Walsall Ratings

[durhampie]

Have a heart Mr. Scrooge - season of good will and all that

Well, there are certainly a few who are milking our hospitality...

[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.

[ajojones]

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.

This - excellent post and fully agree.

[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.

[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

[slack_pie]

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

I think our chances of automatic disappeared the day Matty Palmer got injured.

[the_anticlough]

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

A quick check of the prediction thread shows 39 of us predicted play-offs as a minimum, 22 predicted below that.

That seemed accurate til a few weeks ago, then came the injuries, especially the loss of Palmer, also coinciding with JB being out and then coming back from injury.

We shouldn't underestimate how pivotal the pivot (!) is - 'controlling the game' runs through these players. How many times on Saturday did we see defenders going back where before they had a midfield option to pass to (especially when JB was taken off)? And that midfield option not only has to come for the ball and use it, but make themselves immediately available for more build-up. We've lost that and urgently need to replace it.

[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.

[durhampie]

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

One important question we need to ask any potential new signing, "Can you pass the ball forward as a first option "