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Bradford (h) - League - 6th December 2003

Reports and reaction from the 2003-04 season as Walsall finished 22nd (R) in Division 1
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Bradford (h) - League - 6th December 2003

Tue Dec 07, 2004 1:23 pm

By SheffieldSaddler (195.93.34.9) on Friday, December 05, 2003 - 06:05 pm: Edit

Only 4 points from the top half of the table, this is a game if playing to our impressive home form, the Saddlers can run out winners.
3-0 to the Super Saddlers.

By Jorge14 (195.93.34.9) on Friday, December 05, 2003 - 07:09 pm: Edit

3-2 I think to us tommorrow. Bear in mind that Bradford are on a high with Robson just arrived, and it should be an exciting game. However, we have to go out an attack tommorrow, or we'll just get run over.

As with the Rotherham game, this is a game we need to win to cement ourselves in Division One.

By Delves Saddler (82.37.162.58) on Friday, December 05, 2003 - 08:37 pm: Edit

3-0 to us.

By Geoff Whiting (195.92.168.173) on Friday, December 05, 2003 - 09:59 pm: Edit

I think it will be close, but expect us to win about 2-1 - Merson & Birch (in any order)

By hullsaddler (213.249.174.11) on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 05:35 pm: Edit

Gary Birch 77 mins .What did you do C & G?

By hullsaddler (213.249.174.11) on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 05:37 pm: Edit

Sorry thought you were a building society C& D.

By cacka (80.195.139.10) on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 06:33 pm: Edit

cack again

By SheffieldSaddler (195.93.34.9) on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 06:45 pm: Edit

1-0. 3 points. Well taken goal from Birch.
Besides that the whole team should hold there heads in shame. Except Wrack, not one good performance from one player. 80 minutes of rubbish. 10 minutes of ok football.
Send him back to Wigan! Just one good pass from Ropes please, christ its not too difficult to pass the ball once in a while! Wacka, along the floor occassionally please! Merson, had you things on your mind like a bet or two or three!

By Walsall Supporter (82.37.193.137) on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 07:06 pm: Edit

Back from the match, took my two kids to their first ever football match, suprisingly they want to go again!
I can't beleive how dire the first half was, eating my meat and potatoe pie was more exciting.
Felt the team changed when Jorge came on, in the second half certainly need two up front, we started to make decent passes, and thank god for Birchy's goal, then for some reason Lee took Birch off and bought on Emblen.

Just counting my blessings that we got the three points, even though we didn't deserve them.

By Geoff Whiting (195.92.168.173) on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 07:52 pm: Edit

Terrible first half, what were we trying to do? Even the normally dependable Ropes was having a 'mare there for a while. Second half improvement, but still nowhere near good enough until the closing stages.

I'd give credit to Ritchie, and Osborne who I thought was always busy, later on Wrack and Birch got it together, and Jorge - well what can you say about Jorge, back to more like what we know he is capable of. Finally Wakker, did all he had to do, had no chance with the one that came back off the bar, but Wakker deserves a bit of luck.

Couldn't believe the penalty was not given for the blatant push in Birch's back late in the first half. I said at the time that it was as blatant a penalty as I have ever seen, and I really do mean that - I've also heard several other people say the same - including Martin on the WM phone-in.

The goal was brilliant, excellent ball out from Merson to Wrack, absolutely awesome inch-perfect ball threaded through the defence by Wracky, and what a finish by Birch. Can't wait to see it on TV to confirm if it was as good as it looked!

So three vital points. We hardly deserved 'em, but so what? We've often deserved points and got none, today was our day for a bit of luck, thank God.

Seven points off the bottom three again, Stoke stay in the relegation pack on 20 against our 27, which is of course absolutely gut-wrenching (NOT).

Thought Vinny was badly missed today, should be back next game which I take as a plus. I expect nothing at Sheff Utd on Tuesday, unless we improve drastically on today, but you just never know in this crazy game.

MoM for me today - Ritchie I guess.

By freda (195.93.34.9) on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 08:10 pm: Edit

Fortunate win,Bradford had several near misses second half.If only Wracky had stuck the ball in a virtual open goal,instead of stopping,and appealing for a pen,following the foul on Birch. Has Vinny stopped in Spain,if so I don't blame him,it was a bit parky.Anyone know the SP?

By Jorge14 (195.93.34.9) on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 08:22 pm: Edit

Fortunate, very fortunate, but, to use a footballing cliche, at the end of the day a win is a win.

Not impressed by anyone but Jorge today, felt Merse and Birch were too light-weight up front. Birchy is a big lad, why doesn't he use his frame more? Well taken goal though.

Penalty was blatant as I was sitting for the first half at the end we were attacking. Hate to say it, but yet another referee who felt that the game should revolve around him. We just can't win! If there have been more than 3 good referees at the Bescot this season, I'll eat one of the few hats I own.

A draw on Tuesday would seem to be the most we can hope for, but, as Geoff said, football is football, it's just a crazy game.

Freda, knowing todays referee, if Wracky had have scored he would have given the penalty! Which would have of course been missed!

Encouraging that we have finally ground a result out from an abysmal performance.

Dinning and Osborn were atrocious today. Dinning was anonymous for the second game in succession, and Osborn rarely found a red shirt with his paces. Today I would have thought would have been the ideal opportunity to blood Oakesey, but that doesn't look like its going to happen.

A word for Jorge who really deserved a goal once he came on. He knows he's fighting for his Saddler's career.

Geoff, you're damn right Wacka deserves a bit of luck. Considering he's so good, he rarely gets a bit of luck when it comes to red cards...or nightmare bobbles!

Finally, Mark Regan said that we are leading the way in the Midlands as the only team to have won. I think that goes to show how much we overrate ourselves in this area...
Villa are going down and Wolves are playing like they are down. And as sweet as that is, I can't just help feel it's knocking Midlands football back 10 or 15 years.

By Stu (195.92.67.71) on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 08:42 pm: Edit

3 points is 3 points. There is nothing more for a 1-0 win when you dominate and see the keeper player a blinder and a 1-0 win when you grind the result out and take the luck when it comes your way.

I didn't really feel that Bradford would score, they created two note-worthy attempts all match. One being the header that hit the bar and the other was blazed over in the 2nd half.

We didn't create much mind you, but I was pleased that we perked up a little bit at least in the 2nd half.

Today was crying out for a winger, and I'll say it again. What is Lee being told we have no cash for a loan player? Does that also mean if Soton said we could have kept Baird that we'd have sent him back as we couldn't afford him? If that is not the cash, where has the money gone from his wage?

Jorge, a little harsh on Osborn. I thought he ran a lot, worked hard, harrased and was the only player who tried to get some spark and energy going. He didn't make as many wayward passes as others, although the ones he did stood out for being poor passes.

Its all okay saying that Jorge did well when he came on, but the bloke missed an absolute sitter. There is no use in fighting like he did and beating two blokes, to then shoot straight at the keeper from 16 yards. Should have been buried. But, at least he looked like there was some confidence returning to him.

Mid table is back, Top 10 is just 2/3 points away.

Don't see us getting anything on Tuesday, but we must look for all 3 points at Milton Keynes next Saturday.

By Sum1else (81.106.181.113) on Saturday, December 06, 2003 - 11:49 pm: Edit

Was a little disappointing today and we looked pretty poor all round. i cant be bothered to analyse every players performance today - suffice to say that wracky was my MOM as he worked hard all game. Birchy comes a close second for his efforts.

it wasnt pretty, it wasnt nice, but sometimes you get lucky and get all 3 points - today was one of those days.

i just hope we can build on that now and play a little better next time .

