Crawley Town (A) League 1 Saturday 17/11/12.

[Sadders]

Sounds like we played well their, fair play to Smith if we did as he rang some changes today that I thought looked questionable at best.

[Fray Bentos is God!]

I'd've taken that whether we were in good or bad form. Good result.

[Pedagogue]

Much, much better performance all round. Could have won it. Report filed when I get home.

[bangsection]

That's fudge up a few fixed odds coupons. Sounds like we had a right good go which is exactly what's been missing lately. Look forward to reading reports from the blessed few.

[boringteacher]

Good result. Very pleased that they showed the fight that was lacking on Tuesday. Would have taken the point happily even without the run we are in.

[yoda]

To be honest, I feel a bit glum. After taking the lead a second time so far in I thought we had it. But still, a point stops the rot.

Villa lose 5-0 :lol: Clown fans in my office were expecting a win because "We'm beat them in the cup there".

[Ancient Moaner]

Where did that come from? new goalie seems to get 'involved' a bit!!
Brandy and Hemmings whoda thought it 'eh. He certainly rang the changes, and it paid off...has he actually got a pair then? :D
Fantastic result in the circumstances.

[geoffwhiting]

Remarkable result considering what's been happening lately. Don't know where it came from, but I'm well happy with the unexpected point and a shame we couldn't hold on for all three. Only 3 points off the bottom four now, so that point was vital and we really DO need to start picking points up now to stay out of trouble.

[Cully]

LLLLDLDDLLLD - Still no W :cry: PERIOD

Unfortunately I couldn't attend so can't comment on our tactically dim wit managers latest attempt at rearranging our footballing DNA. Only another 2½ years to go...................time is just dragging by................................................

[MILO5]

Could and should have won that ...I thought we were the better team and played by far the best football.

Both their goals came out of the blue , sloppy sloppy goals which we have gifted rather than make them earn ( although their first was a smart finish)

Really good , spirited performance ....with special mention to Brandy who really looked the part today , MOTM by a distance .

Now they have got to prove that wasn't just a reaction to the Lincoln embarrassment ....

Decent and vocal away turn out .

At least you can feel proud to be a Saddler tonight for the first time in a while .

[Worsul]

LLLLDLDDLLLD - Still no W :cry: PERIOD

Unfortunately I couldn't attend so can't comment on our tactically dim wit managers latest attempt at rearranging our footballing DNA. Only another 2½ years to go...................time is just dragging by................................................

As you say yourself you can't comment. By any reasonable measure today was a good performance and result.

[saddlertd]

This result proves we can compete with any team in this division - I'm glad that both Brandy and Hemmings scored today. I hope this result today does the team a power of good and we follow it up with a good performance at Tranmere. This is a confidence issue for many of the team and I believe we supporters can help them get through this bad patch. I'm also glad for Deano, I never subscribed to the Ginger Mourinho tag but I don't believe he is a bad pancake chief (useless tosser) either, just an inexperienced manager learning his trade the hard way. C'mon you Reds.

[Whitters]

LLLLDLDDLLLD - Still no W :cry: PERIOD

Unfortunately I couldn't attend so can't comment on our tactically dim wit managers latest attempt at rearranging our footballing DNA. Only another 2½ years to go...................time is just dragging by................................................

Tee hee!
Good result though to the lads, I thought this was a certain L.

[Cheesebag]

Better....

At last slow coach Gareth Barry Wannabe Chambers was dropped giving us I thought a bit more energy in the Midfield, Hemmings did OK and Patterson had his best game for ages.

I take back what I said a few weeks ago about Brandy, I think he can do a job for us.

Thought we got caught short at the back for their first goal although the finish was excellent and their second goal seemed to float in over a flapping keeper who, until then did OK.

And their chips remeinded me of the lard encrusted foreign type you get at dodgy restaurants in Spain but were ok with Garlic Mayo and ketchup.

[WFC_Rob]

Only 73 posts so far - must have been a good result. :P

Seriously though, kudos to Smith for mixing things up and for getting a positive result. Sounds like Paterson and Hemmings rediscovered their September form and Brandy rediscovered his from 2009.

Fingers crossed we go one better on Tuesday night.

[MILO5]

For what it's worth

New keeper 6...looked confident and liked the way he came out to collect the ball a few times but 2nd goal ...??????

Taundry ...7. Thought he did more right than he did wrong.

Taylor ....5 got roasted in the first half I thought

Holden 7 ...did well today , really committed .

Butler 7 ...as Holden .

Featherstone 7 always involved , always available

Mantom 6 seemed to be a bit in and out to me

Hemmings ...6 not bad , was expecting worse after reading some comments recently , put a shift in , took goal well.

Paterson ....6 always looked a threat and invaluable how he can quickly gain you 30 yards with how he runs with the ball. But also plenty of poor decision making with his distribution.

Brandy 8. Looked the real deal ....their big oafs of centre halves looked truly scared of him 2nd half . MOTM easily.

Grigg 6. Battled hard but should have done so much better with headed chance in first half after glorious move.

No subs had time to make an impact , but I thought Grof did much better than recently .

[Pedagogue]

As I said in my earlier post - much, much better (it couldn't have got any worse, could it?). A draw was probably a fair score although we might have nicked it. We definitely did not deserve to lose.

McCarey - he has a cross to bear, of course, but let's forget his Dingle roots and encourage the lad :D . He was at fault with their second goal (ball over his head, Grof style) but, that apart, he played well. Gobby and bossy - just what we need.

Taundry - back in his best (some would say only) position at right back. He had a steady game, clumsy at times and quite classy at others!
Holden - ran Brandy close for MotM, imo. Back to his best after recent after recent indifferent performances (I wonder if Grof's absence was a factor?). Didn't miss a challenge.
Butler - usual self and an effective partner for Holden. Does his yellow card mean that he will miss the Tranmere game?
Taylor - the weak link. He is clearly not match-fit yet and his lack of pace was often exposed. Benning is better.

Featherstone - quiet and tidy in his work. Always available for a pass.

Hemmings - he actually looked interested today, unlike two weeks ago at Lincoln. His goal looked suspiciously close to offside (I look forward to the tv highlights) but he deserved it for the effort that he put in.
Mantom - I have to admit that I was a little disappointed in Sam. He didn't do much wrong - he just didn't do much! I guess he needs time to settle back in and understand his rôle in a much-changed team from last season.
Patterson - he gets a lot of criticism, much of it deserved but I am an admirer of him. Yes, he runs into blind alleys, yes, he often gets caught in possession and yes, there are times when you want to run on the pitch and give him a good kick up the arse. However, he never hides and he never shirks responsibility on the pitch. He was one of the very few outfield players against Scunthorpe that you could say that about. He is undoubtedly our most technically gifted player and I see him as a challenge to our coaching staff to get him to the level of which I think he is truly capable.

Brandy - most people's MotM. Always a threat to their defence with his pace. His first goal in 3 years should give his confidence a lift! :)
Grigg - still under-achieves, imo. You can see flashes of ability but he is far too easily brushed off the ball and dispossessed. The coaching staff need to work on him and Patterson on the physical side of the game. Patterson is a skinny little runt but Grigg has no such excuse. He also missed an easy header when the score was 0-0.

The substitutes Baxendale, Bowerman and Adam Chambers were not on long enough to be rated.

Can we get anything at Prenton Park on Tuesday? That's one hell of a big ask but at least we now seem to be back to competing with the best.

Referee had a good game - apart, that is, from his annoying over-use of the yellow card. Three of ours were cautioned (Taylor, Butler and Brandy) and two of theirs. None of the five should have been. The red card was fair enough - denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity - he had to go.

[Cully]

Only 73 posts so far - must have been a good result. :P

Seriously though, kudos to Smith for mixing things up and for getting a positive result. Sounds like Paterson and Hemmings rediscovered their September form and Brandy rediscovered his from 2009.

Fingers crossed we go one better on Tuesday night.

Kudos, kudos? sums up the level of expectation for obtaining a draw at Crawley after a win less run of 12 games, can't wait for the hero's welcome home reception on Wednesday and the carpet of palm leaves and rose petals after we secure a draw at the giants of Wirral, Tranmere Rovers.

[kshammer]

Do I take it from those who have rated players that Featherstone was back to having the ball off the defence rather than having the donkey that is Chambers getting in his way?

Thank god.

[Pedagogue]

Do I take it from those who have rated players that Featherstone was back to having the ball off the defence rather than having the donkey that is Chambers getting in his way?

Yes.

[Ancient Moaner]

Only 73 posts so far - must have been a good result. :P

Seriously though, kudos to Smith for mixing things up and for getting a positive result. Sounds like Paterson and Hemmings rediscovered their September form and Brandy rediscovered his from 2009.

Fingers crossed we go one better on Tuesday night.

Kudos, kudos? sums up the level of expectation for obtaining a draw at Crawley after a win less run of 12 games, can't wait for the hero's welcome home reception on Wednesday and the carpet of palm leaves and rose petals after we secure a draw at the giants of Wirral, Tranmere Rovers.

Your seriously Walsall, my friend, it gets you like that after a while. I've witnessed over 50 years of dissapointment and underachievement, its all part of being a saddler, but theym in your blood, it's like a malignent disease, you know its there, but theres nothing you can do to shift it. We all continue to wait for Saturdays to come round, in the hope that, somehow someday, things 'might' get better.....that is why todays result, after the utterly abysmal last few weeks, is to us like winning at Wembley"!!! :D :D
Onwards and upwards we am Worsul!!!!!! :) :)

[MILO5]

Do I take it from those who have rated players that Featherstone was back to having the ball off the defence rather than having the donkey that is Chambers getting in his way?

Thank god.

Yes. Pretty much everything went through him.

[kshammer]

Do I take it from those who have rated players that Featherstone was back to having the ball off the defence rather than having the donkey that is Chambers getting in his way?

Thank god.

Yes. Pretty much everything went through him.

As it did earlier in the season when we were doing well. Why Smith changed it i'll never know... well other than trying to fit an experienced 'name' in when it wasn't needed. Featho looked lost when Chambers was in there. I wouldn't have minded if Chambers could tackle, but most of the time he misses them and when he has the ball is slow and without quality.

[WFC_Rob]

Only 73 posts so far - must have been a good result. :P

Seriously though, kudos to Smith for mixing things up and for getting a positive result. Sounds like Paterson and Hemmings rediscovered their September form and Brandy rediscovered his from 2009.

Fingers crossed we go one better on Tuesday night.

Kudos, kudos? sums up the level of expectation for obtaining a draw at Crawley after a win less run of 12 games, can't wait for the hero's welcome home reception on Wednesday and the carpet of palm leaves and rose petals after we secure a draw at the giants of Wirral, Tranmere Rovers.

Don't be so ridiculous.

[Bernie]

Adam Chambers has made 14 appearances this season, in which we have won just twice. In the 9 matches he did not play we have won 4 times.

He was injured at the end of August, and his period of injury coincided with our good run during September when we were passing the ball well in midfield.

Similarly Richard Taundry has made 9 starts for the club this season, of which we have only won one, the first match of the season. In the 14 matches he did not start we have won 5 times.

[kshammer]

Adam Chambers has made 14 appearances this season, in which we have won just twice. In the 9 matches he did not play we have won 4 times.

He was injured at the end of August, and his period of injury coincided with our good run during September when we were passing the ball well in midfield.

Similarly Richard Taundry has made 9 starts for the club this season, of which we have only won one, the first match of the season. In the 14 matches he did not start we have won 5 times.

So... what exactly are you getting at? :wink:

[latviancheese]

Do I take it from those who have rated players that Featherstone was back to having the ball off the defence rather than having the donkey that is Chambers getting in his way?

Yes.

Huzzah.

[PT]

Good day. Agree pretty much with Ped's view of the game. Would have taken a draw before the game but came away a bit disappointed as if either side deserved to get the win then it was us.

It looked like the players, not least Brandy had been given licence to actually take people on today rather than always looking back and square to retain possession with no progression and it worked.

Brandy a revelation and if he can maintain that standard he'll be like a new signing. Honestly, he ran them ragged at times.

It was great to have a keeper who dominated from crosses, but looked at fault for their second.

Bernie's stats are exactly what we were talking about in the crawley curry house after the game. Chambers does alright but somehow he seems to compromise how others play, not least Featherstone. Smith deserves some credit for dropping him today, but pelters for taking so bleedin' long.

Also agree with Pedagogue on the Taylor/Benning situation. With Benning playing well in his first few appearances there was no need to rush Taylor back before he was ready.

Patterson was his usual in and out self, a great effort that hit the bar but gave the ball away and failed to track back for their second. Hemmings, hmmm, better, scored a goal but still needs to do more

So some pride restored and with Flo and Purkiss to return in the next week or so, perhaps we can get back on track before we fall into the bottom four.

Gutted that after I've done planes, trains and automobiles to get to Crawley today, I won't be able to make the very short trip to Tranmere on Tuesday. :evil:

[Graydon48]

Surley with lost 2-1 today. Hemmings is the worse player ever to wear a Walsall shirt, he is lazy, can't be bothered, arrogant and just generaly crap. I am sure I have seen comments that would agree with what I have just said.
I propose that his goal be chalked off. Another game lost. Smith out.

[Finch]

In stature, attitude and ability - Brandy reminds me of Roger Boli. This should be a good thing until he realises we are in the third tier....