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Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Reports and reaction from the 2017-2018 season as Walsall finished 19th in League 1
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Ancient Moaner
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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 1:18 pm

Be interested to see what team a new Manager puts out, not that there is much choice, most of us know who should be in, or most importantly who should be left out, as mentioned above though, the players must take a lot of responsibility for the poor season we have had.
Having viewed yesterdays performances, it could be said that only Northampton & Bury are a poorer team than us currently, so its gonna be a close call towards the end, as I fear todays and Mondays matches will not increase our points tally at all.
Still holding on for a 0-0 draw though, miracles 'could' happen! :)

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 1:52 pm

Starting line-up against Portsmouth:-

Roberts

Devlin
Fitzwater
Guthrie
Leahy

Oztumer
Chambers
Cuvelier
Morris

Ngoy
Bakayoko

Substitutes: Gillespie, Dobson, Kinsella, Shaibu, Flanagan, Roberts, Kouhyar

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 1:56 pm

I'm stuck in lanzagrote airport plane has been delayed by 11 hours :evil: . Looks like an attacking formation let's see how much they love the shirt and the new manager.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:18 pm

0-0 after 15 minutes ..... We are doing our fair share of the attacking, but it's Portsmouth who've had the 2 shots on target so far.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:24 pm

Ngoy had better watch out, how many fouls has he given away in the first 15 minutes? Four!
As Welsh points out it's all Pompey as yet, shot after shot.
Surprised that Dobson was dropped! As the Wrexham fans have pointed out, he makes unpopular decisions it would appear.

Stats not reading too well at present, we have not had one shot yet after 18 minutes, it's gonna be a looooong afternoon!

Now on 26 minutes, still not one shot on goal, don't think it will be too long before this one way traffic gives way to Pompey's opener.

Is there anybody else out there? or has everybody given up already (far too Drewish!)

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:33 pm

Based on the first 30 minutes of play - looking at shots, accurate shots, and blocked shots, it's Portsmouth 9, 3 and 2. Walsall 0, 0 and 0........

Dean Keates might be getting some idea of what needs doing here!!!

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:37 pm

Walsall yellow card, 35 minutes....... Nicky Devlin


Our first attempt on goal, after 38 minutes - and it wasn't on target !!! :roll: (Kieron Morris)

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:44 pm

Portsmouth yellow card, 42 minutes........

Half time, and it's still goal-less. Portsmouth started the game clear favourites on the betting exchanges, but their odds have now drifted and "The Draw" is now favourite......

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:53 pm

Welsh_Saddler wrote:Portsmouth yellow card, 42 minutes........

Half time, and it's still goal-less. Portsmouth started the game clear favourites on the betting exchanges, but their odds have now drifted and "The Draw" is now favourite......


And this is based on what? Portsmouth unable to score despite their utter and total domination of the match?

I can imagine the age old chant of "Walsall's had a shot we've had a shot" rang out after Morris's off target effort! :D :D

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:54 pm

Not been too bad.

Our defence has had its usual few suspect moments but we’ve got away with it.

We’ve created a few half chances.

We look more lively than we have been of late.

And when we’ve had it on the floor we’ve started to look a bit more like the previous Dean’s side!

Some players are showing more willingness to get stuck in too.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 2:56 pm

Scrappy. Bit more energy shown by a couple of players, notably Morris. But, as a threatening attacking force little or nothing. Not over impressed with Portsmouth.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 3:03 pm

Oh to be a fly on the wall during Dean Keates' first half-time pep talk.........

If striking attempts (lack of) is the main problem, it's sad to reflect that our striker options on the bench are somewhat limited. Shaibu? Kouhyar?

No changes as the 2nd half gets under way.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 3:10 pm

Local interest elsewhere (without giving too much away) - Blues digging themselves out of their patch of mire, but the Baggies sinking ever deeper in theirs...

Walsall's second yellow card, 56 minutes....... (Bakayoko)

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 3:21 pm

62 minutes - our first accurate goalbound attempt!!!!!!!! :D

66 minutes - Walsall substitution............ Maz Kouhyar replaces Julien Ngoy

Attendance 5,159

70 minutes, and we have our first corner !!!!!

Walsall second substitution on 71 minutes........ Dobson on for Cuvelier (injury.........)

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 3:34 pm

74 minutes, and Walsall's 3rd yellow card :( :( Guthrie

78 minutes, and it had to come ...... Portsmouth score. :( :( :( :(

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 3:41 pm

Walsall's 3rd substitution, 82 minutes....... I wonder if Dean Keates is still registered as a player? :wink:

Nope - Shaibu on for Oztumer

87 minutes, and Walsall's 4th yellow card goes to Kieron Morris

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 3:50 pm

Had to come it was inevitable, so, we are now REALLY in deep dodo's, relegation is a distinct possibility, will it come down to Fleetwood dropping us into the 4th Division in the last game of the season?

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 3:52 pm

I said it was a free swing and we missed, bigger games to come against easier opposition but they need these two wins as soon as possible.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 3:55 pm

Full time 0-1, and the stats tell the story ........

Walsall 5 shots (1 on target)

Portsmouth 16 shots (6 on target)

Sound familiar?

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 4:00 pm

El_Nombre wrote:I said it was a free swing and we missed, bigger games to come against easier opposition but they need these two wins as soon as possible.


