Colchester United (H) League 1 Saturday 4/9/10.

[Asps]

Honest question. If the next league game was free; what do you think the attendance would be?

Someone on the "How do we get the fans back?" thread said its not about the money and Im starting to think they are right. Oldham had tickets for a fiver for the JPT game and only got 2 and a half thousand.
I'd be interested to know how many would show for us right now if we made the game a quid or free.

Still less the 4K as everyone knows how crud it is.

Dog Face out!!!

[PT]

It was a knife-edge game that could have gone either way. Two poor teams cancelling each other out, although after a dodgy first ten I thought if the game was going to be won it was by us. The interplay that released Macken one on one in the first half was magic, their keeper was a bit lucky to see his save just clear the bar. Byfield gave us a lift in energy but Byfield is what Byfield always has been and despite his energy and in today's team his virtually unique passion, he contrived to foul up three very very scorable opportunities (OK he hit the post with one, but with Macken totally free, the pass would have guaranteed a goal only seconds before they broke and scored). Twice his decision-making was poor and ultimately it was this that cost us a pretty awful game.

Glad to be amongst the 3,000 who desperately tried to get behind our team and only really vented at the final whistle. When the club has better days, which it will, those of us that are sticking with it now will feel a sweeter taste in any future success. Up The Saddlers!

[kevin]

Another dire attendance of 3400 today................

Shame on the Villa , Baggies and Wolves fans, for staying away.

Very soon they'll have no "other team " they'll like to do well.

[yoda]

Glad to be amongst the 3,000 who desperately tried to get behind our team and only really vented at the final whistle. When the club has better days, which it will, those of us that are sticking with it now will feel a sweeter taste in any future success. Up The Saddlers!

Bit harsh. Im desperate to be down there (on here and listening to WM every game) but Ive just brought a house so until January have exactly zero disposable income.

[wednesburysaddler]

stu i do get what youre saying believe me

its not league positions for me so much its the entertainment or lack of it factor

ok you and your family like going to a pub and have your dinner every 2nd saturday and you dont mind paying £50 for say 4 of you for the afternnon

then the decor becomes a bit dour but you like the staff and the food so you stick with pub

then all your good cooks and waitresses leave to join a rival because youre paying minimum wage so the food and service goes downhill because you get substandard staff in.

then near the pub there are 4 better pubs that serve better drink and grub and offer you better quality for realtivly similar prices..

how long before you and your family keep going to same pub and eat garbabe food and poor service
youd soon be out of there and down the other pub with your 50 quid
its same principal to some extent at walsall.
keep dishing up slop and you want a better standard and thats whats happening down at fortress pride of the midlands sponsored by who the hell knows bescot bankss whatever.

so if this pub gets a better manager in and organises the waitresses better then although its not 5 star grub you take a chance that one day it will improve because you want to go to that pub youve adored for years.

doesn

[yoda]

Does the Geneva Convention cover torturing metaphors?

[Percie]

Our fans are getting exactly what they deserve.

Our clubs dying and none of us wanna do anything about it. All mouth, no action!

Only went we really are in the mire will anyone stand up and be counted. Until then, lets all sit on our keyboards and cuss each other off. Be nice wow it?

[bleed_red_n_white]

Never have I been more disgusted after watching a Walsall game, we were absolutly awful from start to finish I have no doubt on my mind we have a decent team but with this clueless fool in charge we aint goin no where but down League 2 here we come.

[saddlerJP]

absolute cow poo.

What do they do in traing all week? Not one area of the pitch plays as a unit, and what was that seconf half formation all about?

[Cully]

Our fans are getting exactly what they deserve.

Brainless comment of the year. Well done Percie.

[Walsall_Casual]

Well that was depressingly worrying!!!

Even before kick off the lads didn't seem up for it. The usual high intensity short sprint drills were half hearted to say the least! - that was about the highlight for me today!

I've said for 2-3 months now that on paper our first 11 is competitive although with a couple of injuries, a suspension and an international call up we would be extremely weak - well we certainly were today for sure!

Colchester weren't great, very average infact but they 'did a job' on us convincingly today. CH made changes to the formation which I don't believe particularly worked although the introduction of Byfield certainly did. Looking at the options for us today I think you will struggle to find a more inexperienced bench in English football and it cost us.

Where do we go from here?.....

[DanWalsallFC]

I went today and I cack you not, that was worse than any performance under merson, mullen or any other clown ive seen in charge. I fear for this season. We couldnt keep the ball on the floor and most of our attacking play eventually was wasted by being passed back losing any momentum we had gained. However we did look better when byfield came on

[PT]

Glad to be amongst the 3,000 who desperately tried to get behind our team and only really vented at the final whistle. When the club has better days, which it will, those of us that are sticking with it now will feel a sweeter taste in any future success. Up The Saddlers!

Bit harsh. Im desperate to be down there (on here and listening to WM every game) but Ive just brought a house so until January have exactly zero disposable income.

Didn't really mean to have a pop at anyone mate, especially folk like you who'd love to go but can't afford it. I just remember being sat at Cardiff amongst a few people who were asking which Walsall player was which and thinking that if the day belonged to anyone, it belonged to the 2,000 who saw it through at the bottom end of the 4th Division a decade before and how I wished those 2,000 could have sat together at Cardiff because they'd shared the "journey" from the dross to the glory.

But I wouldn't worry Yoda, if you're back down there in January I'm sure there will be plenty more dross for you to test your mettle on.

[JackoSaddler]

That was worse than Tuesday night, which was woeful!

I am still yet to see us win this season, after being away for the Brentford and Plymouth games, and they are the only games i have missed all season.

Maybe i should become a "stayaway" so we win?

[Duke]

I'm not a big fan of Matt Richards but admit to feeling a little sorry for him today , with no target man upfront and the lack or width left him with very few outlets.
leaving him the only option of punting the ball forward in hope rather than any direction ,

[Pedro]

Took my son for the first time today, least he enjoyed it.

Stil trying to think if it was worse than Tuesday

[Stu]

I'm not a big fan of Matt Richards but admit to feeling a little sorry for him today , with no target man upfront and the lack or width left him with very few outlets.
leaving him the only option of punting the ball forward in hope rather than any direction ,

Playing Devils Advocate, could he not have retained possession and passed it sideways or backwards rather than "punt it in any direction"? Held on to possession, drawn them out a bit and wait for gaps to appear?

[Duke]

I'm not a big fan of Matt Richards but admit to feeling a little sorry for him today , with no target man upfront and the lack or width left him with very few outlets.
leaving him the only option of punting the ball forward in hope rather than any direction ,

Playing Devils Advocate, could he not have retained possession and passed it sideways or backwards rather than "punt it in any direction"? Held on to possession, drawn them out a bit and wait for gaps to appear?

A few times he did pass back to McDonald or Smith and they just hoofed it forward ,
There was very little movement upfront until Byfield came on , what surprised me was the lack of width with Ruben and Gray both stating
Paterson made a few good runs but tried to do to much looks a promising player though.

[longdogs]

Playing Devils Advocate, could he not have retained possession and passed it sideways or backwards rather than "punt it in any direction"? Held on to possession, drawn them out a bit and wait for gaps to appear?

Indeed, and I think by and large Richards does that. I may be in a minority, but I've been impressed with him in the middle of the pitch. Everything comes through him, and he covers such a lot of ground. He's the only creative midfielder we have, but seems to have to do it all himself. He was outstanding against Plymouth and, I thought, is one of the few players who came out of today with credit.

I was impressed with Paterson again. He had an excellent league debut. He's not perfect, but if he carries on playing like today he won't be with us for long.

[longdogs]

the lack of width with Ruben and Gray both starting.

I don't want Reid on the wing, I want him down the middle. Having him on the left just leaves Macken isolated in the middle, and stops Gray playing in his normal game.

[Graydon48]

Honest question. If the next league game was free; what do you think the attendance would be?

Someone on the "How do we get the fans back?" thread said its not about the money and Im starting to think they are right. Oldham had tickets for a fiver for the JPT game and only got 2 and a half thousand.
I'd be interested to know how many would show for us right now if we made the game a quid or free.

I was thinking the samw thing.
Wonder how many we'd take to Rochdale if the club gave us free transport and free tickets.
Be amazed if we would fill 3 coaches

[DanWalsallFC]

the lack of width with Ruben and Gray both starting.

I don't want Reid on the wing, I want him down the middle. Having him on the left just leaves Macken isolated in the middle, and stops Gray playing in his normal game.

This

[latviancheese]

Our fans are getting exactly what they deserve.

Our clubs dying and none of us wanna do anything about it. All mouth, no action!

Only went we really are in the mire will anyone stand up and be counted. Until then, lets all sit on our keyboards and cuss each other off. Be nice wow it?

Did your own fair bit of cussing too.

[priestley_saddler]

Drove up from Hemel Hempstead for the match yesterday, and honestly think I'd have had more fun if I'd have stayed at home and then gone shopping with the wife and mother-in-law in the afternoon.

It was the classic "worse performance I've EVER seen this week" type of game, which had 0-0 written all over it but we somehow still managed to lose. Personally, I thought it was marginally worse than the Dongs game, which was just this side of dreadful.

Was pleased to see McDonald starting, but I think he replaced the wrong centre back. I don't understand all the fuss about Manny Smith, I think he's the weakest of the three centre backs at the club (although I have the feeling I may be in a minority of one there). Lancashire is a good defender and the only centre back who is comfortable on the ball, so needs to start. McDonald is better than Smith so he starts too. Westlake had probably his best game in a while and probably just edged out Paterson for MOTM. Paterson was like a breath of fresh air. He was comfortable with the ball, confident and wasn't afraid to take players on. Unfortunately he did too much at times but he will be a very good player for us.

Richards had his usual "rare good performance" while Marshall was as anonymous as Taundry normally is. The thing with Richards is he tries to play the holding role and be the playmaker in the middle of the park. Now he has to do both because his partner is generally useless. He's adequate at both but brilliant at neither, and needs to pick one role or the other, and then get another midfielder in who can pick up the other role.

Gray was abysmal and was the worst player on the pitch by a mile (and that's saying something). Infact, he was so bad that Hutch even brought him off with 20 minutes still to play :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: Reid and Macken did nothing but also had very little service to do anything with. We looked at our most lively when Byfield came on.

We really missed Jones and McGivern today. When Jones is back he should come in for Gray, rather than Paterson. And while Lescott is adequate at left back we just look really unbalanced and need a left footer there.

A special word for the people chanting "Hutch out" at the end, which by my count was one bloke and about ten sheep. I know emotions run high after a performance as bad as that, but who would you have to replace him? Also, the chanting started from around the area where Unity sit, although I'm not quite sure who started it. The problem with Hutch out chants starting in that area is that if you have Bonser out chants one week and Hutch out the next, it gives the impression of a rabble who will moan about anything and everything. Yesterday was awful, but lets stick to changing one thing at a time, starting at the top and working our way down.

[addo]

Was pleased to see McDonald starting, but I think he replaced the wrong centre back. I don't understand all the fuss about Manny Smith, I think he's the weakest of the three centre backs at the club (although I have the feeling I may be in a minority of one there). Lancashire is a good defender and the only centre back who is comfortable on the ball, so needs to start. McDonald is better than Smith so he starts too. Westlake had probably his best game in a while and probably just edged out Paterson for MOTM. Paterson was like a breath of fresh air. He was comfortable with the ball, confident and wasn't afraid to take players on. Unfortunately he did too much at times but he will be a very good player for us.

Richards had his usual "rare good performance" while Marshall was as anonymous as Taundry normally is. The thing with Richards is he tries to play the holding role and be the playmaker in the middle of the park. Now he has to do both because his partner is generally useless. He's adequate at both but brilliant at neither, and needs to pick one role or the other, and then get another midfielder in who can pick up the other role.

Gray was abysmal and was the worst player on the pitch by a mile (and that's saying something). Infact, he was so bad that Hutch even brought him off with 20 minutes still to play :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: Reid and Macken did nothing but also had very little service to do anything with. We looked at our most lively when Byfield came on.

We really missed Jones and McGivern today. When Jones is back he should come in for Gray, rather than Paterson. And while Lescott is adequate at left back we just look really unbalanced and need a left footer there.

You are not alone in your opinions.
Good call.

[Duke]

the lack of width with Ruben and Gray both starting.

I don't want Reid on the wing, I want him down the middle. Having him on the left just leaves Macken isolated in the middle, and stops Gray playing in his normal game.

I Agree but with Jones and Nichols out the obvious thing to do was play Reid and Gray on the flanks .
not sure what role they played yesterday but we had no width at all leaving Richards struggling for outlets .

[Bernie]

It was another terrible performance. Reid and Macken were particularly disappointing. I know the service to them was not great, but how come Byfield did more in twenty minutes than both of them put together over ninety minutes?

Paterson shows real promise. It was really good to see a Walsall player trying to dribble and actually beat a man. I was disappointed that Hutchings said that he intends to tell him not to take too many touches and get rid of the ball earlier. How is Paterson going to learn his trade as a ball-carrying forward if he his told off every time he loses the ball when trying to beat a man? In every game of football the vast majority of attacking moves result in failure when a pass goes astray or a shot is saved or wide. If a player makes a poor cross or a pass is intercepted nobody tells him that he made the wrong decision and not to cross or pass again in future. The same should be true of a player who tries to take the ball past a defender. Sometimes it will work and sometimes it won't. To tell a young talented player not to try to beat a man, but to always pass early is the wrong advice. Paterson seems to have his head screwed on and given the chance he will work out for himself when to carry the ball and when to pass.

Manny Smith was not as good as usual but he is easily still our best centre half. And will Lescott ever find a Walsall player with a decent forward pass? He has not managed this yet, but it is only September so he might manage it by the end of the season.

[Fray Bentos is God!]

Smith, I think, could be a thick footballer. My reasons for this is that every time he gets into the middle third he seems to have a spacker attack and lump it. Anywhere.

Paterson, I believe is very good. I don't mind Hutchings saying that he has to take less touches, I just think he has to get a brain in him and know when to release it. Mark Wright and Daryl Taylor had the same problems when they'd try and take on 3 or 4 players only to get crowded out. Paterson just needs to know when the best time to release it will be, and this will come with experience.

Brain, as a catcher and kicker, is good. As a decision maker, however, he is a bit scat.

Lescott, he's very average, so are we and we're at each others' level.

Corners: If we are to aim at Smith or Mac, then they need to attack the ball. They're big lads and know how to head. Make more of an effort.

Throw-ins. We still don't know what they're for a year on.

Matt Richards: You'll get told you're the worst thing since ethnic cleansing, but good on you for trying to do two jobs in the middle. He tried to pass, tried to tackle tried to take the game by it's neck but as Percie says, he is the nearly-man, where everything nearly comes off.

[Rich Evans]

My brother pointed out to me the other week that all of our throw in's are either one of two people who take them. Kind of spoils the flow of the game when the ball gets tossed back to the same person time and time again. Not only the time and flow of the game but we usually concede 5 or ten yards by doing it

Brain twice came out for balls when he should have easily called or told the defence to deal with it. Even the first few minutes rang alarm bells and he almost had his head took off by big mac who cleared, and then it looked as if he moaned about mac giving away a throw in as a result of it.

[chestersaddler]

My first live match this season, having listened to the previous games on Sadsworld.

A pretty uneventful game, I thought, which neither team did enough to deserve all three points.

First half, Colchester passed the ball better and caused numerous problems down our left hand side. Whether that was entirely the fault of Lescott, or a lack of support from midfield, I don't know. Apart from one save from Richard's free kick, their 'keeper had very little to keep him occupied.

Second half was better from Walsall, but I always felt we would need to score 2 to win, as we looked very open to the counter attack, and so it proved. The ball travelled a long way in the air for the goal. I believe that Brain and the defenders would not have been happy with conceding from what appeared to be a speculative cross.

Having been toothless in the first half, I feel that we should have converted at least one of the Byfield chances, which had we done so, would have given us a deserved point against a pretty run of the mill opponent.

Richards was our best player by some distance. He was involved in virtually all our attacking play and seemed to be the only midfield player who was competent in his defensive duties.

Westlake played well, making two or three important last ditch tackles and was willing to pass the ball on the ground occasionally, which obviously caught the attention of the match sponsors.

Patterson made a promising full debut.

Brain looked nervous (not helped his indecision in the first couple of minutes, or by the ironic cheering from behind the goal when he caught the next cross)

Gray's body language was all wrong today and it showed in his performance.

The rest were pretty so-so.

So, in summary, disappointed with the performance, the result, and particularly the attendance.