D 0-0 vs Forest Green Rovers (H) - League Two - Sat 25th Nov, 3pm

Match Centre Archive Match Centre 23/24
21

Deeney and Stevens up front worries me. At least one is bound to score.

7 Likes
22

Everyone scores against us .
Walsall 22 games played league and cup 2 clean sheets.
Forest green 23 games played 5 clean sheets .
We are 16th in table they 23rd in table .

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23

Gave them a leg up with stevens getting him match fit and taking Matt off the wage bill to help get deeney :joy:

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24

Didn’t realise what a damming stat this was till I just checked the teams below us barring one team Sutton who walloped us 4 -0 who have 2 clean sheets same as we .everyone else below us has minimum 4 maximum 6 clean sheets Tells you pretty well we’re our problems lie as Ive said all season .

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25

It is little wonder when the defence changes almost every game due to injuries. We have had to use 3 youngsters regularly when at the start of the season they were likely to be used as back ups. Actually as individuals they have done well but they haven’t helped get a cohesive unit. Add to that constant changes in midfield and you can see why we concede so many.
We can score goals however when Draper plays. If he gets fit that will be a big boost and if we can get a settled defence things should improve.

26

Bookies giving us around a 50% chance of winning this. Might have a dabble at odds against.
I imagine that @Thanatos, will be lumping on massively as there is no way we cannot not win this, apparently (pardon the double negative) :wink:

Only jesting mucka :smile:

3 Likes
27

A few months old now but an interesting listen for those who haven’t already -

28

Stevens has just had a knee operation and Deeney was not in the squad on Saturday. They have more injuries than we do.

30

I have watched the last few FGR match highlights and have picked up the following.

  • They generally like to play 3-5-2
  • They like to press annd have a scored a number of goals this way.
  • They do look potent in attack with a number if good finishers (McAllister/Stevens/Deeney) though it appears some of these will be out injured on Saturday

Looks like they play in a similar style to Saddler was trying to implement for us at the start of the season.

However they are near the bottom of the league for a reason. From what I can see they have a weak defence with

  • a number of goals conceded from set pieces
  • they themselves seem vulnerable to conceding goals from the press

I think whether we win will depend on their defense and whether they have another poor performance defensively or not. I think the balance of play maybe be quite tight as both teams seems to have a similar football style.

I would play 4-2-3-1

Evans

Foulkes
Okabague
Daniels
Gordon

Mcentee
Comley

Knowles
Stirk
Hutchinson

DJ

I would play comley and Mcentee together so we are not outnumbered in midfield. They would also give our defense an option for a pass when they press. when we attack one of them can join the attack.

I think we only need 1 up front because of their weak defense. I think DJ is best placed to capitalize on any errors, though can see a case for DJT starting too.

I think Knowles is a key player in this game as he can exploit the wide areas if they do play 3-5-2. It is a pity we don’t have two out and out wingers to exploit areas on both sides.

Walsall 3 FGR 1, but depends on their defense.

7 Likes
31

Thanks for the FGR analysis and agree with that. Seems like everyone including me has forgotten about Jamile Matt - if you’re an FGR fan surely you’re thinking he’s nailed on to score with him being a former player. Don’t think many Walsall fans are thinking that though?! - Anyone here anymore news on him? - there’s a rumor of a bust up.

32

Oh alright, just this once. :innocent:

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33

2.2 ( 6/5) currently on Betfair. Not sure how much a high roller like you would get matched ,though.

34

I’ve put a monkey on it, whilst FGR are a very decent side and have quality players who can hurt us I think home advantage can count and a noisy and boisterous audience can roar us on to victory. We will spend plenty of time without the ball but it’s what we do with it when we do get it that is important.

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35

I fully expect a win :grin:

They’re crap.

But studiously… we are due a win.

36

Agree with a lot of that, but not sure about playing Mcentee, Comley and Stirk at home to 23rd in the table. We surely need a bit more creativity than that given we aren’t keeping clean sheets.

2 Likes
37

:+1:

Let’s hope that time studying pays off

38

Yes. I understand that. But I gave my reasons. (In my view) they are strong in attack and weak in defence. So play the better defensive players, no?

Also. Isn’t Tierney & Draper still out, so our attacking options are somewhat limited?

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39

I agree.

For me, I would go:

Evans (just about)

Riley McEntee Daniels Gordon

Stirk Comley

Knowles Hutch Maher

DJ

There won’t be any better occasion to see how Maher does from the off - especially if Tierney is out.

2 Likes
40

Doug Taylor is 15/2 to be first goal scorer. I imagine that you have dipped your bread?

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41

Didn’t someone say Comely went off injured in the warm up while on international duty?

I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Draper start too.