Hereford United v. Walsall - Friendly - 1/8/09

[TheSaddlers]

True, but shouldn't we be having a look at him in left back or left mid where we should be planning to use him?

[gerryhatrick]

True, but shouldn't we be having a look at him in left back or left mid where we should be planning to use him?

Maybe. We have to trust Hutch's judgement, I guess.

[matt-thesaddler]

Had a text from my mate who is a Hereford fan and he said we wasnt much good. Solid defence but a bit weak up top. He said we need a forward of a winger that can cause real damage.

A wins a win afterall. As Macca said it dosnt matter who scored aslong as we win :mrgreen:

[DiddyP]

Had a text from my mate who is a Hereford fan and he said we wasnt much good. Solid defence but a bit weak up top. He said we need a forward of a winger that can cause real damage.

A wins a win afterall. As Macca said it dosnt matter who scored aslong as we win :mrgreen:

We need someone on the left then use Nicholls through the middle.

[philthesaddler]

Had a text from my mate who is a Hereford fan and he said we wasnt much good. Solid defence but a bit weak up top. He said we need a forward of a winger that can cause real damage.

A wins a win afterall. As Macca said it dosnt matter who scored aslong as we win :mrgreen:

Thats exactly what I thought when I saw us against the Wolves, we dont look like we've got much going forward, and that we wont score many goals.

[BathSaddler]

Had a text from my mate who is a Hereford fan and he said we wasnt much good. Solid defence but a bit weak up top. He said we need a forward of a winger that can cause real damage.

A wins a win afterall. As Macca said it dosnt matter who scored aslong as we win :mrgreen:

Just confirms that we need another decent striker. I fear that if we have to rely on Parkin as the main support for Deeney and Nicholls then we are going to struggle. Problem is, there does not seem to be many decent forward options around, and certainly not for the terms we are prepared to offer.

Still, a win's a win.

[matt-thesaddler]

Parkin could be a good player, he needs to get scoring again. But as you all say we need another forward with a cutting edge. A bit of pace would be nice. Deeney will get us goals next season but he isnt the fastest of player in the world. A forward and a winger will be nice, but i am confident with this side ahead of the coming season. But we do need a couple of more additions. But as i say im confident. We wont challange the top 6 with a thin squad (like now) but i would think we will be safe from relegation.

[geoffwhiting]

Another weak and to be honest pointless swipe at the club! Why bother? you spend more time slagging the club off than breathing it seems. But do you have to drag every thread into it. Yes, you dont like Walsall football club, we all get it. I came on here to read/talk about the Hereford game, not about hope hard done by Rushall are. And by the way, have they actually complained? No is the answer!

Despite being on the anti-Bonser side, I'm inclined to agree with you here CS. Surely Rushall are realistic enough to know that, at their level, we are not going to send a team containing many, if any, first team (expected) regulars.

It's no different really from when we play ManU in a pre-season friendly is it? Anyone buying a ticket expecting to see international stars on display must be living in some kind of dream-world. We'll get ManU's promising youngsters and reserve players, surely we all know that, as should Rushall when we go there. :?

[Magic Man Fan]

Had a text from my mate who is a Hereford fan and he said we wasnt much good.

Did he not concentrate at school either?

[Geordiesaddler]

Had a text from my mate who is a Hereford fan and he said we wasnt much good.

Did he not concentrate at school either?

So what was the performance really like MMF?

[matt-thesaddler]

Had a text from my mate who is a Hereford fan and he said we wasnt much good.

Did he not concentrate at school either?

:? Dont be pathetic.

[scott_powell]

Had a text from my mate who is a Hereford fan and he said we wasnt much good.

Did he not concentrate at school either?

ha :)

[Enniskillen]

Today's team:
Walsall: Ince (Gilmartin, 81 min); Weston (Westlake, 76 min), Roberts, Hughes, Jones, Mattis (Bradley, 63 min), Parkin, Nicholls (Deeney, 46 min), Till (Taundrey, 33 min), Vincent, Richards.

[tinned]

JUst got back from Hereford at 11pm :o

Well via a Harvester in Worcester, the UTS pool night and Bra Sport with Mr & Mrs Asps and Macca :wink:

Sorry lads and lasses but I was a turncoat and sat with a mate in the Hereford end, so there was 66, not the announced 63, Saddlers :mrgreen:

We look a great passing team. Pity we have absolutely no clue about hitting the target. We WILL NOT score enough goals this season. We need some real pace to unlock oppo defences.

Look solid at the back but Hutch's number one priority MUST be some pace and creativity up front/out wide.

[Welsh_Saddler]

I made five pages of scribbled notes at the game but I've decided not to bore you with chapter and verse, you'll be pleased to hear!! I'll try and keep it brief.... weather perfect (dry after earlier rain), pitch ditto (probably better than Edgbaston). Two largely unimpressive sides playing a game in the spirit of a Sunday morning kick-around - apart from one or two notable exceptions it seemed that the Walsall players didn't think they were playing for their places. It was all summed up for me by a comment from a gentleman in the gents after the game - "We'm a bit loight up frunt, 'en we?", and I would have to agree with him.

One or two highlights (and lowlights)....roughly in chronological order:

Ince commanding - bellowing instructions even when the opposing goalkeeper had the ball.
Weston getting away with shirt-pulling, concedes corner
First shot of the game 10 minutes, Hereford player, straight at Ince
Walsall passing accurately but too often not able to control the received ball, which is then given away
Sideways, backwards, sideways, backwards, sideways, backwards.....
Richards at least goes Forwards - more about this young man later.
Richards plays ball out opf defence, chases up and is part of attack, chaos in Hereford defence
Mattis lively, tackling well
Walsall corner 27min, Richards takes (Left foot inswinger) - good chance, goal kick
Weston dithers, plays Hospital ball to Taundry on byeline
Richards - good long range low shot, tipped round post for corner
From corner Parkin heads against the bar, and stabs home rebound - Walsall 1-0 up
Hereford very nearly equalised immediately - good threaded through ball catches out entire defence, Ince out to narrow angle, and shot trickles just wide of his post.
Richards is just about the only Walsall player who can be seen running OFF the ball.

Second half:
Deeney on for Nicholls, and immediately starts chasing things
Deeney wins throw-in from which Weston centres and Parkin heads just wide
Walsall corner - Roberts heads just wide
Hughes beaten by Hereford flick-on header for what must be the umpteenth time
Richards lovely through ball for Deeney to chase, Deeney fouled edge of area - free kick
Taundry takes free kick, touched to Weston who shoots inches wide of post
Hereford take off their 7 & 8, who have been giving us real problems with their pace
Lovely ball for Parkin from Taundry, Parkin has time and room, controls it and misses by a country mile
Parkin won't tackle back if the ball is lost - looking quite slow and tired now (75 min)
Jones at left back being caught out time and again drifting into midfield, Hereford winger in loads of space
Deeney frustrated at inaccuracy of Rene's kicking!!!
Jones very good run left wing, cross for Deeney header, underneath it, sailed over the bar (ball, not Deeney)
Gilmartin competent in taking two low crosses without fumbling
Richards not in the game as much second half, but as a team we seem to have settled for 1-0

For the game as a whole, I think the only players who really caught the eye were Richards and Taundry. Richards reminds me of Paul Merson (the player, not the Manager)... he works from midfield, and he has the happy knack of having the time to be able to locate the best option for a pass, and play it accurately. Always looking to be part of the action, and his skills will give many defences a headache this season. Taundry hasn't got that level of skill, but he's rather in the Keates mould, always buzzing around, harrying opposing players and creating opportunities that otherwise wouldn't come our way.

Parkin seemed to slow down appreciably as the game went on. Something's not quite right with him - maybe he was satisfied with having scored the only goal of the game? Deeney buzzed around when he came on at the start of the second half, but he too seemed to tire by the end.

Our defence was solid, on the whole, but Hereford did have a couple of forwards who stood well over 6 feet and their normal tactic was to target these guys for their ability to "flick-on" headers - it was something we never quite managed to deal with satisfactorily.

The passing is good, if occasionally far too negative (sideways, backwards etc..) but there doesn't seem to be much urgency in the activity off the ball. Lots of standing still, and I have to say that Hereford did seem far more "up for it" than we were. I heaved a sigh of relief when their right winger was subbed, he had been skinning any Walsall player who had been in his way all afternoon.

OK, we won 1-0, but I think there's a fair bit of work for Chris and Martyn to do before we take on the likes of Leeds, Charlton, Norwich, Southampton, MK Dungs et al. Sorry to have rabbited on so much :oops:

[Mike T.]

Thanks for that Welsh - I think :?: Are you interested in taking over from Pedagogue and giving us reserve team reports next season :)

[stefano123]

JUst got back from Hereford at 11pm :o

Well via a Harvester in Worcester, the UTS pool night and Bra Sport with Mr & Mrs Asps and Macca :wink:

Sorry lads and lasses but I was a turncoat and sat with a mate in the Hereford end, so there was 66, not the announced 63, Saddlers :mrgreen:

We look a great passing team. Pity we have absolutely no clue about hitting the target. We WILL NOT score enough goals this season. We need some real pace to unlock oppo defences.

Look solid at the back but Hutch's number one priority MUST be some pace and creativity up front/out wide.

I agree wholeheartedly but thats been our problem for an age!

[windowman]

Had a text from my mate who is a Hereford fan and he said we wasnt much good.

Did he not concentrate at school either?

must be of very i.q to post on here matt, dont try and take the piss back matt,very difficalt to take the piss out of cack :mrgreen:

[BathSaddler]

JUst got back from Hereford at 11pm :o

Well via a Harvester in Worcester, the UTS pool night and Bra Sport with Mr & Mrs Asps and Macca :wink:

Sorry lads and lasses but I was a turncoat and sat with a mate in the Hereford end, so there was 66, not the announced 63, Saddlers :mrgreen:

We look a great passing team. Pity we have absolutely no clue about hitting the target. We WILL NOT score enough goals this season. We need some real pace to unlock oppo defences.

Look solid at the back but Hutch's number one priority MUST be some pace and creativity up front/out wide.[/quote]

I agree wholeheartedly but thats been our problem for an age!

That's because players with those tried and tested attributes will by and large go to other clubs for more money and/or longer contracts. We are unlikely to be able to sign anyone better than Richards for that purpose, and should sign him up forthwith, if he was as effective as Welsh_Saddler says.

Re pace: is'nt that supposed to be what Till offers?

[Winston Smith]

windowman uttered :-

must be of very i.q to post on here matt, dont try and take the pee back matt,very difficalt to take the pee out of guano :mrgreen:[/quote]

What is a 'very i.q'? :mrgreen:

[swiftyboy]

Comments and predictions here.

I predict that WFC will get off scott free without a single murmur of dissatisfaction or critisism from anyone, despite promising Rushall that they would send a strong side this year, and then going back on their word and arranging the Hereford friendly!

Scumbags

Whatever we'd said to Rushall about sending a stronger side, it would have been totally wrong to have played our final friendly of pre-season against a side who have just been promoted to the NPL Division 1 (8th tier) side. That game needs to be against a side of comparable quality to ourselves: either a Football League side or a strong Conference side. It was Port Vale last season and I think that it's been the Villa and Manchester United XI games in other recent seasons.

If Rushall want to play a full strength Walsall side then the game needs to be at least a couple of weekends earlier. Playing such a weak side at the stage of pre-season when you're putting the finishing touches to things and looking to get a game that's maybe a bit more competitive than a normal friendly (and playing rivals like Vale and Hereford ought to give us that) would have been criminal. WFC need to look out for their own interests first, not Rushall's.

Its the way its handled though PH! WFC not giving a toss about anyone but themselves! The game is a big deal to Rushall. If WFC had any decency, they would at least have made the effort to re-arrange, and apologise, and to my knowledge they have done neither!

Another weak and to be honest pointless swipe at the club! Why bother? you spend more time slagging the club off than breathing it seems. But do you have to drag every thread into it. Yes, you dont like Walsall football club, we all get it. I came on here to read/talk about the Hereford game, not about hope hard done by Rushall are. And by the way, have they actually complained? No is the answer!

FFS Cov, keep up! I posted that over a MONTH ago, when i was told the club had gone back on their word to send the first team, or more senior players at least. Show me where else i have slagged the club off recently apart from the deserved exposing complaining about the PR at the club?

[coventriansaddler]

Appologies for the lateness of my reply Wayne but I stand by the comments even if they where purhapse a little hasty. The honest answer is I dont know when you have slagged the club off or not since but I dont have the inclination to trawl through every thread on the off chance. As for the P R issue It would be completley wrong of me to comment as I am in no way effected and know nothing about the nature of complaint. I certainly dont have a vendeter against you or your views so will just leave it at that if it's ok with you? agree to disagree.