When giving a grade to Walsall this season, you have to decide what standard you are comparing us to.
Set against our performance over the last 6 years, this season’s league position deserves a B.
Compared with the average level of performance of the club over the last 60 years, then it is a D-.
But what has improved this season?
Defence - no, it is obviously rather worse than last season.
Midfield - thanks to Hutchinson it is on a par with last season.
Attack - I would say that the attack has been on a par with last season, but our goals total is higher thanks to goals coming from dead balls, and from Draper and Hutchinson.
Which way round do you think the causality works? Perhaps if we were higher in the football pyramid, our attendances would be higher. Historically this club was as well supported as other third level clubs for most of its history.
D- must do better! A couple of good spells have punctuated what has been relatively poor football. Take away set pieces and we’d be a lot worse off. I don’t like 5 at the back, and it tends to mean we don’t dominate games because we get overwhelmed in midfield. Hutch is the only one really that is comfortable running with the ball. We have 2 wingbacks who can’t defend and don’t provide assists. Central defence has looked vulnerable, especially with DD in there and our forward line has been powder puff and the manager won’t play a player who could possibly get us 15+ goals in a season.
Overall, a number of players need to go and so does the manager. Even if he managed to get us promoted, the style of play we have would see us coming straight back down. A real wasted opportunity and I’m disappointed that BB didn’t take a more pragmatic approach to new contract offers.
C - Some bright points, but far too inconsistent, and failed to make the most of what was available to work with.
Club infrastructure seems much better placed, as is fan experience, but STs have gone up by a fair whack in the last 2 years. Given that, increased revenue from other areas, and a softening in the rise in living costs (HL&P will now cost the club much less than a year ago etc), if we continue to sign the likes of DJT, fill the squad with loanees, and fail to recruit in areas we are desperate for then there should be nowhere for anyone to hide next year.
This is also a good point, its vastly better than it was last time we got out of it. Nott an excuse but its not the dog and duck rubbish that was served up in 2007
I think any club could say that. There are three in non league who get higher crowds than us. Oldham and Southend amongst them. Their on-field traumas are well known and they’ve hardly pulled up any trees this year, are in harder to get to places for a lot of away fans and yet get more than us.
I believe that where you sit in the attendance table isn’t a bad proxy for where you should be in the league. Of course there are anomalies like in any set of statistical data. Bournemouth and Brentford in one direction, Scunthorpe Southend and Oldham in another. Often results of what goes on in the boardroom than any sporting derring do or calamity.
But by and large a good proxy. All those years we were a third division club was exactly where our attendances suggested we should be. Our visits to the second tier definitely us punching above our weight.
The Bonser years 2005-2019 saw a managed decline in the football side of the business. It became an enterprise which existed for purpose and one purpose only. In 2008 we effectively ceased to be a 3rd Division club as our attendances hit fourth division levels. Smiths time could mask that comparative decline, all it did was postpone the time when the football team caught down to the ambition of the club and the size of its fanbase. Hutchings effectively sealed that deal before we managed to just about climb out on the pitch but our longer term fate effectively sealed.
That 16th on this league looks like it was our u-bend and now we are recovering is a good sign. The upward trajectory of crowds and our footballing status kind of symbiotic.
Just like the sinking took over a decade so the sustained rise will also take time.
And there we have it for another year. Have a good summer folks, look forward to England bringing home the Euros followed by next season’s promotion push.
Delivered my minimum objectives of being closer to the playoffs than relegation and winning more games than we lose. Kept the season interesting, but the way we finished it has peeded me off. Crumbled when the pressure was on.
Couple of good runs, backed up with some absolute dross performances. Equalling it out for me. I dont want to compare it to the Flynn era as that run last season was probably the worst ive seen, but I dont recall us getting thumped for 4s and 5s (twice) under him though?
Would he have had us more up for games this season like FGR, Sutton and Colchester? Christ knows, but games like that are one of the major reasons we’ve missed out.
By no means am i advocating sacking Flynn was the wrong decision either.
Obvious problem between MS and DJ - dont care whos at fault, but to roll out the red carpet and charge 30 quid of those t-shirts and have our “Marquee Signing” fall behind the likes of DJT has took the piss out of us fans, IMO.
Feel sorry for the bloke and genuinly wish him the best.
Persistence with Knowles as a RWB (in my opinion, persistence in general)/failure to bring in a RWB was foolish/naive and again - a piss take.
Then proceeds to moan anout being short in that position the other week when Knowles was out injured.
Substitutions: Dont see a real improvement in how and when he uses them. Never felt confident we could snatch a goal or turn a result whenever the camera pans to the bench.
Usually the same like for like/around 65minute changes week in week out - got a bit better recently but throwing 3 Strikers on to salavage something isnt tactical nous for me. Granted it worked against Swindon - failed against 10 man Bradfud.
I could go on but cant particularly be arsed to be honest.
Trivella and Pomlett have set out their stall now for next season and im not particularly happy and im 100% not very hopefull. Hope im wrong.
Thanks everyone for the banter/discussions/laughs this season, really enjoyed it.
Positives:
No relegation scrap.
Within a chance of making playoffs.
Most goals scored since 2016.
Actually won some away games.
Played on the Tele.
Negatives:
Nearly embarrassed by non league teams on the Tele.
We’re still in the fourth tier, which is now our longest stint.
Conceded five goals against MK Dons and Wimbledon.
Most goals conceded since 2011.
One win against the bottom three.
If we’re going using the past 4 seasons as context, then a B. The past month or so though has really took the shine off it. Overall a positive season, with a poor ending half a dozen or so matches.
