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 This site is an archived version of the previous UpTheSaddlers forum (December 2004 to May 2018).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.

Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Reports and reaction from the 2017-2018 season as Walsall finished 19th in League 1
User avatar
SaigonSaddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10825
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: In Bonser's Grotto

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sat Dec 30, 2017 11:43 pm

Sadsfan wrote:
SaigonSaddler wrote:
Bristol Fan wrote:
SaigonSaddler wrote:This reads as if the squads were evenly matched and we're just a short step from scaling league one, but I don't think that is the case. A massive part of the defeat today was that their team are simply better than ours. Do you honestly think we could make a sustained challenge on the playoffs with a managerial superstar. I don't.


No, and it's a perfectly fair point. But I'd like a manager who could get the best out of the resources at his disposal. Horrible unwatchable hoofball crap is OK I suppose if it gets you results, but if you lose anyway then seriously there's nothing worse. I can't stand it.


Yes I think some other managers could improve the playing strategy, aesthetic quality and get us more points. Some may not, and some may achieve something roughly similar. However it appears that a few fans are labouring under the delusion that to remove Whitney would instantly allow this team to alight seamlessly to the upper reaches of league one, and beyond.

Not at all, we could be within touching distance of the play offs not leading the league. Some fans appear to be labouring under the delusion that other managers have not done better working under the same constraints of the Bonser regime.


Player wages literally determine league position. It's almost a predictive correlation. I think ours puts us 22nd or thereabouts.

I don't think sustained success in this division can be expected with the playing staff we have. Partly due to strength in depth and cover, partly due to age and experience. Even with the mega manager people will think grasp the chance to manage Walsall.

User avatar
saddlersjse
UTS Regular
 
Posts: 191
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2012 3:09 pm
Location: North of the Wall

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sat Dec 30, 2017 11:48 pm

Literally wish I'd have stuffed my £20-odd into the charity boxes that were going around the ground and gone and done something else. Not even specifically referring to today's game exclusively, just getting so tired now. Chants of Whitney-out coming from block one of the lower as I was leaving. Whitney is just a symptom of a much larger problem, and while I think he's out of his depth, clueless and want him gone as much as most other fans, nothing at this football club will properly change while our parasitic owner continues to suck the life and spirit out of the place.

Historically, Rotherham are about the same sized club as us with mostly similar gates, albeit better now. Majority of their time has been spent in the third/fourth tier, with occasional flirtations in the second. A bit of ambition in recent years and they've got a shiny new ground (although I do prefer Millmoor) gone up to the Championship, got a solid team (O'Donnell on the bench, if only) and despite a shocking 16/17, look in good shape.

A few points:
- Leahy, HOOF. Same ball every single time, aimless, WHY
- Agyei - sense he's not mentally with us anymore
- Jackson should have buried that gift of a chance.
- Richard O'Donnell coming to the fans behind the goal at half time was a nice gesture. Pay attention, Will.

User avatar
Sadsfan
Glitterati
 
Posts: 961
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2005 3:58 pm
Location: Solihull

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sat Dec 30, 2017 11:50 pm

SaigonSaddler wrote:
Sadsfan wrote:Well Saigon, having been to every home game I can tell you that the best team I have seen are Bradford (3-3 draw) . The rest of the teams haven't been great, and not had lots of good players, what I have seen are well-drilled teams who have a system, and play to it. If we were the same we could have picked up 10-15 extra points at home - Whitney has been out-thought a lot of the time by better managers. Ray Graydon picked up a fair few failures and journeymen and moulded them into a team.read interviews with players from that time, they all had a job and knew what it was. Would Graydon do better with this squad of players? I would argue that he would.


I was also at the Bradford game. Very impressive until they flagged horribly and have been inconsistent for lengthy spells in the league. I think Rotherham are better all round. I agree that another manager could improve the results, just not as much as you seem to think and have the club zoom up to their ordained place. Do you realise how much Rambo would stand out in our team now? How about Lightbourne? Even bloody Chris Marsh.

Can you list the players ready for the Championship? Please answer this just so I can get a handle on your measure of our capabilities.

How many of the Graydon side would have been pegged for the championship at the start of that season? Where have I said we should be looking to be in the championship? We would get hammered every week as we're not difficult to beat. Maybe we should be looking at how recruitment has been poor and players weren't brought in with a system and style of play in mind - I say this because the formation has changed a number of times and now we're back to the system of the previous manager. I think a decent manager would have us top half with this team and flirting with the play-offs - anywhere between 7th and 10th. Good managers at any level know how to organise a team and have a game plan. Are we organised? Do we have a game plan? I can't see that - if we did a number of home draws could have been converted into wins.

User avatar
SaigonSaddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10825
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: In Bonser's Grotto

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sat Dec 30, 2017 11:50 pm

saddlersjse wrote:Literally wish I'd have stuffed my £20-odd into the charity boxes that were going around the ground and gone and done something else. Not even specifically referring to today's game exclusively, just getting so tired now. Chants of Whitney-out coming from block one of the lower as I was leaving. Whitney is just a symptom of a much larger problem, and while I think he's out of his depth, clueless and want him gone as much as most other fans, nothing at this football club will properly change while our parasitic owner continues to suck the life and spirit out of the place.

Historically, Rotherham are about the same sized club as us with mostly similar gates, albeit better now. Majority of their time has been spent in the third/fourth tier, with occasional flirtations in the second. A bit of ambition in recent years and they've got a shiny new ground (although I do prefer Millmoor) gone up to the Championship, got a solid team (O'Donnell on the bench, if only) and despite a shocking 16/17, look in good shape.

A few points:
- Leahy, HOOF. Same ball every single time, aimless, WHY
- Agyei - sense he's not mentally with us anymore
- Jackson should have buried that gift of a chance.
- Richard O'Donnell coming to the fans behind the goal at half time was a nice gesture. Pay attention, Will.


Hear bloody hear.

User avatar
SaigonSaddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10825
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: In Bonser's Grotto

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sat Dec 30, 2017 11:57 pm

Sadsfan wrote:
SaigonSaddler wrote:
Sadsfan wrote:Well Saigon, having been to every home game I can tell you that the best team I have seen are Bradford (3-3 draw) . The rest of the teams haven't been great, and not had lots of good players, what I have seen are well-drilled teams who have a system, and play to it. If we were the same we could have picked up 10-15 extra points at home - Whitney has been out-thought a lot of the time by better managers. Ray Graydon picked up a fair few failures and journeymen and moulded them into a team.read interviews with players from that time, they all had a job and knew what it was. Would Graydon do better with this squad of players? I would argue that he would.


I was also at the Bradford game. Very impressive until they flagged horribly and have been inconsistent for lengthy spells in the league. I think Rotherham are better all round. I agree that another manager could improve the results, just not as much as you seem to think and have the club zoom up to their ordained place. Do you realise how much Rambo would stand out in our team now? How about Lightbourne? Even bloody Chris Marsh.

Can you list the players ready for the Championship? Please answer this just so I can get a handle on your measure of our capabilities.

How many of the Graydon side would have been pegged for the championship at the start of that season? Where have I said we should be looking to be in the championship? We would get hammered every week as we're not difficult to beat. Maybe we should be looking at how recruitment has been poor and players weren't brought in with a system and style of play in mind - I say this because the formation has changed a number of times and now we're back to the system of the previous manager. I think a decent manager would have us top half with this team and flirting with the play-offs - anywhere between 7th and 10th. Good managers at any level know how to organise a team and have a game plan. Are we organised? Do we have a game plan? I can't see that - if we did a number of home draws could have been converted into wins.


I stated that there was literally a single championship ready player. It's the lowest I've known for years. Even Big Fat Jan had Peron and Boli. Where are this season's? You've not really answered, so I'll assume you agree that it's Ozzy. One player. As long as you're aware of the limitations then pushing all the blame onto Whitney seems less convenient.

Bonser is the bloated fly in what has become our thimblefull of sour wine.

User avatar
Sadsfan
Glitterati
 
Posts: 961
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2005 3:58 pm
Location: Solihull

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 12:13 am

Bonser has always been that. My point is not about how many championship ready players we have, rather that having watched a number of teams that have visited the Banks's this season, no one has stood out and that with a game plan and organisation we could do better. What do you think of the teams that have visited us? Who stood out for you as being head and shoulders above us? Do you think we are well organised and what would you say is the game plan from the manager?

User avatar
PT
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3733
Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2005 8:04 pm
Location: Liverpool and skaville

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 12:29 am

Good following in terms of numbers from them today. Their support has increased dramatically since their move. Maybe it's a load of ex-Walsall fans who took our chairman's advice a few years ago. Bournemouth and Lutons crowds are also up!

Brandon Flowers
UTS Regular
 
Posts: 110
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 7:59 pm

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 12:30 am

Walsallone wrote:A somewhat undeserved defeat against a real hoofball team BUT we cannot afford to give away goals like the first one today. Very poor defending and it cost us the game because despite having a better squad the opposition were not great. Ironic that we should score the best goal of the game too from a lovely piece of football.
Lets hope Cuvelier can get fit and when Baka comes back on Monday he can provident the least ,some energy up front.


So we're waiting on the great crock/saviour that is Flo and Baka????
Wow!!!!
Literally WOW
That's sure to be bring the crowds flooding back

User avatar
Guest
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 2054
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2005 2:17 am
Location: Hong Kong

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 1:09 am


User avatar
Whitters
Site Addict
 
Posts: 2906
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 10:57 am

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 1:54 am

Thanks Guest.
Anyone who knows anything about football would have a field day with our defending and the basic mistakes made.
Suffice to say it was jolly poor....

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

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 8:40 am

Sadsfan wrote:Bonser has always been that. My point is not about how many championship ready players we have, rather that having watched a number of teams that have visited the Banks's this season, no one has stood out and that with a game plan and organisation we could do better. What do you think of the teams that have visited us? Who stood out for you as being head and shoulders above us? Do you think we are well organised and what would you say is the game plan from the manager?


Exactly. It doesn't matter how many 'Championship ready' players we have. If we do not have a manager who can mould them into a team, if we do not have a manager who has the tactical nous to create an on-field ethos and out-think the opposition, it's all meaningless.

We don't have a manager. Look at his incessant drivel (his before and after Rotherham comments for example), the sad fact is that Whitney is out of his depth. He is the show stopper at Walsall. It begins and ends with him.

The nightmare is that the Club seem to want to give him yet another transfer window to recruit decent players and turn them into dross. If I were a development manager at a Premiership or Championship club, I wouldn't let any of my potential within a hundred miles of Bescot

Walsallone
UTS Legend
 
Posts: 1901
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:43 pm

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 9:07 am

It is a hope BRANDON thats all....if you look back I posted in the Summer that signing Cuvelier would be a waste of money! but at the moment he is the only creative midfielder we have as the match against Scunthorpe showed. As for Baka. he has improved this season and is way ahead of Agyei in my opinion.
I have enjoyed reading the good debate above about the respective managers and squads we have had. My position is that the players we currently have when we are able to field our best team should be comfortably mid table and a better Manager would get more out of them. Yesterday we were short of Baka and T. Roberts which is a big "miss" for us. If the latter goes in January then he needs replacing with a someone who has similar attributes which won't be easy.
I think we will end up around where we are now if the January recruitment goes ok.
SOCCERHQ asked a question earlier about the two missed chances...yes they should have been taken and perhaps the result would have been better as we all know goals change matches.
One other point I thought we should have brought Wilson back yesterday although the two centre halves played well against Bristol Rovers and certainly he should have come on when Moore appeared. Anyway we now face a long trip to face an improving Plymouth...I fear it will be another bad day.

User avatar
Bristol Fan
Glitterati
 
Posts: 856
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Guess

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 9:24 am

SaigonSaddler wrote:Player wages literally determine league position. It's almost a predictive correlation.


I think you seriously underestimate the impact of a manager. Or do Bury have the lowest wage budget in the league, and Shrewsbury the second highest?

Walsall_Casual
Glitterati
 
Posts: 1094
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 12:53 pm

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 9:53 am

chunkster wrote:
Walsall_Casual wrote:I was due to travel down to Plymouth tomorrow morning. I have decided not to bother, losing £220 in hotel costs in the process.
And do you know what is so frustrating about that? because of our inconsistent results so far, we will probably put in the performance of the season and win :| if you have paid for the hotel mate i would still go, at least you could have a decent night out even if the football may be shite :wink:


I had considered that mate. However, after yesterday, the second poor performance in 7 days I can't stomach another 90 minutes of that clowns tactics.

