Sat Mar 24, 2012 9:58 pm
I've been kind of thinking this for a while and recent performances have told me that im correct. I dont honestly think Smith, who has worked with many managers, many different sets of players can't physically see that playing hoof wont work - but its more down to the players. Today when a team parked the bus or played 5 in the middle (See Hartlepool, Rochdale) our players and midfielders either didnt have time to take the ball at their feet or there was not enough time on the ball to create anything. I remember frequently for years, being told to pass the ball to feet by my sunday league manager only to not have the time or see a pass to pick and eventually resorting to lumping it in the direction of the forwards and hoping.
There is no way in my mind a group of professionals, a group of trained and certified men have not realised that lumping it to our strikers that are very small or weak is going to work. I think we've seen that in recent weeks as well. We passed the ball against a Sheffield United team that came to attack and played a 4-4-2, we played brillantly on the counter attack on Tuesday against a Wednesday team that we're attacking and left space in the midfield, but we struggled against both Hartlepool, Dale and Stevenage who gave us no time, worked hard and came not to lose instead of to win.
Stevenage were poor, but were thugs and had very little 'footballing skill' about them. I said earlier in the thread that today's game warranted either a 4-5-1 with Chambers holding and Mantom/Cuvelier infront of him or dropping Mantom all together (who's far too little and lightweight for games like today and I blame Smith for playing him) and playing a 4-4-2. Either way it has become very clear to me, that we have a cheap-ish bunch of players that are capable of playing football against teams that give them spaces, that work hard, that are very organised, that are well drilled and disciplined by their manager but on the grand scale of things dont have the craft, pace, guile and quality to break down a team that are a replica of themselves Ie Hartlepool, Stevenage, Rochdale, Brentford, Notts County.
I new before today that the game would be exactly as it was. Stevenage have dropped off in form, drawing lots which suggests their solid at the back and mis-firing upfront and thats exactly what they were. They we're organised at the back, had 11 players that we're big, tall and built well that we're all willing to run, be disciplined, defend as a team and attack as one. They created nothing and we kept their strikerforce absolutely silent. Our midfield worked hard, and did challenge but either weren't tall or strong enough to win headers or were shrugged off the ball by their 5 in midfield.
We scored from nothing, they scored from nothing. Every Walsall fan mays well have headed for the pub from 15:03 until the 85th minute when we finally showed some more urgency. The game was horrendously scrappy, very boring and generally not worthy of £10.50 of my money.
I still stick by the fact that when Macken plays well, we do to. But we have to get the basic creativity logics correct before we slate/praise him and before we rely on him. With the ball to his feet he's a great player, holds the ball up well, is a big bulky chap and brings the midfield into play. But when our players/fullbacks/wingers and pressurised they resort to hoof (because they dont no better/dont have the quality to do anything better) thus causing Macken to become in-effective, thus meaning the ball rebounds, thus meaning the midfielders can't join for support because they'l be out of position, thus meaning Macken gets isolated and we looked toothless upfront.
The simple fact is. Better players want to go to teams who pay better wages, get better crowds and have more ambitions than WFC. Until that is sorted out we're always going to rely on players that hoof under pressure, or dont have the quality to break down stubborn sides. Perhaps the 1,000 odd Walsall fans who returned today for the cheap prices/free tickets should make more of a frequent effort again and things on the pitch may improve. I await the 'we've got no ambition, i refuse to line bonsers pockets' arguements - but its no coincidence, that as the 500 here, 200 there, 300 have slowly dwindled away over the last 4 years, the teams league position have slowly declined. We finished 12th under Hutchings, with 4,500 fans, then it was 4,000 the next season and we struggled, this season its 3,700 and we're 1 place lower. Every little helps.
On to the game specifics.
- Butler is the best centre back at the club since Scott Dann, how big must his headache be tonight? He kept Agyemang in his back pocket and headed everything that came his way to safety.
- Mantom's no better than Peterlin/Chambers and is more lightweight than Chambers.
- Ledesma caused more problems in 20 minutes than ANY striker or midfielder did in the previous 70, but I completely 100% agree with Smith no starting him as Stevenage's style would have rendered him useless for a long period in the game
- If we dont get Cuvelier on the ball we look clueless in attack
- Hurst usually adds balance to the side, but today was his worst performance in a Walsall shirt. Shame as him coming back to fitness has seen an increase in quality of team performances
- Paterson is a 50-50 player and today was the negative 50. Weak, lightweight and tries stupid tricks in good positions when its easier to do something simple
- Grof has been great so far, but against Wednesday he sounded a bit all over the place and today there was a few mix ups and a few flaps from corners which suggest to me that he may be feeling a slight increase in pressure, perhaps Wacka may be better for the run-in.
Overall it wasn't a great performance and our continued weakness in hoofing/creativity when teams play 5 in the midfield or park the bus showed its face again. On a positive note, Stevenage recently held a full spurs side to a 0-0 with their style and frustrating play, they defend well and their spoiling tactics clearly work, you only need to ask Sheffield Wednesday (6 points from them), Charlton (Beat them at home), Huddersfield in recent weeks and the blades who they beat 1-0 down at their place how effective they can be.
We also have Dale, Chesterfield, Tranmere, Exeter and Colchester left. Colchester will want a shot at the playoffs and will come and have a go and the other 4 games are against teams that either need to win, or are in good form and will come and have a go, which should give us the chance to get our creative players (Cuvelier, Macken, Hurst, Paterson, Ledesma) on the ball with more space to run and move.
I fear this year, we may be on the wrong side of the wire, but its going to exactly that again.
Hoping for a big away following at Rochdale next week, lets get behind them and see what happens.
Special mention for Butler who was imperious again today and to kev for his delayed but ultimately worthwile GAMBOLE that added more entertainment than anything on the pitch.
UTS