Welcome. This site is an archived version of the previous UpTheSaddlers forum (December 2004 to May 2018). To visit the new UTS website, please click here.

Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Reports and reaction from the 2013-2014 season as Walsall finished 13th in League 1
philthesaddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 5371
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 3:13 pm
Location: Bescot Stadium, 'the stadium that never closes'. Opening hours Mon-Fri 10am-4pm

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:12 pm

Too negative at home. 2 shots on target in 90mins. Teams now know they can come to us, organise their defence, try and grab a goal, knowing full well we're a little bit toothless upfront, which is what Coventry did today. When will Smith learn we need to take the game to the opposition more at home? To sit back once you've got the lead is fair enough, but no point sitting back from the outset.

Smith's done a fantastic job the last year, he just needs to adapt a better mentality at home. Starting 4-5-1, then taking your top goalscorer off when you're chasing a game is shocking - AT HOME, no matter who you are playing.

User avatar
JonnyOwen
Site Addict
 
Posts: 2549
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:32 pm
Location: Anywhere but here.

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:23 pm

4141 still doesn't work at home Deano, waiting a few weeks and trying again does not fix the problems that this formation brings at home. Sawyers in for home games, Feathers in for away.

SWS1
 

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:30 pm

Ah, well. Euphoria evaporates at last. Got to agree with posters who want a more positive attitude at home where we are, er, the home team. No shame in losing to a Coventry side that are clearly going places despite their travails but still bitterly disappointed :( after last week's great display. Desperately wanted at least a draw to keep us in the top 6 but, hey, there's plenty of time to go this season - which is already way better than most of us even hoped, never mind expected.
UTS :)

User avatar
Fray Bentos is God!
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10378
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 12:17 pm
Location: Poking chimps with sticks and walking away since 2004.

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:35 pm

Not the buckle swashing performance we wanted, but we're out of the playoffs on goal difference.

I think Smith based his game on containing them, rather than backing us to impose our game on them.

Zaddler
UTS Veteran
 
Posts: 287
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 7:07 pm
Location: Walsall

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:46 pm

The simple thing is to win games you need to have shots on goal. We didn't. Too many players made the wrong decisions and for the most part our crossing was very poor today.

m&m
Glitterati
 
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2004 7:23 pm

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:59 pm

I'm amazed that we went with the same line-up as Swindon away. Was this mean't to be a double bluff? If so it failed. We have to be more positive at home.

Saying that a 0-0 draw would have been a fair result in a hard fought game. Unfortunately we have Rochard "Dracula" O'Donnell in goal. For the third game in succession his inability to come for /deal with crosses cost us again. Many on here constantly defend him but for me he is the weak link and the difference between a possible play-off spot and mid table obscurity. It's fine to be a good shot stopper (and he is) but if you can't do the basics it's pretty pointless.
I understand that dropping him will destroy his limited confidence but how much longer can it go on?

User avatar
ToeJoe Jnr
UTS Regular
 
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 8:46 pm

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:01 pm

Smith got it wrong today......end of!

User avatar
JonnyOwen
Site Addict
 
Posts: 2549
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:32 pm
Location: Anywhere but here.

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:03 pm

m&m wrote:Saying that a 0-0 draw would have been a fair result in a hard fought game. Unfortunately we have Rochard "Dracula" O'Donnell in goal. For the third game in succession his inability to come for /deal with crosses cost us again. Many on here constantly defend him but for me he is the weak link and the difference between a possible play-off spot and mid table obscurity. It's fine to be a good shot stopper (and he is) but if you can't do the basics it's pretty pointless.
I understand that dropping him will destroy his limited confidence but how much longer can it go on?


How was their goal O'Donnel's fault? He made a fantastic save to stop the initial shot from the corner, you expect him to climb over 6 or so defenders to collect a corner? It's amazing how quickly we judge and hound a player on this board, always got the be a specific persons fault continually.

m&m
Glitterati
 
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2004 7:23 pm

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:06 pm

So what do you think of his ability to take crosses then?