But will we get them? This team is obviously devoid of confidence, this, and Mondays defeat will not help, specially if those around us continue to pick up points, two wins might not be enough to save us, even if we are lucky enough to scrape through them, remember these 'easier to beat teams' are also fighting for their 3rd Division lives too!!
Bury have always been a bogey team for us.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 4:07 pm

All stayed the same, except one game less. Seven games to go, six, but better nine points to be safe. They can do it.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 4:21 pm

El_Nombre wrote:I said it was a free swing and we missed, bigger games to come against easier opposition but they need these two wins as soon as possible.


Playing a team with 11 points more than us at home is a free swing? You must think that we are complete dross?

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 4:34 pm

So....now we know...Keats isn't the Messiah,but given time, resources and a bit of luck he could well be.I don't think it would do the club any harm in the long run to be relegated,it may even be the best way for Keats to stamp his authority on the team and come back up even better having given the fans something to cheer about in the prossess.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 4:58 pm

That was very poor especially in the first half....no lack of effort but the players either aren't good enough or have lost confidence which isn't surprising considering the run we are on. The loss of Edwards now looks a key moment and we could also be without Leahy for the rest of the season so someone else will have to play LB. Dean will now the size of the task which is considerable based on today.
One other point it was sad to see us lose,deservedly,to team who fell over at every point of contact who managed to con the ineffectual referee throughtout the game.
Lets hope we can at least beat the poorer teams to come but I am not confident.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 5:16 pm

Team selection showed inexperience today

Playing the most injury prone, lack of match fitness player together with a veteran in the middle of the Park against the quality Pompey have in the middle was naive

Especially dropping the one player who had been outstanding over the last few weeks and who has mobility.

The front two were completely isolated because of lack of support and runners from midfield

Then playing Ngoy Left midfield what was that about ? the bloke was so out of his depth he nearly got sent off after 20 minutes

Disappointed at the lack of organisation with no cover from Morris and Ngoy they put crosses in at ease and the terrible long ball attempts just provoked the away fans to comment on our quality they were right we are f——— sh———.

Only positive was the ref made us look nasty and without a plan, organisation, quality on the pitch or experience in the management nasty is all we have left to try

The towel has been picked up and is ready to be thrown in
Last edited by Cowshed on Sat Mar 31, 2018 7:04 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 5:20 pm

Better shape today, and we held a much better side for the majority of the game. However, we are going to need some luck to get out of this season with the squad left to us by the incompetent who "managed" us for the last two seasons. I suppose we should also thank our number one fan for his generous investment in the squad at this point.

Better organisation or not, we had limited threat and basically one half chance in the whole game. The problem is that our defence is always going to present chamces to the opposition which duely arose when one of the centre backs got no distance on a header leading to their goal. Grim, but at least there was a positive, noisy atmosphere in the ground for the first time in at least a year. Prayer time in the next two home games methinks.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 5:29 pm

Disappointing defeat but predictable considering the recent form of both teams.

Looking at the squad we have left, minus the injured players, we are really going to struggle to get the points we need to stay up. Just hope Deano can somehow find a formula with the players he has to get us over the line.

I don't care if we haven't played for 10 days, playing today and Monday is a ridiculous situation to find ourselves in. Especially considering Bradford have almost had an extra 2 days rest. Will be amazed if we come away with anything from that game, effectively throwing away 3 points. This will leave us more than likely leaving us needing 7 or 8 points from the last 6 games. Can definitely see it going to the last game, just hope it's in our hands going to Fleetwood.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 5:33 pm

Well there was spirit, "energy", some good passing at times, better defensive organisation and support for the full backs all in evidence today.

What there wasn't was any sort of quality in the final third. No shots on target I don't think and no corner until the 70 minute.

The lack of goals is very worrying. Think it's four straight scoreless games now and this is exactly the wrong time of the season to become toothless. Not good.

One thing I would query Keates for today....why was Ngoy constantly stationed on the right?

Yes I could see some reasoning as he got back plenty of times to help Leahy and provide an aerial help at the back post but come on he's the best forward at the club.

He's shown he can finish and has decent control and passing. Personally I'd have subbed Baka off on the hour mark and moved Ngoy centrall for the last half hour.

Rest I don't have an issue with. Flo was decent but we know he can't last games anymore so that's the problem with starting him. Thought Dobson was good when he came on so he'll be starting on Monday.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 5:48 pm

Enjoyed that.

For me, Keates is in a no lose situation. We lost our two best players (Oztumer and Edwards) before he arrived. The rest of the team is bog standard fourth division quality. Hence we were outclassed by Wigan who are two divisions above us and shaded out of it by Pompey who are a decent third division outfit.

So my enjoyment today came from a game that we were second best for quality but had the work-rate and effort to stay in it until the 95th minute. A point wouldn’t have been daylight robbery by any stretch which is a fine effort against a superior side. Credit to Keates for trying something a bit different and on another day it might just have come off.

The good news for us is that after Bradford we play other sides who are also in a third/fourth division twighlight zone and based on today, we might just have the character to eek out the couple of wins we need.

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Re: Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

Sat Mar 31, 2018 6:13 pm

Sadly I fear the damage has already been done by our owner refusing to pay a clueless manager off 12 months ago.
The players simply aren’t good enough for league one football.
Organisation is going to be the key if we are somehow going to preserve our league one status.
If Keates can work out a way for most of our defence to understand that when on the ball they need to give it to another red shirt instead of cheaply handing it back to the opposition it would be a massive help to our cause.

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