Wed Jan 27, 2010 1:05 am
My first game for a while, I think Southampton was my last one, due to all the postponements over Christmas. I really enjoyed it, was a good game of football, and surprisingly there was a fair bit of singing by the Walsall Fans tonight, got behind the team more than I have heard them for some time. Over 5,000 too.
We were very unlucky to lose the game, although from the moment they equalised, I feared the winner would come shortly after. I don't see every game now, so my comments can't be held with to much weight, but it is the best performance I have seen from Till and Richards. We had a bit of a laugh at half time about a moment in the first half, where Till actually beat a defender and got a cross over, but no one bothered getting in the box, and were already getting back in to defensive positions because they never expected the ball to come over :lol:
Mattis seemed to be having a fairly solid game, so I assume he was injured when he went off ? Not many games go by without him making at least one lunging tackle, he took the ball with tonight's effort, so can't really complain. There were just a few glimpses tonight of the Bradley we saw a few years ago. His general play didn't really stand out, but on a couple of occasions he made late runs beyond the strikers and found him self in space, his execution left a little to be desired, and maybe it is clutching at straws with him now, but it is the first time I have seen him do it for some time, rather than letting the game pass him by in safe mode.
Not much come off for Byfield tonight, but if you just watch how he runs the line, he is sheer class. Never going to be the top goalscorer in the league, but his running off the ball makes openings for sure. I wouldn't like to think where we would be without him to be honest.
Was a blatant penalty, I was right in line with it, smacked the defender right on the palm of the hand, some may say it would be harsh, but his arm was out, and it hit it full on. The ref said it hit his chest, it clearly didn't, and it was obviously a massive point in the game.
Disappointing result, but an enjoyable evening ,even if it was freezing cold!