By Exile (203.167.253.205) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 01:43 am: Edit

I'll take points any way we can get them, but it reads as if we weren't very good again. If we're grabbing mid-table on recent performances then as certain people have pointed out, this isn't a very good first division. Looking back over the last couple of seasons though, we've been not very good and five places lower, so something must have changed

Hope we can play better next time, as we're away at Sheffield. Hmmm - the team with one of the best home records in the league against the time with one of the worst. No chance, but we can always hope.

Only Stoke and Crewe have a worse record than us away, which says we're pretty pants when we're not at Bescot. Is our crowd that influential, or is it an away tactics thing, or do we just not expect to win on the road?

Football being a funny old game, I predict we'll take three points from a 3-1 win quite happily!

Cheers all,
Exile

By AlanS (62.31.216.57) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 02:05 am: Edit

Bloody Hell Exile. Chill out man.

By ShropshireSaddler (195.92.168.174) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 09:04 am: Edit

As everyone says, 3 points is 3 points but it was dire though. Thre points to be made;
i) Vinny Samyways is THE most important player in the side and we were totally lost without him.
ii)Dinning's lack of effort compares very closely with the performance by Lawrence not so long ago.
iii) Are we all scared to say it? For 85minutes of the game, Merson was an absolute waste of space who looked like he really wasn;t bothered. We all know he can turn a game in a instant and he played a great pass in the move for the goal but we cannot afford to play most of the game with 10 men(9 if you include Dinning). Dare I say it (I'll wait for the abuse), I would drop Merson and give Jorge/another a chance 2 strikers running and chasing up front would make a big difference.
Credit for performances goes to Walker, Bazeley, Ritchie, Wrack and Birch.

By Booster Cogburn (82.37.27.167) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 09:20 am: Edit

GW & Walsall supporter: I won't have it said that we didn't deserve the win against Bradford. We didn't play well but the only way to measure relative merit in football is to count up the goals. You deserve nothing for hitting the side netting or heading against the bar. We scored they didn't therefore we deserved it. End of story.
Shropshire Saddler: agreed Merson was largely a bag of old poo pants but I think his ineffectiveness is more down to the position in which Mr Lee asks him to play. He is not a striker and never has been. I quite like the idea of Birch and Leitao (the good version) with Merson just behind pulling the strings. I suspect thought that it may be a little too adventurous for Colin to countenance.

By Walsall Supporter (82.37.193.137) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 10:26 am: Edit

Point taken Booster Cogburn.

My point really was that I wouldn't of been shocked if we had drawn, as we didn't deserve to win with the way we played. But as you said we got a goal, so we won.

Merson himself has said he doesn't like to play in the position Lee put him in yesterday, the team looked so much better when Jorge took over his roll, and Merson dropped back.

Let's hope Lee saw this and tries this format for Tuesday.

Exile,I agree, I think we will win, as whenever we have someone who has a crap away record they always win against us, so perhaps it will work in reverse for us on Tuesday

By Aldridge Saddler (195.92.168.167) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 10:33 am: Edit

Shropshire, agree with you about Merson he looks like a heavyweight boxer who's gone one fight to many at the moment.Seems reluctant to head a ball off Walkers clearences as well forever waiting for the ball to drop on his chest by
which time the defenders beat him to it.
Never thought I'd say this either but think I'd prefer Lawrence back which just about sums up how dire Dinning is.
One more point to ponder on, as we seem to play like the "away" team when we are at home in most matches and pick up wins how come when we play away our points return is so poor ?, its not as if we don;t get enough practice as the "away" side.

By spinner (172.191.142.159) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 11:06 am: Edit

Merson should play in midfield behind two strikers so that he has two forward options to pass to. If that is not possible then he should not be in the side.

Surely we have seen enough of Wrack to know that he cannot play wide midfield. When Wrack is played in wide midfield it means we have no width on that side. How many times in the last few games has Wrack got past a man near the touchline and put in a cross? His best position is inside. He is our top scorer and he should be in the side ahead of all our midfield men except for Samways, but not as a wide man.

Dinning was marking the referee all match. He touched the ball about three times in the second half. Yet he gets in ahead of Oakes. Lee must think that Oakes is complete rubbish. Osborn is very ineffective. He is not in the game much and while he sometimes does some neat football, he can give the ball away too often. Corica is good in patches, but has no idea how to score a goal. His career record is 16 goals since 1995, less than 3 a season.

Roper had his worst match for ages. If it was not for Ritchie we would have been hammered by another poor team.

By Fish (81.132.232.241) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 11:12 am: Edit

Well said BC, unfortunately I guess that Lee won't repeat the two up front system on Tues, it would require him to be possitive and he seems to be stubbornly sticking to playing Merson up front even though, with a couple of exceptions, it is clear that it has not worked.

I am sure that Lee will want to try to contain Sheff Utd, and counter attack without any pace etc (just like he tried at Sunderland and Sheff Utd last season in the cup).

It would also, of course, be against his miserable, negative, sterile, bone-headed, stubborn instincts.

Yesterday, when Merson dropped behind the front two it game him a freeer role and played to his strengths, it also freed others up in midfield and we started to see Wrack take the ball to Bradford.

Before the change of formation we seemed to be playing a flat 4 across the middle, with both Wrack and Corica not particularly adventurous nor playing particularly wide. I think that this was partly responsible for the poor showing of both Dinning and Osborne who had very little room to work.

By SheffieldSaddler (195.93.34.9) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 11:56 am: Edit

If we want to play Merson behind the front 2 that will mean we have to play a wing back formation doesnt it?
And at the moment I dont think we have the players who are good enough to play this formation. Forgive me if I am wrong but Bazeley is still not having a good season and I cannot see Vincent being a wing back. Also Zigor is not good enough in this position. So that leaves us with ermmmm. No one to play left or right wing back.

By ShropshireSaddler (195.92.168.166) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 05:20 pm: Edit

I agree with everyone who says Merson shouldbe in "midfield" behind the front two but that still doesn't excuse the fact that for most of yesterday's match he WALKED around the pitch not bothered. He failed to jump even once for a header, didn;t make one tackle and never tracked back. No these are not the strong points of his game but every player in the team has to perform those duties and put some hard work in. Merson didn;t, simple as that.While Lee picks him as a striker,it's his duty to go out there and try his best as a striker. He didn't yesterday.

By SheffieldSaddler (195.93.34.9) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 05:30 pm: Edit

Agreed. He looked totally uninterested yesterday. His performance was the worse in a Walsall shirt.

By David Potter (67.64.184.171) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 06:45 pm: Edit

Shocking first half, the second wasn't much better!

Note to CL: When playing at home, we've got to have TWO strikers up front!!! Why do you insist on playing Merson in a role he hates?

It infuriates me (to no end) that Colin employs negative tactics at home. It seems we're playing not to lose, rather than to win!
I know our striker situation is not ideal at the moment, but we're not exactly overwhelmed with options, are we? Look how the game changed when Jorge was brought on!

Yes, we won. I'm very thankful for the points, but if Bradford had had their shooting boots on yesterday, we would have been dead and buried!

I just do not understand why we cannot get the basics right, especially passing! Come on guys, you're professional footballers, you do this for a living!

When one looks at this team in a realistic sense, it's surprising we are in the position we're in.
We don't have recognised strikers, no pace, no width, weak left side, aging midfield and little or no funds to bring in new players.
It amazes me when I hear folks start talking about playoff's and upper mid-table.

Sorry to be so negative, I'm usually not. But the crap that this team has served up in the last two games, makes one re-think how good (or bad) this side really is!

By Jorge14 (195.93.34.9) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 06:53 pm: Edit

Stu, excellent point regarding wingers, or our lack of them.

