Colchester United (A) League 1 Saturday 24/9/11.

[Reading Saddler]

Meh, oh well didn't expect anything from this one.

Shame Butler's going to be suspended for a few games.

I'm sure Smith will ring some changes after this, shuffle the pack a little - hopefully.

Not sure the players play with the same passion and commitment that Dean Smith was hoping to in - still. Mind you how can you when you have to battle with the mind numbing dross that most of our fans spout in the teams direction. I'd prefer to play for Grimsby or Aldershot I think. Up the saddlers.

[chestersaddler]

So he's taken Patterson, Macken and Grigg off? Is he playing for a 1-0 defeat?

Does seem odd hence my post about waiting for reports from those that are there

Patterson was in response to the sending off so he probably wanted as much experience as poss

[Darth Vader]

FT...worrying...

[belgiansaddler]

Sounds like we at least had a bit of a go in 2nd half despite having 10 men but still sounds like poor performance. Oh well, at least people like Graydon will be pleased in anticipation of being able to slag the team and manager off all week :D :wink:

[derbysaddler]

Sounds like we at least had a bit of a go in 2nd half despite having 10 men but still sounds like poor performance. Oh well, at least people like Graydon will be pleased in anticipation of being able to slag the team and manager off all week :D :wink:

The smugometer is rising as we speak

[Wyrley_saddler]

So he's taken Patterson, Macken and Grigg off? Is he playing for a 1-0 defeat?

Does seem odd hence my post about waiting for reports from those that are there

Patterson was in response to the sending off so he probably wanted as much experience as poss

I can understand taking Paterson off after the sending off, although I wouldn't have chose Paterson to take off as he's the most likely to do something. But to take off Grigg for Westlake when we're one down is a ludicrous decision. It reminds me of something that Hutchings would've done! I'm starting to get rather worried now.

[m&m]

A totally predictable defeat. Poor signings/poor tactics/ poor team selections.
HUTCHESQUE!

[BathSaddler]

I did not expect anything today, so I'm not surprised.

A shot on target, however, would have been nice.

This is going to be a long, long season of struggle.

[ToeJoe Jnr]

Meh, oh well didn't expect anything from this one.

Shame Butler's going to be suspended for a few games.

I'm sure Smith will ring some changes after this, shuffle the pack a little - hopefully.

Not sure the players play with the same passion and commitment that Dean Smith was hoping to in - still. Mind you how can you when you have to battle with the mind numbing dross that most of our fans spout in the teams direction. I'd prefer to play for Grimsby or Aldershot I think. Up the saddlers.

The problem is he did this today making 4 changes! He made changes for the Oldham game as well! Prey tell what other ways he is going to shuffle the pack, some more loan signings of the calibre of Martin, who wasn't in the squad?

A poor result made worse by us not having an attempt on target. 1 point in 15 makes grim reading, and our two victories have been against two teams who have or had been early season whipping boys.

We need to stop the rot and quickly.

[boringteacher]

worrying indeed, but can we get a sense of perspective ffs. Smith was being slagged off for replacing the baby with Lancashire! Perhaps he decided that having two centre backs might be a good idea for a hour? Though, it might have shown what he really thinks about mr utility Beevbutt who is supposed to be a centreback?

I couldn't see why you take off a striker for a fullback when you need a goal with 20 minutes left though. Why wasn't Nicholls on the bench to give more options?

Frustrated!

[Duke]

FT...worrying...

Very Worrying

[Ancient Moaner]

Gald I'm not the only one on here to get upset about 'yet another' mind numbing defeat!

This is MY Walsall in another relegation battle, this time I don't think we will escape. :(

[chestersaddler]

Gald I'm not the only one on here to get upset about 'yet another' mind numbing defeat!

This is MY Walsall in another relegation battle, this time I don't think we will escape. :(

1-0 with 10 men for an hour

What do you honestly expect :?

Still 36 games to go - plenty of time to mount a mid table assault

[Graydon48]

Sounds like we at least had a bit of a go in 2nd half despite having 10 men but still sounds like poor performance. Oh well, at least people like Graydon will be pleased in anticipation of being able to slag the team and manager off all week :D :wink:

Well it looks like we won't have the helping hand of a team being docked huge amount of points to help keep us up this season. Let me start the ball rolling early. Smith Out.
Happy BelgianBoy ?

[Welsh_Saddler]

Am I beginning to get the scent of the end of the honeymoon period for Dean Smith?

[Neuromantic]

Very poor. The people who said we would finish in the play offs are idiots.

[Sadders]

The people who said we'd make the playoffs are thoose that get excited by a victory against a couple of poor teams such as Orient and Bournemouth. This squad was never going to have the quality to do anything but finish in the bottom half. The most worrying thing yet is its only Sheffield United and a poor looking Brentford side who are tipped to do well this season that we've played yet.

[Ancient Moaner]

Very poor. The people who said we would finish in the play offs are idiots.

Agreed, but there were some on here who poo poo'd my earlier lack of belief in a 'challenge for promotion'! some even called me a 'moanin old git', bloomin cheek! :lol: :lol:

36 matches still to go? it's going to be a loooong season of frustration methinks....

[Surrey Saddler]

As have said before. History tells us "you have got to know how to suffer if you wish to be a Walsall fan". I've known little else.

[priestley_saddler]

On the one hand I'd like to blame for the ref and linesman for the result. They scored one goal, which was a penalty that the linesman for a foul 5 yards outside the box. The only way he could possibly believe it was a penalty was the way the Colchester player waited until he was in the area before he went down. Not even the covering defenders (one or both of Beevers and Smith) were enough to stop Butler seeing red for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity, which is a one match ban not three I believe.

However, if it hadn't been for a combination of Wacka and their striker thinking he was Fernando Torres we'd have probably lost by 5 or 6. The most worrying aspect is that Colchester looked like a team that hadn't won in four and were desperately poor, but were still comfortably better than we were. On the balance of play we deserved exactly what we got from the game, but if the officials had done their jobs properly we'd have come away with a point.

With regards to the team selection, Martin was missing with an ankle injury. I wasn't at the Scunthorpe game last week so can't comment on how Lancashire played, but bringing Smith back in seemed odd. Chambers and Taundry still doesn't work in the middle, quite when Deano will see this is anyones guess. I might start a sweepstake and see who can pick which match this pairing gets broken up first. As for tactics, after the red card Deano went 4-4-1, which is probably fair enough. However, this did imply he wanted to keep a player wide right, so I fail to see why to achieve this he decided to take off our right winger, who was our quickest and potentially creativest player, and stick Grigg there. To be fair to Grigg I thought he put a shift in on the right second half, but he was still a square peg in a round hole. In an attempt to chase the game we sacrificed our striker to bring on a right back, which sounds more harsh than it was. There was no pace in the side at all, and Westlake is quicker than Grigg. He was the option of an outlet but the fact that at that point that was our best bet should send alarm bells ringing for everyone.

Horrible place, ground in the middle of nowhere, and there's no atmosphere inside it at all. Hope one of us get relegated so we don't have to go there again next season, and praying we don't draw them in the cup.

Walker - Comfortably MOTM. Rolled back the years with some really good stops, including one top class save in the second half. Also played as a sweeper and had a 30 second spell at right back where he was biting at there wingers heals by the corner flag.
Beevers - If Wacka was MOTM by a street then Beevers was without any question our best outfield player by the same margin. Defended well, was strong in the tackle, got forward well down the right and actually looked the most likely to drag us back into the game.
Sadler - Seems to have gone off the boil the last couple of games, and wasn't great today. Took his time to get to grips with their winger (the one responsible for Butler's red), who actually died in the third minute from an aerial clash. Soon recovered and was running around and falling over infront of the aforementioned hapless linesman.
Butler - I don't recall a player previously having two red cards rescinded in such a short space of time, but its possible with Butler. Can't really dispute the foul but was never a penalty or a red card.
Smith - Although I wouldn't have started him, he didn't do too badly. I still prefer him to Lancashire but played well today. Hoofed the ball a lot but mostly because none of the midfield quartet gave him the short option.
Taundry - I'd originally just written 'Annonymous' but felt the need to elaborate. He just didn't seem to be involved. The only time I noticed him is when he wasn't where he should have been and when he wasn't giving the centre halves an option and leaving them to hoof it.
Chambers - Again, 'Annonymous' would have been sufficient. One of him or Taundry MUST give way. Our best performances have come when Peterlin has been in the side. Although after Chambers goal last week and Taundry's two assists it was unlikely to be today.
Paterson - Unlucky to be brought off, but to be fair hadn't done a great deal prior to being replaced. His corners, which always look good in the reserves, hit the first man today.
Hurst - Turning into a huff and puff man. Runs around a lot, slowly. Dribbles with it, then loses it. Attempts crosses, and hits the defender. Lots of effort but no quality to go with it. His position would be the one I'd be looking to strengthen, but Martin doesn't look like the answer either.
Grigg - Was poor upfront but actually improved when switched to the right. The best way to sum his performance up is with an incident in the second half. Beevers played it down the right for Grigg to run on to. He looked up and played a blinding ball across the six yard box...but the fact he'd looked up means he shouldn't have played that ball. He should have held it up and waited for support.
Macken - Ran his nads off with little or no support. Beat their left back for pace a couple of times which was probably the most shocking thing to happen today. Could have won a penalty in the second half if he'd hung his leg out and waited for contact rather than riding a challenge.

Subs

Lancashire - Its a bit odd that his two best performances this season have come when Butler hasn't been on the pitch, both today and at Hartlepool. Didn't seem to miss a lot today and why Deano keeps dropping him is a mystery to me.
Westlake - Came on for Grigg and played right wing, but didn't really have much of an impact.
Jarvis - Tried a 30 yard lob that drifted about 6 feet over and was his only notable contribution.

[Lone Striker]

I couldn't see why you take off a striker for a fullback when you need a goal with 20 minutes left though. Why wasn't Nicholls on the bench to give more options?

Frustrated!

Probably because unlike previous Managers the current one has realised that after five years of trying Nicholls cannot change or influence a game, move him on and try something different

[mel58]

I agree with 'Priestley's' summary of the match.

Whilst I appreciated the need to get another Centre-Back on the field; sacrificing Paterson, who seemed to be the only one who had the combination of skill and pace to link midfield and attack, to achieve that end, seemed the wrong move.

Awful, awful game.

[newportsaddler]

Never seen anything quite like today. Very unlucky with the goal and the sending off- as it was not a penalty or a sending off by a long way! And the substitutions were baffling: Paterson was our only injection of pace in the whole side and he got turfed off instead of Hurst after the sending off. Then, when chasing the game, we basically hand Colchester the 3 points on a nice shiny silver platter by taking of grigg for, yes, westlake! Hutchings-esqe decisions, and the first time i've started to doubt Deano's ability in his time at the club.

Walker- Fantastic today, did nothing wrong and made some cracking saves- notably one in the second half from a header(?) i believe
Sadler- Our 'Mr.8/10' has suddenly become our 'Mr. 6/10'- really average today and seems to have lost all form in recent games
Butler- Wasnt a sending off or even a penalty- desperately unlucky with that decision, didnt do much in the time he was on the pitch
Smith- Was ok, defended well but his distribution still has alot of work to be done
Beevers- I dont know if this was because he was against his old club or what- but beevers was by far our MOTM today. Seemed to be the only played in red who wanted to win, was trying desperately to drag us back into the game almost single handedly
Hurst- Did okay, decent on the ball at times but so desperately slow- especially for a winger!
Chambers- Though he was decent today, seemed to be there when he was needed but certainly didnt stand out.
Taundry- All i can say for this guy is hes not last seasons Taundry anymore, but hes certain not the Taundry that started the season either, lacks something to keep the momentum going when attacking
Paterson- In his brief spell he seemed to be quite a livewire- i think he will tear teams apart given half a chance!
Macken- Was good at holding the ball up as macken always is but was really isolated after grigg was taken off
Grigg-Did well i think today, seemed to be our biggest threat up top and always has the ability to get the ball into the back of the net

Substitutes:
Lancashire- Held his own at the back quite well, needs to earn his place in the coming weeks
Jarvis- Had one effort which floated over the goal in the second half but that is it- so desperately lazy
Westlake- Baffling substitution but actually did quite well when needed

[Chomper]

After watching it back on the tele last night I don't think we can complain about the penalty or the red card personally. Both justified imo.

[Cully]

As have said before. History tells us "you have got to know how to suffer if you wish to be a Walsall fan". I've known little else.

This is true and helps me to carry on going most of the time despite the absolutely dire performances and players. It would appear that the most positive aspect about supporting Walsall is to constantly shuffle 'The worst players to have played for us' mental table we all keep in our minds when having to endure such performances and looking forward to the occasional highlight such as a FA cup final appearance or Champions League win.

[Bernie]

After watching it back on the tele last night I don't think we can complain about the penalty or the red card personally. Both justified imo.

On first viewing I thought the same, but after rewinding it a few times I now agree with those who think that Butler was hard done by. First of all it was probably just as much a foul on Butler as by Butler. Michel Antonio was level with Butler as they chased for the ball and you can see that he puts his arm out across Butler's path making a collision inevitable. The two players bumped into each other and they fell, but why was it Butler's fault, if anything he was closer the ball? Secondly the contact that caused them both to fall was just outside the area.

However IF it was a foul by Butler then a red card does seem to be the right decision. We can see that Smith was well behind Antonio, so unless Beevers was somehow between Antonio and the goal (which seems very unlikely) then he was denied a goal scoring opportunity.

[latviancheese]

He wont get that rescinded. Harsh though.

[WFC_Rob]

Yesterday's result didn't come as much of a surprise really, did it?

A glimmer of hope is that Smith now recognises Nicholls lacks the quality to play in League One. The sooner he adds to this by replacing Taundry or Chambers, the better.

[We-ARE-Walsall]

Very poor. The people who said we would finish in the play offs are idiots.

Agreed, but there were some on here who poo poo'd my earlier lack of belief in a 'challenge for promotion'! some even called me a 'moanin old git', bloomin cheek! :lol: :lol:

36 matches still to go? it's going to be a loooong season of frustration methinks....

I don't think anyone. (okay not many) people thought we would make the play offs or anything like.

I think the responses to your post are based on the fact that you seem to take so much pleasure out of the fact we lose. I'm sure you don't obviously, but you certainly come over that way.

[Ancient Moaner]

Very poor. The people who said we would finish in the play offs are idiots.

Agreed, but there were some on here who poo poo'd my earlier lack of belief in a 'challenge for promotion'! some even called me a 'moanin old git', bloomin cheek! :lol: :lol:

36 matches still to go? it's going to be a loooong season of frustration methinks....

I don't think anyone. (okay not many) people thought we would make the play offs or anything like.

I think the responses to your post are based on the fact that you seem to take so much pleasure out of the fact we lose. I'm sure you don't obviously, but you certainly come over that way.

NO way! I have screamed my bloomin head off supporting Walsall for nigh on 50 years and that will NEVER change! If anyone should be in my household after Walsall have lost again would realise that they are in the company of an extremely depressed person, after my dear wife, they are my life! I'm somewhat glad that we were unable to have kids cus I would have enivitably forced them to endure being a Saddler for the rest of thier miserable lives too! Being at the holy turf of the Bezza, is a lifeblood to me, I will support, and scream encouragement to my beloved red shirts till the day I die.
Most on here realise that the majority of my posts are somewhat 'tongue in cheek', cus lets face it being a Walsall fan can be somewhat miserable at times...Yes?