Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: selby on March 29, 2025, 10:37:26 pm
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With every game seeming to become more important and now being described by many as every game is a cup final, the Walsall game looks to be just that.
Just a few weeks ago they are a side that were coasting to promotion and looked in an unassailable position at the top of the division threatened by no one, winning games week in week out.
Since then the transfer window and losing especially their goal scoring hero recalled back from loan, combined with a loss of form has slowly seen that position threatened as teams like Bradford and Port Vale and ourselves have eaten away at that lead, and are now very much on their tail and only a late free kick equaliser from Taylor Allen today v AFC Wimbledon rescued yet another draw in their latest home game, with the defenders 8th goal of the season keeping them still top of the league but by only one point and extended their winless run to seven games, so another chance for us in this game to shake that old habit of ours of getting teams back on track, and has never been more important.
So both teams are now under a lot of pressure Tuesday to win, Walsall's current form prompting comments from supporters such as "best not to go up" "the saddlers are fully embarked on the biggest bottle job of all time" and "the signs were there in the second half that we maybe recovering our pre Christmas form", hopefully not, as in that period they cruised past us.
We ourselves also need the win desperately and are searching for our best form especially in home games where our form has been up and down, although the support of the crowd has been great and we will need once again to have to get fully behind the team to help Grant drag the team over the finishing line, and hopefully todays performance and result will have the required boost to our confidence, although I expect Walsall to be less disposed to join in an open attacking game than Carlisle who went from the start for a win.
It could well end in a cagey game of attrition on Tuesday, but we have to at some point put that winning run together and there is no better time than now for that, more of todays play please.
Hopefully we picked up no more injuries the news on Olowu a big blow, he has had a great season, but Anderson and Wood showed their worth today, and with Bailey and Broadbent playing well the two full backs solid defensively and Sabara working his socks off and having his best game to date we looked a good side, and dangerous going forward.
A game to look forward to, can we extend Walsall's poor run and look a team to overall them in the final straight? can we win our last few home games to give us our best chance of getting automatic promotion? can Anderson and Wood serve up another clean sheet? are we capable of getting over that finishing line? the home support especially the Black Bank has been great all season, can they raise the team to greater heights? a mid week game when lot's of supporters find it more difficult for a host of reasons to attend, will it be a relatively bumper attendance for mid week for such an important game?
Lots of questions to be answered, one big one, can we keep our nerve? lots to discuss, please have your say.
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In mid January Walsall were 15 points ahead of us and even had a game in hand having won 18 of their 25 matches.
Since then they have been in free fall with just 2 wins from 14 matches.
IF we do beat them (and I’m not counting the chickens) we will be in a very strong position and they will know that and probably be quite nervous about playing us.
One of our nine cup finals played and eight more to go.
Come on Rovers, we can do it this time.
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Astonishing that the longest odds you can get on Walsall going up at still as short as 1/10.
If we beat them on Tuesday and PV beat Bradford, Walsall will be two points ahead of 4th place having played a match more. They've averaged less than a point a game for a spell almost a third of a season long. If they carry that on, they'll likely not finish in the top 4, never mind top 3.
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On the Betfair exchange, which historically has the best odds for punters, they are still a shade of odds on to win the league, Bradford 5/2, us 11/2. 10/1 and over the rest.
To get promotion, which includes the play offs Bradford are favourites at about 1/7 Walsall 1/5 we are 1/2.
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that 14/1 Walsall to make the play offs - i recommended to you all a long time ago meaning not be in the top 3 is looking very juicy at the moment - BUT would be a sick as a parrot if they didn't make the top 7
update
Bradford are 4/5 odds on to win the title at this minute and I don't expect the to
lest we forget the above post the collapse was "expected"
as Walls-all of Jericho come tumbling down the table without even being bombed by "net and yahoo"
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They have won one of their last eight away games and that was against bottom of the table Morecambe. Not good away form. They usually score away from home though.
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Astonishing that the longest odds you can get on Walsall going up at still as short as 1/10.
If we beat them on Tuesday and PV beat Bradford, Walsall will be two points ahead of 4th place having played a match more. They've averaged less than a point a game for a spell almost a third of a season long. If they carry that on, they'll likely not finish in the top 4, never mind top 3.
I suggested to my mate yesterday would they be better off sacking their gaffer.
A new manager bounce would certainly drag them over the line.
I genuinely think they are in danger of dropping out the top 3 at the moment.
I said the other week I think we will finish above them, confident we will win Tuesday.
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We historically give teams on awful form a life.
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Our record against the top teams isn't great this year. Yesterday Carlisle could have been a couple up and another bad miss in the second half. We certainly look vulnerable to any decent winger particularly Senior yesterday
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This is a game we need to win, we need to keep the pressure on, the players need to be in the zone from here on in
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We don't tend to do that well against them at home either do we? No doubt it is a massive game though for both sides.
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I really wouldn’t write them off.
The way they play is a way we typically struggle against. Defensive solidity and counter attack.
They will be well up for it and I feel like we’re never that consistent midweek after a win.
Can’t be complacent.
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Walsall in terrible form have only lost 2 in the last 10. They are still favourites to win the league.
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Walsall in terrible form have only lost 2 in the last 10. They are still favourites to win the league.
The bookies aren’t daft though, is it a performance level / underlying data thing?
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Another clean sheet and the two old war horses coming through unscathed would be handy.
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Another clean sheet and the two old war horses coming through unscathed would be handy.
My only concern there is the lack of pace, at one point yesterday Wood trying to get back looked like he was running in deep sea diving boots
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We don't tend to do that well against them at home either do we? No doubt it is a massive game though for both sides.
This, aside from last season we have an awful home record against them.
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Filo, if we are thinking about the same incident he was the only one who reacted and sensed danger though and tried to get back well before others reacted, and was coming from a central position into a gap wide others had vacated and were nowhere to be seen.
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With no championship games this Tuesday, this game could attract some Yorkshire based non rovers supporters in need of their midweek footy fix. In what is a very important fuxture for both teams.
I for the record, I don’t think Walsall will make auto promo.
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I know none of our defenders have Olowu's pace but it's a bit of a myth that Tom has none. Yesterday he was joining in an attack and was half way in the opposition half when we lost possession and a Carlisle player broke with pace and Tom was the one who chased him down gaining on him with every stride, and snuffing out the counter attack.
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Tom was pushing for my MoM
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The ref for this game is James Oldham, another relatively inexperienced ref.
High % of red and yellow cards.
He was the ref at our Carlisle away fixture!
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A must win game if we want to go up via the auto. Lose, and play offs are more likely our end of season finish. Saying that, Wallsall will not want to play us in their current form, we need to take advantage of that.
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We have to win this and Wimbledon at home really. We’ll have to be better than we were in the first half yesterday. Despite their form recently this will be tough. Hopefully we don’t play into their hands - they have a distinct style of play that not many teams found a way to combat in the first half of the season (us included). Let’s hope we’ve done our homework this time.
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We have something Walsall don't have. That is 4 or 5 players who can take on a defender and get past them to open up scoring opportunities. With a fully fit squad we are the best in this league for that reason.
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Rob street is due a goal, mols on his day and he has a lot is as good as anyone in the league, and gibbo is on the cusp on a enhanced run of quality performances... And then you have the midfielders starting to weigh in,
Our front 3 will steer us to the end goal... Hopefully...
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Walsall in terrible form have only lost 2 in the last 10. They are still favourites to win the league.
They’ve only won 2 of their last 10 too and 3 of their last 15.
They’re in relegation form for the last 15 games definitely not favourites for promotion for me!
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It's just game on time, we have to go for the win and have the confidence to do so. Are we good enough to win the game?, of course we are, we just have to show it on the day.
We can help with our support, and at times between now and the end of the season the team may need that push from us when up against it.
The main thing is to enjoy the ride, it's in our own hands and playing with fear will get us nowhere just go for it and trust our own ability to do what we as a club set out to do.
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Walsall are 3/1 to win on Tuesday. Thats big that as we aren't playing amazing
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Walsall in terrible form have only lost 2 in the last 10. They are still favourites to win the league.
They won’t win this league.
It’s down to us Port Vale or Brad City.
Tuesday night will see a Rovers win in front of a big crowd that will ultimately ‘crumple’ Walsall into the play offs.
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Less than 350 tickets left in the south stand
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Walsall in terrible form have only lost 2 in the last 10. They are still favourites to win the league.
They won’t win this league.
It’s down to us Port Vale or Brad City.
Tuesday night will see a Rovers win in front of a big crowd that will ultimately ‘crumple’ Walsall into the play offs.
I never said they would win the league. I just said they were favourites.
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Walsall in terrible form have only lost 2 in the last 10. They are still favourites to win the league.
They won’t win this league.
It’s down to us Port Vale or Brad City.
Tuesday night will see a Rovers win in front of a big crowd that will ultimately ‘crumple’ Walsall into the play offs.
I never said they would win the league. I just said they were favourites.
No you didn’t, I did.
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Last Saturday the South stand still had hundreds of empty seats yet online the SS was reportedly full to capacity ..how come ?
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Last Saturday the South stand still had hundreds of empty seats yet online the SS was reportedly full to capacity ..how come ?
Season ticket holders not attending?
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In grant pre match interview he said someone has just signed a new contract and will be announced later in the week
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Last Saturday the South stand still had hundreds of empty seats yet online the SS was reportedly full to capacity ..how come ?
It's unreserved seating so we can only sell 90% of seats. It's the same for the away end too.
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Last Saturday the South stand still had hundreds of empty seats yet online the SS was reportedly full to capacity ..how come ?
Season ticket holders not attending?
I always assumed the season ticket holders get counted in the attendance whether they are there or not.
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After a confidence boost on Saturday and the significance of the game I expect the team to be very motivated for this one. A win for Rovers, 2 - 0 coming up!
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After a confidence boost on Saturday and the significance of the game I expect the team to be very motivated for this one. A win for Rovers, 2 - 0 coming up!
It’s our defence thats now the worry , most of good performances has been from our consistency of selection at the back , we score goals but up against stronger teams we get caught out position too often because we throw everyone forward . IMO a draw will be good result unless we convert more of our good chances created .
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I spoke to a Walsall fan at work today. He is going to the game but not confident. He said the manager is killing them. Apparently he is reluctant to rotate players so some have played over 3000 minutes so are knackered
He also said they are rubbish
It might be a crap game but I don’t care as long as we win
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After a confidence boost on Saturday and the significance of the game I expect the team to be very motivated for this one. A win for Rovers, 2 - 0 coming up!
Let us see the Wallfall :scarf:
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After a confidence boost on Saturday and the significance of the game I expect the team to be very motivated for this one. A win for Rovers, 2 - 0 coming up!
It’s our defence thats now the worry , most of good performances has been from our consistency of selection at the back , we score goals but up against stronger teams we get caught out position too often because we throw everyone forward . IMO a draw will be good result unless we convert more of our good chances created .
You do recall our defence bar Senior was the same defence we had on that remarkable run last season don’t you?
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Actually I thought we were better defensively Saturday yes lack pace but made them play in front of us and not get behind as much, crosses in the box always having a man between our goal and the ball instead of being turned and chasing, and no olay balls out mostly wide quickly and safer and gave our wingers just one man to take on, and when not on the long ball over the top or Anderson taking it forward.
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Last Saturday the South stand still had hundreds of empty seats yet online the SS was reportedly full to capacity ..how come ?
Season ticket holders not attending?
I always assumed the season ticket holders get counted in the attendance whether they are there or not.
They do the seat has been paid for so is included in the attendance
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Less than 110 tickets for the south stand
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Almost exactly a year since we turned Wrexham over at home in a night match. Massive battling performance that night. It really instilled some belief for the run in last year. A performance like that would fantastic tonight. Although I’m nervous about tonight I definitely feel we have a big performance in us. Come on Rovers.
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Actually I thought we were better defensively Saturday yes lack pace but made them play in front of us and not get behind as much, crosses in the box always having a man between our goal and the ball instead of being turned and chasing, and no olay balls out mostly wide quickly and safer and gave our wingers just one man to take on, and when not on the long ball over the top or Anderson taking it forward.
No quite as it happened, Selby. The two early on-target strikes Carlisle had were the result of poor defending, both by Senior. The first Harris cut inside and got his shot away and required a great save from TSL, the second he went on the outside with Senior left standing and got his shot on target from a tight angle and required another great stop by the keeper. I know Harris looks far better than L2 and would give any defender a hard time but Senior couldn't get near him.
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Not a Senior lover or Maxwell to be honest down the left where I think we have been vulnerable all season as my past posts will testify, just average pros who give their best and all we can ask, all the others can do in defence is deal with that sort of thing , and that was my opinion we dealt with those things better behind them and inside.
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Agree with that, Selby.
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Rovers on x say South stand now sold out
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Latest article in free press, Grant states that even though Joe had a double hernia operation on Friday, he would be prepared to play tonight!
It not been a good season in terms of game time for Joe, yet accordingly to Grant, he bouncing around wanting to play.
Can’t see any chance Grant will include him tonight, but seems like he will be good for the weekend.
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Have a feeling Billy has a big moment tonight. A late winner in front of the SS would do!
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Actually I thought we were better defensively Saturday yes lack pace but made them play in front of us and not get behind as much, crosses in the box always having a man between our goal and the ball instead of being turned and chasing, and no olay balls out mostly wide quickly and safer and gave our wingers just one man to take on, and when not on the long ball over the top or Anderson taking it forward.
No quite as it happened, Selby. The two early on-target strikes Carlisle had were the result of poor defending, both by Senior. The first Harris cut inside and got his shot away and required a great save from TSL, the second he went on the outside with Senior left standing and got his shot on target from a tight angle and required another great stop by the keeper. I know Harris looks far better than L2 and would give any defender a hard time but Senior couldn't get near him.
I thought Senior did well to get much tighter to him, after those early chances, to be fair to him.
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Latest article in free press, Grant states that even though Joe had a double hernia operation on Friday, he would be prepared to play tonight!
It not been a good season in terms of game time for Joe, yet accordingly to Grant, he bouncing around wanting to play.
Can’t see any chance Grant will include him tonight, but seems like he will be good for the weekend.
Joe is a warrior. Grant said the hernia has been bothering him for a while so could explain it.
Looking at his career he’s barely missed a game the last 5 years, which is remarkable given the way he plays.
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Given our League position, this is a must win game. Defeat or a draw are no help to us. I’m nervously looking forward to tonight and believe we can win. Just hope we do the business.
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I don’t believe it’s a must win be definitely a must not lose, same applies to the home games against Wimbledon & Bradford
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If we want to win the league it’s must win.
But for me it’s more about dragging Walsall back into the dogfight. Win and we’ve pretty much caught them up.
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A win please for all the reasons stated.
It would be great if we had automatics sealed before the last game and that one is a title decider.
My dream scenario.
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No Ironside again, is he injured or out of favour?
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No Ironside again, is he injured or out of favour?
Had a double -hernia operation, but back in a couple pf weeks.
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No Maxwell either in the team.
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No Ironside again, is he injured or out of favour?
He’s had a double hernia operation from what another post said.
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Have a feeling Billy has a big moment tonight. A late winner in front of the SS would do!
You were so nearly ‘Mystic Mush’.
Some finish from Billy.
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Have a feeling Billy has a big moment tonight. A late winner in front of the SS would do!
You were so nearly ‘Mystic Mush’.
Some finish from Billy.
Just wish he’d ’saved it’ until added on time!
Walsall went all out for the equaliser after Billy’s goal & not for the first time this season our ability to see a game out is poor.
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Have a feeling Billy has a big moment tonight. A late winner in front of the SS would do!
You were so nearly ‘Mystic Mush’.
Some finish from Billy.
Just wish he’d ’saved it’ until added on time!
Walsall went all out for the equaliser after Billy’s goal & not for the first time this season our ability to see a game out is poor.
We sat deep and tried hoofing it forward all the time giving easy possession back to them. On their second goal Wood let their man get by him too easy and Anderson switched off from the rebound after the save, their number 3 that put the cross in shouldn’t have been on the pitch after taking Molly out, nailed on second yellow card but the ref bottled it
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Maybe I should be more upbeat with a point against top of the league, but still can't help but feel we bottled it last night, and it perhaps showed why we might not be quite good enough for the automatics.
They probably looked the more threatening team, but when you put yourself in that position in such a big game, I feel like you should and could do more to see it out.
To go ahead twice, and then fail to see out the next 5 minutes of the opposition stepping it up when they've just conceded, is poor.
Seems like even with the two experienced, 'head it, kick it' types at centre half, we still get found wanting from crosses. How is their player even allowed to travel so far to cross it for the first anyway? And on the 2nd one, Wood was bullied and Anderson completely switched off for the rebound.
Could prove to be a huge 2 points dropped, hope I'm wrong. The table would've had such a different look about it if we'd held on.
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I can’t stop thinking about the Bromley, Swindon games and last night.
7 more points we should have on the board with a game in hand and nearly home.
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We are rightly frustrated and disappointed at not being able to hold on to a lead with 5 minutes to go, but imagine how Wimbledon fans felt last night.
1-0 up at Swindon in the 90th minute and end up conceding 2 penalties and losing 2-1.
Woody got done for their second goal and I was concerned that he looked injured for the last 15 minutes last night.
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Have a feeling Billy has a big moment tonight. A late winner in front of the SS would do!
You were so nearly ‘Mystic Mush’.
Some finish from Billy.
Just wish he’d ’saved it’ until added on time!
Walsall went all out for the equaliser after Billy’s goal & not for the first time this season our ability to see a game out is poor.
Which games have we not seen out other than yesterday and Swindon?
I recall seeing out lots of games
Morecambe away
Accrington away
Port vale away
Gillingham away
Bradford away
Plus quite a few home games we’ve held on to win by the odd goal,
Certainly not a weakness for me