Oldham Athletic (H) League One August 8th 3pm

[tinned]

I was in the ground at 14:10 and the players were doing an intense warm up until the kick off, whereas the Oldham players were doing a light warm up. By the 60 minute mark the players were knackered! its like were playing Extra time every game!! surely the players running there knackers off before the game has started is not needed!?

Especially in the heat of Saturday. Crazy decision!

[Guest]

Just got home, loads of Man Utd fans on the M1...

IMO... The first half we were the better team, but only just and deserved to go in 1-0 up.

The second was almost one way traffic at times. Out played us and out sang us. Nice to see some life in the away end.

Was 1-1 a fair result? Maybe we were lucky.

I loved the one minutes silence (apart from one cock in the Walsall end... why is there always one...)

I loved the Oldham shirt that was place outside the ground at the make shift shrine/memorial, class pure class.

It's going to be a long season.

Well done, Oldham.

[Micky Saddler]

*Oldham fan on their forum*

"Burn looked good, couple vital tackles and 1 VITAL block in the first half where Walsall would have probably gone 2 up.

Main concern in opening 20-30 was defensively on the wings...we looked clueless at times and they seemed to have a spare man wide each time. Needs addressing. Other than that a good performance overall.

Thought Walsall looked a decent side, Their number 10 Sawyers was a class above most of the match. Went past us for fun.


#BLAMESAWYERS

[chestersaddler]

I thought it was a good and pretty even game to watch on a lovely afternoon. The first half was refreshing to see with more purpose and attacking intent than last season. Even Chambers was sighted in the opposing half on several occasions. It certainly wasn't more of the same in my view.

Agreeing with what others have written (in no particular order):

We will concede a lot of goals with that set up;
We should not try to defend a 1-0 lead for 30 minutes with that set up / those players.
Smith should have freshened things up earlier;
Cook was fudge awful;
Goalie was good but a bit Ince like;
Henry is an exciting talent;
Saddlers club was a joke;
They were unlucky not to get a penalty in the first half;
Demitrious will give penalties away for fun if he keeps forgetting that he is playing right back;
O'Connor played well, especially when defending crosses/set pieces.



I would add;

Lalkovic was cack when he came on;
The referee allowed Oldham to employ rough house tactics on Bradshaw by leaving his cards at home;
We wasted numerous opportunities from our free kicks around the box;
Sawyers is class when he wants to be.

Overall, on that evidence I don't see too many problems in staying up, however, anyone that thinks we are going to make a challenge for the play offs should be sectioned.

UTS :D

[Ancient Moaner]

I was in the ground at 14:10 and the players were doing an intense warm up until the kick off, whereas the Oldham players were doing a light warm up. By the 60 minute mark the players were knackered! its like were playing Extra time every game!! surely the players running there knackers off before the game has started is not needed!?

Especially in the heat of Saturday. Crazy decision!

I have made this point for yonks, we always seem knackered after 60 odd minutes, the warm up's are far too intense always!

[MPSADDLER]

A draw at home to Oldham is about as good as it gets this season. Fans had better lower their expectations. Our midfield especially is absolutely atrocious.

Sam Manton is a bone idle waste of space. Why on earth some supporters praise him is beyond me. He plays at 50% work rate tops. He doesn't get box to box and he has no imagination with the ball either. As for Chambers, well he was shot 2 years ago. He only has to cover a ten yard radius on the pitch (I'm sure its written in his contract from his mate ginger) problem is, he can't even do that!

[reedswood sadler]

The post by aldridge saddler short and accurate summing up of game only thing to add showed how much we need another proper striker cooke and lalkovic not good enough.

Was there when oldham fan placed that shirt young lad possibly about joels age shows what proper fans are all about.

[BathSaddler]

I think what alarms me more than Smith etc, is the apathy and resignation in mediocrity that Walsall fans have these days.

What has happened to our club?

Bonser & Dean Smith have diligently contrived to churn out boring lifeless unexciting football that is killing our club with mind numbing nothingness. I was utterly stunned to find 4K turned out for the opening regulation 1-1 draw. With Smith still installing crab like attack free football, that will drop (like we will down the League) to 2K, guaranteed.

2k? Not in a month of Sundays, no matter how bad things get we always have our hardcore 3k

I think closer to 2.5k is more accurate, but certainly more than 2k anyway.

[Leatherman]

Same old mistakes from Smith again.

He is a reactive manager - not proactive. It was blindingly obvious what they were doing in the second half and the goal was inevitable. Then, to change to 1 up front with 5 minutes left AT HOME is just ludicrous.

Our squad is unbalanced and we basically have one striker. Absolutely ridiculous.

The worrying thing, is that when Milan came on up front yesterday, we could not make an attacking change that wouldn't have resulted in a different formation. The decision to take Rico off was also stupid.

I hope he learns. Getting old now.

What is your point here? Seems reasonable enough to hang on for the point in that position when Oldham had the momentum.

Oldham had had the momentum since the 46th minute.

If you were going defensive, wouldn't it have been better to protect a 1-0 lead for 3pts than hang on for one?

[Leatherman]

Could you imagine Bristol City last season or Wolves 2 years ago trying to see out a draw at home with 5 minutes to go? Would they heck as like they would have thrown the kitchen sink at Oldham. That's the winning mentality Smithout does not have.

Yes, That and about £10million quid to spend on wages...

What a complete cop out that is in the context of this discussion. you don't need any money (let alone millions) to install a winning mentality. You could install it in a Sunday pub team. It doesn't mean they have to win every game but they will bloody bust a gut to try to. None of that with Mr Mediocrity, too happy to quietly take the draw and reel off a list of excuses for the lack of points gained.

This, "we should be happy with our lot, and not demand too much" mentality has spread from Uncle Cyprus, down to the board, manager, players and even fans are now toeing the company line.

Er no it's called reality. It saves me from going through life with the emotional development of a toddler. :idea:

let us know when you move from Toddler to the next level. :mrgreen:

[SWS1]

I think what alarms me more than Smith etc, is the apathy and resignation in mediocrity that Walsall fans have these days.

What has happened to our club?

I wonder what happened to the mediocrity, resignation and apathy tonight :?
:mrgreen:
I expect the answers will be:
we only play when it's a cup match (look at our star results over the last few years)
we always beat Forest
one swallow doesn't make a summer

and so on.

Personally, I'm dead chuffed :D

[Exile]

I think what alarms me more than Smith etc, is the apathy and resignation in mediocrity that Walsall fans have these days.

What has happened to our club?

I wonder what happened to the mediocrity, resignation and apathy tonight :?
:mrgreen:
I expect the answers will be:
we only play when it's a cup match (look at our star results over the last few years)
we always beat Forest
one swallow doesn't make a summer

and so on.

Personally, I'm dead chuffed :D

Or tonight.

Expect:
They were rubbish
We only win away
One league win doesn't make a Summer
Smithout
Why can't we play like this at home