Inspired? Chesterfield Away.

Undoubtedly the biggest news story of the week has been the crash – and subsequent findings – of a Germanwings passenger (an Airbus 320) plane en route from Barcelona to Dusseldorf. All on board were almost immediately reported as killed when the plane crashed into the French Alps. Subsequent investigations seem to show that the co-pilot, alone on the flight deck deliberately crashed the aeroplane. So many relatives and friends already upset are, naturally finding this news hard to take. Airlines are, also properly, changing the rules about the number of crew required in the cockpit at anytime.

I feel for all of those who have lost loved ones, including the parents of the co-pilot.

And so: past the spring equinox and tree blossom is everywhere, rooks nesting and robins nest building in our back garden.

Steve Gerrard, playing in his last season for Liverpool (after an illustrious and magnificent career) came on as substitute in a key match against Manchester United (high rivalries in such games) and after committing a horrible foul was properly sent off after less than a minute. Gerrard has been a key figure for both Liverpool and England, a combative midfielder with emotion, heart, vision, pride, energy, a strong tackle and a powerful shot shouldered the responsibility and manfully apologised to his team mates who lost the game 2 -1. He was, perhaps trying to set an example to his colleagues who had been cowed by the physicality of the United challenges. Hyped up, perhaps frustrated, he wanted to get stuck in. But his tackle was dangerous. He was man enough to do the right thing. I give him credit for this.

Similarly, our on-loan Michael Cain, much younger and less experienced tweeted his disappointment at not playing at Wembley on Sunday (now a fading memory for me) apologised to the team, apparently for his “unprofessional” outburst. Again, credit to the player. It should not be about what happens but how it is dealt with.

While appreciating that we were beaten by a better – and better prepared – team I remain disappointed by the poor Saddlers  performance at Wembley but have renewed my season ticket. The black T shirt I ordered well before the JPT final ironically arrived on the Tuesday following the game there.

Emblazoned with the slogan

“Walsall Football Club is for Life, not Just For Wembley” it is a statement of intent, purpose. We made some money, had a fine experience and … our next game, against Chesterfield, less than two hours away is  beckoning. Anybody else fancy the trip?

Apparently not … until I get a call from Andy and we arrange the trip between us.

I’m fairly certain that, between us and the “Football Traffic” road signs we’ll be able to find the ground, but check it out anyway. The Chesterfield web-site has details of “what to see” In Chesterfield and the legendary “crooked spire” features prominently. St Mary and All Saints church dominates the Chesterfield skyline which dates back to the 14th century, and is most known for its twisted spire, an architectural phenomenon.

Added to the 14th century tower in about 1362 it is both twisted (45 degrees) and leaning and leaning 9 feet 6 inches (2.90 m) from its true centre. The leaning characteristic was initially suspected to be the result of the absence of skilled craftsmen (the Black Death had been gone only twelve years prior to the spire’s completion), insufficient cross-bracing, and the use of unseasoned timber. It is now believed that the twisting of the spire was caused by the lead that covers the spire. The lead causes this twisting phenomenon, because when the sun shines during the day the south side of the tower heats up, causing the lead there to expand at a greater rate than that of the north side of the tower, resulting in unequal expansion and contraction.

It is this that gives the football club the nickname of “the Spireites”.

When I get to Andy’s, lo and behold if his brother isn’t there too and, happily we set off together; inevitably comparing Wembley experiences and thoughts. But, we all agree there is only one focus now: the next game and not getting involved in a dull end-of-season battle to avoid relegation.

Chesterfield is yet another second chance and although Romaine Sawyers is out on international duty (St Nevis and St Kitts) we are expecting some steel in the performance.

Parking on a supermarket car park within spitting distance of the ground we pop into a local pub for a beer. It is a seriously old-fashioned pub but, despite the two huge “security me” atop the steps that lead into the bar it is friendly and crowded. This pub might well have been dying on its feet – then what a godsend: the new football ground is built opposite!

Proact Stadium looks good from the outside, aspirational glass fronted (giving me the impression of an aquarium!) and optimistic . But away supporters have to buy tickets from a plastic kiosk around the corner and, although there is something of a dated “space age” look to the inside the corners are open, and seating is limited. The ground looks full with the six thousand spectators that pack in. Good support from Walsall fans, who, let’s face it have had an expensive week.

Tom Bradshaw is out with the hamstring, Baxendale preferred to Cain or Grimes in mid field and Downing replaced by O’Connor.

We notice that the formation seems to have two strikers: Hiwula and Cook. An interesting change, we decide, but Cook is not a natural in this role and soon is dropping back. At right back Purkiss looks overmatched. Baxendale can’t get any runs going, Sam Mantom is locked out for most of the first half and we fail to get a shot on target. Chesterfield, while not bossing it, are capable of pushing us back into our own half and making us defend, sometimes quite desperately. And they use their wingers well, with some accurate long passing going on. There are a string of decisions from the referee that are inexplicable, including one, where, as he questions the assistant referee, he seems to be making the excuse that the sun is in his eyes, so he didn’t see. At least poor.

  

But the two Chambers brothers, James and Adam are valiantly rushing about and O’Connor is busy and competent. We are trying, as usual, it seems to soak up pressure and hit on the counter attack. With a fully fit Tom Bradshaw we can be deadly at this tactic. He has “beefed up”, works tirelessly and puts pressure on the whole backline. He also has speed and the ability to hold the ball. Hiwula is a fine player, but not, sorry, in the same league. So we struggle.

In the second half we continue to struggle. Yes, there is determination there, but gaps appear in our midfield and the defence is stretched. We concede corner after corner and free kick after free kick. A flurry of substitutions: on 61 minutes Baxendale and Forde are replaced by Benning (able to find space and get in some of his characteristic guided-missile runs (with fluffed shots at the end of them!) and Cain. On eighty one minutes Reece Flanagan replaces Adam Chambers.

