[Wooden Spoon]

 JonB, on 11 May 2025 - 06:29 PM, said:

Forgetting the two he landed on Olakigbe’s foot and one to Mandeville. He is far better doing in that one in a while grimes but it’s more than that. He is much more comfortable with the ball as we build from the back in general and defensively he is very sound as well. I don’t think playing grimes bar potentially the threat from set pieces gives you anything more.

He’s also better in positional sense and reading the game.


His passing is better than Grimes as well.


There’s a reason he’s played in the championship and there’s a reason JG has played much of his career in non league.

[Zigsuk]

Well I would play both in 3, 5, 2. I know it won’t happen but it ought to be tried. Grigg desperately needs someone nearer him, whether it be Pepple or even Colclough or Dobra. Behind them Colclough or Dobra, Naylor and Metcalfe with Mandy and Sparkes on the flanks. Colclough could interchange with them. Definitely wouldn’t start with Fleck or MO. Jacobs needs to be an option from the bench and it would be good if Banks is available but i doubt it.

[Phil V 72]

 dtp, on 11 May 2025 - 06:32 PM, said:

Forget who actually plays CB our tactics seem to continually expect one of them to make things happen. For me, a CBs job is to defend and then ideally get the ball to a midfielder further up the pitch.

Today, Fleck’s main contribution appeared to be to get the ball to MacFadzean. I expected him to be the man using his experience to drive us on. Instead, he was more negative than Oldaker at his most negative worst. Just playing the ball to a CB is possession for possession’s sake. Then losing the ball in dangerous positions is not what you expect from a player who has played at such a high standard.

Walsall’s system seemed quite simple. Hassle and defend for your lives, get it forward quickly, chase it down the channels, get a free-kick, throw-in, corner or whatever but apply pressure on the penalty area.

They create danger from a throw-in. We create danger on ourselves from our own throw-ins. Maybe, we need to get a long throw merchant in for next season because we don’t seem to know what to do when we have a throw. Add to that a bit more height and pace and we might be equipped for this league next season.

It’s a style of play we’ve struggled to play against for some time. As we know Cook isn’t going to fundamentally change the way we play, the answer is probably to get better players.