Bury (H) League One, 27th August 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

We welcome The Shakers to our dodgy-looking fortress in the hope that we can kick-start our season along the lines of the opening day. Interestingly enough both Walsall and Bury won their opening fixtures, since when we've both gone somewhat downhill. They've signed a couple of useful looking strikers released by Championship clubs - Chris Brown from Blackburn Rovers, and just this week James Vaughan from Birmingham City. Add to that striker talent the threat of Tom Pope.......... :shock:

Bury's form this season has been a bit odd considering they won against Charlton Athletic, but as someone once said - "It's a funny old game". Current form then:

6 Aug Charlton Athletic (H) League One, Won 2-0
10 Aug Burton Albion (A) League Cup 1st round, Lost 3-2
13 Aug Gillingham (A) League One, Lost 2-1
16 Aug Coventry City (A) League One, Drew 0-0
20 Aug Oldham Athletic (H) League One, Lost 0-1

What permutation will Jon Whitney come up with this week? It should be getting near the time when all these new players have been tried out in various positions during training, so that they can be selected on their strengths. It used to be a "given" that our defence would virtually select itself and be relied upon to be very mean, but that no longer applies particularly since Rico Henry's absence has exposed the left-back position as being notably weak. Central defence has also come in for some criticism, and it's to be hoped that at least selection can be made from all candidates being fully fit. The question of full fitness hangs over our strike force as well, and the problem of finding the most effective wingmen hasn't really been solved.

Plenty for Jon Whitney to chew over, then. So what can we predict for Saturday? The answer has to be "nothing, with any degree of confidence or certainty"....but in my eternally optimistic outlook (which you have to have if you're a Saddler) I'm going to stick my head over the parapet and go for a 2-1 win with Jackson and Makris (at last!) scoring. :mrgreen:

[Sound_out]

WFC 1 Bury 2

Can't see us beating Bury unfortunately unless Whitney makes big changes. They narrowly lost to Gills in the opener, then drew with Cov and lost a local derby with Oldham. They're a decent side IMO. Just signed Vaughan from Blues who will play on Sat.

[Welsh_Saddler]

WFC 1 Bury 2

Can't see us beating Bury unfortunately unless Whitney makes big changes. They narrowly lost to Gills in the opener, then drew with Cov and lost a local derby with Oldham. They're a decent side IMO. Just signed Vaughan from Blues who will play on Sat.

No, they beat Charlton Athletic in the opener (see above). If you're going to comment, at least get your facts right.

[Micky Saddler]

Hoping and praying for a win, but Bury are one of those teams we always struggle against (bar last season 1st half).

Think if we don't win this one fans will start to get a bit restless.

Predictions 1-1 draw with Moussa on target for us.

[Sound_out]

WFC 1 Bury 2

Can't see us beating Bury unfortunately unless Whitney makes big changes. They narrowly lost to Gills in the opener, then drew with Cov and lost a local derby with Oldham. They're a decent side IMO. Just signed Vaughan from Blues who will play on Sat.

No, they beat Charlton Athletic in the opener (see above). If you're going to comment, at least get your facts right.

My apologies Peter. I will make sure that ALL of my contributions this season are factual and my opinions are carefully considered. :mrgreen:

[Exile]

That'll make a change.

3-1 us as the team starts to click. :D

[otiswfc]

I'm worried about this game Bury are always a physical side and our team are from what I've seen so far a bunch of wimps, It will be similar to the Oldham game a goal either way but probably end 0-0 and we'll end up with a couple of injuries.

[swampysaddler]

WFC 1 Bury 2

Can't see us beating Bury unfortunately unless Whitney makes big changes. They narrowly lost to Gills in the opener, then drew with Cov and lost a local derby with Oldham. They're a decent side IMO. Just signed Vaughan from Blues who will play on Sat.

No, they beat Charlton Athletic in the opener (see above). If you're going to comment, at least get your facts right.

Please Welsh_Saddler do NOT go correcting Sound-Out.
We all know he know's everything about everything and maybe Bury did play Gillingham on the opening day and we are all wrong for believing otherwise.
Anyway 2-1 us.

[derbysaddler]

We'll lose, badly and it will be a huge disgrace to the fans, probably more of a disgrace than the last time we lost a game which was also a disgrace, but less so. The Bury fans will be laughing their arses off, which will also be an absolute disgrace. I doubt very much we will score a goal again this year to be honest, or see a 'proper' striker play for us again. We are on a fast track to the conference for sure, which is also a massive disgrace. That's what happens though when your previous team leaves in one summer.



We'll win, and Bury will be all over the place as they try to counter our fluid football which is blatantly too good form this poxy division. Makris will score his first goal, and I suspect he'll be off in January as soon as someone waves a fiver and a packet of crisps at Uncle Jeff. But we'll still get promoted with this talented and mentally tougher side we have now, rather than those bottlers last season, who were an absolute disgrace. I'm glad we sodded them all off over the summer.


:idea:

[Walsallone]

So Derby we have the truth at last...You write the scripts for AM :D

As for Saturday I think it will be a draw as we will need a few more games to find a reasonably settled side...lets hope we have a left sided defender in by then!

[Sound_out]

WFC 1 Bury 2

Can't see us beating Bury unfortunately unless Whitney makes big changes. They narrowly lost to Gills in the opener, then drew with Cov and lost a local derby with Oldham. They're a decent side IMO. Just signed Vaughan from Blues who will play on Sat.

No, they beat Charlton Athletic in the opener (see above). If you're going to comment, at least get your facts right.

Please Welsh_Saddler do NOT go correcting Sound-Out.
We all know he know's everything about everything and maybe Bury did play Gillingham on the opening day and we are all wrong for believing otherwise.
Anyway 2-1 us.

Welsh is correct Swampy, Bury did indeed beat Charlton 2-0. On the rare occasion that one is wrong, one is happy to admit it! :D

[Ancient Moaner]

So Derby we have the truth at last...You write the scripts for AM :D

As for Saturday I think it will be a draw as we will need a few more games to find a reasonably settled side...lets hope we have a left sided defender in by then!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

And no, Derby's scripts were too expensive, and contained traces of reality, which would never do! :mrgreen:

If there is anyone out there that can predict Saturdays result accurately I would suggest they do the lottery too, probably easier to get right!! :? :?

[Walsallone]

Yes they would be too expensive for you AM ...I had forgotten you were an old style accountant. :lol: however I tend to agree about predicting the result for Saturday hence my view that it is likely to be a draw!!

[derbysaddler]

Expensive?

They're only a fiver and a packet of scratchings.

:D

[derbysaddler]

Just noticed Bury signed James Vaughan? blimey. I used to have a part time job working for his Dad, he best not bloody score!

[firreblade]

Good post as usual Welsh_Saddler.

If Ozy and Chambo is back along side Osborne in the midfield and even with a weaker left back ''even though Edwards doing ok'' I am gonna go for a 2-1 win Walsall. :D

[Cully]

I'm going to back them modestly for a win, having missed the game against Charlton I am still blindly supportive and have inside info that we're going to 'try very hard to win'. :wink:

Walsall 23/20 at the moment.

[SoccerHQ]

Think this is a must win....

Not because the team will be relegated if they don't win (AM is free to pick up that line though :wink: ) but just for morale. With Bolton coming up after the break this season will quickly turn into a slog at the bottom if things aren't careful.

As it is 2-2. I think the team will click going forward in this game but will also concede goals from set pieces as Bury pretty big and physical team.

[Mazza01]

If once again we start with a centre half at righty back and a right back at left back :lol: I think we will lose..

Adding to that I still cant see where the goals are coming from.

1-2 Bury

[El_Nombre]

Depends who is fit. I think if Chambers and Oztumer play we win 2-1. If they are not I think we lose 2-0.

The defense is just a constant worry at the moment. It's a big ask to have to keep outscoring however many the defense fancies conceding.

[Optimistic]

So Derby we have the truth at last...You write the scripts for AM :D

As for Saturday I think it will be a draw as we will need a few more games to find a reasonably settled side...lets hope we have a left sided defender in by then!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

And no, Derby's scripts were too expensive, and contained traces of reality, which would never do! :mrgreen:

If there is anyone out there that can predict Saturdays result accurately I would suggest they do the lottery too, probably easier to get right!! :? :?

We will win 3-1 AM - Kevin Toner will play at left back and get an assist and Makris will get his first Walsall goal. Right now that's sorted, I had better get the lottery on while I am on a roll.

[BathSaddler]

I'm not confident about this one at all - besides, we rarely beat Bury at home. I would have liked us to have taken Chris Brown, decent forward for our level.

So, a 'horses for courses' 1-2 defeat, with Jackson scoring for us.

[SWS1]

I 'aven't a clue :?
As usual, just hope we win, any way, any old how :mrgreen:

[TWM1962]

I reckon 2 - 2.. Jackson and Bakayoko after that Pope has scored twice!!

[Ancient Moaner]

So Derby we have the truth at last...You write the scripts for AM :D

As for Saturday I think it will be a draw as we will need a few more games to find a reasonably settled side...lets hope we have a left sided defender in by then!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

And no, Derby's scripts were too expensive, and contained traces of reality, which would never do! :mrgreen:

If there is anyone out there that can predict Saturdays result accurately I would suggest they do the lottery too, probably easier to get right!! :? :?

We will win 3-1 AM - Kevin Toner will play at left back and get an assist and Makris will get his first Walsall goal. Right now that's sorted, I had better get the lottery on while I am on a roll.

Right then I'll go for 7-0 then!..............or perhaps 2-2, or more probably 0-2, no, I deffo think it will be 1-1, or if I was being honest 0-3, but tradition says it will be a 0-0 draw.....then again.............Now we all know why I've slipped to 7th in the prediction table :lol: :lol: mind you, thinking about it we could actually score....which would be nice! :mrgreen:

[SoccerHQ]

Tom Pope's still at Bury isn't he...

Might aswell kick off 1-0 down. :lol:

[funk_hits_the_fan]

Ever since my first season in the early nineties we have always struggled against Bury

Got an ominous feeling about this one :(

[IHTC.]

O'Connor seen storming off from the ground.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Starting line-up against Bury:

Etheridge

Kinsella
McCarthy
Toner
Edwards

Osborne
Chambers
Makris
Oztumer

Jackson
Morris

Substitutes: MacGillivray, Dobson, Preston, Ginnelly, Bakayoko, Sangha, Kouhyar


Vaughan starts for Bury, and Tom Pope is warming their bench.......

[Welsh_Saddler]

Very early goal at the hockey ground..... MK Dons 0 Peterborough Utd 1

... and associated with the "Where are they now?" thread - Nicky Featherstone puts Hartlepool 1-0 at home to Newport after 2 minutes.