Rotherham United (H) Dec 30th, 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

"There was a merry miller"

(Thomas Sadler)

So here we are exactly half-way through the season, with 30 points to show for it - and our League One position is exactly half-way, with only our scoring record keeping us in the top half (but we do have a game in hand over most other sides). I don't like to use the word "revenge", but we certainly have a score to settle with Rotherham United after our surrender at their place 5-1 in September. Our scorer that day was Amadou Bakayoko, who of course isn't available for this match. The Millers have had a very good Christmas with 2 wins which means they are now unbeaten in their last 4 games, and this will pose problems for Jon Whitney as he tries to work out a way to curb the free-scoring game manager Paul Warne has them playing. Ex-Saddlers who might be on view will probably include Anthony Forde, but Richard O'Donnell is currently being kept out of the starting XI by on-loan keeper Marek Rodak. Current form:

25 Nov Wigan Athletic (H) Lost 1-3
2 Dec Bristol Rovers (A) Lost 2-1
9 Dec Blackpool (A) Won 1-2
16 Dec Plymouth Argyle (H) Drew 1-1
23 Dec M K Dons (H) Won 2-1
26 Dec Bury (A) Won 0-3

We are fast becoming the League One draw specialists, with only Rochdale (10) ahead of our 9. Rotherham's defence is apparently weaker than ours at 33 goals conceded, so we may well see opportunities to score .... the big snag is that we need a striker (or two) able to find the target more than once or twice per game. We are without Bakayoko and (probably) Lobster, so is it time to see what Mitch Candlin can do, even if he only gets the 2nd half? Wilson may well be back from his family addition celebrations, but our creative midfield (such as it is) will again rest entirely on the shoulders of our Turkish Messi if Cuvelier is still a non-starter. And as we have seen, if Oztumer does happen to have an off-day then the team performance nosedives.

Prediction? I'm getting a bit cheesed off with consistently looking for 3-point results and being dreadfully disappointed, so I will go for a further extension to our draw sequence, with a 1-1 scoreline. Leahy for us, and a Frecklington penalty for the Millers.

UTS :D

[SoccerHQ]

Is Kieffer Moore's loan up?

If he plays think Rotherham will edge it 0-1.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Is Kieffer Moore's loan up?

If he plays think Rotherham will edge it 0-1.

According to Moore's Wiki page he is on loan until the end of the season. :(

[chunkster]

0-2 :| still think we are short up front, we can't score goals full stop, and that is ok against someone of a similar disposition, but Rotherham can score goals

[SoccerHQ]

Is Kieffer Moore's loan up?

If he plays think Rotherham will edge it 0-1.

According to Moore's Wiki page he is on loan until the end of the season. :(

He can be recalled mid season, Rotherham manager was quoted as expecting Ipswich to take him back.

He actually got sent off the other week so may actually be suspended in any case.

[saddla]

Is Kieffer Moore's loan up?

If he plays think Rotherham will edge it 0-1.

According to Moore's Wiki page he is on loan until the end of the season. :(

He can be recalled mid season, Rotherham manager was quoted as expecting Ipswich to take him back.

He actually got sent off the other week so may actually be suspended in any case.

He was on the subs bench for the millers on boxing day, his first match back following suspension. He came on in the 78th minute. They have a more than adequate replacement in David Ball who scored during that game. :(

[Walsallone]

It will be a tough game. They are one of the better resourced teams in the League however we a tighter in defence of late and I think it could be 1-0 either way.

[reedswood sadler]

I would love to beat then after our heavy defeat but think the best we can hope for is a draw.
Kory played well again against Rovers and deserves to keep his place if Young is back. I could be wrong quite often am but has Young played midfield before , if so it might be worth a shot at putting him there we are weak in these places without Flo and is as good an option as any other.

[chunkster]

I am looking forward to seeing some real skillful entertaining football with lots of goals tomorrow at the bezla.








My great nephew is playing in an under 6's tournament in the morning :mrgreen:

[Mike Vale]

We don’t have a Young RS!!! I think Wilson has slotted into midfield before but I can’t see that happening. 2-0 to us.

[Walsallnil]

Sadly can’t see anything but a defeat tomorrow ~ 0-2 at least I fear.

[PT]

Whitney said that against Bristol Rovers we were determined not to concede and at half time it was all about not leaving the back door open against a dangerous side.

Given that Rotherham are evidently far more dangerous I expect another game where we line up 811.

Should be bags of fun.

0-1 "it was going to plan until they scored and apart from conceding I though we contained their threat, a threat we spoke about before the game, really well. The boos don't bother me. They go with the territory. I know what we come in and do every day and I can see what we're building here and I know others can too.".

[Addis Saddler]

They don't draw many. I'd say we are more likely to lose this than win, so 2-1 to the merry Millers.

[Asps]

Lee Frecklington will destroy us like he always does.

3-0 to the Millers

[Cully]

I shall squander some more money on betting on a home win :roll:

[Welsh_Saddler]

I shall squander some more money on betting on a home win :roll:

Walsall currently outsiders (no surprise there) with Betfair at 2.9 to 1. Rotherham United 2.6 to 1 favourites.

[BathSaddler]

A home defeat, 0-2, in front of 4,654, including around 800 Millers.

After the false dawn of the Scunthorpe performance and result, it's all back to normal.

[SaigonSaddler]

One each.

Or two each.

Or another scoreline.

[Pedagogue]

One each.

Or two each.

Or another scoreline.

You always claimed that you were indecisive but now you're not so sure.

[wednesburysaddler]

https://www.forebet.com/en/football-tip ... league-one

1-1 as these say

[SaigonSaddler]

One each.

Or two each.

Or another scoreline.

You always claimed that you were indecisive but now you're not so sure.

I don't know if I know what you're talking about ...

[ObiWan7]

Merry Christmas to all :)

After going in person on Boxing day to watch one of the most boring games i can ever remember (Thank God i took my hip flask) , i am back to following the game from the office.

I hadn't been for a few weeks and as much i never thoiught Bristol would ever score i still thought they were more likely to score than us and we were fortunate to get nil. Chambers , bless him , seems utterley incapable of delivering a forward pass and Ozzy had one of the worst games ive ever seen him play. One up front doesn't work and in order for us to make anything of the season we need to start playing with two up top.

I have mixed emotions regarding Rotherham , they are from Yorkshire and as such shouldn't be trusted but in another sense i always feel they are very much like us , a small working class town surrounded by bigger Cities with a bigger fan base (Sheffield , Leeds etc.) and as such i want them to do well.

And after watching last weeks sh ite i think they will.

0-2 to them in front of 4300 with JW be pleased with the performance.

UTS

And a Happy New year to all my fellow Saddlers
Obi

[ObiWan7]

Starting 11

1Gillespie
6Devlin
24Roberts
5Guthrie
3Leahy
19Ismail
7Chambers
2Edwards
11Morris
10Oztumer
32Agyei

[Welsh_Saddler]

Well, that didn't take long...... Walsall 0 Rotherham Utd 1 (2 min) :(

In similar fashion, Bradford City 1 Oxford Utd 0

Blackburn Rovers 1 Scunthorpe Utd 0 (5 min)

[cookyskid]

Definitely advantage to us then. See Whitney's comments on Northampton game :wink:

[SaddlerSteve]

Whitneys defence strikes again.
Complete shambles at the back.

[Welsh_Saddler]

10 minutes, and we have a corner.......

.... and a minute later we have an equaliser!!!! Walsall 1 Rotherham Utd 1 :D A Joe Edwards header :shock: :shock:

Blackburn Rovers 1 Scunthorpe Utd 1

Southend Utd 0 Shrewsbury Town 2 (40 min) ..... puts us back up to the top half of the table!!! (as things stand)

Bury 0 Fleetwood Town 1 (24 min) .... (us back down to 13th!)

M K Dons 1 Peterborough Utd 0

Portsmouth 2 Northampton Town 1 (42 min)

Blackpool 0 Plymouth Argyle 2

[Welsh_Saddler]

1-1 at half-time .......... (breathes sigh of relief)

[BarnsleySaddler]

Still think this could go either way at present. (optimist mode)

[Welsh_Saddler]

Oldham Athletic 0 Bristol Rovers 1 (47 min)

Blackburn Rovers 2 Scunthorpe Utd 1 (ditto)

Bury 0 Fleetwood Town 2