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Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Reports and reaction from the 2011-2012 season as Walsall finished 19th in League 1
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WarsawPact
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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 2:23 pm

Cheesebag wrote:Losing one nil, if only we had a bald creative midfielder to complement Chambers.... Oh! Hold on a minute

Yes, doesn't matter if he fails to find a teamate with a simple 3 yard pass, runs like he's going up a 'down' escalator and has all the tackling prowess of a piece of moist tissue paper. As long as he's bald and can make two 'hail mary' passes a season - he's the man for us!

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 2:31 pm

Cheesebag wrote:Losing one nil, if only we had a bald creative midfielder to complement Chambers.... Oh! Hold on a minute


Are we going to get this all season ? He's gone....get over it :roll:

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Re: Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 2:31 pm

WarsawPact wrote:
Cheesebag wrote:Losing one nil, if only we had a bald creative midfielder to complement Chambers.... Oh! Hold on a minute

Yes, doesn't matter if he fails to find a teamate with a simple 3 yard pass, runs like he's going up a 'down' escalator and has all the tackling prowess of a piece of moist tissue paper. As long as he's bald and can make two 'hail mary' passes a season - he's the man for us!


CLUELESS!

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 2:44 pm

is he talking about Michael Dobson? Must be.

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 2:54 pm

latviancheese wrote:is he talking about Michael Dobson? Must be.


:mrgreen:

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WarsawPact
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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 2:57 pm

Which of my statements do you consider to be inaccurate?

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:03 pm

Full time 1-1

From the Vale O/S.

"Perhaps we ought to give some credit to the visitors for that. The Saddlers had made quite a few substitutions of their own during the course of the game, and to good effect."

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Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:08 pm

Magic Man Fan wrote:
WarsawPact wrote:
Cheesebag wrote:Losing one nil, if only we had a bald creative midfielder to complement Chambers.... Oh! Hold on a minute

Yes, doesn't matter if he fails to find a teamate with a simple 3 yard pass, runs like he's going up a 'down' escalator and has all the tackling prowess of a piece of moist tissue paper. As long as he's bald and can make two 'hail mary' passes a season - he's the man for us!


CLUELESS!

I agree. We were crying out this afternoon for someone in the middle who could spread the ball and stretch the play.

Who in our current squad can do that remotely adequately?

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:08 pm

Cheesebag wrote:Losing one nil, if only we had a bald creative midfielder to complement Chambers.... Oh! Hold on a minute


That's a bit of a pointless comment though really isn't it? Cos whether people liked him or not (I was caught in two minds for what it's worth) He was offered a contract, and he didn't sign it (in time) No doubt holding out for better offers that never came. Doubt his wages at Shrewsbury are any better than what we offered him, (If they are, he isn't worth it) So all he did in the end was end up playing a division lower, which he probably doesn't care that much about anyway.

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:14 pm

Not a very promising performance. Walsall looked as if they would fit in very nicely into mid-table League Two, but would be unlikely to be a serious contender for promotion from that division.

To me the positive points were Chambers and Gnakpa. Chambers looked a new version of Martin O'Connor, and Gnakpa looked promising apart from when he was called upon to defend. It is hard to believe that he was playing as a full back until last season, because he did not look as if he knew how to defend, but going forward he was the only Walsall player to give any trouble to Port Vale. Could he play as a centre forward? The other new players ranged from those who looked as if they could fit in quite well at League Two level, and those who did not.

Clayton McDonald had Macken and Grigg in his pocket during the first half, but he was one of five Vale players taken off at half time. As a result Vale were not as good in the second half and the match was then quite even. Dean Smith did not bring on any Walsall subs until late on. The Walsall players only seemed to be going through the motions, with little in the way of team spirit or ambition. I can only hope that they were saving themselves for next week.
Last edited by Bernie on Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:32 pm

King Crimson wrote: We were crying out this afternoon for someone in the middle who could spread the ball and stretch the play.

Who in our current squad can do that remotely adequately?


We may very well need a player like that.

But if we were to rely on Richards to provide those attributes, we'd be no better than the fourth worst team in the division - as we were last season.

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 4:21 pm

Maybe I watched a different match to everybody else, but I thought we were the better team over the 90 minutes. The Vale goal was a really bad one from our part, route one, flicked on, and put in really well with a good finish. But it was their only real attack of the first half. We seemed much more comfortable on the ball, knocked it around well but sometimes we did it too often. We could get to the eighteen yard box reasonably easily but we did seem to lack the ability to penetrate it. If working the ball to the edge of the box is going to be the aim then we should surely be encouraging the players to shoot when they get there.

After half time we did look more dangerous, but this was against a Vale team that made 5 changes at half time and we still played our first 11. Gnakpa and Hurst switched flanks and Hurst made a couple of dangerous diagonal runs from right to left and Chambers started to get forward beyond the front two. Our goal was a comedy goal but on the balance of play we certainly didn't deserve to be behind. It was also the only time we pulled the ball back from the byline all match and something we should look to do more.

Gnakpa's two performances this week sum up the sort of season I expect him to have. Cheltenham he couldn't have played worse if he'd tried (and he didn't). Today he looked dangerous everytime he got the ball. The one thing I would say though was he had a tendency to cut inside on to his left foot, then remember he couldn't kick with his left foot so had to beat his man again. If he wants to cut inside into shooting positions he might be better playing on the other wing, not a bad idea considering Hurst on the other flank is right footed.

Did anyone see what happened with Butler in the closing stages? Something irritated him.

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 5:19 pm

Blazing_Saddler wrote:
Cheesebag wrote:Losing one nil, if only we had a bald creative midfielder to complement Chambers.... Oh! Hold on a minute


That's a bit of a pointless comment though really isn't it? Cos whether people liked him or not (I was caught in two minds for what it's worth) He was offered a contract, and he didn't sign it (in time) No doubt holding out for better offers that never came. Doubt his wages at Shrewsbury are any better than what we offered him, (If they are, he isn't worth it) So all he did in the end was end up playing a division lower, which he probably doesn't care that much about anyway.



Not really... just a bit of bait to the clueless idiots who slagged him last season when he carried us for half of it. I will let it lie now, Looks like the local lad has the job in the middle with Chambers now, lets see how much better he is.......

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 5:48 pm

Cheesebag wrote:
Blazing_Saddler wrote:
Cheesebag wrote:Losing one nil, if only we had a bald creative midfielder to complement Chambers.... Oh! Hold on a minute


That's a bit of a pointless comment though really isn't it? Cos whether people liked him or not (I was caught in two minds for what it's worth) He was offered a contract, and he didn't sign it (in time) No doubt holding out for better offers that never came. Doubt his wages at Shrewsbury are any better than what we offered him, (If they are, he isn't worth it) So all he did in the end was end up playing a division lower, which he probably doesn't care that much about anyway.



Not really... just a bit of bait to the clueless idiots who slagged him last season when he carried us for half of it. I will let it lie now, Looks like the local lad has the job in the middle with Chambers now, lets see how much better he is.......



Not me :D

Taundry is no good playing there, he isn't going to create anything, or score any goals, so then we are relying on the wingers and strikers. We don't have a prolific goalscorer (unless Grigg comes on leaps and bounds) I can see goals being very hard to come by for us , so we better be solid at the back.

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 5:51 pm

I hope we are, Love Butler to bits but we look like we can't cope when we get ran at. Westlake was one of my MOTM today, he MUST start ahead of Beevers. If I was Smith (Money Permitting) we need another Central Midfielder AND a Striker.

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 6:48 pm

didnt go to this game, or any other pre-season games, but im worried and that the bookies MIGHT! have us right for favs to go down! come on Deano i do believe, just give us somthing to believe in!

