Dismal Walsall were beaten by Robbie Blakes’ 56th minute penalty at home to struggling Burnley this afternoon. The Saddlers never got going, rarely featured in attack and were booed off after ninety dire minutes.
Colin Lee kept the same defensive side that scrapped out a result at Derby last week but also boasted little incision and attacking flare.
Wolves reject Mo Camara registered the first meaningful shot of the match, firing just over with his weaker right foot. Incidentally, when was the last time a Walsall full back got forward to score from open play?! Glen Little headed over the bar, Walker was forced to save from Tony Grant and then Neil Wood – on loan from Man United – fired inches wide from the edge of the box. Goal scorer Blake always looked dangerous up front whilst Ian Moore had to be watched, if only because of his tendency to dive and appeal for anything and everything. Walsall were being overrun at home by a team who had only won three times away all season!
Paul Merson at last forced keeper Brian Jensen into a save as the first half drew to a close. Then, at half time Matt Carbon replaced Roper who had picked up a knock in the first half.
Whatever Colin Lee said at half time didn’t work because Burnley quickly resumed their dominant position. Grant fired over from distance before being brought down by the anonymous, unfit-looking Craig Burley - Blake sent Walker the wrong way from the spot. That was Blake’s 22nd of the season…just think where we could be if we had that sort of a goal threat. Or if we had eleven players with the heart of Neil Emblen, who was superb at the back yet again.
On came Mark Wright and McSporran for Burley and Merson as the Saddlers reverted to 4-4-2. Why do we always have to wait until we are behind before sending on the subs? It is usually blatant that we need them before we have gone behind. Wright got in a few crosses but McSporran rarely received the ball, despite Colin Lee regularly telling newspaper reporters that he has been ‘busy working with McSporran in training in a bid to utilise his devastating pace.’
McSporran did come close to an equaliser, volleying Wright’s cross just past the post. McSporran, you see, will shoot first time. If Lee Bradbury possessed this quality, he may have had a hat trick today. Unfortunately he doesn’t and didn’t.
Keith Andrews fired a quick free kick over the bar before Zigor’s free kick was saved easily by Jensen, as the Saddlers slumped to their seventh home defeat of the season.
In truth, Walsall rarely looked like scoring. Too many players lack the heart for a relegation battle and Lee’s tactics – Merson a left winger? Because he certainly wasn’t playing ‘in the hole’ – also don’t help. Youngsters Fryatt, Taylor and Wright have all shown potential AND all scored yet all have been dropped from the starting eleven. Bazeley is a mere shadow of his impressive self last season. Burley has yet to contribute anything of note in a Saddlers shirt. Merson constantly disappoints and the front two of Bradbury and Leitao – for all there physical presence (Bradbury) and running out of their hearts (Leitao) – probably couldn’t score in a brothel at the moment. Yes fans want results but they also want decent performances every now and again. If all they wanted was results, they’d probably just sit at home and watch Ceefax.