Walsall Ratings

[ThaiPie]

Well the weather isn't going to get any better and Palmer isn't coming back any time soon so for me we need to stop trying to fit square pegs in round holes, protect our defence more and stop inviting pressure.

We cannot carry on our style of play with the central midfielders we have at our disposal at the moment. Gosling is still clearly not fit but I don't want us to suffer whilst getting him fit to leave in January so I'd offer him an extension to the end of the season this week and if he says no - thank you and goodbye and have Cissé in the squad in his stead at least he can run.

We have 3 central defenders starting and yet Nemane is left to battle for a header at the back post.

Langstaff isn't great in the air and he struggles to beat a man when squared up; unless we're putting in 20-30 early crosses and through balls in behind a game we're wasting him. He's our best chance of winning a game and I'd say our style of play actually hinders him as opposed to helping him. Last year we thrived in the second half when teams tired against us but I don't see any evidence that we're capable of maintaining that style for 90 minutes at this level with what we have available.

Losing at home to Mansfield - annoying but understandable they looked incredibly sturdy and took a derby game in their stride.

Losing a tight game at home to Wrexham after a fortunate deflection put them ahead - fine.

Losing to a piss poor Walsall team who'd scored the 3rd least goals in the league whilst looking like a bunch of strangers going through the motions should be the catalyst to look at things and ask are we actually setting up in a way which gives us the best chance at winning the game?

4-2-3-1

Slocombe / Stone
Adebayo-Rowling / Brindley
Baldwin / Macari
Cameron / Rawlinson
Chicksen

O'Brien / Gosling
Bostock / Austin

Nemane / Randall / Adebayo-Rowling
McGoldrick / Crowley
Jones / Randall

Langstaff / Morais / McGoldrick

I've just watched the highlights. For the second Walsall goal, a Walsall player runs past our 32, starting from 3M behind, and ending up 6 or 7M in front. Nothing against this new signing, but he shouldn't be on the pitch ATM.

[the_anticlough]

I've just watched the highlights. For the second Walsall goal, a Walsall player runs past our 32, starting from 3M behind, and ending up 6 or 7M in front. Nothing against this new signing, but he shouldn't be on the pitch ATM.

Yes, good luck to him but looks like it's just not going to work out.
He'll play somewhere else soon enough, but another poster made this point - professional levels are high thru England's top 5 leagues - fall off the level physically at Prem/Champ level and you easily fall below what's needed in the leagues below.
Is he overweight, or moving/reacting so slowly that it looks like he is?
If his cleverness/use of the ball was elite it would compensate - but I gather he's made his career as a different type of player.

[OP67]

I've just watched the highlights. For the second Walsall goal, a Walsall player runs past our 32, starting from 3M behind, and ending up 6 or 7M in front. Nothing against this new signing, but he shouldn't be on the pitch ATM.

We can't afford to carry him while he tries to get match fit again which is what we're doing. I don't care if he played in the Premiership or not. I think we need to call it quits as he ain't going to be fit enough to cope with league football anytime soon nevermind in the next 2 weeks.

What on earth was Cameron doing for their 1st?? He never once looks around, if he had he'd have noticed Nemane was trying his hardest to mark someone he had no chance of out jumping!!!

[SmiffyPie]

What on earth was Cameron doing for their 1st?? He never once looks around, if he had he'd have noticed Nemane was trying his hardest to mark someone he had no chance of out jumping!!!

No discipline or communication between the 2 CB's. Both with their fingers up their Jacksie and getting sucked onto the player with the ball. 3 of our players almost level with the near post covering (yeah well) their No8. Begging for the high ball that Cameron should have been able to attack from the far post area. Cameron was never able to help Nemane. Neither Cameron or Baldwin have a Scooby Doo about central defensive positioning.

[The_Don_ORiordan]

I think what we are now seeing is expectations far exceeding the speed that the project can deliver at or is even expected to.

