Humiliation

[IloveShrimp]

Its the shirts!!! Teams arnt scared of a team with a dot to dot game on thier shirts!!

Shirts look too camp for my liking. I won't be getting one!

Perhaps they would have been better on Brighton's players

 

[Bromley Blue]

Just got back, and pretty confused. How did they score 5 goals?

Should have won that really, a couple of turning points: Revells goal ruled out & Grants OG.

From that viewing, if Walsall didn't have that #7 then they'd be relegation candidates in my opinion.

I've got to agree with Fred here. Maybe not relegation candidates but Walsall are not a great side. Last season I couldnt see what all the fuss was about with them, they looked very average both times we played them and I couldnt believe they could dominate enough teams to be around the playoffs.

Yesterday Tilly's evaluation of the match was spot on. They didnt really open us up, we were just that poor that we gifted them victory. We went in at half time 1-1 and I was fancying us to up the tempo second half and go for the win. Second half individual errors have cost us big time and we've end up getting thrashed.

2 positives from today are the performance of Lee Sawyer who I thought was class considering he's only 18 and I disagree that he's just a ball winner. I think his obvious Premiership class on the ball can create chances and it was no coincidence he was involved in the disallowed goal and our first goal.

The other is that Lee Barnard got his first of the season and immediately became a bit more confident. However unless we sort out other areas of the team he wont get many this year. Long balls punted up to him to run on to are not his game. He hasnt got searing pace so its just effectively losing possession by doing that.

Dont panic yet people, the team is still gelling and with Macca back and a decent partner we can still have a good season.

 

[Richard_Cadette]

I've got to agree with Fred here. Maybe not relegation candidates but Walsall are not a great side. Last season I couldnt see what all the fuss was about with them, they looked very average both times we played them and I couldnt believe they could dominate enough teams to be around the playoffs.

Yesterday Tilly's evaluation of the match was spot on. They didnt really open us up, we were just that poor that we gifted them victory. We went in at half time 1-1 and I was fancying us to up the tempo second half and go for the win. Second half individual errors have cost us big time and we've end up getting thrashed.

2 positives from today are the performance of Lee Sawyer who I thought was class considering he's only 18 and I disagree that he's just a ball winner. I think his obvious Premiership class on the ball can create chances and it was no coincidence he was involved in the disallowed goal and our first goal.

The other is that Lee Barnard got his first of the season and immediately became a bit more confident. However unless we sort out other areas of the team he wont get many this year. Long balls punted up to him to run on to are not his game. He hasnt got searing pace so its just effectively losing possession by doing that.

Dont panic yet people, the team is still gelling and with Macca back and a decent partner we can still have a good season.

Good to see someone being able to draw at least some positives from yesterday, but I have to say, I don't share your enthusiasm unless our current midfield situation is remedied over this weekend.

I can't comment on individuals performances as I was not there, but from the commentary, it certainly sounded like individual errors were the reason for our downfall. As I said in a previous post, when you are expexting such a youthful and inexperience midfield pairing to dominate against a half decent midfield of another League One side, including someone such as Stephen Hughes, it is an unreasonable expectation to think they would pull it off.

As such, a weak midfield will cause you problems in just about every area of the park - both attacking and defending. If the defence are not getting the correct protection, they will come under constant pressure, especially if our ball retention is poor, and when you are under constant pressure, then perhaps it is no surprise when mistakes are made.

It did sound like some of the mistakes were of a school boy nature, and maybe not all of them were down to an inexperienced midfield, but there's no getting away from the fact that the centre of the park for us is nothing like it was last season, and until we can bring in the correct personnel, then we should not be surprised if we lose more than we win.

One final point, even after all the negativity, humiliation is a strong word - we effectively lost 3-0 yesterday - would such a word have been used if that was in fact the actual scoreline?

 

[fredheim_holm]

Agreed saafender. Sawyer was my MOTM on his first half performance alone, the 2nd half was a bit of a blur and everyone's head was down. For 18 he looks very good, he had two feet, a good engine (although looked a bit knackered later on) and played the right ball most of the time. If he plays like that in a few more games I'd be happy if we signed the lad.

 

[The Watermill Wino]

I think what's been said about the midfield is spot on, players need time to gel and it seem everygame new faces are appearing, no wonder we looked well below par yesterday. To be positive lets not forget the 04 season, we won our first game and didn't do anything much for the rest of August, a draw and out of a cup.
September saw us embark on a eight game unbeaten run and if memory serves me right there was also concerns of the lack of quality and depth in the squad then.

After seeing the game on the box I think we just got done by an OG a gift by 2 players and a fluke goal at the end. We did still create enough chances to do something though. It's when we get done and create nothing I'd be more worried.
Keep the faith, the Tilly Train is going to get going again I'm sure so lets just get behind the team and hold on tight.

 

[BrettieAngell]

We will be Ok when Macca is back!

We can't honestly play that bad again all season.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I must be the only person who thinks Walsall aren't a bad team.

I didn't think they were that bad last season, but Bailey was immense and we played really well against them in two of our better performances of the season. This year they've got class in midfield in Stephen Hughes, a player who would instantly transform our team, plus the experience and guile of someone like Marco Reich on the right wing. Ibhere is someone who has always caused us problems, but I suspect he only ever does well against us.

Losing to Walsall isn't like being thrashed by Cheltenham, Colchester, Millwall, Crewe etc

 

[Sherif H]

Losing to Walsall isn't like being thrashed by Cheltenham, Colchester, Millwall, Crewe etc

Lol...I would leave Colchester out of that list...whatever you say about them, they have one of the best squads in this division....unfortunately.