We’ll find out on Saturday, ironic that Sadler will come up agaist one of his best mates whose team are on a good run.
You couldn’t write it.
Totally understandable. As a fanbase my god we are in some pain. I have felt hollow today and after most matchdays since Bradford.
I couldn’t make the Cheltenham game and when the equaliser went in I made a complete fool of myself in front of the wife, kids and my mom. My mom wouldn’t let me drive her home because I was in such a state.
Amazing how deep down we all feel the same. The positives are growing in my mind as the hours pass and I can just about see a path to glory.
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Not sure if you have seen it but Walsall Fan TV put up some fan reaction videos on YouTube today. Young Frankie who is often on the Fan Chat videos did one and the pain and frustration just poured out of him. He is a similar age to my boys and they have just seen nothing in their supporting lives have they.
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That’s the thing isn’t it?
Yesterday already diluting a tad.
I’ll have hope again by about Wednesday lunchtime. Nervous excitement Saturday morning and hopefully a burden lifted Saturday tea time.
It’s still in our own hands.
Just.
Despite those hands being caked in butter the last few months!
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Buy some flour a bake a loaf 30mins kneading will do you the world of good .
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He’s turned down a new contract do they won’t play him.
That happened to me once. I was only diving to make it look like I was trying to make the save but it hit the post and bounced in off the back of my head. Still traumatised 50+ years later 
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Im wondering if our style of play is unsustainable over a season. This bears an uncanny resemblance to last year where we took 11 points from the last 11 games, we have taken 12 from our last 11 games, although that can change with the remaining games. I dont believe that the players have switched off, just ground down by our strategy. This is a coaching issue, and i am not sure what the performance anylists are up to. Hope we can have a final push and rescue the situation, problem is our quality players are either too old, or too unfit
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In racing terms: he needed the run! I believe that Hall has the quality that we lack in midfield. If we can get an hour out of him then that might make the difference on Saturday. I’m clutching at straws a bit - we just don’t have the quality in midfield that other teams have. We have no one as good as Ben Garrity, for instance!
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Although certainly not at the same levels, This used to happen at Borussia Dortmund when Klopp was the manager there, they played a high energy style but post winter break their squad would look knackered and more players would pick up re-occurring fitness and injuries. Marcelo Bielsa’s teams often burn out in the latter stages of a season.
Its hard maintaining those levels of fitness, and squad rotation is vital (using your squad effectively is definitely something Sadler needs to improve on)
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I don’t buy it. All they have done is ramp up the pressure on themselves. The two remaining home games should be comfortable and now they will all be pressure situations.
I hope I am wrong.
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I agree. I think our 3-5-2 formation involves a lot of running, chasing down teams who we cede most of the possession to. This has worn the players down and it’s no coincidence that the likes of Jellis, Stirk, Barrett and Liam Gordon look fecked! I think we need to either consider a change to a 3-4-2-1 formation, where we have more passing options in advanced midfield, or try a 4-2-3-1 formation (probably one for next season!) The current formation is leading to too big a gap between midfield and attack, which means we end up having to hoof it from defence to a static Jamma. It is also probably a key reason we seem to lose so many second balls. It’s time to tweak both the personnel and the playing style.
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Yup
It’s been said several times over
Zero value on possession or controlling the fans.
Tires out players
We can’t take the sting out a game (Cheltenham)
Last year we were still Learning the system didn’t have players who suited it. That inability to manage momentum was why we got spanked 4 or 5 a fair few times we couldn’t turn the tide. Thsts imptoved . As has fitness.
But refer to other high energy teams famed for Burn out. Klopps Liverpool. Bielsa Leeds. All took time to get the style right to not burn them out. We ain’t got time.
I’m trying desperately to find hope. Any hope. Any dangling thread of hope.
Don’t deny me this morsel with the realism of the situation.
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I think it is easier to play our way in league 2 that higher up. It is far less strenuous to win the ball back from a Crewe for example than a Man City or Bayern Munich.
What you have to have though no matter the level or style of play is the ability to take the sting out of games. We just can’t do it. With Lowe we could just get another goal to kill the game without him the opposition still sniff an opportunity.
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The best bit of hope I have found in my frazzled brain is..
We are capable (although not guaranteed) of beating Harrogate, Newport and Accrington. For all that has gone before, that would probably be enough.
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Yep and we could have won at Donny, Gillingham, Bromley and Carlisle. We played well enough to have won a couple of those.
I just don’t know whether to take comfort from the fact we could have or despair at the fact we didn’t.
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Wonder if they would let me manage the last 5 games, think I would make a better job that MS. Ill even bring my old cat who died this morning and see if he bounces
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Can add Cheltenham to that too.
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Sadler didn’t go for the win in any of those which led to the draws. Went for the safety option of valuable away points where win 1 lose 1 would have been better.
He now has to be brave and take a team of fatigued beleagured players with him to believe in winning games again.
I am teetering towards despair not hope unfortunately Been too long now since we have seen evidence that this can turn around in to 3 or 4 wins from 5 or a couple of playoff wins.
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