Shrewsbury Town (a) - Sun 14/10/12

[dobbster71]

First time I've seen "New Look Walsall" live, thanks to the www & I have to agree with the majority of the posters here. Lovely football first half & should have made it count. Pressed out of the game 2nd half. It seems that we only have 1 style of play & that is easily negated. 2nd half we needed a presence up top, as Salop had with Morgan. He was a constant thorn for our defence. Very disappointed by Hemmings. He shirks challenges & looks un-interested. Once he came on we were effectively down to 10 men.
If we don't learn from these defeats, the 2nd half of the season could be painful.
UTS

[mossa]

How on earth did we lose that might be most people's questions watching that. The simple answer is we don't have a good enough strike force. Bowerman is one for the future and definately has raw ability but his still just a baby, so to keep starting him on his own up front is frustrating. Grigg imo is not league 1 quality, his looked better in his last few matches but despite starting what must be about 10 matches this season he has only scored 2 and one of them a penalty. Most fans have been saying all season we need someone with a bit of presence up front and never has that been as clear as today. We need somene who is going to win a few headers, cause problems and hold up the ball for our midfielders to join the attack, Bowerman or Grigg can't do that. So very infuriating when we had some of the budget left last month we signed a keeper on loan and not a forward.
As for today we played well overall but we lost and in the end and the result is the main thing. Patterson is infuriating as he has ability just no football brain, he keeps giving the ball away needlessly. Flo looks back to last seasons form the last few games and I hope his injury is nothing serious. Holden and Butler playted fairly well and Holden is clearly a lot better that what we have seen of Downing. Bit surprised he picked Taundry over Purkiss as dont think Purkiss has done much wrong to be dropped. Taundry did okay I thought but would rather see Purkiss there. Need to stop this run now of 4 defeats and get back to winning ways.

[SaigonSaddler]

Well, that was a bloody travesty! Just one of those bloody things though. We'll just have to pull ourselves together and exact revenge on Crewe.

[Jolly Johnny]

I don't understand the lack of cutting edge comments. If you mean no ruthlessness in front of goal then I agree, but it wasn't for a lack of clear cut chances. We must have had four or five in that game, not to mention the shots from Cuvelier and Paterson. It might look like we don't create much just because of the amount of possession we have.

Taundry is dire. How dare he shoot at the end when we were crying out for a cross into the box? Every time he touched it we looked approximately 50% worse. I lost count of the amount of times a team-mate was demanding he play it short and he kicked a long ball straight at a Shrewsbury player. Holden did most of his defending at right-back too. If ever a team had a weak link, it's him.

On the positive side, it was good to have Chambers back. Improved us no end IMO.

Agree with taundz at the end, although Paterson shouldn't have opted to play it short anyway, seeing Darlow had come up. Don't think Taundz was as bad as you say. Played some good balls at times, including cross field long ones. Hemmings was wack. couldn't get past his man and lost possession far too easily. Brandy was highly ineffective when he came on. As others say, shows what a thin squad we have, when we miss Grigg and don't have people to replace them! Good to see chambers back and featherstone wanted the ball all the time which was good. Disappointed in Paterson, despite what the sky commentator was saying. Good start from him but did nothing really in final 60 mins of the game. Still trying too much and losing the ball when he doesn't need to. Bax was surprisingly quiet today and not too surprised he was taken off.

But, it is so evident, as everyone is saying, WE NEED A STRIKER. Someone to hold up the ball and lay off so we have a different dimension to our game. There must be an experienced macken type figure out there in the long list of players without a club??

[chestersaddler]

First time I've seen "New Look Walsall" live, thanks to the www & I have to agree with the majority of the posters here. Lovely football first half & should have made it count. Pressed out of the game 2nd half. It seems that we only have 1 style of play & that is easily negated. 2nd half we needed a presence up top, as Salop had with Morgan. He was a constant thorn for our defence. Very disappointed by Hemmings. He shirks challenges & looks un-interested. Once he came on we were effectively down to 10 men.
If we don't learn from these defeats, the 2nd half of the season could be painful.
UTS

I don't agree that we were pressed ot of the game second half. It was more evenly contested, but we were easily matched them in every way in my view, and we were the away team. Agree about Hemmings - looks a poor player, as does Brandy for this level.

[dobbster71]

Chester, we were pressed further up the park & denied the space & freedom that we had 1st half. I would expect every team, that has a decent manager, to do this to us. Options are required to progress at this level.

[m&m]

[quote="SaigonSaddler"]Well, that was a bloody travesty! Just one of those bloody things though. We'll just have to pull ourselves together and exact revenge on Crewe.[/quote]

But is it just one of those things though. I can see exactly the same scenario being repeated time and time again this season.

Still not convinced that Dean smith knows what he is doing. I know we have seen some wonderful football at league one level at times but he fails to convince me with his poor substitutions and lack of reading of the oppositions game plan.

[chestersaddler]

Once again we look toothless up front. We were devoid of any ideas when Flo and Baxo went Off.

But more importantly more rubbish substitutions by Smith. Serious questions must be asked. Not good enough.

Nicky Featherstone is class.

Jamie Paterson is rubbish.

O'Kelly in.

What would you have done regarding substitutions? Obviously Cuvalier was a forced situation, but the others are more about the lack of depth rather than bad decisions by Smith.

[chestersaddler]

Chester, we were pressed further up the park & denied the space & freedom that we had 1st half. I would expect every team, that has a decent manager, to do this to us. Options are required to progress at this level.

So would I. It was surprising that they allowed us so much space first half, but they did, and had we taken advantage of that period of dominance, we would all be celebrating a win.

[Graydon48]

I don't understand the lack of cutting edge comments. If you mean no ruthlessness in front of goal then I agree, but it wasn't for a lack of clear cut chances. We must have had four or five in that game, not to mention the shots from Cuvelier and Paterson. It might look like we don't create much just because of the amount of possession we have.

Taundry is dire. How dare he shoot at the end when we were crying out for a cross into the box? Every time he touched it we looked approximately 50% worse. I lost count of the amount of times a team-mate was demanding he play it short and he kicked a long ball straight at a Shrewsbury player. Holden did most of his defending at right-back too. If ever a team had a weak link, it's him.

On the positive side, it was good to have Chambers back. Improved us no end IMO.

Ro
Agree with taundz at the end, although Paterson shouldn't have opted to play it short anyway, seeing Darlow had come up. Don't think Taundz was as bad as you say. Played some good balls at times, including cross field long ones. Hemmings was wack. couldn't get past his man and lost possession far too easily. Brandy was highly ineffective when he came on. As others say, shows what a thin squad we have, when we miss Grigg and don't have people to replace them! Good to see chambers back and featherstone wanted the ball all the time which was good. Disappointed in Paterson, despite what the sky commentator was saying. Good start from him but did nothing really in final 60 mins of the game. Still trying too much and losing the ball when he doesn't need to. Bax was surprisingly quiet today and not too surprised he was taken off.

But, it is so evident, as everyone is saying, WE NEED A STRIKER. Someone to hold up the ball and lay off so we have a different dimension to our game. There must be an experienced macken type figure out there in the long list of players without a club??

We had a striker called Macken who we could have used for plan B. the ginger genius let him go.

[Neuromantic]

What has Jamie Paterson got to do to be substituted?

[m&m]

[quote="chestersaddler"][quote="Saarland Saddler"]Once again we look toothless up front. We were devoid of any ideas when Flo and Baxo went Off.

But more importantly more rubbish substitutions by Smith. Serious questions must be asked. Not good enough.

Nicky Featherstone is class.

Jamie Paterson is rubbish.

O'Kelly in.[/quote]

What would you have done regarding substitutions? Obviously Cuvalier was a forced situation, but the others are more about the lack of depth rather than bad decisions by Smith.[/quote]

What it says to me is that Dean Smith cannot spot a talented footballer.I would suggest that both Hemmings and Brandy were his choices whilst we know that the hereford trio were down to O'kelly. I hold my hand up in saying that I was not exactly overjoyed with the 3 from Hereford when I heard about their signings but stand corrected.
Rich O'kelly knows a player when he sees one.As for Deano....all I can say is Jarvis.

[IHTC.]

Hemmings is a disgrace, no matter how much it costs we should tear up his contract

[m&m]

I also agree with Graydon. Yes Macken could still have done a job for us in a limited roll this season.
The second lowest budget in league one put pay to that though.

[dobbster71]

[quote="chestersaddler"]So would I. It was surprising that they allowed us so much space first half, but they did, and had we taken advantage of that period of dominance, we would all be celebrating a win.

Yep, this shouldn't be a discussion on the reasons why we lost today............

