Brentford (H) League One Sat 18th Jan 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

Purkiss on for Chambers (another injury!!!) 81 min.

[chestersaddler]

Purkiss on for Chambers (another injury!!!) 81 min.

Hamstring, I believe

[BarnsleySaddler]

Purkiss on for Chambers (another injury!!!) 81 min.

Hamstring, I believe

Our good run of injury freeness had to end sometime.

[Welsh_Saddler]

86min Baxendale on for Sawyers (not injury this time)...run the clock down, keep possession!!

[Holbeach Saddler]

Seemed a good game. See y'all next time

[Welsh_Saddler]

We welcome the Bees (well, most of them) who really are buzzing this season. You may remember that way back in September we went to Leyton Orient, who had won 8 games on the trot....it's practically the same scenario on Saturday, as Brentford meet us having won their last 8 matches.

Tell you what - if we can get a 1-1 draw out of this I'll be very pleased.:D

I'm very pleased :D

[BarnsleySaddler]

Draw, we seem to do well against the good teams but not so good against the lower teams.

[Holbeach Saddler]

17 points clear with 20 games to go. Should be safe (Long time Saddler mode)

[Guest]

17 points clear with 20 games to go. Should be safe (Long time Saddler mode)

Not safe yet. (Longer time Saddler mode)

[geoffwhiting]

Seems we could and maybe should have won it after a good second-half, but I'd have taken a point at the start, Grigg no goal(s) and substituted, we've ended Brentford's winning run and knocked 'em off the top, so quite happy with all that. Just a shame Posh won and edged us out of 6th place on goal difference, but it's not now that counts, it's next May.

[Pheasey_Saddler]

Don't worry - Posh will lose their game in hand by 3 goals and we'll be back in the top 6 anyway!

[Fray Bentos is God!]

Brentford will probably end up paying close to half a million for Grigg. His main task as a 20 goal striker? Tracking our full back.

It was kind of sad in a way.

[latviancheese]

Was a great game to watch, without there being many chances there was a very good competitive edge about the game. Draw a fair result, we rode our luck a bit with Trotta's missed sitter. Brentford dont look that great but they look dangerous every time they have the ball in the final third.

Lalkovic superb today. Shame no one was on the end of his crosses. We looked good but their keeper only made one save in the second half, and im not really sure he touched it.

Westcarr should have hit the target with a close range volley but it wasn't an easy one he opted for power for some reason. That was never a penalty for Brandy though, such a dive, when he could have stayed on his feet so easily. I thought Brentford hacked him a fair few times throughout the game, the one over by the benches was a an atrocious tackle.

Thought the ref was pretty poor.

Benning did very well when he came on.

Once again guilty of overplaying in the box far too many times.

Bumperish attendance, they should piss of those fairweather fans how dare they.

Will Grigg is poo. Easiest 400 grand we ever earned.

[Zaddler]

Just got back from a thoroughly enjoyable match. We battled hard, played some good stuff and deserved at least a draw. A few quick thoughts, Brentford are dirty, Grigg was anonymous, Brandy was excellent, the ref was poor and both teams could easily have taken the 3 points.

Great game, buzzing :)

[Guest]

Notice how Brentford only had ONE shot on target all game, and still somehow they manage to be top of the league (until this afternoon, anyway).

[latviancheese]

and now that they are no longer top, they don't have any songs.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Notice how Brentford only had ONE shot on target all game, and still somehow they manage to be top of the league (until this afternoon, anyway).

No doubt sallian will be able to justify it with yet more warped twisted logic. :roll:

[philthesaddler]

Simply put, that was the best game I've seen down Bescot for many a year. The last time I remember a game that good, and that close between 2 teams at the top of the table was nearly exactly 15 years ago when we drew 1-1 with Man City.

We were terrific. Brentford are a very good side, exciting to watch, quick going forward, excellent wing backs, organised at the back - and you could describe Walsall exactly the same way - the only difference being they have slightly better pedigree going forward.

1-1 was a fair result, but having said that though, we had Brentford pinned back for long periods during the 2nd half, we had them rattled, so rattled that they resorted to hacking down Brandy (which should have seen a straight red card) amongst others as we kept coming forward.

The ref, and linesmen, were quite frankly awful - their goal came directly from what should have been a free kick to us 22 yards out when 2 players clattered in to Brandy, neither of them getting anywhere near the ball, instead the ref just played on, they went straight down the other end and scored. In the 2nd half, the linesman was standing 2 yards from a ball that went a yard out of play, and he didn't give it (to our benefit). The 2nd half also saw the ref need his assistant to give what was a clear cynical foul on James Chambers, and they both missed a clear shove on Brandy in the penalty area.

With a bit of luck, we'd have won that game.

Lalkovic deserved the M.o.M award, he was terrific, Brandy played well but we struggled to get him in to the game enough, and Sawyers I thought had a poor game. When those 3 are firing on all cylinders we'll beat anyone.

On the whole, a terrific game and a fair result. I firmly believe we'll end up in the playoffs after that performance.

[sallian]

Todays result illustrates Walsall's strengths and weaknesses.

They have prevented the top team from winning and restricted them to one goal on target for the whole match, a good defensive performance on paper. (However they should have been more prepared for their aerial threat after the first game was lost to such a goal).

Yet, only managed one shot on target every 23 minutes, which is nowhere near good enough (although it was 4 times better than Brentford today).

Just a little more attacking creativity and simplicity would have probably won them the game (along with many other games).

I also say that if Lalkovic had been the central striker, Walsall would have had more chance of scoring (I say this based on someone saying he was crossing but no-one to receive, as usual...so I guess he was on the wing).

Lalkovic is Walsall's best chance of putting away chances in my view.

[sallian]

Notice how Brentford only had ONE shot on target all game, and still somehow they manage to be top of the league (until this afternoon, anyway).

No doubt sallian will be able to justify it with yet more warped twisted logic. :roll:

The straight logic, that you miss in your blind emotional opposition is that Brentford DID NOT WIN today because they only managed ONE GOAL.

Walsall DID NOT win today because they ONLY managed ONE GOAL.

Brentford DID NOT get to the top of the table by ONLY MANAGING ONE GOAL a game. Their success is due to them scoring MORE GOALS than that.

Walsall are outside of the play offs at the moment because they have not been scoring ENOUGH GOALS.

You can call that twisted logic if you want, and that may be your sincere judgement...it may also be the judgement of the majority of people on this board....

That is precisely why I don't base my views on following the majority.

[chestersaddler]

Simply put, that was the best game I've seen down Bescot for many a year. The last time I remember a game that good, and that close between 2 teams at the top of the table was nearly exactly 15 years ago when we drew 1-1 with Man City.

We were terrific. Brentford are a very good side, exciting to watch, quick going forward, excellent wing backs, organised at the back - and you could describe Walsall exactly the same way - the only difference being they have slightly better pedigree going forward.

1-1 was a fair result, but having said that though, we had Brentford pinned back for long periods during the 2nd half, we had them rattled, so rattled that they resorted to hacking down Brandy (which should have seen a straight red card) amongst others as we kept coming forward.

The ref, and linesmen, were quite frankly awful - their goal came directly from what should have been a free kick to us 22 yards out when 2 players clattered in to Brandy, neither of them getting anywhere near the ball, instead the ref just played on, they went straight down the other end and scored. In the 2nd half, the linesman was standing 2 yards from a ball that went a yard out of play, and he didn't give it (to our benefit). The 2nd half also saw the ref need his assistant to give what was a clear cynical foul on James Chambers, and they both missed a clear shove on Brandy in the penalty area.

With a bit of luck, we'd have won that game.

Lalkovic deserved the M.o.M award, he was terrific, Brandy played well but we struggled to get him in to the game enough, and Sawyers I thought had a poor game. When those 3 are firing on all cylinders we'll beat anyone.

On the whole, a terrific game and a fair result. I firmly believe we'll end up in the playoffs after that performance.

Bloody hell, Phil :shock:

[travelling man]

proper game today we matched the league leaders step for step. great advert for league 1 and those who were there witnessed a treat

[JonnyOwen]

Lalkovic is wasted up front Sallian, he is quick and clinical, but against the very physical centre halves of league one his best bet is being out wide as he gets the freedom to move without being clattered and the chance to run at defenders. Like we saw early in the season, when he is playing we also have a horrible tendency to just hoof it into space for him to run on to instead of doing our very good looking and effective passing and build up play.

[Andy_Petterson]

Fantastic game and great entertainment.

For those who still doubt what Deano has done at Walsall, you must have missed the pleasure of Walsall outplaying the league leaders (who had taken something like 37 points out of 39) and who had to resort to cynical fouls just to get a draw. If there was any justice they would be down to 9 never mind 10 men by the end. I'm not sure why the ref was so lenient.

Proud to be a saddler

Only downside is that having only scored 1 goal and got 1 point means it is now mathematically impossible to finish 6th this season.

[SWS1]

Result aside, referees must do more to protect players from clear GBH :evil:
Damn good result, though. :D

[SWS1]

Fantastic game and great entertainment.

For those who still doubt what Deano has done at Walsall, you must have missed the pleasure of Walsall outplaying the league leaders (who had taken something like 37 points out of 39) and who had to resort to cynical fouls just to get a draw. If there was any justice they would be down to 9 never mind 10 men by the end. I'm not sure why the ref was so lenient.

Proud to be a saddler

Only downside is that having only scored 1 goal and got 1 point means it is now mathematically impossible to finish 6th this season.

Eh? :?

[Guest]

Notice how Brentford only had ONE shot on target all game, and still somehow they manage to be top of the league (until this afternoon, anyway).

No doubt sallian will be able to justify it with yet more warped twisted logic. :roll:

The straight logic, that you miss in your blind emotional opposition is that Brentford DID NOT WIN today because they only managed ONE GOAL.

Walsall DID NOT win today because they ONLY managed ONE GOAL.

Brentford DID NOT get to the top of the table by ONLY MANAGING ONE GOAL a game. Their success is due to them scoring MORE GOALS than that.

Walsall are outside of the play offs at the moment because they have not been scoring ENOUGH GOALS.

You can call that twisted logic if you want, and that may be your sincere judgement...it may also be the judgement of the majority of people on this board....

That is precisely why I don't base my views on following the majority.

But ONE attempt on target by a table-topping team is certainly significant, and the fact that we outperformed them in this area by such a margin would suggest that a) the Walsall management is taking your advice and attempting to increase the ratio of shots on target (40% today, not a bad effort) and b) we will finish in the top six.

[kshammer]

General points.

* Ref should have cracked down on them early on. Ended up with them hacking us down relentlessly.
* Watching Grigg, I think we got the best of the deal.
* Adam Chambers was immense.
* If we play well, games are about us rather than the opposition, regardless of who we play.
* Think it has been said already but if Brandy/Sawyers/Lalko play well we could be unplayable.
* Downing was great too.
* Brentford fans are terrible. Just plain awful.
* They have a £7m budget and yet were content to foul and waste time. Speaks volumes.

[Andy_Petterson]

Fantastic game and great entertainment.

For those who still doubt what Deano has done at Walsall, you must have missed the pleasure of Walsall outplaying the league leaders (who had taken something like 37 points out of 39) and who had to resort to cynical fouls just to get a draw. If there was any justice they would be down to 9 never mind 10 men by the end. I'm not sure why the ref was so lenient.

Proud to be a saddler

Only downside is that having only scored 1 goal and got 1 point means it is now mathematically impossible to finish 6th this season.

Eh? :?

Just being a tad sarky with that last sentence SWS1.

UTS

[TheSwift]

Flo twisted his knee for Vale today. Was apparently stretchered off and will probably not play for Vale again.