Crewe Alexandra (A) League One, 13th Feb, 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

"The next game is a huge one for us" is a phrase too often used in football, but this particular season in our case even a visit to Crewe really does qualify for that description. Our need to maintain an automatic promotion place by winning games is mirrored by Crewe's need to win games and pull away from the relegation zone they currently occupy. The railwaymen's home League One record this season is worse than our home form, but is massively hit and miss - although 8 games have been lost, they still managed to win against Rochdale last week 2-0, beat Sheffield Utd 1-0 at the end of October, and hold Wigan Athletic to a draw last month. Yet also last month saw a 0-5 home defeat against Coventry City. A bit like ourselves, it depends which team turns up on the day! Crewe's recent League One form:

2 Jan Coventry City (H) Lost 0-5
16 Jan Swindon Town (A) Lost 4-3
23 Jan Wigan Athletic (H) Drew 1-1
26 Jan Bury (A) Drew 0-0
30 Jan Millwall (A) Drew 0-0
6 Feb Rochdale (H) Won 2-0

Midfielder Brad Inman (No. 10) is Crewe's leading scorer with 8 League One goals, and it's worth noting that in 29 League One games Crewe have only managed to score 30 goals (which is the same number we've conceded!!). Make of that what you will...

Our away form is well known - only 1 defeat in League One on our travels (the game I went to at Swindon :evil: ), so you would think 3 points was almost a "given"......but remember what Crewe's result against Rochdale was last week and contrast that with our home performance against the same team :? .

Latest reports suggest that Neil Etheridge is in line to return to the team, as his knee (gash) injury isn't as bad as the one he suffered last October. By all accounts Liam Roberts acquitted himself well against Millwall, but any disruption of a settled team is bound to have effects on the field of play. I've heard nothing about Craig MacGillivray's training ground shoulder injury.

Other changes? I would think that Bryn Morris might well be given a start (I presume that Middlesbrough would be happier if he was getting some action rather than warming the bench), and it's possible that Rico Henry could revert to his natural position as left-back if Andy Taylor was rested. Tom Bradshaw limped off in the 50th minute last Saturday, so his return could be questionable - Milan Lalkovic must be straining at the leash to be given a full game......we will see what Sean decides.

Prediction time..... We have to come away with 3 points, if for no other reason than our rivals seem to have relatively easy games this weekend (Burton at home to Chesterfield, Wigan at home to Oldham, Gillingham at home to Barnsley, Coventry at home to Bury - you get the picture). So.... it has to be a 0-2 away win, with Lalkovic and Forde netting.

[scott_powell]

Must win game so i'll go for 1-0 to CrWho :D

[Mazza01]

Once again we run into a team that seem to be picking up form Crewe (unbeaten in 4) not bad considering they have been shocking for the majority of the season.

Have a nasty feeling about this 2-1 Crewe.

[NEWPORT SADDLERS DAD]

Burton play Friday night.

2-0 win for us a bounce back needed.

[Big Dave wfc]

peed off I cant make this one! anything else but 3 points is not good enough, we should steam roller this lot if we put a performance like forest away in, but this is Walsall fc and we do things hard.

going for a positive 2-0 win with sawyers who is well over due and mantom.

etheridge
demetriou
oconnor
downing
henry
forde
lalkovic
mantom
chambers
sawyers
bradshaw

that would be my line up, and I wouldn't be to sure about gills beating Barnsley welsh, they are probably the form team in the division behind wigan!

[coop63]

peed off I cant make this one! anything else but 3 points is not good enough, we should steam roller this lot if we put a performance like forest away in, but this is Walsall fc and we do things hard.

going for a positive 2-0 win with sawyers who is well over due and mantom.

etheridge
demetriou
oconnor
downing
henry
forde
lalkovic
mantom
chambers
sawyers
bradshaw

that would be my line up, and I wouldn't be to sure about gills beating Barnsley welsh, they are probably the form team in the division behind wigan!

Like your line up big Dave and seriously hope Mr O'Driscoll does too :mrgreen:

Your comment regarding Barnsley is somewhat understated - they are by a country mile the form team in the division and I certainly wouldn't want to be playing them at the minute! :shock:

UTS

[coop63]

I'm never confident when we play our friends from croo... They have a habit of putting in performances against us so I hope my usual insecurities are banished with a decent result

I'll go for a 1-2 with Bradshaw bagging them both :mrgreen:

UTS

[belgiansaddler]

Doing my bit for the elderly and infirm and going with ancient moaner to this one. :D :D

We need to win. But knowing Walsall anything could happen.

[Sadders]

Well I was hoping that SOD might play our best team, in their best positions.

No such luck according to this.

http://www.saddlers.co.uk/news/article/ ... 49063.aspx

:roll: :shock:

Stupidity.

[scott_powell]

Well I was hoping that SOD might play our best team, in their best positions.

No such luck according to this.

http://www.saddlers.co.uk/news/article/ ... 49063.aspx

:roll: :shock:

Stupidity.

I think Rico is effective in both positions. The issue is Taylor.

For the team Rico needs to play at left back.

[aaaae]

I think it is clear that Rico is much more effective at left back making his runs from deep. Receiving the ball with his back to goal he is nowhere near as effective.

[Ancient Moaner]

Coming down by train for this one with my good mate Belgian, he thinks I may be getting a bit old and infirm to be driving at my advancing years!! :lol: :lol:
Disappointed by SOD's decision that Rico should be a midfield/winger, he ain't, he's GREAT attacking full back. Recent subdued performances have proved that he ain't happy in the former role. Milan, Morris & Morris mark 2 on the bench again? We should be attacking lower League opposition, and blasting them out of the window!
3-0 it should be, 1-1 it is then.

[reedswood sadler]

A game we should and really need to win, with our form not to good since turn of the year and crewe a bit of a bogey side could end up a tight game instead of the easy game we would expect.
Lalkovic must start and henry at left back where he is best not as an average winger.Hope SOD is not going to ruin his career as smith did to benning.
Going for 1-1 hope I'm wrong and we win.

[Barren Flak]

Been a good while since I've witnesses a win for us at Crewe. Think this will be third - hopefully lucky - time watching from the crappy shed-like side stand. I miss the paving slabbed away terrace. Apart from when they 'Naylored' us in the play-offs a good few years ago.

Walsall win, on points.

[SoccerHQ]

Yeah I agree this is must win otherwise they'll be big pressure to get 4 points from Wigan and Burton games.

1-2.

[funk_hits_the_fan]

Traditionally one of the most enjoyable away days for me. First time going back there in years, for some reason feeling confident....

Comfortable 2-0

[BathSaddler]

A 2-2 draw. Crewe are improving and we concede far too many goals.

[sallian]

I think it is clear that Rico is much more effective at left back making his runs from deep. Receiving the ball with his back to goal he is nowhere near as effective.

true, also maybe too far forward to catch a fast opposition forward breaking....so bad from both angles

[sallian]

If Henry is preferred over Lalkovic again....I expect another loss

0-1 or 1-2

[Ancient Moaner]

Burton win AGAIN, now we have to win tomorrow to at least keep in touch, if we don't and Wigan win again............

[otiswfc]

Burton win AGAIN, now we have to win tomorrow to at least keep in touch, if we don't and Wigan win again............

You will have something else to moan about :wink:

[chunkster]

someone on here keeps saying that we owe someone a thrashing. so i am going for this game. 0-4 crewe have a good footballing philosophy. and if they play football instead of hooooooooooooooooof ball then we will win :wink:

[sallian]

Burton win AGAIN, now we have to win tomorrow to at least keep in touch, if we don't and Wigan win again............

SOD has said "No one will run away with this division" I think he is wrong, Burton probably will run away with it now they have established a lead and we are looking weaker and weaker....and I think they will beat us too.

Clough transition has been more successful than the O'Driscoll transition....I have more confidence in CLough to play to Burton's strengths and not do odd self defeating things like leaving out your most dangerous players in favour of developing teenagers.

[Ancient Moaner]

Burton win AGAIN, now we have to win tomorrow to at least keep in touch, if we don't and Wigan win again............

SOD has said "No one will run away with this division" I think he is wrong, Burton probably will run away with it now they have established a lead and we are looking weaker and weaker....and I think they will beat us too.

Clough transition has been more successful than the O'Driscoll transition....I have more confidence in CLough to play to Burton's strengths and not do odd self defeating things like leaving out your most dangerous players in favour of developing teenagers.

Now don't you go talking sense and reality, or the pitchfork and burning torch brigade will be after you! :mrgreen:

[Ancient Moaner]

Burton win AGAIN, now we have to win tomorrow to at least keep in touch, if we don't and Wigan win again............[/quoteYou will have something else to moan ]
about :wink:

Stranger things have happened my friend, yesterday I agreed with a Sound-Out post! The men in white coats are giving me some strange looking pills just now.............

[ObiWan7]

Once again stuck behind a desk at HMP , So i'll be following this via , BBC, Saddlers Wall and this site (Plenty of updates please guys , hint hint)

Last weeks debacle at Millwall aside we've been doing OK and the dream of promtion is still very much alive . However we really need a clean sheet and a win today , three points without a clean sheet would do tbh.

Hopefully Etheridge will be back between the sticks and i expect a comforatble win by at least a couple of goals. I expect about 1000 of our boys(And girls of course) to make the short trip for what will hopefully be over by half time.

Crewe 0
Saddlers 3(Tom 2 and Henry)

Keep the faith, Obi :D

[Welsh_Saddler]

Once again stuck behind a desk at HMP , So i'll be following this via , BBC, Saddlers Wall and this site (Plenty of updates please guys , hint hint)

PINNACLE please note........... :mrgreen:

[chestersaddler]

Once again stuck behind a desk at HMP , So i'll be following this via , BBC, Saddlers Wall and this site (Plenty of updates please guys , hint hint)

PINNACLE please note........... :mrgreen:

I will be looking out for them as well Welsh ta very much. In Cardiff on the sauce for the rugbeee so write in big letters please :wink:

[THE_BURNING_RED]

The white coats are patrolling crewe station

[Welsh_Saddler]

Starting line-up against Crewe Alexandra:

Etheridge

Demetriou
Preston
Downing
Taylor

Chambers
Lalkovic
Mantom
Sawyers

Forde
Bradshaw

Substitutes: Roberts, Henry, Flanagan, Morris, Morris, Kinsella, Cook

Don't know what's happened to O'Connor........ :?

Also, can't see Middlesbrough being too happy about a loan player not getting match time!!