I was speaking to Paul Marsden with my dad and brother before the match and we got onto the subject of Mark Wright. I made the point that we haven't had an old-fashioned winger since Hodge and Peron. I think if we are to make this Man Utd deal work in the eyes of the fans, we need to play a flat 4-4-2, with Mark Wright down the right, and some one such as Kieran Richardson down the left flank. We need pace in the team desperately, even Jorge's questionable pace caused problems when he came on yesterday, surely someone with the pace of Wright or Richardson could rip Division One defences apart?

By freda (195.93.34.9) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 06:53 pm: Edit

Hard to criticise CL,bearing in mind our league position,but I agree,I think we get the best out of Merse with two in front of him.As regards dropping him,I fear with his somewhat fragile temperament,it might be the last we see of him.Personally,I think we're too nice,and could do with a "nasty little ba**ard" like Windass and others,whose names escape me.
Congratulations yesterday,to Pedro for another assist,this time care of Sky sports.

By Jorge14 (195.93.34.9) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 06:58 pm: Edit

Windass has lost it in my opinion...he's got less pace than ever and it just isn't sufficent to be the "hard little bast@rd"...

I tell you, Real Madrid made the mistake of their lives releasing Pedro, he keeps making goals out of nothing! He didn't put a foot wrong yesterday...(boom, boom!)

By cat3 (218.102.39.132) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 08:12 pm: Edit

Great Result! Let's keep this momentum going, our away results are poor and we need to strive for victories... Come on lads, let's move forward and "ATTACK!" We need to win and win we need to get! Go Go Sads!!!

By Geoff Whiting (195.92.168.175) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 08:20 pm: Edit

Booster, sorry to hear that you "won't have it said that we didn't deserve the win against Bradford"!

But what do you mean, you won't have it said, I said we hardly deserved it! You have your opinion by all means, but I'll reserve the right to mine thank you, whether you accept it or not. What I said was "So three vital points. We hardly deserved 'em, but so what? We've often deserved points and got none, today was our day for a bit of luck, thank God".

Anybody wanting to disagree - fine - but they must have seen a different match to me. What I said I stand by. I've read a few of the papers too, and they say more or less the same thing.

Where you and I don't disagree though, we scored the goal, they didn't, despite having far more chances than us until the last 10 minutes. And at the end of the game, it's goals that count, nothing else.

As one of the papers quite rightly says "Maybe City would have taken the points if one of their headers had found the net - but maybes will not keep them in Division One". Spot on.

Now, I'd like to think that on Tuesday and next Saturday, we'll play from the start with the work-rate and commitment that we put into the last 10 minutes or so yesterday. Anything less and we'll probably come away with nothing.

Hopefully Vinny will be back, but if not IMHO his replacement should be Oakes - our most similar player to Vinny - not Dinning who was not up to it yesterday. Despite putting in a fair amount of effort, he rarely got into the game.

By Surrey Saddler (195.93.34.9) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 09:48 pm: Edit

Was at the game yesterday and agree with most comments- particularly those about the lack lustre performance in the first half. Can someone explain to me why Jorge (fighting for his Walsall career as Jorge 14 aptly puts it) and Birch (in the same boat) cannot play up front with Merse behind. Both of them know that Fryat is waiting in the wings and this surely must spur them on. It has been obvious for a few games now that Merse is not happy- so play him mid field and see if he produces. Are there tactical reasons why not- you tell me.

By Geoff Whiting (195.92.168.177) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 10:17 pm: Edit

Well Surrey, I'd say it's been because of Jorge's poor performances that he's been left out, but the way he played when he came on yesterday was much more like the old Jorge we know and love. The rest has maybe done him some good, as we hoped it would, so I'd agree now's the time to play the two together with Merse behind, just as you've suggested.

Try it next home game, or maybe even at Milton Keynes next week, I can't see it being effective at Sheff Utd on Tuesday so I wouldn't recommend anything too hasty.

By SheffieldSaddler (195.93.34.9) on Sunday, December 07, 2003 - 10:24 pm: Edit

Look at my post above Surrey. At the moment how can we accommodate Merson in a formation other than using wing backs.
If you are playing him behind the front 2 that leaves a formation whereby you are going to have to use wing backs doesnt it? Or am I missing something?
And at the moment our wing backs that we have used in the past, i.e Bazeley and Zigor are not playing good enough in order to play this formation are they?
So you are basically stuffed in my opinion.