Fair play to those making the trip.

Its all very sad.

User avatar
SaigonSaddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10825
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: In Bonser's Grotto

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 10:25 am

Bristol Fan wrote:
SaigonSaddler wrote:Player wages literally determine league position. It's almost a predictive correlation.


I think you seriously underestimate the impact of a manager. Or do Bury have the lowest wage budget in the league, and Shrewsbury the second highest?


I've already stated that the right manager would improve results, and naturally it's tempting to find instances that buck the trend. However there is a persistant correlation between wages and final league position at all levels. That said we have had decent players coming through our ranks in recent years, but we've sold all the silver.

User avatar
SaigonSaddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10825
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: In Bonser's Grotto

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 10:50 am

Fish wrote:
Sadsfan wrote:Bonser has always been that. My point is not about how many championship ready players we have, rather that having watched a number of teams that have visited the Banks's this season, no one has stood out and that with a game plan and organisation we could do better. What do you think of the teams that have visited us? Who stood out for you as being head and shoulders above us? Do you think we are well organised and what would you say is the game plan from the manager?


Exactly. It doesn't matter how many 'Chamionship ready' players we have. If we do not have a manager who can mould them into a team, if we do not have a manager who has the tactical nouse to create an on-field ethos and out-think the opposition, it's all meaningless.


It's neither all the manager nor all the players. Chopping Whitney wouldn't necessarily allow this squad to make a sustained promotion push.

I saw massive issues in defence and in attack in this game and midfield couldn't really cut it either. It's valid to point to note that and introduce it into an otherwise over-simplistic analysis.

We have far fewer quality players than at any time in the last 20 years.
Someone mentioned Graydon's team, he took charge on 5th May 1998 with: Platt, Hodge, Boli, Peron, Watson, Keates, Ricketts, Pointon, Viveash, Walker, Roper, Marsh, Evans, Gadsby, Mountfield, Porter.

The following year we added: Barras, Rammell, Robins, Wrack, Bukran, Matias, Hall, Brightwell, Padula.

Imagine that team in this division. :| So yes, players of sufficient quality are absolutely central to the kind of success we all want.

philthesaddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 5371
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 3:13 pm
Location: Bescot Stadium, 'the stadium that never closes'. Opening hours Mon-Fri 10am-4pm

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 11:40 am

If you want evidence on how sh!t we are at defending, just check out this still. This is less than 60 seconds in to a game

Image

We have 8 - EIGHT - players in the box, plus the keeper, yet the Rotherham player managed to waltz past all challenges and comfortably find his man for a tap in.

This is atrocious defending, absolutely atrocious.

Any club being run properly would have serious concerns over a management team if they witnessed this. Clearly the powers that be at Walsall do not care.

This isn't a rookie manager, he's been in the job nearly 2 years - and even if it was a rookie manager - why the fudge should we have to put up with "amateur" defending (Whitney's quote)? We're a professional football club arent we? Why are we employing a clown?

ShyTallKnight
Glitterati
 
Posts: 835
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:35 pm
Location: Outlaw

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 11:51 am

Sack the fool and get one of the problems out of the way.

User avatar
SaigonSaddler
Site Addict
 
Posts: 10825
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: In Bonser's Grotto

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 11:58 am

philthesaddler wrote:If you want evidence on how sh!t we are at defending, just check out this still. This is less than 60 seconds in to a game

Image

We have 8 - EIGHT - players in the box, plus the keeper, yet the Rotherham player managed to waltz past all challenges and comfortably find his man for a tap in.

This is atrocious defending, absolutely atrocious.

Any club being run properly would have serious concerns over a management team if they witnessed this. Clearly the powers that be at Walsall do not care.

This isn't a rookie manager, he's been in the job nearly 2 years - and even if it was a rookie manager - why the fudge should we have to put up with "amateur" defending (Whitney's quote)? We're a professional football club arent we? Why are we employing a clown?


I entirely agree, but the defence is also the most flimsy I've seen in decades. Presumably the actual players have to perform too? Why on earth Edwards spooned the ball into an area with three Rotherham players is pure cack play. That isn't down to coaching, just poor decision making.

User avatar
Optimistic
UTS Veteran
 
Posts: 568
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:11 pm
Location: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 2:18 pm

I think that the above post sums things up well. None of our players moved and the keeper just stood and watched the ball as it went past him and was tapped in. Maybe the angle is deceiving but a bit more activity would not go amiss.

In my opinion the size of our squad and the lack of a bit more quality to call on makes a difference. The fact that just a few important players were missing made a big difference as well and it is clear that although Jackson has not been good enough all season and ends up playing says it all and he only came on because Agyei is not good enough either. To keep hoofing the ball up to him was pointless as he never managed to do anything with the ball and never got his head to it once. He appears to be able to score with a ball to his feet but that did not happen.

We let in two sloppy goals and had a number of good chances to score and did not and that's actually what happened. We are hopeless when we hoof the ball but look decent when we get it down and play. We need a couple of players like Fryatt who can put the ball in the net and someone in goal or defense who stays awake for 90 minutes and then we will be alright. We had enough chances to win the last two games and did not take them, we just cannot be under par at both ends and get results.

User avatar
wednesburysaddler
Glitterati
 
Posts: 689
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:43 pm
Location: wednesbury

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 4:31 pm

I cant work out wether we have a decent squad but playing for a poor manager or poor players playing for a manager that takes the fall for the results.
its no secret that bonsers restraining of the budget affects the ability to bring in any consistant quality.
lets be honest can us Walsall fans really see us brnging in any quality in January as we are more likely to be involved in a relegation scrap than any kind of play off push.
the goalkeeper and back 4 are basically league 2 quality. the midfield is slow and relies too much on 1 out of form player and the strikeforce is just a joke
no offence to baka but do people really thinks hes a league 1 striker??
id say league 2/conference level at best although he huffs and puffs and tries.
chambers although steady is too deep and doesn't really contribute going forward so we hoof it from defence hoping our 5ft 2 midfielder can jump 2 foot to win the ball.
ive seen a lot of managers and players come and go since 1988 and I do not enjoy watching this football at the moment.
will I renew season ticket I don't know whats going to change next season not a lot I would say
manager will probably still be there and the quality of players wont improve so do we put up and shut up or do we vote with our feet.
its almost an in joke in our house when I trudge off to the match at the last possible minute only to come back literally predicting the outcome or score.
I have been to 1 away match this season and trust me when I say I was a regular away fan. I feel as though I need something to happen to the club to make me smile again and make we want to go down there.
ive met a lot of nice people over the years and friends who I sit by and no one is happy but we just accept it week in week out.
my 17 year old daughter would rather go into work on a Saturday now than come with me after 5 years so that's 63 quid wasted.
for everyone of me theres someone else who feels the same way.
I just want to be entertained and if we lose a few and they've given 100 percent then id be happy.
this team just boring goes through motions eeks the odd win out now and again but on the whole a very poor squad and a novice manager and a tight as a ducks arse chairman

ShyTallKnight
Glitterati
 
Posts: 835
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:35 pm
Location: Outlaw

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 4:45 pm

I know I see a different game to most people but while the defence/attack are very poor the main problem to me lies in midfield. Chambers (well past his sell by date) and Edwards together are a disaster, so hoofball it is.

saddlertd
UTS Veteran
 
Posts: 571
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:51 pm

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 5:08 pm

SaigonSaddler wrote:
Sadsfan wrote:
SaigonSaddler wrote:
Sadsfan wrote:Well Saigon, having been to every home game I can tell you that the best team I have seen are Bradford (3-3 draw) . The rest of the teams haven't been great, and not had lots of good players, what I have seen are well-drilled teams who have a system, and play to it. If we were the same we could have picked up 10-15 extra points at home - Whitney has been out-thought a lot of the time by better managers. Ray Graydon picked up a fair few failures and journeymen and moulded them into a team.read interviews with players from that time, they all had a job and knew what it was. Would Graydon do better with this squad of players? I would argue that he would.


I was also at the Bradford game. Very impressive until they flagged horribly and have been inconsistent for lengthy spells in the league. I think Rotherham are better all round. I agree that another manager could improve the results, just not as much as you seem to think and have the club zoom up to their ordained place. Do you realise how much Rambo would stand out in our team now? How about Lightbourne? Even bloody Chris Marsh.

Can you list the players ready for the Championship? Please answer this just so I can get a handle on your measure of our capabilities.

How many of the Graydon side would have been pegged for the championship at the start of that season? Where have I said we should be looking to be in the championship? We would get hammered every week as we're not difficult to beat. Maybe we should be looking at how recruitment has been poor and players weren't brought in with a system and style of play in mind - I say this because the formation has changed a number of times and now we're back to the system of the previous manager. I think a decent manager would have us top half with this team and flirting with the play-offs - anywhere between 7th and 10th. Good managers at any level know how to organise a team and have a game plan. Are we organised? Do we have a game plan? I can't see that - if we did a number of home draws could have been converted into wins.


I stated that there was literally a single championship ready player. It's the lowest I've known for years. Even Big Fat Jan had Peron and Boli. Where are this season's? You've not really answered, so I'll assume you agree that it's Ozzy. One player. As long as you're aware of the limitations then pushing all the blame onto Whitney seems less convenient.

Bonser is the bloated fly in what has become our thimblefull of sour wine.


I’d argue that Wilson and Tyrone Roberts are Championship quality. I think we should look to sign Wilson, make him Captain and build next season’s defence around him. We need to get to 50 points as soon as possible and start planning for 2018/19.

User avatar
SaddlerSteve
Site Addict
 
Posts: 3154
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:06 pm
Location: Milton Keynes

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 6:07 pm

SaigonSaddler wrote:
philthesaddler wrote:If you want evidence on how sh!t we are at defending, just check out this still. This is less than 60 seconds in to a game

Image

We have 8 - EIGHT - players in the box, plus the keeper, yet the Rotherham player managed to waltz past all challenges and comfortably find his man for a tap in.

This is atrocious defending, absolutely atrocious.

Any club being run properly would have serious concerns over a management team if they witnessed this. Clearly the powers that be at Walsall do not care.

This isn't a rookie manager, he's been in the job nearly 2 years - and even if it was a rookie manager - why the fudge should we have to put up with "amateur" defending (Whitney's quote)? We're a professional football club arent we? Why are we employing a clown?


I entirely agree, but the defence is also the most flimsy I've seen in decades. Presumably the actual players have to perform too? Why on earth Edwards spooned the ball into an area with three Rotherham players is pure cack play. That isn't down to coaching, just poor decision making.


Firstly I completely agree with what you say about Edwards. The one time when it actually needed hoofing either upfield or out of play he plays it up the wing on the floor straight to one of their players leading directly to this attack.

As for the defence. It’s mainly made up of Whitney signings that he’s spent our budget on after seeing off Preston, O’Connor and Laird. I’d also go as far to say that I think Gilmartin would have been better than Gillespie.

Whitney claimed he was building this squad from the back and it’s spectacularly backfired on him. What the hell is Sharps doing with them in training?

Kory Roberts has definitely stepped up this season and he didn’t cost us anything.

We struggle with attack a lot of the time but it’s made even worse by the amount of times we shoot oursekves in the foot in defence.

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

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 6:36 pm

Whitters wrote:Thanks Guest.
Anyone who knows anything about football would have a field day with our defending and the basic mistakes made.
Suffice to say it was jolly poor....

Tis the season to be jolly :mrgreen:

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

Re: Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

Sun Dec 31, 2017 11:41 pm

Sadsfan wrote:Bonser has always been that. My point is not about how many championship ready players we have, rather that having watched a number of teams that have visited the Banks's this season, no one has stood out and that with a game plan and organisation we could do better. What do you think of the teams that have visited us? Who stood out for you as being head and shoulders above us? Do you think we are well organised and what would you say is the game plan from the manager?


The two likely automatic promotion teams Blackburn and Wigan have yet to visit. Pompey are in the top 6 now and will visit in March. Sloppies are still defying gravity but always struggle against Walsall.

Previous
Return to 2017-18 Season

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests