"On the trail of the lonesome pine"
(MacDonald/Carroll - popular song from years ago, and yes, there’s a connection with Oldham Athletic)
It’s getting quite like old times for many older Walsall supporters … back in the 1950’s it was the routine to finish at the foot of the lowest Football League tier, and have to go cap-in-hand to apply for re-election. With very nearly a third of this season gone we’ve won 4 games - just set that against our 1952-53 performance when the entire campaign produced 7 wins for us. Other clubs in that Division III (South) table included Norwich City, Brighton, Watford, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth.
However, back to the present and a trip to multi-national Oldham Athletic. There can’t be many teams with players from 12 different nations on their books … verbal exchanges on training days must be interesting!! The Latics are in 21st position, 4 points below us, but (naturally) their scoring record in better than ours … current League 2 form:-
Sep 17 Scunthorpe Utd (A) Drew 2-2
Sep 21 Morecambe (h) Won 3-1
Sep 28 Carlisle Utd (A) Lost 1-0
Oct 5 Cheltenham Town (H) Drew 1-1
Oct 12 Mansfield Town (A) Lost 6-1
Oct 19 Macclesfield Town (H) Lost 0-1
(The Mansfield Town game can be considered a bit of a one-off, as Oldham had 2 players sent off before half-time)
So…what can Darrell Clarke do to reverse our current run of 3 straight defeats? Many helpful suggestions have been made by contributors to this forum, as well as a few suggestions on where certain players can go. What is certain is that basic individual errors have to be addressed, and attacking football must become a priority - we can’t rely on soft penalties, and neither can we rely on the goals we do score coming from the feet of our defenders…
Prior to the current 3 losses, it should be remembered that we had 3 straight wins, so the squad shouldn’t be totally written off at this stage. The game gives us an ideal opportunity to get back to winning ways, and if we can resume the 0-1 away scenario that will be a start. Perhaps one of our strikers will oblige???
UTS
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0-0 must be the most likely result for this one.
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I shall be there to see a surprising, scintillating 3-0 win, which will lift the gloom I am feeling about events elsewhere. Goals from Starmer, Lucas and Blackford.
Well in the true meaning of the word it’s a 6 pointer I think we will see some changes I see Jack Rose being bought in between the sticks no Liddle with Hardy starting and given license to do as he wishes going forward I think it’s obvious what he’s tried to do with all these defensive players isn’t working so it’s time for a change and this games the one to do it 2-0 to the saddlers is the prediction
nothing says Division 3 football post 2000 like Oldham v Walsall to me , however this is Division 4 . If we can tighten up at the back a solid clarkesque 1 v 0 victory
Weve got this
0-4
Gordon and Adebayo with a brace each.
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4-0 is 50/1 on bet365 get a tenner on it 
I bet that took all of 2 seconds 
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I don’t know about 50/1, I’d be looking for about 5 billion to one for them pair to score two each 
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very true even that’s too short a price feels very much like the morecambe game this one does what a mess we are in.
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You must have had too much sun and sangria!
Sorry Welsh, this time you have totally lost me…what is this word?
Perhaps someone might explain this word to me tomorrow night.
Scooby, too many dreams can make you very weary, you know, like the rest of us, that Roberts will be in goal ready to drop another clanger, Hardy will be bench warming, and Liddle will be there at the back in some form or another, Holden will feature as the man with no brain, McDonald will run forever but fall over doing too many step overs and Adebayo and Gordon will feature up front doing buggar all again. Oldham will be free to drive a petrol tanker through our non existent midfield… it’s a given in DC’s private world…you do wonder what he sees at our games? It certainly aint what we see!
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Well i will go for a draw, a 0-0 draw unless Clarke or Sinclaire can get on the scoresheet because the frontline seem more capeable of hitting the crowd than the sprout bag
It’s the walsall fc way poor performance at home then go and get 3points when it’s not expected. 1-0 to the saddlers.
Certainly hope you are right my friend, but what if our top goalscorer ‘OG’ is out of form, a saft penalty perhaps?
I’m having a few days in Jerez. This round cost me 5 euros…dangerous at that price.
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