[Jolly Johnny]

Agree with taundz at the end, although Paterson shouldn't have opted to play it short anyway, seeing Darlow had come up. Don't think Taundz was as bad as you say. Played some good balls at times, including cross field long ones. Hemmings was wack. couldn't get past his man and lost possession far too easily. Brandy was highly ineffective when he came on. As others say, shows what a thin squad we have, when we miss Grigg and don't have people to replace them! Good to see chambers back and featherstone wanted the ball all the time which was good. Disappointed in Paterson, despite what the sky commentator was saying. Good start from him but did nothing really in final 60 mins of the game. Still trying too much and losing the ball when he doesn't need to. Bax was surprisingly quiet today and not too surprised he was taken off.

But, it is so evident, as everyone is saying, WE NEED A STRIKER. Someone to hold up the ball and lay off so we have a different dimension to our game. There must be an experienced macken type figure out there in the long list of players without a club??

We had a striker called Macken who we could have used for plan B. the ginger genius let him go.

I also agree with Graydon. Yes Macken could still have done a job for us in a limited roll this season.
The second lowest budget in league one put pay to that though.

And he is now playing for Northwich Victoria! So maybe he could have done a bit part job for us, but we'd probably need more than that from him, particularly with his salary, and general consensus was that his legs had gone. He's 35. There must be a 32-33 year version of him out there!

[Tracker34]

Well the highlight of my match was watching an obese Shrewsbury fan trying to wrestle 4 or 5 policeman struggling to arrest him. What about you?

So very frustrating, decision making is so poor it's unbelievable. Patterson typifies this - he passes when he should run at people, shoots when he should pass and the less said about Hemmings cameo the better. There was no real urgency, we had three young quick wingers on the pitch at one time or another yet I don't seem to recall any of them picking up the ball and running at a full back. We all remember how slow and immobile Matt Richards was when we played him ourselves at left back... so why not go at him??

It's not just the players who struggle trying to find a footballing brain. I like Dean Smith, I like the style of play he is trying to make us play, I appreciate he probably has the smallest budget in the league, but some of the substitutions he makes baffle me and how long until we come up with a plan B? There is no point keeping possession and just playing it sideways and backwards when we are 1-0 down in the latter stages.

Positives: First half we played really well and it was pretty tragic that we were behind at the break. Holden dealt with Morgan very well while doing a lot of covering at rightback for Taundry. Taylor looked one of our most attacking players and at least looked like a threat. Nicky Featherstone rarely loses the ball and does the job he's been given fantastically.

But that Free Kick at the end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

[latviancheese]

Well well well.

We are good, until it reaches the final third of the pitch. Pretty dire at times. How we contrived to lose that match though is beyond me. A combination of embarrassing misses and their goalkeeper i suppose. Williams could have been a hero, instead he missed an open goal. Summed up our afternoon. As soon as they scored in the first we went flat, and looked tired and deflated. Our players dont look fit to me :? Where has the movement gone? They stand still, they pass inside, dont take anyone on and in general dont go anywhere for all the nice possesion we have. Our best chances came when we tried our "plan b" of whip the flick on. :? That freekick at the end was pathetic and summed up our game. It seems we can score screamers, and thats mostly it.


Darlow- Nothing to do really.
Taundry - Good game imo. Solid
Holden - Solid
Butler - Solid, unlucky not to score.
Taylor - Solid, but wish he would do more going forward

Cuvelier - looked shot from the start,not suprised as he played 4 times in 8 days. Still a class above anyone on the pitch.
Featherstone - Nice and backwards. Does a job but wasnt positive enough today, although he didnt have many options to pass too.
Chambers - A solid player, we look much better with him in the middle.
Baxendale - Good in spells.

Paterson - Should be dropped, abysmal, doesnt beat a man, cant get a cross past a man either.
Bowerman - Worked his nakkers off, so unlucky not to score as he anticipated the defender missing the ball. Natural goalscorer.

Subs

Williams - Chucked himself about, how he missed from 4 yards i wont know.
Brandy - No impact really.
Hemmings - fudge useless player.

Shrewsbury are cack, they have a cack team who deserved nothing out the game, and have really crap fans, who all need a wash. Block 19 all had aids. They were about as scary as a turd on the way back to the car, to me they just all looked like greasy tramps.

It was like being in a movie when we walked out the ground, over the top police, helicopters the lot. Deary me. What happened in the town center before the game though, anybody know?

[heretosayafewwords]

Apparently a Walsall fan got stabbed. Most likely with a used needle from one the various teenage scag head look-a-likes who bounced around at the end like they wanted a fight. Quite funny in that respect, my 6 year old nephew is more intimidating.

Shrewsbury were poor, very poor. One shot on target, one goal. Our problem is we look pretty at times but up front we are badly lacking pace and experience. Bowerman has potnetial, no doubt - one for the future. Grigg (not today obviously), Brandie etc look lifeless and predictable. What winds me up most of all is the side to side runs we make. Make a diagonal one, get behind, force them to turn. Their back four spent most the game looking upfield, we never got behind them after the first 20 minutes. In that period we carved them open - BECAUSE WE GOT BEHIND THEM. Caps lock for a bit of emphasis there.

No changes up front - mid table for sure.
One good striker on loan - who knows....

Paterson, a special note for him. Clearly talented, clearly inconsistent. Look like a boy against their full back today who completely removed him from the game. I think Smith knew this, hence the switch to the other flank later on - shortly followed by being taken off when that failed. I would swap him any day for ther right winger, bags of pace and energy, ran at us every time he got the ball and his efforts won the corner that got the goal.


All these defeats are one goal jobbies, nobody is thumping us which the main thing. We won quite a few games at the start of the season scoring belters etc. Now they have dried up it seems we cant "work" a goal very well - final third and we run out of ideas.

Its a season that either end in mid table nothingness or who knows what with the right loan signings. Its a weak league, most the teams are there for the taking.

[KoloSaddler]

Patta needs dropping. Brandy and Hemmings need their contrats ripping up.

[saddlerken]

and so the Dean Smith love in continues

That bloke is unbelievably lucky to have such support, good job he's a "nice bloke", a former "Saddlers legend" and plays "lovely football".....

Shame we son't seem to care about being effective and getting results any more

It's pathetic

[kshammer]

The Shrewsbury fans willl be delighted for a week or so (while i'm gutted) but lets be honest here and put it into perspective...

1. If this game is played over, we score 3 at least.
2. They'll probably go down while we wont (hopefully).
3. We play stuff that's worth watching, they are cack.
4. It says it all that Weale was MOTM (thought their number 23 looked class as well to be fair).
5. Only one set of fans can be heard on the telly (just watching it back on Sky plus).

We sometimes look a bit lightweight, always look a bit nervous with ball over the top and have no real Plan B, but it is early days with a promising team. We were always going to have a spell were the luck was against us and this is it - I just hope the usual panic doesn't set in although the anti-Smith brigade (who have been waiting to have a go all season) will be out in force no doubt. Patto needs a break and Hemmings and Brandy are just plain crap, no real ability and cack attitudes.

The banter between fans was good (when you could hear their fans) but why do some always take it to far? There was one dickhead Sloppy giving it the biggun on the way out of the ground... not actually hard enough to actually kick off on anyone and not brave enough to actually go after anyone who wanted a ruck... oh and he was about 40 odd. Grown man acting like a bellend. An older Shrewsbury fan I spoke to agreed he was a dick while also admitting "there was only one team in it".

May I also suggest we missed Grigg (I await the abuse :D ).

[Duke]

Playing good football is fine , four defeats on the bounce is worrying very worrying .
Clearly something as to change , it's also clear Smith as no plan B

[kshammer]

and so the Dean Smith love in continues

That bloke is unbelievably lucky to have such support, good job he's a "nice bloke", a former "Saddlers legend" and plays "lovely football".....

Shame we son't seem to care about being effective and getting results any more

It's pathetic

No. Maybe some people are not reactionary and see what he, and his staff, are actually trying to do.

There will be blips, bad luck and times when things don't go our way, but only an idiot would press the panic button on what is largely a young, inexperienced team who is trying to play entertaining football (with some success overall).

[DonningtonSaddler]

Midfielders shrugging their shoulders whilst the ball is at their feet is a good indication that they feel they have naff-all options in passing the ball forward. Our strikeforce is so weak it is unbelievable.

Bowerman: Not good enough (yet) to be considered a lead striker. Needs someone experienced with him up front.
Williams: Not enough experience - panicked from 4 yards out when it was easier to score
Paterson: Too erratic (needs someone to teach him about decision making)
Brandy: If you're a small player you need to be fast and tricky. He is neither.

BBC stats we had 60% of the possession. Not much use when it is going from side to side instead of forward.

Smith has said he is going to stick with the passing style. I like pretty football as much as the next bloke but I like celebrating Saddlers goals better. I am not asking Smith to sacrifice the style, just give us a Plan B. Get us a decent 6ft+ striker who can hold the ball up and someone who the midfielders/wingers can cross to with a chance of a resulting header on goal.

Plaudits to Taundry/Holden/Butler/Taylor. However, on today's showing, the Evostik Premier beckons for Hemmings and Brandy next season, if not before.

[saddlerken]

Then Im the biggest idiot alive

PRESS THE PANIC BUTTON NOW

Lets give him a 10 year mossive contract, and by the 10th year he may have learnt something

[Sadders]

Frustrating to lose that, as we were far and away the better team - controlling the play and creating chances as though we were the home side.

I agree with the frustrations as I myself was pulling my hair out. We hugely, hugely miss a Macken - Ibehre would be perfect. We dont neccessarily need a 'lump' but a dynamic forward that can hold the ball up on the floor. Smith tried to sign Michael Symes before Orient had him, he'd have been the perfect candidate. I think the most important thing to remember today is - had we taken even 1 in 2 of our chances, we'd have won 4-1. Weale was outstanding and we had an off day infront of goal. Indeed their is some frustrations, a lack of plan B and a very thin squad (in fairness we have a bottom 2 budget, we're not going to have back up's crawling out of our ears are we?). If we rectify the striking situation with someone effective at holding the ball up, then that'd be perfect.

As for the players.

Darlow, Butler, Holden, Cuvelier were all good.

Taylor got skinned by their rapid winger a little often for my liking.

Taundry is Taundry - Ie, slow frustrating and wasteful.

Bowerman looked off the pace and Featherstone, despite playing 250 5-10 yard passes, gave the ball away at crucial times almost leading to chances for them.

Brandy looked sharp, but is just too small to be an effective lower league English striker - time to find a new profession Febian.

Finally. Jamie Paterson and Ashley Hemmings. Paterson is one of the thickest players I've ever seen, tries 1 trick too many, isn't as quick as some people think he is, has no left foot, doesn't work hard, doesn't track back much, is far too skinny and weak to be effective and tries 100 hollywood tricks per game - he's been woeful in every game bar 20 minutes here or there every game so far this season - DROP HIM.

Ashley Hemmings has some serious work to do if he's ever to be liked or considered by me again. Pathetically lazy, no urgency and clearly out their to pick the wage up and swagger off to his 'bruvas'. Absolutely diabolical player, truly abysmal. Note to Ashley - Your a league 1 player who got released by Wolves for being cack, you weren't wanted by Plymouth who are a poor league 2 team and now your being given an opportunity at a league 1 team who are only signing you because they have no better wages to offer - you didnt look cool to your mates on TV and any opposition manager that was looking at you wont be going anywhere near you after you get inevitably released at the end of this season. Useless nob.


All in all. Some people forget we had an off day infront of goal, the football's decent to an extent and at least we're not relying on aimless boring hoof and scrapping our way through a season with 24 draws. There's gonna be periods of joy and despair, we've lost 3 league games on the bounce. Orient we should've taken a point, professionalism late in the game against Carlisle cost us and today missing the 7 or 8 golden, critical chances we had have cost us.

Get rid of Brandy and Hemmings and replace them with a Julian Gray style player and a Macken/Ibehre type striker and we'l be just fine.

Thought the atmosphere was crap - all the sloppies did was HOOF, the best they'l be looking at this season is 15th and downwards. Mark Wright, what a gash player.

[Duke]

We all appreciate Smith as made a big improvement from last season and off course we are enjoying the better football we are playing .

Only a few weeks ago Stefan Gamble said Smith still as money available,there can be no excuses if we are dragged into another relegation battle .

[chestersaddler]

We all appreciate Smith as made a big improvement from last season and off course we are enjoying the better football we are playing .

Only a few weeks ago Stefan Gamble said Smith still as money available,there can be no excuses if we are dragged into another relegation battle .

Which we won't be.

[kshammer]

Then Im the biggest idiot alive

PRESS THE PANIC BUTTON NOW

Lets give him a 10 year mossive contract, and by the 10th year he may have learnt something

You said it.

God forbid Walsall FC ever try to play any other than route one shite with journeyman crap. It's a bad run, most teams have them, and life is nowhere near as bad as it has been under past managers. This is the first season for ages where fans attending the matches actually like the team and are entertained. We left the ground today moaning a bit but we lost after having 3 one on ones, a missed open goal, hitting the bar and watching their keeper have a worldy.

Get some perspective.