Walsall v Swindon Town pre match drivel and matchday thread #2nd attempt

[4D]

Port Vale 

[4D]

Someone saying Adams was in the stands tonight?

[Nomoreheroes]

It really isnt. Fucking hell he talks some crap.

I think he was trying to say that the future is bright as we have very good 16 and 17 year olds that are potentially good enough to play in the first team. If nurtured properly, they could turn into stars of the future.

[tans]

And be sold at the first opportunity like they always are

[Bob1978]

I think he was trying to say that the future is bright as we have very good 16 and 17 year olds that are potentially good enough to play in the first team. If nurtured properly, they could turn into stars of the future*.

*not necessarily for Swindon

[TailBetweenLegs]

Walsall very much papering over the cracks with that win.

Wish we could paper over the cracks and be 3 points off the playoffs 😔

[Bob's Orange]

Won’t be playing here probably

What do you know about this OR?

[Pericardinho]

If Barrow, Wimbledon and Walsall are in the playoff mix this league really is shite.

I didn't rate any of them at all.

[Batch]

Based on what we've seem its hard to disagree.

Wimbledon were totally different at their place though. Absolutely dominant. You'd have to think the same applies to the others

[Bob's Orange]

Well my reverse psychology of predicting we'll get walloped falls at the third hurdle and we couldn't manage a third win on the spin. As usual there were good parts and bad parts, but crucially the bad parts lose you matches.

My Ifollow in the first half was ropey and glitchy but I saw enough to know that Bycroft was the busier keeper. Mo Faal missed an absolute sitter before heading home a corner from 2 or 3 yards out. Personally I'd like my keeper to control that area better, especially when our defenders are about as commanding as Gregg Wallace in a 'grow the best perm you can' competition. After a pretty crap start we grew into the game more and played some ok stuff. Walsall to me definitely looked the more dangerous side, but McGregor didn't look out of place and Ofoborh's presence in DMC a positive.

Second half I thought we did ok again and gradually took control. An absolute Exocet from the consistently dangerous Glatzel drew us level and if anyone looked like winning it was the side in Blue. Sadly our Achilles heel came back to bite us in the arse as the lumbering Jamille Matt easily won his knock down and Danny Johnson, with the freedom of the Swindon box finished nicely. The amount of goals we concede from poor marking is horrible, and was the difference between 1/3 points and the square root of nothing.

Fair fucks to Hunt and McGregor for not looking out of place last night, Walsall are no mugs and you wouldn't have been able to tell they were kids still playing academy games. I liked McGregor's tenacity. I thought Ofoborh also played ok, neat and tidy footwork and his positioning was sound. Devoy also worth a mention, the metronome of the side keeping things ticking. There are signs that Shan is having a positive influence. If we can get the defensive side improved it gives you a much better chance.

[iParadise]

Someone saying Adams was in the stands tonight?

Would like to know this as well. 

[Nemo]

With Hunt's debut yesterday, we've now used 40 different players in the league this season. 48 if you include cup competitions. Madness.

It'll be a good Sporcle quiz come season's end.

[Bob's Orange]

With Hunt's debut yesterday, we've now used 40 different players in the league this season. 48 if you include cup competitions. Madness.

It'll be a good Sporcle quiz come season's end.

Whilst it's a feather in the cap for the Academy who appear to be producing some excellent prospects, it's a black mark for recruitment.

[Nemo]

Whilst it's a feather in the cap for the Academy who appear to be producing some excellent prospects, it's a black mark for recruitment.

Only six of them are academy kids as well, we've used 34 contracted pros (Minturn and Dworzak counting in the latter group as they're pros) - and McGregor is the only one to play more than 45 minutes total.

Mildly interesting considering how international the lower leagues used to be (before Brexit, I guess, although there are probably other factors) - Williams Kokolo is the only one of the 40 who isn't from the UK or Ireland (obviously Shade plays internationally for St. Kitts but is a UK national).

[Riddick]

Whilst it's a feather in the cap for the Academy who appear to be producing some excellent prospects, it's a black mark for recruitment.

I don't want to diminish the work of the Academy, clearly they have done a good job as the youth teams performance in the league and cup have proved.

However generally with the standard of our acadamy (tier 3?) they have a greater chance of playing the lower in the league the team is, because the gap between the kids and the first team is smaller.