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 This site is an archived version of the previous UpTheSaddlers forum (December 2004 to May 2018).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

Reading (h) - League - 28th December 2003

Reports and reaction from the 2003-04 season as Walsall finished 22nd (R) in Division 1
User avatar
Andy
UTS Regular
 
Posts: 128
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 10:55 am
Location: Willenhall

Reading (h) - League - 28th December 2003

Tue Dec 07, 2004 1:29 pm

By SheffieldSaddler (195.93.34.9) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 04:45 pm: Edit

Well a win would put us in top half again, against a team who are playing useless at the moment.
Losing there last 3 matches 3-0 to Sjoke, Crystal Palace and Wimbledon! Anyone who manages to lose at home to Wimbledon 3-0 must be pretty sh*te!
If we can get one in the first 20 minutes I reckon we will go on to be comfortable winners as our confidence is sky high and theres must be so low.
But you never know with football.....
COME ON YOUR SADDLERS!

By salop saddler (213.78.103.57) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 05:00 pm: Edit

They're your Saddlers as well Sheff

By Geoff Whiting (195.92.168.175) on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 05:44 pm: Edit

Watching the goals/highlights on Sky last night, I couldn't believe how bad the Reading defence was. The 3rd Wimbledon goal was incredible really - the scorer had 3 consecutive shots in 3 seconds, the 3rd from the edge of the penalty area hitting the back of the net after the 1st and 2nd shots from about the same distance had both rebounded straight back to him off Reading defenders, who all seemed to be standing around more like statues than footballers.

Just hope they play like that again tomorrow, although in this game you can never take anything for granted. But if we can make it six points from these two Xmas games, what a great position we'll be in going into the New Year.

By David Potter (65.65.182.57) on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 06:59 pm: Edit

Good first half, we totally lost the plot in the second and were lucky to hold on to a point.

The subs were brought on far too late. Why Colin didn't bring them on sooner is beyond me. The game was crying out for changes, we had lost our shape and were under heavy pressure from Reading.

We failed to bury them in the fist half, they were there for the taking. Jorge played well, Birch needs to learn how to play on his toes, not his heels. He's young and enthusiastic, but not a striker at this level!

Overall, I'm a little disappointed with the result. I was really expecting three points today. Was I being greedy?
That's how far we've come in a short space of time. Expecting three points from a team who have spent millions!

By cat3 (219.76.96.9) on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 07:46 pm: Edit

What a way to end the game! I must say a tie is not good enough, but we have to pocket the point anyhow. Our attack is still very weak and we need to line-up our defense a bit more when we are leading 1-0. If we can't score another, we might as well learn to defense a bit tighter when we are leading...

By SheffieldSaddler (195.93.34.9) on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 07:52 pm: Edit

Another 2 points thrown away, which would have put us in 9th position, against a team who have lost the plot completely. Reading were rubbish, and we were even worse.
What else can you say. Perhaps Merson should have been on earlier.

By TheFridge (81.135.36.8) on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 07:55 pm: Edit

1-1 a point gained or two lost? not sure myself. If Hannemann hadnt made that fantastic save from Jorge's header it would have been 2-0 and game over. However, the 2nd half was all Reading and what a superb free kick by the fullback.
5 Points from 9 and 4 games unbeaten is pretty good.
Yes Lee did need to make changes and he prob did leave it a little late but i was very worried when he replaced Samways with Merse. although it could be seen as a statement of intent bringing on a creative player for the holding man.
In conclusion what a bloody cold day...even for a Fridge!!!

By Dave Roe (81.131.173.16) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 12:05 am: Edit

If we hadn't sat back all second half and conceded all possesion/initiative then perhaps we would have got at least one more goal and made the game safe. Instead Lee plays his normal scared football and handed the game to them. Brilliant Colin, absolutely fudge brilliant. You really are a tactical mastermind.

The superb free kick you mention, TheFridge, could have been prevented if one of our players could have seen what thousands of Saddlers fans could see...put a bloody man on the left post !!! It ain't rocket science.

By Esso (213.48.83.26) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 08:02 am: Edit

Credit Reading with coming at us in the second half. They bossed the game and in my view played a great deal better after the break. I don't think we were that bad, we were as good as Reading let us be. They deserved the point.

By Booster Cogburn (82.37.27.71) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 10:23 am: Edit

I'm a big CL fan but he baffles me sometimes. As I have said on the Rivals board, Roper came out for the second half lame. He could hardly walk. As a result Emblen was dropping back to cover and we surrendered the initiative. If we had replaced him then we may have been able to get back on to the front foot.
On a more postive note, let's not forget that Reading have got some very good players and we have taken four points off them this season.

By bournemouthsaddler (80.3.164.5) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 10:55 am: Edit

Eight points to stave of religation fears,but it should have been twelve points towards promotion. Birch makes a good contribution to the team but he aint no striker.

By Clown Lee (213.122.74.95) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 11:10 am: Edit

Dave Roe, how many times have you seen professional teams put a man on the post at a free kick? They don't do it because (a) it is the job of the keeper and the wall to cover, and more importantly (b) because it plays the attackers onside and they can stand where they want.
We might have got it wrong yesterday, but even I am not daft enough to try your solution for Christs sake.

By redordead (213.122.78.173) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 04:37 pm: Edit

Dave,It is not the done thing to stand a man on the post but i can see your point about the bloke on the line at free kicks but it takes a very brave keeper to make that decision, simalar to Oakes(when he played for villa) against Man Utd he decided not to have a wall so he could see Beckhams free kick more clearly, It's just that he saw it very clearly rocket past him into the top corner. I think Jimmy got it all wrong yesterday and it was he who set the wall up but then again how many times has he saved us in the last ten years. I just wish he would roll the ball out more then lumping it up the pitch, there was times on sunday after they scored that he was kicking the ball into there half were jorge was standing with 3 Reading defenders around him.

By Neil Ravenscroft (62.172.127.2) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 05:10 pm: Edit

It's a point I keep making. My mate asked yesterday, how come we get off to slow starts in each half all the time. I said we need to get the ball down and play to settle down and Jim should be throwing it out a lot, lot more.

By Ian Gittins (213.165.1.175) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 05:40 pm: Edit

Agreed. Hoofing it up to the front men might work if you're aiming at Duncan Ferguson. With Jorge and either Birch or Merson, it's essentially a pass to the opposition defence. It would make far more sense for Samways to drop back and take the ball from Jimmy, surely.

God, it's dull at work today. I've posted more in one day than in the last three weeks put together...

By Exile (210.54.101.61) on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 10:10 pm: Edit

Hope you get busy quick, Ian

Return to 2003-04 Season

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests