Yeovil Town (H) EFL Cup, Tues 9th August 7.45pm

[swampysaddler]

A blessing? Really? I know a few Blues fans and I'm certain they are not feeling blessed tonight to be dumped out of a competition they won not that long ago by a league 1 side.

Well Blues obviously took tonight seriously..............6 changes from Saturday !!

[m&m]

Don't think their fans will see it that way.

[geoffwhiting]

The Dingles are holding mighty Crawley Town 1-1 after 13 minutes..... :D

Well that premature pee-take sure came a cropper tonight Welsh, after WE ducked out 2-0 to our less-illustrious opponents! :D

[Optimistic]

Now this is where I get confused.

We lose one game and all the Doom Merchants amongst us straight away come crawling out with tales of woe, relegation and reasons why the team last year was better.

The king of them all AM, even states that the 'Happy Clappers will soon be along with reasons why things will get better.

Get real, we lost one game, a cup game,our stand out keeper got lobbed from inside the yeovil half and our team are still getting to know each other. These Doom Merchants are the same ones who complained about Smith, complained about the style of play and complained for 2 or 3 years about the players we were recruiting. Now as soon as the players have gone they were the best thing since sliced bread and we have replaced them with lesser mortals.

So my question is this, who are the real 'happy clappers', The ones who are enthusiastic to see us succeed or the ones who are enthusiastic about us failing because the latter ones are rushing out already.

[Exile]

Can't have a cup run every year!

[Harry]

How many times did our defenders launch long passes to little Simeon Jackson's head? Twenty, thirty, forty? I lost count. How many times did we win possession from a long high pass to Jackson? You could count the number of times this tactic worked on the fingers of one finger.

If we are going to play Jackson as a lone striker we are going to have to find some other way of getting the ball to him rather than just pumping long high passes which he never touches. How long will it take John Whitney to work this out?

Last season we had Romaine Sawyers, who was exceptionally gifted and could find a lone forward or a winger with a great pass from midfield. I had hopes that Oztumer might be able to do this from to time, but last night showed that he cannot. Without a number ten who can put his foot on the ball and find a defence-splitting pass we are going to have to change tactics.

[scott_powell]

fudge me some of you are fickle.

[Well-bRed]

Etheridge a liabilty :lol: :lol: :lol:

Let's just ignore the double save saturday, and the save in the 2nd half to keep it at 0-0 :roll:

He is a liability!
Yes he pulls off some tremendous saves but always does something to make you think he's not got a lot between his ears such as taking on centre forwards when he has a simple pass on (he did it again Saturday and thankfully just about got away with it) and taking selfies in North Korea....

[SoccerHQ]

As someone mentioned earlier there always seems to be something depressing about playing Yeovil at home in midweeks...let's remember Smith had some poor results at home to them aswell.

Result didn't shock me...team going from playing on a warm Saturday with a reasonably full Bescot to playing infront of one man and his dog on a cool midweek.

It happens. Don't think people should be going OTT too much, let's see what the rest of the month brings. Oldham, Chesterfield and Bury are all winnable games as think all three will be bottom half this season. Charlton is the hard test but they've started this season poorly so might take a while to click.

[Micky Saddler]

I have never been a doom merchant or hater of any kind (would actually consider myself a happy clapper :roll: )

But something is missing, after the dons game I thought we were lucky and if we were up against the better sides could have been on the end of a good hiding.

Positives - Jackson worked his absolute nads off and was unlucky not to score, Baka another good cameo bar o.g, Morris and Rico worked hard and Edwards had a better game than on Saturday IMO

Negatives - Etheridge (while he is a great shot stopper) HAS to have at least 1 shaky moment per match reminds me of a nutter at times, McCarthy I struggle to see what he has done both on Saturday and last night, about 5% of his downing'esque passes pulled off over the two games, Oztumer (while he was excellent on Saturday) wasn't in the game AT ALL first half, I think he made maybe 1 or two passes? If that is the case again and he is man marked out over the next few games we could be in a lot of trouble creatively. Ginnelly, while he is young and enthusiastic he just didnt bring anything to the fold - hope that changes.

I hope Whits realises longball when you are playing a 4-2-3-1 just doesn't work, Jackson was up against it all game and credit to him for winning a few of them and creating something, we are not used to the football played over the last two games, we play out from the back on the floor so why has it changed so dramatically?

I brought a friend with me who hasn't been since the Southend game last season, he said it looks as though there are holes all over the pitch and "how long has it been since this hoofball rubbish"

I am still enthusiastic but what I watched last night was probably the worst performance I've seen down the Bescot in a good couple of years.
Hope we can kick on.

[Ancient Moaner]

Poor result - but couldn't care less about the competition tbh. Enjoyed last years run I guess but where did it get us really - not fussed at all.

Normal overreaction on here I see! Some things never change.

I really do hope a lot of AM's posts are 'tongue in cheek' as some of his allies profess them to be but I do have my doubts.

I'd have to be slitting my wrists if what I say on here was not 'tongue in cheek'!
When you have watched Walsall teams for 55+ years, reactions do tend towards sarcastic! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Ancient Moaner]

That's more like it. Just what supporting gurrole Worsul is all about.
All that almost constantly winning games last season was rubbish for the veterans amongst us.
Worsul let you down, lose games they should win and play rubbish, that's more like it.
Back to normal, another disappointing season drifting between mid table and the relegation zone, getting knocked out of cup competitions at the first hurdle. It's like old times again.
On to Oldham, another defeat and 'play the game' happy clappers promising that things will improve. love it. :cry:

Rubbish.
I was in the laptop place the other day and overheard Whitney saying he'd been asked by JB to boycott the game by losing it.
I couldn't quite catch why there was a boycott by the club but it might have been a protest against kick-offs now being allowed to be taken backwards.
A traditional club like ours don't like changes.

Sorry Whitters I'm getting carried away with too much reality.
By the way, what is a laptop? Is that something to do with half naked ladies prancing around a pole? If it is, I'm off to one of those shops tootsweet! :D :D

[Walsallone]

very disappointing performance and result however the team was clearly experimental and very young. We had 2 players (Ginnelly and Dobson) making their debuts and we lacked co ordination. I doubt we will see that line up again this season. Its a pity we have to use such games as experiments but the turnover of players has made that a necessity. I think every senior member of our first team squad has now had a run out and I expect that JW has learn't a lot.
A win at Oldham on Saturday will mean this match will soon be forgotten.
finally one or two plus points:
The form of Bakayoko and Jackson looks very promising.
Makris could have scored with his first touch and will be very useful when match fit.
I like Edwards and thought Dobson improved as the match went on.

The big task that JW has is weld this bunch of talented individuals into a team...I think it will take some time on the evidence of last night.

[The Bosted Slab]

I have never been a doom merchant or hater of any kind (would actually consider myself a happy clapper :roll: )

But something is missing, after the dons game I thought we were lucky and if we were up against the better sides could have been on the end of a good hiding.

Positives - Jackson worked his absolute nads off and was unlucky not to score, Baka another good cameo bar o.g, Morris and Rico worked hard and Edwards had a better game than on Saturday IMO

Negatives - Etheridge (while he is a great shot stopper) HAS to have at least 1 shaky moment per match reminds me of a nutter at times, McCarthy I struggle to see what he has done both on Saturday and last night, about 5% of his downing'esque passes pulled off over the two games, Oztumer (while he was excellent on Saturday) wasn't in the game AT ALL first half, I think he made maybe 1 or two passes? If that is the case again and he is man marked out over the next few games we could be in a lot of trouble creatively. Ginnelly, while he is young and enthusiastic he just didnt bring anything to the fold - hope that changes.

I hope Whits realises longball when you are playing a 4-2-3-1 just doesn't work, Jackson was up against it all game and credit to him for winning a few of them and creating something, we are not used to the football played over the last two games, we play out from the back on the floor so why has it changed so dramatically?

I brought a friend with me who hasn't been since the Southend game last season, he said it looks as though there are holes all over the pitch and "how long has it been since this hoofball rubbish"

I am still enthusiastic but what I watched last night was probably the worst performance I've seen down the Bescot in a good couple of years.
Hope we can kick on.

That's pretty much the way I saw it.

We lacked quality (on that performance) in virtually every position on the field and were comprehensively outplayed, out-muscled (in a fair way) and out thought by a Yeovil team that played quite well from start to finish. They thoroughly earned their win, albeit with huge assistance from us in terms of the goals.

Tahvon Campbell looked from more dangerous wide left than Ginnelly did on that showing.

Tom Eaves, in spite of his height, showed great control and composure up front for them and caused us a lot of problems.

From my angle of the tackle it looked like Preston was very fortunate to escape a second yellow.

There's little evidence of the new streak of added steel to our team, unless that was it?

My disappointment of our performance was tempered by the impression that Yeovil played good football.

[sid swifty]

The problem is, people's expectations, admittedly built up by Whitney's incessant talking,and fans determination to prove that they won't miss either Smith or the players who were falling over themselves to leave the club at the end of last season.I think Whitney is like Marmite, players either like him and are inspired by him,or are turned off by his Turbo style of enthusiasm. Fans should treat the team like a new business,just starting up,it will probably take 10-15 matches to get the right formation,fitness and Team spirit.

[SaddlerSteve]

Can't have a cup run every year!

I'd rather we had a cup run in the FA Cup and concentrated on the league.

The EFL Cup and EFL Trophy can do one! :D

[SaddlerSteve]

Last season we had Romaine Sawyers, who was exceptionally gifted and could find a lone forward or a winger with a great pass from midfield. I had hopes that Oztumer might be able to do this from to time, but last night showed that he cannot. Without a number ten who can put his foot on the ball and find a defence-splitting pass we are going to have to change tactics.

Would this be the same Oztumer that scored a 25 yard freekick and then his next freekick floated into the box causing chaos where Jackson picked up the scraps at the weekend?
Him and Cuvelier made more penetrating attacking runs with the ball on Saturday than Sawyers had done for a long time!

[SaddlerSteve]

fudge me some of you are fickle.

"Like" :mrgreen:

[Ancient Moaner]

Last season we had Romaine Sawyers, who was exceptionally gifted and could find a lone forward or a winger with a great pass from midfield. I had hopes that Oztumer might be able to do this from to time, but last night showed that he cannot. Without a number ten who can put his foot on the ball and find a defence-splitting pass we are going to have to change tactics.

Would this be the same Oztumer that scored a 25 yard freekick and then his next freekick floated into the box causing chaos where Jackson picked up the scraps at the weekend?
Him and Cuvelier made more had[b]penetrating attacking runs with the ball on Saturday than Sawyers [/b] done for a long time!

Sorry, my friend you cannot put these words into the same sentence!! only if you finish with "and then give the ball away" :oops: :oops:
How dare I utter such blasphemy! The 'Sawyers was a great player' types will be after me with boiling tar! :mrgreen:

[chunkster]

I know some of us can get carried away with a couple of bad results. But if you look at the squad members there are some pretty good footballers. Plus as Sid said Whitney talks a good one and you get carried away with his enthusiasm. And you can say that yes it is a new team and they will take time to gel. But it's only a football game. The object being to string a few good passes together that may result in either a goal or an effort. It's not rocket science. I would think that the gelling bit would be getting to know each other OFF the pitch and forming a commeradere like the team had last season.

[Harry]

Last season we had Romaine Sawyers, who was exceptionally gifted and could find a lone forward or a winger with a great pass from midfield. I had hopes that Oztumer might be able to do this from to time, but last night showed that he cannot. Without a number ten who can put his foot on the ball and find a defence-splitting pass we are going to have to change tactics.

Would this be the same Oztumer that scored a 25 yard freekick and then his next freekick floated into the box causing chaos where Jackson picked up the scraps at the weekend?
Him and Cuvelier made more penetrating attacking runs with the ball on Saturday than Sawyers had done for a long time!

I was not discussing Oztumer's use of the dead ball. I was comparing his ability, with that of Sawyers, at creating opportunities for our forwards when the ball is in open play. For all the "penetrating runs" from Oztumer and others on Saturday how many chances they create? The first two goals came from dead balls, the third came after a good move from Osbourne and Bakayoko. The number of actual chances created from midfield over the 210 minutes of our season so far is very disappointing, considering the level of opposition.

Perhaps I have been too harsh to judge after just two performances but my initial impression is that if we try to play the same sort of football with Oztumer as number ten that we did with Sawyers in that position then we will have a dreadful season. Sawyers was in a different class.

Whitney will have to work out a new set of tactics for a team that does not have Sawyers, rather than think he can simply stick Oztumer into that position and carry on as we played last season.

[Well-bRed]

Last season we had Romaine Sawyers, who was exceptionally gifted and could find a lone forward or a winger with a great pass from midfield. I had hopes that Oztumer might be able to do this from to time, but last night showed that he cannot. Without a number ten who can put his foot on the ball and find a defence-splitting pass we are going to have to change tactics.

Would this be the same Oztumer that scored a 25 yard freekick and then his next freekick floated into the box causing chaos where Jackson picked up the scraps at the weekend?
Him and Cuvelier made more penetrating attacking runs with the ball on Saturday than Sawyers had done for a long time!

I was not discussing Oztumer's use of the dead ball. I was comparing his ability, with that of Sawyers, at creating opportunities for our forwards when the ball is in open play. For all the "penetrating runs" from Oztumer and others on Saturday how many chances they create? The first two goals came from dead balls, the third came after a good move from Osbourne and Bakayoko. The number of actual chances created from midfield over the 210 minutes of our season so far is very disappointing, considering the level of opposition.

Perhaps I have been too harsh to judge after just two performances but my initial impression is that if we try to play the same sort of football with Oztumer as number ten that we did with Sawyers in that position then we will have a dreadful season. Sawyers was in a different class.

Whitney will have to work out a new set of tactics for a team that does not have Sawyers, rather than think he can simply stick Oztumer into that position and carry on as we played last season.

I too think Sawyers is different class but before you write our new number 10 off can I direct you towards YouTube and the 4 min 56 second video entitled "Erhun Oztumer -The Turkish Messi" and marvel at some of his throughballs...
If you still think he can't pick a pass out in open play, we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

[Guest]

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/10530271/dolan-scores-from-60-yards

[Well-bRed]

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/10530271/dolan-scores-from-60-yards

15 seconds from when Etheridge took the free kick to the ball crossing the line!
Hmmm....

[tinned]

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/10530271/dolan-scores-from-60-yards

15 seconds from when Etheridge took the free kick to the ball crossing the line!
Hmmm....

He's obviously as quick getting back on his line a he is taking a goal kick.

[SWS1]

:(

[PT]

Etheridge is a great keeper. His slight eccentricity has come close to costing us in the past and it happened last night. I'd take him just the way he is though.

Fair play to the Yeovil lad and their fans.

[Ancient Moaner]

Well said there Tinned!! Sums the guy up totally, what a frustrating goalie!
Seems to take even longer to get rid of the ball when we are losing, you could tear your hair out!

Very short clip, but our 'players' seem all over the place when the ball comes upfield, sort of reminds me of a schoolkids game. Hope Whitney sorts it all out before Saturday, another game like last seasons miserable effort would not be welcomed, particularly in the August freezing conditions.

[SWS1]

I'm disappointed :( because, like all fans, surely, I actually want us to win EVERY game: when we don't, I'm usually disappointed. Simples!
Of course, I'm going to be disappointed numerous times every season but, Hey! that's the life of a fan.
Moreover, I do like us to have the odd cup run: it breeds confidence, chuffs the fans and makes the club some money; what's not to like?
UTS :D