Northampton Town (H) 28th April, 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

"If you be out, sir, I can ... cobble you"

(Shakespeare)

(As a preview to the preview - my (old) reference book gives Northampton Town's record League win as 10-0 v Walsall, 1927/28)

This game might well be described as the Mother and Father of all "6-pointers". Put into its simplest form, if we win and Oldham Athletic lose, we are safe - but this is Walsall we're talking about, which means it's all the more likely to go to the last game of the season. In contrast to a previously posted thread, we have NOT descended to the bottom four - which means that it's very much in our own hands. This game sees the meeting of the Deans, with Dean Austin holding the reins for the visitors on a caretaker basis following Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink being shown the door. Frustratingly (for us) Austin has brought about an immediate improvement in the Cobblers' fortunes and as they (like ourselves) are playing for their League One status we can't expect any favours. Previous Northampton managers have included John Barnwell, Kevin Wilson and Kevan Broadhurst, but we will gloss over that and mention the ex-Saddler likely to be on display on Saturday - Richard O'Donnell, who probably can't be held solely responsible for the fact that the Cobblers have the leakiest defence in League One (74 goals conceded) ... but it's a comfort to know that if it does come down to goal difference at the end of the season we will have that advantage over them. Recent League One form for Northampton Town:

24 Mar Fleetwood Town (A) Lost 2-0
30 Mar Charlton Athletic (H) Lost 0-4
2 Apr Peterborough United (A) Lost 2-0
10 Apr Blackpool (A) Lost 3-0
14 Apr Bury (A) Won 2-3
21 Apr Plymouth Argyle (H) Won 2-0

So ... what will Dean Keates' merry men serve up on Saturday? More to the point, which men will these be? In order to win, we have to score, and this is something that is apparently alien to our "strikers"; statistics don't always tell the full story, but against Scunthorpe (despite having a greater number of "dangerous attacks") we didn't manage a single shot on goal. Perhaps Matt Fryatt will have been able to impart some of his wisdom by now, and Dean Keates' motivational skills could be very important in this crucial game. Would it be unfair to chuck Mitch Candlin in at the deep end? At least the lad knows where the net is, and has been scoring almost for fun in our non-first team games. Should Bakayoko be rested for his own good? The answers to these and many other questions will be seen in due course, before a likely full house at the Banks's's's'.

Prediction? In the words of Marvin the paranoid android ... "TRICKY". Go on then, I'll say a 2-1 Saddlers win with Ngoy and Candlin scoring.

UTS :D

[scott_powell]

Win. Nothing else is acceptable.

My team would be ...

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Devlin -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Cuvelier --- Dobson ----- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Ngoy ---------- Candlin ------------

(NO BAKAYOKO! HOW RACIST OF ME!!!!)

Time to get it on the deck and play. They all need to step up, especially Oztumer.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Win. Nothing else is acceptable.

My team would be ...

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Devlin -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Cuvelier --- Dobson ----- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Ngoy ---------- Candlin ------------

(NO BAKAYOKO! HOW RACIST OF ME!!!

Time to get it on the deck and play. They all need to step up, especially Oztumer.

No Chambers? :?

[scott_powell]

Win. Nothing else is acceptable.

My team would be ...

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Devlin -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Cuvelier --- Dobson ----- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Ngoy ---------- Candlin ------------

(NO BAKAYOKO! HOW RACIST OF ME!!!

Time to get it on the deck and play. They all need to step up, especially Oztumer.

No Chambers? :?

Not for me. I'd have Dobson playing that role. A better, more positive passer of the ball going forward too.

[tinned]

Win. Nothing else is acceptable.

My team would be ...

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Devlin -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Cuvelier --- Dobson ----- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Ngoy ---------- Candlin ------------

(NO BAKAYOKO! HOW RACIST OF ME!!!

Time to get it on the deck and play. They all need to step up, especially Oztumer.

No Chambers? :?

He's not just a racist, he's a double racist!!

[scott_powell]

Win. Nothing else is acceptable.

My team would be ...

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Devlin -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Cuvelier --- Dobson ----- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Ngoy ---------- Candlin ------------

(NO BAKAYOKO! HOW RACIST OF ME!!!

Time to get it on the deck and play. They all need to step up, especially Oztumer.

No Chambers? :?

He's not just a racist, he's a double racist!!

:shock: I'm more racist than I even knew!!

[aaaae]

Win. Nothing else is acceptable.

My team would be ...

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Devlin -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Cuvelier --- Dobson ----- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Ngoy ---------- Candlin ------------

(NO BAKAYOKO! HOW RACIST OF ME!!!

Time to get it on the deck and play. They all need to step up, especially Oztumer.

No Chambers? :?

Not for me. I'd have Dobson playing that role. A better, more positive passer of the ball going forward too.

Chambers was my MOTM on Saturday. He has to play.

[El_Nombre]

Win. Nothing else is acceptable.

My team would be ...

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Devlin -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Cuvelier --- Dobson ----- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Ngoy ---------- Candlin ------------

(NO BAKAYOKO! HOW RACIST OF ME!!!

Time to get it on the deck and play. They all need to step up, especially Oztumer.

No Chambers? :?

Not for me. I'd have Dobson playing that role. A better, more positive passer of the ball going forward too.

Chambers was my MOTM on Saturday. He has to play.

The only player we have with any sense of positional responsibility. That back 4 needs as much protection as it can get. He's also the only one with any decent experience, nous and from what I can tell, leadership skills.

[El_Nombre]

i just wish games were more important at this stage, I hate dead rubbers... :wink:

Everybody needs to step up, especially the players that haven't been good enough to get in the leagues team of the season.

[scott_powell]

It's pretty impressive to get into the team of the season having only played well for half of it. Fair play :roll:

[El_Nombre]

It's pretty impressive to get into the team of the season having only played well for half of it. Fair play :roll:

Yeah, he should have scored or set one up in EVERY game from midfield, not just one in every other. Just not good enough :roll:

I bet the problem is they take every game into account, and also that he's playing in a shite team and is still one of the best midfielders in the league (and don't then blame him rather than the rest of the players that never turn up), not just the games you watch, cos he's always rubbish in them.

[scott_powell]

It's pretty impressive to get into the team of the season having only played well for half of it. Fair play :roll:

Yeah, he should have scored or set one up in EVERY game from midfield, not just one in every other. Just not good enough :roll:

I bet the problem is they take every game into account, and also that he's playing in a shite team and is still one of the best midfielders in the league (and don't then blame him rather than the rest of the players that never turn up), not just the games you watch, cos he's always rubbish in them.

Bless.

[scott_powell]

My prediction-

I’m going to go for 1-1

I honestly think it’ll go down to Fleetwood.

[SoccerHQ]

My prediction-

I’m going to go for 1-1

I honestly think it’ll go down to Fleetwood.

Same. Can't see this being done on Saturday as much as everyone wants it to.

Northampton have improved since Hasselbaink got sacked and they have got some good players, O'Donnell in goal of course, Grimes and John Joe-O'Toole in midfield would both get in the Walsall team and Chris Long is a decent striker as we saw in December.

This is going to be much more difficult than Bury to win.

[Ancient Moaner]

Heart says 2-1, head says 0-1. Their win against Plymouth was mighty impressive, and remember they scored 3 away at Bury, whilst we struggled to beat them at home with a single OG! :oops: (though Bury did put 2 past them).

Most important match for a VERY long time, can WE actually score? Where are the goals to come from? Get the feeling there might be a degree of anger on the terraces if Baka is picked again, but our choice is not exactly overwhelming in that area of the field. Lets hope Ngoy plays a blinder and Ozzy puts in a shift.

As we will get easily beaten at Bradford & most probably Fleetwood too, (our team is just too powder puff to gain anything from away matches) the Northampton fixture becomes the focal point of our 3rd Division survival.

Up The Saddlers...so sorry I can' be there. Though I will be at the latter two.

[chunkster]

Hopping for a win but would take a draw with our poor striking record, just hope the defence stay focused for the whole game :|

[Enniskillen]

Win. Nothing else is acceptable.

My team would be ...

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Devlin -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Cuvelier --- Dobson ----- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Ngoy ---------- Candlin ------------

(NO BAKAYOKO! HOW RACIST OF ME!!!!)

Time to get it on the deck and play. They all need to step up, especially Oztumer.

Keates will either play 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Kinsella -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Devlin -- Chambers -- Dobson -- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Bakayoko ----------

Not sure where the goals will come from

[chunkster]

Win. Nothing else is acceptable.

My team would be ...

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Devlin -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Cuvelier --- Dobson ----- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Ngoy ---------- Candlin ------------

(NO BAKAYOKO! HOW RACIST OF ME!!!!)

Time to get it on the deck and play. They all need to step up, especially Oztumer.

Keates will either play 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Kinsella -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Devlin -- Chambers -- Dobson -- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Bakayoko ----------

Not sure where the goals will come from

I would take one off Brendon Molony's arse :lol:

[Welsh_Saddler]

Win. Nothing else is acceptable.

My team would be ...

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Devlin -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Cuvelier --- Dobson ----- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Ngoy ---------- Candlin ------------

(NO BAKAYOKO! HOW RACIST OF ME!!!!)

Time to get it on the deck and play. They all need to step up, especially Oztumer.

Keates will either play 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Kinsella -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Devlin -- Chambers -- Dobson -- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Bakayoko ----------

Not sure where the goals will come from

I would take one off Brendon Molony's arse :lol:

1-0 (O'Donnell, o.g.) ........ 89th minute :wink:

[Super Gabor]

Grimes.

I had to check their squad details to make sure it wasn't THE Grimes, one of the "most naturally gifted" strikers to wear a Walsall shirt. :wink:

[chunkster]

Win. Nothing else is acceptable.

My team would be ...

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Devlin -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Cuvelier --- Dobson ----- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Ngoy ---------- Candlin ------------

(NO BAKAYOKO! HOW RACIST OF ME!!!!)

Time to get it on the deck and play. They all need to step up, especially Oztumer.

Keates will either play 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1

--------------------Roberts--------------------

Kinsella -- Fitzwater -- Guthrie -- Leahy

----Devlin -- Chambers -- Dobson -- Morris----

------------------ Oztumer ----------------

---------- Bakayoko ----------

Not sure where the goals will come from

I would take one off Brendon Molony's arse :lol:

1-0 (O'Donnell, o.g.) ........ 89th minute :wink:

I would take that as well :D

[SaigonSaddler]

I'd take a goal in the first minute and then hanging on desperately for the rest of the game.

Or simply hanging on desperately to a 0-0.

[Mazza01]

Genuinely have no idea what to expect from this game :lol:

[scott_powell]

Around 7500 sold as of last night (according to Moles twitter)

Hopefully it’ll push to around 9k then.

[reedswood sadler]

Easily the most important game since the playoffs with Barnsley and we know how we played then with a much better team.

I will be crossing everything and praying to all the gods I know but am not sure it will be enough.

Northampton will really be up for it after 2 wins full of confidence while our team are the opposite. I think the game depends on whether Northampton score a goal at any time because if they do we will see another collapse like against Wimbledon. We could be leading 3-0 and still lose 3-4 if this happens.

[Cheesebag]

9000 fans for a 0-0 borefest :D

[El_Nombre]

The fans on their message board sound very confident.

Also sounds like a fair few of them have brought tickets in the home end.

[PINNACLE]

The fans on their message board sound very confident.

Also sounds like a fair few of them have brought tickets in the home end.

That is the last thing we need on such an important game like this, could get very nasty :(

[PT]

The fans on their message board sound very confident.

Also sounds like a fair few of them have brought tickets in the home end.

That is the last thing we need on such an important game like this, could get very nasty :(

There are always those sort of rumours and nothing ever happens. Northampton only sold out yesterday. The keenest to be there will be there, the remainder who had four days after they beat Plymouth to get themselves organised are bothered but not that bothered.

And it’s not like anything will actually be decided.

I think we’ll lose this 2-0. We have neither the ability nor mental strength to turn up and win this type of game. I fear a Devlin red card.

9,210.

[SoccerHQ]

Grimes.

I had to check their squad details to make sure it wasn't THE Grimes, one of the "most naturally gifted" strikers to wear a Walsall shirt. :wink:

No no he's found his true level at Edinburgh City in the Scottish second division. :lol: