Peterborough United (H) League One Nov 15th, 3pm

[chestersaddler]

Dare say the Smith in apologists will say its a good point against the 7th placed side, but............................its still only 2 shots on target at home !

I don't think Smith supporters have anything to apologise for :? Neither do those who want him out. We clearly have a decent defence, but without Bradshaw we are struggling for goals.

That's five goalless draws in 17 league games now.

[Guest]

Substitution, Walsall. Ashley Grimes replaces Mathieu Manset. Can he prove his manager correct? with 10 mins to go.

No.

[latviancheese]

Att 5495.

Why so high?

[Ghostofwalsallpast]

Dare say the Smith in apologists will say its a good point against the 7th placed side, but............................its still only 2 shots on target at home !

Maybe it's still down to our lengthy injury list......:wink:

[Ghostofwalsallpast]

Att 5495.

Why so high?

Family Special I think

[BarnsleySaddler]

Att 5495.

Why so high?

Should be a decent gate with offers on from local schools we got four tickets for a tenner, two adults :shock: and two kids, should do this more often. By the way it's my first match in nearly two years, I've been tempted out of my armchair. :shock:

This might be the reason.

[SaddlerSteve]

Att 5495.

Why so high?

Family Special I think

According to the programme they sold 1286 through the local schools at a reduced price.

As for the game we played well, just couldn't get the goal.
Unbeaten in 5, I'll take that.

[Guest]

we played well, just couldn't get the goal.

Deja lu.

[otiswfc]

What the hell is wrong with manset is he ill or something iv seen fitter player's at Sunday league level his touch and more or less everything about him is piss poor he's not even that strong and look at the size of him he was out muscled today by there centre half. Cook was played out wide no good, sawyers was sawyers should have scored and managed to put it wide when it was harder to miss Forde just started to shoot from anywhere out of frustration,
Other than that we played alright :lol:
I don't think the 1200 extra Saddlers will be rushing back to soon

[SoccerHQ]

Very happy with what I saw today.

It is allowed in football to actually play well, praise the team for playing well but not actually win the game, I'd say today is such an example.

Posh aren't as good in previous seasons and I don't think they'll make the top 6 personally but they won't be far off it.

From today, Cain was superb. Really liked the look of him on my first live viewing, Forde and Cook were pretty good aswell although i Forde's case I'd like to see him shoot a bit more rather than doing a million step overs when one on one in the box.

I've criticised him frequently but actually Grimes was pretty useful today down the middle for the last 15 minutes, Manset was so-so.

Could've been a penalty in either box at the end but the ref was generally clueless all game.

Obviously the missing link is Bradshaw. Plays today and I'm pretty sure that's a 1 or 2 nil win. If he missed the odd game it's not a concern but anymore than that and I'd like to see the club dip into the market and get a loan forward for a month or two, y'know what other clubs do at this level when they get an injury or two, rather than wait for key players to get back while dropping points left, right and centre.

[scott_powell]

They were there for the taking today. How are they so high up the table? They are rubbish

We played well. Downing was brilliant today. Cain deserved his MOTM award. By fair his best display for us. Won everything in midfield and broke up all of their play. I think everyone else was worthy of a 6/7 out of 10.

I feel as though if Bradshaw would have played we'd have taken all 3 points today. Manset actually played quite well, it's just his final ball which lets him down. Manset needs someone like Bradshaw to play off him but Smith can't drop Sawyers and will not drop one his two sitting midfielders.

Either way, I'm happy with the performance, gutted not to take all 3.

They should have certainly had a penalty with that handball in the final seconds.

[scott_powell]

What the hell is wrong with manset is he ill or something iv seen fitter player's at Sunday league level his touch and more or less everything about him is gypsy's poor he's not even that strong and look at the size of him he was out muscled today by there centre half. Cook was played out wide no good, sawyers was sawyers should have scored and managed to put it wide when it was harder to miss Forde just started to shoot from anywhere out of frustration,
Other than that we played alright :lol:
I don't think the 1200 extra Saddlers will be rushing back to soon

Manset wasn't that bad

[otiswfc]

What the hell is wrong with manset is he ill or something iv seen fitter player's at Sunday league level his touch and more or less everything about him is gypsy's poor he's not even that strong and look at the size of him he was out muscled today by there centre half. Cook was played out wide no good, sawyers was sawyers should have scored and managed to put it wide when it was harder to miss Forde just started to shoot from anywhere out of frustration,
Other than that we played alright :lol:
I don't think the 1200 extra Saddlers will be rushing back to soon

Manset wasn't that bad

He wasn't that good either that pass he played to forde in the second half that ended up going out for a throw had the people around me rolling around laughing. How anyone can say Grimes did alright when he came on must be on drugs or on the windup he touched the ball 3 time's and gave it away 3 time's. Like I say other than going forward we looked alright we won't lose many if we play like that every week and not every team in league 1 are as good as Peterborough.

[Optimistic]

Well I was there today and it was without doubt the best performance I have seen at home for a long time. The movement, the passing and the skill shown by all of the players was excellent.

The reason Peterborough looked poor was because we made them look poor and the only answer they had to our style of play was to foul and cheat. In fairness they defended well but then again they had to, they will be very relieved to get a point today.

Before anybody starts to quote statistics and the number of shots on target etc. I think that they should state if they were at the game or not because I can't believe that anybody who was there could not see the the quality in the performance. I know we didn't score a goal and that's the idea. but if we play like that on a regular basis we will do well.

On the other hand if all you are interested in is seeing a goal scored then why bother following the team at all, just watch the highlights on the TV.

[scott_powell]

What the hell is wrong with manset is he ill or something iv seen fitter player's at Sunday league level his touch and more or less everything about him is gypsy's poor he's not even that strong and look at the size of him he was out muscled today by there centre half. Cook was played out wide no good, sawyers was sawyers should have scored and managed to put it wide when it was harder to miss Forde just started to shoot from anywhere out of frustration,
Other than that we played alright :lol:
I don't think the 1200 extra Saddlers will be rushing back to soon

Manset wasn't that bad

He wasn't that good either that pass he played to forde in the second half that ended up going out for a throw had the people around me rolling around laughing. How anyone can say Grimes did alright when he came on must be on drugs or on the windup he touched the ball 3 time's and gave it away 3 time's. Like I say other than going forward we looked alright we won't lose many if we play like that every week and not every team in league 1 are as good as Peterborough.

:roll:

[hullsaddler]

Att 5495.

Why so high?

Should be a decent gate with offers on from local schools we got four tickets for a tenner, two adults :shock: and two kids, should do this more often. By the way it's my first match in nearly two years, I've been tempted out of my armchair. :shock:

This might be the reason.

Mick Kearns said on commentary that there would be 1300 extra because of the Community Programme effort with local schools

[SoccerHQ]

What the hell is wrong with manset is he ill or something iv seen fitter player's at Sunday league level his touch and more or less everything about him is gypsy's poor he's not even that strong and look at the size of him he was out muscled today by there centre half. Cook was played out wide no good, sawyers was sawyers should have scored and managed to put it wide when it was harder to miss Forde just started to shoot from anywhere out of frustration,
Other than that we played alright :lol:
I don't think the 1200 extra Saddlers will be rushing back to soon

Manset wasn't that bad

He wasn't that good either that pass he played to forde in the second half that ended up going out for a throw had the people around me rolling around laughing. How anyone can say Grimes did alright when he came on must be on drugs or on the windup he touched the ball 3 time's and gave it away 3 time's. Like I say other than going forward we looked alright we won't lose many if we play like that every week and not every team in league 1 are as good as Peterborough.

Trust me I'm a big critic of Grimes but he unsettled that big guy they had at the back quite a bit. In his short time there was a decent shout for a penalty from Grimes harrasing the Posh defender and he also cut the ball back into the box from forcing another error from Santos I think.

A few round me thought he should've shot but angle was too tight particularly for someone low on confidence. He did the right thing but nobody could get up in time.

[Walsallone]

Agree with the above, Good all round team performance with James Chambers,Cain and Sawyers outstanding. the only thing lacking was a goal but I am sure goals will come if we can perform at that level. 4 or 5 away games now. I hope all those who go will see some good performances -enjoy.

[Sadders]

That was quite enjoyable for a 0-0 game in all honesty. I agree with some of the points made on here and on the radio after.

We look a back up CF away from a top half season. For the want of not being a happy clapper, I thought today wasn't just a case 'same old, same old'. It's hard to convey what I want to say, but I will give it a go. Today I noticed that we actually tried to employ slightly different tactics than we would if Bradshaw had been playing. We must have put a good 25-30 crosses in the box today. I noticed it after about 10 minutes that we looked to get the ball to Cook and Forde, who without really trying to skin the man delivered early, flat crosses towards Manset. Now, that differs to last season or early this season. My criticism of Smith and the sweeping general criticism of Smith for me is that regardless of the players on the pitch - or more specifically the forward, Smith would employ the same 'walk it in' tactic. Last season, when Westcarr played we tried to walk it in, when Ngoo came along, the players were so mentally trained at playing 'walk it in' that he was null and void, when Hewitt and etc played - the tactic was the same one dimensional tippy tappy we'd become to accustom too. This season, we look as though we have a little bit more of a back up plan and for me - that made the difference today between a 0-0 and a same old, same old dull 0-0 much like the Bradford game.

Something else that should be noted - Sawyers missed our 2 best chances, one a real chance in the second half and he would have been on the pitch regardless of the fitness of Bradshaw, so the 'back up' striker has less of an importance in that sense. As for the game itself. I was quite worried in the opening 20 minutes, as Posh seemed really intent on getting in our face really high up the pitch. Having played only Wednesday evening, I was half expecting us to look tired or tire later in the second half, but we didn't really - infact we just seemed to improve. Other than a header not long before half time, Posh literally didn't have a shot in the second half, they were abysmal.

Chambers and Downing were superb, Purkiss was very solid and Taylor not only defended well against his tricky Taylor counterpart, but finally showed signs of gaining some attacking confidence back. O'Donnell was okay, but I thought he flapped at a couple of high crosses and should have come to collect the cross that lead to Posh's best headed chance. Adam Chambers did okay again, but got into the penalty area 3 times and looked like a duck out of water, giving the ball away. Forde was more in todays game and I thought he did okay, I just wish he would be slightly more direct, a bit quicker - he does almost a Lalkovic amount of step overs before crossing it. Cook was much better, still in and out of the game and for me was lucky to stay on the pitch for aslong as he did considering his challenge looked a red from my seat and he seemed to lose his head a little. Sawyers was hit and miss, some lovely back to goal work but tried to over-elaborate a couple of times when a simple pass was suffice - missed 2 good chances, but created them with some lovely one touch passing. Manset was okay. Not as good as the other night, but better and fitter than so far this season. Strangely, for a big man he looks entirely better running towards goal with the ball at his feet than he does getting on the end of long balls and holding it up on his chest etc. My MOTM from pretty much word go was Cain. Made at least a dozen important interceptions, broke up play well but also liked to drive forward and get stuck in - the kid is 19 years old - loan him or see how much he will cost, he has all the makings of a Mantom/Chambers replacement of future.

So a good, fluent passing performance - with key players missing a couple of great chances. We also kept another cleansheet at home, giving us the best defence in the division at home and a better all round defence than both of the top 2! Smith said Bradshaw could feature on Tuesday night, but isn't sure - his injury sounds quite strange from what Whitney has said.


Ratings

O'Donnell - Looked generally solid, but got away with a couple of flappy moments for me. Kicking was better today. 7

Purkiss - Excellent again, tried getting forward and hoofed it less than normal today. Having his best spell at the club. 8
Downing - Still likes to lump it a little aimlessly, but he's a young central defender it's to be expected. Excellent in the air and with his communication again though. 8

Chambers - See above. Just a real solid, steady eddy. Can keep O'Connor out all season for me! 8

Taylor - Best of the defence I thought. The best part of today though, was that he showed signs of getting back to his absolute best going forward. Delivered a couple of peachy crosses and he got forward well with Forde down the left. 8

Cook - Better than Tuesday night, delivered a couple of good balls and nearly scored with a header that he should have done better with. 7

Cain - Excellent, my MOTM. All over the place, both in attacking and defensive scenarios. Looks a good solid player with good technique and a big engine. A tailor made replacement for Chambers/Mantom IMO. Bin Clifford, loan Kinsella/Flanagan and extend his loan. 9

Chambers - Worked hard again, did the easy things well as usual. Just annoys me with some of his negative, crab like passing. He was so set on passing it naturally backwards at one point in the second half, he nearly passed it to the opposition when he had hours to turn and drive forward. 7

Forde - Better from him this afternoon. Got involved, drove at the defence - I just wish he would cross it earlier and quicker. 7

Sawyers - Hit and miss. Missed some good chances, but generally - he looks our only creative player. Such a good first touch, brain and technique though. A properly gifted player. 7

Manset - Still not fit for 90 minutes, but he did okay. He looks better with the ball at his feet running at the opposition than he does with his back to goal or controlling it via head/chest. I CAN see goals in him, which I just can't for the life of me with Grimes at the moment. 7


SUBS

Benning - Got stuck in and looked lively as you'd expect, didn't have chance to do a great deal.

Grimes - Forced a couple of errors but then played a woeful ball back to Sawyers when he'd done the hard work. I just don't see any goals in him to be honest. Don't see many redeeming features and I don't expect him to last the season. Not totally awful, just so 'meh' and we have better than him.


Onwards.

[PT]

A really good nil-nil. We probably deserved to win but could have lost had the ref given the handball at the death.

Made such a difference to the feel of the place having the Family Stand full. And contrary to what others have said, I think a few will come back following today's showing.

If only Sawyers had slotted his sitter it would have been a great day. Lots of top performances with both Chambers immense, Cain brilliant again, Forde was dangerous and I thought Manset did OK. He's a bit Jabo isn't he? good bits and bad bits. But he does offer us something different.

The only slight negatives are Taylor, who to me has gone from 7 and 8'S out of 10 every week to 6's. He looks jaded to me. The other negative was when Manset's wind had blown out that young Bakayoko wasn't around for another dose of first team football. I didn't see what others saw in Grimes' performance but then I don't see him as a footballer at all. I'm not in the game so must have an amateur's blind spot. I just don't get him at all.

[sallian]

Walsall have the joint 2nd best defence in the division

but the 3rd worst attack (but they can easily score more if two of the strikers were played together in the right position....so if Walsall fail to achieve again...it is Smith's fault)

[sallian]

Baxendale should be chosen over Sawyers....

Baxendale has better eye for goal and can create more openings, quicker in tighter situations in the last third

[Sadders]

A really good nil-nil. We probably deserved to win but could have lost had the ref given the handball at the death.

Made such a difference to the feel of the place having the Family Stand full. And contrary to what others have said, I think a few will come back following today's showing.

If only Sawyers had slotted his sitter it would have been a great day. Lots of top performances with both Chambers immense, Cain brilliant again, Forde was dangerous and I thought Manset did OK. He's a bit Jabo isn't he? good bits and bad bits. But he does offer us something different.

The only slight negatives are Taylor, who to me has gone from 7 and 8'S out of 10 every week to 6's. He looks jaded to me. The other negative was when Manset's wind had blown out that young Bakayoko wasn't around for another dose of first team football. I didn't see what others saw in Grimes' performance but then I don't see him as a footballer at all. I'm not in the game so must have an amateur's blind spot. I just don't get him at all.

I agree and disagree with some of your comments. Thought Taylor was back to his virtual best today, much better than he has been for most the season. However, I 100% agree on Grimes. I just can't at any point see what he's going to bring, and I can actually see a few goals for Manset at some point, I just can't with him. He's another midget with a reasonable first touch and that's basically that. No pace, no strength, lacks guile, doesn't seem to be a much of a poacher and his basic game is nothing but standard. The place felt much better with the family stand full and it inspired a little more atmosphere in the home end IMO.

[Sadders]

Baxendale should be chosen over Sawyers....

Baxendale has better eye for goal and can create more openings, quicker in tighter situations in the last third

:lol:

You lost the plot?

Sawyers is a classy player who only needs to start scoring to accompany his brillant vision, first touch, brain and technique to be a solid Championship player with potential for more. I'd argue he's more accomplished than Paterson was when he left for Forest - in his position. He's unique and we are incredibly fortunate to have him.

Meanwhile, Baxendale is a weedy skinny little boy who does and provides nothing for the team bar the odd rapser and legs getting back to cover the defence. He's gone miles backwards, hasn't evolved his game and seems to now lack confidence. Get rid for me. Even if he does have a churlish cheeky grin that makes you want to hug him. Bin him off. He's done less than Alex Nicholls did in his final years and yet he got dogs abuse!

[chestersaddler]

Meanwhile, Baxendale is a weedy skinny little boy who does and provides nothing for the team bar the odd rapser and legs getting back to cover the defence. He's gone miles backwards, hasn't evolved his game and seems to now lack confidence. Get rid for me. Even if he does have a churlish cheeky grin that makes you want to hug him. Bin him off. He's done less than Alex Nicholls did in his final years and yet he got dogs abuse!

He speaks highly of you too :roll:

[Sadders]

Meanwhile, Baxendale is a weedy skinny little boy who does and provides nothing for the team bar the odd rapser and legs getting back to cover the defence. He's gone miles backwards, hasn't evolved his game and seems to now lack confidence. Get rid for me. Even if he does have a churlish cheeky grin that makes you want to hug him. Bin him off. He's done less than Alex Nicholls did in his final years and yet he got dogs abuse!

He speaks highly of you too :roll:

I like Bax, seems a great hard working lad but he should be judged on his performances - not his personality and so far in the last 18 or so months, especially this season - he's been weak and like playing with 10 men. Just saying it how I see it. If he proves me wrong, then great - I want him too. For me, he needs to put 2 stone of muscle on and work hard on his strength/ball retention and so on. I hope he's successful here, but I don't see it currently.

[chestersaddler]

Meanwhile, Baxendale is a weedy skinny little boy who does and provides nothing for the team bar the odd rapser and legs getting back to cover the defence. He's gone miles backwards, hasn't evolved his game and seems to now lack confidence. Get rid for me. Even if he does have a churlish cheeky grin that makes you want to hug him. Bin him off. He's done less than Alex Nicholls did in his final years and yet he got dogs abuse!

He speaks highly of you too :roll:

I like Bax, seems a great hard working lad but he should be judged on his performances - not his personality and so far in the last 18 or so months, especially this season - he's been weak and like playing with 10 men. Just saying it how I see it. If he proves me wrong, then great - I want him too. For me, he needs to put 2 stone of muscle on and work hard on his strength/ball retention and so on. I hope he's successful here, but I don't see it currently.

Fair enough. I eagerly await your appraisal of someone that you don't like :D

[sallian]

Meanwhile, Baxendale is a weedy skinny little boy who does and provides nothing for the team bar the odd rapser and legs getting back to cover the defence. He's gone miles backwards, hasn't evolved his game and seems to now lack confidence. Get rid for me. Even if he does have a churlish cheeky grin that makes you want to hug him. Bin him off. He's done less than Alex Nicholls did in his final years and yet he got dogs abuse!

He speaks highly of you too :roll:

I like Bax, seems a great hard working lad but he should be judged on his performances - not his personality and so far in the last 18 or so months, especially this season - he's been weak and like playing with 10 men. Just saying it how I see it. If he proves me wrong, then great - I want him too. For me, he needs to put 2 stone of muscle on and work hard on his strength/ball retention and so on. I hope he's successful here, but I don't see it currently.

I don't think Baxendale needs to put on any muscle, not all players' style and effectiveness is assisted by muscle...in fact, some players are hindered by it. Baxendale like Messi...is one of those small nimble players. The type who used to make me feel like a slow old man in a game, even though I wasn't...they leave you standing due to a low centre of gravity...and small limbs that can react and turn quickly....Sawyers does not possess that and never will. Sawyers however will keep missing chances in my expectation...whereas Baxendale could be scoring them or create more space and havoc in the box and around it. He is also the sort of player who can draw penalties and free kicks...legitimately.

The team is losing out on results as Smith doesn't utilize his tools properly.

As I've said before the smae characteristics which allows Sawyers success sometimes are the same characteristics which more regularly lead to his ineffectiveness.

I guess most of you are in Sawyers camp....but I'm a Baxendale man....I am also a Grimes man...play him in the right position consistently and he will perhaps even score more than Bradshaw....again...Smith to blame.

BAXO, BAXO, BAXO!!!!

[sallian]

Meanwhile, Baxendale is a weedy skinny little boy who does and provides nothing for the team bar the odd rapser and legs getting back to cover the defence. He's gone miles backwards, hasn't evolved his game and seems to now lack confidence. Get rid for me. Even if he does have a churlish cheeky grin that makes you want to hug him. Bin him off. He's done less than Alex Nicholls did in his final years and yet he got dogs abuse!

He speaks highly of you too :roll:

I like Bax, seems a great hard working lad but he should be judged on his performances - not his personality and so far in the last 18 or so months, especially this season - he's been weak and like playing with 10 men. Just saying it how I see it. If he proves me wrong, then great - I want him too. For me, he needs to put 2 stone of muscle on and work hard on his strength/ball retention and so on. I hope he's successful here, but I don't see it currently.

Another thing....Baxendale reacts quick and creates bursts of activity...but Dean SMith's formations and style mean the team doesn't react quickly enough to the type of openings Baxendale initiates.

Attacking minded, more observant managers would have this Walsall team scoring 3 and 4 goals a match. It is like trying to instigate a riot with 3,000 people at your disposal but only sending in one person in at a time....it ends up losing all impact and effect.

[Cowshed]

Only 3points off relegation

Can't see us scoring without Bradshaw and he seems injury prone

Anyone else nervous?