[Westbars Spireite]

We are much more organised and with a better central defence and midfield than last time though it does appear to be a generally poorer division.

[Mr Mercury]

Westbars Spireite, on 29 March 2015 - 07:55 AM, said:

We are much more organised and with a better central defence and midfield than last time though it does appear to be a generally poorer division.

Not sure I agree..I think the reason we felt it was a better division last time is because we really were a poor side and made a lot of teams look good.

[dtp]

MDCCCLXVI, on 29 March 2015 - 07:44 AM, said:

The whole afternoon had a very end of season feel to it.

Low key game, low key atmosphere (other than some bizarre songs from our midland guests; do a club ten times larger like Wolves sing about the Saddlers? What was that stuff about Shrewsbury, too? And the IRA and ISIS? Blimey, those Walsall fans really do have some issues to deal with!) and a low key performance.

Even if we were in comfortable control for most of the ninety.

I thought it had nil-nil written all over it until we scored from a set piece (honestly - it's true!), especially as the introduction of Dieseruvwe, Harrison and Ariyibi seemed to lessen our threat. Clearly all three have work to do if they're to bridge the gap between potential and delivery.

Is L1 a great deal weaker than four years ago or has our own bar been considerably raised?

Either way that sixth place is still tantalisingly within reach regardless of how convincing we appear.

Oh, and PS: terrific to see a competent ref for a change. Well done Kevin Friend.

I would have probably summed it up the same way Chris.

Kevin Friend was excellent. Even the linemen made decisions - sometimes the wrong ones but I do prefer them to make decisions rather than not at all.

Yes, the game was disappointing but they came for a point and only more if they could get a break away. As such, I thought we maintained our concentration quite well - none other than when Lee (having had nowt to do) tipped an effort on to the bar and Darikwa was sharp as a razor to mop up any danger.

This was a game we may well have lost previously, but whilst things weren't going well, we stuck to the task and got our just rewards.

Maybe the run in will suit us as most teams we have to play will try to come at us. We normally do better in an open game, so who knows, but if we fail, so what, we've had an enjoyable season - one that I have enjoyed more than last season when we won promotion as Champions.

[dim view]

MDCCCLXVI, on 29 March 2015 - 07:44 AM, said:

the introduction of Dieseruvwe, Harrison and Ariyibi seemed to lessen our threat.

The conditions rendered the efforts of Roberts and Jayo equally futile.

I thought Ariyibi made a difference, including a superb left footed cross that was diverted for a corner over the crossbar. This lad can cross intelligently with either foot and I notice his confidence is increasing and he's taking part in build up play. He's a good un.

On Mani, I'm going to take a flyer and suggest we will see a major improvement in him over the next 12 months. He's still a lad, he's making bad decisions, and he's flying around to no purpose BUT he's quick off the mark, he's big, and he's mobile.

[h again]

fishini, on 28 March 2015 - 08:19 PM, said:

I don't like getting caught out on the break while trying to get another goal in the dying minutes of the game.

So drop two or three players back to stop it happening - though you can quite easily get caught on the break if the ball takes a bad bounce from the silly business by the corner flag.
And it might look a bit unlikely at the moment, but a single goal in the goal difference column could decide who gets in the play-offs. In particular we're on the same GD as Bradford - we should be using corners as an attacking option.

[martatcross]

MDCCCLXVI, on 29 March 2015 - 07:44 AM, said:

The whole afternoon had a very end of season feel to it.

Low key game, low key atmosphere (other than some bizarre songs from our midland guests; do a club ten times larger like Wolves sing about the Saddlers? What was that stuff about Shrewsbury, too? And the IRA and ISIS? Blimey, those Walsall fans really do have some issues to deal with!) and a low key performance.

Even if we were in comfortable control for most of the ninety.

I thought it had nil-nil written all over it until we scored from a set piece (honestly - it's true!), especially as the introduction of Dieseruvwe, Harrison and Ariyibi seemed to lessen our threat. Clearly all three have work to do if they're to bridge the gap between potential and delivery.

Is L1 a great deal weaker than four years ago or has our own bar been considerably raised?

Either way that sixth place is still tantalisingly within reach regardless of how convincing we appear.

Oh, and PS: terrific to see a competent ref for a change. Well done Kevin Friend.

Not what Walsall fans thought they had him down as an Homer

[DIFH]

MDCCCLXVI, on 29 March 2015 - 07:44 AM, said:

The whole afternoon had a very end of season feel to it.

