West Ham (a) - League - 6th March 2004

[Andy]

By wfc_2uk (213.48.84.58) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 04:13 pm: Edit

I aint gone today its my birthday tomorrow and wouldnt have got back in time to go down town, this is the first game ive missed this season!
Just saw the line up
Walker
Bazeley (terrible)
Roper (injured)
Emblen (50/50)
Zigor

Osborn (out of form, still injured)
Samways (injured)
Taylor
Matias (out of form)

Birch (WHY?)
Leitao

Against 5th in the league in front of 35,000 cockneys with not much of a team out we will either get tonked 5-0 or draw, you cant tell what walsall will turn up.
COME ON LADS

By wednesfield saddler (82.37.9.77) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 05:56 pm: Edit

o ye of little faith . 0-0

By Me2 (195.92.168.169) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 05:58 pm: Edit

good result

By Neil Ravenscroft (82.37.184.186) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 06:12 pm: Edit

Why Birch? Because he, along with the others, was superb today. They scrapped, they fought, defended well and came away with a deserved draw. And Colin Lee was there!

By wfc_2uk (62.31.216.114) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 06:42 pm: Edit

Well done lads! I said we'd either draw or get tonked 5-0 im glad it was the first one. I got odds of 11/2 on a draw so im going to pick up my winnings! Wimbledon next week is a must win game with Gillingham winning, but lets enjoy tonight.
I take it back about Birch i heard him,Taylor and Fryatt were all superb.
I still aint 100% satisfied but lets build on this.
SUPPPEEEEER SADDDDDLERRRS!

By reading saddler (82.133.113.8) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 07:23 pm: Edit

come on you saddlers by reading the match report it looks like taylor caused havoc..... only problem with him showing his talent in such a profile match scouts will spot him.
UP THE SADDLERS

By Geoff Whiting (195.92.168.169) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 07:44 pm: Edit

Right, great result, long overdue, if we can draw at West Ham we MUST have something to build on.

To the "CL Out" faction - please, it's not going to happen, can't you just drop it for now until the end of the season and get right behind CL, Bracewell and the players - whoever gets picked - along with the rest of us.

We can debate the CL situation when the footie has finished. For now let's try to stay positive and support the bl**dy club through and through!

By SheffieldSaddler (195.93.34.9) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 07:50 pm: Edit

A well deserved and earned point by all accounts. Who would have thought it. Playing a team 5th from top, away from home, on a terrible run. BUT we get a point.
Well done lads, just shows when the chips are down, the players and manager come up with the goods.
Special well done to CL. Just hope some people with give you a break for a week now and get behind the team against Wimbledon.
CL to lead us to a 3rd year in division one.

By Moony (195.93.34.9) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 07:51 pm: Edit

Excellent result. Colin.... "The Kids are alright" despite your faint praise after the match.

By slovaksaddler (213.1.45.2) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 08:05 pm: Edit

Only my second game of the season and after reading the comments on here, I went today not expecting much. Was plesantly surprised, a fighting performance and definitely a point well earned.

Walker - Couple of outstanding saves reminded me of his performance in the FA Cup against the Hammers a few seasons ago

Bazeley - Looked sturdy, some excellent takling

Roper - Composed, put the boot in when necessarty although looked a bit lost when West Ham had a goal disallowed for offside

Emblem - Pick of the defence, excellent in the air

Aranalde - Linked up well with Pedro but struggled occasionaly with marking

Sammways - Simple yet effective, went off persumably not 100%

Taylor - busy performance, hustled and fought and looked a quality act my MOM

Osborn - sturdy in the middle, made some important challenges especially in the first half.

Matias - got stuck in but a squad player at best clearly Wrack and Corica would both be in the team ahead of him

Birch - ran around and put himself about. Went off having picked up an injury

Leiato - most likely to score, fought for everything although appeared to tire towards the end

Subs:

Fryatt - Second time I've seen him (other game being Watford) certainly has benefited from his loan spell, still not the finished article but put in a busy performance and held up the ball well.

Wales - came on for Sammways and played deeper than I would have expected.

By Surrey Saddler (195.93.34.9) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 08:20 pm: Edit

Inspirational performance from Walsall today. I went expecting to see us get thrashed but it didn't happen. Osbourne was superb and so were all the team for that matter. We had all the game in the first half and defended stoutly in the second. A real fighting performance. If we keep playing like that all will be well. Good to run into UCOW and his mate, Delves and the bloke who works for Saga in Tenterden. Come on then you SADDLERS- keep this up.
UP THE SADDLERS

By Steve Roy (213.122.224.55) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 08:23 pm: Edit

Agree with a lot of the above - Walker, Emblen, Taylor superb today, yet again Pardew has come up against a Saddlers coach and been out-thought! You could quibble about a slight lack of ambition when 5 minutes to go, dangerous free-kick for Walsall was toed out to the corner flag - but in front of 34,000, where 1.3% of the fans are Saddlers - justifiable. Thought Bracewell did a great job today from the sidelines - seemed to get the lads right up for it.

Not a bad ground now Upton Park - shame they've had to sell almost two whole teams to pay for it.

By tenterdensaddler (194.6.9.129) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 11:09 pm: Edit

Agree with above - SUPERB performance with total commitment. I cant remember us blocking , intercepting , harrying and just generally fighting as much in a long time.

Considering the poor run , the intimidating atmosphere , and the injury crisis ,I felt prouder
walking out today than i did at Charlton over 2 years ago!

West Ham's team cost a packet , ours cost a packet of fags, but we wanted it really bad and it showed , and we matched them for long periods of the game.

As per Steve Roys write up , it was much more than a point today , for me pride was restored and at last I'm looking forward to the next game rather than dreading it.

Great to see the fans respond and get behind them and make themselves heard amongst 34,000!! We must have done because the players were well appreciative at the end which was good. To see all the players come over at the end ( Bracewell/Halsall urging them (?) , I couldnt see properly i was too busy clapping like Rambo) Thats the spirit and togetherness we need for the rest of the season....

For me -

Walker 9
Bazeley 8
Aranalde 8
Emblen 9 (no forker was going past him today)
Roper 9 ( how much heart has this bloke got)
Osborn 7
Matias 7
Taylor 9 ( class)
Samways 8
Leiato 9
Birch 8

Fryatt 8

I dont care if we have gone down a place - at last there is hope , and those who werent there , be proud to be a Saddler tonight.

Surrey - thought it was you as dont know too many other Saddlers in Surrey!! Good to see you , how was your hot dog?

Up the Saddlers

By scotty (81.79.69.64) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 11:32 pm: Edit

Great preformance today. Taylor was superb - busy in a defensive midfield role but equally as effective when going forward (hit the post with a header in the second half). I've been on here before asking why Colin Lee dropped him after a good performace against Stoke. Surely the performace today will justify a first team place agaist Wimbledon.

Wacka : Superb. Made 3/4 class saves.

The only slight dissapointment today was Osbourne who gave the ball away on many occasions.

We all had a bit of a laugh when the attendance was announced over PA: 33K+ home support and 437 (i think) away support. Never heard the home and away attendances announced seperately before.

Good support today - we got behind the team and I think it paid off !!

By kenneth (194.6.9.129) on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 11:47 pm: Edit

scotty - think that they were taking the p*ss when they announced the away crowd , but we were the ones making the noise at the end so last laugh for us

i certainly enjoyed my tube journey back to london bridge amongst the same hammers who had been debating on the way how many they would put past little "warsawl" , now that their chances of automatic promotion are all but gone..

As for pardew ,my friend works for a capital radio sports station , and interviewed pardew tonight , who threw a wopping strop when asked ( maybe picking up my mates black country twang ) -if he reckoned Walsall were so negative ( which Pardew had said) , wasnt it up to him and his ample squad to break us down?? Pardew just stared , and walked out. The bloke is a bitter man and still has nightmares about Rougier planting that bullet header in the wrong end for us at Cardiff .

Am really enjoying myself tonight, what a good performance can do !!

By Blobbyh (152.163.253.34) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 01:15 am: Edit

"premiership - your having a laugh"

was the bet song of a very enjoyable day........
I dont care if we are in the Conference and play like that today - passion /pride/and a real want to play and run for each other - I will always be a Saddler................

You moaning/groaning/boring tossers that come on this board and pile on the negativity - sod off. Get a life or better still a new football team because Walsall might stay up/go down but today we were wonderful.

PREMIERESHIP - YOUR HAVING A LAUGH!
PREMIERESHIP - YOUR HAVING A LAUGH!

By Geoff Whiting (195.92.168.164) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 01:28 am: Edit

Great post Blobbyh, if everyone shows the same attitude as you between now and the end of the season, and really gets behind the team, there's plenty of hope that we'll stay up !

Negativity needed to stop weeks ago, it didn't, so everybody STOP IT NOW, get behind the lads !

Great post too kenneth, wish I'd beeen there to hear that interview!

Up the Saddlers !

By reading saddler (82.133.113.8) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 03:00 am: Edit

Too true up the saddlers

By Jeremy Busby (210.86.45.162) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 08:28 am: Edit

Woke up Sunday morning in New Zealand with a thumping hangover after a rather heavy Saturday night. But woke up to a txt from Geoff with the result. Hangover cured staright away (well maybe not)and a wonderful way to start Sunday.

Well done to the lads. There is a sport radio talkback host who is an East Londener who hosts here on Sunday morning. He is a big fan of England rugby (to wind up the locals) but more specifically West Ham. Callers were giving him a hard time this morning about news of Ireland winning at Twickenham. I was tempted to ring about our result but decided my head was too sore after all LOL.

Bring on next week.

By Chris Owen (62.31.217.128) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 12:09 pm: Edit

Has anyone else noticed how much quieter it is on this board when we get a good result? Sincerely hope this is the turning point - it really needs to be. Kris Taylor surely has to hold on to his place on merit, and Merson will have to win his place back on the same basis. A new signing before next week would really help as well, just to give some respite to our limping midfield.

Fensaddler

By Geoff Whiting (195.92.168.167) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 12:32 pm: Edit

Dead right Chris, it always seems so much easier to criticise than to praise - human nature I guess. But as I said above, the negativity needs to stop and NOW.

It's too late now for recriminations, we all know we've chucked away enough points to have been well above half-way and safe as houses, but that's history and there's nothing we can do to recoup that.

Now we need to re-group ourselves 100% behind the club, even those of you who don't like CL.

Then if we survive, we'll have done our bit - if we don't survive, we'll have a couple of months to hold our message-board-post-mortem before looking ahead to next season.

UP THE SADDLERS !! Let 'em know it the only way we can, Bescot noise !!

By Colin Lee (81.132.196.149) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 12:51 pm: Edit

Where are coxanddummy, Dave Rue and wfc_2fk this morning, then?

By coxanddrummie (195.93.34.9) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 01:34 pm: Edit

Well i can't speak for the other 2 but im happily nursing a hang over this morning after attending a high fashion nighclub last night. My dancing skills attracted many admirers and unlike the Walsall team i did score, more than once!!

By all accounts the team battled hard and should be commended for that, however our league position is still very precarious and anything less than a win against Wimbledon next week would be a disgrace.

I will go as far as saying if we don't win then i implore that the clubs hierarchy think again and call me up so i can perform the beginning of a mass exodus of players while managing Walsall to 1st division status next season.

By Sound_out (195.93.34.9) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 03:10 pm: Edit

I think Dave is still very confused about how we managed to get a draw yesterday. We may see him later tonight.

Why can I never find a bloody smiley?!

Did your dancing feet take you down Wasul last night cox, to attended the highly fashionable Harley's night spot? I can just imagine the munters you'd have pulled in there!

By Neil Ravenscroft (82.37.184.186) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 04:02 pm: Edit

Too right about how quiet the critics are. I looked at the Rivals board this mornig and there hadn't been a single post.

By SheffieldSaddler (195.93.34.9) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 04:44 pm: Edit

Yes, its amazing isnt it. Just look at the difference in the last few weeks results and the number of posts.
Yes we will beat Wimbledon next Saturday and then perhaps a few people can take a rest and realise that CL is here to stay.

By Red Whine (81.128.26.194) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 05:45 pm: Edit

Yay, it's another NR ner-ner-ne-ner-ner post.

Excellent.

By Cannock (213.48.83.243) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 06:33 pm: Edit

Laff Out Loud Mr Whine

By lee54 (82.37.179.114) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 08:07 pm: Edit

love walsall fc , love balti pies, love walsall fans ,tears comming down my face , yes we are staying up

By LarryHaggler (81.133.134.39) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 08:16 pm: Edit

Just got Back from West Ham, fudge Trains !
Nightmare. Had the fortune to sit in a box yesterday in the doc martins stand right behind Paul Bracewell. He was brilliant, constantly urging the team on, screaming at them, he showed real passion the type we have been lacking.
Incredible preformane yesterday, I thought the whole team were outstanding with the only exception being Mathias.
Osbourne is reveling in the captains role.
And how well did the youngsters do including Birch who ran himself into the ground.
A bit more confidence and we could of took all three points.Even the West Ham fans I was with thought we were superb and shaded it after I explained we were kind of makeshift, and expected us to nick it.
They were particulary impressed with Leitao, Wakka, Taylor, the whole defence and young Fryatt when he came on.
Please more performances like this and I will be agreeing with the hammers fans, in that we WONT go down.

By wfc_2uk (213.48.83.155) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 08:21 pm: Edit

Colin still managed to have a pop at the fans yesterday. "The Bescot is a doom and gloom place the best of times, the fans dont really know what we are trying to achieve and they dont know how much effort I am putting in".
VERY ARROGANT MR LEE you should say that the players are working hard too and that the fans have backed you for a little too long.
Well done to the PLAYERS yesterday for a great point.

By PGtips (195.188.152.14) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 08:37 pm: Edit

VERY TRUE MR LEE - but it does not achieve much by saying this publicly (if indeed he did).

By redordead (81.131.245.237) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 08:53 pm: Edit

Also have to agree with Colin Lee's statement. Hopefully Saturday will see an upturn in our support.

By Crouch End Saddler (195.93.34.9) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 10:05 pm: Edit

It was a superb performance yesterday, not often you say that after a nil-nil. Tremendous fight and spirit. Dug in at the begining of the 2nd half when it looked like we were never going to get out of their area. All my West Ham mates were talking about how many it was going to be, even the London Evening Standard had the Irons to win 4-0 as its standout bet of the weekend. Ive spent the past ten years wittering on about how good Jimmy Walker is to anyone who would listen and yesterday it was great to hear from those West Ham mates saying what a great game he had. What they dont realise is he does it week in week out. There was one truly outstanding save full stretch to his left. There cant be many better keepers than him around, Im just glad no other clubs seem to realise just how good he is.
Great support too. 440 Walsall voices outsang and outhumoured 33,000 of the East End's finest. Never stopped singing from the kick-off right through to the final whistle, brilliant. As one of my mates said "Its a good job you lot turned up else it have been like playing in a library". One quick round of "Bubbles" and that was it, sit back and watch the demolition. But it never came and the next time you heard 33,000 cockney voices was when they booed them off at half time.
The fans and the team were superb yesterday. That was a massive point for us. A confidence boosting point at that. Ill not be able to get to the match next week but now you've seen how the team react to positive backing lets do the same at Bescot. No getting on players backs when they slip up, just positive support. If we continue to play like we did yesterday then it will be 1st div footy again next year.
Up the Saddlers

By Exile (203.167.253.205) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 10:05 pm: Edit

I'd like to have our team DNA tested, as it seems to me that we have a set of doppelgangers hanging around, who turn up frequently for a game of parks football, and get put on the team bus by mistake. This week, the real team turned up, by the look of things.

wfc_2fk - what do mean arrogant? Do you know exactly what CL is trying to achieve at the club? Have you got his job specification to hand? Seen his goals and targets for the year and next two years? No, methinks. He might have a poor turn of phrase, granted, but I don't think you can call him arrogant. Humble might be closer to the mark, or maybe realistic?

I'm still confident we'll survive.

Cheers all,
Exile

By popperpancake (81.79.185.61) on Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 10:51 pm: Edit

I am far more upbeat after yesterday's game. I'm not gonna fault anyone at all. We battled, stuck to our game plan and got the point we deserved. I went for a drink after the game with a West Ham fan and he, altho frustrated with his own teams performance, agreed that we deserved a point. He also commented on how we'd done our homework and how effective our game plan was. Taylor looks a prospect without a doubt, and Fryatt did alright as well when he came on. Possibly the best i've seen Jorge play when he is that position out on the right. The back four were great, including the much maligned Bazeley and Aranalde. Much much better.

By ken (194.6.9.129) on Monday, March 08, 2004 - 12:50 pm: Edit

crouch end , great post , thats exactly how i saw the game, was much more than a point.

i dont think that you can over- estimate how much the backing we gave counted , its got to lift the team surely. I mentioned it on another post , but did anyone notice virtually the whole squad come over to clap the fans at the end, I havent see that for a while

Loud backing from the fans and good performances from the team go hand in hand, one spurs the other on.

If we cant take confidence from matching an expensive and highly rated team on the pitch with a make shift team , and outsinging 33,000 cocknies , then i dont know when we will.

cmon me babbies

By Chris Owen (80.86.36.158) on Monday, March 08, 2004 - 03:04 pm: Edit

Report on the Guardian website of Saturday's match. Actually talks about us, and is complementary - suggests we were certainly worth the draw, and could have won it.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/Observer ... 51,00.html

Fensaddler