Walsall v Wolves - Friendly 20/07/10

[SaddlerCraig]

I know they say it's just a glorified training session but seriously 3-0 against barnsley and 3-0 BEFORE half time against Wolves seems like our "experienced defence" aren't so experienced after all.

[Fray Bentos is God!]

I am so glad I do not live in the mighty Willenhall to hear the goading by obsessive toilet attendants.

433 isn't helping as it seems that Wolves are taking full advantage down the wings.

[philthesaddler]

we'm crap

[1966]

Three down against dingle reserves. Can't wait for second half when we field a trialist from the Bilston League and the soap dodgers put their first XI on

[yoda]

For the benefit of those who come back from the game and wonder why we're hopping up and down - WM made it sound like wolves basically walked in the second 2 goals.

[bleed_red_n_white]

Just spoke to my mate on phone who says were a complete joke already, he informs me we have nothing going forward and the defence looks extreemly shakey Im worried about the new season agen now :|

[Neil Ravenscroft]

I don't take much notice of friendlies normally but when it gets emb arassing ........

[Rich Evans]

How's the new keeper going.

[yoda]

How's the new keeper going.

WM just said hes looking shakey

[Duke]

Any news on the attendance ?

if Hutch is experimenting and Wolves are fielding a strong squad the score is not a great surprise or disappointment .

[yoda]

Apparently Hutch was experimenting with a 433 but the first half saw a VERY weak wolves side.


GODDAMIT 4-0!

[yoda]

10 substitutions in 1 go! highlight of the night!!

[Dave Gittins]

Did I just hear that right? WM said TEN substitutions to take place!!

[saddler up north]

again i cant comment as im not there but bbc wm keep saying we are trying to play long ball and when walsall play short passing we look alright. i know people will knock me for this and people say its only a friendly but hutchings i havent rated since he took over. long ball is no good and why 433 questions need to be asked now before we do go down again! i think we have some decent players marshall sounds good, but why long boring ball that aint gonna get the fans back!
so far like others had said im worried about how we are gonna cope! i know its barnsly and scummy wolves but come on this is bad!

[bleed_red_n_white]

whos the trialist anyone?

[yoda]

Has he even made it on the pitch?

[Duke]

How's the new keeper going.

WM just said hes looking shakey

WM covering a Walsall game :shock:

Off course we're playing Wolves

[Neil Ravenscroft]

For whoever suggested it. Is a strong Dingle team, their opener was scored by a 19 year old reserve

[yoda]

For whoever suggested it. Is a strong Dingle team, their opener was scored by a 19 year old reserve

Dont think anyone did. Someone asked if it was and IMO in the first half it was as weak as you could get without calling it wolves XI

[bleed_red_n_white]

I now were all over reacting abit after these 2 games but I've said it before and Im sticking to it, were not going anywhere under this manager, or this team, there not good enough, were still atleast 4 players short of a mid table side, we wont finish anywhere near 10th let alone the play offs

[motty]

:roll:

[chestersaddler]

Some of you need to get a grip - it's a god practice match, let's keep the knives in the drawer at least until the season is underway.

[priestley_saddler]

Hhmmm, not the greatest performance from a Walsall team I've ever seen.

Not sure quite how close to a first XI Wolves put out in the first half as I don't know anything about their squad. If it was a reserve side then they stuck 4 past us. When they apparently brought their first team on (was it their first team? I'd stopped paying attention by this point), then we held them 0-0 for 35 minutes.

I know you're not supposed to read too much into friendlies, so I'll try not too. We were playing a team two leagues above us, who have already played two friendly games and who looked at least a week ahead of us in terms of pre-season progress. However, we seemed slow, sluggish, and all over the pitch our players seemed too far apart. Wolves players had all the room in the world and then when we got the ball, especially in the first half an hour, we had to play long ball because there was never a short option.

A word on Jonny Brain. Regardless of who you're playing, you would still expect a goalkeeper to do the basics well. Catch crosses, command his box, bark orders to his defenders and so on. He didn't, and I'd be quite worried based on tonights performance going into the season with him as number one. He was rounded for goal number 3 because he went to ground far too early. If he has getting on for 200 league appearances behind him then you'd think his experience would tell him this. The fact that CH gave him 90 minutes suggests that's what he intends to do with ihs keepers. If that's the case, with three friendlies left it stands to reason Bevan will play two and Brain just one more. If I was Bevan tonight I'd be chomping at the bit to play Saturday to prove I was better than Brain tonight. Actually, I'm not Bevan, but I'm still chomping at the bit to play on Saturday to prove that I'm better than Brain.

This is the single biggest concern from tonight for me.

[philthesaddler]

The trialist was Chris Stokes released by Bolton, he looked decent, so I think we'll sign him up.

It was almost an entire reserve team from Wolves, only Elokobi and Vokes will make first team appearances this season I think.

Dont know why we played 4-5-1/4-3-3 for the first half hour, as I dont think thats what we'll play, so I didnt see the point.

First impressions on our new lads:

Marshall - looks useful, good touch, gets stuck in
Lancashire - Shakey
Brain - made a few decent saves
Lescott - Looked more comfortable on the right

Grigg looked useful again when he came on, showing good touch and vision, god knows how he didnt get more of a run out last season.

Richards looked anonymous tonight.

Deeney looks to have gained a yard of pace, but played most of the night with no support.

[DanWalsallFC]

I now were all over reacting abit after these 2 games but I've said it before and Im sticking to it, were not going anywhere under this manager, or this team, there not good enough, were still atleast 4 players short of a mid table side, we wont finish anywhere near 10th let alone the play offs

Possibly the funniest pre-season post ever :lol:
Get a grip its a friendly vs a premiership team in which we were experimenting with a 4-3-3 formation with a load of new players who dont even know each other, let alone trying out a formation we've never used!

[thickkearns]

Brain made a couple of good saves I thought, one from Edwards was really good , kicking was ok did ok overall

the lad stokes looked ok and so did Marshall , in fact Marshall looked a useful player in the making, Lescott could have be Palmer !!! but he looked a bit better at right back than left back in the second half..
sadly Richards look poor - Walsall played ok at times -- it was a practice match and was enjoyable .

[Sadders]

Pretty sluggish tonight if im honest. But lets remember, despite it being a reserve Wolves side first half. Ikeme, Elokobi, Edwards, Vokes, Halford, Foley, Stearman, Ebanks Blake were ALL big parts of a team that won promotion to the premier league - so technically thats a good side. Ebanks finished top scorer and Foley got player of the season didnt he?

Brain? Looked very suspect at corners and anything that wasn't simple if im honest. He spilled one regular shot and flapped at a couple of crosses and corners. Maybe im being harsh but could he have done something better with the 1st and 3rd goal? Concerning.

Marshall? Did okay, but the game passed him by, he looks more defensive than attacking like i was expecting so maybe its more of a direct Mattis replacement.

Lescott? Looked pretty awful at left back and got dragged in a lot. But improved at right back in the second half.

Lancashire? Hmm came on and got shrugged off By Ebanks Blake far to easily and allowed him to score. Did alright after that but he looks a bit clumsy.

The trialist? Stokes? Did okay when he came on, sign him up were in need.

Not a great performance but it was only a fast paced training session.

[tinned]

How's the new keeper going.

Some knob behind me said "I reckon Ince would've saved all 3 goals". Okay you may be right (or not) but are we going to have a season of slagging off every keeper that isn't Ince?

Another knob started sarcastically singing "There's only one Jimmy Walker".

I despair :roll:

[walsallforprem]

I don't understand why everyone is stressing. We were playing against a Wolves team who still had plenty of quality in many areas of the pitch. Did anyone really expect it to be a close game. I must admit we did seem very slow to get started and the midfield hardly saw the ball in the first half an hour. Like someone said, when we did play the passing game we looked decent but we didnt play it enough. I also noticed that the movement of some was appaling, especially off throw-ins. Lescott had to wait a good 30 seconds for someone to move on a few occasions.

Overall, no-one should be winging and crying about Walsall yet, some people on here really need to get a grip.

I wouldn't be surprised either if we end up signing that Chris Stokes because he looked very useful when he came on. It was nice to see Mark Kinsella in the crowd watching tonight aswell.

[WFC_Jimmy]

i think we will look a more balanced side with julian gray on the left....steve jones was a bright spark tonight our best player by a long shot!

My evaluation:

Brain: Made a cracking safe in the first few minutes but sadly looked nervy
Westlake: Will grow strength to strength the more games he gets but for me personally i would start lescott at right back
Mcdonald: Hoof ball and looked off the pace, but is an asset in the air
Smith: Hoof ball
Lescott: Simply a solid right back

Taundry: unlucky not to score, got stuck in
Richards: was too slow and got caught on occassions
Marshall: not shy to tackle, calm on the ball

Jones: Our only threat going forward
Deeney: looked quicker and unlucky not to score with a glancing header
Nicholls: wasn't involved much

Subs
Lancashire: was outmuscled by ebanks-blake for his goal
Stokes: Looks tidy, desprete for a left back
Byfield: Needed the ball
Grigg: Looks sharp
Geddes: Not on long enough


Overall wolves are a very good side, bring on cov and the villa, hopefully we will see more one or two more experienced players come in i.e centre mid?