Burton Albion (A) - friendly - Saturday 4th August

[longdogs]

Teams

http://lockerz.com/s/231134062

I'd expect this to be our starting eleven next Saturday too.

[longdogs]

Walsall XI Vs Burton: Walker; J, Chambers, Butler, Holden, Taundry; A, Chambers, Cuvelier, Hemmings, Paterson; Grigg, Brandy

Subs: Grof; Purkiss, Downing, Benning, George; Featherstone, Baxendale, Jones; Bowerman, Morris, Williams

thanks to BescotBanter

[Fray Bentos is God!]

I'm here, you're all safe now.

[Tennessee Saddler]

Notice they have a certain Chris Palmer on their bench.

[Enniskillen]

Walsall XI Vs Burton: Walker; J, Chambers, Butler, Holden, Taundry; A, Chambers, Cuvelier, Hemmings, Paterson; Grigg, Brandy

Subs: Grof; Purkiss, Downing, Benning, George; Featherstone, Baxendale, Jones; Bowerman, Morris, Williams

thanks to BescotBanter

Next week's starting line up?
Taundry at left back!
J. Chambers to sign up next week?

[Darth Vader]

Hope there's one of two additions before the Brentford game.

[longdogs]

1-0 Grigg (7 mins)

[Neil Ravenscroft]

1-0 Grigg (7 mins)

Rubbish, ain't he?

[longdogs]

1-1

[Fray Bentos is God!]

It was one yard out, not that I'm a Grigg hater.

1-1 now.

[Neil Ravenscroft]

It was one yard out, not that I'm a Grigg hater.

1-1 now.

:lol:

[tinned]

2 1 down. Nothing up front.

[Neil Ravenscroft]

2 1 down. Nothing up front.

Up front, or in midfield?

[JeffPeron]

Reading the Burton website that we were the most likely to score until we introduced a raft of substitutions that had an "adverse" effect on Walsall's performance. Will wait for the reports from those that went.

Concerns are we are conceding and no punch up front - basics really!! Still i dont get too concerned with friendlies, i will wait until the real competition starts. 8)

[Darth Vader]

2 1 down. Nothing up front.

If so, no surprise, forward line just is not good enough.

[Neuromantic]

As it is = relegation.

[Darth Vader]

As it is = relegation.

Maybe, maybe not - the overall team isn't so bad, especially the midfield, it's just the strikers that are League Two standard, in need of a few more faces and we should stay up easily enough.

[Neil Ravenscroft]

As it is = relegation.

Maybe, maybe not - the overall team isn't so bad, especially the midfield, it's just the strikers that are League Two standard, in need of a few more faces and we should stay up easily enough.

That's why I asked. The last three seasons, we haven't made chances. Making them and not taking them is a very different problem.

[WFC_Rob]

Hemmings and Brandy have both tweeted pretty positive sentiments about today's game to be fair. No reason to panic just because we've lost to Burton, just as there'll be no reason to get all excited if we beat West Brom on Tuesday.

I still reckon we need three quality additions, regardless of whether we sign Purkiss, Chambers & Featherstone or not.

[ToeJoe Jnr]

Reading the Burton website that we were the most likely to score until we introduced a raft of substitutions that had an "adverse" effect on Walsall's performance. Will wait for the reports from those that went.

Concerns are we are conceding and no punch up front - basics really!! Still i dont get too concerned with friendlies, i will wait until the real competition starts. 8)

You would be concerned if you went! I said after the Wolves game that you didn't learn anything from it and that we would learn more from the game today. Well the only thing Smith will have learnt from today is his job could be on the line very early doors!! I am unsure what type or brand of football he is trying to play but we don't have the squad to play it. Very intricate throught the middle with no end product. We played two wingers for no reason whatsoever as they were only ever going to cross it to midgets! The worrying thing is you can see the team we started with being the team we put our faith in for the start of the season! Our plan B is a lot of very very raw kids!

Yes it was a friendly, so it doesn't really matter, but you would like to have some confidence instilled and I am not sure what positive we took from the game? Hemings played well, and on that performance I would take £2 and a bag of scratchings for Paterson.

[JonnyOwen]

The only reason they won was because for the last quarter of the game we played our youth team pretty much. Brandy and Hemmings looked very skilful and pacey, seems like Wacka is the new captain in disguise too 8)

[Fray Bentos is God!]

Not a problem today. A bank of 5 subs and one of 4 subs are going to cock you around quickly.

Tried to knock the ball around nicely and into space but we do need more presence in the box.

[Ken Barlow]

As it is = relegation.

Because of a friendly? Oh behave.

[JonnyOwen]

"THAT CAN'T *f-wording* HAPPEN!" Wacka, to the Captain, Andy Butler :lol:

[Ancient Moaner]

Not a problem today. A bank of 5 subs and one of 4 subs are going to piece you around quickly.

Tried to knock the ball around nicely and into space but we do need more presence in the box.

Such sentiments preaching to the converted....only our 'management' seem utterly unaware that to win footy matches you need to score goals....how many years now have we struggled in that department, it just gets utterly infuriating..

[WFC_Rob]

Not a problem today. A bank of 5 subs and one of 4 subs are going to piece you around quickly.

Tried to knock the ball around nicely and into space but we do need more presence in the box.

Such sentiments preaching to the converted....only our 'management' seem utterly unaware that to win footy matches you need to score goals....how many years now have we struggled in that department, it just gets utterly infuriating..

Do you honestly believe they're 'utterly unaware' of what they need?!

I think a fair few posters on this board recognise the fact that whilst we do need a presence and more of a goal threat, these players are the ones every team wants. It isn't as simple as Dean Smith clicking his fingers and magically conjuring up a 20-goal striker.

[Neuromantic]

As it is = relegation.

Because of a friendly? Oh behave.

No.

[Sadders]

Not long back - through a torrent of floods and torrential rain. 1st half was decent, our first 11 isn't too bad. Brandy looks quick, but is tiny - Grigg scored but was his usual slow and plundering self. Flo had his best pre-season game today and the Chambers brothers were efficient. Impressed by Hemmings and Paterson looked lively even if he tried to do too much. Still not sure on Holden, looks good with the ball at his feet and gets stuck in, but he doesn't win many headers like Smith and Butler did last season and he was at fault for the 1st Burton goal - thought Taundry looked good at left back also.

Second half wasn't so good. We stopped passing a bit and it turned out to be a very boring second half, neither side creating anything really. What's blindingly obvious is that the youth and 'squad' players we have or look like signing are NOT going to be good enough. Baxendale looks barely out of nappies, Purkiss looks clumsy as hell and when Butler left the pitch the defence was marshalled by Richard Taundry - we split open a couple of times with Purkiss and Downing? I think looking not up to scratch. Of the remaining trialists I'd probably be looking to sign Chambers and Featherstone, that being it. If we can find someone else to replace Featherstone I wouldnt be sad.

What is the most troubling issue, is how lightweight we are. We have no real bruisers bar Butler, Holden is quite skinny, Chambers is 'nuggety' but only a small chap. I just get the feeling we're going to get targeted by bigger teams at set pieces and corners. The second thing is the strikeforce. Grigg scored but didnt win a header for the rest of the afternoon, Brandy looks quick but is smaller than Roberto Martinez - literally, very tiny. Bowerman looked poor when he came on, he's small and then we have Paterson who's entire bodyweight was is probably no more than Dele Adebola's belly and Hemmings who can also play upfront is tiny. Not forgetting Taylor and Baxendale who could model for Mothercare.

It's not ALL negative though. There are noted improvements. Firstly, we dont seem to be lumping it 10% as much as we were last season. The keepers are rolling it to fullbacks and we're passing through the midfield - something we need to with a team of our size. Okay so there's about as much penetration as an impotent penis, but we are playing some nice stuff, something we haven't done for many years.

Its not all doom and gloom, but we need to rectify a few musts.
- A target man; the season rests on it.
- Tighten up at the back; the only reason we stayed up was because of our defence last year.
- A few larger players; we are a team full of midgets and it will come back to get us.

[NigelFareastx]

U can't say things like that on here searland saddler. Ull be called a nob a no brainier. Phil the saddler told me u basically just have to say how encouraged u are by the signings, how u think we're heading in the right direction, how glad u are we've invested in some younger players. U just can't state what u actually think if the team. You will get absolutely slated.

[NigelFareastx]

Ditto you saddlers. Awesome report but you can't say things like that on here like none of the signings are good enough