from: http://upthesaddlers.com/wp/archives/2006/01/17/walsall-vs-barnsley-preview/ including: <div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 153); color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"all of Walsall’s troubles at the moment stem from their inability to score goals, but, if they can find a scorer or two from somewhere tonight, then this should be a relatively comfortable win"</span> </div> <hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;" /> Back to the all important FA Cup run tonight and the Barnsley replay. With it becoming obvious that Merson is not going to receive any of the proceeds from the sale of Bennett and Fryatt, it is, as he said, the cash earned from this run which is financing his team changes. Loan signings are all well and good, but we need to be building as well. Having said all of that, changes have to be made from Saturday. Out will go Murphy, as Sunderland are still not willing to let him get cup tied, Smith, who wasn’t signed in time for the first game and, therefore, can’t play in the replay and the cup tied Constable. The line up, therefore, with only Merson and Wrack injured, should look something like: Oakes, Pead, Gerrard, Roper, Fox, Wright, Osborn, Leary, Demontagnac or James, Timm, Atieno or James. Barnsley manager Andy Ritchie summed up their position on the Tyke’s official site:- “We will obviously have Paul Reid (defender) back after suspension but Paul Heckingbottom (Sheffield Wednesday loan defender) is cup tied. Dale Tonge (midfield) will go for an exploratory operation later this afternoon to get to the bottom of his knee injury and Nicky Wroe (midfield) has trained but is still struggling with swelling around his knee and could need another scan. Bobby Hassell (defender) has missed training this morning but is fit to play at Walsall. Antony Kay (midfield) is on the mend and should be ok for the weekend. I will have to make my mind up about whether to start Daniel Nardiello at Walsall and that is something I will think about tonight. Paul Hayes will start up front”. Predictions? Barnsley have been on a poor run of form lately and have won only 1 in 7 games, which puts a different slant on what was still a good draw at their place. (Mind you, we’ve only won one of the last six!). As was proved in the League game on Saturday, all of Walsall’s troubles at the moment stem from their inability to score goals, but, if they can find a scorer or two from somewhere tonight, then this should be a relatively comfortable win, leaving a short trip to either Tamworth or Joke City in the next round.
RE: 1 win in last 7 Due to pissing about with the selection of the front 2 and our lack of strength in depth at the back, coupled with the defend deep tactics employed v Hartlepool/Hudds etc.
All to play for but need to find consistency before end of month, cos looking at February, some very tricky games. should be putting teams like MK Dons and Walsall away, whats the betting we are down to having a mathematical shout by end of March.
RE: All to play for Down to the manager now. If he carries on with his 'rabbit caught in the headlight' tactics v Hudds, and his apparent bafflement at his teams inability to play for 90 minutes then we're ******. If it dawns on him that the squad he's assembled is more than capable of a top 2 finish then we might just get lucky.
RE: All to play for Ritchies comments on the radio this morning were a bit worrying. He doesnt believe in squad rotation for most of team, but he does think that mourinho got it right with rotating the strikers. He thinks that strikers should be full of running, so changing them about keeps them fresh.
RE: All to play for Whats wrong with that? Its always better to have a settled back four. We havent the squad to rotate but we have the strikers to change,but you could argue that all the team should be settled.
RE: All to play for Drogba/Crespo v Richards/Wright. Can see his thinking like, but a settled front 2 and a settled XI would be preferable imho.
RE: All to play for I want him to play a settled team. I know he cant play a settled defence because of injuries/suspensions. But then again I and many have others have been saying we need to bring a defender or two in for ages. What I do want to see, is us go back to a settled strike force (preferably hayes and wright). And give them a good run of games together, to see if they can form an understanding. I bet its a nightmare playing with a different strike partner every week.
It's not working though We've had four different strike partnerships in the last 4 games and between them the strikers have managed 1 goal.
It's a good idea We have differnt strikers who are more suited to differnt situations. Perhaps he thought we'd need Richards strength on Saturday against a PV team who were likely to draw us into a longball competition.
RE: All to play for Rubbish.</p> Keeps 'em sweet more like.</p> This will cost us I know itt will.</p>
