MK Dons (H) League 1 Saturday 22/11/08

[saddlerken]

I can't be bothered anymore

[Jockey]

As Saigon and Tape famously said

I just cant take anymore

[ShropsSaddler]

The 1st half was absolutely clueless. Really dire stuff, made me wish I hadn't bothered going.

The 2nd half was an improvement. We were on top but they scored the 2nd goal against the run of play. And even then, putting aside the fact that all we did was play hoofball, at 0-2, Deeney had one chance and Zaboub had 2 chances all of which should have been scored and we would have been 3-2 up!

Of course, if we had taken those chances and won, it would have masked the atrocious tactics we employed. What ever happened to using the midfield? Or using width for that matter? Absolutely dreadful. You feel sorry for the back four when they get the ball...there are no options for them, they HAVE to hoof it. It's so baffling when you consider that early on in the season, we played some great football!!

Couple of points to add;

i) The 2nd half improvement was pretty much down to Deeney being moved up front and showing great guts and determination. We may not like him that much, but you can't deny that the lad gives 110% and he won plenty of balls he wasn't entitled to in the 2nd half.

ii) If you need a sign that Gerrard's had enough, it was there for all to see today. He emerged from the tunnel for the 2nd half several minutes ahead of the rest of his teammates. All is not well!!

[BEIRLYND]

Can only echo what everyone has said, totally inept, gutless, pathetic.
I expected and predicted a 2-0 or 3-0 defeat once we set out 4-5-1, doesn't make me feel any better being proved right. Manager clueless, stands by the dug out appearing to suck his thumb looking totally out of his depth. MULLEN MUST GO

[chestersaddler]

I feared this today. After last weeks win at Colchester, hardly anyone that went gave positive feedback, indeed the main theme was that we won because Colchester were so poor. Mk were always going to be a test for us.

The problem is that while ever we maintain the WDL type of form JM will accumulate enough points to keep him in a job

[RED 5]

The home performances this season, must go down as the worst i have ever seen! (apart from a couple)In my 20 years of supporting Walsall fc!

If u havnt got a season ticket, why would u pay to watch that rubbish! No wonder crowds are going down. A simple choice with the credit crunch.

[BathSaddler]

I feared this today. After last weeks win at Colchester, hardly anyone that went gave positive feedback, indeed the main theme was that we won because Colchester were so poor. Mk were always going to be a test for us.

The problem is that while ever we maintain the WDL type of form JM will accumulate enough points to keep him in a job

Absolutely. Bonser knows that if we continue to 'trundle along' around where we are, the pressure will be off and he can get away with doing nothing. However, if we begin to slip down the table, it will force his hand, as more questions will be asked about the running of the club. Until this happens, there is no chance of getting rid of Mullen.

[Jorge14]

The problem is that while ever we maintain the WDL type of form JM will accumulate enough points to keep him in a job

I don't think it will, you know. If the home forms equates to the D's and L's from that pattern, the attendances will fall off totally and Bonser's hand will be forced.

I would right a large treatise on today's inept display, but I can't be bothered. Nothing will change apart from we will get worse. We have a chairman who doesn't want to be there anymore, and whilst that is the case there can be no long term plan - just look at Newcastle. We have a manager who thinks it is acceptable to play one man upfront at home with two slow wingers trying to support him, who thinks it is acceptable to play a right back in the centre of midfield, who thinks it is acceptable to play a predominently right footed player at left back with an experienced left back sitting on the bench, who thinks it isn't his fault that the team he has assembled is seriously deficient.

My word, however, doesn't it make Roberts and Ibehre look like two important parts of our team. I dread what will happen when Gerrard is gone.

Get Mullen on his way, and get in a REAL manager who can command some respect from the players. Please. That was the dullest and most soulless game of football I have seen at Walsall for a long time. Probably the worst since some of the abject displays under Broadhurst. At least he had an excuse.

[chestersaddler]

The problem is that while ever we maintain the WDL type of form JM will accumulate enough points to keep him in a job

I don't think it will, you know. If the home forms equates to the D's and L's from that pattern, the attendances will fall off totally and Bonser's hand will be forced.

I would right a large treatise on today's inept display, but I can't be bothered. Nothing will change apart from we will get worse. We have a chairman who doesn't want to be there anymore, and whilst that is the case there can be no long term plan - just look at Newcastle. We have a manager who thinks it is acceptable to play one man upfront at home with two slow wingers trying to support him, who thinks it is acceptable to play a right back in the centre of midfield, who thinks it is acceptable to play a predominently right footed player at left back with an experienced left back sitting on the bench, who thinks it isn't his fault that the team he has assembled is seriously deficient.

My word, however, doesn't it make Roberts and Ibehre look like two important parts of our team. I dread what will happen when Gerrard is gone.

Get Mullen on his way, and get in a REAL manager who can command some respect from the players. Please. That was the dullest and most soulless game of football I have seen at Walsall for a long time. Probably the worst since some of the abject displays under Broadhurst. At least he had an excuse.

I hope you to be proved right!

