League Two Walsall (1) v Rovers (0)

[Sparky]

We’ve had some good chances so far and should have taken one.

Matt on for the hosts at half time

 

[Sparky]

FFS awful goal to concede

 

[Ian]

Need fresh legs on. Game still there for a point but we are lacking up front and also quite dodgy at the back but we gotta get forward and try and get the equaliser.

 

[Ian]

Saunders on for Dennis. Pike on for O'Connor.

 

[Ian]

McAlear on for Walker. 10 to go. Come on Rovers!

 

[Ian]

Threw everything at Walsall last 10 mins but couldnt score. The finishing was poor today, we had chances. Wonder if we'll ever win away from home?

 

[ONIGP]

At least the 3 teams below us all lost.

 

[bigmart]

At least the 3 teams below us all lost.

That's the only consolation from today, Sutton absolutely thrashed 8 0

 

[Boz]

Disappointing result although when I saw the defensive line-up was fearing much worse. How did the Yarney-Belehouan pairing work and has anything been said about the nature of Tom Davies’ injury? Swindon got thumped by Barrow today so a must win game before a couple of hard to call awaydays

 

[frenchrover]

Certainly a game we should have got something from. A really poor goal to concede...could McGee have reacted sooner, possibly. But why oh why didn't Adkins respond sooner with his substitutes, wiith over 30 minutes still to play, including stoppage time we could have put so much more pressure on what was reallly a dodgy Walsall defence. Dennis is an absolute waste of space, and proved no threat whatsoever to the Walsall defence. With him in the side it really is like playing with 10 men. And Hendry not much better. When, at last, the subs were made we really did give ourselves the chance of an equaliser, but far too little far too late I'm afraid Nige. Definitely points squandered today, just not good enough.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

At least the result guards against any complacency, with some people talking about play offs in the last week....... The only target this season is survival.

I have not seen the game, but don't agree with the above assessment of Dennis. He was actually instrumental in the victory last week, to give one example. I think he has suffered from the absence of Norris this season.

 

[Ian]

Walsall were quite poor but that does not say much about us unfortunately. Until this horrific away form improves, we will always struggle to climb the table.

 

[Sparky]

Another frustrating away day when after a positive first half we disappointed in the second.

First half we were overall comfortable with Yarney and Beloguan untroubled. Wood looked a bit dodgy but wasn’t helped with the sun in his eyes. We did create some good chances though and needed to take one. Both Dennis and Morris saw great chances saved and the former just couldn’t reach a cross by apter. It felt like a game that would finish 0-0 or 1-0 and their substitute of Matt at half time proved decisive.

Second half before the goal we were poor. Not able to string many passes together and conceded a poor goal. A diagonal long ball saw Matt get ahead of Beloguan and finish past McGee. You almost felt Walsall deliberately brought Matt on at half time to ruffle the feathers of our two centre backs especially young Jean.

After that we huffed and puffed but I never thought we’d score.

I was disappointed with Nigel’s changes though. Morris had a poor second half and Hawkes should have been on much much earlier. Just five minutes for last seasons top scorer and POY. Dennis had a bad day at the office and Jennings was fairly absent. I would have brought Jolley on at some point as we needed to change things up top and he did well at Mansfield. Saunders came on but to little effect.

Beloguan has the attributes of height pace and strength but does look raw at times and isn’t the best header of the ball. Hendry wasn’t great today and McAlear looked a bit lively.

Criticism of Dennis is a bit harsh as he has been good of late but as he has no pace he’ll be judged on putting chances away and today he missed a key one.

Other results weren’t too bad and we have a winnable home game next week but I felt today was a missed opportunity .

 

[dollar'sbloke]

Dennis cannot lead a line anymore than Hemmings could. He laid a golden chance for Hendry who didn't run for the 1-2, the latter realised immediately afterwards. Rather unlucky but they scored using a player off the bench we couldn't even start with, a targetman. If Nigel had 30 he can get rid of most of them, even some on display today. Hawkes with his step inside and look to shoot is so poor compared to Morris and Apter. The midfield looks really strong now and hard to set up against, just a shame about the powder puff attack.
We'll be fine

 

[Sparky]

Hawkes step inside and look to shoot wasn’t too bad last season with 10 league goals and a POY award. Yes he’s not been at it this season and Morris and Apter deserved to start but we needed a goal and Josh has that in his locker. Coming on at 86 minutes was pointless

 

[dollar'sbloke]

Hawkes step inside and look to shoot wasn’t too bad last season with 10 league goals and a POY award. Yes he’s not been at it this season and Morris and Apter deserved to start but we needed a goal and Josh has that in his locker. Coming on at 86 minutes was pointless

Thing is if you are a one trick pony, you get found out, I think he has been. The fact is once we resolved to getting crosses in through desperation, the game was gone, we literally have nothing to aim at. Where has Taylor gone to again, we had two fullbacks on the bench, and frankly I see him as the option when Apter goes.

 

[Boz]

Haven't seen anything beyond the brief highlights for today's game, which suggested a fairly event contest. The marking should have been tighter on Matt for the winning goal, but it was a good finish from a difficult angle.

I remain undecided about Dennis. He used his experience to win us a few decisions in the Newport game and played fairly well including the shot off the woodwork in the preamble to Jennings winner, but not sure he's going to be that prolific, even with Adkins setting up the side more to his strengths than Dawes did.

Suspect Hawkes has been absent recently in part due to a reluctance to do little defensive work when playing out wide, while he offers much less of a goal threat than Apter. He did quite well as a left wing back in one of the Pizza Cup games under Micky, so defending is something that is in his locker and if he shows a willingness to use that side of his game too may force his way back into contention.

 

[Sparky]

Agree with Boz about Hawkes. Both apter and Morris do their fair share of defensive work which was never a strong point of Joshs

 

[Ian]

I'm still unsure about Dennis although the way he was deployed is just not his style. He didn't have enough support and he does not have great pace so ends up becoming too isolated.

 

[ADD]

Thought Walsall were a decent side to be fair - better than perhaps I had expected. Quicker than us in the first half to the loose balls and they missed an absolute sitter as well from the edge of the 6 yard box. That said on another day we would have scored 2 or 3 ourselves in the first half. Apter looked good again I thought but needs to be given more of the ball. Belehouan despite being partially at fault for the goal (I also thought McGee could probably have stayed on his line given Matt was running away from goal) did pretty well I felt and suspect long term he will do better than Yarney.
Shame we didn't get anything from the game with Morris having a late chance which on another day he would score from but overall we were pretty solid and ultimately had enough chances to at least get a point from the game.
Re Dennis I disagree with Frenchrover - he most definitely is not a "waste of space" and I really hope he doesn't start getting the "Hemmmings" treatment. He is a clever footballer at this level but yes like Hemmings last season is being played in a formation that does not suit given he has no target man to feed off.
Final point, I really don't get why Taylor seems to have been frozen out completely now (despite being given a new contract). Our most natural goal scorer by far of the young players and he can't even get on the bench. Curious to say the least....