[CONFIRMED] Brandy joins Walsall on Loan

[OllyBlade]

As a Walsall fan, I can assure you the answer is yes. Especially when Brandy gives us the extra dimension to get us into the play offs.

He ripped defences apart for us last season, when we persisted with him, and built his confidence after a slow start. Perhaps we just have a decent manager that can get the best out of players? He's done it with many other cast offs, a few from non league Hereford.

Dean Smith asked the players if they were happy to have him back this time, and they gave Smith their approval so presumably he's not a dressing room trouble maker either.

As for Cuvelier - a truly class act. The only downside is he only really excels playing behind a front man/two. Again, it's about mangers getting the best from players, not just signing players rated elsewhere then not having a clue what to do with them. It is a team game after all.

You could do well to remember that before writing players off. It can't help your aim to be successful.

Good luck for the rest of the season.

Cuvelier's problem, if his best position is behind the striker, is that we have Baxter playing there. They both arrived at the same time, and struggled, but Baxter has been able to force his way back into contention. Cuvelier hasn't for whatever reason. With Baxter scoring a few and looking one of our better players hard to see how Cuvelier features.

And you may well be right about having a manager who can get the best from players, and it being a team game, but remember you need team mates who will complement the skill set. We don't move the ball quickly enough for Brandy to exploit his pace, due to midfielders who are fairly limited.

Additionally, you can hardly accuse the manager not getting the best out of Brandy for his 2 red cards, nor his appalling miss vs MK Dons. I'm afraid those were hardly the sign of mismanagement, rather the sign of someone who can't cope with the pressure of a move to a much bigger club and having pressure on him from 17000 fans to deliver and produce. And I know you might object to my implying you are a small club, but that is certainly the way Brandy felt about his move, I would argue.

 

[Guesty]

Excellent, he was utter wank and a complete liability. Where was this 'added dimension/something different' he offered us then? Other than the ever lurking threat of violence?

 

[Barry Blunt]

Excellent, he was utter wank and a complete liability. Where was this 'added dimension/something different' he offered us then? Other than the ever lurking threat of violence?

Keep your eye on The Football League Show and I'm sure you'll see it soon.

 

[Guesty]

Keep your eye on The Football League Show and I'm sure you'll see it soon.

Just because he might do it for you doesn't change the fact that we're better off without him. One assist and two red cards. Any winger who gets sent off more than he makes goals isn't worth spit.

 

[Barry Blunt]

Cuvelier's problem, if his best position is behind the striker, is that we have Baxter playing there. They both arrived at the same time, and struggled, but Baxter has been able to force his way back into contention. Cuvelier hasn't for whatever reason. With Baxter scoring a few and looking one of our better players hard to see how Cuvelier features.

And you may well be right about having a manager who can get the best from players, and it being a team game, but remember you need team mates who will complement the skill set. We don't move the ball quickly enough for Brandy to exploit his pace, due to midfielders who are fairly limited.

Additionally, you can hardly accuse the manager not getting the best out of Brandy for his 2 red cards, nor his appalling miss vs MK Dons. I'm afraid those were hardly the sign of mismanagement, rather the sign of someone who can't cope with the pressure of a move to a much bigger club and having pressure on him from 17000 fans to deliver and produce. And I know you might object to my implying you are a small club, but that is certainly the way Brandy felt about his move, I would argue.

We are a small club, no doubt about it. But that gives an advantage you don't have. A tight knit togetherness between club, manager, players and fans. An all-in-it-together spirit that gets the best from players.

I'm sure you all hate being down here, but I've watched Walsall half a dozen times at your place, and your fans have been very quiet or negative if you're not stuffing little old Walsall early on.

Anyway Brandy has started for us tonight, and looks on fire, so I'm gonna get on with watching the game.

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

Reminds me of when that lady sent her unruly adopted Russian kid back to Moscow

 

[JohnDenver]

His downfall may have been creativity, Mr C seems not to like that and appears to be shipping out anyone that has any

Creativity? I've not seen Brandy create much since the first game of the season. He's got talent and a trick or two, but his output in terms of crossing and assists has been next to nothing.

If he could turn his skill into output, great, but I've not seen enough to mourn his departure.

 

[Pedro Verde]

I think Brandy got off to a bad start and hasnt recovered from it. The spell back at Wallsall may do him good if he knuckles down and starts playing well I would have back after a month.
With regard to Cuvelier hes hardly had a chance played a bit for Weir and for some reason Clough has not given him any game time its not fair to judge the player on the little we have seen from him

 

[highpeakblade]

Just to clear up the tripe that /\/\ he said /\/\ I am listening to the Walsall match via Blades Player live now and Brandy hasn't had that much of a mention so can't be in the game much so looks like he's speaking bull!

 

[Blade59]

Brandy offers something different to what we already have. I accept he hasn't shown it in a positive way so far. It remains to be seen who comes in but if it is players similar to what we already have I will be disappointed. we need to have options to change things when things aren't working. I don't see this in the squad at the moment.

 

[JohnDenver]

Just to clear up the tripe that /\/\ he said /\/\ I am listening to the Walsall match via Blades Player live now and Brandy hasn't had that much of a mention so can't be in the game much so looks like he's speaking bull!

Check his username too.

**yawn**

 

[Deadbat]

Must be a good game and Brandy must really be on fire if you can watch and post long messages on here

Brandy may well return and do well for Walsall but he was poor for us aside from maybe a spell in the odd game (Notts County for instance). Two stupid red cards/numerous other dives to the deck. He did not make one goal or score one goal and could not establish himself under 2 managers.

Despite that he did offer something for us (pace and running) that we do not have. The fact I would have probably have still kept him says more about the rest than him.

Sadly from his point of view, he got a move to a big club, chance to play in front of bigger crowds (and who knows earn a move even higher) and he blew it.

Maybe we have a problem in that some players do better as big fishes in small ponds (Brandy, Cuvelier) but if these pplayers want to do it higher level then surely they would stand out regardless of tactics/systems/managers etc. Both have done next to nothing.

I am not massively concerned about them going and only temper this feeling with the fact I am more worried with the dross we have left. They have proven no better than much of this dross but probably no worse and you could argue they have had less games. Collins, Doyle et al have been consistenly rubbish for years but keep getting picked. To those who say well managers must see something; then surely these are the same managers who keep failing and getting sacked?

I agree with the intention to cull some of the underperforming rubbish and to be honest for me I would get rid of lot but that is not practical at the moment and Clough has gone a bit far without failing to get the replacements in.

Still at least I might get a game at Saturday way things are going.....

 

[Wards]

Thing is, when he played, opposition defenders tended to double up on him - leaving space elsewhere. Admittedly his output wasn't always great but he did create problems and did put full backs on the back foot. That can be just as effective as creating space elsewhere on the pitch and stretching the shape out of a team which, if we weren't so bloody shite, we should be exploiting.

Fill your team with one dimensional players and guess what? We'll be even more predictable to play against!

Edit: And DB you're correct - we've persevered for seasons with players that haven't performed. We've dropped lower and lower in the standings since Doyle/Collins joined us but it's not right to slate them? To be honest I can't even remember if it's cool or not to slag them off anymore. Fact is they're poor players who've played prominent roles in our decline.

 

[Sirius]

I thought he was the only one offering something different, he has the ability to change a game, something with perhaps the exception of Baxter, no one else can do. I would have kept him as an impact sub, there are many others who could go out on loan before him.

Game changing,he certainlyis. Getting himself sent off certainly changes a game, and those for which he is suspended. We'll done Nigel, we can do better with the freed up wages.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Maybe we have a problem in that some players do better as big fishes in small ponds (Brandy, Cuvelier) but if these pplayers want to do it higher level then surely they would stand out regardless of tactics/systems/managers etc.

If players do well at similar levels before and after they play for us, maybe it does say something about our tactics/systems/managers?

 

[Bladesway]

That's it then. They must be shit.

After all, both of them were shit at their other clubs and there are no other clubs wanting them on loan.

Throw 'em both in the skip.

It's okay though, we've players like Doyle and Porter who have been consistently brilliant for us over the past few seasons

The irony is you would have us keep the shit players so we can replace the shit players with more shit players. You have the cheek then to insinuate I am the one with a problem?

If we reach the end of the transfer window and we are weaker than we were then it won't be because we offloaded Brandy or the rest of the clag, it will be because we didn't replace them with better players. That in my opinion would be a real challenge for even the worst football manager.

 

[Silent Blade]

A tight knit togetherness between club, manager, players and fans. An all-in-it-together spirit that gets the best from players.

That is a good quote explaining why some small clubs do better than big clubs. That is something we have not had for years. We had that from 1970 to 1973 when John Harris preferred a small squad and didnt sign many players. I miss that

 

[Guesty]

If players do well at similar levels before and after they play for us, maybe it does say something about our tactics/systems/managers?

That's bizarre Bergen, the quote says I posted it and I got a notification but those are not my words!

Deadbat and me getting all mixed up in here...

 

[Foxy]

That's bizarre Bergen, the quote says I posted it and I got a notification but those are not my words!

Deadbat and me getting all mixed up in here...

I'd hazard a guess that Bergen Blade clicked to quote your post above and then replaced the quote content with the content of Deadbat's post. If you click the little arrow, it'll take you to the post it was in theory quoted from.

 

[Guesty]

I'd hazard a guess that @Bergen clicked to quote your post above and then replaced the quote content with the content of Deadbat's post. If you click the little arrow, it'll take you to the post it was in theory quoted from.

I assumed he was going to quote me, then found something more interesting!

 

[Bergen Blade]

I'd hazard a guess that @Bergen clicked to quote your post above and then replaced the quote content with the content of Deadbat's post. If you click the little arrow, it'll take you to the post it was in theory quoted from.

I think I first meant to write a reply to Guesty, then decided against it, and later wrote a reply to Deadbat instead. Maybe I didn't wipe out everything from the first reply?

 

[Foxy]

I think I first meant to write a reply to Guesty, then decided against it, and later wrote a reply to Deadbat instead. Maybe I didn't wipe out everything from the first reply?

This

 

[sheffielder]

I think I first meant to write a reply to Guesty, then decided against it, and later wrote a reply to Deadbat instead. Maybe I didn't wipe out everything from the first reply?

What did your mum always say about wiping properly!

 

[AstonBlade4Life]

Not sure what we are doing here - we seem to be off loading players with quality who (given the chance) have the ability to change games (perhaps they are'nt in the Cloughie click), with unwanted dross. We must now have the slowest strike force in all four leagues!

 

[Gibbo89]

Not sure what we are doing here - we seem to be off loading players with quality who (given the chance) have the ability to change games (perhaps they are'nt in the Cloughie click), with unwanted dross. We must now have the slowest strike force in all four leagues!

Which players with quality???? We haven't had any since Ched got banged up. Brandy may have ability but he's been very good at hiding it since he arrived at S2. As has been said the only game changing he's done is getting sent off twice.

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

I would have sold him, not a fan of loaning players out.
If he's on your books may as well keep him.
I won't miss him though, you can't keep getting sent off. At least not unless you're Messi or summat.

 

[AstonBlade4Life]

Which players with quality???? We haven't had any since Ched got banged up. Brandy may have ability but he's been very good at hiding it since he arrived at S2. As has been said the only game changing he's done is getting sent off twice.

Both Brandy and Cuvelier have more ability than players currently selected in their respective positions, but seem too hot for Mr Clough to handle. We currently have two "solid" central midfielders neither of whom have any flair or ability to create - hence we barely trouble the magnificent Notts County defence in 90 minutes! As for Ched, let's just hope we have a pre contract agreement in place!

 

[Deadbat]

I would have sold him, not a fan of loaning players out.
If he's on your books may as well keep him.
I won't miss him though, you can't keep getting sent off. At least not unless you're Messi or summat.

Tend to agree to some extent UNLESS we use the wages from offloading Williams, Westlake, Brandy, Taylor, Cuvelier, King (although cost more to pay off probably) etc to bring in 2 or 3 significantly better players.

As it stands now we have a wafer thin squad with utterly no options to bring in if (cough) the current players do not perform. Even if Brandy or Taylor had scored/made one goal between now and the end of the season then it may have contributed to us staying up. Ok, they have not done it so far admittedly. They are not contributing to us staying up by playing elsewhere (waits for the smart arse that says unless they score against our rivals at the bottom!).

I think he has to bring in some players now as if he does not only the poor form of the current players but any injuries and we have had it and will be relying on kids. I think and hope Clough wont have allowed so many to go before having a few lined up but the clock is ticking.

 

[Gibbo89]

Both Brandy and Cuvelier have more ability than players currently selected in their respective positions, but seem too hot for Mr Clough to handle. We currently have two "solid" central midfielders neither of whom have any flair or ability to create - hence we barely trouble the magnificent Notts County defence in 90 minutes! As for Ched, let's just hope we have a pre contract agreement in place!

I'll agree with your last point for sure we could do with him now. Personally I feel sorry for Cuvelier as he hasn't had a real chance since he arrived. Maybe a spell out on loan (with a recall clause) would be the best thing for both him and us. In our current predicament giving him a run with us would be a big risk. As for Brandy I agreed that he may have ability but he has been given the chance to show it (when he hasn't been suspended) and so far hasn't shown much (enough) quality. Petulance maybe.

 

[Barry Blunt]

I think some of you missed my point. Why was he petulant for you in a few games, but not for all for all of last season? Poor discipline at the club? Frustrating at poor players around him? Not sure, but the person hasn't changed.

Anyway, sponsors MOTM tonight, although wouldn't have been mine in the end, but made a difference and played a big part in our goal.

Top 6 now, with more to come. If you all want rid of him so much, we'll be able to offer Championship football to him next season. Tara a bit.