Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: selby on December 21, 2024, 06:55:55 pm
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After getting back on track with the win v Tranmere in which we saw the good the bad and the downright ugly of our game we come up against the top of the division in Walsall in the festive boxing day fixture.
Last season they employed the passive press letting us mess about at the back and retreated into their own half putting bodies between our players and their goal at all costs when we had the ball and hit us on the break, and used the tactical foul to break our rhythm.
I expect the same as we have shown since that we find those tactics hard to break down.
Even today they won 2-0 at Harrogate where we can't and had the less of the possession having only 45% but had 20 shots to Harrogate's 3 attempts and 258 passes to Harrogate's 349 so can thrive on little.
In contrast and just watching us we have become a side that in the last few games have spurned golden chances with schoolboy finishing and rarely put a consistent full game together, at our fluid best we are good, at times unstoppable and seem to switch from one to the other even in individual games.
Who would be a manager of such a team, its enough to drive him mad surely, the last two goals we have given away school yard mistakes, making keeping a clean sheet looking impossible.
So the contrast of our wastefulness and a defence that is just as likely to set their forwards up for an easy goal and a team that are good without the ball and maximise what they are good at, reflected in the fact in Lowe and Matt are two players in the top list of the divisions scorers but with thirty seven goals this season over half are spread out to other players so danger all over the pitch and have lost only one game at home while scoring 21 goals.
Needless to say it looks like for a very merry Christmas we need to cut out our mistakes and be at our very best as they are well capable of spoiling our festive season.
What do you think? will we rise to the not inconsiderable challenge? can we go there with confidence we are capable of a clean sheet? which we might need to get any points out of this game. can this game be the game we take a goal out of few chances? Will we carry on with a back four? It is a game of importance, one we need to lay a marker down we are a threat to the best in the division, are we good enough to do it?
Lots to mull over, lots to discuss, and games coming up fast over the holiday period, please have your say.
Also to everyone all the best have a great Christmas keep the faith in the club and management who have come a long way in a short time, and thanks for your interest and contributions to this thread in the past and hopefully the future, Merry Christmas everyone.
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Not forgetting Harrogate had a man sent off
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Walsall have the best home record in League Two, unsurprisingly. They have also scored the most goals at home in League Two. They are though very leaky and have conceded 14 at home, one of the most in League Two and have only managed three home clean sheets all season (Morecambe, Colchester and Barrow). That is pretty much where the good news ends though. They are on a league run of one loss in 15 games, with 10 of those being victories. This will be a very tough game.
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Don’t know if it’s backed up by the stats but it feels like we’re better against the better teams. Could be wrong but that’s my gut feeling about the group.
We know we’re better playing forwards quickly and not been too focused on having the ball. Hopefully this game suits us
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Iv got a really good feeling about this one.
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We will have to start defending better, Olowu and the keeper have been the only consistent part of the defence lately.
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I have little confidence in us getting a positive result at Walsall. Currently, they’re showing the rest of the league be consistent. Whilst we, although handily placed, are hardly a model for that very thing. I would love us to get something out of the game but I fear their tactics will not suit us.
We simply don’t seem to be able to string a good set of results together. There’s been plenty of discussion and debate on the matter, recently, so it’s pointless going over that again.
Hopefully, a bit of good business in January can see us get a few more consistently good results.
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lest we forget
https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/match/2024-2025/league-two/walsall/fleetwood-town/492946
Walsall 2 Fleetwood 6
https://youtu.be/f3AGpNJhOhk
i watched that Port Vale 0 Walsall 1 match on TV
Port Vale had chances early on a draw was a fair result I expected beforehand a 0-0 result and it nearly was
- PV looked good - but Moore is always changing his team - but his defence is scrooge like
Walsall typically have less possession and they are Arsenal like with inswinging corners on the goalies throat - they might be the top scores from dead ball situations.
I have very recently laid them for a few hundred
and hope they will discover their true form against us .... if Fleetwood can hit them for six then ..........
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If we can rid ourselves of being inconsistent even in a single game and play well for the majority of the game we have every chance.
But defend like we have been lately and we will again have to score at least two goals to get anything out of the game, and that is a big ask every week.
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Two things we absolutely need to do. Stop giving the opposition a gift of a chance with sloppy play.
Start converting gilt edge chances.
Do that & with endeavour & concentration for 90+ minutes & we can win this game. Change that for we will win this game.
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I bet Walsall fans see this upcoming game as a real test for them and their current run of winning results .We should go with no fear .
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This will be a tough game we will have to be at our best. We need to be more clinical yes we scored 3 yesterday but it should have been more. We gave away a goal which our players were at fault.
Now this is a start of 4 games in 10 days so the squad will be important and GM will have to pick the the right players.
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Can't wait for this. Getting our tickets tomorrow.
Anyone have an idea of what we've sold so far?
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Hope their players eat lots of Turkey and Christmas pudding, that will give us a chance!
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Can't wait for this. Getting our tickets tomorrow.
Anyone have an idea of what we've sold so far?
just over 900
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Can't wait for this. Getting our tickets tomorrow.
Anyone have an idea of what we've sold so far?
just over 900
That's very good that
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Tickets come off sale at 4pm today in case anyone waits till tomorrow
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Gutted I can’t go to this. Really tough game. They have everything we struggle against. Out and out counter attacking side that want as little of the ball as possible.
If we go there and have 60% possession we will get beat. The games where they hand struggled the most are the ones against teams that also want to sit deep and counter. We should literally let them have the ball pretty much uncontested to ten yards inside our half, sit in and be patient.
I’d also play 3 centre halves and match them up as they have dropped points against teams that play that way.
I’d play direct to Ironside and Moly up top with Moly trying to run in behind.
Really hope we win this one as it’s a massive game. If we fall into their traps and get beaten I’ll be raging!!
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Gutted I can’t go to this. Really tough game. They have everything we struggle against. Out and out counter attacking side that want as little of the ball as possible.
If we go there and have 60% possession we will get beat. The games where they hand struggled the most are the ones against teams that also want to sit deep and counter. We should literally let them have the ball pretty much uncontested to ten yards inside our half, sit in and be patient.
I’d also play 3 centre halves and match them up as they have dropped points against teams that play that way.
I’d play direct to Ironside and Moly up top with Moly trying to run in behind.
Really hope we win this one as it’s a massive game. If we fall into their traps and get beaten I’ll be raging!!
Perhaps best you don’t go then!
Seriously though, it’s the toughest fixture any L2 side could face and we must hope for a solid performance. If that is good enough on the day to achieve the win, so be it, but we will have done our best. We have the advantage of them taking us seriously which will possibly make them more tense.
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If I buy a ticket before 16:00 today is there collection at Walsall ticket office on the day?
UPDATE: Just gave the ticket office a quick ring, pick up at Walsall if you’re exile only. If not it’s collection from OUR ticket office, so only chance to collect is 09:00-13:00 tomorrow.
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There’s a good chance their thought process will get ahead of them, as they could achieve a 10 point lead over us and with a game in hand.
They could freeze a bit.
1-3 Rovers.
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Gutted I can’t go to this. Really tough game. They have everything we struggle against. Out and out counter attacking side that want as little of the ball as possible.
If we go there and have 60% possession we will get beat. The games where they hand struggled the most are the ones against teams that also want to sit deep and counter. We should literally let them have the ball pretty much uncontested to ten yards inside our half, sit in and be patient.
I’d also play 3 centre halves and match them up as they have dropped points against teams that play that way.
I’d play direct to Ironside and Moly up top with Moly trying to run in behind.
Really hope we win this one as it’s a massive game. If we fall into their traps and get beaten I’ll be raging!!
I don't see why you'd be raging, Gaz. Their league position with less games played suggests at the moment that they're much better than us, so a defeat for us wouldn't be unexpected.
I'll be more inclined to be raging if we don't address our obvious weaknesses in the January window.
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Gutted I can’t go to this. Really tough game. They have everything we struggle against. Out and out counter attacking side that want as little of the ball as possible.
If we go there and have 60% possession we will get beat. The games where they hand struggled the most are the ones against teams that also want to sit deep and counter. We should literally let them have the ball pretty much uncontested to ten yards inside our half, sit in and be patient.
I’d also play 3 centre halves and match them up as they have dropped points against teams that play that way.
I’d play direct to Ironside and Moly up top with Moly trying to run in behind.
Really hope we win this one as it’s a massive game. If we fall into their traps and get beaten I’ll be raging!!
I don't see why you'd be raging, Gaz. Their league position with less games played suggests at the moment that they're much better than us, so a defeat for us wouldn't be unexpected.
I'll be more inclined to be raging if we don't address our obvious weaknesses in the January window.
Could be wrong but I read that as being annoyed if we fall into their trap and are beaten as a result, rather than just from losing.
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Gutted I can’t go to this. Really tough game. They have everything we struggle against. Out and out counter attacking side that want as little of the ball as possible.
If we go there and have 60% possession we will get beat. The games where they hand struggled the most are the ones against teams that also want to sit deep and counter. We should literally let them have the ball pretty much uncontested to ten yards inside our half, sit in and be patient.
I’d also play 3 centre halves and match them up as they have dropped points against teams that play that way.
I’d play direct to Ironside and Moly up top with Moly trying to run in behind.
Really hope we win this one as it’s a massive game. If we fall into their traps and get beaten I’ll be raging!!
I don't see why you'd be raging, Gaz. Their league position with less games played suggests at the moment that they're much better than us, so a defeat for us wouldn't be unexpected.
I'll be more inclined to be raging if we don't address our obvious weaknesses in the January window.
Could be wrong but I read that as being annoyed if we fall into their trap and are beaten as a result, rather than just from losing.
Yes, I get that, but why should the only reason for them winning be because of us falling into their trap?
At the moment, they seem to be a better team than us.
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If I buy a ticket before 16:00 today is there collection at Walsall ticket office on the day?
UPDATE: Just gave the ticket office a quick ring, pick up at Walsall if you’re exile only. If not it’s collection from OUR ticket office, so only chance to collect is 09:00-13:00 tomorrow.
UPDATE 2: Pick tickets up from Walsall stadium after 13:00 if you haven’t got them already.
Stadium closed, comment on Twitter saying gas leak from an air con unit, not sure how true that is!
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If I buy a ticket before 16:00 today is there collection at Walsall ticket office on the day?
UPDATE: Just gave the ticket office a quick ring, pick up at Walsall if you’re exile only. If not it’s collection from OUR ticket office, so only chance to collect is 09:00-13:00 tomorrow.
UPDATE 2: Pick tickets up from Walsall stadium after 13:00 if you haven’t got them already.
Stadium closed, comment on Twitter saying gas leak from an air con unit, not sure how true that is!
I was told this at the ground when I went to pick my tickets up.
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Granted it's from a month ago, but I like the way they analyse teams.
https://youtu.be/iFhmQsEhv-I?si=PxXfrQBIFirvoADf
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Everything breaks down to the class of the players, the game is simple and that just backed up in a complicated way the old adage that you make room and get into space when you have the ball, and you close down the opposition when you don't have the ball.
With the tactics employed in the modern game, and the change in the offside law I am surprised the 60s/ 70s tactic of a sweeper is not employed by the odd team and make it difficult to get behind defences.
They used to cover runners central and wide back in the day. There are more goals scored now splitting the back line than there was then, and players had to run past defenders much more often with the ball as they covered the space behind across the pitch and caused attackers to be doubled up on.
That is why old films of players like Best and Cruyff invariably show them having to dribble past a number of players to get in the box instead of the modern stop the ball, turn away from goal and pass back to the central defenders or across the field.
The high scoring games now show it is easier to score goals now, if the Italians scored one normally that was it, and Leeds were the same with Madeley so quick.
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Us fans really need to play our part in this. Top of the table clash, festive period, Walsall fans giving it the big un last season, let's Ave it!!
From 2.45pm to 5pm let's give Grant and the lads constant, Loud backing.
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Everything breaks down to the class of the players, the game is simple and that just backed up in a complicated way the old adage that you make room and get into space when you have the ball, and you close down the opposition when you don't have the ball.
With the tactics employed in the modern game, and the change in the offside law I am surprised the 60s/ 70s tactic of a sweeper is not employed by the odd team and make it difficult to get behind defences.
They used to cover runners central and wide back in the day. There are more goals scored now splitting the back line than there was then, and players had to run past defenders much more often with the ball as they covered the space behind across the pitch and caused attackers to be doubled up on.
That is why old films of players like Best and Cruyff invariably show them having to dribble past a number of players to get in the box instead of the modern stop the ball, turn away from goal and pass back to the central defenders or across the field.
The high scoring games now show it is easier to score goals now, if the Italians scored one normally that was it, and Leeds were the same with Madeley so quick.
Ref sweepers - Demetriou at Crewe plays more or less in that slot and is very effective ( as we painfully know ! )
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Granted it's from a month ago, but I like the way they analyse teams.
https://youtu.be/iFhmQsEhv-I?si=PxXfrQBIFirvoADf
cut out the waffle and get to the important bit
" "a few of their loans might get recalled after Christmas" fingers crossed
expect PV to get a job lot ? of loanees - just realised Walsall "is stroke was" also in Staffordshire .. not a lot of people ( including Akinfenwa) will know that
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Everything breaks down to the class of the players, the game is simple and that just backed up in a complicated way the old adage that you make room and get into space when you have the ball, and you close down the opposition when you don't have the ball.
With the tactics employed in the modern game, and the change in the offside law I am surprised the 60s/ 70s tactic of a sweeper is not employed by the odd team and make it difficult to get behind defences.
They used to cover runners central and wide back in the day. There are more goals scored now splitting the back line than there was then, and players had to run past defenders much more often with the ball as they covered the space behind across the pitch and caused attackers to be doubled up on.
That is why old films of players like Best and Cruyff invariably show them having to dribble past a number of players to get in the box instead of the modern stop the ball, turn away from goal and pass back to the central defenders or across the field.
The high scoring games now show it is easier to score goals now, if the Italians scored one normally that was it, and Leeds were the same with Madeley so quick.
Ref sweepers - Demetriou at Crewe plays more or less in that slot and is very effective ( as we painfully know ! )
When Goalkeepers began to venture out of their areas and up the field, which is some time ago now, they were likened to "Sweepers". We more of less take it for granted now and I wonder whether advanced students of the game retain that view?
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It is very possible that some of Walsall’s might get poached by bigger clubs in the January transfer window.
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Nathan Lowe could be returning to Stoke in January as he has been a liable to Wallsall.
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Are Walsall particularly liable to have their players poached? I'm curious. What makes them more liable to that than us? Better players perhaps?
BobG
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Yes, Bob.
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I’m assuming this one and the game on Sunday will be on Sky Sports + ?
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I think that the geographical location plays a role Bob .
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Presumably so does the manager/coach Brian? If he gets players performing well they would, presumably, be more likely to attract poachers?
I don't think this is a simple decision matrix.
BobG
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I don't think of myself as an advanced student of the game at all, but my experience of goal keepers playing away from their area, and with their feet spells danger to me, and has been born out with some calamitous events just in the last few weeks at the highest level.
Defending was always taught to me as reducing risk, for instance as a not great full back my main out ball was out wide to a winger who was taught to show himself to me, I would have got a rollicking for an oh lay ball like McGraths last week whether it made it or not, across your own goal was a big no no. and if the winger didn't show for the ball he got it in the neck or you put it down the line as ninety times out of a hundred if you didn't you were going to be taken out sometimes from behind by a beast of a striker who had notches on his belt for smashing defenders.
In the modern game if your spot on then you can get away with it, if your not like the two Manchester sides, you can have some of the best players in the world in their positions and it is hard to get away with it., never mind with second division players.
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I’m assuming this one and the game on Sunday will be on Sky Sports + ?
The Walsall game is on Sky+ but I can’t see that the Colchester match is scheduled to be on Sky.
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As part of the new TV deal for EFL clubs this season, all games played on Bank Holidays including Easter, Boxing Day and New Year's Day are available to watch live.
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I’m assuming this one and the game on Sunday will be on Sky Sports + ?
The Walsall game is on Sky+ but I can’t see that the Colchester match is scheduled to be on Sky.
It will be on the red button, mate.
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Will it record? I am out at family event
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This list suggests that the Sunday lunchtime games and all the Boxing Day and NYD games are included, but the 3pm Sunday games aren’t.
https://www.skysports.com/football/competitions/league-2/fixtures
I don’t understand why? Will the Colchester game be on Rovers+ then?
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I’m assuming this one and the game on Sunday will be on Sky Sports + ?
The Walsall game is on Sky+ but I can’t see that the Colchester match is scheduled to be on Sky.
It will be on the red button, mate.
Ah, I watch Sky football through the Now TV App so maybe don’t get the option of the red button.
I just googled “live football on Sky tv” and it only showed a few games for the Sunday and ours wasn’t shown as one of them.
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Just looked on sky and it is showing just the 12:30 games on Sunday as live.
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Any ideas on away pubs?
Seems they have their own supporters bar called The Locker, but away fans charged £5 entry from what I can see.
Edit: Just seen elsewhere it’s £2 entry
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Just looked on sky and it is showing just the 12:30 games on Sunday as live.
I’m a complete novice when using these channels but use Now TV, Sport, Live ELF, Scroll down to competitions then across (right) to ELF, Live League Two and we’re first.
Your IT wiz pensioner.
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Any ideas on away pubs?
Seems they have their own supporters bar called The Locker, but away fans charged £5 entry from what I can see.
Edit: Just seen elsewhere it’s £2 entry
£2 mate, just got in here
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I just can't see us eliminating enough of our unforced errors to win this game.
We may cause them problems offensively but as the game goes I think we'll conceded too many set pieces to blank them out.
Of course, I'm hoping it's a game we click more than clunk but I can see a repeat of the same 3-1 scoreline as last season.
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Will it record? I am out at family event
Don’t think you can record a match on the red button. Only the one being broadcast on Sky Sports+.
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Can barely hear Hoden on commentary. Lot of background noise.
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You Anderson knockers, did you notice again that massive gap on the 28th minute.
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Great to hear our fans in such good voice.
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And they are right, Walsall is indeed a shithole.
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We have been shocking so far
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Bring back Anderson and put McGrath on the bench.
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That have been better than us all over the pitch. It’s as simple as that.
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Gutted I can’t go to this. Really tough game. They have everything we struggle against. Out and out counter attacking side that want as little of the ball as possible.
If we go there and have 60% possession we will get beat. The games where they hand struggled the most are the ones against teams that also want to sit deep and counter. We should literally let them have the ball pretty much uncontested to ten yards inside our half, sit in and be patient.
I’d also play 3 centre halves and match them up as they have dropped points against teams that play that way.
I’d play direct to Ironside and Moly up top with Moly trying to run in behind.
Really hope we win this one as it’s a massive game. If we fall into their traps and get beaten I’ll be raging!!
57% possession and one shot on target (89th minute).
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That have been better than us all over the pitch. It’s as simple as that.
We are toothless upfront , our approach play is good but with little or no effect in the final third with snap shots not in target . This has been obvious all season with no one else to select from McCann has to have seen this coming that players who provided goals early in the season would go through lean fazes and with no alternative but to ride it out and hope they don’t last long .
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GOK what their manager said to them at half time !
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Today the only provider to the two frontmen was Mols ..but no supply was forthcoming except from TSL .Walsall will be worthy champions and we shall be in with a shout hopefully because none of the chasing pack is consistent either .
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Gutted I can’t go to this. Really tough game. They have everything we struggle against. Out and out counter attacking side that want as little of the ball as possible.
If we go there and have 60% possession we will get beat. The games where they hand struggled the most are the ones against teams that also want to sit deep and counter. We should literally let them have the ball pretty much uncontested to ten yards inside our half, sit in and be patient.
I’d also play 3 centre halves and match them up as they have dropped points against teams that play that way.
I’d play direct to Ironside and Moly up top with Moly trying to run in behind.
Really hope we win this one as it’s a massive game. If we fall into their traps and get beaten I’ll be raging!!
57% possession and one shot on target (89th minute).
That is not strictly true though, apart from statistically.
The turn and shot by Sharp was blocked by a defender a couple of feet out from the line.
Yes, I know it was blocked by a defender and not the keeper but it was definitely a shot on target.
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Well, that's the benchmark to see the gap between Walsall and ourselves.
We just don't have the collective discipline to play consistent football where the basics are above average for this division.
The last 15 mins of the last game showed we haven't got sufficient intelligence to control a game, even v 10 men.
Yes, we have some exciting players and we can play some good off the cuff stuff but conversely, we are too prone to basic errors, giving away possession or free kicks too easily.
There is no one simple answer. McCann wants to play high risk attacking football but we don't seem to have sufficient desire, belief and energy to constantly go at teams to impose that game throughout the 90 minutes. In addition, our strike rate from the final third isn't good enough to support McCann's strategy.
McCanns got some deep thinking to do to make sure we stay at the top end and hopefully achieve a bit more consistency. Just reducing the unforced errors would be a good start.
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We’re possibly 3 quality players away from being a top 3 side. If we don’t get them, then I fear not even finishing in the play-off’s.
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We’re possibly 3 quality players away from being a top 3 side. If we don’t get them, then I fear not even finishing in the play-off’s.
That maybe so, but McCann still has to recruit smartly and just as importantly, decide how he integrates them and get better from the players we have. Standards have to be better from back to front. We also seem to lack a bit of leadership on the pitch with Bailey not quite setting the same example as he did last season, no matter where he played on the pitch. Unfortunately out captain is just as guilty for giving the ball away and allowing energy levels to drop, as the others. McCann needs to lift him and the others to another level which tips the balance the right way.
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Let’s praise Walsall, I thought they looked strong, quick, did the basics extremely well and stuck to what they are good at as a TEAM.
We however regularly look like 11 players thrown on the pitch together.
We’ve had plenty of questionable results now and the fact we are still third shows how shite this league is.
We are miles off them, they will surely run away with the league.
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My lad has a mate who is a big Walsall fan. We weren’t st the game today but he said Walsall were poor based on what he has seen lately.
The only diff being they were clinical in front of goal.
3 shots on target scoring two.
To rovers one.
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We’re possibly 3 quality players away from being a top 3 side. If we don’t get them, then I fear not even finishing in the play-off’s.
How many players do you want us to have , our biggest squad in years and still not looking like a team
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My lad has a mate who is a big Walsall fan. We weren’t st the game today but he said Walsall were poor based on what he has seen lately.
The only diff being they were clinical in front of goal.
3 shots on target scoring two.
To rovers one.
They were poor today because they were playing a decent team.
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My lad has a mate who is a big Walsall fan. We weren’t st the game today but he said Walsall were poor based on what he has seen lately.
The only diff being they were clinical in front of goal.
3 shots on target scoring two.
To rovers one.
They were poor today because they were playing a decent team.
Exactly.
Fine margins.
Some people on here need to remember we are a lge 2 side.
And still very much in the mix.
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Fine margins?!?!?!?
Fine margins is Notts Co at home when either team could have won and 9/10 we're getting that last minute penalty.
Fine margins is not when you're second best for 90 minutes in all departments
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We’re possibly 3 quality players away from being a top 3 side. If we don’t get them, then I fear not even finishing in the play-off’s.
This!
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We’re possibly 3 quality players away from being a top 3 side. If we don’t get them, then I fear not even finishing in the play-off’s.
How many players do you want us to have , our biggest squad in years and still not looking like a team
The problem is Dan I agree our biggest squad but the majority are mediocre.
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We’re possibly 3 quality players away from being a top 3 side. If we don’t get them, then I fear not even finishing in the play-off’s.
How many players do you want us to have , our biggest squad in years and still not looking like a team
Three more because we have no pace up front, no guile or physicality in midfield, & a very hit & miss wide players that have nowhere near the consistency we need to achieve a promotion place. Three more that are better than what we currently have, whatever the size of the squad.
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If you’re in and out of the team and playing with different partners in positions, how on earth are you meant to build up partnerships and understandings between players around you ??
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If you’re in and out of the team and playing with different partners in positions, how on earth are you meant to build up partnerships and understandings between players around you ??
I'm beginning to think this is not a good idea for us with league 2 players, & players not prepared to put in the hard yards.
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We are missing Richard Wood at the back. Gave us a sold base and we would not be conceding the second goal if he was playing.
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Also think we are missing Wood for his leadership
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We aren’t struggling because of a lack of leadership.
We’re struggling because the only combination who compliment each other are McGrath and Olowu.
We need to address the mistakes from the summer window in not signing a striker / winger to compliment Ironside and go from there.
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Again nothing to do with the defence it’s the midfield and attacking forwards.
Grant made a mistake in the summer Kelly Clifton Close and Westbrooke are there in numbers but quality is poor.
Gibson and Yeboah have not improved the front line in fact made it worst.
So finishing in the top three will not happen with any of those players in the side
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Broardbent is a huge issue. He’s not good enough.
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Maybe I’m oversimplifying things, but I wonder whether there could be greater mutual understanding within the team, possibly not helped by frequent changes. Sterry seems to play well with Molyneux and Gibson and Fleming work well together too. Neither partnership started today. So often players have no easy pass with no one on hand to lay it off to, and of course so often no one ever seems to want the ball from a throw in. When our players are in tight spots as they were frequently today, frequently no help was at hand.
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We aren’t struggling because of a lack of leadership.
We’re struggling because the only combination who compliment each other are McGrath and Olowu.
We need to address the mistakes from the summer window in not signing a striker / winger to compliment Ironside and go from there.
Leadership can come in different guises and I think there is an element of missing someone who maintains higher standards game in, game out. Bailey was more of a leader on the pitch last season being very consistent wherever he played and he's not reached those same levels this year. Wood brought his experience and guile I'm the latter part of the season which also helped. Ironside was a warrior too and he's another that hasn't found those high standards either.
We need these players to demand and inspire others to follow but McCann has to find a way of getting it out of them.
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Broardbent
is a huge issue. He’s not good enough.
Gaz problem is there’s no body in our squad that’s better that’s down to the summer bringing in players big mistake
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Our problems don't stem from one specific player. We can debate the merit of Broadbent all we like but even if you replace him, we're still left with a team of players who have let their standards drop.
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Defensively, McGrath has been poor lately, and Olowu has been very good, easy on the eye when we were doing well and had time, not so great when rushed and the team as a whole on the back foot, and teams taking us on our left flank with our lack of pace there.
I would not be surprised if Olowu is not with us next season the way he is playing if he is out of contract at the end of the season, if he keeps his form up and we fail to get up.
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Broardbent
is a huge issue. He’s not good enough.
Gaz problem is there’s no body in our squad that’s better that’s down to the summer bringing in players big mistake
Westbrooke and close are both comfortably better than Broadbent
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Broardbent
is a huge issue. He’s not good enough.
Gaz problem is there’s no body in our squad that’s better that’s down to the summer bringing in players big mistake
Westbrooke and close are both comfortably better than Broadbent
Your opinion but both will not improve our midfield and should never have been signed.
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Broardbent
is a huge issue. He’s not good enough.
Gaz problem is there’s no body in our squad that’s better that’s down to the summer bringing in players big mistake
Westbrooke and close are both comfortably better than Broadbent
Westbrooke is, but how often is he fit?
I'd rather have George on the pitch than Close, at least he passes forward & actually plays in front of the defence.
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Broardbent
is a huge issue. He’s not good enough.
Gaz problem is there’s no body in our squad that’s better that’s down to the summer bringing in players big mistake
Westbrooke and close are both comfortably better than Broadbent
And that is a damning statement for Broadbent as only Westbrooke for me works in our side. Close should never have gotten a contract. Broadbent has had a few good games but he's been poor recently and he's not proving strong enough.
My frustration is still up the top end. We aren't creating enough at all and I do feel that ushering Billy in to the team is harming us. McCann has a lot of work to do.
Somewhat amazing that we're still in the promotion spots despite missing so many opportunities. If we were at the level we probably should be we would be half way to promotion comfortably by now.
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This is maybe too simplistic but without being too crude, I thought the midfield was to stop other sides playing. We score goals by getting the ball up the pitch very quickly and wide, to either get behind or put balls into box. That was what I thought we were playing or seeking to play these days. If that is the set up then we shouldn't be asking players in midfield to do anything other than sticking the boot in and / or running through midfield to hit the box when we break quickly. If a midfielder has the ball for more than two touches then something has gone wrong in that set up.
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Broardbent
is a huge issue. He’s not good enough.
Gaz problem is there’s no body in our squad that’s better that’s down to the summer bringing in players big mistake
Westbrooke and close are both comfortably better than Broadbent
Westbrooke is, but how often is he fit?
I'd rather have George on the pitch than Close, at least he passes forward & actually plays in front of the defence.
Zain is fit and has been for quite a while now.
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Where was Maxwell yesterday? Not fit? It was clear at Carlisle that he was playing but still not fully fit.
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Broardbent
is a huge issue. He’s not good enough.
Gaz problem is there’s no body in our squad that’s better that’s down to the summer bringing in players big mistake
Westbrooke and close are both comfortably better than Broadbent
Westbrooke is, but how often is he fit?
I'd rather have George on the pitch than Close, at least he passes forward & actually plays in front of the defence.
Zain is fit and has been for quite a while now.
I never said he wasn't, my point is how many games over the season is he available? He'd be in the eleven every week for me.
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It looked bad yesterday, but in the highlights the fog seemed horrendous, especially for the 2nd goal...
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Yes the fog was bad, it covered up a lot on the far side second half.