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Reaction to the Walsall game
By Nathan Jackson
August 19 2006
As usual, we bring you our round up of reactions and this week, it's City's 6th straight home draw which means the Imps slide down 2 places. It was a game controlled by the Imps before the Saddler's became the 8th side in 3 years to come back from 2-0 down against the Imps.

I've ran this site for little over 3 years now and the amount of times that I have been commenting on City's throwing away a 2 goal lead is just starting to (pardon the language) take the piss. Infact, in that time, City have thrown away a 2 goal lead a total of 8 times and although it may not sound like a lot, when you add that to the amount of times City have been in the lead yet failed to win, you get to an embarrasing number. I'm not even going to get onto the subject of last minute goals.

It was City's 6th straight league draw at home but what made this game more frustrating that the rest was that up until the 80th minute, we were the only team in the game and we should have been well out of sight by then but yet again, as soon as they scored, our attacking play just disappeared and for the second goal, not one single player pressured the player putting the cross in and we all paid the price.

Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased to have 8 points from our first 4 games, 3 points better of than this point last season but if we want to attack the automatic promotion places then we're going to have to learn to win at home and 6 home draws in a row, simply isn't good enough if you want to maintain a realistic promotion push.

 

Alan Marriott - 3 - Conceded 100% of the realistic chances against him, I think it's time for Rayner to get his chance because Marriott simply isn't good enough anymore. You can spin it as much as you want, you can blame the defence, you can blame the wind, you can blame the tactics but a competent keeper doesn't let in all the shots against him for 3 out of the first 4 games of the season

Lee Beevers - 8 - Was good defensively, making several vital tackles and he was unlucky not to score.

Paul Morgan - 4 - I quite literally didn't realise he had played until I got to his name just now, says it all really.

Adie Moses - 7 - Another steady performance but nothing spectacular from the defender..

Jeff Hughes - 7 - Please, please, please work on your set pieces, other than that you're fine.

Paul Mayo - 6 - You know what you're getting with Mayo.....a 60 yard punt up field every time but he made some vital clearances that on occasion, created chances.

Ryan Amoo - 9 - Fantastic performance from Amoo, he created some great chances and also showed some great skill on occasions. Looked knackered towards the end but other than that, he was fantastic.

Scott Kerr - 10 - What can you say? Easily the most improved player under these new tactics and his overall player was good. Scored a great goal to round off an otherwise near flawless performance. 

Lee Frecklington - 8 - Finally started living up to expectations and scored a great header. His passing was good but like Hughes, he needs to work on his set pieces.

Mark Stallard - 6 - Linked well with Forrester but again was pretty much ineffective.

Jamie Forrester - 4 - I'd be lying if I said I thought this was the same striker who became a fan favourite at the end of last season. Produced an excellent ball for Frecklington and that's the only thing keeping him from a lower marking.

Ryan Semple - 6 - Starting to look a bit like Francis Green in terms of ability. Wasn't on for long enough to make an impact but looked good running down the wing but seemed scared to cross.

Martin Gritton - 5 - 5 by default because he wasn't on long enough to do anything.

Colin Cryan - 5 - See Gritton.

 

"I thought we were excellent for 70 minutes. We just seemed to get tired especially in midfield. I thought Moses was absolutely fantastic, Mayo had a corker and Amoo played very well. We should have been 3 or 4 up by 70 minutes but we didnt take our chances. The legs were heavy and we conceded 2 goals which i could see coming for the last 20 minutes they were all over us in the last quarter. I thought we had the ablility to close out games, I hope this is an exception against a high class team." Branston Imp

"Very frustrating to concede such a sloppy equaliser. Someone was not doing their job. What a time to leave someone totally unmarked on the 6 yard line. Would have taken a draw beforehand but, as so often with late goals, it feels almost like a defeat. The lad Pead who came on did seem to change the game. Felt sorry for Amoo. I think he was in at least 3 different positions in that second half!" West End Imp

"The only disappointing thing about today was that we sat back and invited them on to us in the second half, and a team of Walsall's quality are going to make any team that does that pay for it, why did just about the entire team stay on the 18 yard line and allow the ball to be pumped back unchallenged into the danger area. 2 cracking goals in the first half and some really slick passing, hope that the team can learn from sitting back as it is a very dangerous way to play, Walsall will be in the shake up at the end of the season, and if we can learn to kill games off then maybe we can too. I would have settled for a point before the game against a team that had won 3 straight and had not conceded a goal, but it still disappointing to drop 2 points with pretty much the last kick of the match." oldman

 

"When faced with a challenge the boys have proved that they have team sprit in abundance. DD also showed that if things are not going right he is not scared to change things and change the early which is a good sign I think? This is our first real test in this division and any of the players who thought they have a divine right to win this division have been brought back to earth with a sharp thud. I would have taken a draw before the game today and defiantly taken one a half time!!!" alwayslookonthebrightside

"If you are going to win things, you don’t just need skill, you also need character - in this Division, in bucketloads. The Saddlers proved this afternoon that they have it." Steve Roy

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