❔Score, scorers and attendance predictions v Walsall [H] 09.12.2023 [EFL L2]

[Elite_Pie]

Indeed. I thought were 'OK' first half but what the heck happened at half time (again) is unfathomable. Shocking second half.

First half we were poor but they were worse, second half they were average but we were beyond abysmal. I don't think I've seen a half that bad for a few years. What hurts most is that we were completely outfought once they scored, they simply wanted it more and it looked like they had an extra man. We couldn't even manage the basics, simple passes went astray with alarming regularity. So many players we know are very talented at this level were way below their best. Dan Crowley was mainly anonymous, Macca couldn't get involved because he had zero service, and McGoldrick looked like he had his boots on the wrong feet. Jodi Jones was clear MOM for us, but he was only average. Walsall were nothing special, but they fully deserved the points because they played as if they cared, and we didn't.

[Davy500]

Ffs. Yes, we were dreadful today but how can LW go from the Messiah to worst manager we've ever had in two weeks.
Win the next two games and we'll be worried about losing him to a PL club.

I thought neither last season or now. The poor level of the NL and our above average players such as Jones, Bostock , baldwin and Macca made LW look very good at that level, and ultimately gave us promotion
I remember some supporters saying the level does not matter, of course it matters , now we have risen a level to League 2 which remember is the basement division, LW has been made to look average as a manager only backed up by the stronger players mentioned above
So in terms of LW i never thought he was that good, and today i dont think he is that bad. He is average at this level, but he is young as a manager, and with the backing of our owners over several years should gain the experience required to step up a level
This season we would do well to finish top 7, then there is a chance of promotion if you can win 3 games, but would promotion be to soon, with our current team we would get trounced in L1
But we are not going down , so we wll stabalise in L2, where the owners and LW will replace the weaker players and next year and the year after we will get stronger till we gain promotion to L1

[Mapperleypie]

First half we were poor but they were worse, second half they were average but we were beyond abysmal. I don't think I've seen a half that bad for a few years. What hurts most is that we were completely outfought once they scored, they simply wanted it more and it looked like they had an extra man. We couldn't even manage the basics, simple passes went astray with alarming regularity. So many players we know are very talented at this level were way below their best. Dan Crowley was mainly anonymous, Macca couldn't get involved because he had zero service, and McGoldrick looked like he had his boots on the wrong feet. Jodi Jones was clear MOM for us, but he was only average. Walsall were nothing special, but they fully deserved the points because they played as if they cared, and we didn't.

This is what makes today so painful. Walsall went from a side that were willing to take a booking on 25 mins at 0-0 to waste time to the only side in it after half-time.

The players need a rocket up ‘em after that. They simply didn’t want it enough to do the basics right. To a man they are all far better than that.

[Rez1862]

I thought neither last season or now. The poor level of the NL and our above average players such as Jones, Bostock , baldwin and Macca made LW look very good at that level, and ultimately gave us promotion
I remember some supporters saying the level does not matter, of course it matters , now we have risen a level to League 2 which remember is the basement division, LW has been made to look average as a manager only backed up by the stronger players mentioned above
So in terms of LW i never thought he was that good, and today i dont think he is that bad. He is average at this level, but he is young as a manager, and with the backing of our owners over several years should gain the experience required to step up a level
This season we would do well to finish top 7, then there is a chance of promotion if you can win 3 games, but would promotion be to soon, with our current team we would get trounced in L1
But we are not going down , so we wll stabalise in L2, where the owners and LW will replace the weaker players and next year and the year after we will get stronger till we gain promotion to L1

My comment wasn't aimed you at you mate. Some of the histrionics on here are, frankly, embarrassing. We seriously needed to temper expectations at the start of the season - a lot of chat about us finishing in the top 3, or even that finishing in the playoffs would be a poor season. We should be aiming for consolidating this season and building on next.

[Elite_Pie]

So in terms of LW i never thought he was that good, and today i dont think he is that bad. He is average at this level.

I'm struggling to explain why we were so bad today, but I wouldn't really blame Luke Williams. His subs didn't work, we didn't seem to have a plan B, but the real problem was that the players didn't come close to executing plan A. Our style is that we play it around at the back, then a few quick passes beat the press and we create a chance. We played very few quick passes, it was all very laboured and half-hearted. A lot of simple passes were too short, too long, or straight out of play. More worrying than that was the lack of passion and desire, it's unusual for us to be outfought.

A big improvement is needed at Harrogate, because we seem to be at a bit of a crossroads. We need to get to the January transfer window still in touch, and trust the radar to fill the gaps. If we don't, at least we've started well in our relegation battle!

[BCnotts18]

Did anyone see if their first was offside from the initial ball forward by the way? It looked it in the Pavis but I was slightly behind it where I sit.

[SwalePie]

First half we were poor but they were worse, second half they were average but we were beyond abysmal. I don't think I've seen a half that bad for a few years. What hurts most is that we were completely outfought once they scored, they simply wanted it more and it looked like they had an extra man. We couldn't even manage the basics, simple passes went astray with alarming regularity. So many players we know are very talented at this level were way below their best. Dan Crowley was mainly anonymous, Macca couldn't get involved because he had zero service, and McGoldrick looked like he had his boots on the wrong feet. Jodi Jones was clear MOM for us, but he was only average. Walsall were nothing special, but they fully deserved the points because they played as if they cared, and we didn't.

Agreed on all points although I felt in the first half we showed brief flashes of what we were capable of. Sadly these evaporated for the rest of the game. Oh well. Onwards and upwards...hopefully!

[countygump]

We seriously needed to temper expectations at the start of the season - a lot of chat about us finishing in the top 3, or even that finishing in the playoffs would be a poor season. We should be aiming for consolidating this season and building on next.

When we have a bad result/performance, I tend to fall back into the, "Well, only 6 more wins and we're safe-ish" mode. Or, "Anything better than survival is a bonus". Maybe the horrors of our relegation season are still too fresh in the memory, or it could be a comfort thing.

Some chap on X worked out that at the rate we are shipping goals we could well end the season conceding @ 84ish. A very similar number to the relegation season AIH.

Meh, on we go............

[maddogslater]

Clueless, i think is the answer to that one. He talks a brilliant story, but thats as far as it gets... There is so much wrong at the moment with the team, beginning with keeper, the defence, unnecessary substitutions, and taking the wrong playe3rdrs off... We no longer seem to have a midfield capable of providing decent balls to Macca. All we seem to be concerned about is passing backwards and causing mayhem in our own area... We are shoehorning players into positions that they are not capable of doing.

You are sickening in your appetite to stick the boot in when the chips are down, you seem to relish the opportunity. A stopped clocks right twice a day, enjoy.

[SmiffyPie]

I would imagine the defensive issues of the last few weeks are taking their toll through the team. Could be the team spirit has taken a bit of a kicking?