Brentford (A) F.A. Cup 3rd round, 9th Jan 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

Here we are at the 3rd round stage of the prestigious F.A. Cup competition, the point at which all the big names join the minnows in the velvet bag. The smaller clubs naturally hope for a match against one of the household names because at the very least it would mean a welcome boost to finances and it is perhaps karma that we should be visiting Brentford, the club that Dean Smith left us for just over a month ago. He has stated that Brentford are "pushing to try and get to the Premier League, and I think that's going to be an impossible thing to do at Walsall. Brentford match my ambitions." It won't be a huge financial windfall for us, but having disposed of two Championship sides in cup-ties already this season we could still make the draw for the 4th round....... :wink:

Brentford are currently 10th in the Championship, 5 points adrift of the play-offs with a goal difference of +2 (37 against 35), so their defence couldn't be described as watertight. Current form is up-and-down, as you might expect from their position:

12 Dec Fulham (A) Championship, Drew 2-2
15 Dec Cardiff City (A) Championship, Lost 3-2
19 Dec Huddersfield Town (H) Championship, Won 4-2
26 Dec Brighton & Hove Albion (H) Championship, Drew 0-0
28 Dec Reading (A) Championship, Won 1-2
2 Jan Birmingham City (A) Championship, Lost 2-1

Although classed as a midfielder, Alan Judge is Brentford's top scorer with 10 goals to his name. A couple of on-loan players to watch out for are Sergi Canos (striker, Liverpool) and John Swift (midfield, Chelsea).

Lots of "ifs" about this game - if Bradshaw and Henry are fully fit, if Sean O'Driscoll doesn't over-tweak a system that has brought so much success for the team so far, if a week's rest has had the desired effect, and if the bad taste of the Rochdale performance has been cleansed, then......who knows? I would be very happy with a smash-and-grab 0-1 result, Bradshaw to score. :D

[coop63]

I've got a feeling our old friend might just over think this one and nullify our threats thereby leaving the game fairly tight..

They have got a few good players but as long as we are over the headache that was Rochdale then I'm going for a tight 1-1 with Milan on the scoresheet...

Can't make it myself but I'm sure the 1600/1700 saddlers will make some serious noise to get the boys going (if they needed it!!)

As long as we don't lose we should be set up well for the trip to Coventry - hopefully another good following there (1k+..)?

UTS

[Soton Saddler]

Tough one this. Brentford clear favourites and we should really go out. Even if SOD mixes things up Dean simply should know enough about us to inflict pain.
That being said this is the romance of the FA cup. 1 - 2 Walsall. Milan and Cook to get the goals. Saddlers roared on!

[layzeedude]

Smith's record at Brentford, W3, D2, L2.

He's got more to lose from this than us so I'm expecting some nerves. If we can get at them early and nick a goal this could be good fun. We're talking about resting key players with Cov on Tues, but while we're at the Ricoh Brentford have top-of-the-table Middlesbrough visiting. Hopefully they'll be far more keen to prove themselves against promotion rivals than little old Walsall. With both teams paying more attention to their Tuesday match than the cup it could be a fairly tame affair.

I'll go for us to nick it 0-1. Cook to score and celebrate by running to the dugout and giving Smith a hug.

UTS

LD

[JonnyOwen]

I'd actually be tempted to drop Sawyers and play the same team we played against Florist with Flanagan replaced with Mantom. Give us extra solidarity to base our counter attacks, which would then be a lot more direct because of the lack of Romaine.

[Leatherman]

Any idea what colour shirts we'll be playing in?

I suppose it depends on whether the Ref thinks there will be a colour clash or not.

Possibly the black ones from next season?

[WFC_Rob]

If Smith had one main weakness (admittedly prior to this season), it was that he tended to focus on stopping the opposition more than he focused on proactively trying to get a result. If that proves to be the case on Saturday, as it may well given that he's got a lot to lose, expect Sawyers to have someone man-marking him for 90 minutes.

Haven't made a prediction yet this season, and don't intend to now either. I just hope Dean Smith's misplaced status as pantomime villain for the afternoon doesn't detract from what could be a very good game to watch.

[Micky Saddler]

I'd actually be tempted to drop Sawyers and play the same team we played against Florist with Flanagan replaced with Mantom. Give us extra solidarity to base our counter attacks, which would then be a lot more direct because of the lack of Romaine.

I want whatever he's having....^ :shock:

[JonnyOwen]

I'd actually be tempted to drop Sawyers and play the same team we played against Florist with Flanagan replaced with Mantom. Give us extra solidarity to base our counter attacks, which would then be a lot more direct because of the lack of Romaine.

I want whatever he's having....^ :shock:

Don't get me wrong, I rate Sawyers as the best player in the squad by a long degree. Even the best player in the league for me.

But personally, in an away match against a championship club with emotions running a little higher than a usual Brentford v Walsall match, swapping a creative midfielder for someone who is a little more defensively sound doesn't seem like such an insane proposition as you're making out. Sawyers is utter class and one thing he does do well is control the game, but in doing that it is evident that our tempo generally slows as a result. At home or away to league 1 opposition thats fine, but for me we may not get the time on the ball tomorrow for him to properly run the show. Which is why I would go for a faster tempo with a counter attacking approach (the same one that opposition teams have used to a large success on Dean Smith Walsall teams).

But I may be completely wrong, and this may be why I am a Uni student and not a football coach! :lol:

[Wragbyred]

I'd actually be tempted to drop Sawyers and play the same team we played against Florist with Flanagan replaced with Mantom. Give us extra solidarity to base our counter attacks, which would then be a lot more direct because of the lack of Romaine.

I want whatever he's having....^ :shock:

Don't get me wrong, I rate Sawyers as the best player in the squad by a long degree. Even the best player in the league for me.

But personally, in an away match against a championship club with emotions running a little higher than a usual Brentford v Walsall match, swapping a creative midfielder for someone who is a little more defensively sound doesn't seem like such an insane proposition as you're making out. Sawyers is utter class and one thing he does do well is control the game, but in doing that it is evident that our tempo generally slows as a result. At home or away to league 1 opposition thats fine, but for me we may not get the time on the ball tomorrow for him to properly run the show. Which is why I would go for a faster tempo with a counter attacking approach (the same one that opposition teams have used to a large success on Dean Smith Walsall teams).

But I may be completely wrong, and this may be why I am a Uni student and not a football coach! :lol:

No, that sounds ok to me Jonny, i think Bonser got the wrong bloke :wink:

[otiswfc]

I'd actually be tempted to drop Sawyers and play the same team we played against Florist with Flanagan replaced with Mantom. Give us extra solidarity to base our counter attacks, which would then be a lot more direct because of the lack of Romaine.

I want whatever he's having....^ :shock:

Don't get me wrong, I rate Sawyers as the best player in the squad by a long degree. Even the best player in the league for me.

But personally, in an away match against a championship club with emotions running a little higher than a usual Brentford v Walsall match, swapping a creative midfielder for someone who is a little more defensively sound doesn't seem like such an insane proposition as you're making out. Sawyers is utter class and one thing he does do well is control the game, but in doing that it is evident that our tempo generally slows as a result. At home or away to league 1 opposition thats fine, but for me we may not get the time on the ball tomorrow for him to properly run the show. Which is why I would go for a faster tempo with a counter attacking approach (the same one that opposition teams have used to a large success on Dean Smith Walsall teams).

But I may be completely wrong, and this may be why I am a Uni student and not a football coach! :lol:

My god if I'd have said that and then explained myself in the same way scott_powell would have been like a bull at a gate with his "thicko"
"idiot" remarks.
Any criticism of Sawyers is not allowed he's defensively excellent and he never slows the pace of the game down he gets stuck in and is superb in front of goal :mrgreen:

I seriously wouldn't drop Sawyers for this game Brentford will rest a few players and Sawyers should be good enough to control the midfield against a championship reserve team,

[JonnyOwen]

I'd actually be tempted to drop Sawyers and play the same team we played against Florist with Flanagan replaced with Mantom. Give us extra solidarity to base our counter attacks, which would then be a lot more direct because of the lack of Romaine.

I want whatever he's having....^ :shock:

Don't get me wrong, I rate Sawyers as the best player in the squad by a long degree. Even the best player in the league for me.

But personally, in an away match against a championship club with emotions running a little higher than a usual Brentford v Walsall match, swapping a creative midfielder for someone who is a little more defensively sound doesn't seem like such an insane proposition as you're making out. Sawyers is utter class and one thing he does do well is control the game, but in doing that it is evident that our tempo generally slows as a result. At home or away to league 1 opposition thats fine, but for me we may not get the time on the ball tomorrow for him to properly run the show. Which is why I would go for a faster tempo with a counter attacking approach (the same one that opposition teams have used to a large success on Dean Smith Walsall teams).

But I may be completely wrong, and this may be why I am a Uni student and not a football coach! :lol:

My god if I'd have said that and then explained myself in the same way scott_powell would have been like a bull at a gate with his "thicko"
"idiot" remarks.
Any criticism of Sawyers is not allowed he's defensively excellent and he never slows the pace of the game down he gets stuck in and is superb in front of goal :mrgreen:

I seriously wouldn't drop Sawyers for this game Brentford will rest a few players and Sawyers should be good enough to control the midfield against a championship reserve team,

Personally, even though I like Deano, I think he's a touch too egotistical to play a weakened team and risk losing to us. He is already making excuses for if they lose to us in the press and even said that championship teams "changed their team to their peril" against us.

I expect a almost full strength side.

[otiswfc]

I'd actually be tempted to drop Sawyers and play the same team we played against Florist with Flanagan replaced with Mantom. Give us extra solidarity to base our counter attacks, which would then be a lot more direct because of the lack of Romaine.

I want whatever he's having....^ :shock:

Don't get me wrong, I rate Sawyers as the best player in the squad by a long degree. Even the best player in the league for me.

But personally, in an away match against a championship club with emotions running a little higher than a usual Brentford v Walsall match, swapping a creative midfielder for someone who is a little more defensively sound doesn't seem like such an insane proposition as you're making out. Sawyers is utter class and one thing he does do well is control the game, but in doing that it is evident that our tempo generally slows as a result. At home or away to league 1 opposition thats fine, but for me we may not get the time on the ball tomorrow for him to properly run the show. Which is why I would go for a faster tempo with a counter attacking approach (the same one that opposition teams have used to a large success on Dean Smith Walsall teams).

But I may be completely wrong, and this may be why I am a Uni student and not a football coach! :lol:

My god if I'd have said that and then explained myself in the same way scott_powell would have been like a bull at a gate with his "thicko"
"idiot" remarks.
Any criticism of Sawyers is not allowed he's defensively excellent and he never slows the pace of the game down he gets stuck in and is superb in front of goal :mrgreen:

I seriously wouldn't drop Sawyers for this game Brentford will rest a few players and Sawyers should be good enough to control the midfield against a championship reserve team,

Personally, even though I like Deano, I think he's a touch too egotistical to play a weakened team and risk losing to us. He is already making excuses for if they lose to us in the press and even said that championship teams "changed their team to their peril" against us.

I expect a almost full strength side.

Possibly I hope they do play a strong team to eradicate at least one excuse Smith will use if we win, I personally expect 4-5 changes they have Middlesbrough in the league next so will have one eye on that, and there you have smiths excuses
"We couldn't cope with the changes walsall are a good side but there was a foul in the build up to their goal but we have a more important game vs boro next :lol:

[mosaddler]

Ginger Murinho ahead of the game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cYbkogbk_o

score draw I reckon

:D

[scott_powell]

0-3 victory to the saddlers

[sallian]

So I can't get an away end ticket on the day now?

[Kevlar]

0-3 victory to the saddlers

...............and Wycombe Wanderers in the next round please.

[chunkster]

think i will give this prediction a miss. to many factors involved 8)

[BathSaddler]

A good performance is the most important thing, whatever the result, to enable us to get back on track for the games coming up at Coventry and Bury.

For the record, a narrow 2-1 defeat, with Sawyers for us, in front of 7-8,000.

[Darth Vader]

So I can't get an away end ticket on the day now?

Sold out a bit ago.

Gutted I'm not there now the day has come, be at the Ricoh Tuesday though to cheer on the boys

[Guest]

OK, Welsh, be careful that you don't mention 'Plan B'. I nearly did, but I think I got away with it. By the way, do we have one? :?

[SaddlerCrewe]

Team :
Etheridge
Kinsella, Downing, O'Connor, Henry
Chambers Mantom Evans
Sawyers Lalkovic
Bradshaw

Subs
MacGillivray, Preston, Taylor, Forde, Flanagan, Morris, Cook

[SaddlerCrewe]

looks like Demetriou is injured, anyone heard anything?

[chestersaddler]

Have they named a strong team?

[NEWPORT SADDLERS DAD]

Does anyone know of a live stream for the game.

[SaddlerCrewe]

Have they named a strong team?

Today's line up is Button, Bidwell, Dean, McEachran, Hofmann, McCormack, Woods, Swift, O'Connell, Yennaris, Canos.

I don't know enough about Brentford to offer an opinion on the strength of their team

[SaddlerCrewe]

Does anyone know of a live stream for the game.

https://www.streamsports.me/60080/footb ... s-walsall/

Not sure whether any of those will work though!

[Bristol Fan]

Team :
Etheridge
Kinsella, Downing, O'Connor, Henry
Chambers Mantom Evans
Sawyers Lalkovic
Bradshaw

Subs
MacGillivray, Preston, Taylor, Forde, Flanagan, Morris, Cook

Looks like a diamond with two strikers again. Hope it's more effective than last week!

[Darth Vader]

Does anyone know of a live stream for the game.

Wondered about that, unsure if anything though?

[saddla]

Should be on here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/35134200