By Exile (203.167.253.205) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 12:07 am: Edit

Sheff, can we not use a diamond midfield with a flat(ish) back four? Appreicate that was all the rage some seasons ago, but we could always give it a go now!

By SheffieldSaddler (195.93.34.9) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 12:29 am: Edit

I suppose you could play Osborne or Emblen as the defensive part of the diamond. But then where would you fit Samways for example?

By Stu (195.92.67.67) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 12:33 am: Edit

I do find it rather fickle that people can say that we must play two up front at home, and 1 up front is negative.

After all, 1 up front tattered Notts Forest and we could have had 7/8 that night, its worked many a time at home this season.

And the only reason we don't play two up front is the whole 'trying to accomodate Merson' thing.

By PGtips (62.31.219.132) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 12:44 am: Edit

But we did look at our best on saturday for the brief part of the game when we did play 2 up front with Merson behind them. And it was not with wing backs either.

Why not start like this and give it a go on Tuesday instead of starting out like a beaten team as we seem to do every away game.

By Surrey Saddler (195.93.34.9) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 12:45 am: Edit

This is all too technical for me- I am really only a simple guy. So, can those of you who understand the finer points of the game, please explain. I rather suspect that Geoff is similarly intellectually challenged and would appreciate, like me, a reasoned explanation. So, Shef, Exile and Stu- lets be having you.

By redordead (213.122.150.205) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 07:54 am: Edit

Walsall playing a diamond midfeild, don't make me laugh. we struggle with a flat four. who ever you play as the two wide midfielders would get sucked in as we don't have anybody (merson included) who could play at the back or front of the diamond.
Did anybod else notice Ziggy warming up on saturday after he finished his 10 minutes exercise i think my nan was warmer then him and she's been dead 15 years

By ShropshireSaddler (195.92.168.175) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 10:14 am: Edit

Stu is spot on - the reason we don't play 2 up front is to try and accommodate Merson. Asmuchas I'd like to see 2 up front, Merson isn;t capable of performing as a midfielder and you've either got to leave Vinny as the only central midfielder or play 5 at the back, which doesn;t work for us either.
The solution is obvious. While Merson puts as little effort in as he did Saturday, let's drop him and give Jorge/Fryatt a go up front with Birch.
One thing's for sure - we missed Samways much more than we would miss Merson.

By Delves Saddler (194.73.163.108) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 02:15 pm: Edit

We should stick to 4-4-2. We tried wing-backs earlier in the season and it just did not work. Didn't the start of our good run coincided with a consistent use of 4-4-2?

I agree that Merson needs to be dropped. We have two away games coming up an our best away perfromance (and result) came at Reading when Merson was absent. This was the line-up:

Walker, Vincent, Ritchie, Roper, Baird, Osborn, Emblen, Samways, O'Neil, Birch, Wrack.

Stick Jorge front for Emblen (who played up front on the night), stick Emblen at right-back for Baird and Corica/Oakes for O'Neil.

OK, so the personnel are different but the effect is the same.

By Delves Saddler (194.73.163.108) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 02:20 pm: Edit

It was very quiet at Bescot on Saturday. Where were you and your cronies LOYAL Saddler, seeing as how you provide such vocal support at every match?

Contrary to what you have said in the past, I was one of the few providing vocal support (as I do at all matches).

By Exile (203.167.253.205) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 08:18 pm: Edit

Surrey - I'm no expert, was just pointing out that you could do a 2 upfront, Merson behind midfield with a flat back four. As Redordead says, I'm not sure we've got the wide players for it in practise, but the theory is there....

4-4-2 for me, but leave Merson in midfield, not upfront - Birch and Leitao belong there. You're not 'accommodating' Merson doing that, you're putting what is technically your best midfield player in midfield, where he belongs, although given his old legs you'll inevitably have to bring him off after 60 minutes, or cover for him with other players during the game.

Delves, am I missing something - Why does he need to be dropped if we play two up front? Did Pompey play with one front man all last year?

Cheers all
Exile

By Finbarr Saunders (203.167.253.205) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 08:20 pm: Edit

'Bring him off after 60 minutes' - fnarr, fnarr

By Stu (195.92.67.78) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 11:14 pm: Edit

Exile, problem is that Merson is not a midfielder player, just as he isn't a striker. He sits in between.

As for Pompey last season, they played wingbacks. But they had the likes of Quashie and O'Neill doing leg work in the middle of the park, they had quality wing backs like Matthew Taylor and Kevin Harper, topped off with two •••• hot forwards who scored goals.

If we had one of those wingbacks and one of those midfielders we'd be alright, let alone one of those forwards.

By Dave Roe (81.131.108.208) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 11:24 pm: Edit

I agree with PGTips, we looked our most threatening for the few minutes that Birch & Jorgey were up front with Merson in midfield. We also looked good when we played that way against the Baggies. Who knows what would have happened if we'd kept that formation for the following games. Unfortunately Lee panicked and quickly reverted to his normal ultra cautious style.

Actually PG, I think we start every game like the beaten team. We very rarely take the game to the opposition, even at home.

A mate of mine went to his first game in a couple of seasons on Saturday. I was keen to hear his views due to the fact that they are a lot more unbiased and objective than my own. He thought we were very negative and said if he didn't know better he'd have thought we were the away team playing for a draw.

By PGtips (62.31.219.94) on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 - 12:53 am: Edit

I hope you got him to complete the survey posted on SaddlersFC.

CL quoted in the E&S tonight claims he was seriously considering starting with Jorge and Birch up front and merse just behind. Go on be a devil Colin and stick them in tomorrow. We may as well go down in style rather than pass sideways for 90 minutes, have two shots from the full backs which go out for throw ins and fail to register a corner.

By Geoff Whiting (195.92.168.164) on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 - 01:53 am: Edit

I'll definitely go with you on this PGTips. Be positive, go down fighting if we have to, there's no shame in that. Who knows what result we might get, but we surely can't get less points than we usually average away from home.

By Delves Saddler (194.73.163.108) on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 - 10:13 am: Edit

I suggested he should be dropped as he is not up to scratch at the moment and maybe needs resting, plus, as I said, we gave our best away performance and got our best away result when he wasn't in the side.

I don't know why this was, maybe it was a one off, maybe it's because without him in the side we were more conservative without sitting back/defending too much. But the formation and personnel (of which my above suggestions are similar) just worked on that night. There is no harm in trying it again, is there?

By Delves Saddler (194.73.163.108) on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 - 10:16 am: Edit

And, I haven't seen Merse produce anywhere near the level of performances away as he does at home. Maybe he is a 'homer'. D'oh!!

By Surrey Saddler (195.93.34.9) on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 - 10:51 am: Edit

The consensus seems to be that we should have 2 up front at Shef Utd tonight with Merse tucked in behind. As others have said- why not! There would be just a chance of 3 points gained as opposed to the usual nil points. UP THE SADDLERS

By Neil Ravenscroft (62.172.127.2) on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 - 11:03 am: Edit

Colin Lee was on Radio 5 last night, covering the Cov v Sunderland game, and said we were looking at a tactical change for tonight.

By Dave Roe (217.37.14.235) on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 - 02:19 pm: Edit

"I hope you got him to complete the survey posted on SaddlersFC."

Unfortunately not PG, he doesn't have a computer. I also know the answers anyway. He plays golf virtually every Saturday and he only went last week because the weather was cold and he was offered a free season ticket for the day.

That's the problem, Neil. Colin frequently looks at a tactical change but then usually decides to stick to what he knows best (i.e. crab football).

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