Rochdale (A) League One, Tues Nov 22nd 7.45pm

[Tom_1992]

Somehow we managed to eclipse the shockingly bad Macclesfield and Yeovil performances last night. We were that bad it was laughable.

Just a few thoughts:

How on earth is Franck Moussa getting a game AND staying on the pitch for 90 mins.

Even though he wasn't in the game, taking off your top goal scorer and playmaker is just silly.

Jackson is shocking.

Toner and Preston together are an absolute car crash. How on earth is JO'C on the bench?

We have no style of play, hoof to Jackson and hope for a defensive mistake.

Etheridge is so exposed at the moment.

Neither of our centre-midfielders are capable of taking the ball off the defence and playing a forward, positive pass - hence the long balls.

What does Bakayoko have to do to get a start?

Makris looked like the only one bothered when he came on.

This was much, much worse than the 4-0 at Rochdale a couple of years back under Smith. I'm not usually this negative, but there was genuinely nothing at all that can be taken from that 'performance'.

[leics_saddler]

Normally, I say 'thank god I didn't go'.
But this time, I say 'thank god I didn't even waste my time listening to it.'
They were utterly appalling goals to concede and got worse as they went on.
It wouldn't have been so bad if our attacking threat was greater than zero.

With the Bury debacle and now this, you really have to ask questions now.
Is any director going to have him in and have a word?
Surely, another performance on a par with these two will mean the end.
Bear in mind too that I've left out Yeovil and Macclesfield and concentrated purely on league fixtures!

[JonnyOwen]

Absolutely shambolic, it was abysmal.

Our best player was Andreas Makris in his 10 minute cameo, that was how crap we were, just awful in every area of the pitch. Disgraceful.

[Wyrley_saddler]

It was nothing short of probably the worst and most inept display I've seen from a Walsall side. I honestly don't see what our game plan is? What does Whitney actually tell the players to do in terms of approaching the match? For me, the writing is well and truly on the wall for JW now. I wasn't overly convinced in our unbeaten spell with the performances, but now our luck has ran out and we're being found out. To refuse to play some of the most experienced players in our squad is damn right suicide. JOC has got to be starting, as has Osborne is what must be the worst midfield I've seen since we had the likes of Paul Smith in there back under Merson.

Etheridge - can't really say much about him, he was left hung out to dry by an abysmal defence.

McCarthy - not his greatest of games.
Preston - too inexperienced to be playing week in week out.
Toner - bin him off asap. The blokes just not good enough and is definitely not the sort of CB we need.
Laird - probably the best of the defence, but that wasn't exactly difficult.

Chambers - Past it. He's been a great servant to us but his time has come to an end. He just doesn't have the influence over the midfield that he used to have.
Edwards - A battler, but his partnership with Chambers just does not work. There's. Ever any ball retention in midfield.

Ginelly - Offered nothing
Oztumer - Was he even playing?
Moussa - Probably the most talented player in our squad but by god is he lazy and disinterested. Frustrating.

Jackson - Never a lone striker in a million years and it shows.


The sad fact is that we won't sack JW when he's less than 6 months into a 3 year deal, but worryingly, there's only one way he's taking this team.

[Wyrley Saddler 66]

I must agree with 90% of all comments.
JW-must be close , losses against Southend and Sheffield are very likely and if so, he must go.

Etheridge- good shot stopper, give Craig a few games?
McCarthy - move him to CB with JOC?
Edwards/Kinsella at RB

Chambers, my player of the season for the last few years is sadly having less and less influence on the game.

CM pairing Edwards & Cuvelier, Osbourne & Cuvelier, Moussa & Osbourne?

wide players need to be Morris & Ginnelly, could be Ozzy?

Up front Baka & Little Ozzy or Jackson

[pumajaguar]

Starting to look like our little unbeaten run came about due to a combination of catching opponents out of form and some individual brilliance (Otzumer and Etheridge) rather than any direction from above.

That unbeaten run has quickly turned into five without a win (I don't consider the Checkatrade Trophy a valid fixture) and we seem to be getting worse.

If you've look at all the games we've won in the league only the Bolton result is particularly impressive. Wimbeldon look a decent side now, but took just two points from their opening five games. Shrewsbury are awful but it was a close-run thing, we caught Millwall in terrible form and again it was a very close-run win, Swindon have also had some very poor results since we beat them.

Hard to be positive right now. Whitney is weeded to the Dean Smith 4-2-3-1, his team selections are baffling (what's going on with O'Connor?!) and the Makris transfer just doesn't add up.

[Ancient Moaner]

Starting to look like our little unbeaten run came about due to a combination of catching opponents out of form and some individual brilliance (Otzumer and Etheridge) rather than any direction from above.

That unbeaten run has quickly turned into five without a win (I don't consider the Checkatrade Trophy a valid fixture) and we seem to be getting worse.

If you've look at all the games we've won in the league only the Bolton result is particularly impressive. Wimbeldon look a decent side now, but took just two points from their opening five games. Shrewsbury are awful but it was a close-run thing, we caught Millwall in terrible form and again it was a very close-run win, Swindon have also had some very poor results since we beat them.

Hard to be positive right now. Whitney is weeded to the Dean Smith 4-2-3-1, his team selections are baffling (what's going on with O'Connor?!) and the Makris transfer just doesn't add up.

At least Makris tried when he came on, but it was like plugging a hole in a damn with a banana. As my friend Tom above stated, we were so bad it was laughable, not an idea, not a jot of quality, no game plan, hoof it and hope. It was like the years where Pro teams went up against part timers in the good old FA Cup days. It was not men against boys it was pro footballers against children. If Rochdale had wished to turn up a gear it would have been a score like 8/9-0, they just got bored that there was no opposition. However I loved the sarcastic chants from our young fans at the back..."we've got the ball, we've lost the ball, we've had a kick, we've lost the ball" and the ironic cheer when we got a free kick..in the attacking half!!!!

[Walsallone]

I posted earlier that I listened to the match on WM and it sounded awful and reading the comments on here they have confirmed it.The two commentators were Wilford and Taylor...in my opinion the best 2 at WM. In their comments they made the following points:
1 It was the worst performance they had seen from a Walsall team in many years.
2 They felt sorry for Jackson who was isolated and had no decent passes.
3 The young central defenders were exposed by the failure of anyone in the midfield to perform...they were very critical of our 2 wide men who contributed nothing to the game at all. This mean't our full backs had to do 2 jobs which then resulted in the central defenders having no chance.
4 They felt both Baka and Makris offered but lacked support.

Would someone who was there wish to comment? I never thought we would miss Morris so much however if he is fit he must play on Saturday in a 442 formation.

[Ancient Moaner]

I posted earlier that I listened to the match on WM and it sounded awful and reading the comments on here they have confirmed it.The two commentators were Wilford and Taylor...in my opinion the best 2 at WM. In their comments they made the following points:
1 It was the worst performance they had seen from a Walsall team in many years.
2 They felt sorry for Jackson who was isolated and had no decent passes.
3 The young central defenders were exposed by the failure of anyone in the midfield to perform...they were very critical of our 2 wide men who contributed nothing to the game at all. This mean't our full backs had to do 2 jobs which then resulted in the central defenders having no chance.
4 They felt both Baka and Makris offered but lacked support.

Would someone who was there wish to comment? I never thought we would miss Morris so much however if he is fit he must play on Saturday in a 442 formation.

Well, it'll have to be me then.........
I think they were being kind, for 'many years' read couple of decades. Which includes Mullen years and disastrous relegation fights, when at least they appeared to be 'teams' albeit rubbish.
As for 2 & 3 the whole 'team' (haha) contributed to the shambles equally.
Sorry to say Baka looked like an un-delicate bull in a china shop, and added little to the mix.
And as I've said above, although Makris at least put in some effort, it proved pointless. only he and Laird came out of that debacle with any shred of pride.
Not often have I been in a Walsall crowd that was openly laughing at our ineptitude.
They reminded me of a shambles of hung over Sunday morning players, wearing a strip but being utterly and completely useless, and believe me I've attempted to ref a few of those in my time.

[Walsallone]

Thanks for that AM...we need and I hope we will see a big reaction on Saturday.UTS

[Guest]

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/10668440/rochdale-4-0-walsall

Fortunately, I can't watch this even with VPN.

Overseas fans can view it here.

https://youtu.be/0kf2c_qmtZQ

[Whitters]

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/10668440/rochdale-4-0-walsall

Fortunately, I can't watch this even with VPN.

Overseas fans can view it here.

https://youtu.be/0kf2c_qmtZQ

Beyond pitiful and close to a total farce - all 4 would be ideal for a Christmas bloopers video.
Need to be much better lads, this is a disgrace and can only lead to relegation unless something changes.

[chunkster]

That actually looked worse than i immagined :oops:

[longdogs]

That 4th goal :shock:

[Ancient Moaner]

And now ya gonna believe us! And now ya gonna believe us! :mrgreen: Saturday, HAS to be a complete overhaul of players, tactics, formation, drive, determination, guile, passion and enthusiasm............otherwise, it will be another humiliating defeat, and a confirmation of our headlong dive towards the relegation zone.
If up to 5,000 home supporters see a shambles like Tuesday from those players there will be anarchy and blood on the carpet.

[chunkster]

And now ya gonna believe us! And now ya gonna believe us! :mrgreen: Saturday, HAS to be a complete overhaul of players, tactics, formation, drive, determination, guile, passion and enthusiasm............otherwise, it will be another humiliating defeat, and a confirmation of our headlong dive towards the relegation zone.
If up to 5,000 home supporters see a shambles like Tuesday from those players there will be anarchy and blood on the carpet.

we have carpet at the bezla :shock: :mrgreen: Did JW get that the fans were not very happy on tuesday?

[Ancient Moaner]

And now ya gonna believe us! And now ya gonna believe us! :mrgreen: Saturday, HAS to be a complete overhaul of players, tactics, formation, drive, determination, guile, passion and enthusiasm............otherwise, it will be another humiliating defeat, and a confirmation of our headlong dive towards the relegation zone.
If up to 5,000 home supporters see a shambles like Tuesday from those players there will be anarchy and blood on the carpet.

we have carpet at the bezla :shock: :mrgreen: Did JW get that the fans were not very happy on tuesday?

Sorry, I meant the breezeblock! :lol: :lol:
If he didn't, he would be the only person at Spotland that night, I left before the end, after that 4th goal gift went in, but I'm led to believe that there was VERY little praise for that lot, making the Crewe debacle look like a FA Cup winning celebration.
JW CERTAINLY got the message throughout the ineptness, from the fans.
I was hoping he would do the decent thing and fall on his sword, but feel sure that he would instead "take some positives from the match" :lol: :lol: :lol:

[chriss5471]

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/10668440/rochdale-4-0-walsall

Fortunately, I can't watch this even with VPN.

Overseas fans can view it here.

https://youtu.be/0kf2c_qmtZQ

Best through ball we have done all season...