Cardiff (a) - League - 26th December 2003

[Andy]

By Delves Saddler (194.73.163.108) on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 02:13 pm: Edit

From icBirmingham:

Anger at Saddlers early kick-off Dec 23 2003

A police decision to make Cardiff City and Walsall kick off three hours early on Boxing Day "beggars belief", according to Saddlers chief executive Roy Whalley.

Walsall's travelling fans face a breakfast-time start on their journey after the kickoff was brought forward to noon by police for safety reasons.

It appears an over-cautious decision as Walsall will be accompanied by far fewer supporters than the number which always hit the Welsh capital for the many big matches held at the Millennium Stadium.

Furthermore, the fans who travel to watch Colin Lee's side invariably behave themselves.

But those factors held no sway and, apart from a TV-demanded 5.35pm kick-off at Norwich, Cardiff v Walsall will be the only First Division fixture not starting in the traditional Boxing Day 3pm slot.

"We were not consulted," Whalley said. "It was simply an instruction that came through.

"This was insisted upon by South Wales Police and I cannot imagine why it was necessary.

"This is the same police force that has to cope with rugby and soccer internationals as well as three playoffs finals in three days.

"So why should the presence of a few hundred Walsall supporters require the match to be brought forward by three hours?

"Quite frankly it beggars belief."

While the fans will certainly be inconvenienced - the official supporters' coaches will leave Bescot at 8.40am --Walsall's players face additional irritation.

Due to the noon kick-off they will travel down to Wales on Thursday so miss the back end of Christmas Day with their families.

The up-side to the early start decision is that the altered kick-off means Cardiff must pay for the Saddlers' hotel bill.

And on the pitch, if Lee's men can record their second successive away win they will, for a couple of hours at least, sit 11th in the First Division - just four points off the play-offs.

By SheffieldSaddler (195.93.34.9) on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 05:44 pm: Edit

What a superb result. Isnt the season beginning to look good, and the table as well!
A second successive away victory. 1 defeat in 5.
A top half table position, well at the moment.
Emblen gets the winner again for the second successive away trip.
Didnt go, but by all accounts we played well. Especially Ritchie and Roper at the back.
Well done lads, could not have been easy especially christmas night away from your families.
And well dont to Colin Lee, what will Dummie ever think of now!

By cat3 (219.76.64.2) on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 05:53 pm: Edit

That's what we call "victory" lads.. Win with style!!! 6th place finish, here we come...

By aldridge steve (82.37.153.9) on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 07:57 pm: Edit

It was a very professional perfotmace - one or two scarey moments in the last 5 mins - but other than that we did well. Fisrt 30 we dominated, then they came back - second half was pretty even. Emblem did really well - seemed to be "in the Merson role" at times. Great atmosphere - just kept quiet whilst leaving for safety reasons. I haven't been to too many away games this season - in fact Coventry is the only other one - perhaps I should go more often!

Thanks to those who answered my "Cardiff Questions" went by car - no probelm (mind you we did get there at 10! - even managed to "Street Park" and was away within 10 minutes! Had a nice walk into town - that Millenium Stadium was a bit quiet - not like last time I saw it! Here's to seeing it again next spring time!!!!

PS - The wife spotted a few Boxing Day sprout farts - but not too excessive (no it wasn't me!)

By Welsh_Saddler (213.122.176.124) on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 08:36 pm: Edit

Agree with Steve's report above - for the first half hour you'd have thought that we were the home team, we bossed the game that much. By the time five minutes had elapsed we'd had FOUR corners... how often can you say that about any Saddlers performance? Cardiff seemed nervous and edgy; Earnshaw tried little bits of trickery, but Roper was a real rock at the back - he must have a sore forehead.

Half-time, at 0-0 I was a little disappointed not to be in the lead - one incident which sticks in the mind is of a Walsall striker (Birch, I think) who was found by a Bazeley cross at the far post and directed his "free header" down but straight to their keeper, first bounce. Second half Cardiff seemed to be more up for it, Kavanagh coming into the game despite the chants of "Stoke reject"; Thorne was invisible. As the second half wore on we were reduced to the occasional upfield foray, but on the 70th minute it resulted in a pin-ball episode in the Cardiff goalmouth and Emblen having the final say. 1-0 to the Saddlers, and the prompt for much looking at watches....

