Chesterfield (A) League One Mar 28th 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

... with barley any goals scored.

I don't think that this is the place for corny jokes! :D

I think we've bean here before.......

[chestersaddler]

I'm amaized how poor our record is.

[Ancient Moaner]

Whole team need an almighty 'kick up the backside'

Some even now suggesting a rush for a play off position, what planet are such folk actually on?

Back in the real world, we can't score, we are easy to beat, weak and lacking in confidence, and Chesterfield are strong at home.
Don't expect more than about 150 of our lot will be daft enough to make the trip.
2-0 to Chesterfield, one point off the zone come 5 on Saturday.

Crewe winning at Sheffield United are they?

So SoccerHQ, I know nothing about football at all do I!

And your rant above about me saying things that I have NOT actually said, is insulting to someone who has given over 50 years to the club. So, should I wax lyrical about how wonderful the team are playing and how a 'play off' final at Wembley (again) is most certainly 'on the cards'? I do want our/my team to play attacking football, play with inspired confidence and score loads of goals.....but it aint happening is it, or am I missing something ?
I want us to stay in this Division, for clips sake, there are for me, PT, Belgian, Tyldesley et al possibly three 'home' away matches in the form of Blackpool, Wigan and Bury? heading towards us next season!
Sorry I did get my facts wrong above, we only lost 1-0 and are a huge three points off the
zone.

[DonningtonSaddler]

I'm amaized how poor our record is.

I was hoping puns such as these wouldn't crop up.

[SoccerHQ]

Whole team need an almighty 'kick up the backside'

Some even now suggesting a rush for a play off position, what planet are such folk actually on?

Back in the real world, we can't score, we are easy to beat, weak and lacking in confidence, and Chesterfield are strong at home.
Don't expect more than about 150 of our lot will be daft enough to make the trip.
2-0 to Chesterfield, one point off the zone come 5 on Saturday.

Crewe winning at Sheffield United are they?

So SoccerHQ, I know nothing about football at all do I!

And your rant above about me saying things that I have NOT actually said, is insulting to someone who has given over 50 years to the club. So, should I wax lyrical about how wonderful the team are playing and how a 'play off' final at Wembley (again) is most certainly 'on the cards'? I do want our/my team to play attacking football, play with inspired confidence and score loads of goals.....but it aint happening is it, or am I missing something ?
I want us to stay in this Division, for clips sake, there are for me, PT, Belgian, Tyldesley et al possibly three 'home' away matches in the form of Blackpool, Wigan and Bury? heading towards us next season!
Sorry I did get my facts wrong above, we only lost 1-0 and are a huge three points off the
zone.

Yes but it's the whole total amazement when Walsall actually win a game....e.g. there's no chance they'll win at Franchise, Donny, Yeovil etc, it is like Walsall are some non league team who don't have a chance. It's the whole doomonger thing.

I never criticised how long you've criticised Walsall but given your 50 years worse of service surely this season ranks as no better or worse than I dunno 45 of them. Yet apparently this squad are the worst set of bottlers ever.

Things aren't great currently, I'm not denying that but if you're so worried about relegation stick 20 quid on and you're probably got enough there to buy out Bonser.

Oh and Accrington's closer than Blackpool looking at your location. :wink:

[dajw_my_son]

I'm amaized how poor our record is.

I was hoping puns such as these wouldn't crop up.

If Deano is still in his job this Summer, he needs to sort the wheat from the chaff.

[Whitters]

Can't disagree with much that has been posted here but the real problem is at the very top still.

Has anyone seen the "Jack to a King" Swansea story?
Different circumstances as Swansea were only worth a quid at the time but rightly or wrongly, Swansea fans didn't mess around when they wanted change at the top.

[Leatherman]

I'm amaized how poor our record is.

Oat's gone from play-off contenders to relegation fodder I'll never know.

Still, bean here before, hopefully we'll keep up with the assistance of cane.

[Leatherman]

So we sack a man who is trying to take the club forward (admittedly struggling) and replace him with a 64 year old who managed us 30 years ago and is currently the manager of Grimsby Town's under 17's.


I love UTS, it is mental :D

Somebody on here (I think it was on here anyway) said that 'if you always do what you've always done, then you'll always get what you always got' Something like that anyway.

Something has to change and change quickly - we're running out of games.

I believe in what the club are trying to do, I also prefer 'tippy-tappy' football to 'kick and rush' which is what Smith is trying to achieve. But, for various reasons, most of which have been aired on here, it aint working on the pitch, which is the end product we all go to see.

The team doesn't look as though they believe in themselves anymore and without a driving/organising force on the pitch in the shape of a proper captain (A. Chambers is nowhere near good enough in this department) we are going to continue to struggle.

P.S. Division 4 football? No thanks.

[saddlertd]

I find myself agreeing with a lot of what SoccerHQ has posted. The 4-2-3-1 formation isn't working because we haven't got the players to fit the formation. It worked when we had Grigg holding the ball and being supported by Brandy's pace and Pato's skill and creativity. We could hit teams on the break at pace - we can't do that now as, has been pointed out on this thread by a Chesterfield fan, we are so slow to turn defence into attack. Forde and Cook are very average players and Hiwula can't play as a lone striker. The squad is totally unbalanced: we have 4 right-backs and no dominant centre-half. We have very little pace in the team and hardly even score from centre-pieces as we have no physical presence. I blame Dean Smith for this: he wasted what little money we had on inappropriate signings.

It's backs-to-the-wall time now: we have to scrap out 2 wins from somewhere (or more likely 6 0-0 draws!). My team would for the rest of the season would be: O'Donnell; O'Connor,Downing, Chambers J, Taylor; Forde; Mantom; Chambers A, Cain; Sawyers, Bradshaw (or Hiwula).

We need to make ourselves difficult to beat and then perhaps open up later in the game with a couple of attacking subs. If Deano can keep us up then I'd give him another season; if not then Id get rid. One thing's for sure, we need a big clear out in the summer and an influx of better players to sort our glaring weaknesses.

[philthesaddler]

Of course we miss the likes of Pato, Brandy and Grigg - those 3 were brilliant and really made us look good in the 4-5-1/4-2-3-1 formation...BUT, Smith has had nearly 2 years since they left to either a) find similar players to fill the gap or b) change to a formation / style that can be played with the type of players we're more likely to sign.

[philthesaddler]

I am of the opinion Dean Smith will never get us near the top 6, which I believe should be our realistic target. He might even get us embroiled in a late season relegation battle if we get a few injuries thanks to his policy of building and maintaining a squad containing 8 full backs and just 2 strikers.

Prophetic.

[philthesaddler]

Whereas, on the other hand:

A relegation fight what the hell are you drinking?

Just goes to show who knows their stuff!

[Walsallone]

Phil...how wonderful it is to be proved right.....but then again you have said the same thing so often you are bound to be right once!
More seriously you recall the Grigg,Brandy,Paterson time but I remember at least 2 of those players being slated week after week on here. Also 2 of those players were our own..they came through our Youth team. Remind me Phil who on another thread was bemoaning the fact that our current squad contains former youth team players!!! See Phil even you cannot be right all the time!!

[Ancient Moaner]

Whole team need an almighty 'kick up the backside'

Some even now suggesting a rush for a play off position, what planet are such folk actually on?

Back in the real world, we can't score, we are easy to beat, weak and lacking in confidence, and Chesterfield are strong at home.
Don't expect more than about 150 of our lot will be daft enough to make the trip.
2-0 to Chesterfield, one point off the zone come 5 on Saturday.

Crewe winning at Sheffield United are they?

So SoccerHQ, I know nothing about football at all do I!

And your rant above about me saying things that I have NOT actually said, is insulting to someone who has given over 50 years to the club. So, should I wax lyrical about how wonderful the team are playing and how a 'play off' final at Wembley (again) is most certainly 'on the cards'? I do want our/my team to play attacking football, play with inspired confidence and score loads of goals.....but it aint happening is it, or am I missing something ?
I want us to stay in this Division, for clips sake, there are for me, PT, Belgian, Tyldesley et al possibly three 'home' away matches in the form of Blackpool, Wigan and Bury? heading towards us next season!
Sorry I did get my facts wrong above, we only lost 1-0 and are a huge three points off the
zone.

Yes but it's the whole total amazement when Walsall actually win a game....e.g. there's no chance they'll win at Franchise, Donny, Yeovil etc, it is like Walsall are some non league team who don't have a chance. It's the whole doomonger thing.

I never criticised how long you've criticised Walsall but given your 50 years worse of service surely this season ranks as no better or worse than I dunno 45 of them. Yet apparently this squad are the worst set of bottlers ever.

Things aren't great currently, I'm not denying that but if you're so worried about relegation stick 20 quid on and you're probably got enough there to buy out Bonser.

Oh and Accrington's closer than Blackpool looking at your location. :wink:

I do go to quite a few Walsall matches, and do you know, the last time I saw them win was LAST SEASON! So no, I'm not overly impressed with a very lucky fluke win at Yeovil, and a win at Franchise when 'they' deffo had an off day! I'll admit that beating Donny WAS a good win (AND this season I didn't go! probably the first time in years, a regular match for me when I lived in Yorks)

I love it when we win.....when was the last time? was it Rochdale at home?
I am worried about relegation, sure, and the way we are 'playing' (haha) I can't see where the points
are going to come from. Watch us stay up by beating Brizzle on their celebration day! that's what it's like following Worsul aye it! :) :)

I hate gewin to Accrington, the last game there, I forgot where my car was, and got completely lost in the maize of back streets around their minute ground (see they only achieved 1200 odd at their last home match), so that shows what a daft old sod I really am. I love my team, it breaks my heart seeing them playing so piss poor. Looking forward to us playing Blackpool, the wife loves that day out, just to prove what a hole it is!! :lol: :lol: (the used condom capital of Europe). So come on me babbies lets see some fight from you, don't just give up without so much as a whimper!!

[philthesaddler]

It was obvious that the team was riding it's luck a lot - and luck doesn't last, sooner or later you get found out.

The 2nd comment just goes to show the blind faith and fickle nature of fans like big dave, who's views aren't formed by actually looking at whats happening and analysing it, but just looking at the final score.

[TheGilbertAlsop]

Whole team need an almighty 'kick up the backside'

Some even now suggesting a rush for a play off position, what planet are such folk actually on?

Back in the real world, we can't score, we are easy to beat, weak and lacking in confidence, and Chesterfield are strong at home.
Don't expect more than about 150 of our lot will be daft enough to make the trip.
2-0 to Chesterfield, one point off the zone come 5 on Saturday.

Crewe winning at Sheffield United are they?

So SoccerHQ, I know nothing about football at all do I!

And your rant above about me saying things that I have NOT actually said, is insulting to someone who has given over 50 years to the club. So, should I wax lyrical about how wonderful the team are playing and how a 'play off' final at Wembley (again) is most certainly 'on the cards'? I do want our/my team to play attacking football, play with inspired confidence and score loads of goals.....but it aint happening is it, or am I missing something ?
I want us to stay in this Division, for clips sake, there are for me, PT, Belgian, Tyldesley et al possibly three 'home' away matches in the form of Blackpool, Wigan and Bury? heading towards us next season!
Sorry I did get my facts wrong above, we only lost 1-0 and are a huge three points off the
zone.

Yes but it's the whole total amazement when Walsall actually win a game....e.g. there's no chance they'll win at Franchise, Donny, Yeovil etc, it is like Walsall are some non league team who don't have a chance. It's the whole doomonger thing.

I never criticised how long you've criticised Walsall but given your 50 years worse of service surely this season ranks as no better or worse than I dunno 45 of them. Yet apparently this squad are the worst set of bottlers ever.

Things aren't great currently, I'm not denying that but if you're so worried about relegation stick 20 quid on and you're probably got enough there to buy out Bonser.

Oh and Accrington's closer than Blackpool looking at your location. :wink:

I do go to quite a few Walsall matches, and do you know, the last time I saw them win was LAST SEASON! So no, I'm not overly impressed with a very lucky fluke win at Yeovil, and a win at Franchise when 'they' deffo had an off day! I'll admit that beating Donny WAS a good win (AND this season I didn't go! probably the first time in years, a regular match for me when I lived in Yorks)

I love it when we win.....when was the last time? was it Rochdale at home?
I am worried about relegation, sure, and the way we are 'playing' (haha) I can't see where the points
are going to come from. Watch us stay up by beating Brizzle on their celebration day! that's what it's like following Worsul aye it! :) :)

I hate gewin to Accrington, the last game there, I forgot where my car was, and got completely lost in the maize of back streets around their minute ground (see they only achieved 1200 odd at their last home match), so that shows what a daft old sod I really am. I love my team, it breaks my heart seeing them playing so piss poor. Looking forward to us playing Blackpool, the wife loves that day out, just to prove what a hole it is!! :lol: :lol: (the used condom capital of Europe). So come on me babbies lets see some fight from you, don't just give up without so much as a whimper!!

Was the use of 'maize' deliberate?

[Ancient Moaner]

Was the use of 'maize' deliberate?

I may be an old bugga, but I was once an intelligent bloke!

[Sadders]

I still don't change my mind on the Westcarr issue, just to reference further back in the thread. I'm glad Smith got rid and replaced him with a better, younger, proper number 9 in Bradshaw who has scored the same amount of goals Westcarr has, earlier in the season, despite being injured for a lot of it. Have we missed him AT ALL. Possibly in terms of 'squad', but that's more down to Smith's lack of replacement or faith in Sawyers who hasn't quite performed as well as we would have hoped all season. Let's not forget we are talking about a 29 year old League 2 reserve player (he is now, he was when we nicked him from Chesterfield). Westcarr is probably one of Smith's best pieces of individual motivation and milking a knackered cow.

Should Westcarr have stunted Sawyers potential? No. Should we have broke the bank to sign a 29 year old with attitude problems who was another who didn't show the proper attitude and experience of a player who is peaking/past peak. Should Smith have kept him as a 9? No, we all sat and moaned because he wasn't natural in that position. Did Westcarr do well here? Yes, statistically he overachieved. Do we miss him? If at all, it's neglible.

Butler is far, far, far more of a loss to us. Just his attitude and style of play added to the team as a unit, nevermind everything else he bought. It's no coincidence that Taylor has looked fragile at times this season, from the second he had a bad half or game, he has no leader to kick him into action. We naturally defend 20 yards deeper because we have nobody to dominate opposition centre forwards and win 99% of headers to push us back into a midfield battle. We concede from set pieces, corners and crosses when Butler would have swept them out. See the last 3 goals we have conceded as pure examples. We look like 11 skinny, weak, unmotivated little dweebs running around the pitch at the moment. Voiceless, emotionless, spirit-less and lacking a backbone. I'm sorry, but in my opinion, to compare the loss of Westcarr and Butler as if they are remotely similar in any way whatsoever only compounds the 'clueless' comment I referenced earlier in this thread.

By the way, our support got it's own special thread on Football Forums this week....http://www.footballforums.net/showthrea ... Fans...the Donny fans were impressed a few weeks ago too.

[SWS1]

Can't disagree with much that has been posted here but the real problem is at the very top still.

Has anyone seen the "Jack to a King" Swansea story?
Different circumstances as Swansea were only worth a quid at the time but rightly or wrongly, Swansea fans didn't mess around when they wanted change at the top.

The great advantage Swansea had and have is a lack of competition for fans.Swansea and district is at least as populous as Walsall and, aside from a decent rugby team at the time and Cardiff 40 miles away, there is no real competition for fans. And the fans (the Jacks) are pretty loyal, too; they've put up with quite a lot of guano over the years. (OK, not so much as Gurroles, but who has?). Crowds here have been better than at Walsall, even in the dark days. Not quite a sleeping giant but propitious circumstances, none the less.
Probably by luck, a damn good directorship took over and by skill or fortune (the latter, probably as it's always a gamble) appointed a series of good managers over the years, starting with Bryan Flynn, then onto our own (well, he did play for us) Roberto Martinez. I'd love us to be similar to Swansea in terms of success (who wouldn't) but Walsall getting to Wembley again and winning is probably more likely! Here endeth the lesson.
Oh, by the way, if you did see From a Jack to a King, you would've seen me - or just failed to see me! I was at the Hull game with my neighbour and I appear in the crowd in my light blue anorak at the extreme right of the screen for about 2 seconds. The film company paid me £50 appearance money.
















Only kidding :mrgreen: . Did you believe it just for a split second? I was there, in the film, though.