Draper wasn’t plan B, he was plan A1.2 The comparisons made with Bradford, upthread, were well made. When they lost Cook, they went back to the drawing board and changed their system.
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Sadler has actually admitted that he got it wrong in some games, against Fleetwood, for example.
I am not sure I quite follow the idea of dropping Liam Gordon. He did contribute to the first goal conceded but was probably our main attacking threat. And he really gives everything.
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Unfortunately he’s another one who looks shattered, making errors he wouldn’t have made previously.
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I thought so, particularly in the second half. He was the one player who had some success at running with the ball at the opposition and gaining ground.
He was our only real outlet until Adomah came on. Mainly cos our midfield was hiding up its own backside.
He’s been a bit costly recently Gordon, but I think nerves and lack of confidence are playing a big part in this.
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Gordon should’ve been rested when he came back from international duty. Obv the long haul flights and amount of games have caught up with him. Still no excuse not to attempt to block crosses tho. He might be decent going forward but he’s a liability defensively and if people wanna see why we concede 2/3 every game recently he’s right at the top of the list.
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I think that is right, and also that he was our main attacking threat is right. He’s another who would have benefited from a rest at times, I think, to recharge the batteries and rest muscles.
For a team that spends a lot of time hoofing the ball forward, he is the one player that doesn’t tend to do it. Cost us for the penalty against Vale, when he turned back and lost the ball and again not clearing his lines against Harrogate for their first.
He has been very good for us this season though. Like many others, he is running on empty.
One thing that does annoy me a little with him although didn’t notice him do it Friday, is when he stands with his hand up for offside rather than defend to the whistle, there have been a few times where he has been arguing with the lino before a decision has been made.
He’s very good player at our level though, no doubt about that.
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Mate you can go even farther than that down the pyramid to youth and academy football which I watch a lot and you just don’t see teams hoofing it upfield
The first goal against Barrow was very poor from him too, but smacks of a bloke who’s dead on his arse.
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It’s not just physical tiredness either. It’s also the mental tiredness which either brings mistakes, or causes a decision to be made late.Even a split second delay can have consequences.
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Added with a lack of confidence. I mentioned Stirk who spent most of Friday hiding. He was very good in the first half of the season. Now it feels like he is scared to make a mistake, which in turn makes him make more mistakes.
I honestly don’t see how we come out of this at this point now. Had we managed one win in the last 10 games, I think it would have been a different story. I don’t think the players believe they can win now.
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I think they did believe up to about halfway through the first half v Vale. Since then they look lost. Previous to that ,they played like there was an attitude that they could turn it round.
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Lowe might have gone the same way if he’d stayed. It would only have been an intervention from Stoke that would have stopped Sadler running him into the ground.
Agree, and he usually played the ninety unless we had a comfortable lead.
Just like 85% of the squad mate. Have been run into the ground. Fatigue has killed us the second half of the season. Like @Thanatos said if you play wingbacks you will struggle to do that for a whole season. He’s absolutely right and it was always gonna come back and bite us on the arse. Sads should have rotated the squad way more than he has, perhaps that way we wouldn’t find ourselves in the position we are. Fingers and everything crossed we can get over the line but im already preparing myself mentally for May 11th and the first leg of the Play Off semis 
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I agree he was very poor first 75 mins on friday but in fairness to him we were going back to front way too much. He looked far better when Alfie, Uncs and Nathan came on and we started playing through the thirds.
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Certainly feels that Weir and Asiimwe have been underutilised, occasional cover for international duty and suspension.
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Last season was our worst defensive season since the Chris Hutchings season.
That was off the back of Mick Flynns Walsall bring amongst the best at the back. When Flynn had his goal getter - DJ we were a danger.
Sadler dismantled a very good defensive unit. Can’t recall the stats but if anyone doubts it look at the goals against column last season you’ll be going back a long time to exceed it ! But a certain poster on here claimed we conceded more because of added time. Class comment !
Now only Grimsby in the top 12 are worse than us.
Flynns defensive unit was Hayden White who everyone hated, Donervan Daniels who was injured for the most part last season and this and Monthe who took his league 1 chance. Shielded by Kinsella who again wasn’t universally rated. Not sure you can accuse Sadler of dismantling it. He certainly hasn’t done a great job over the 2 years of constructing a good unit though. He has dismantled his own units bafflingly. Both last season and this.
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