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Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Reports and reaction from the 2017-2018 season as Walsall finished 19th in League 1
Fish
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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:27 pm

Mugabe or Whitney?

Who's going first?

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chunkster
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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:30 pm

Fish wrote:Mugabe or Whitney?

Who's going first?

can't we just do a straight swap? :lol:

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:34 pm

El_Nombre wrote:
saddlertd wrote:
El_Nombre wrote:Shocking shocking shocking.

I defend Whitney a lot on this sight but that has to be the final nail. No coherent selection process as illustrated today by the sub keeper, Kinsella, Flanagan and the strikers. The best indication that he doesn’t know himself what team to play.

A must win game and we’ve dicked them for a lot of it but I genuinely think it’s the selection that’s caused that. One striker being Baka? Where is the thought process there? Target man on his own? When has that ever worked. 3 at the back cos it worked for Chelsea. I can see no other logical reason considering the players we have. Just incoherent.


But, El Nombre, we have to accommodate Oztumer in the No 10 role- it’s apparently in his contract. That means, if we play 4 at the back, we can only play 1 upfront - it ain’t working, especially at home. How many goals have we scored at home, playing 1 upfront? It’s time to play 4-4-fecking-2 - Ozzie will have to play wide - with Bakayoko and Roberts upfront. Another sh!te season.


Hold on your can’t play a number ten with 4 at the back. We play him there cos it’s our best player in his best position. Playing him out wide makes zero sense. Hes our top scorer!

4-2-3-1 4-4-2 Diamond 4-3-1-2 4-4-1-1 just to make a few. Moving your only creative player out wide really isn’t the answer, but neither is 3 at the back.


Ozzie’s not playing well enough to build the team around him: the formation must come first. 4-4-2, with a solid bank of 4 in midfield, and a bit of pace out wide, with a targetman upfront and a quick, skilful striker playing off him - it’s simple really. Whitney is overcompicating things. Anyone, Ozzie will be gone in January and so it won’t matter for too much longer. Jeff’s got to top up his grand a day from somewhere.

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:35 pm

chunkster wrote:
Fish wrote:Mugabe or Whitney?

Who's going first?

can't we just do a straight swap? :lol:



That made me laugh...so did this;

E&S: ''Boss Jon Whitney says he is determined to deliver a style of football that will get Walsall’s fans smiling again.''

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chunkster
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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:44 pm

Fish wrote:
chunkster wrote:
Fish wrote:Mugabe or Whitney?

Who's going first?

can't we just do a straight swap? :lol:



That made me laugh...so did this;

E&S: ''Boss Jon Whitney says he is determined to deliver a style of football that will get Walsall’s fans smiling again.''
:lol: i think they misspelt crying as smilling :lol:

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:47 pm

saddlertd wrote:
El_Nombre wrote:
saddlertd wrote:
El_Nombre wrote:Shocking shocking shocking.

I defend Whitney a lot on this sight but that has to be the final nail. No coherent selection process as illustrated today by the sub keeper, Kinsella, Flanagan and the strikers. The best indication that he doesn’t know himself what team to play.

A must win game and we’ve dicked them for a lot of it but I genuinely think it’s the selection that’s caused that. One striker being Baka? Where is the thought process there? Target man on his own? When has that ever worked. 3 at the back cos it worked for Chelsea. I can see no other logical reason considering the players we have. Just incoherent.


But, El Nombre, we have to accommodate Oztumer in the No 10 role- it’s apparently in his contract. That means, if we play 4 at the back, we can only play 1 upfront - it ain’t working, especially at home. How many goals have we scored at home, playing 1 upfront? It’s time to play 4-4-fecking-2 - Ozzie will have to play wide - with Bakayoko and Roberts upfront. Another sh!te season.


Hold on your can’t play a number ten with 4 at the back. We play him there cos it’s our best player in his best position. Playing him out wide makes zero sense. Hes our top scorer!

4-2-3-1 4-4-2 Diamond 4-3-1-2 4-4-1-1 just to make a few. Moving your only creative player out wide really isn’t the answer, but neither is 3 at the back.


Ozzie’s not playing well enough to build the team around him: the formation must come first. 4-4-2, with a solid bank of 4 in midfield, and a bit of pace out wide, with a targetman upfront and a quick, skilful striker playing off him - it’s simple really. Whitney is overcompicating things. Anyone, Ozzie will be gone in January and so it won’t matter for too much longer. Jeff’s got to top up his grand a day from somewhere.


Not this again. He’s, and it’s not even close anymore, the best player in the side. He still has a good goal scoring record for somebody playing attacking midfielder.

And a bit of pace out wide? Ozzy? He’s not exactly pacey! Just because he’s teeing people up who can’t finish their dinner or not banging in worldies from the half way line that doesn’t mean we stick him somewhere he’d be completely ineffective because 4-4-2. It’s simple really. Amazing how whenever we lose it’s always Whitney’s fault first, then Ozzys cos he didn’t drag us by our boot laces yet again.

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:48 pm

Fish wrote:Mugabe or Whitney?

Who's going first?


Pulis

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:48 pm

that was such a frustrating 90 minutes.
we played a lot better than recent weeks but we just lack any confidence in the final third
gills made our goalie pick ball out of net and saved a rasper on the break in 93rd minute apart from that he may as well have gone home.
but I could say the same for their goalkeeper a couple of half hearted efforts was all we could muster despite a large chunk of possession.

starting with 1 up front against an out of form gills side is so frustrating especially when whitney promised the crowd would be entertained but I don't think for 1 minute the extra 500 schoolkids will rush back in a hurry.

getting to the point when I really cant be bothered when we lose and once us fans end up like that then theres no hope is there.

a bit of infighting going on today didn't see it myself but heard there were half a dozen or so involved during the half time and the kicked off again early in 2nd half don't know what about but looked like a teenager was chucked out .

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:48 pm

We actually played football and it was exactly as effective as it was in the early smith years.

Taking Baka off and not Ozzy? Suicidal for the flow of the match. We were turning the key to open the door as he made those changes. I’ve criticised him in the past for waiting too long to make changes - that today was awful.

Gillingham....wow. They had 2 chances. Well I suppose their goal wasn’t a chance it was a gift and then they had a chance on like 94 mins. After they had their man sent off they were defending like mad men they were booting it out at every chance. What a great 3 points that is for them.

Tells you everything when at the final whistle their fans jumped up to celebrate frantically like they had scored.

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:12 pm

Appalling result against a truly dismal team who will be shoulder to shoulder with us all season in the relegation zone unless Bonser acts quickly.

The result was completely undeserved to be honest. One sitter missed by Bakayoko, many half chances and the most nailed on penalty for a pull on Aygei which the useless prick of a referee laughably failed to notice. The goal was truly piss poor - Leahy gave the ball away, Guthrie put in a challenge that a fat middle aged fool like me would be embarassed by then Knsella dismally underhit the back pass. Shocking - rumours were also knocking around that Cutler had walked over the goalie change (Roberts had bugger all to do but inspired a lot more confidence in me than Gillespie).

I'm looking forward to Whitneys whines - suspect "10 men are hard to beat, banks of 4" might be the favoured bollocks. He's got to go and very soon. Given the number of loan players (their limited use today makes me think that they might be Whitless's current scapegoats) who probably wont be here past January, a new manager will need time to work out what we need to avoid being with a cack team like Gillingham at the end of the season. I'm past sympathy for Whitney now - the atmosphere (including fights in the blue pop stand between various WFC chavs) was like a morgue. Apart from my "piss off Whitney" when the Gills scored. I can't remember the fans being negative to the team - with the "we want whitney out" only starting in injury time. SACK HIM NOW

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:37 pm

T Roberts on the bench at home , give me a break.

Nothing more to say apart from Whitney out!

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:44 pm

I came away from the ground thinking how did we lose that. However, the trouble is I can't think of many decent saves their keeper had to make. The amount of blocks their No 12 put in was unbelievable though.

I lot of heart and effort from the team but we looked very unbalanced in terms of quality. We have three decent forwards fighting for one spot and a void of genuine quality in centre mid where games are won and lost.

Thought the substitution decisions were poor - just seemed to weaken the team going into the last 20 mins. Flanagan doesn't add anything to the team going forward.

The build up play was far to slow in the second half. At times it looked like we were trying to defend a 1-0 lead by playing keep ball. I bet the Gills couldn't understand why the ball took so long to get out of our own half at times.

Talking of the Gills, they were truly awful. They will go down and we will follow them unless something changes quickly.

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:45 pm

Jon Whitney pleased with Walsall performance despite result
https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/fo ... te-result/

Wyrley Saddler 66
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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:47 pm

Bakayoko should never start again.

Sorry to say it, but Chambers is now past it. He doesn’t create anything from midfield.

Unlucky today, but again this is all down to Whitney.

For once Morris was playing well and he took him off?

Ozzy had a mare and played 90 minutes

Bizzare, Whitney out

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:55 pm

swampysaddler wrote:Jon Whitney pleased with Walsall performance despite result
https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/fo ... te-result/
The clue is in the detail in that quote, "we had 5 academy players in the team today" future paydays for Bonser :|

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:04 pm

chunkster wrote:
swampysaddler wrote:Jon Whitney pleased with Walsall performance despite result
https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/fo ... te-result/
The clue is in the detail in that quote, "we had 5 academy players in the team today" future paydays for Bonser :|


Problem is they aren't good enough!

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:06 pm

Whitney’s approach is so confused at the minute. We’ve spent the first few months of the season trying to build a strong, physical and direct team with a style of play to match and now that’s all been thrown in the bin and he’s trying to go back to the philosophy we saw under Smith.

Is this because of pressure from the top? Or is it more evidence of a manager so far out of his depth that he is trying to keep the fans on side by reverting to a style that worked before he took over? Either way it highlights how scrambled Whitney’s thinking is, what the players must be thinking about this sudden change is anyone’s guess.

The game itself was a bit of a non-event with Gillingham taking their only chance of the game and managing to restrict us to lots of long range shots, hence the high number of blocks. The post match interviews were a bit of a circus again, Whitney’s usual rubbish being lapped up with no challenge or query. I get that they have to tow the company line to some degree, but he gets a really easy ride in the media considering our results, performances and form this season.

A loss on Tuesday and it could be all over. It’s a shame because if he’d actually tried to carry on the ‘footballing philosophy’ at the start of his three year contract then he would’ve been given more time and a club stalwart would still be at the club.

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:39 pm

[quote="Wyrley Saddler 66"]Bakayoko should never start again.

Sorry to say it, but Chambers is now past it. He doesn’t create anything from midfield.

Unlucky today, but again this is all down to Whitney.

For once Morris was playing well and he took him off?

Ozzy had a mare and played 90 minutes

Don’t let El Numpty see that - he thinks Ozzie is a god who can do no wrong, yet in a lot of matches this season he has been totally ineffective. I’m not saying he’s got to score or make an assist every game but he seems to have lost his creative spark recently. We need to play 2 strikers at home.

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:50 pm

JUST fudge OFF WHITNEY, YOU CLUELESS, USELESS fudge WASTER.

I thought you were going to take the abuse rather than the players? That's why the players were out on the pitch while you scurried off down the tunnel?

YOU fudge COWARD AND FRAUD.

GO NOW!

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:53 pm

swampysaddler wrote:Jon Whitney pleased with Walsall performance despite result
https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/fo ... te-result/


The guy is still unaware of how ridiculous he sounds with his 'plans for the future' and 'how well the young lads played'.
Its a load of hairy bollocks...we lost, at home, to a 10 man relegation outfit. Away supporters watching the likes of Kinsella and Flanagan must feel great joy that they are not in 'their' side! It is humiliating for us fans, yet he seems unable to grasp how frustrating his post match ramblings are to us....face facts Whitney, we are hurtling towards the relegation zone at an alarming rate....Oldham are now above us for clips sake!
As for looking forward to another match on Tuesday, I would imagine that's the last thing this team wants right now, another home defeat to Fleetwood, my god they will drill us a new A-hole!
I bet Baky will start up front though! :lol: :evil:

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 8:11 pm

saddlertd wrote:
Wyrley Saddler 66 wrote:Bakayoko should never start again.

Sorry to say it, but Chambers is now past it. He doesn’t create anything from midfield.

Unlucky today, but again this is all down to Whitney.

For once Morris was playing well and he took him off?

Ozzy had a mare and played 90 minutes

Don’t let El Numpty see that - he thinks Ozzie is a god who can do no wrong, yet in a lot of matches this season he has been totally ineffective. I’m not saying he’s got to score or make an assist every game but he seems to have lost his creative spark recently. We need to play 2 strikers at home.


Oh bore off mate. No I don’t. He had a very average hand today. Just don’t think shoving our main creative spark and source for goals out wide is the answer.

Strikers aren’t scoring? Get rid of the creative midfielder. Genius.

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 8:22 pm

Tom_1992 wrote:Whitney’s approach is so confused at the minute. We’ve spent the first few months of the season trying to build a strong, physical and direct team with a style of play to match and now that’s all been thrown in the bin and he’s trying to go back to the philosophy we saw under Smith.

Is this because of pressure from the top? Or is it more evidence of a manager so far out of his depth that he is trying to keep the fans on side by reverting to a style that worked before he took over? Either way it highlights how scrambled Whitney’s thinking is, what the players must be thinking about this sudden change is anyone’s guess.

The game itself was a bit of a non-event with Gillingham taking their only chance of the game and managing to restrict us to lots of long range shots, hence the high number of blocks. The post match interviews were a bit of a circus again, Whitney’s usual rubbish being lapped up with no challenge or query. I get that they have to tow the company line to some degree, but he gets a really easy ride in the media considering our results, performances and form this season.

A loss on Tuesday and it could be all over. It’s a shame because if he’d actually tried to carry on the ‘footballing philosophy’ at the start of his three year contract then he would’ve been given more time and a club stalwart would still be at the club.

Good intelligent comments!
The change to a Smith-style must be in response to fans protesting about that style being abandoned.
As you say, he should have done this from the start.
His employers are at fault for that.
They set the parameters (despite what Optimistic says).
The players would understand the changes so I don't think there's a problem there.
It may also be an attempt to keep Ozzy as he said he joined us because he liked how we play and then Whitney changed the system!

And if Welsh had had time to do his normal brilliant preview he probably would have picked this up - from the Kentonline site,
"Gillingham will have no fears about taking to the road this weekend.
Under Steve Lovell they have a 100% winning record away from home after taking maximum points at Peterborough and Rotherham."

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 9:32 pm

An undeserved defeat against a very poor side. We played some good stuff but didn't create enough or cause their goalie to make saves. As others have said we have now gone back to to the "Smith" style which I personally like but we lack a Sawyers to control the play. We should have stuck with it all season. I would play 2 up front and leave Chambers out if I were the Manager. Good performances today from Ismail and Roberts (K)....lets hope we can get the goals on Tuesday against a better team. Out of the 6 key matches up to Christmas that is one down and no points...its looking bleak!!!

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 9:44 pm

Walsallone wrote:An undeserved defeat against a very poor side. We played some good stuff but didn't create enough or cause their goalie to make saves. As others have said we have now gone back to to the "Smith" style which I personally like but we lack a Sawyers to control the play. We should have stuck with it all season. I would play 2 up front and leave Chambers out if I were the Manager. Good performances today from Ismail and Roberts (K)....lets hope we can get the goals on Tuesday against a better team. Out of the 6 key matches up to Christmas that is one down and no points...its looking bleak!!!



Ismail had good approach play but needs to work on crosses

Agree kory Roberts has a magnetic ability to keep the ball I think he will be our next big sell off

Chambers break up play is average and he should be fined every time he passes sideways and backwards which in fact is every Time probably the most frustrating player. I would have replaced him 2 seasons ago .poor captain who lets the manager down by not taking any control on the pitch. Any new manager needs to make this the first change these players especially the younger ones need more vocal support on the pitch.

I think in Tyler Roberts and agyei Whitney had get of jail cards which he fails to use and bakayoko will eventually get him the sack

Uts

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 9:57 pm

A very disappointing result.

Napoleon asked of his generals 'are they lucky?' I think Whitney was unlucky today, but you make your own luck.

:|

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 10:49 pm

It is fairly clear that Whitney has received instruction from on high that his preferred "style" of play is no longer acceptable given it was not bearing fruit and that he needed to change back to something more like what he inherited. And fair play, they gave it a go today. The trouble with this is that he's built a squad to play hoofball (Jon Guthrie attempting to play from the back is not a sight for the fainthearted). If we'd been playing like we had done today all season and had amassed this many points from it, there wouldn't be nearly as much hostility towards Whitney, but we haven't so there is.

Delighted we've dumped the awful five at the back system again, delighted K Roberts was in the side rather than being mystifyingly cast aside to accommodate a loanee, thought L Roberts acquitted himself well enough (against admittedly very limited opposition) and pleased to see us trying to play the right way. Now let's get a manager in who can do it properly.

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 10:59 pm

https://youtu.be/1u1oZFWVrsI

Even Trumps Whitney Out

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sat Nov 18, 2017 11:46 pm

'You can only beat what's put in front of you', so the saying goes. Well, If we can't beat Gills at home in a relegation six-pointer, there's precious little hope for the rest of the season.

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sun Nov 19, 2017 12:22 am

Walsallone wrote:An undeserved defeat against a very poor side. We played some good stuff but didn't create enough or cause their goalie to make saves. As others have said we have now gone back to to the "Smith" style which I personally like but we lack a Sawyers to control the play. We should have stuck with it all season. I would play 2 up front and leave Chambers out if I were the Manager. Good performances today from Ismail and Roberts (K)....lets hope we can get the goals on Tuesday against a better team. Out of the 6 key matches up to Christmas that is one down and no points...its looking bleak!!!

Ismail was like a Lotus sports car, looked great but kept going wrong.

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Re: Gillingham (H) League One, 18th Nov 3pm

Sun Nov 19, 2017 1:02 am


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