[Burnside]

No Pattern to our play.
No Tactics to harm the opposition.
No commitment from the player.
Nothing constructive from the Bench.
No interest from the fans.
No viable options to change the game on the bench.

Marco Reich is an intelligent player. Marco Reich probably has more talent than them all put together. HE is in the ilk of Jeff Peron, Pedro Matias - that kind of player.

Palmer will not be as gooder defender as Boertin as long as i've got a hole in my Arsenal.

its hard to get Ricketts to put effort in as part of a twosome, let alone by himself.

Jimmy muppett, Jimmy muddle, more like Jimmy flipping mallett

[adjisaddler]

Well i just got back from kiddiminster as i was treated to a ticket to their game and put my little pocket DAB radio on when i came out the ground and what can i say .. my heart sunk.

Losing 3-0 at home ... i heard them say on the radio that we were playing as the away side obviously under Muddles fave tactic 4=5=1 ... why does he do it to us ? but i was pleased to hear that a around 50 fans were calling for his head this week ... hopefully it will go up to around 500-1000 next week .

These are Dark days people ...May god have mercy on our club !

[ws3]

Well i just got back from kiddiminster as i was treated to a ticket to their game and put my little pocket DAB radio on when i came out the ground and what can i say .. my heart sunk.

Losing 3-0 at home ... i heard them say on the radio that we were playing as the away side obviously under Muddles fave tactic 4=5=1 ... why does he do it to us ? but i was pleased to hear that a around 50 fans were calling for his head this week ... hopefully it will go up to around 500-1000 next week .

These are Dark days people ...May god have mercy on our club !

A lot more than 50 from what I could hear.

[Whitti Steve]

Just 'cos 50 were chanting it, doesn't mean that the other 4000+ want him to stay. I may not have been chanting for his sacking, but thats what I want. TBH, I would t#rather he had the honesty to walk away rather than wait to be sacked. It is obvious that the players hold no respect for him.

[WFC_Rob]

That was as bad as I've seen us play for years. The worst I can remember ever seeing us play at home, in fact. Having said that, I said the same after the Luton game.

We were a complete shambles.
It looked like we were paying them too much respect and standing off them, but in truth, I think we were just that inept and clueless that we couldn't get near them. Their movement and short passing game tore through us like wildfire. Once we went 1-0 down, it was game over. The fact that that moment came after 5 minutes just took the mickey.

In all honesty, there's no point giving any kind of match report on here any more. No-one in that team plays to their potential other than the untouchables (e all know who they are by now), and the manager lacks the capacity to change things when we're struggling.

Gerrard knows that the manager is a joke, hence the fact that he emerges from the changing room at half time ages before everyone else. He's sick of listening to the dross that comes out of Mullen's mouth, presumably.
Weston's confidence looks shot, and Ricketts just looks lost, unsurprisingly so, given that he's often the only player we have in the final third.

Get Mullen out is the message. Merson had more of an idea of how to get a team playing football than him.

[Pedagogue]

Merson had more of an idea of how to get a team playing football than him.

Oh now, Rob, come on................... there are limits, you know!

[WFC_Rob]

Merson had more of an idea of how to get a team playing football than him.

Oh now, Rob, come on................... there are limits, you know!

I'm dead serious.
We don't play football under Mullen at all. I don't think we put more than 3 passes together at any stage of today's game, and resorted to the long ball even when we didn't necessarily have to.
I could put up with it if our ugly football was winning us matches, but it's not.

[Dave Gittins]

Merson had more of an idea of how to get a team playing football than him.

Oh now, Rob, come on................... there are limits, you know!

Sorry, I agree with Rob. Merson was dire but I think Mullen is even worse.

[1933]

We are rubbish and nobody at the club seems to care. Mullen has to go - we cannot afford to be in another relegation battle which we certainly will be in very soon if we keep giving home performances like the one we saw yet again today. It is a joke.

ALOT more empty seats around by me in the Lower F2G then I have ever seen at a league game. If it wasn't for the kids ticket promotion I dread to think what the attendance would have been.

[adjisaddler]

yep its pretty worrying really ... im contemplating getting the train up though next week to see the game v swindon .probably a silly thing to do

[King Crimson]

Great football, played on the floor by players keen to do well who had clearly been well-coached. Right, that's enough about my son's morning on the astro-turf for his birthday party (well done once again, WFC Community and Adam Davy for a great day, and mikey for the scoreboard and message via Dave Bathurst at half time). Cracking morning.

The afternoon was...less good. Agree with Burnside. Boertien and Reich are footballers - they want to pass, find space, fill it, and create opportunities for team-mates. They can't do much of that from the bench.

Palmer, Deeney, Nicholls and MoM Taundry are not good enough. It's not their fault. They're just not.

Mullen isn't good enough. It's not his fault. He's just not.

MK Dons were a good (if somewhat cynical) team. I never mind losing to a better team IF we've played our best team, and tried to compete. We did neither in my view. Sub-standard team selection, and 'hoof-ball'. No Plan A let alone Plan B. Losing is one thing, but losing ugly is worse. Really grim.

See you all, Saturday then?

[Louise]

Merson had more of an idea of how to get a team playing football than him.

Oh now, Rob, come on................... there are limits, you know!

I found myself saying the same words this afternoon - Mullen makes Merson look like a tactical god!
At least Merson knew how to attack - Im beginning to run out of words to describe how truly woeful we were except to say that in 20 years I have never uttered the words on a Saturday when a home game is on that I have today and its Mullens fault for makeing me but next Saturday 'Im going Shopping'.

[tinned]

Merson had more of an idea of how to get a team playing football than him.

Oh now, Rob, come on................... there are limits, you know!

Sorry, I agree with Rob. Merson was dire but I think Mullen is even worse.

I'm agreeing with Rob & Dave. You all know how much I despised Merson (afterall I started the MOSOC posts) but I would REALLY prefer to watch a match managed by Merson than by this sorry, clueless, pathetic, out-of-his-depth excuse for a football manager.

It was a bloody good job that MKDonalds didn't get out of first gear today otherwise they would really have done some damage

MULLEN OUT (I can't ake much more of this, it's way too painful).

[latviancheese]

I also thought as i left after the 3rd goal, "merson wasnt this bad".


Its really taking the gypsy's now. How we keep winning away is bemusing

[addo]

Great football, played on the floor by players keen to do well who had clearly been well-coached. Right, that's enough about my son's morning on the astro-turf for his birthday party (well done once again, WFC Community and Adam Davy for a great day, and mikey for the scoreboard and message via Dave Bathurst at half time). Cracking morning.

The afternoon was...less good. Agree with Burnside. Boertien and Reich are footballers - they want to pass, find space, fill it, and create opportunities for team-mates. They can't do much of that from the bench.

Palmer, Deeney, Nicholls and MoM Taundry are not good enough. It's not their fault. They're just not.

Mullen isn't good enough. It's not his fault. He's just not.

MK Dons were a good (if somewhat cynical) team. I never mind losing to a better team IF we've played our best team, and tried to compete. We did neither in my view. Sub-standard team selection, and 'hoof-ball'. No Plan A let alone Plan B. Losing is one thing, but losing ugly is worse. Really grim.

See you all, Saturday then?

Agreed.
The moment that summed up Mullen for me today.............

His answer to us getting back in the game in the last 15 mins or so was for Taundry & Palmer to swap positions.





Really!!!
That was his answer.


I can't think of 2 more ineffective players.



We need the quality on the pitch - not on the bench.

[geoffwhiting]

ABSOLUTE DROSS.
I never come away early but today I did - could have sat there all night and we wouldnt have scored.
We have no craft,no guile, no effort and above all no tactics ( well any that make sense!)

Just awful hoof football, its painful to watch.
We missed Jabo yes but its more than just that - we are not a team.
I noticed today we no longer do the 'huddle' at the start of the game - I know its only a small thing but it is indicative of the lack of any team spirit at all.
Later when Clayton went down and seemed to stay down not one of our players went to check he was ok - small things I know but its shows no team spirit at all and fighting qualities.

I can take loseing , but not even competeing is beyond it for me - as i feel tonight Im going christmas shopping next week cos just cant face another weekend feeling like this.

Exactly what I've been saying since last February, and exactly why I became (and will remain) a stayaway until things change drastically at the club.

I've put up with all sorts for 50 years but always took it in my stride because I never got the impression that, from the top to the bottom of the club, we didn't care. Sadly that has been my impression since early 2008, and there have been few moments since then to make me doubt my own judgement.

If Mullen isn't gone by next Saturday, it's a bloody disgrace!

[Exile]

That was an entirely predictable defeat, although the nature of it is the sad part. Here's hoping the lads can regroup for next weekend.

[Asps]

We are officially a shambles, from top to bottom.

Chairman doesn't care about the football.
Mullen and Schofield don't know anything about football.
The team can't or aren't allowed to play football.

Those of us that turned up today deserve a medal, or perhaps counselling.

Let me telll you about my childhood

[Cully]

Oh, and just in case anybody tuned into radio dingle, please be aware that the pitch side reporter was in the lounge with Bonser preparing the ridiculous script he read out after the match when he described our performance in the second half as 'dominant', 'unlucky', 'well on top', 'six clear cut goal chances' etc etc....

We were absolute rubbish and he [the reporter] was on drugs or the payroll.

[King Crimson]

We are officially a shambles, from top to bottom.

Chairman doesn't care about the football.
Mullen and Schofield don't know anything about football.
The team can't or aren't allowed to play football.

Those of us that turned up today deserve a medal, or perhaps counselling.

Let me telll you about my childhood

It's all down to siblings.

[King Crimson]

Oh, and just in case anybody tuned into radio dingle, please be aware that the pitch side reporter was in the lounge with Bonser preparing the ridiculous script he read out after the match when he described our performance in the second half as 'dominant', 'unlucky', 'well on top', 'six clear cut goal chances' etc etc....

We were absolute rubbish and he [the reporter] was on drugs or the payroll.