Rovers v Saddlers

[Boz]

Hopefully the team have freshened up with the 10-day break and will be up for this one. By no means an easy game, Walsall lost a lot of their better players over the summer but seem to have found or loaned decent replacements and in Dean Smith have a talented younger manager, who's guided the side to the fringes of the play-off places.

I would imagine we'd line-up defensively as the Wolves game. Wallace is banned, presumably Max Power will deputise. Don't know if the new loanee Matt Kennedy is best on the left or right wing, but expect he'll get a start. If it's on the left, I would start him there and drop Robinson to the bench, as one or two good touches don't compensate for a serious lack of match-fitness.

Prediction: With the visitors only likely to bring about 300, the crowd is likely to be no higher than about 4.5k. Ref Andy Haines is leading the red card charts for the season, so with 7 already for Rovers, he's at the right place to add to the tally. 1-1.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Ever the optimist, I'm backing Rovers for a 2-0 win. I'm hoping the momentum from the Wolves game will be carried forward.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Walsall are a decent footballing side with skill and movement up front, as we found out to our cost on the opening day of the season when they beat us comprehensively, our abysmal defending unfortunately serving as a foretaste of what was follow for much of the first half of the season. Walsall's budget is reportedly one of the lowest in the division and Dean Smith has performed a minor miracle in turning them into genuine promotion contenders.

I think we will probably start the game with a 4-5-1 formation with Koumas, Jennings and Power in the middle. Andy Robinson has made a significant contribution to our improved passing and ball retention in recent matches and should definitely be starting games, particuarly in the absence of Wallace: his quality and experience is priceless in our position and he can only get match fit by playing.

We desperately need our home form to improve in 2014, but we will have to be at our best to win this one.

 

[bigmart]

Think we will draw this 1 1

 

[Boz]

Andy Robinson has made a significant contribution to our improved passing and ball retention in recent matches and should definitely be starting games, particuarly in the absence of Wallace: his quality and experience is priceless in our position and he can only get match fit by playing.

Do you think so? I really can't make up my mind about Robinson. For the first 10 minutes of the Wolves game he was poor, passes going astray, getting muscled out, then he came up with a sublime pass to set Ryan Lowe up for goal, which resulted in the Wolves red card. His stamina has never been good and he is far from match-fit after a lengthy absence. Walsall are a very fit, relatively young side and he might be better-equipped to make an impact coming off the bench.

 

[Ian]

Robinson doesn't really have the fitness to play for 90 minutes, but he's one of the best on the ball. Definite inclusion. It's a decent midfield with Koumas, Jennings and Power in the middle. All bring a little something different to the party.

Not a big fan of Robinson out wide, prefer him in the middle, but it looks like it would have to be him on the left and the new kid from Everton on the right. Should be interesting to see how the young loanees in defence cope again today.

Rowe as usual up front putting in a good shift. Seems an age since the last game, looking forward to it.

 

[bigmart]

Ian, you mean lowe not Rowe

 

[Ian]

Oops .. Definitely Lowe

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Do you think so? I really can't make up my mind about Robinson. For the first 10 minutes of the Wolves game he was poor, passes going astray, getting muscled out, then he came up with a sublime pass to set Ryan Lowe up for goal, which resulted in the Wolves red card. His stamina has never been good and he is far from match-fit after a lengthy absence. Walsall are a very fit, relatively young side and he might be better-equipped to make an impact coming off the bench.

I agree that his fitness is not great at the moment but he will only get fit by playing. In the position we are in, I just think we need as much quality and experience on the pitch as possible. Kirby is a steady -Eddy but he does not have the capacity to change a game that Robinson does (ie. the pass against Wolves you mention above, the ball for our goal v Gillingham, his all round performance and goal at Shrewsbury).

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Not the greatest performance today but I will gratefully accept a point after a poor first half display. Credit must go to the youngsters for showing good fighting spirit in the second half and digging out a draw.

The first half was really poor. No semblance of shape or balance, too many long balls punted forward and too many individual errors. Walsall were not scintillating, but they passed the ball better than us and you could see that they have used only twenty players all season: by contrast, we looked like a team of strangers, which is understandable when you consider the number of debutants / newcomers in the starting eleven. That said, I was really disappointed by the attitude of some of the senior players today: Robbo had a bad game, but kept running and shouting but Koumas did not look interested and sulked when he was deservedly substituted. Not the attitude we need in a relegation battle. The young players needed guidance in the frst half and they did not really get it. Aside from Jennings, the midfield was non-existent in the first forty five minutes.

After half time we showed more spirit and gradually worked our way into the game, without really creating any opportunities of note. Despite the improved showing I could not really see us scoring, so credit to Stockton and Kirby for the positive impact they made coming off the bench. James Rowe also had a decent second half.

Of the loanees, I thought Kennedy made several decent runs but was let down by his decision making at times. Arthurworrey seemed to struggle with his positioning early on, with Walsall having a couple of opportunites to add to their lead when we were caught square at the back. However, he improved as the game progressed and looks like he can do a decent job for us. I was less convinced by Pennington, who gave Lalkovic too much space at times and gave the ball away a fair bit: I would prefer to see Holmes back at right back as soon as possible. More generally, it was promising to see that the back four did not capitulate after we went behind as has happened aginst the better sides on a number of occasions this season.

The point just keeps our heads above water and the gate was slightly better than we have been getting, so there are some positives to take from today.

 

[Ian]

Not the greatest performance today but I will gratefully accept a point after a poor first half display. Credit must go to the youngsters for showing good fighting spirit in the second half and digging out a draw.

I agree. From the first half horror show and the fighting spirit seen in the second half, we done well getting a point. Robbo was disappointing and like Koumas seemed to chuck his dummy out when subbed (at least he didn't disappear down the tunnel).

Kirby was energetic when he came on and made a difference as did Stockton who made a goal out of nothing. Pleased for him. He has got a thumping shot, he should use it more, when given the chance of course.

I thought Kennedy was really good. Lots of energy, pacey, tricky on the ball, seems like a really good prospect. I think we'll see more of him as he gets some games under his belt.

The disappointing part for me was the lack of any midfield in the first half. We struggled for 45 minutes. Passes were poor, we couldn't keep hold of the ball and there was nothing creative in what we were doing. Walsall are a neat, tidy team and I think they'll do well this season. When half your team is made up of loanees, it's difficult to get any consistency in what your doing. It's going to be a tight one this season and we'll struggle to break out of that bottom half, but if we keep picking up points, let's hope it will be enough to keep us up.

 

[Sparky]

A good point in the end but it was another example when we have only played well for 45 mins.

Robbo and koumas were both poor and both were not happy but credit to Ronnie, the subs worked. I think this will be Robbos last season as good set pieces and good character are not enough IMO.

 

[Ian]

I wouldn't even say we played well for 45 minutes in the second half. It only changed when the subs came on and that was in the 65th minute! I was hoping Ronnie might have made changes at half time but that was asking a bit too much.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

While criticising Koumas for today's performance, I should add that he has been one of our best and most consistent players in the last couple of months and we will certainly need him if we are to survive. We can't have many more performances like today though. I know a lot of people would like to see the thirty-plus players put out to pasture, but there is so little general quality in this squad I think Koumas and Robbo still have a vital role to play.

I think we were correct to start with a 4-5-1 today but, as has been said on many occasions this season, Lowe was ridiculously isolated at times in the first sixty minutes. Kennedy did make an effort to get beyond the striker at times but the rest of the midfield were generally thirty yards away from Lowe. Even after going 4-4-2 in the second half we did not get enough men in the box on counter attacks or when the ball was out wide; at times I counted five Walsall shirts in the box to our one.

 

[bigmart]

For home games against times like Walsall Crewe etc we really need to be playing 4-4-2 and be more positive, Cole deserves a run of gams along side Lowe.

We were very fortunate to get a point as we were awful for the first hour and were lucky not to be further behind. Pennington needs to stay in the full back position more as hes giving the wideman far to much room. Robinson as very poor today as was Koumas, while Koumas has been playing ok & probably just deserves to stay in the side Robinson for me finished & Kirby should be back in the team.

I cant see us getting anything at Peterborough which means the Crewe game really is a must win.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Peterborough's form is absolutely atrocious at the moment, far worse than ours, so if we can defend as we have since the New Year I think we do have a chance next week.

Agree about Pennington. He also showed his inexperience in allowing Lalkovic to cut inside for the goal and actually relied on Kennedy to do his defensive work for him at times.

 

[frenchrover]

Tend to agree Bigmart, we showed Walsall far too much respect, particularly in the first half, by playing 4-5-1. Lowe ran his socks off but he is wasted trying to win long punts down the middle against defenders who are head and shoulders taller than him. For me this was 2 points lost rather than 1 won and the manager must take full responsibilty for this with the way the team was set up. He also needs to buy a new watch as in his post match interview he reckoned he made the double substitution and went 4-4-2 after 10 minutes of the second half when in fact it was 20 minutes into the second half, far too late. I really think the subs should have been made after we went a goal down such was the poor forward showing in the first half and the limited threat shown by Walsall.
For the life of me I cannot understand why Danny Holmes was not chosen ahead of Pennington as not only is he better defensively but would give more support and encouragement to Kennedy when pushing forward. But presumably we are now in the ridiculous situation of loanees having to be played from the start ahead of our own permanent players.
There is no doubt that Robbo and Koumas were poor today, and their reactions to being subbed was not very professionable, but one must acknowledge their frustration at having no outlet for forward movement other than the solitary, and heavily outnumbered, figure of the isolated Lowe.
With the next home game now being a critical 6 pointer we really must switch to 4-4-2 at home to have realistic chance of staying up.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

In fairness, we have started with a 4-4-2 against teams in the top half of the table on a number of occasions this season - and have generally conceded goals by the bucketload. Given the inexperience in our back four it is understandable that the manager wanted the protection of an extra man in midfield when playing a team seventh in the table, at least initially. It was definitely a point gained yesterday as Walsall are a better side than us this season.

I would like to see Holmes start ahead of Pennington, but when we are unavoidably dependent on the goodwill of other clubs to provide us with loan players we can not always have everything our own way. If we did not agree to play Pennington, would Kennedy be here for example ?

 

[Ian]

I have to agree with RLC regarding the result. Walsall are a better team and put simply, if we had started with 4-4-2, I think we would have been beaten by a few. However, it's still frustrating that we aren't more positive at home in some way because the first hour of that game was a waste of time. I think we may have mustered one shot on goal during that time. Hardly entertaining for the home supporters, and not a great advert for football at PP. Something needs to give..

 

[Boz]

Team selection a surprise in that Power would have been more of a like-for-like replacement for Wallace. Though couldn't begrudge Rowe the opportunity, having been overlooked after scoring the winner v Franchise.

The first half was terrible, don't think we had a shot. Walsall didn't look that brilliant, but were buoyed by the goal and could easily have increased their lead thereafter. I'd disagree with anyone who wants to pin all the blame on Pennington for the goal; from the time of Ridehalgh's misplaced pass, there was ample opportunity to block progress, while the shot itself looked capable of being saved had OFW got down quicker.

The second half was better, although we were aided by the visitors' time-wasting,when they perhaps should have gone for the jugular. However, it was obvious that neither Robinson or Koumas were having any positive impact on the game and were rightly substituted. Robbo's temper tantrum and subsequent rant on Twitter, must cast doubt on whether he has any future at the club. Fittingly both subs were involved in the goal, a decent finish by Stockton, although their keeper might feel he could have done better. Thereafter either side could have won it but a draw probably fair.

There were a few players below par yesterday. I thought OFWs distribution was poor never bowling it out when the full-backs were showing, kicking out of play and taking far too long to get the ball up especially near the end. Rowe can't tackle, so should have been pressing forward to act as a link with the lone forward Lowe, which did seem to happen more after the break. I'd agree Pennington does get pulled too readily into the centre, which was also a flaw in Tom Hateley's game, though he linked up quite well with Kennedy in the second half. Kennedy showed enough promise on his debut to give us hope for the rest of his stay.

Overall, things remain worrying and I can't see us putting clear blue water from the drop zone. As others have said the home game against Crewe becomes critical.