Middlesbrough (H) Carling Cup First Round Tuesday 9/8/11.

[larryhaggler]

Spot on Priestley. Agree with every word of that.

[Asps]

Chambers' rubbish sending off completely f*cked us up, yellow at best. That's it, well done Boro you had 12 men today.

Just a yellow? Are you on smack? He should have had two red cards for that challenge! Absolutely pathetic!

Agree completely. Pathetic challenge, totally needless, straight from the Dwayne Mattis school of tackling!

Is that 3 games he misses now, so annoying.

Exactly ,this was the same ref that covered Cov v Leicester at the weekend & he sent off 2 then.

Surely this would have been mentioned in the dressing room before the match, but no idiot Chambers dives in 2 footed & costs us the game.

Jarvis is cack.

Neeed loan signings in now quickly.

[Wyrley_saddler]

Peterlin should've been man of the match for us. Our best player tonight by a country mile!

[Exile]

Story now on the front page, with a discipline poll...

http://upthesaddlers.com/wp/archives/20 ... ch-report/

[gray]

Sending Chambers off was one of the few things the ref got correct, it was an awful and dangerous tackle that effectively put us out of the game and now we'll have to cope without him. I thought the ref's positioning was hopeless, to me he looked always in the wrong position, hence why the ball hit him and he blocked off players from both teams at different times. The head injury he missed was ridiculous as was the corner he gave to Middlesborough shortly afterwards.

P.S Jarvis didn't play well but he was in a 10 man team against opposition that were much better. He doesn't inspire me with confidence at all but cheering like that when he got subbed off was pretty pathetic in my opinion,

[Jorge14]

I have no complaints about the sending off or the penalty, but the rest of the referee's performance was just irritating. When will referees realise that we are there to watch a game of football, not two sides moving in a wave until someone brushes past an opponent and play is stopped for a foul irrespective of any advantage that may be available. Deadman's management of the game was, frankly, appalling and though he got the two big decisions correct in my opinion (and should be praised for that), his pernickity style spoilt any flow that the game might have developed.

Chambers should be ashamed of the tackle; play was going no where, the Boro player didn't have many options and both feet left the floor. It was a clumsy challenge rather than malicious, but it was dangerous play, and frankly as one of our senior players we should expect better, but I'm sure that he's aware of that.

The difference in class told; we struggled against their very effective pressing game. I'd have liked to have seen our full backs offer more going forward once we switched to a narrow midfield. I actually thought Hurst acquitted himself well, as did Peterlin and Taundry, but we look awfully light in the middle of the park.

The bright spot of the evening was the brief cameo of Bowerman, who showed a willingness to shoot and an awareness of where and when to run. Jarvis looks a worry - I refuse to get on the back of a player so soon in to his Walsall career as Smith clearly sees something there from having worked with him before, but I can't currently see what he offers which is particularly impressive. That said, he's had a 25 minute appearance and led the line against a good side without much service from the midfield, so I'm happy to give him a chance - typical pathetic response to cheer him off though.

I thought the decision to substitute Gnakpa was hasty - I'd have liked to have seen the game given time to settle into a new rhythm before substitutions were made.

[Bernie]

Strange match. Middlesbrough looked very good. Once we lost Chambers they could keep the ball as long as they wanted to. They passed the ball along the ground and did not just lump it up in the air to the their forwards. Butler and Lancashire hardly had a header all night, because the ball was on the ground.

With one exception the individual Walsall players did not have bad matches. All of Smith's new signings looked useful, except for Jarvis. He is every bit the donkey that his record suggested when he was signed. We knew that his scoring rate for a striker was abysmal, an average of 5 goals a season over the last five years, but he cannot head, he cannot run, he cannot hold the ball, he cannot do anything at a level needed. He just jogged around all night at half pace without ever looking like a footballer. I hope that we never see him in a Walsall side again. George Bowerman and Joey Fat Boy Slim Butlin must be better options as our four and fifth choice strikers (after Macken, Grigg and Nicholls), but it does look as if we will need a loan striker.

If all but one of the new signings look as if they are useful additions to the squad then Smith did a good job in the summer. However I agree with those who criticised his decision to take off Gnakpa. Peterlin did very well when he came on, and could have won the man of the match, but three in midfield meant that we could not win the ball. When we did get the ball we had no width so the only option was a high lob for our forwards. I may be wrong but I think that none of our forwards won even one ball in the air all night. I don't remember a single header or even a flick, from Macken, Jarvis, Nicholls or Bowerman. Yet despite that Smith kept the same tactics of a narrow but swamped midfield sending up high balls for forwards who cannot head the ball.

[gray]

except for Jarvis. He is every bit the donkey that his record suggested when he was signed. We knew that his scoring rate for a striker was abysmal, an average of 5 goals a season over the last five years, but he cannot head, he cannot run, he cannot hold the ball, he cannot do anything at a level needed. He just jogged around all night at half pace without ever looking like a footballer. I hope that we never see him in a Walsall side again.

I'm sure that you're right but it just seems hasty to make the final decision on his Walsall career based on a game when we had 10 men against a championship side.

[Wyrley_saddler]

If all but one of the new signings look as if they are useful additions to the squad then Smith did a good job in the summer. However I agree with those who criticised his decision to take off Gnakpa. Peterlin did very well when he came on, and could have won the man of the match, but three in midfield meant that we could not win the ball. When we did get the ball we had no width so the only option was a high lob for our forwards. I may be wrong but I think that none of our forwards won even one ball in the air all night. I don't remember a single header or even a flick, from Macken, Jarvis, Nicholls or Bowerman. Yet despite that Smith kept the same tactics of a narrow but swamped midfield sending up high balls for forwards who cannot head the ball.

Another point about us going narrow, it gave 'Boro's left back a field day. The amount of times he bombed forward unchallenged or unmarked, with or without the ball was worrying. No one ever seemed to pick up on it.

If I was Smith, i'd have taken Jarvis off for Peterlin (and this is no reflection on Jarvis' performance at that point as it was early in the match) and left Macken uptop on his own, with Gnackpa and Hurst supporting him.

[derbysaddler]

What this illustrates is that we still need another signing in midfield. Did Smith mention to some fans at a meeting that business now will pretty much just be loan signings?

I hope this is a one off with Chambers in regards to self control, what is a worry though is that some Orient fans did mention he is prone to injury layoffs, if that happens this season we will be short in midfield.

[Walsall_Casual]

The game fell victim to Chambers deserved sending off ten minutes in. This game was always going to be difficult for us and so it proved. While the referee would be the natural scapegoat I thought he got pretty much everything spot on. The sending off was a sending off, the penalty was a penalty, dissent is dissent and the only decision I could fault him for was the award of a corner when it should of been a goal kick in the second half.

I don't feel taking Gnapka off instead of another did us any favours either. As a side we generally lack pace but more particularly a treat and an outlet. Once Gnapka was sacrificed we lost that. Friends on here talk about our need for a 'creative player'. Who and what is a creative player? Players with a natural creative ability exist but they are few and far between. Generally they either play at the highest level which I can't imagine DS has the budget to attract. What we desperately need which was obvious to me last night is a player with genuine pace and an ability to switch across midfield and support the forward(s). For example a Jordan Cook (who we know from Sunderland), Thomas Ince (who impressed me on loan at Notts County last season), Sammy Ameobi, Yven Moyo (two quality young lads from Newcastle United) type players. Bring one of those in for six/ twelve months on loan and there is our missing link for me.

[Mal]

Firstly I think we need to get this into perspective, Middlesboro even before the sending off were in control and using the full width of the pitch to great effect, there movement and passing was excellent but we also were looking good in what was an open game.

Cue 12th minute and two footer from Chambers resulted in game over however.....

Another strange substitution by Deanno, as my Dad and I said it was Macken or Jarvis - Macken to save legs for Saturday or Jarvis for the team but I think he let his wish to see Jarvis play a full game rule his head and with that the shape of the team collapsed for a good 15 minutes which resulted in going 2 down very quickly.

He then did exactly as expected at half time bringing off Macken knowing the game was lost and to save Macken and move to 441

Jarvis did himself no favours but looks like another player who is effective with the ball at his feet but is woeful in the air and so unmobile its untrue, on Bowermans cameo you would put him ahead of Jarvis just for mobility. Not going to get on the lads back cos to me he looks like he is carrying timber and playing with the world on his shoulders but the signs don't look good and already is the boo boys #1.

There was a lack of discipline but I aint going over the top as its a passionate game and I for one was the same, you remove that from some players and they become half the player they can be! So I take the rough with the smooth on that one but boy how this game is becoming non contact. As for the ref like all Prem refs in fact all pro refs he did the easy bookings and missed the proper stuff, sending off nailed on just a very irritating bloke!

Player wise my thought,

Westlake had a standout game for me against there number 3 who was excellent
Hirst, Peterlin,Taundry all did very well under pressure in a narrow midfield 3 which created huge space out wide, no worries there for Saturday

Deanno 6/10 I'm afraid I would like to read why he bought of Gnakpa as he could have stayed wide, gone up top, played a free role etc

Anyway, I don't like Carling prefer Becks!

[Mal]

Just one more thought if Hutchings had made the substitution of Gnakpa I would have gone mental as it stands I was calm if somewhat bemused!

[saddlerken]

Overall, just a rubbish game to have to watch

Chambers has got a tiny brain and should be beaten with a stick, it is entirely his fault my evening was ruined and he has now wrecked our chances of continuing our winning start to the season, just why are footballers so thick?

Dean Smith has dropped a massive clanger with Jarvis, he is absolute total and utter dross, he can't head, he's slow, he's overweight and the game passes him by, get rid of him immediately

[Morty]

LIstened to the last half hour on BBC Radio Tees so got to listen to it from a Smoggie's point of view.

Admittedly the match was over by this point, but their general summary of Walsall was:-
1) Hard working and organised team
2) Sending off was definitely justified
3) Jarvis worked his socks off - but obviously with little reward

...other than that they spent all their time talking about how wonderful Boro were and how they play flowing football, etc, etc, etc.....

[saddlersam]

I said it at the match and I'll say it again:

There were 11 real reasons why we got spanked tonight and they were all wearing Boro shirts.

Bennett, Emnes, Bailey stood out over our lot by a country mile.

[ws3]

I said it at the match and I'll say it again:

There were 11 real reasons why we got spanked tonight and they were all wearing Boro shirts.

Bennett, Emnes, Bailey stood out over our lot by a country mile.

Couldn't agree more. We had a spell of about 90 seconds towards the end of the game where we kept the ball, but other than that we were totally and utterly out played by a much better team both before and after the sending off.

[Neuromantic]

The sending off shows now how threadbare our squad is in the middle. Who comes on to replace Taundry or Peterlin if one of them tires/gets injured in the next three games?

[swiftyboy]

Why is it, that EVERY single season, WFC dangles the carrot, and then whips it away?

First game, loads of promise. Second game, also attracts some floating fans, and we throw the game away before we even get started. Yet ANOTHER 1st round exit. Yet another disappointment, and yet more worry, 2 games into the season, about the depth and quality of our squad!

A fair few are predicting a top 10 finish, or better. Deluded.

We will be in a delegation battle again as things stand

[ws3]

Why is it, that EVERY single season, WFC dangles the carrot, and then whips it away?

First game, loads of promise. Second game, also attracts some floating fans, and we throw the game away before we even get started. Yet ANOTHER 1st round exit. Yet another disappointment, and yet more worry, 2 games into the season, about the depth and quality of our squad!

A fair few are predicting a top 10 finish, or better. Deluded.

We will be in a delegation battle again as things stand

Slight over reaction I think. If we were 10 games in you may have a point but 3 points in the league and then losing to a team a division higher is a little too early to judge.

[Darth Vader]

Why is it, that EVERY single season, WFC dangles the carrot, and then whips it away?

First game, loads of promise. Second game, also attracts some floating fans, and we throw the game away before we even get started. Yet ANOTHER 1st round exit. Yet another disappointment, and yet more worry, 2 games into the season, about the depth and quality of our squad!

A fair few are predicting a top 10 finish, or better. Deluded.

We will be in a delegation battle again as things stand

:lol: Wipe your mouth, you're frothing. Massive over-reaction.

[latviancheese]

Delegation battle. Have they the changed the rules?

[We-ARE-Walsall]

Why is it, that EVERY single season, WFC dangles the carrot, and then whips it away?

First game, loads of promise. Second game, also attracts some floating fans, and we throw the game away before we even get started. Yet ANOTHER 1st round exit. Yet another disappointment, and yet more worry, 2 games into the season, about the depth and quality of our squad!

A fair few are predicting a top 10 finish, or better. Deluded.

We will be in a delegation battle again as things stand

Not much to take from last night other than we played nearly all the game with 10 men, against a pretty decent side, they really did play well did boro. Not sure where the floating fans come from, there were less there last night than there were Saturday, and there were more visiting fans I would say.

We need a couple of players, if we could get the right ones in on loan or something, no reason we can't have a decent season. Could go either way, could well end up with a relegation battle, but it could also go the other way too, to early to say yet.

[Darth Vader]

Why is it, that EVERY single season, WFC dangles the carrot, and then whips it away?

First game, loads of promise. Second game, also attracts some floating fans, and we throw the game away before we even get started. Yet ANOTHER 1st round exit. Yet another disappointment, and yet more worry, 2 games into the season, about the depth and quality of our squad!

A fair few are predicting a top 10 finish, or better. Deluded.

We will be in a delegation battle again as things stand

Not much to take from last night other than we played nearly all the game with 10 men, against a pretty decent side, they really did play well did boro. Not sure where the floating fans come from, there were less there last night than there were Saturday, and there were more visiting fans I would say.

We need a couple of players, if we could get the right ones in on loan or something, no reason we can't have a decent season. Could go either way, could well end up with a relegation battle, but it could also go the other way too, to early to say yet.

Nope, 602 Boro fans compared to Orient's 792. Much louder, mind.

[Ben_Hartshorne]

I can offer a possible reason for taking Gnakpa off over Jarvis. Not that I necessarily agree with it.

Out of the 10 men we had on the pitch, id say the least disciplined and the least predictable was Gnakpa. With Peterlin coming on to replace him we wanted structure, which i think showed. However, It meant we we're weak out wide and slow in attack.

I would have have taken Jarvis off and played Gnakpa behind Macken, but never mind.

[swiftyboy]

Delegation battle. Have they the changed the rules?

Just checking you are awake , LC

[swiftyboy]

Why is it, that EVERY single season, WFC dangles the carrot, and then whips it away?

First game, loads of promise. Second game, also attracts some floating fans, and we throw the game away before we even get started. Yet ANOTHER 1st round exit. Yet another disappointment, and yet more worry, 2 games into the season, about the depth and quality of our squad!

A fair few are predicting a top 10 finish, or better. Deluded.

We will be in a delegation battle again as things stand

Slight over reaction I think. If we were 10 games in you may have a point but 3 points in the league and then losing to a team a division higher is a little too early to judge.

It may be an over- reaction, but it still highlights the yearly problems. Not performing in the cups, and threadbare squads, that are exposed early due to suspensions

[chestersaddler]

Why is it, that EVERY single season, WFC dangles the carrot, and then whips it away?

First game, loads of promise. Second game, also attracts some floating fans, and we throw the game away before we even get started. Yet ANOTHER 1st round exit. Yet another disappointment, and yet more worry, 2 games into the season, about the depth and quality of our squad!

A fair few are predicting a top 10 finish, or better. Deluded.

We will be in a delegation battle again as things stand[/quote

Slight over reaction I think. If we were 10 games in you may have a point but 3 points in the league and then losing to a team a division higher is a little too early to judge.

It may be an over- reaction, but it still highlights the yearly problems. Not performing in the cups, and threadbare squads,
that are exposed early due to suspensions

I would like to see a couple of additions to the squad, but I am far happier than this time last season

Jarvis, Peterlin, Smith, Patterson,Grof on the bench plus a couple of good young 'uns waiting for their chance is OK by me.

I think Smith is right to keep his powder dry for a while to see how the new team settles before jumping in the market

[Jorge14]

I think the annoying thing is that all summer Smith has been saying how the weakness in the squad is the lack of depth in central midfield, and two games in to the season that weakness is being exposed. It was absurd to go in to the season with one natural central midfielder in the squad; we'll need a signing by Friday afternoon in my opinion despite Peterlin having a fair game last night. The squad is just too thin in the middle of the park, and I'd include a lack of options on the wing with that too since Nicholls seems to be our only other option.

[Duke]

Why is it, that EVERY single season, WFC dangles the carrot, and then whips it away?

First game, loads of promise. Second game, also attracts some floating fans, and we throw the game away before we even get started. Yet ANOTHER 1st round exit. Yet another disappointment, and yet more worry, 2 games into the season, about the depth and quality of our squad!

A fair few are predicting a top 10 finish, or better. Deluded.

We will be in a delegation battle again as things stand

Not much to take from last night other than we played nearly all the game with 10 men, against a pretty decent side, they really did play well did boro. Not sure where the floating fans come from, there were less there last night than there were Saturday, and there were more visiting fans I would say.

We need a couple of players, if we could get the right ones in on loan or something, no reason we can't have a decent season. Could go either way, could well end up with a relegation battle, but it could also go the other way too, to early to say yet.

Agreed we need a couple more signings . think we should keep things in prospective we've been well beaten by a championship club playing most of
the game with 10 men ,