Sat Dec 08, 2012 10:28 pm
Ok, so I'll do my usual thing and post my opinions before I've even read any other posts on this thread.
First things first, can I just say what a quality ground the Ricoh Arena is. I dont think there's a bad seat in the house, the bowl is steep, the access easy and I found the stewards to be decent human beings, which makes a change.
On to the football.
Once again no Bowerman, strange.
Started pretty well, but then again, I think it's fair to stay Coventry started very slowly, so that's probably why we looked like we could hold our own for 10 mins. Even during the period when we held our own, we could have conceded 2 or 3, mainly thanks to Richard Taundry giving the ball away endlessly and being unable to catch their winger (Christie?).
Their missed chances in the first quarter of an hour were only a sign of things to come, and Smith didnt react by doing what I'd have done - screamed my head off at Richard Taundry.
Through a big slice of fortune we took the lead, and this only served to perk Coventry up. Then we stopped playing, and stopped trying to play.
From the moment we scored our first goal to the end of the first half, we didnt keep the ball for more than 3 passes, time and time and time again we would get the ball back then we would give it away, usually within one of 2 touches, which immediately put the defence under pressure. Moan all you like about our defence - and they were poor today - but the midfield really have to take a big slice of the blame. Paterson, Featherstone, Westcarr being the main culprits.
The third goal shouldn't have been allowed due to a push on Taundry, and whilst the protests to the referee probably had some substance, I only wish the players put the same energy and application in to their football as they do in to moaning to the referee. Considering that we could have been 4 or 5 down by that point, you really have to wonder why the players bothered complaining to the ref at all.
This is what is really worrying me, losing has become a habit, the players feel "hard done by". I tweeted to some of the players after the defeat in our opening game this season when they were down on their luck and blaming this that and the other, it's synonymous with the culture at the club, and Smiths post-match comments go even further to proving this point - why even mention the ref in a post-match interview after you've been hammered 5-1? A match that could easily have been 7-1 without complaint. Unless the ref practically heading the ball in for the 5th, you really cant stand there and complain about the ref.
So now we are watching the record-equalling worst side in Walsall's history - that fact alone should see Smith packing his bags, but this is Walsall and we do things differently.
I said at the start of the season that this team had very little to offer - no height, no strength, no guile, no physical presence - I was very worried, and today proved that I was right, we got nowhere near Coventry, NO-WHERE-NEAR them, we weren't even in the game, and it was embarrassing. We've struggled now for 3 seasons in a row, and this year we are worse placed than ever, with a small squad, smaller attendances, smaller budget, and it looks like we're going down without a whimper.
I don't mind getting relegated, but I don't want to see Walsall getting relegated without a bit of fight or pride.
Sort it out Gamble.