Low key game, low key atmosphere (other than some bizarre songs from our midland guests; do a club ten times larger like Wolves sing about the Saddlers? What was that stuff about Shrewsbury, too? And the IRA and ISIS? Blimey, those Walsall fans really do have some issues to deal with!) and a low key performance.

Even if we were in comfortable control for most of the ninety.

I thought it had nil-nil written all over it until we scored from a set piece (honestly - it's true!), especially as the introduction of Dieseruvwe, Harrison and Ariyibi seemed to lessen our threat. Clearly all three have work to do if they're to bridge the gap between potential and delivery.

Is L1 a great deal weaker than four years ago or has our own bar been considerably raised?

Either way that sixth place is still tantalisingly within reach regardless of how convincing we appear.

Oh, and PS: terrific to see a competent ref for a change. Well done Kevin Friend.

Shrewsbury is a local derby Chris, just before the goal we were all saying at least we wouldn't be falling asleep waiting for FL Show and of course there wasn't one with no MOTD staff working.

I did spot you after the game with the brain's trust chewing the fat - Bonnyman and Planner lol.

[whittman]

Steady on with the brains trust

[DIFH]

whittman, on 29 March 2015 - 11:23 AM, said:

Steady on with the brains trust

Didn't quantify an amount of brains.

[Beelzebub]

martatcross, on 29 March 2015 - 10:56 AM, said:

[/u]
Not what Walsall fans thought they had him down as an Homer

Didn't have a decision to make all game, must have been the easiest of his career

[kh83]

azul, on 28 March 2015 - 05:35 PM, said:

Didn't think it was that scrappy until all those subs were made

I thought we had the under real pressure for the first time in the game just before the first one

Cook got away with it after making terrible changes that killed the game tbh.

[Beelzebub]

kh83, on 29 March 2015 - 04:27 PM, said:

Cook got away with it after making terrible changes that killed the game tbh.

Walsall thought otherwise, they said we turned the game in our favour by 'bringing on the big lads'. People see games differently.

[Mr Mercury]

Just seen this paragraph in The Sunday People match report of yesterday's game..now I know we wernt particularly at the races yesterday but who the hell writes this gumpff..
"Chesterfield manager Paul Cook was happy to take the points he knows his side did not deserve. The game, which Walsall DOMINATED, appeared to be heading for a draw..."

[Bonnyman]

Dave In Footie Heaven, on 29 March 2015 - 11:26 AM, said:

Didn't quantify an amount of brains.

well you were under qualified..lol

[valemadness]

Mr Mercury, on 29 March 2015 - 04:56 PM, said:

Just seen this paragraph in The Sunday People match report of yesterday's game..now I know we wernt particularly at the races yesterday but who the hell writes this gumpff..
"Chesterfield manager Paul Cook was happy to take the points he knows his side did not deserve. The game, which Walsall DOMINATED, appeared to be heading for a draw..."

no way did they dominate it, it was a very even game with us edging possession and probably having the best chances. BTW why was the goal ruled out?

[Trigger]

valemadness, on 29 March 2015 - 05:25 PM, said:

no way did they dominate it, it was a very even game with us edging possession and probably having the best chances. BTW why was the goal ruled out?

Banks pushed their defender in the back before the header.

Did anyone read smiths comments on the sky sports website? Laughable really

[dim view]

Trigger (not the freak), on 29 March 2015 - 05:28 PM, said:

Banks pushed their defender in the back before the header.

very debatable judging by the highlights which show, imo, that Banks did very well on a day when everybody struggled.

[Bonnyman]

dim view, on 29 March 2015 - 06:50 PM, said:

very debatable judging by the highlights which show, imo, that Banks did very well on a day when everybody struggled.

He had a complete stinker, overhit every cross bar one which he miss hit and bobbled into the box should have buried a header as well as hitting a freekick into the veg rack in aldi...he rightfully got subbed because he was crap.

[calvin plummers socks]

Mr Mercury, on 29 March 2015 - 04:56 PM, said:

Just seen this paragraph in The Sunday People match report of yesterday's game..now I know we wernt particularly at the races yesterday but who the hell writes this gumpff..
"Chesterfield manager Paul Cook was happy to take the points he knows his side did not deserve. The game, which Walsall DOMINATED, appeared to be heading for a draw..."

Talk Sport's guy at the game said at half time that it was a brilliant end to end match with loads of chances for both sides!

[valemadness]

calvin plummers socks, on 29 March 2015 - 07:59 PM, said:

Talk Sport's guy at the game said at half time that it was a brilliant end to end match with loads of chances for both sides!

I met the talk sport bloke, he used to do the commentary on Peak for us for around 10 years