User avatar
geoffwhiting
Site Addict
 
Posts: 4448
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 10:02 pm
Location: on the Walsall/Chasetown border

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:10 pm

Zaddler wrote:The simple thing is to win games you need to have shots on goal. We didn't. Too many players made the wrong decisions and for the most part our crossing was very poor today.


Absolutely right, we could have played until tomorrow and not got that goal back. Loads of nice possession, passing sideways, backwards, but not forwards often enough, which is a major contributor to us having so few shots. I think we had two of note, one from Mantom first half, one from Sawyers late-on, plus a free-kick first-half that brought the only real save out of Murphy, the only shot that troubled him all afternoon. We also gave the ball away far too often against a side of Coventry's obvious strength and quality, and to top it we gave away an awful goal from a corner, leaving their player totally unmarked a few yards from goal with a gap wide enough to drive a Sherman tank through - he was never going to miss that opportunity and, from where I was sitting, he seemed to have plenty of time to pick his spot and roll it in with ease.

I thought sometimes the pretty football got a bit too elaborate and nowhere near direct enough, and losing the ball so often prevented us making better progress towards their goal.

Coventry looked a decent side, far stronger physically than us, and although we might have deserved a point on the balance of possession, once we'd given them a goal there only ever looked to be one likely winner.

User avatar
aaaae
Site Addict
 
Posts: 6780
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:38 am
Location: Beware, I bear more grudges than lonely High Court judges...

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:10 pm

Tough game and a fair result I think, coventry's performance reflecting their wage bill.

We had chances, but didn't really threaten, in all honesty, yet their goal was a soft one and I can see the O'Donnell may have been at fault, but it was at the other end, so will wait to see the replay before blaming him.

We are still punching above our weight and I can't understand why anyone from Walsall would ever support any other team but the Saddlers!

User avatar
JonnyOwen
Site Addict
 
Posts: 2549
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:32 pm
Location: Anywhere but here.

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:11 pm

m&m wrote:So what do you think of his ability to take crosses then?

They're fine for this level - but expecting him to get to a corner when about 15 or so players are stood in the penalty area is ridiculous for a league one goalkeeper.

Brandon Flowers
UTS Regular
 
Posts: 110
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 7:59 pm

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:24 pm

JonnyOwen wrote:
m&m wrote:So what do you think of his ability to take crosses then?

They're fine for this level - but expecting him to get to a corner when about 15 or so players are stood in the penalty area is ridiculous for a league one goalkeeper.


Really?
I dunno - Joe Murphy seemed to do a pretty good job of doing exactly that with the very last action of the game, was a quality claim under pressure in the final minute!

User avatar
Fray Bentos is God!
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10378
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 12:17 pm
Location: Poking chimps with sticks and walking away since 2004.

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:31 pm

Talking of Murphy, what the fudge were those two mongs doing giving him a load of cack for?

SWS1
 

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:32 pm

Never mind. Let's see if we can stuff the Franchise next wik and mek everyone happy again. :D

User avatar
Sadders
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1931
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:16 am
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:36 pm

I love Deano and his ginger comrades, but he got it wrong today. He broke his own rules, by not being flexible and bringing Sawyers back in at home. We could beat Barca 14-0 and Featherstone score 10 and create 4, but he shouldn't play at home - that's not to be critical of him, he does what he does well enough but it's just not creative enough. When we don't have the space to play counter football as we do on the road we resort to over endulging in stupid 5 yard passes in defensive positions and then standing on the half way line spreading 10 yard passes between the central midfielders and full backs.

Coventry were a good side and I thought we defended well against them in an overall tight and scrappy game. Nothing to be ashamed of losing to them, but we MUST play Sawyers at home and we CANT play Featherstone. Mantom and Adam Chambers had good games, Taylor, Butler and Downing were confident and solid in possession. Hemmings was probably MOTM purely on the basis that he tried to attack. James Chambers had an off day, Baxendale was terrible (but isn't a winger) and O'Donnell? What a flying potato tit. Shall I go into it with Westcarr? There's Isolated and then there's lazy, half arsed crap - as a good 10 people around me shouted in the second half 'Westcarr you lazy expletive'.

Poor performance, the bottom line is that. Sawyers must play at home, Featherstone away. Smith cannot play 4-3-3 at home whether it's against St Neots Town or Manchester City. I'd have snapped your hand off for 7th at this stage of the season back in August and I don't think anyone can be anything but extremely pleased with our start. We still need a new centre forward and a right winger. Gray was gash when he came on and we look unbalanced/poor down the right when Baxendale plays there.

Why did we sign Hewitt? McQuilkin? Shane Lewis?

Ring uncle Billy at Forest to see if we can develope a certain Mr Paterson some more.

rogerem
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1221
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 8:40 pm

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:48 pm

I think this site is barclays. My mate reckons apart from match days there's only 3-4 on here. No balanced views, just rip off mans arse lickers. Where do the proper lads go now?

User avatar
geoffwhiting
Site Addict
 
Posts: 4448
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 10:02 pm
Location: on the Walsall/Chasetown border

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:49 pm

rogerem wrote:I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Geoff Whiting, his words behind the scenes were kind I heard. Thank you Sir.


???

latviancheese
Site Addict
 
Posts: 13000
Joined: Sat Jul 22, 2006 3:35 pm

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:49 pm

Who the hell is McQuilkin? Im not sure he really exists. I am baffled by his signing....

I take it it wasnt sexy today then? More like the granny pants again?

User avatar
Sadders
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1931
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:16 am
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:56 pm

rogerem wrote:I think this site is barclays. My mate reckons apart from match days there's only 3-4 on here. No balanced views, just rip off mans Arsenal lickers. Where do the proper lads go now?



Bizarre.

User avatar
chestersaddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10191
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2008 11:21 am
Location: Europe

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:00 pm

Sadders wrote:Shall I go into it with Westcarr? There's Isolated and then there's lazy, half arsed crap - as a good 10 people around me shouted in the second half 'Westcarr you lazy expletive"


Bizarre :wink:

rogerem
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1221
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 8:40 pm

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:08 pm

Lets blame evo and pad again?

User avatar
Sadders
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1931
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:16 am
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:09 pm

chestersaddler wrote:
Sadders wrote:Shall I go into it with Westcarr? There's Isolated and then there's lazy, half Arsenal crap - as a good 10 people around me shouted in the second half 'Westcarr you lazy expletive"


Bizarre :wink:


Can there be an arguement today? He was isolated, but even isolated players can try hard. Few cheers around me when he went off - and they weren't praise. Anyway I don't want to get into the Westcarr debate again as he's done okay recently, there were worse today - Baxendale for starters who so obviously isn't a right winger it's incredible.

User avatar
DonningtonSaddler
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1466
Joined: Mon May 07, 2012 1:30 pm
Location: Round the Wrekin

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:14 pm

Fray Bentos is God! wrote:Talking of Murphy, what the donald were those two mongs doing giving him a load of eartha for?



I noticed those two embarrassing idiots as well. The fat one kept giving Murphy a double thumbs up for some reason. Pillocks.

User avatar
Sadders
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1931
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:16 am
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:30 pm

Murphy came over to shake there hands at the end and both did, however that interested about 10 of our other fans, 1 blonde haired pissed mong decided to start getting into a scuffle with Murphy until the Coventry players dragged him away.

User avatar
WFC_Rob
Site Addict
 
Posts: 4878
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 12:29 pm
Location: Birmingham/Shrewsbury

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:40 pm

I knew there'd be a fair amount of flak aimed Smith's way tonight, but we were playing a really solid side and couldn't really drop any of the lot who were absolutely awesome on Tuesday night. Hindsight's a wonderful thing, but I don't think playing our so-called 'away' team was a mistake at all.

The issue we had is that we spent the first half an hour trying to suss Coventry out rather than playing our own game. Not necessarily a bad thing to do against them, but we barely strung two passes together in the meantime. When we did get a foothold in the game, we failed to make it count and half time came at a bad time for us. Had we played for another 5-10 minutes of that first half, I think we'd have led going into the break.

Second half was all a bit too laboured. The way we moved the ball across the pitch was great, but Coventry were happy for us to play in front of them for so long. Baxendale and Mantom were both anonymous, yet we somehow ended up with Mantom playing up on the left towards the end. That one didn't make sense.

Westcarr really struggled up front on his own today too. The problem we've got is that whether he has a good game or a bad one, no-one can come in to replace him without reducing the quality we have going forward. That's not the end of the world when we play like we did on Tuesday and we have the midfielders causing problems, but against the more physical sides in the league, we need to be able to mix things up a bit more.

I'm not gutted about today's result or the performance really. We were just edged out by a physically stronger, no frills side. I get the feeling our season will be defined by how we fare over the next month. If we're still in touching distance of the top six in four weeks' time, we'll still have every chance of sneaking into those playoffs come May.
Last edited by WFC_Rob on Sat Oct 26, 2013 7:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
aaaae
Site Addict
 
Posts: 6780
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:38 am
Location: Beware, I bear more grudges than lonely High Court judges...

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 7:23 pm

WFC_Rob wrote:I knew there'd be a fair eminent of flak aimed Smith's way tonight, but we were playing a really solid side and couldn't really drop any of the lot who were absolutely awesome on Tuesday night. Hindsight's a wonderful thing, but I don't think playing our so-called 'away' team was a mistake at all.

The issue we had is that we spent the first half an hour trying to suss Coventry out rather than playing our own game. Not necessarily a bad thing to do against them, but we barely strung two passes together in the meantime. When we did get a foothold in the game, we failed to make it count and half time came at a bad time for us. Had we played for another 5-10 minutes of that first half, I think we'd have led going into the break.

Second half was all a bit too laboured. The way we moved the ball across the pitch was great, but Coventry were happy for us to play in front of them for so long. Baxendale and Mantom were both anonymous, yet we somehow ended up with Mantom playing up on the left towards the end. That one didn't make sense.

Westcarr really struggled up front on his own today too. The problem we've got is that whether he has a good game or a bad one, no-one can come in to replace him without reducing the quality we have going forward. That's not the end of the world when we play like we did on Tuesday and we have the midfielders causing problems, but against the more physical sides in the league, we need to be able to mix things up a bit more.

I'm not gutted about today's result or the performance really. We were just edged out by a physically stronger, no frills side. I get the feeling our season will be defined by how we fare over the next month. If we're still in touching distance of the top six in four weeks' time, we'll still have every chance of sneaking into those playoffs come May.

Spot on. We needed every player to be at top level today to compete and Mantom and Bax both struggled. They looked tired to me.

When Westcarr went off, we looked less likely to score.

Perkwins
 
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:35 pm

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 8:01 pm

Sadders wrote:I love Deano and his ginger comrades, but he got it wrong today. He broke his own rules, by not being flexible and bringing Sawyers back in at home. We could beat Barca 14-0 and Featherstone score 10 and create 4, but he shouldn't play at home - that's not to be critical of him, he does what he does well enough but it's just not creative enough. When we don't have the space to play counter football as we do on the road we resort to over endulging in stupid 5 yard passes in defensive positions and then standing on the half way line spreading 10 yard passes between the central midfielders and full backs.

Coventry were a good side and I thought we defended well against them in an overall tight and scrappy game. Nothing to be ashamed of losing to them, but we MUST play Sawyers at home and we CANT play Featherstone. Mantom and Adam Chambers had good games, Taylor, Butler and Downing were confident and solid in possession. Hemmings was probably MOTM purely on the basis that he tried to attack. James Chambers had an off day, Baxendale was terrible (but isn't a winger) and O'Donnell? What a flying potato fool. Shall I go into it with Westcarr? There's Isolated and then there's lazy, half Arsenal crap - as a good 10 people around me shouted in the second half 'Westcarr you lazy expletive'.

Poor performance, the bottom line is that. Sawyers must play at home, Featherstone away. Smith cannot play 4-3-3 at home whether it's against St Neots Town or Manchester City. I'd have snapped your hand off for 7th at this stage of the season back in August and I don't think anyone can be anything but extremely pleased with our start. We still need a new centre forward and a right winger. Gray was gash when he came on and we look unbalanced/poor down the right when Baxendale plays there.

Why did we sign Hewitt? McQuilkin? Shane Lewis?

Ring uncle Billy at Forest to see if we can develope a certain Mr Paterson some more.


Kind of agree. Sawyers is a starter for me in every home match - keeps the ball in walsall possession and does it in an advanced role up the pitch. Just what we lack when he doesn't play.

As for featherstone - class player and agree must play away fom home. What I would say is that it's a waste of talent not to start him at home. He was clear MOM today by a mile and was the most effective attacking centre midfielder of the three.

In hindsight mantom should have been rested and Sawyers started.

All in all we got what we deserved today - but we'll bounce back.

User avatar
Andy_Petterson
Glitterati
 
Posts: 1184
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 8:30 pm

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 8:13 pm

It wasn't that bad today, we do seem to have some Pessimistic Peters on here.

And those we say we passed it too much have got it wrong. It was very impressive how we kept possession in Coventry's half with them having 9 men behind the ball.
Fans need to learn to be more patient and the goals will come. Not shout SHOOT whenever we get 30 yards from goal.

Coventry were the best team at the Bescot so far this season and worked very hard. The home form will improve when we get some lower table teams (hello Port Vale and Carlisle)

User avatar
Sadders
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1931
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:16 am
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire

Re: Coventry City (H) League One Sat Oct 26, 3pm

Sat Oct 26, 2013 8:17 pm

aaaae wrote:
WFC_Rob wrote:I knew there'd be a fair eminent of flak aimed Smith's way tonight, but we were playing a really solid side and couldn't really drop any of the lot who were absolutely awesome on Tuesday night. Hindsight's a wonderful thing, but I don't think playing our so-called 'away' team was a mistake at all.

The issue we had is that we spent the first half an hour trying to suss Coventry out rather than playing our own game. Not necessarily a bad thing to do against them, but we barely strung two passes together in the meantime. When we did get a foothold in the game, we failed to make it count and half time came at a bad time for us. Had we played for another 5-10 minutes of that first half, I think we'd have led going into the break.

Second half was all a bit too laboured. The way we moved the ball across the pitch was great, but Coventry were happy for us to play in front of them for so long. Baxendale and Mantom were both anonymous, yet we somehow ended up with Mantom playing up on the left towards the end. That one didn't make sense.

Westcarr really struggled up front on his own today too. The problem we've got is that whether he has a good game or a bad one, no-one can come in to replace him without reducing the quality we have going forward. That's not the end of the world when we play like we did on Tuesday and we have the midfielders causing problems, but against the more physical sides in the league, we need to be able to mix things up a bit more.

I'm not gutted about today's result or the performance really. We were just edged out by a physically stronger, no frills side. I get the feeling our season will be defined by how we fare over the next month. If we're still in touching distance of the top six in four weeks' time, we'll still have every chance of sneaking into those playoffs come May.

Spot on. We needed every player to be at top level today to compete and Mantom and Bax both struggled. They looked tired to me.

When Westcarr went off, we looked less likely to score.


I agree and disagree. I thought Westcarr and Hewitt both looked as in-effective as each other, but I disagree in that Sawyers played 12 minutes and did more in those 12 minutes than Hewitt/Westcarr did throughout the entire game. Sawyers retains the ball high up the pitch and does things much quicker/crisper than Westcarr. Sawyers behind Westcarr is where I'd go, precisely what we did against Stevenage. 4-3-3 against Preston was poor, against Bradford was poor and today was poor. I thought Mantom did well today, I like him in this advanced role - he nearly scored in the first half and whipped another beautiful cross right across the box late in the first half.

Baxendale was gash, but it doesn't help that he's not playing in his right position.

PreviousNext
Return to 2013-14 Season

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests