doubt it. But wouldn't it be nice!?

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Sat Jan 15, 2005 6:22 pm

Exactly right, it was only Chesterfield. Having said that a win is a win is a win. I must confess though that a part of me feels that this win just takes us back a few weeks by giving fickle people a voice to say Merson is the man because he clearly isn't.

The fact is the team won't bulid on this. They will get beat next game to Tranmere, we all know that. The optimism has gone. There is zilch consistency at this club. Yes they can pull off results like today simply based on the fact we are a better team than Chesterfield.

What we can't do though is go away and beat a team by been tactically more intelligent and motivated to do so. Why? because we have a complete idiot as manager. I say it again, this team will go nowhere while this prick is in charge.

coxanddrummie(consistent in his views)

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Sat Jan 15, 2005 6:56 pm

when will certain walsall supporters stop grumbling and start backing their team. I am a female supporter and have been for over 50 years,and i have never heard booing like what the supporters do now.when they are on a low we need to be behind them not keep critisising all the while, Paul Merson can only choose a team he cant play the game for them i would like to see the players put in a lot more effort myself but would never boo them. Come on fans get behind them and give them some confidence.

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Sat Jan 15, 2005 7:00 pm

Firstly let me say Chesterfield looked a poor team all round, especially their defence. I'd say their number 6 was their best player.

As for us, well a good team performance, but the team is still carrying merson. To give him the man of the match award was a joke, but at least he was big enough to sort of admit that on the radio.

Now ive been Mark Wright biggest critic, but today he was contender for man of the match. He looked more confident going forward, got some great crosses in, and defended well.

However, merson's 'premiership right back' comment shows how deluded he is. Though he had a good game today, the minute we play a side that are decent, he will be a liability.

Fryatt deserved his goal, Merson got two good assists, and has the magic, but 90% of the time, we carry him, meaning we as a team, are only as good as him.

What was the point of bringing scott dann on for 10 seconds? poor lad, i felt sorry for him.

Marvin looked like hes lacking fitness, and maybe confidence.

Overall a deserved win, against a poor side it must be said. The real test will be agains tranmere next week, and that will be the litmus test as to whether we've made any progress.

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Geordiesaddler
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 7:08 pm

Three brilliant goals - worth the admission money on their own permiated an awful game of football. Its a long time since we've seen a worse team than Chesterfield visit the Bescot. We could and should have scored 5 or 6. Wright was superb, Kinsella got better as the game went on, and I thought Fryatt did well and looked to have filled out a bit physically with his lay off.
Merson was the usual enigma at times woeful but put in 4 or 5 telling balls and created 2 goals that probably no-one else could have created, also proved that he can run and beat a man - when he feels like it.

Just nice to see a comfortable win really and keep a decent gap above the bottom 4, but we have to be a lot better than this to be anything more than mid-table.

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Sat Jan 15, 2005 7:12 pm

'Bristol Fan' ( what that all about?) has it occurred to you that it was the decision that was being booed and not Merse himself? Thought not. Merse was nowhere near MOM hence the boos. Open you eyes and stop fan knocking.

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geoffwhiting
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 7:17 pm

At last we know that this IS the real coxanddrummie - positive identification - but have you still not got your username back mate?

So how do you think I know for sure that it's you? Quite simple really - one tiny grammatical error has consistently been your hallmark, but I think this is the first time I've spotted it since the board change-over.

It's in this line of yours. "What we can't do though is go away and beat a team by been tactically more intelligent and motivated to do so" - "been" should be "being" - sorry, I'm not meaning to be pedantic, but it's positively identified you, which is good. So now I know it's you, welcome back C&D.

I'm inclined to agree with you, today is probably a one-off, I can't see us getting anything at Tranmere next week, and I think Huddersfield in a fortnight will be a whole different proposition to Chesterfield.

I can't agree with some that today's was our most complete performance - it was an OK display against poor opposition, but I don't think it came near our performances against Colchester and particularly against Luton.

We could and should have scored at least six today to complete a nice repair job on our goal difference, but we missed some sitters, which meant we could never relax or be confident of the win until that very late third goal went in. Murphy made excellent saves to deny Chesterfield twice, but the rest was mainly routine stuff from him. The defence again had one or two horribly shaky moments that would have been punished by better sides than Chesterfield.

I was amazed by the decision to award MoM to Merson. Yes he set-up two goals with the excellent free-kick for Jorge and the sublime inch-perfect ball for Matty's goal, but MoM had already been awarded before the latter. PM had been guilty of poor passing on numerous occasions, so just how he got that accolade ahead of several others is a mystery to me. Having said that, the booing when MoM was announced was well out of order.

I don't really see much point going over the Merson managerial business any more; it's been made clear this week that PM stays until the end of the season regardless, and will still be here in 2005/06 unless we go down - which now seems extremely unlikely. So frankly, like it or not, we may as well get used to it and move on.

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Whitti Steve
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 7:23 pm

A few remarkable things happened today;

We went ahead

Wrack shot with his left foot - and scored - and it was a blinder (- and still people barracked him! - not that unusual)

Wright was superb

we went futher ahead

Kinsella was great

we went futher ahead

we kept a clean sheet

We won


On the whole I thought we played well against a disappointing Chesterfield - saw them at Saltergate and was quite impressed - not so today. We also created 3 or 4 more good chances, which should have been taken. Though Merse played well (created the goals) and as usualt the sponsors wanted to meet the player they had heard of. It amazes me to say it - but Wright deserved the award today or Kinsella.

Murphy back on form, Bennett did well against the "Cheif" and other notable perforamances from Fryatt, Jorge and Standing.

Scott Dann - well done on Debut - sorry you didn't get a kick!

Boris
 

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Sat Jan 15, 2005 7:49 pm

Let's get a bit of perspective here.

This was a pretty good performance against a really very poor side.

However, we created chance after chance and never looked in any danger at all. Chesterfield lumbered about and never caused us any problems. Two shots on target, two good saves.

I think it demonstrated the concept that this squad is actually one of the best in the division - it just under-achieves.

Man-for-man we were far superiour. I wonder if some people were actually at the game. Far from being sluggish, Robinson looked sharp and full of energy, yes Merson tried too many flicks and complex passed that were unecessary and failed.

The ref was a pedant and a nob, typical of the crap you get in this division.

Merson set up two goals, and looked (in patches) very good. maybe we do carry him, but how many asissts does he get -loads. And did you see the reaction of the players when his perfect pass was slotted home by Matty - they loved it. Well done boys, let's hope you do build on this.

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SheffieldSaddler
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:10 pm

Chesterfield - Only 1 team has scored less than them away this season.
Chesterfield - Only 3 teams have won less than them away this season.
Chesterfield - 1 win in last 7.
Chesterfield - 1 win in last 10 away.
Chesterfield - 2 of their best defenders out.
Jesus, if we did not beat this rubbish, then PM should have gone.
Lets see how good we are when we have to play away from home and get some points.

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Saddler Jim
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:30 pm

Yes Chesterfield were poor. But they'r still above us in the league,there's an old saying a team is only as good as you let them be.so let's give the lads some credit they wanted to play but we did'nt let them.We outclassed them and they were lucky to only lose 3.there's one thing for certain if they perform as well next week Tranmere could be in for a shock.I'v always thought we had the best team in the division but not consistant enough,maybe having a week off has done the trick,we'll see next week.

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Pedro
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:56 pm

Sheffield we won. You can only beat the team put out in front of you. Why do you keep going to matches, coming on the message board and slagging the team, the club off. Every since Lee left you have not been a happy bunny, so get over .... Or sod off and support Wednesday or United , or even Wolves because they moan like you ...

As for todays game tje players did what they had to and got the three point. Wright and Kins having their best games of the season. Murphy pulling off a couple of great saves in the second half.

Wracky,Jorge and Matty all taking their goals well, ok we could have had a few more but I'm not moaning.

MOTM - Mark Kinsella

Also it was good to see the team celebrate the goals as a team, most of the player where in the celebrations. So it looks like Wrackys words may have worked

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Sat Jan 15, 2005 9:10 pm

Glad to get three goals go in the right net, and a clean sheet, even if Chesterfield were the worst team to playat Bescot.

Can we build on this? Hope so. Sounds like the lads played with a bit of spirit.

Question - with Merse providing all three goals, I presume we were playing 4-3-1-2 narrow again, and that Chesterfield's much-vaunted 4-5-1 failed because they were poor rather than anything we did?

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Sat Jan 15, 2005 9:14 pm

Harry wrote:'Bristol Fan' ( what that all about?) has it occurred to you that it was the decision that was being booed and not Merse himself? Thought not. Merse was nowhere near MOM hence the boos. Open you eyes and stop fan knocking.


Who the f*** are you? He's called Bristol Fan because he's a fan from Bristol. He would have been called Bristol Saddler but there's already one of them. And regardless of what the boos were for they were unnecessary full stop.

As for the game a much better performance when everything seemed to click. Wright was man of the match for me with Kinsella not far behind who both had their best performances of the season. I've been critical of Murphy but he made two or three excellent saves today and did seem to be more confident than recent weeks.

I was a bit disappointed with Fryatt. He took his goal well and looked very lively in the first half but had chances and missed them. I think he was trying to hard to impress any watching scouts when he could have made simple passes to waiting team mates in far better positions. And what was that about when he was appealing for a penalty instead of getting on with the game? Especially as the ball dropped right in front of him. Play to the bloody whistle!

We'll need to take our chances better and not slip away if we want to get anything against Tranmere though.

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WarsawPact
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 9:33 pm

Pedro wrote:Also it was good to see the team celebrate the goals as a team, most of the player where in the celebrations. So it looks like Wrackys words may have worked


Yes, it was very funny watching all the players make damn sure they congratulated the scorers. :o

Good spot from Merson for Jorge's run and goal and an excellent pass to Fryatt, but I thought his short passing game was poor today.

Wright was my man-of the-match.

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Pedro
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 9:55 pm

Merson said on the WM after the game that Wright can play in the Prem . Has been something he should not again :lol:

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Sat Jan 15, 2005 10:19 pm

Can I just remind people that with us at our best and with players giving 100%, it would have been a completely different story! I couldn't make the game today but when you visited Saltergate you didn't look any more impressive than us. After all "your only Walsall"...it's surprising what one game can have on the fan base....the whole Merson scenario is laughable...but it just shows what short term memories some supporters can have. Oh well, upwards and onwards...and please remember we are not by far the worst team that will grace your pitch at some point in the season...MK Dons, Stockport etc...

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Magic Man Fan
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 10:28 pm

We were commenting on what we saw today not at Saltergate. You were a shadow of the side we saw earlier in the season. You were missing a lot of players today but the one who made a difference at your place was Jamal Campbell Ryce. If you haven't got strength in depth thats your problem.

Our problem is consistency. In fact, without checking I'd say that the team that played today is hardly any different to the one that played you before. Our players didn't give 100% that day and yours didn't today so if we call you a poor side you can't complain.

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Happiness, Happiness...!

Sat Jan 15, 2005 10:38 pm

Wahey!! The first Saddlers win I have seen for ages! The first in fact since Luton on that Tuesday night in October! I was beginning to think I was a jinx!

No moaning in this post - i'm just delighted...able to enjoy the half time interval, read my programme and listen to the half time results, knowing that up and down the country football fans everywhere were hearing that we had taken a first half lead!!!

Wrack's goal was an absolute beauty! Merson's quick freekick was a masterstroke, and a lovely run and header from Jorge to finish. Fryatt took his goal well, and I was willing us to stick in another couple for good measure.

I'm now looking forward to going into work on Monday, cos this week...I've got the bragging rights!!!

Incidentally, nobody sitting where I was booed the MotM decision (although i did hear boos)...everyone was just shocked and surprised and started laughing at the fact that Wrighty/Murphy/Bennett hadnt been given it...no offence Merse! Mark Wright was outstanding, and Mark Kinsella looks much better than Osborn...more of a leader too IMO.

Funny moments from the game today - Wayne Allison screaming across at his non-existant support up front, Muggleton slicing his goal kicks, their man who slapped the ball on the turf after not getting a throw at the end of the game, Snoop Dogg coming off the bench for them and doing bugger all and the player whose name sounded remarkably like De Bollock when our announcer called the sub!

All in all - a great afternoon as a Saddlers fan - Tranmere may be a different story, but i'm gonna enjoy this one for seven days at least, okay?

Cheers all

L_Spireite
 

Sat Jan 15, 2005 10:40 pm

Fair enough but as it has been said all through the season, anyone can beat anyone in this league, it's that close. A couple of good wins and you can be right up there, a rough patch can send you right back down. We've hit a rough patch, I'll admit that. We've fell back down to being unable to keep clean sheets, scoring and keeping the ball for periods of time. Your right, JCR - Jamal provided the team with a precious bout of inspiration but that's gone now. With the financial problems we encounter it will be a while longer until we can be competing with the likes of Hull/Luton going for glory. We haven't got any strikers that are scoring regular and neither have we got strikers scoring that start the game. Most goals have been from strikers that have been subs. We're having a bad time of late and Christmas hasn't been good to us either. Hopefully we can at least maintain a mid table position this season. What a change of events to earlier on in the season when we were in a playoff place...that's a thousand miles away from reality now. The one thing we have in common is we both have problems with consistency, yes we just lost today but then we could go and win 3-0 next match, funny really. The other thing is both managements manage to pick stinkers of strikers....ie...Marvin Robinson lol!

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Magic Man Fan
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Sat Jan 15, 2005 10:44 pm

He's been ok for us so far!

Exile - Wharfie has nicked your sign off!

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