Wrexham have set an unrealistic bar for us. They signed a lot of league one/championship players, players who were playing regularly at that level.

McGoldrick aside our best signings have been players for whatever reason tumbling down the pyramid.

What we have achieved is fantastic with a budget significantly less than Wrexham’s and Stockport and Mansfield’s.

Whilst we are all disappointed at what seems like what could be a missed opportunity this season, we need to remember how far we’ve come, and that stability as well as progression is key.

We need to improve in January, not just for this season, but for next so we can push on again.

COYP

[Mark_Ross]

I think what we are now seeing is expectations far exceeding the speed that the project can deliver at or is even expected to.

Wrexham have set an unrealistic bar for us. They signed a lot of league one/championship players, players who were playing regularly at that level.

McGoldrick aside our best signings have been players for whatever reason tumbling down the pyramid.

What we have achieved is fantastic with a budget significantly less than Wrexham’s and Stockport and Mansfield’s.

Whilst we are all disappointed at what seems like what could be a missed opportunity this season, we need to remember how far we’ve come, and that stability as well as progression is key.

We need to improve in January, not just for this season, but for next so we can push on again.

COYP

Think this is basically correct - a good post.

Obviously, we're all disappointed at the recent downturn in results, but I think realistically we have over-achieved so far in L2, considering our relatively small budget & multiple injury problems.

[nw6pie]

Think this is basically correct - a good post.

Obviously, we're all disappointed at the recent downturn in results, but I think realistically we have over-achieved so far in L2, considering our relatively small budget & multiple injury problems.

Our problems are understandable - not having a big enough (and good enough) squad to cope with injuries when we can’t sign players on loan; being excessively loyal to some of the old guard who got us promoted (Connell, JOB, Chicksen, Brindley); not being aware of what a truly competitive budget would be this season - and can’t be fixed in just six months.

I remember how at the start of the season we were so many pundits’ tips for promotion (or even the title) and very few on here shared that confidence given our (papered over) defensive problems from last season. NCM was right. But as long as our form doesn’t disappear off a cliff and we manage to stay in and around the top seven, next season is really going to be the time to judge us.

I watched the Portsmouth-Bolton game last night and the pace and intensity of that game was way beyond anything we could live with right now. Every signing we make now needs to have the quality to get us there, though.

[Kent Magpie]

...

I remember how at the start of the season we were so many pundits’ tips for promotion (or even the title) and very few on here shared that confidence given our (papered over) defensive problems from last season. NCM was right. But as long as our form doesn’t disappear off a cliff and we manage to stay in and around the top seven, next season is really going to be the time to judge us.

I watched the Portsmouth-Bolton game last night and the pace and intensity of that game was way beyond anything we could live with right now. Every signing we make now needs to have the quality to get us there, though.

I would say NCM is looking to be correct at the moment... let's see what January brings though.

[slack_pie]

Think this is basically correct - a good post.

Obviously, we're all disappointed at the recent downturn in results, but I think realistically we have over-achieved so far in L2, considering our relatively small budget & multiple injury problems.

Definitely. Most had us down for a midtable finish before a ball was kicked, and now we've become victims of a ridiculously good start that reset everyone's expectations. If we'd been midtable all season and recently won a few to get into the playoffs, the mood would be different.

We simply don't have the squad to compete with the top clubs in this division, but with some decent additions in January and a fair wind, we could still make the playoffs. I'd be well happy with 7th.

[ancientpie]

Definitely. Most had us down for a midtable finish before a ball was kicked, and now we've become victims of a ridiculously good start that reset everyone's expectations. If we'd been midtable all season and recently won a few to get into the playoffs, the mood would be different.

We simply don't have the squad to compete with the top clubs in this division, but with some decent additions in January and a fair wind, we could still make the playoffs. I'd be well happy with 7th.

I predicted 3rd but would gladly take 7th, I still believe we could achieve automatic but with having such a thin squad so much depends on avoiding injuries & suspensions, in the main we managed this last season but it's not looking good this. COYP