With 8 minutes to go, a Cardiff attack saw a low shot beat Jimmy Walker and cannon off a post, across the goal and then out for a corner off Zigor. Then in the 88th minute they got the ball in the Walsall net, I saw the referee immediately stretch out his arm towards the centre-circle and I mentally accepted a draw... No, no, no, he was signalling for a foul on Jimmy (much to the disgust of the home fans). There was 2 minutes of injury time, and those seconds just dragged.

Individual form:

Jimmy - utterly safe as always, although his decisions to come way out of goal to high crosses in the last 10 minutes siege did cause a flutter or two.

Darren Bazeley - nominally right-back, but did a lot of good work down the wing - lovely interpassing working triangles down the flank with Emblen and Wrack.

Zigor - Sorry, but I won't have a work said against him. Those who mock his occasional eccentricities take note of this - but for Zigor we would have easily conceded two goals or more in the last 15 minutes but for his willingness to work like a Trojan, and put himself in extreme danger by blocking shots with whatever part of his body he could. The man is a hero.

Ropes - Great defending, and showing more and more that he's capable of constructive football as well - he was not only snuffing out their attacks, but trying to lay decent passes off too.

Vinny - Substituted towards the end, but how a man of his age can cover so much of the park and be so positive is quite beyond me. Looked hungry for the game, took corners and free kicks well.

Ritchie - Awesome, fed off Roper's clearances, linked well with forward players. As much as Ropes he held the back line together - good organiser, and the defence responded.

Wrack - another "goes everywhere" performance, one minute he's helping out in defence, then tearing down the wing; a real "floater", which really confused the Cardiff side, who didn't know how to mark him.

Birch - He's really come on this season, and he's doing something which I personally haven't seen since the days of Tony Richards... when the opposition plays the ball backwards (eventually to the goalkeeper), who's doing the chasing? Young Birch, that's who - not just the occasional chase either, but every single time. The effect on Margetson's free-ball distribution was significant.

Emblen - showed a possible lack of fitness towards the end (again, not a spring chicken any more), but played his socks off for the team and was in the right place to get that all-important goal.

Jorge - Ran his heart out - another player who seems to have lost a little weight this season. He was very unlucky with a number of through balls from midfield that just eluded him.

Simon Osborn - Industrious without really accomplishing much, but played a safe game, appeared to give nothing away.

Note - Walsall have played three games away this season without Paul Merson, and those are the three games we've won......... why???

MOTM - Close, between Ropes, Emblen and Zigor. Sentiment tells me Zigor, if only because I think he's had a rough deal from certain sections of the club!!!

34 points from 25 games - who'd have thought it!!!

By Geoff Whiting (195.92.168.172) on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 09:35 pm: Edit

Couldn't go, and was away from my computer too, so Saddlers World was out of reach.

So thanks to ucow for keeping me in touch by text, very much appreciated mate.

According to ucow "we were magnificent today" - he knows what he's talking about so that'll do for me. Well done the lads, thanks from this Saddlers fan for the 3 points Christmas Prezzie, and for making this Christmas complete.

By peteleeoverfromhongkong (217.44.83.253) on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 09:58 pm: Edit

I have to agree with Welsh Saddler. Zigor was also my man of the match for saving at least two 'certain' goals.
Not as good a game as the West Ham game, but a better result!

By Cymru Saddler (81.131.156.106) on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 10:04 pm: Edit

Living in the deepest part of west wales I do not get the chance to see "me babbies" very often.

Impressed with the back line - calm and in control

Midfield - worked hard and passed the ball well

Front line - ran their socks off

Sat in the pop bank with a friend who is (or was) a Cardiff supporter. Went as quiet as a grave when Emblen scored.

Cracking day out.

