Barnsleh vs Warsaw

[Saddlerrad]

Well, our season erupted on Saturday - not because of the result, more because of the injuries. Sam Mantom went off on a stretcher, James O'Connor has been injured since Burton, Neil Etheridge went off needing 10 stitches in his leg after the game and Andy Taylor finished the game feeling his knee - if ever we needed a Tuesday off, this was it.

George Evans has come in on loan for a month and could bolster the central midfield position - Sam Mantom is arguably one of the better CM's in the division so it's a HUGE blow for us that he's missing for an extended period of time and with the injuries in defence we could theoretically be playing a back four made up of Paul Downing and 3 first senior season youth youngsters. We have started the season exceptionally well, but we simply don't have the budget to cover every position with quality/decent replacements and so our team is potentially missing 3 or 4 absolute first XI, experienced heads tonight. The prospect makes me shudder a little.

When you add that to the confidence knock from Saturday, the poor defending, the injuries and our terrible, terrible performance at Oakwell last season, I can see this getting very, very ugly quite quickly this evening.

I'd absolutely snap your hands off for a point now, but I think a repeat of last season is on.

Really well done to anybody that can make it, I doubt it will be more than 120-150 odd with Colchester coming away on Saturday too.

3-0 Barnsley I fear and the wheels firmly off.

(Please prove me wrong Saddlers).

 

[Saddlerrad]

Taylor, Mantom, O'Connor and Etheridge all missing. We've got a centre back playing his 2nd ever senior game, our back up keeper, Paul Downing who needs a leader next to him and 18 year old Rico Henry at left back. Evans comes into central midfield with Adam Chambers. Forde and Milan wide.

That's our weakest 11 for a very, very long time. Youth team keeper on the bench.

MacGillivray

Demetriou
Preston
Downing
Henry

Lalkovic
Evans
Chambers
Forde

Sawyers
Bradshaw.


If we get a point, I'll be amazed - this could be a very long night.

Barnsley 2/1 with the Bookies is an all time farce.

Expecting a big defeat here.

 

[WFC]

Don't know much about Barnsley apart from they aren't doing that well at the moment so to expect a heavy defeat is a little odd. Even with a few players out.

Would take a draw now.

 

[WFC]

2-0 Get in lads fucking class

 

[Saddlerrad]

Fucking ace.

Love being proven wrong - please continue to show me I'm a pessimistic idiot lads!

That's result of the season - easily, with that defence on display. Bodes very well for the future. Lovely to see Milan get a goal.

2 goals conceded on the road now, 3 defeats in 22! That's better than how bad some of the Smith 16 game winless runs were.

 

[Hurrikeen]

Barnsley screaming "Johnson out" yet?

 

[Craig]

'Result of the season'

We're shit and have been for most of the season so far getting beaten by teams doing far worse than Walsall, where as Walsall have had a great start to the season.

Not unexpected in the slightest.

 

[Saddlerrad]

'Result of the season'

We're shit and have been for most of the season so far getting beaten by teams doing far worse than Walsall, where as Walsall have had a great start to the season.

Not unexpected in the slightest.

Circumstances...we are Walsall.

Youth team, 4 key players missing who have started virtually every game this season.

Our back 4 and keeper are barely through puberty. Great result.

 

[Craig]

Frickley Athletic could beat us at the moment.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Jeff said something along the lines of it being our first win at Oakwell since 1971 too. As I said. Circumstances. Barnsleys team is decent on paper.

 

[Craig]

On paper means nothing, I wouldn't get so defensive either, I'm not having a pop. Circumstances are we are shit and tactically inept and Walsall, injuries or not, are doing well and full of confidence.

3 points away from home is always a good result, regardless of the opposition, but nobody should be at all surprised by the result, I'm certainly not and I've seen us play more than once this season.

 

[SaddlerJonny]

Solid win, all the youngsters did very well. Evans was very good and took his goal well, didn't expect him to score from there considering the amount of bodies on the line when he turned. Clever placement. Confidence booster and the response we needed. Felt first half was a very nervy and close affair, both teams very nervous to make mistakes and try anything risky. Tense yet a touch boring.

Different half we came out with our heads up ready to attack and come out of our shell, Barnsley didn't, and I think that was the difference. Bradshaw dominated both their centre halves all game, don't think Bradshaw will win that amount of long or channell balls all season. Craig MacGillivray helped with a unbelievable point black save straight from the Neil Cutler school of goalkeeping, a save we saw O'Donnell make many times. This came from Barnsley's only ever threatening part which was from corners.

Barnsley changed shape about 3 times looking for a way through, but they were so 1 dimensional with some horrendous final balls that were very easy to deal with. They were compact and strong into second balls but had nothing to really aim at when they won it. Smith was awful for them, no outball for anyone and wasn't in the game at all.

 

[WFC]

I wasn't too surprised we won, was more edging towards a draw though...but Barnsley (so far) are pap this season, and we ain't.