Sheffield Wednesdy (H) League 1 Saturday 23/4/11.

[leics_saddler]

That b*****d should be in jail - end of

[HKSaddler]

County now leading :(

[myleftknee]

We're all doomed!

[leics_saddler]

I'm off to get drunk and crash my car, kill someone and hide in my mate's house for three days.

[HKSaddler]

Rovers equalise :(

[myleftknee]

FT 1-1

[Biggles]

All over now... Whoever thinks we will get more than 3 points from the remaining games, I'm afraid, are deluded.

[BarnsleySaddler]

A draw. Although it's not the end of the road to life in Div1, with the other results going against us it is getting harder to see where the points will come from. The Great escape is still possible. Never say die.

[latviancheese]

Just got in, cracking game to be fair, fair result at the end really. Played some nice stuff, but we also fanny about with the ball needlessly. And why was Gbarssin playing? we were so powderpuff in the middle, Laird is hopeless defensivly. Could have won, could have lost. I think we are down now, but we're goin down fighting.

We huffed, we puffed, we didnt go very far but we gave em a fight. Sheff Wed are decent but they are so one dimensional.

Walker - Solid as ever, thought his save was weak for the goal, palmed it straight out but probably re deemed himself.
Westlake - Mmmmm okay. Stupid booking.
Buter - Same as every week.
Lancashire - same as every week.
Williams - Is alright, solid enough but has the thinking speed of a donkey.

Taundry - positional sense of a hedgehog, but today i thought we was decent all round, and chased, as usual lol.
Laird - Fancy pansy, is alright i guess but wasnt too impressed. Rather play Gbarssin.
Richards - Overall shoddy again today, still looked good in spells. Ticks it over.
Gray - Quiet, they stifled him.

Macken - Motm by a funky mile, ran himself into the floor, only player who creates anything, how some people like pedagogue say hes useless is beyond me.
Cook - Cracking player, a bit rough but the difference between him and someone like nicholls is astonishing. To me he should of had a penalty, ref gave freekick.

Subs
Byfield - Good control, didnt have much time to make impact though.
Nicholls - Useless dirge of a footballer.

Ref was pretty cack i thought. Tried to let the game flow though. Linesmen were blind ,as usual :mrgreen:

[andy22]

Just got in, cracking game to be fair, fair result at the end really. Played some nice stuff, but we also fanny about with the ball needlessly. And why was Gbarssin playing? we were so powderpuff in the middle, Laird is hopeless defensivly. Could have won, could have lost. I think we are down now, but we're goin down fighting.

We huffed, we puffed, we didnt go very far but we gave em a fight. Sheff Wed are decent but they are so one dimensional.

Walker - Solid as ever, thought his save was weak for the goal, palmed it straight out but probably re deemed himself.
Westlake - Mmmmm okay. Stupid booking.
Buter - Same as every week.
Lancashire - same as every week.
Williams - Is alright, solid enough but has the thinking speed of a donkey.

Taundry - positional sense of a hedgehog, but today i thought we was decent all round, and chased, as usual lol.
Laird - Fancy pansy, is alright i guess but wasnt too impressed. Rather play Gbarssin.
Richards - Overall shoddy again today, still looked good in spells. Ticks it over.
Gray - Quiet, they stifled him.

Macken - Motm by a funky mile, ran himself into the floor, only player who creates anything, how some people like pedagogue say hes useless is beyond me.
Cook - Cracking player, a bit rough but the difference between him and someone like nicholls is astonishing. To me he should of had a penalty, ref gave freekick.

Subs
Byfield - Good control, didnt have much time to make impact though.
Nicholls - Useless dirge of a footballer.

Ref was pretty guano i thought. Tried to let the game flow though. Linesmen were blind ,as usual :mrgreen:

Pretty much agree with all of that.

[longdogs]

Pretty much agree with all of that.

So do I.

[Bristol Fan]

Excellent start to the game from us but we faded badly and seemed to run out of ideas well before the end. Pity. Fat lady hasn't sung yet though. Don't think Smith did a lot wrong today with team selection and subs, we just haven't quite got the quality really. The number of times the opposition has 2 players in the six yard box completely unmarked, from set plays and otherwise, is astounding.

What's also astounding is that Westlake wasn't sent off for his two-footed, feet-off-floor lunge, unless it wasn't as bad as it looked to me (very close to it).

I guess we just keep plodding on and hoping for a moment or two of magic from Gray, Cook or Macken in two of the remaining games. We will almost certainly concede at least one in each (Lancashire was assured and, I thought, more impressive than his showier colleague today but we're so weak at right back) so we need to find plenty of goals from somewhere.

[brummie saddler]

Soo let's get this straight we start the game singing our hearts out and creating a cracking atmosphere and the players go one up, so then the fans think the jobs done and don't join in with any of the songs and we get put on the back foot and they score. Where's the logic ?

After that the only time people bothered to open their mouths was to abuse a young wolves fan in the family stand or to slag off taundry or Richards , so they will use their voices for this but not to support the team, yet again where the hell is the logic,

Il admit I gave byfield some abuse because unlike taundry (who isn't good enough) he seems to not bothered about busting a gut to help pull us out of this cack.

Me and a few others behind the goal sang practically all game, singing at the top of our voices just hoping others would just. Join in,

It felt like people had forgotten the words :/

Yes the players wernt great today and it was frustrating at times. But we have one home game of the season left, so we really nade to make it count, I know it is not us that wins the games but just out of the pure love and Passion people say they have for the club you would try everything possible to stop our club going down, and the most effective way for us to do that is by singing our hearts out .

[boringteacher]

Great start, mediocre rest against a very average team. Massive wasted chance. We have to win the next 2 games or we are doomed.

[belgiansaddler]

Not looking good now, we needed a win. Started well for a change and ended quite well, just disappeared for long spells in between. We are very one dimensional and seem incapable of keeping the ball. We had two or three really good moves in the second half and could of been different if Mackens shot had gone in when we were one up. Could have won, could have lost. Pressure really on for a win at Oldham now.

[Jorge14]

Bristol, Westlake's challenge looked one-footed to me but it was a reckless challenge to make in a nothing area of the field. It summed up our day really, full of endeavour but disappointing in the execution.

I hate to sound like a broken record re: Taundry, but he was poor today. He was against a weak full back defensively, and never once did he attack him with the ball at his feet. Probably because it isn't his game - it was crying out for a Byfield or Nicholls introduction at half-time so that Nicholls or Cook could get the ball down and run at the defence. Taundry looks awkward on the right, he looks like he doesn't want the ball to come to him because he knows that he is limited to a pass inside or backwards. I happen to think that there is nothing wrong with playing Taundry wide right away from home - it gives us a compact and hard working midfield - but at home it meant we couldn't get moving with any real pace and the replacement of Westlake (or Taundry) came much too late.

I thought Lancashire and Butler were there usual assured selves, as was Walker. Williams had one of his most impressive games, and I'd certainly be looking to keep him next season. Laird had his best game for the club, working very hard in a Gill-like performance supporting the defence and attack effectively. It was the poorest I've seen Richards in a Walsall shirt; he was behind play, poor at the set-piece and weak in the challenge. He's looking very tired, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him out of the starting eleven on Monday.

Macken looked extremely purposeful, took his goal very well and looked our biggest threat by a country mile. Cook is a busy and confident player; I'd have liked to have seen him playing wide or more on the shoulders of their effective but rather slow centre-halves.

Our goal was another poor one to concede, although I'm told that Mellor took it very well (I was at the other end first half) but I felt we were too open in the second half for no reason since we weren't offering much of an attacking threat. We limited Wednesday largely to speculative long range efforts, but I don't think given our stuttering display we could have complained too much had Wednesday stepped up a gear and finished us off.

Monday is a huge game now, if we end up with 4 points from these two games then I'll be happy and we'd have all taken that before kick off today, but I feel we've dropped two points. Wednesday were there for the taking, but in they end they would have been the more deserving winners. It is the first time I've really looked at Smith's management and cried out "go for it and have some more faith in your players" because I think an extra attacking option earlier on would have made a huge difference.

[priestley_saddler]

There was a 50:50 in our right back area just after Macken put us infront between Laird and one of their blokes. Looked for all the world as though Laird had gone in two footed. But nobody else has mentioned it so maybe I was wrong.

[We-ARE-Walsall]

Just got in, cracking game to be fair, fair result at the end really. Played some nice stuff, but we also fanny about with the ball needlessly. And why was Gbarssin playing? we were so powderpuff in the middle, Laird is hopeless defensivly. Could have won, could have lost. I think we are down now, but we're goin down fighting.

We huffed, we puffed, we didnt go very far but we gave em a fight. Sheff Wed are decent but they are so one dimensional.

Walker - Solid as ever, thought his save was weak for the goal, palmed it straight out but probably re deemed himself.
Westlake - Mmmmm okay. Stupid booking.
Buter - Same as every week.
Lancashire - same as every week.
Williams - Is alright, solid enough but has the thinking speed of a donkey.

Taundry - positional sense of a hedgehog, but today i thought we was decent all round, and chased, as usual lol.
Laird - Fancy pansy, is alright i guess but wasnt too impressed. Rather play Gbarssin.
Richards - Overall shoddy again today, still looked good in spells. Ticks it over.
Gray - Quiet, they stifled him.

Macken - Motm by a funky mile, ran himself into the floor, only player who creates anything, how some people like pedagogue say hes useless is beyond me.
Cook - Cracking player, a bit rough but the difference between him and someone like nicholls is astonishing. To me he should of had a penalty, ref gave freekick.

Subs
Byfield - Good control, didnt have much time to make impact though.
Nicholls - Useless dirge of a footballer.

Ref was pretty guano i thought. Tried to let the game flow though. Linesmen were blind ,as usual :mrgreen:

Pretty much agree with all of that.

I don't.

I thought Laird had probably his best game for Walsall today, and was miles better than anyone else in our midfield. And Cook was poor imo, although to be fair, it was very difficult for our forwards to get in to the game, as the service was so very bad. If Macken had played all season like he has today, we wouldn't be where we are now.

Byfield was his usual lethargic self, he didn't have much time, this is true, but it would have made no difference. I think he has realised he isn't being offered a new contract by now.

This was a match , just asking to be won, and we never looked like winning it from the second they equalised. Truth be told, we were lucky to hold on to a point in the end.

[Bristol Fan]

I thought Laird had probably his best game for Walsall today, and was miles better than anyone else in our midfield.

Agree entirely, I thought he was MOTM (just ahead of Macken).

Priestley, I did see that challenge and thought it looked rather dodgy. The ref didn't even blow for a foul, did he?

[Duke]

Just got in, cracking game to be fair, fair result at the end really. Played some nice stuff, but we also fanny about with the ball needlessly. And why was Gbarssin playing? we were so powderpuff in the middle, Laird is hopeless defensivly. Could have won, could have lost. I think we are down now, but we're goin down fighting.

We huffed, we puffed, we didnt go very far but we gave em a fight. Sheff Wed are decent but they are so one dimensional.

Walker - Solid as ever, thought his save was weak for the goal, palmed it straight out but probably re deemed himself.
Westlake - Mmmmm okay. Stupid booking.
Buter - Same as every week.
Lancashire - same as every week.
Williams - Is alright, solid enough but has the thinking speed of a donkey.

Taundry - positional sense of a hedgehog, but today i thought we was decent all round, and chased, as usual lol.
Laird - Fancy pansy, is alright i guess but wasnt too impressed. Rather play Gbarssin.
Richards - Overall shoddy again today, still looked good in spells. Ticks it over.
Gray - Quiet, they stifled him.

Macken - Motm by a funky mile, ran himself into the floor, only player who creates anything, how some people like pedagogue say hes useless is beyond me.
Cook - Cracking player, a bit rough but the difference between him and someone like nicholls is astonishing. To me he should of had a penalty, ref gave freekick.

Subs
Byfield - Good control, didnt have much time to make impact though.
Nicholls - Useless dirge of a footballer.

Ref was pretty guano i thought. Tried to let the game flow though. Linesmen were blind ,as usual :mrgreen:

Sums up the game as i saw it .

With Bristol and Dagenham facing tough away fixtures on Monday the pressure is on for us at Oldham , I can see County winning at home to Brentford leaving them all but safe.

[latviancheese]

Westlakes looked clumsy to me not really two footed. Pointless tackle too.

If people are gonna moan about Richards then what are they watching when they look at Laird? They were both all over the shop, never in the right positions. Especially defensively. After they scored they ran the show in the middle of the park.

[Magic Man Fan]

Pretty much agree with all of that.

So do I.

Et moi

[latviancheese]

The lack of pace in our squad is also frustrating, Cook is the only player with useful pace. Byfield is quick still but turns like a tanker for fear of wrecking his knees.

[chestersaddler]

Overall, a decent performance for me, but it could have been better if we hadn't sat back after taking the lead.

I agree with lots posted above:

Two stand out players in Laird and Macken. Walker also had a good game, holding onto a few sharp shots on a greasy surface.

The defence was solid most of the time, and again we looked good on the left hand side with Williams and Gray working well together.

Westlake's challenge was idiotic. No need to take such a risk. Some refs may have sent him off for that and with 70 minutes left it could have been disastrous.

Taundry? Why oh why? Either he has compromising photographs of our illustrious owner or Smith is so short of talent on the right hand side that he has to play. To leave Gbarssin out for Taundry (or Richards given his recent form) mystifies me to be honest.

I imagine Phil must be itching to come back on given another pee poor performance by Richards. he was awful today.

Neither substitute made a positive contribution. Byfield has been really disappointing since his return.

I was surprised that the attendance was as low given that the FTG middle/upper was three quarters full and that they brought 2000+

Good effort by the club though. Nice to see so many kids at the game

[canadiansaddler]

Can someone confirm the attendance - I can't believe it was only 2000 - The beeb must have that wrong , surely

[chestersaddler]

Can someone confirm the attendance - I can't believe it was only 2000 - The beeb must have that wrong , surely

Just over sixty three hundred.

[latviancheese]

Can someone confirm the attendance - I can't believe it was only 2000 - The beeb must have that wrong , surely

It was about 6 thousandish.

Great atmosphere for the first 10-20 mins then it went a bit flat. Then good again in the final flurry.

[Codsall Saddler]

They were there for the taking and, ultimately, we weren't good enough. Some of the delivery in open play and from set pieces was very poor. Laird very poor, lightweight and contributed nothing going forward. Think that's it now.

Re the crowd. If there were 6300 in there, roughly 50% of capacity, how would we get the same amount in again? Way undercalled IMHO.

[latviancheese]

Re the crowd. If there were 6300 in there, roughly 50% of capacity, how would we get the same amount in again? Way undercalled IMHO.

Interesting way to look at it.

Both sides stands werent even at 50 percent full though. Lots of single seats dotted around too. Plus the block i was in in the f2g lower was quite empty. Not sure on the upper tier.

[We-ARE-Walsall]

They were there for the taking and, ultimately, we weren't good enough. Some of the delivery in open play and from set pieces was very poor. Laird very poor, lightweight and contributed nothing going forward. Think that's it now.

Re the crowd. If there were 6300 in there, roughly 50% of capacity, how would we get the same amount in again? Way undercalled IMHO.

Must have watched a different match to me, cos he was streets ahead of the rest of our midfield. I agree though, there for the taking is an understatement.