Saddlers am byth !!

By freda (195.93.34.9) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 04:08 am: Edit

Ain't bin,but superb result.Good posts Aldridge and Welsh,and pleased to see my faith in Zigor is vindicated (ditch Vincent,nothing against him,but use the money elsewhere).
Confession.Only ever saw Emblen as a stopper,but he seems to have an effect wherever he's playing,unlike the "industrious but never achieving much Osbourne".
Consternation.Is Merson picking his matches? I think he is,but by and large I think it's working well,keep him relatively happy,and he keeps us ditto.

By cat3 (218.102.39.131) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 01:29 pm: Edit

Colin Lee is behind the wheel and Merson is our leader inside the bus, so get behind them you all... Further, we will out muscle Reading tomorrow. They are in such bad form recently; what a perfect way to slaughter them in our turf... We will cream them and humiliate them. Onward to FA cup with victory!!! We are hungry for money to sign and loan players. We are going to get them from FA cup!!! So attack lads!!! We are menace and we are unstoppable!!! Go Go Sads!!!

By PT (213.48.245.52) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 02:45 pm: Edit

Welsh, I don't think it is a coincidence that Merse has been missing from our three away victories. Away from home the onus is more on us to stop the home team because we still don't quite have the talent to take an attacking style and dominate the opposition on their own turf. This requires an industry, work-rate and patience that Merse doesn't quite have. There's nothing wrong with winning ugly away from home and this sometimes requires slightly more than the outside of a mercurial right boot.
He's still been a great signing and would attribute much of our fantastic home record to his creativity and earlier on goalscoring. As such I reckon he'll be back tomorrow to replace Emblen. Colin's big decision will possibly come in the Albion game. Merse might well go into sulk mode if he is dropped for such a big game.
Well done lads- Up The Saddlers

By popperpancake (81.79.13.124) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 03:38 pm: Edit

Obviously a great result. Reading there for the taking 2moro bytheway. Tonked 3-0 at home by Wimbledon and i watched the 3-0 at home against CP, they looked awful. We should get at them str8 away, turn em over. Come on. Zigor should be captain, or perhaps even player coach?

By Walsall Supporter (82.37.193.137) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 03:50 pm: Edit

Zigor Zigor he's the man
If he can't stop them no one can!!!!

Copyright Laurasauras.

She will know who she is :-)

By JS1 (195.188.152.10) on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 12:17 am: Edit

and I know who you both are, lol

By me pee (68.240.39.248) on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 02:55 am: Edit

are any of you good looking guys??

By aldridge steve (82.37.153.9) on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 06:55 pm: Edit

Short & sweet thoughts about today....

First half - we did OK, great goal, made them look poor, Walker had little to do, they had no corners.

Second Half - Reading came at us - and we let them, left the substitutions 5-10 minutes too late IMO. But the most annoying thing for me was the fact the Lawrence was Booed, before the bloke was even on the pitch - how Crap are some of our fans? I too wanted Merson on first - but come on, give the bloke a clap or keep quiet - booing doesn't help anyone. Rant over.

And before anyone else says it - yes, I would have taken 4 points from the last 2 games if offered.

By aldridge steve (82.37.153.9) on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 06:56 pm: Edit

Sorry - posted on wrong thread

By Delves Saddler (82.37.162.58) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 11:43 pm: Edit

I have been saying we should drop Merse to the bench for away games for weeks (since Reading away), PT, and once again, my controversial opinion on this is vindicated.

Best away day in yonks (brought back memories) - traditional ground, superb atmosphere, split terrace which made for some good banter, luke warm pies and pasties and a few cans of John Smiths original in the ground and a small but vocal saddlers support - brilliant!!

By BLACK FLAT (194.203.67.97) on Friday, January 02, 2004 - 10:12 am: Edit

was just like the old away matches,especially with
the anti english tone.it was brilliant when we
scored and we were all mocking the sam hamman head
tapping.
the hostility made for a better atmosphere than
these all seater grounds and was best away game ive enjoyed in ages