Fleetwood Town (A) League One Dec 10, 3pm

[chunkster]

It was a strange atmosphere yesterday.

It's a difficult game to criticise fans in that Fleetwood is a bloody long trek especially at this time of the year but I was really surprised by the negativity....it was even starting at 0-0.

I said to my mum after about 50 minutes....fair enough Walsall are rubbish but it's not like they're 4-0 down and not trying.

So many games down the years Walsall look clueless but then get a goal that changes everything and they get a decent result.

Yesterday wasn't much different to Sheffield, instead Fleetwood got that crucial 1st goal just before half time. It's very small margins this season in league one for most outside the top 4 who are pretty good teams.

I can only conclude last season was so exciting fans aren't having this season of mediocre mid table fare but to me that was always going to be the logical outcome after last years near miss.

The thing is though as an owner, and usually after a good season you look to build on it, we seemed to have gone one step forward and 5 back. my biggest worry is that we have to sit through another few years of dross and being asked to be patient like we did with smith. and that could possibly cost you thousands of hard earned cash :|

[SoccerHQ]

It was a strange atmosphere yesterday.

It's a difficult game to criticise fans in that Fleetwood is a bloody long trek especially at this time of the year but I was really surprised by the negativity....it was even starting at 0-0.

I said to my mum after about 50 minutes....fair enough Walsall are rubbish but it's not like they're 4-0 down and not trying.

So many games down the years Walsall look clueless but then get a goal that changes everything and they get a decent result.

Yesterday wasn't much different to Sheffield, instead Fleetwood got that crucial 1st goal just before half time. It's very small margins this season in league one for most outside the top 4 who are pretty good teams.

I can only conclude last season was so exciting fans aren't having this season of mediocre mid table fare but to me that was always going to be the logical outcome after last years near miss.

The thing is though as an owner, and usually after a good season you look to build on it, we seemed to have gone one step forward and 5 back. my biggest worry is that we have to sit through another few years of dross and being asked to be patient like we did with smith. and that could possibly cost you thousands of hard earned cash :|

The owner for the first time since the ice age this summer decided to spend money on a player who cost an actual transfer fee.

Not his fault said player looks totally ill fitted to what was needed.

I agree Chunky but it's tough when it's a club with a low budget who aren't expected to challenge.

Did Tranmere build on 12/13, did Orient in 13/14, did Chesterfield 14/15?

All clubs a similar size to Walsall who all had campaigns that finished unexpectedly in the play offs and then plummeted the next season.

You have to be realistic and look at how many times Walsall have challenged for promotion seriously from the third tier since the Ray Graydon era.

The answer is once. Maybe twice if January 2008 hadn't happened but at least lessons from that were learnt last season.

[Whitters]

Good post.

[pumajaguar]

It was a strange atmosphere yesterday.

It's a difficult game to criticise fans in that Fleetwood is a bloody long trek especially at this time of the year but I was really surprised by the negativity....it was even starting at 0-0.

I said to my mum after about 50 minutes....fair enough Walsall are rubbish but it's not like they're 4-0 down and not trying.

So many games down the years Walsall look clueless but then get a goal that changes everything and they get a decent result.

Yesterday wasn't much different to Sheffield, instead Fleetwood got that crucial 1st goal just before half time. It's very small margins this season in league one for most outside the top 4 who are pretty good teams.

I can only conclude last season was so exciting fans aren't having this season of mediocre mid table fare but to me that was always going to be the logical outcome after last years near miss.

The thing is though as an owner, and usually after a good season you look to build on it, we seemed to have gone one step forward and 5 back. my biggest worry is that we have to sit through another few years of dross and being asked to be patient like we did with smith. and that could possibly cost you thousands of hard earned cash :|

The owner for the first time since the ice age this summer decided to spend money on a player who cost an actual transfer fee.

Not his fault said player looks totally ill fitted to what was needed.

I agree Chunky but it's tough when it's a club with a low budget who aren't expected to challenge.

Did Tranmere build on 12/13, did Orient in 13/14, did Chesterfield 14/15?

All clubs a similar size to Walsall who all had campaigns that finished unexpectedly in the play offs and then plummeted the next season.

You have to be realistic and look at how many times Walsall have challenged for promotion seriously from the third tier since the Ray Graydon era.

The answer is once. Maybe twice if January 2008 hadn't happened but at least lessons from that were learnt last season.

All valid points and a good post. I think the part of the problem is that for the last view years we've heard plenty about how Walsall was a club making progress, had a clear plan for improvement etc. Then a few months after just missing out on promotion we seem completely back to square one and I think a lot of people feel almost duped into believing the club had 'changed' even if that is a bit naive.

Have to admit I wonder how much of said progress was down to Dean Smith rather than the suits in charge, as the latter's decisions since Deano left us in the lurch haven't worked out too well. I guess only time will tell!

[SoccerHQ]

I really don't think long term Whitney is the right decision. He's made many questionable decisions this season (and indeed last) and I think the club hoping he will morph into the second coming of Dean Smith by giving him a few seasons is a very optimistic gamble.

Just ride out this season, the club won't go down due to as other posters saying the ability to get a win every couple of games.

It was a shame S O'D was such a disaster as I thought the board had got that appointment spot on and it seems to have scared them from going after established managers now.

Someone like Steve Cotterill is still available. Very capable at this level but would he come to work at a club with Walsall's resources....doubtful. He is still out of work though so would at least show an interest you'd assume.

[Mazza01]

Soccer HQ makes some good points especially about expecting the club to mount a realistic promotion push..

I think we also need to be realistic about what we call investment.. I would imagine we still operate on one of the lowest budgets in the league and for me the squad is still wafer thin. You could argue our league position reflects our budget.

As for the remainder of the season, January is massive for the club in my opinion fail to strengthen the defence and we will be in real trouble. The fact we concede such poor goals doesn't fill me with optimism for when the must win games start to come round.

[saddla]

I really don't think long term Whitney is the right decision. He's made many questionable decisions this season (and indeed last) and I think the club hoping he will morph into the second coming of Dean Smith by giving him a few seasons is a very optimistic gamble.

Just ride out this season, the club won't go down due to as other posters saying the ability to get a win every couple of games.

It was a shame S O'D was such a disaster as I thought the board had got that appointment spot on and it seems to have scared them from going after established managers now.

Someone like Steve Cotterill is still available. Very capable at this level but would he come to work at a club with Walsall's resources....doubtful. He is still out of work though so would at least show an interest you'd assume.

Steve Cotterill has a bigger attitude problem than Richard Money ever had. He upsets players, owners and club staff wherever he goes and that's why he's still out of work. There's no way Jeff would employ him.

[nottmsaddler]

Toner and Edwards dangling their legs out to stop the cross for the 2nd goal :roll:

We seem content to let teams have chance after chance to knock balls into our box this season despite our chronic ability to defend. The fact we haven't stopped this indicates what little we do on the training pitch during the week.

James Hanson is visiting us next Saturday, he must be licking his lips at the thought of an early Xmas bonus!

Was thinking this on Saturday. Any one with a 6ft plus striker (who can head a ball i.e. not Bakayoko) would have a field day - never seen a team allow so many crosses to come in. Sheff Utd must have put about a hundred in but we got lucky. Most weeks we won't.

How JW can think a team full of defenders would create anything is beyond me. I've tried hard to be patient and give him time, but to leave Flo, Osbourne and Makris on bench until 87 mins and rely on Edwards as our attacking midfielder was unbelievable. I kept looking at the dugout area thinking 'this must be some kind of joke' but it wasn't and we've gone completely backwards.

Back to the dark, early days under Smith I'm afraid when we had one or two shots per game. The 35 shots at Crawley (even though we lost) seems a long time ago now.

[Cheesebag]

utter dross amongst a weekend of fun and drinks.....

George Dobson stayed in our B&B too for some inexplicable reason

[tinned]

utter dross amongst a weekend of fun and drinks.....

George Dobson stayed in our B&B too for some inexplicable reason

The Cheesebags in a B&B?

That's very "working class" of you :shock: :wink:

[Cheesebag]

Nope... just me and six other lads..... and copious beer

I'll be voting for Corbyn next :D

[IHTC.]

Did we try and Park the bus just like The Albion did against Chelsea? And just like the Albion it almost worked losing too just the solitary goal.

Seemed like a good idea, 9 defensive minded players against the mighty Fleetwood.

JW is a tactical Genius.

[SoccerHQ]

I really don't think long term Whitney is the right decision. He's made many questionable decisions this season (and indeed last) and I think the club hoping he will morph into the second coming of Dean Smith by giving him a few seasons is a very optimistic gamble.

Just ride out this season, the club won't go down due to as other posters saying the ability to get a win every couple of games.

It was a shame S O'D was such a disaster as I thought the board had got that appointment spot on and it seems to have scared them from going after established managers now.

Someone like Steve Cotterill is still available. Very capable at this level but would he come to work at a club with Walsall's resources....doubtful. He is still out of work though so would at least show an interest you'd assume.

Steve Cotterill has a bigger attitude problem than Richard Money ever had. He upsets players, owners and club staff wherever he goes and that's why he's still out of work. There's no way Jeff would employ him.

That's true, never liked his personality either but he did a good in Brizzle.

Looking at the opposition dugout on Saturday I was thinking wasn't Uwe Rosler out of work when Smith left? He's someone I'd have liked at the time as he did a tremendous job at Brentford.

He now works for a club that gets 2.8k through the gate....

[chunkster]

I really don't think long term Whitney is the right decision. He's made many questionable decisions this season (and indeed last) and I think the club hoping he will morph into the second coming of Dean Smith by giving him a few seasons is a very optimistic gamble.

Just ride out this season, the club won't go down due to as other posters saying the ability to get a win every couple of games.

It was a shame S O'D was such a disaster as I thought the board had got that appointment spot on and it seems to have scared them from going after established managers now.

Someone like Steve Cotterill is still available. Very capable at this level but would he come to work at a club with Walsall's resources....doubtful. He is still out of work though so would at least show an interest you'd assume.

Steve Cotterill has a bigger attitude problem than Richard Money ever had. He upsets players, owners and club staff wherever he goes and that's why he's still out of work. There's no way Jeff would employ him.

That's true, never liked his personality either but he did a good in Brizzle.

Looking at the opposition dugout on Saturday I was thinking wasn't Uwe Rosler out of work when Smith left? He's someone I'd have liked at the time as he did a tremendous job at Brentford.

He now works for a club that gets 2.8k through the gate....

Ye that is something that went through my mind? they are a nice club with good owner and doing well, but the support was very poor :|

[SoccerHQ]

It's a tiny place.

Probably only about 10 years ago they were at the same level as Rushall.

[Leatherman]

My first visit to this particular Highbury and I thought the ground was good in a peculiar sort of way. The half stand behind the goal for the away support was novel. :D

As far as the match went there's not a lot to say really. Contrary to others on here, I thought Fleetwood were a decent side who moved the ball quickly and everyone knew their job i.e. Where to be on the pitch at any given time. Us on the other hand had a bit of trouble in that dept.

No one really stood out. Etheridge made a good save from a short corner routine where their number 3 had a good shot saved at the near post. Ozzie should have been marking him but he switched off completely. To rub salt into the wounds they served up the same routine in the second half but no one was switched on enough to spot it. Dozy bastards. :evil:

I agree with the other poster regarding Dobson in so much that I thought he had a bright start to the second half and earned his goal.

The glaring problem for me is the transition from defence into attack. There's not enough players getting forward looking for the ball; it's much more of a leisurely stroll up the pitch leaving the bloke with the ball 3 choices:

1. He try's to beat everyone in his path U8s style;
2. He plays a team mate into trouble with a 'get-rid-quick' pass only 3 fudge feet away and then stands there watching whilst he flounders.
3. Hits the ball 70yards in the hope it will find someone in a Walsall shirt who can then either score or hold the ball up whilst the rest of the team jog up the pitch towards him. Honestly, they moved quicker in the fudge warm up!

If Bakayoko plays up fron with Ozzie then they need a creative central midfielder who can do just that. However, they will need their colleagues to show a bit more fudge determination and belief and get up the fudge pitch.

I feel sorry for Their player who was carried off following a 50/50 ball Clark with Preston, but was pleased that Preston didn't back off. I didn't think it was a sending off offence, possibly not even a booking. This happens in football when players have grit and both of them showed that when going for the ball.

Hope he gets well soon.

P.S. Changes were too late.

To be fair Lman I may disagree with a you on other topics, but your football related posts are often informative and enlightening, as this was one was. Thanks for posting this.

You're welcome mate! :D