Atherstone Town (A) 08.08.07

[CTFC]

ATHERSTONE TOWN 0
WALSALL RES 2

Sillah & Hanna

[Jolly Johnny]

Cheers for that, I was wondering how we'd got on.

No doubt, Leamore will provide a thorough match report in the morning!! :wink:

[Pedagogue]

Friendly played at Sheepy Road

Atherstone Town 0 2 Walsall Reserves

Walsall (4-4-2)

Bertrand Bossu

Richard Taundry
Mannie Smith
Ian Roper (Charlton Davies,57 min.)
Netan Sansara (Peter Doran, 45 min.)

Alex Nicholls (Harry Harris, 80 min.)
Mark Bradley (Capt.)
David McDermott (Leon Quarless, 80 min.)
Ebrima Sillah

Troy Deeney (Chris Hanna, 74 min.)
Junior

Unused Substitute:-
Ishmel Demontagnac

Manager:- Eric Mcmanus (Dicky Dosh, Sun Tan Man & Jeff Bonser watching)

Goal log:-
63 min. - 0-1 - Sillah collects the ball, on the left, cuts in and slams it into the net.
79 min. - 0-2 - Hanna seizes on an under-hit back-pass and drives it in from the narrowest of angles..

Comments:-
Another useful workout for our young reserve side. Showing just one change from the line-up that beat Solihull Moors, two days previously, the young Saddlers were rarely troubled against their Warwickshire opponents. Even Ian Roper tried to get on the scoresheet, against his brother in the Adders’ goal!
Defence – I wish Bossu would try to catch the ball, instead of punch it, a bit more. His back-line was in dominant form and Mannie Smith, in particular, is looking increasingly strong, composed and confident with every game.
Midfield:- not one of Bradley’s better games – his passing, usually so reliable was more error-strewn but he never gave up. Switched to defence when Roper went off. McDermott is growing into his central midfield role (no pun intended!). On the flanks Nicholls offered pace while Sillah (surprise, surprise!) offered guile and some nice touches.
Attack:- Deeney was partnered by triallist, Junior (no, not HIM). It is fair to say that Junior will have to do a lot better if Walsall’s interest is to go any further.

[Jolly Johnny]

Nice one Leamore, I knew you wouldn't let us down!!

How did Peter Doran do when he came on? I was quite impressed with him when I saw him towards the end of last season.

Agree with your comment about Bossu. He did a lot of punching against the Moors the other night too, not always with ultra safe results.

[Duke]

Leamore , How did Roper look , noticed he last 57 mims,
Just wondering is he in DD thoughts for Saturday ?

[Magic Man Fan]

Another good performance and a goal from Sillah then, yet some don't want to sign him. :?

[Duke]

Another good performance and a goal from Sillah then, yet some don't want to sign him. :?

2 Lads from work saw the Villa game were more impressed with Sillah than Sonko . Interesting to see Junior is still with us .

[Pedagogue]

JJ - Thank you for your kind comment. Doran did well when he came on at right back. Very solid and steady, rather like Taundry, who switched to left-back when Sansara went off, at half-time.

DD - Roper looked a bit better than he has recently but he still has more fitness work to do if he is to oust the two young Scousers from the first team.

MMF/DD - I am warming to Sillah. He has undoubted skill (as an international captain should have), quick feet and a good first touch on the ball. I am trying very hard to overcome the reservations that I share with many other people, viz. his physical frailty, particularly on heavy grounds. Not all League One defenders are as skillful as Cashley Cole or Rio Dreadlocks and some rely on more "basic" methods but, if Sillah can be too nippy for them, then who knows???

Last night's version of Junior was pants!

[Duke]

Cheers Leamore great stuff , good news about Ropes maybe a couple of reserve games needed , once he's in the first team i'm sure he'll stay there.

[Stu]

Cheers Leamore great stuff , good news about Ropes maybe a couple of reserve games needed , once he's in the first team i'm sure he'll stay there.

How many years will it take Ropes to actually be fully fit for the first game of a season.

I find it quite bizarre that so many folk have questioned his fitness, when in pre-season, DD was saying that he'd been in the best shape he had been for many a pre-season and had come back in good shape and at a good weight.

[Fray Bentos is God!]

Cheers Leamore great stuff , good news about Ropes maybe a couple of reserve games needed , once he's in the first team i'm sure he'll stay there.

How many years will it take Ropes to actually be fully fit for the first game of a season.

I find it quite bizarre that so many folk have questioned his fitness, when in pre-season, DD was saying that he'd been in the best shape he had been for many a pre-season and had come back in good shape and at a good weight.

He was fully fit for last season stu, havent seen him play this preseason though

[Magic Man Fan]

Cheers Leamore great stuff , good news about Ropes maybe a couple of reserve games needed , once he's in the first team i'm sure he'll stay there.

How many years will it take Ropes to actually be fully fit for the first game of a season.

I find it quite bizarre that so many folk have questioned his fitness, when in pre-season, DD was saying that he'd been in the best shape he had been for many a pre-season and had come back in good shape and at a good weight.

I was amazed when I saw Roper at the Blues game. He looked in good shape in the pictures in the paper when they started back for the maintenance sessions but was his normal pre-season self.

Dann and Ropes would be my preferred pairing every time but he does himself no favours by not staying in shape over the Summer and has given Gerrard a chance to take his place for the time being at least.

[Registered Saddler]

Cheers Leamore great stuff , good news about Ropes maybe a couple of reserve games needed , once he's in the first team i'm sure he'll stay there.

How many years will it take Ropes to actually be fully fit for the first game of a season.

I find it quite bizarre that so many folk have questioned his fitness, when in pre-season, DD was saying that he'd been in the best shape he had been for many a pre-season and had come back in good shape and at a good weight.

I was amazed when I saw Roper at the Blues game. He looked in good shape in the pictures in the paper when they started back for the maintenance sessions but was his normal pre-season self.

Dann and Ropes would be my preferred pairing every time but he does himself no favours by not staying in shape over the Summer and has given Gerrard a chance to take his place for the time being at least.

I brought up the Roper debate a year ago but got shouted down by the blame Merson for everything brigade who said that a new manager would get Ropes in shape in time for the new season. Now, Roper has been a fantastic servant and doesn't get the plaudits his excellent defending deserves, but his approach to pre-season is pretty unprofessional and it only ends up costing both him and us for a month of the season.

[Bernie]

Perhaps I have not been close enough to Roper to see for myself how much extra he is carrying around the middle - from the back of the Text stand he does not look any different to usual.

Are a few extra pounds really going to make all that much difference? Having seen a lot of Roper and Gerrard over the last two seasons I would prefer a chubby Roper to a slim Gerrard any day.

[Magic Man Fan]

Perhaps I have not been close enough to Roper to see for myself how much extra he is carrying around the middle - from the back of the Text stand he does not look any different to usual.

Are a few extra pounds really going to make all that much difference? Having seen a lot of Roper and Gerrard over the last two seasons I would prefer a chubby Roper to a slim Gerrard any day.

I agree and he's always fit after a few games but it's all about attitude and professionalism which count for a lot as we know from the Merson era.

Having said that Gerrard has impressed me in pre-season. He knows he's got to up the level to keep his place this season. If he plays like he did when he first joined us on loan then he's a very useful asset.

[Stu]

Perhaps I have not been close enough to Roper to see for myself how much extra he is carrying around the middle - from the back of the Text stand he does not look any different to usual.

Are a few extra pounds really going to make all that much difference? Having seen a lot of Roper and Gerrard over the last two seasons I would prefer a chubby Roper to a slim Gerrard any day.

I agree and he's always fit after a few games but it's all about attitude and professionalism which count for a lot as we know from the Merson era.

Having said that Gerrard has impressed me in pre-season. He knows he's got to up the level to keep his place this season. If he plays like he did when he first joined us on loan then he's a very useful asset.

It might be that Gerrard actually copes better at this level to be honest, as I think he performed better in his 1 and a bit seasons in League 1 than he did last year. He was susceptible to the ball over the top at times last season, maybe its something that won't be as common at this level, as on the floor, he is quite tidy.

[Neil Ravenscroft]

Perhaps I have not been close enough to Roper to see for myself how much extra he is carrying around the middle - from the back of the Text stand he does not look any different to usual.

Are a few extra pounds really going to make all that much difference? Having seen a lot of Roper and Gerrard over the last two seasons I would prefer a chubby Roper to a slim Gerrard any day.

I agree and he's always fit after a few games but it's all about attitude and professionalism which count for a lot as we know from the Merson era.

Having said that Gerrard has impressed me in pre-season. He knows he's got to up the level to keep his place this season. If he plays like he did when he first joined us on loan then he's a very useful asset.

I actually agree with Bernie, in that Roper didn't look overweight to me and disagree with you, in that I though Gerrard was looking a bit shaky when compared to Dann.

[Magic Man Fan]

Perhaps I have not been close enough to Roper to see for myself how much extra he is carrying around the middle - from the back of the Text stand he does not look any different to usual.

Are a few extra pounds really going to make all that much difference? Having seen a lot of Roper and Gerrard over the last two seasons I would prefer a chubby Roper to a slim Gerrard any day.

I agree and he's always fit after a few games but it's all about attitude and professionalism which count for a lot as we know from the Merson era.

Having said that Gerrard has impressed me in pre-season. He knows he's got to up the level to keep his place this season. If he plays like he did when he first joined us on loan then he's a very useful asset.

I actually agree with Bernie, in that Roper didn't look overweight to me and disagree with you, in that I though Gerrard was looking a bit shaky when compared to Dann.

You sit in the middle tier also Neil, as does Bernie.

I was sat 10 yards from him when he was warming up on the touchline, he is overweight and it's why he hasn't been starting.

EDIT: Just to make it clear this is coming from me, possibly Roper's biggest fan....after DAVEDEAN. :D

[We-ARE-Walsall]

Roper looked like he had spent the summer in a cake shop!!!

Well that was against Blues, which was the last game i went to, perhaps he had liposuction in the mean time

[Duke]

Perhaps I have not been close enough to Roper to see for myself how much extra he is carrying around the middle - from the back of the Text stand he does not look any different to usual.

Are a few extra pounds really going to make all that much difference? Having seen a lot of Roper and Gerrard over the last two seasons I would prefer a chubby Roper to a slim Gerrard any day.

I agree and he's always fit after a few games but it's all about attitude and professionalism which count for a lot as we know from the Merson era.

Having said that Gerrard has impressed me in pre-season. He knows he's got to up the level to keep his place this season. If he plays like he did when he first joined us on loan then he's a very useful asset.

I actually agree with Bernie, in that Roper didn't look overweight to me and disagree with you, in that I though Gerrard was looking a bit shaky when compared to Dann.

You sit in the middle tier also Neil, as does Bernie.

I was sat 10 yards from him when he was warming up on the touchline, he is overweight and it's why he hasn't been starting.

There must be some reason why he hasn't started , I agree with Stu , Gerrard has performed better in league 1 . having said that I'd much prefer Dann and Roper at the back.

[WarsawPact]

Roper looked like he had spent the summer in a cake shop!!!

Perhaps it's just that the new white shirts make it seem that way?
(Well they've been accused of everything else).

[We-ARE-Walsall]

Roper looked like he had spent the summer in a cake shop!!!

Perhaps it's just that the new white shirts make it seem that way?
(Well they've been accused of everything else).

White is the new black

[Rushall Saddler]

Roper looked like he had spent the summer in a cake shop!!!

Perhaps it's just that the new white shirts make it seem that way?
(Well they've been accused of everything else).

White is the new black

Thats what Michael Jackson said. :shock:

[We-ARE-Walsall]

Roper looked like he had spent the summer in a cake shop!!!

Perhaps it's just that the new white shirts make it seem that way?
(Well they've been accused of everything else).

White is the new black

Thats what Michael Jackson said. :shock:

He also said... erm no leave it

[Jolly Johnny]

Perhaps I have not been close enough to Roper to see for myself how much extra he is carrying around the middle - from the back of the Text stand he does not look any different to usual.

Are a few extra pounds really going to make all that much difference? Having seen a lot of Roper and Gerrard over the last two seasons I would prefer a chubby Roper to a slim Gerrard any day.

I agree and he's always fit after a few games but it's all about attitude and professionalism which count for a lot as we know from the Merson era.

Having said that Gerrard has impressed me in pre-season. He knows he's got to up the level to keep his place this season. If he plays like he did when he first joined us on loan then he's a very useful asset.

I actually agree with Bernie, in that Roper didn't look overweight to me and disagree with you, in that I though Gerrard was looking a bit shaky when compared to Dann.

You sit in the middle tier also Neil, as does Bernie.

I was sat 10 yards from him when he was warming up on the touchline, he is overweight and it's why he hasn't been starting.

Roper has never been the thinnest of players has he, really. But having seen him pretty close up at Solihull Moors and then against Villa on Tuesday I'd have to agree and say he is a touch bulky and, as others have said, maybe that's why he hasn't played a great deal recently and ended up in the team for 'minor' friendlies.

As others have said, though, Dann and Roper would be my first choice ideally. Just hope that he works hard over the next few weeks to prove himself, although I also hope that Gerrard plays very well too!!!