United 1 Walsall 0 - report

[Grecian2000]

Agree Pat,sport is a results driven game, imagine if we played the opposition of the park week in ,week out, and yet continued to get beaten

Have you any examples of this phenomenon?

It is a pretty reliable "rule of thumb" that those teams that regularly play other teams off the park do rather well overall in the results column. On the other hand, it is very rare indeed, for a team to perform badly over a lengthy period and be successful.
The old saying "It's the sign of a good team when they play badly and win" is based on teams who perform well on the majority of occasions and still manage to win when they dip below their usual standard.

I've said it many times, get the performance right and the results will follow (as we did last season). The way we are playing at the moment gives me cause for optimism because I think we've hung in and can get better, it also gives me cause for concern because if we don't improve then the results will start to falter.

 

[MobileBlade]

Walsall's manager on Long's clearance from McDonald's backpass:



http://www.expressandstar.com/sport...ean-smith-fuming-at-rough-justice-on-walsall/

The direction the ball went is usually a good indication of who got there first.

 

[Northyorksblade]

difficult to say mate.. sometimes i can't tell them apart
kmac's problem Olle is that he has no one to pass to.. the fullbacks simply don't make runs into space.. macmahon..currently on the short list for new scapegoat is usually miles behind him

Well one is about 6 inches taller than the other and has a beard

 

[JohnDenver]

The direction the ball went is usually a good indication of who got there first.

I did wonder why the Walsall fans were going on and on. From my angle (not a good one), it looked a 50-50 and the ball got trapped between the players before pinging off. Maybe we got lucky.

 

[MobileBlade]

I did wonder why the Walsall fans were going on and on. From my angle (not a good one), it looked a 50-50 and the ball got trapped between the players before pinging off. Maybe we got lucky.

Ball went out for a throw-in about halfway inside the half.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

I've said it many times, get the performance right and the results will follow

Sometimes. It's not always the case. Early on this season I saw Southampton put in some terrific performances but they weren't getting anything. Basically due to a combination of playing against very good teams and making a few slight errors at the back. On the other hand teams can be under par for a prolonged period and get results.....tends to happen further down the leagues and perhaps is with ourselves currently.

For me its a quality issue. The further down you are, the worse your team will be but the lower the standard will be. With every promotion the bar is raised until good performances are a must. I genuinely dont believe you have to play consistently well in this league to achieve a high finish. Many teams have proved that in the past. I can recall a couple of other examples of teams being generally unimpressive having still gained promotion. Then you look towards the upper echelons and have Arsenal who have been playing beautiful entertaining football for years but haven't won a trophy in ages.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Have you any examples of this phenomenon?

It is a pretty reliable "rule of thumb" that those teams that regularly play other teams off the park do rather well overall in the results column. On the other hand, it is very rare indeed, for a team to perform badly over a lengthy period and be successful.
The old saying "It's the sign of a good team when they play badly and win" is based on teams who perform well on the majority of occasions and still manage to win when they dip below their usual standard.

I've said it many times, get the performance right and the results will follow (as we did last season). The way we are playing at the moment gives me cause for optimism because I think we've hung in and can get better, it also gives me cause for concern because if we don't improve then the results will start to falter.

Agree mr G, but my main concern is out of this league,would I like to see football played the right way you bet ya,will it happen this year not with this squad, but I'm optimistic also, we've got some good young un's coming through goalkeepers for a start,when we get promoted Wilsons team and squad will be able to be bolstered by tried and trusted young un's from within and players with exp from outside,so yes apart from 8 clubs at the top of the prem, that saying is true, for the rest, and us its just a dream,

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Agree mr G, but my main concern is out of this league,would I like to see football played the right way you bet ya,will it happen this year not with this squad, but I'm optimistic also, we've got some good young un's coming through goalkeepers for a start,when we get promoted Wilsons team and squad will be able to be bolstered by tried and trusted young un's from within and players with exp from outside,so yes apart from 8 clubs at the top of the prem, that saying is true, for the rest, and us its just a dream,

Pretty much see it the same way. I can understand the frustration and see where Grecian and sp are coming from when I look at it from a performance point of view but I never had any false hope that we would be tip-tapping teams off the park. When I looked at our squad compared to last season I knew it was going to take some time for us to gel and that we may not be quite as prolific in front of goal but was optimistic that we could still do well in this division.

I'm not naive enough to think we wont have to up our performances if we're promoted. This team playing the way it is would not be good enough to survive in the Championship. We would need a minimum of half a dozen new players and our current better players would need to up their game a little. For now though, its just about good enough and the league table shows that.

 

[sitwell]

I did wonder why the Walsall fans were going on and on. From my angle (not a good one), it looked a 50-50 and the ball got trapped between the players before pinging off. Maybe we got lucky.

I sit right in line ,Long got there first ,Smith is clutching at the smallest of straws.
As for the game ,its a strange one for Utd to play against a team intent on defending deep when they are losing ,bizzare circumstances made it a crap game.

 

[ZoneManWilf]

Which is the left back, hill or Williams?

I think between being sarcy and clever no-one actually answered this for you

Williams (#30 i think) was the left back and is usually not very good, but he played well last night. Hill's the centre half in place of Collins who usually plays left back.

 

[Bladesway]

Hoping this is the first of a few games at the lane for me this season but make no bones about it we were awful. This division is awful, there is absolutely no quality anywhere and i include us in that. No pace, no creativity and no idea. But there are good players in our squad, no doubt about it. Whether it is a team still gelling, whether it is wilson not knowing his best eleven or whether it is something else I don't know. Neither does anyone else on here in spite of many experts pretnding they know. All I know is that we are unbeaten and averaging 2 points per game. If that gets us out of this hell then things might get better. Until then suck it up everyone, it is where we are.

 

[Bladesway]

Oh and to add, Long,Hill, Maguire and Williams were excellent. The rest were poor.

 

[SwissBlade]

I think between being sarcy and clever no-one actually answered this for you

Williams (#30 i think) was the left back and is usually not very good, but he played well last night. Hill's the centre half in place of Collins who usually plays left back.

Huh? It was a genuine question on my part I didn't know who was who... I know one played for us last year but was crap.

Define played well?!? I thought going forward he looked decent, but defensively was one of the worst defensive performances I've seen from a left back. I would've just played with 3 at the back instead.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Many fans cried out for a change of style following years of more direct football. We've certainly got that. Unfortunately, it's gone too far. We overdo the passing, go backwards and sideways instead of forwards, have nobody who can beat a man or run at the opposition at pace. Add to this our ultra negative approach and I can see many more tense ends to a game as we try to cling on to what we have.

Winning is everything for me - well almost - so as long as we keep winning I'll be happy enough. But I do have concerns that we can't keep playing so poorly and getting results. Oh for some pace, power and trickery in the team

 

[blade too long]

if its a sign of a good side to win ugly when not convincing , then we are bloody brilliant

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Many fans cried out for a change of style following years of more direct football. We've certainly got that. Unfortunately, it's gone too far. We overdo the passing, go backwards and sideways instead of forwards, have nobody who can beat a man or run at the opposition at pace. Add to this our ultra negative approach and I can see many more tense ends to a game as we try to cling on to what we have.

Winning is everything for me - well almost - so as long as we keep winning I'll be happy enough. But I do have concerns that we can't keep playing so poorly and getting results. Oh for some pace, power and trickery in the team

You've hit the nail on the head.

It's just pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass pass with 80% of them going backwards and sidewards.

 

[diplomat]

I sit right in line ,Long got there first ,Smith is clutching at the smallest of straws.
As for the game ,its a strange one for Utd to play against a team intent on defending deep when they are losing ,bizzare circumstances made it a crap game.

Agree. I sit in line with the penalty area and long got there first. It looked like he was going to block tackle him but actually got there before and got a leg on the ball before the striker. Never any consideration of it ever being remotely a foul for me.

 

[Pinchy]

Many fans cried out for a change of style following years of more direct football. We've certainly got that. Unfortunately, it's gone too far. We overdo the passing, go backwards and sideways instead of forwards, have nobody who can beat a man or run at the opposition at pace. Add to this our ultra negative approach and I can see many more tense ends to a game as we try to cling on to what we have.

Winning is everything for me - well almost - so as long as we keep winning I'll be happy enough. But I do have concerns that we can't keep playing so poorly and getting results. Oh for some pace, power and trickery in the team

And of course Hoof is, as we all know, the only way to win games. All the successful teams play aimless, percentage kick and rush. History shows that proper football achieves nothing. How foolish are those Brazilians, Argentinians and Spaniards?

Gerritupfield! The We ❤ Hoof Brigade is alive and well.

Will some of us never learn?

 

[grafikhaus]

Many fans cried out for a change of style following years of more direct football. We've certainly got that. Unfortunately, it's gone too far. We overdo the passing, go backwards and sideways instead of forwards, have nobody who can beat a man or run at the opposition at pace. Add to this our ultra negative approach and I can see many more tense ends to a game as we try to cling on to what we have.

Winning is everything for me - well almost - so as long as we keep winning I'll be happy enough. But I do have concerns that we can't keep playing so poorly and getting results. Oh for some pace, power and trickery in the team

Exactly. This much-vaunted 'new' style of play is something more and more teams are adopting. First it was Swansea and now more teams think 'possession' is the be-all-and-end-all.

Apparently, RS were going on about the fact we had 61% of possession on Tuesday. So what? We've turned into a team of Leon Brittans, thinking a safe sideways or backward ball is a 'result'. But when it comes to playing the kind of ball that unlocks defences (or even corners or free kicks), we're abysmal.

It's like watching rugby - sideways across the pitch, back again and a big punt. Pichy, there is something in between our (pretty cowardly) style and hoof. Trouble is, all these useless managers and 'coaches' who think 'getting mi badges' bestows true football knowledge on them are hiding behind meaningless possession stats. Sure everybody wants to play like Barcelona but, skills aside, they don't seem to realise the bloody hard work teams like Barca, Dortmund, Ajax etc. put in.

Another style that's passing a lot of teams by is the 'bombing' full backs. We just sell ours (Walker, Naughton, Lowton).

Next season, I'm thinking of getting a 'Half Season Ticket'. One that lets me in for just the second half, 'cos sod all is happening in the first half.

 

[ZoneManWilf]

Huh? It was a genuine question on my part I didn't know who was who... I know one played for us last year but was crap.

Define played well?!? I thought going forward he looked decent, but defensively was one of the worst defensive performances I've seen from a left back. I would've just played with 3 at the back instead.

I know, that why I answered it...

They both played for us last year and they were both crap.

Hill has played better by quite a bit this year especially defensively and has filled in well for Collins. Williams has been poor but had a decent game on Tuesday IMO, certainly better then he has been.

 

[super_pig]

Many fans cried out for a change of style following years of more direct football. We've certainly got that. Unfortunately, it's gone too far. We overdo the passing, go backwards and sideways instead of forwards, have nobody who can beat a man or run at the opposition at pace.

scream!! no we aren't playing passing football this year.. 6 passes across the back .. pass to double marked kmac and he lays it back for it to be hoofed into the corner by harry or hill is NOT passing football

 

[ZoneManWilf]

Exactly. This much-vaunted 'new' style of play is something more and more teams are adopting. First it was Swansea and now more teams think 'possession' is the be-all-and-end-all.

Yeah that Swansea are doing terrible.

Possession of the ball when you have better players means you dictate the game, last year time and time again we struggled to break teams down in the first half, but our superior possession meant us winning in the 2nd. We were patient and it worked.

On Tuesday night, one of the few portions of decent possession when we held the ball was actually greeted with derision by some of the crowd. We actually played possession football much less against Walsall IMO and gave the ball back even against 10 men way too much instead of actually keeping it and being patient searching for an opening.

 

[super_pig]

after years of harry, colin and hoofy our fans just aren't used to it and think the Currie and Woody monkeys are dinosaurs
'forgive them lord. they know not what they do'.. or summat

 

[Ollessendro]

A few of us who were at the game the other night and were critical have taken a bit of stick. I do not think that sp, Grecian, DB and I re under any illusions that we will see Barca-esque stuff at the Lane. Personally I am dead chuffed that we are 3rd and unbeaten. I was not expecting to see us dicking teams (after losing Lowton, Willo, Ched and Quinn) however our conservatism pisses me off. It is a bit unfair to equate Wilson with Blackwell, as the fomer sets his team up to attack but then sits back after we are in the lead, wheareas the latter just set up to defend and nick a goal. The frustrating thing is that when you look at Kitson, Blackman, Flynn and K Mac you see we have enough quality to put teams to the sword and score at least a 2nd. That said, we do look rock solid in most games and rarely looked like conceding in all the games I have seen. I can kind of forgive Wilson for trying to get Charlton-esque success this time around.

As well as the entertainment factor, not killing teams off etc I look at the fixture list and wonder if we can sustain this type of form playing the way we are. We have Swindon (A), MK Dons (A), Stevenage (H), Brentford (A), Carlisle (A), Tranmere (H) and Crawley (A). Other than Crewe at home sandwiched in there, there are no easy fixtures. In fact, after Pompey on Monday we really run the gaunlet. That is a horrible run of fixtures. If we come out of those fixtures in a similar position to where we are now, I will start to believe. If we grind ut 1 nil wins against these teams, I will not give fook. If the games are turgid, boring and just horrible spectacles I will not give a fuck if we are rock solid and beat these teams. As much as I would like to see us smashing teams, I will snatch your hand off at at a bunch of 1-0's between now and xmas. I think part of the reason why many have been critical is that it has been poor opposition that we have struggled against.

It is done now. Time to face Pompey and hopefully get another home win. Then we move into nightmare November which will really see if this team is made of steel (or wire wool). I will happily come out and say I am a know nowt that got it wrong if the Blades are still in automatic contention when we host Scunny on boxing day.

 

[Northyorksblade]

Out of the last 7 games Portsmouth have won 4, drawn 1 and lost 2. They aren't going to be a pushover.

 

[metalblade]

That seems a fair assessment Ollie, out of the bottom 12 teams we have played 10 of them, it will be 11 of the bottom 12 after Monday. Between now and Xmas we will see what we are made of up to now we have played very few decent teams. Like they say you can only beat what is put in front of you it is the manner of how we have got the points up to now which causes some concern.

 

[William Large]

I would like to seee Miller start with Kitson. Miller did more in 20 mins than Blackman did all game. He looked dangerous and really stretched their defence.


Would have to agree with this, Kitson looked good first half when he was holding the ball up, but there was little movement around him and constantly no one in the box for a cross. The frustrating thing for me was that for all the passing from side to side, the forwards weren't looking for a through ball and were static for most of the second half until Miller came on. Almost instantly he made a run throught the middle and was unlucky not to create something. I think that part of the problem is the movement up front which means that we don't have an outlet. That said - just play Flynn on the right for a change. Maybe he would have the confidence to take on the right back and be able to whip a ball into the box. I think he is a decent player (sadly lacking in pace for a winger tho).

 

[Bergen Blade]

I would like to seee Miller start with Kitson. Miller did more in 20 mins than Blackman did all game. He looked dangerous and really stretched their defence.


Would have to agree with this, Kitson looked good first half when he was holding the ball up, but there was little movement around him and constantly no one in the box for a cross. The frustrating thing for me was that for all the passing from side to side, the forwards weren't looking for a through ball and were static for most of the second half until Miller came on. Almost instantly he made a run throught the middle and was unlucky not to create something. I think that part of the problem is the movement up front which means that we don't have an outlet. That said - just play Flynn on the right for a change. Maybe he would have the confidence to take on the right back and be able to whip a ball into the box. I think he is a decent player (sadly lacking in pace for a winger tho).

When there's no rythm to the passing, when Doyle and McDonald pass back to a defender because they are being closed down well it gets difficult for the forwards to time their runs. When Miller ran onto McMahon's through ball it was an exception where we finally had a couple of forward movements happening at the same and right time.

I see some want to make this a debate about pass vs hoof again, but there's more to it than that. Conservatism is a valid expression used by Ollessandro, and fans should realise that our lack of width is part of our defensive set up. When Walsall have the dfensive liability that is Andy Taylor a lot of teams would have put a pacey winger on that side to try exploit his weakness one against one. We put the combative central midfielder David McAllister there. Let us be honest about the reasons for doing that - it is to remain defensively solid and not overcommit going forward. McAllister does work hard.

It is ironic that Deano complains about lack of pace, trickery, players to beat an opponent - and is met by the argument that we should look at Brazil, Argentina and Spain for inspiration - sides that have the best individualists in the world. Guys - I think you want the same thing!

The football played against Walsall was very poor from an attacking perspective, but thanks to the early penalty, their red card and Long's world class save it was enough and got us the points. We were narrow and lacked movement and tempo. On the other hand we only gave them a couple of big chances.

If we had wanted to create more chances ourselves, and wanted to make it our priority to stretch Walsall more, it may have helped to have a left footed left winger (Tønne or McFadzean), or a right footed right winger (Chappell) on the bench. Someone who could at least have attempted to get around his man and swung a cross in from the byline.

Playing such a player would potentially have increased the chance of a Walsall break and as such it is a case of attacking creativity vs defensive solidity - not passing vs hoofing.

 

[Ollessendro]

I would like to seee Miller start with Kitson. Miller did more in 20 mins than Blackman did all game. He looked dangerous and really stretched their defence.


Would have to agree with this, Kitson looked good first half when he was holding the ball up, but there was little movement around him and constantly no one in the box for a cross. The frustrating thing for me was that for all the passing from side to side, the forwards weren't looking for a through ball and were static for most of the second half until Miller came on. Almost instantly he made a run throught the middle and was unlucky not to create something. I think that part of the problem is the movement up front which means that we don't have an outlet. That said - just play Flynn on the right for a change. Maybe he would have the confidence to take on the right back and be able to whip a ball into the box. I think he is a decent player (sadly lacking in pace for a winger tho).

Spot on WL. I think with Miller and Kitson playing up top, we are a decent winger away from having the best team in the league. Real shame that Gallagher could not have stayed. He was inconsistent, but watching the ineffective McAllister wide right and Flynn's set pieces it is easy to see the Leicester man would have added value. I think Kitson and Miller would be a good partnership. As I said, the battering ram and the pace/danger. Miller caused more problems in 20 mins than Blackman did all game. I would like to see Miller start (and not on the right wing!) or at least get him on with 30+ mins to go to really stretch opposition defences.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Cannot undertand their manager at all. I saw it completely different. the ball was played back, short, by McDonald but Long got there and wellied it away. As he kicked it he caugh the Walsall man.

There was never any question it was a foul or red card. Maybe if an outfield play had done that and gone through after he kicked it but keepers can come kick, punch and knock away and always get away with contact with players after their clearances.

Their player certainly did not get to the ball first as if he had why would Long have kicked it; why did their striker not kick it goalwards first?

Anyone else see it differently.

​

​

Yes, Long got there first, but he had to dive in. Agree that it wasn't a free kick.

Hill looked impressive getting the ball down and bringing it out of defence before he foolishly gave it to McDonald who was behind him and under more pressure. McDonald's pass back to Long was then too soft.