Welcome. This site is an archived version of the previous UpTheSaddlers forum (December 2004 to May 2018). To visit the new UTS website, please click here.

West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Reports and reaction from the 2017-2018 season as Walsall finished 19th in League 1
Welsh_Saddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 9804
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2005 5:44 pm
Location: The beautiful Afan Valley

West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed May 03, 2017 8:27 pm

Pre-season friendly ...

User avatar
Andy W Taylor
UTS Veteran
 
Posts: 564
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 9:26 pm
Location: Telford

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Tue Jul 25, 2017 8:32 pm

Hmm - less than 24 hours until the game and not much interest ...

Then again, Albion do also happens to.be playing at Burton tomorrow night so how many fans will they bring to us and how many first teamers?

El_Nombre
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1523
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2016 11:15 am
Location: Next to Big Curly

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:38 am

I think there will be plenty of fans and not many first teamers.

I can't see them testing the first teamers against a league one side and then putting the kids out against a championship side tomorrow. I went to the Villa game because I expected a decent side but I can't be bothered tonight, I don't think it tells us anything.

User avatar
Cheesebag
Site Addict
 
Posts: 4801
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 3:00 pm
Location: At poo poo's house, apparently ;)

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:55 am

Same here.... not for me tonight

User avatar
NEWPORT SADDLERS DAD
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 2444
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 4:56 pm
Location: SURROUNDED BY DINGLES

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:11 pm

For the first time in years I have decided not to watch friendlies.I'd rather use the cash on Bury away.Something that counts.

clawtheolder
Glitterati
 
Posts: 726
Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2007 7:19 pm

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 1:20 pm

Albion have enough players in their squad to field two teams and mix and match.

User avatar
scott_powell
Site Addict
 
Posts: 4045
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:23 pm
Location: Clunge

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 2:00 pm

As predicted, it's basically a reserve team for them

Walsall (ko 7.45pm)

Alex Bradley
Chris Brunt
Jack Chambers
Shaun Donnellan
Sam Field
Rekeem Harper
Jasko Keranovic
Jonathan Leko
James McClean
Dan Meredith
James Morrison
Boaz Myhill
Dara O'Shea
Tyler Roberts
Hal Robson-Kanu
Rayhaan Tulloch
Kane Wilson

User avatar
chunkster
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3612
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:11 pm

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 6:01 pm

unless Albion bring quite a few i can only see there being about 4000 tonight :|

leics_saddler
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1688
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2006 12:12 pm

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 6:28 pm

Right, so Albion are sending a reserve team here because they need the first team to face Burton Albion.
It really doesn't say a lot for us compared to them.

Any news on the line up of our boys and Old Man Chambers?

User avatar
chunkster
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3612
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:11 pm

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 7:00 pm

leics_saddler wrote:Right, so Albion are sending a reserve team here because they need the first team to face Burton Albion.
It really doesn't say a lot for us compared to them.

Any news on the line up of our boys and Old Man Chambers?
Hard to believe but they are a championship club. Just shows how ambitious they are compared to us.Who would have believed that 10 years ago :|

User avatar
WarsawPact
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1645
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:43 pm

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 7:07 pm

0-0 so far

Decent shots from Cuvelier & Oztumer

User avatar
Ancient Moaner
Site Addict
 
Posts: 4101
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2011 8:47 pm
Location: Leigh, twixt Wiggin & notloB

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 7:45 pm

WarsawPact wrote:0-0 so far

Decent shots from Cuvelier & Oztumer


Any shots from either of the dynamic duo? Or am I being utterly ridiculous, after all we don't need a striker do we?

El_Nombre
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1523
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2016 11:15 am
Location: Next to Big Curly

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:08 pm

Ancient Moaner wrote:
WarsawPact wrote:0-0 so far

Decent shots from Cuvelier & Oztumer


Any shots from either of the dynamic duo? Or am I being utterly ridiculous, after all we don't need a striker do we?


Who said we don't need a striker?

User avatar
WarsawPact
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1645
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:43 pm

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:26 pm

Baka scores, 1-1

SoccerHQ
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3661
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:01 pm

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:32 pm

WarsawPact wrote:Baka scores, 1-1


AM's dream of being Walsall's number 9 is over for another year. :wink:

User avatar
Neuromantic
Site Addict
 
Posts: 6548
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 2:11 pm
Location: Rotate!

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:42 pm

Seen us a few times his season now and the same every time... we aren't going to score enough goals.

This is a squad built to play 352... and we are playing 442.

It's going to be a long season.

User avatar
JonnyOwen
Site Addict
 
Posts: 2549
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:32 pm
Location: Anywhere but here.

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:17 pm

Woeful going forwards once again, painful to watch. If we are persisting with a 4231 we need an actual winger desperately.

User avatar
chunkster
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3612
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:11 pm

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:28 pm

JonnyOwen wrote:Woeful going forwards once again, painful to watch. If we are persisting with a 4231 we need an actual winger desperately.
How many poor souls turned up to watch it?

SoccerHQ
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3661
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:01 pm

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:36 pm

JonnyOwen wrote:Woeful going forwards once again, painful to watch. If we are persisting with a 4231 we need an actual winger desperately.


Who played wings tonight, Edwards and Morris?

User avatar
scott_powell
Site Addict
 
Posts: 4045
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:23 pm
Location: Clunge

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:47 pm

Although I thought we played quite well at times we have absolutely nothing going forward. It's embarrassing, it really is.

Morris is pants. Not the player he should be at this stage of his career. Seems like his lack of intelligence has now reached his feet now.

Bakayoko and Jackson were rubbish.

Rest of them were okay but a special mention to Wilson and Guthrie. Thought they were both really good. I absolutely love Wilson. He's a proper defender.

Leko for West Brom was outstanding. Id love us to sign him on loan but he's certainly too good for this league. The exact player we need in this team.

User avatar
JonnyOwen
Site Addict
 
Posts: 2549
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:32 pm
Location: Anywhere but here.

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:50 pm

chunkster wrote:How many poor souls turned up to watch it?

Not many at all, no announced attendance as far as I can remember.
SoccerHQ wrote:Who played wings tonight, Edwards and Morris?

Yeah. Morris wasn't great but to be fair to him he has the harder side with James McClean and Chris Brunt on it. Edwards was OK but doesn't bring us much going forwards other than being tidy and hard working.

Wyrley Saddler 66
UTS Regular
 
Posts: 136
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2016 4:16 pm

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Thu Jul 27, 2017 6:06 am

A good game to watch and even though WBA had a weakened side, this is much the standard that we will face in L1.

GK. Gillespie - looks ok, but as yet untested.

Def. Devlin, Wilson, Guthrie & Leahy - Look good, hard to see where O'Connor will fit in unless we play 3

CM. Chambers & Cuvlier - a good pairing

ATT. Ozzy & Jackson - need more support from wide

SUBS. Candlin - a bit nervous but looks good, Cockerill-Mollet - a capable left back/wing. Kouyar - better than Morris/Edwards

Now the negatives

Morris - why is this man in the team? The most ineffective player on the park. Cant run/pass/tackle.
Edwards - Mr versatile - call him that and play him out of position on the left wing, only ever option is to cut back

In short
Defence was good, spine of the team was good, the wide play was awful, every time a pass was on - where were Morris & Edwards - drifting into midfield.
2 wingers needed urgently

User avatar
Ancient Moaner
Site Addict
 
Posts: 4101
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2011 8:47 pm
Location: Leigh, twixt Wiggin & notloB

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Thu Jul 27, 2017 8:07 am

SoccerHQ wrote:
WarsawPact wrote:Baka scores, 1-1


AM's dream of being Walsall's number 9 is over for another year. :wink:


And I've been in training specially for this eventuality!! :D :roll: , who was the last 70 YO to play an up front role other than Barnstonworth?

EvenFlow
UTS Veteran
 
Posts: 594
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2012 3:30 pm

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Thu Jul 27, 2017 8:09 am

Neuromantic wrote:This is a squad built to play 352... and we are playing 442.


It's mind blowing, it really is. One injury (to JO'C), and it all goes to pot. These are only friendlies, so why isn't Kory starting as part of a 3, under the circumstances? Is it that imperative that Edwards and Cuvelier are shoehorned in together? Are they they new Lampard and Gerrard?!

Fish
UTS Veteran
 
Posts: 480
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 8:54 pm
Location: 52° 33' 57" N; 01° 59' 25" W

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Thu Jul 27, 2017 9:38 am

Neuromantic wrote:This is a squad built to play 352... and we are playing 442.


352 - 442? Who are the two?

User avatar
Neuromantic
Site Addict
 
Posts: 6548
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 2:11 pm
Location: Rotate!

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Thu Jul 27, 2017 2:14 pm

Fish wrote:
Neuromantic wrote:This is a squad built to play 352... and we are playing 442.


352 - 442? Who are the two?


Exactly.

Oztumer is lost. For the sake of brevity, the 442 we have been playing is a sort of 4411 - but at times Oztumer is so high up he's basically playing as a striker.

The issue is that when Jackson plays, he and Ozzie are coming short - coupled with no width or pace on the wings - meaning we have zero attacking penetration. It's embarrassing how bad we are going forward

Fish
UTS Veteran
 
Posts: 480
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 8:54 pm
Location: 52° 33' 57" N; 01° 59' 25" W

Re: West Bromwich Albion, Wed July 26, 7.45pm

Thu Jul 27, 2017 2:48 pm

Neuromantic wrote:
Fish wrote:
Neuromantic wrote:This is a squad built to play 352... and we are playing 442.


352 - 442? Who are the two?


Exactly.

Oztumer is lost. For the sake of brevity, the 442 we have been playing is a sort of 4411 - but at times Oztumer is so high up he's basically playing as a striker.

The issue is that when Jackson plays, he and Ozzie are coming short - coupled with no width or pace on the wings - meaning we have zero attacking penetration. It's embarrassing how bad we are going forward


I agree with that. For large parts of last season Whitney packed the midfield with the same types of players - there was no penetration, no movement, no creativity and inevitably no end product.

I have wondered if I was being fair in my criticism and whether, as someone suggested here, we give Whitney a chance to start the season on a blank page. Sadly I don't think that he has learned much. So far it's the same old and whoever Whitney gets to play up front (if), in the way that the team is set up, they will not get the service and they will fail.

Hey, but what of I know. It's been a good pre season so far. Or so I am told.

Return to 2017-18 Season

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests