Shrewsbury Town (A) EFL Trophy, Tue 7th Nov 7.45pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

OK ... we're out of the F.A. Cup, and we could now make it a "double" by being eliminated from the EFL Trophy/Johnstone's Paint/Checkatrade Mickey Mouse competition if results go against us. If current form is anything to go by we're as good as dumped - we're away to the form team of League One, while Coventry City (2 points below us) are at home to the Baggies' kindergarten side (pointless in this competition). The only possible saving grace for us is that Shrewsbury Town have already qualified for the knock-out stage, uncatchable as they are on 6 points, so they may field an under-strength line-up ..... having said that, our current form is such that we would have problems in overcoming the local blind school.

In contrast to our dire/poor/unlucky (delete as appropriate) showing on Saturday at Newport County, the Sloppies approached their 1st round F.A. Cup game with determination, putting 5 goals past Aldershot Town - non-league opposition, granted, but that result means that Shrewsbury Town have scored 35 goals in all competitions so far this season, with only one loss in 19 games. Their winning mentality breeds more confidence, and they obviously have a Manager that successfully motivates his team to achieve those results - would that we had that luxury........

If Facebook rumours are to be believed, it may not be Jon Whitney's decision as to which players are selected for this one.

You may be able to guess that it's difficult to whip up any real enthusiasm for this game, and in reality it's probably more important to work at preserving our League One status than to worry about progressing in this devalued competition.

In view of that, I'm not even going to predict a result for this game. I will be glad (of course) if we win or draw, and thereby go on to the knock-out stage, but it certainly won't be the end of the world if we crash out ...... and if we do crash out it might be yet another heavy hint to the board to do some serious research in the pool of available (unemployed) managers..........

UTS

[shrewsbury saddler]

I suppose I'll go-I can't really ignore Walsall playing 3 miles away and the entrance fee a fiver- but I can't rustle up any enthusiasm for it.

[chunkster]

We will lose this as well no matter what team they put out, as long as they have a game plan and want to play for the manager they are already streets ahead of us 3-0 :|

[Guest]

We will win, and top the group.

[Mazza01]

Call it off.

[El_Nombre]

I predict a Walsall loss and people pretending this game matters.

[moaning saddler]

I have made a rational assessment and will remain over 100 miles away from the LGBTSS Meadow, or whatever they are calling it this week.
2-0 loss with a debatable offside goal and penalty robbing the Super Saddlers of a hard-fought draw.

[SoccerHQ]

Don't care about this competition regardless of Whitney's situation.

[coop63]

Who cares? The players clearly don’t, the boards clearly doesn’t so why should we?

[ObiWan7]

I'm now 46. I went to my first game with my Dad in 1976 and stood in the Cowshed at Fellows Park and was brought up on Alan Buckley , Donn Penn and Mick Kearns. As i grew i idolized David Kelly , Grahame Forbes and Nicky Cross. Next came Fred Barber , Killer and Roger Bolis overhead kick , right up to that day at Wembly.

I was at Anfield for 2-2 , Watford for 4-4 , Bristol away 3-1 and Reading at Cardiff. 4o years as a Saddler has seen me watch the boys through tears, cheers , orgasmic delight and heart breaking defeat and in all that time i have never,ever said what is to follow:

I genuinely don't give two ShTTs what happens tonight as long as we lose.

Regardless of the result JW has to go. Believe me i have seen some dire managers at Walsall , but this man has no passion , no clue and no chance of getting us out of a steady spiral into league 2.

Obi OUT !

[bushbury red]

Thought long and hard about going tonight especially having 2 free tickets in the end why should be bothered

[Walsallone]

Team for those interested;
Roberts,Kinsella,Guthrie ,Wilson,Leahy; Chambers,Edwards; Morris,Kouyhar; Ismail,Bakayoko. ....No news on subs yet.

[Walsallone]

Subs now in...Gillespie,K. Roberts, Devlin,Flanagan,Agyei,Jackson, Oztumer

[Walsallone]

Chris Marsh on WM talking sense....describing how when Nicholl and Graydon were managers the players all knew their roles in a solid 4-4-2 system whilst now the system seems to change every week and as result he would not know what on earth was going on!!!

[Ancient Moaner]

Team for those interested;
Roberts,Kinsella,Guthrie ,Wilson,Leahy; Chambers,Edwards; Morris,Kouyhar; Ismail,Bakayoko. ....No news on subs yet.

I believe this is his idea of his first team, Gillespie side-lined, probably for quite a while.
We will lose of course, but will the Board react? Nah!...............Thinking ahead, will we get an inspired "the fightback begins" statement from the club again in the close season as we ready ourselves for a stint in the 4th Division?

[Guest]

Team for those interested;
Roberts,Kinsella,Guthrie ,Wilson,Leahy; Chambers,Edwards; Morris,Kouyhar; Ismail,Bakayoko. ....No news on subs yet.

I believe this is his idea of his first team, Gillespie side-lined, probably for quite a while.
We will lose of course, but will the Board react? Nah!...............Thinking ahead, will we get an inspired "the fightback begins" statement from the club again in the close season as we ready ourselves for a stint in the 4th Division?

Gillespie blamed for the Newport defeat? Where's T. Roberts?

[Whitters]

I'm 99.
I watched the first game after we amalgamated with Walsall Town and I watched us beat Arsenal.
I watched us get re-elected 6 times.
I watched cannonball Colin and watched Rammell run though walls for us.
I call for all competitions (especially the cup ones) to be cancelled as they are all pointless as we will eventually end up mid table in the third tier.
I'm a manic depressive and am a member of the most cynical set of supporters known to man and women.
I'm a Saddler.
I moan, I whinge and I gripe.
I'm a Saddler.
I need a mirror so I can take a long hard look at myself.
I need a tattoo on my forehead saying "Negative fool".

[Walsallone]

T. Roberts on international duty...where is K. Roberts I wonder as Donnellan now seems to be the CH substitute!!!!

[Walsallone]

Blimey WHITTERS you are even older than me :D ....like the post though!

[EvenFlow]

Looks like a return to the old Smith favourite, 4-2-3-1. Morris or Kouhyar in the number 10 position?

[Walsallone]

Ismael hits post after 3 minutes...... 3 good crosses already.....sounds promising so far!

[Whitters]

To follow this competition tonight - http://www.flashscore.com/soccer/englan ... de-trophy/

[Walsallone]

Off for a pint now.....bye everyone

[Guest]

T. Roberts on international duty.

Yes, thanks. I'd forgotten that, probably because Wales U-21 don't play until Friday...

[Guest]

I'm 99.
I watched the first game after we amalgamated with Walsall Town and I watched us beat Arsenal.
I watched us get re-elected 6 times.
I watched cannonball Colin and watched Rammell run though walls for us.
I call for all competitions (especially the cup ones) to be cancelled as they are all pointless as we will eventually end up mid table in the third tier.
I'm a manic depressive and am a member of the most cynical set of supporters known to man and women.
I'm a Saddler.
I moan, I whinge and I gripe.
I'm a Saddler.
I need a mirror so I can take a long hard look at myself.
I need a tattoo on my forehead saying "Negative fool".

A bit too positive for this board.

[Welsh_Saddler]

After half an hour we've had 6 shots, 3 of which were on target. Sloppies 4 shots, all off target.

One yellow card for Shrewsbury Town, 26 min

[Welsh_Saddler]

0-0 at half-time. Coventry v Baggies also 0-0.

57 minutes - goal at the Ricoh .... Coventry City 1 Baggies 0

[Ancient Moaner]

After half an hour we've had 6 shots, 3 of which were on target. Sloppies 4 shots, all off target.

One yellow card for Shrewsbury Town, 26 min

Are we to presume Shrewsbury are playing their ladies under 14's squad?

[Guest]

Coventry now 2-0 up.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Walsall substitution, 72 minutes - no idea who.

Shrewsbury RED card, 76 minutes.