After watching the replay, I have no doubt that Comley totally deserved each of his yellow cards.
The first one was for verbal dissent and kicking the ball out of play after a foul was awarded against him in the middle of the pitch. A referee who did not give a yellow card for that would be criticised by the assessor, particularly in light of the instructions to referees to clamp down on dissent this season.
The second yellow was for a trip from behind on a player running away from him into a dangerous area when Comley had no chance of playing the ball. That has been an automatic yellow card for many years.
The criticisms of the referee and assistant were as usual misplaced. It is possible that the offside against Gordon was wrong, but I have yet to see the freeze-frame that supposedly proves that it was. A number of fans on my side of the pitch were furious about some throw-in decisions that the assistant gave Countyâs way, but if you watch the replay, you can see that he got them right.
Absolutely the expectation will rightly be high. However it shouldnât be unrealistic, even if we do very well next season given the ultra competitive nature of the league there will be sticky spells. Stockport have been promoted with something to spare, they started this season winning one of their first six. This board will be in meltdown if the same happens to us at the beginning of next season. I just hope the expectation doesnât be one over bearing and suffocating particularly at home and the vocal minority who never will accept Sadler as our manager donât create an overtly negative and toxic atmosphere at the first signs of trouble (and there will be testing times no doubt, all of the top clubs have had sticky spells).
Why is everyone so insistent that only a good start could possibly save Sadler from the chop early on next season? I even read one fool suggesting he gets âpre seasonâ God I hope we perform well in those friendlies at Leamington and Telford
Arenât Doncaster and Stockport the best possible examples of showing that in league two a good start means absolutely nothing?
Bit late to the party, but just caught up with the game.
What an excruciating watch that was! Items were thrown across the room when DJT missed that a chance. Him and Josh Gordon, I donât want to sound mean, but Iâm sick of the sight of them now.
Comley really let us down.
Danny Johnson has gone from star man, to footballing kryptonite whose lack of pressing ability is so harmful he can barely be allowed on to the pitch.
Our decision making and final ball around the box was really poor. Allen has to cut that chance back for Matt instead of shooting. The amount of overhit crosses was driving me mad. Then defending for the first two goals and Evans for the third
In some ways I wish Crawley had won, as it would make this non-performance a bit easier to swallow. But weâre still in it somehow, so Iâll try to calm down and remain positive
I forgot how painful it can be watching us when thereâs actually something to play for.
HmmmmâŚâŚpossibly bad luck to a degree but also he slipped because he was in the wrong position with his body turned the wrong way. He came across focussed on the ballâŚ.LangstaffâŚ.like all good strikers delayed a step meaning Allen couldnât really see him.
Got to see the man and the ballâŚif you canât see both youâre in the wrong position. Just inexperience on Allenâs partâŚ.plus good forward play by the best striker in the division.
For me if we are serious about promotion then the aim has to be top 3, play-offs are a lottery and we need to capitalise on what will be a weaker league next season.
It does feel a bit like our strikers are selected as much for their defensive attributes as their offensive ones.
I know we should really just forget about DJ at this point, but I canât help it. To barely get a kick in such a busy period of games when Matt can hardly do more than 45 minutes, Faal is weak from fasting, Gordon canât score to save his life and DJT is DJT. Sadler must really really really not rate him.
I want us to be positive, control games and be on the front foot.
We seem to worry more about the opposition than we do about how we attack. We have done ok adopting this strategy; but my sort of aim is that we are pushing to be in the top 3 in this division. I am not sure that this brand of football is capable of that in my opinion.
Long time to go though, finishing 7th from this position would be a tremendous achievement; and certainly progress beyond what I expected.
We did bounce back from the MK Dons lamping; and we need to do it again in the next two games.
Because thatâs not our reality at the moment. Justifiably impatient fanbase. Wonât be many fanbases as impatient as we are.
Just personally believe that if we arenât up there in October then it probably becomes untenable.
Some Stockport fans wanted Challinor out in September. Clearly mistaken. Alexander was ousted by MK fans. Positive outcome.
My point being that league two has proven time and time again that it always has lots of twists and turns and a good start means nothing.
Doncaster have proved as has at least one team per season that if you put your good run of form together from February onwards youâre in with a shout.
Not winning games in August / September means nothing really.
Just as the defensive injury crisis forced Sadlers hand , hoping the same for the last 3 games up front.
We have to win them all. I can see his loyalty to Matt considering his good performances lately and Faals fasting but Matt just looks done to me now and ramadan is done.
Faal should start
I do agree generally but I cannt see an outcome where Sadler is afforded that chance.
Yes you always get latecomers. Ourselves, Doncaster Crawley and MK to a lesser extent are showing that this season but Stockport, Wrexham, Crewe, Mansfield and Barrow have been up there all season.
From what i have learnt this morning, DJ is on one of the biggest contracts Walsall have handed a player. So for starters that is a massive waste of a big chunk of the annual budget if the manager doesnt rate him.
I think the reality is that DJ is almost being forced out of Walsall by having to put in a transfer request and move in the summer. That way it will free up a big earner off the books and also mitigate Walsall paying anything by way of paying up his contract. I think for all concerned it would probably be the best outcome now.
