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+----- Thread: Saddled, ridden to a standstill and broken (/showthread.php?tid=13779)
Saddled, ridden to a standstill and broken - Devongone - 12-05-2025
Our tactic of passing the ball as often as possible without making significant progress proved to be very much to Walsall’s taste. They remained happy throughout judiciously to exert sufficient pressure, to keep us moving the ball to little or no effect, until we either exceeded the limits of our own ability, or they spotted an opportunity to intercept. They were bigger than us, younger than us, mostly faster than us and certainly better organised than us on the day. Our reward never looked likely to be more than nil, whereas their’s would be a function of how much they could disrupt us. Even our enthusiastic support, from a crowd heavy in over-rounded old blokes, unsuitably squeezed into imaginatively or historically sized football blue shirts, couldn’t raise a valid complaint. Individually and collectively the best team won.
Sometimes at football, even at a low level, you go on pitch with the best intentions and you can tell from the first minute that nothing is going to go right.
Performances:-
Boot – 6 – has been exonerated of all blame by a court in The Hague.
Gordon – 4- proved he could successfully locate his goalkeeper with a back pass from anywhere on the pitch, or up Kinder Scout. Succeeded in slowing several cautious attempts we made at forward motion.
McFadzean – 5 - solid to the point of wooden, displayed all the verve of a cigar-store Indian.
Palmer – 5 - offered a master class in the pointless Ray-Wilkins sideways pass as the game itself seemed largely to pass him by (sideways).
Mandeville – 5 – had more than a hand in both goals and his dead-ball radar was inclined to be on the blink. Nevertheless, he was one of the few attempting to prompt something creative.
Fleck – 1 – produced Shape – the blancmange beloved of the British Raj. Occupied space, used it to no effect, an entirely zero-carbon performance.
Metcalfe – 5 – worked, tried to use the ball and push forward, but produced several alarmingly wild passes. Attempted to prompt the team to attack, but once, when pursued by Okagbue, resembled David Attenborough attempting to outrun a cheetah.
Naylor – 6 – appeared to have located the opposition goal but unfortunately failed to pass on the co-ordinates to his colleagues. Tried, but on occasion looked overwhelmed by how badly things were going.
Colclough – 6 – illuminated the game like wonky fairy lights, flickering brightly, but more often off than on. Threatens danger, but also electrocution.
Grigg – 4- lacking service, he looked like a man expecting silver service, unhappily seated in a Transport Café.
Olakigbe – 2 – appeared beset by nerves, twice let the ball roll out of play under his foot, his control and involvement were almost non-existent. Check his dressing-room peg for a Fentanyl leak. Something was very wrong.
Dobra – 6- gave the crowd glimpses of what they wanted to see when sent on as sub’ but produced one awful pass that suggested he was still trying to regain his touch for Friday.
Sparkes – 3 – lacked any, didn’t ignite in his few minutes on pitch.
Duffy – 5 – a good cross and obvious enthusiasm may have won him a start on Friday.
Pepple – 5 – welcome attempt to counter Walsall physically. We desperately need that.
Jacobs – 4 – wore football shorts, didn’t get time for much else.
Cook – 4 – manager – achieved full beetroot early doors and maintained it throughout. Was clearly at a loss to effect any change, regularly turning to his support staff to confirm we hadn’t slid into a parallel universe.
RE: Saddled, ridden to a standstill and broken - theo_luddite - 12-05-2025
Occupied space, used it to no effect, an entirely zero-carbon performance.
We've a shed load of those at ours Devon, and I don't mean the ones we've already let go.
RE: Saddled, ridden to a standstill and broken - Dancingwilldoit - 12-05-2025
I agree with the Fleck comments. He's had his payday, needs to find a new career that doesn't involve a ball. Maybe a future game show host as he seems to love giving away gifts.
Had Colclough's early strike gone in we might have settled but what followed was a shitshow of the highest order.
The only comment I would make is that I can't remember Boot having a single save to make. Their keeper was the busier of the 2 apart from picking the ball out of the back of the net.
As Mr Tooley says it's only half time but we need a big awakening to turn things round.
RE: Saddled, ridden to a standstill and broken - themaclad - 12-05-2025
Description of McFadzean is just off the scale of hilarity, Wonderful
Devon magnificent appraisal
RE: Saddled, ridden to a standstill and broken - Devongone - 12-05-2025
(12-05-2025, 17:51)Dancingwilldoit Wrote: I agree with the Fleck comments. He's had his payday, needs to find a new career that doesn't involve a ball. Maybe a future game show host as he seems to love giving away gifts.
Had Colclough's early strike gone in we might have settled but what followed was a shitshow of the highest order.
The only comment I would make is that I can't remember Boot having a single save to make. Their keeper was the busier of the 2 apart from picking the ball out of the back of the net.
As Mr Tooley says it's only half time but we need a big awakening to turn things round.
I agree their keeper had more to do and played well, but then despite being top for much of the season they stand third from the bottom in possession stats. The last thing they want is a lot of the ball.
The other thing I'd say is did you see Levi Amantchi waiting to come on, he looked like a whole different, bigger, stronger species than any of our team. We need to be younger and bigger, but perhaps the tactic at the Bescot might be to sit back and keep giving them the ball. They'd be happy for a while but players being players they'd get cocky, think they could play and give us a chance to strike.
RE: Saddled, ridden to a standstill and broken - Dancingwilldoit - 13-05-2025
An early goal for us could open things up a bit. We were shite but I certainly wasn't impressed by them. Mandeville gifted them their first and defenders falling asleep gifted the second. Apart from that they did nothing except Amanchis strike late on. Yes he has developed and looks threatening, was surprised he didn't get a start.
We just need a team performance and I'm sure we could still do it.
Let's see.
RE: Saddled, ridden to a standstill and broken - Devongone - 13-05-2025
Jamille Matt is captain and they probably don't need two big guys up front to play on breaks.
I was quite impressed by them, but not many teams are flexible. I would try to suck them forward and risk them having more possession and messing up in front of their own fans.
I read Tooley's Take on the match and thought there must have been a different game live on Sky! I usually quite like him, but that really wasn't a true picture. He makes it sounds as though they cheated their way to victory. Given more time they might have won 0-3. We never got them out of their comfort zone after Colclough's opening salvo. I'd like to think Olakigbe and Colclough might rip them apart with pace and skill, but I was astounded by Olakigbe's performance. It reminded me of my schooldays watching Neil Warnock or Tony Moore out wide for us. Olakigbe has the ability to take Walsall apart, but I doubt I'd have the guts to select him. I certainly would have the guts to drop Fleck though, not worth a place on the stands or even on the coach!