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 7:30 pm

I think we had much more possession than Vale but when we got into the final third we were just clueless and lacked any sort of threat. Chambers played the deeper role in the first half, with Taundry in the more advanced role which resulted in absolutely zero attacking threat. Chambers and Taundry switched in the second half and we were instantly more threatening - that said - that combination is NOT the answer. Taundry runs around a lot, but offers absolutely nothing to the team. I think Laundry did well today, but his place in the team makes us look seriously one-dimensional.

If anyone at the club reads this site: PLEASE SIGN A CREATIVE MIDFIELDER.

Another notable thing is how paceless we are - we can't turn the oppsotion back 4 with clips round the corner. We always play the ball into Macken or Grigg, but neither have the pace to turn into the gap behind the defence.

My initial optimism that we would do well is now in the balance; I genuinely think that with two players this team could be improved drastically.

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Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sat Jul 30, 2011 7:36 pm

Yep. Lack of midfield creativity and zero pace were the biggest features of the team for me this afternoon.

The need for a midfielder who can either pass others into the game or even, God forbid, carry the ball forward himself is massive. I don't think we can judge any of our attacking players fairly until they can bank on a modicum of service from central midfield.

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sun Jul 31, 2011 1:05 pm

King Crimson wrote:Yep. Lack of midfield creativity and zero pace were the biggest features of the team for me this afternoon.

The need for a midfielder who can either pass others into the game or even, God forbid, carry the ball forward himself is massive. I don't think we can judge any of our attacking players fairly until they can bank on a modicum of service from central midfield.


Does this sound about the same as we were hearing for a large slice of last season, KC?

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Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sun Jul 31, 2011 1:42 pm

geoffwhiting wrote:
King Crimson wrote:Yep. Lack of midfield creativity and zero pace were the biggest features of the team for me this afternoon.

The need for a midfielder who can either pass others into the game or even, God forbid, carry the ball forward himself is massive. I don't think we can judge any of our attacking players fairly until they can bank on a modicum of service from central midfield.


Does this sound about the same as we were hearing for a large slice of last season, KC?

It does, Geoff. I know that both pace and creativity come at a financial cost that perhaps we cannot afford. But can we afford a repeat of last season - reliant upon the last day result of a rival, and the financial implosion of another?

I know one cannot take too much from friendlies, but I am still very much unconvinced how we will gel, because I can't see the player(s) that will make it happen.

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sun Jul 31, 2011 1:48 pm

geoffwhiting wrote:
King Crimson wrote:Yep. Lack of midfield creativity and zero pace were the biggest features of the team for me this afternoon.

The need for a midfielder who can either pass others into the game or even, God forbid, carry the ball forward himself is massive. I don't think we can judge any of our attacking players fairly until they can bank on a modicum of service from central midfield.


Does this sound about the same as we were hearing for a large slice of last season, KC?


KC's second paragraph is someting that's been a problem for years to be honest.

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Sun Jul 31, 2011 2:15 pm

King Crimson wrote:
geoffwhiting wrote:
King Crimson wrote:Yep. Lack of midfield creativity and zero pace were the biggest features of the team for me this afternoon.

The need for a midfielder who can either pass others into the game or even, God forbid, carry the ball forward himself is massive. I don't think we can judge any of our attacking players fairly until they can bank on a modicum of service from central midfield.


Does this sound about the same as we were hearing for a large slice of last season, KC?

It does, Geoff. I know that both pace and creativity come at a financial cost that perhaps we cannot afford. But can we afford a repeat of last season - reliant upon the last day result of a rival, and the financial implosion of another?

I know one cannot take too much from friendlies, but I am still very much unconvinced how we will gel, because I can't see the player(s) that will make it happen.


I've read that Deano is looking for another two players, one of which is a central midfielder, so it seems he's aware of the problem and let's hope he's able to resolve it very quickly, so we don't end up with a half-decent front-line being starved of the service and possession they need to perform to their potential.

The next few days may be interesting as we await news of more developments.

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Re: Port Vale (A) Pre-Season Freindly Saturday 30/7/11.

Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:09 am

We have signed what I would consider a creative player in Peterlin, not suprised with the team that was picked but I would start with Peterlin over Taundry as him and Chambers linked up really well against Wolves

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