This creates confusion; Benning and Flanagan seem unsure who and where to mark when defending set pieces and  on eighty six minutes and Chesterfield go ahead with a Sam Hird header.

Smart phones out on the way back. We are now one point clear of the relegation zone and have eight games left until the end of the season. I daresay there will be reassuring noises from Dean Smith, but this is definitely not the end of the season I was expecting.

Two very local clubs (Shrewsbury and Burton Albion) are currently leading League Two. Theses would be great teams to play against next season … but we have to keep our League One place. It’s true that there is time and we have the “togetherness factor”, just as it is true we could mathematically qualify in a play-off place, but recent performances have not been inspiring. I cannot remember the time we set about a game and forcefully pinned a team back in their own half, harrying them into mistakes (the way Chesterfield did to us today).

Our next home game is on Good Friday, but I have a wedding to go to. By the time the couple are married things should be clearer.

F.A. Cup Surprises.

My good wife was not happy yesterday (Friday). One of her favourite programmes (the Musketeers, BBC1) was replaced by a live broadcast F.A. Cup match. Cambridge United versus Man. Utd.

“Why,” she wanted to know “is there not a channel that shows just sports so I don’t have to have my favourite programmes messed about?”

I was thinking several things – the way we can all do, right?

The first: that this version of Alexandre Dumas’ musketeers – plus one – is simply using the four characters to eke out well-written but completely new, episode length storylines … I am puzzled why it was not deemed possible to invent new characters and make something new. We seem to be in a loop of recycling old plots, ideas and characters, rather than taking a chance on new …

Secondly: there are many channels that show only sports. We don’t have them and I don’t think I need them, but they are there. The BBC – God bless all who sail in her – are desperately trying to hang on to sporting events and the F.A. Cup is one they still hold. The playing timetable has been stretched out over three days to allow games to be shown on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday. Beyond that BBC is losing big sports events to other channels – sport is becoming, sadly, more about the stay at home audience than the attending spectators.

Thirdly I was wondering, just wondering if the game would be any good; could Cambridge, massively underdogs, beat the mighty Manchester United team?

So I started to watch it. I was only going to watch until Man Utd – s would predictably and inevitably would happen – scored their first goal …

But they didn’t! Managed by Richard Money (our manager from 2006 to 2008) they outplayed, out thought and out manoeuvred their Premier league opponents. Man Utd looked short of fire, commitment and skill. I watched the whole game. A proper F.A. Cup game. A nil-nil result with a replay at Old Trafford is arguably the best result for all involved from Cambridge: the players will get to play in one of the world’s most iconic stadiums, the fans can say they went to Old Trafford to watch their own team play there – and the money the club makes will provide a genuine, well won foundation for the club to build on.

   

No game for the Saddlers – we were knocked out by Shrewsbury in the very early stages: another story (briefly told at https://saddlersfan.wordpress.com/tag/shrewsbury-town/) .

The media are peddling the fiftieth anniversary of the funeral of Winston Churchill. It was televised, live and had a massive world-wide audience. Churchill’s great grandson, interviewed says he feels his great grandfather should be remembered for far more than just his war-time role. He was involved in the last great cavalry charge, a war correspondent, a sponsor of science, an artist, a writer, and flew in held-together-with-string planes in 1912 as founder of the Royal Naval Air Service. There is newsreel footage of his funeral procession which includes the touching sight of the dockside cranes lowering their jibs in respect. It escaped attention at the time, but the crane drivers would not normally have been at work on this day – and got paid over-time, allegedly, for the act.

Sixty years ago in another land a truck driver named Elvis recorded a song for his mother and, arguably changed the world. The producer of the record, Sam Phillips recognised something in the voice and – the rest is history.

This afternoon, more shocks in the F.A. Cup: Chelsea roundly beaten by Bradford City (at home!) and Manchester City beaten by Championship side Middleborough. Aston Villa, who have not scored for nine and a bit hours must be nervous: they play free-scoring Bournemouth tomorrow.

The crowd at an Everton game recently became extras in a Sylvester Stallone film. He appeared on the scoreboard screen in an Everton shirt and asked the crowd to “act the part of the crowd” in a Rocky spin-off film he is making.

Walsall have managed to sign Michael Cain on a season long loan (from Leicester City) now; initially he was filling in for Sam Mantom, recovering from injury. But Mantom’s  injury is on-going – and Cain has been so influential. Glad we have him for the rest of the  season! Because there is a lot going on at the moment: our second leg Northern Area final is on Tuesday. Two nil up isn’t feeling safe at the moment, but Wembley ?

Bescot will be hosting another international game in March: the England under-18s game against Switzerland.

A Game of a Different Name.

Strange when you wake up on the final day of an escorted tour. First you’ve been able to have a lie-in. There’s nothing to do after all until it’s time to leave for the airport (in our case Reagan, Washington, D.C. en route to Birmingham (the original one in England) via Newark outside New York). So, although you wake up at 6 a.m. local time (because that’s been the routine) you can lie in bed, have a late breakfast … and just, well fill up time really … until that mind-numbing slog to the airport, the glamour of aviation fuel in the nostrils, hen air conditioned boredom and cramp, constantly thinking you might be in the wrong place at the right time (or something like that).

It’s the U.S.A.. So there are a million and one TV channels to hop. Interminably long advert breaks give plenty of incentive – if any were needed – to “see what’s on the other side”.

NFL! What the Americans call football is American football to me. A cross between wrestling, pantomime, graceful athleticism, cheerleaders and rugby. It’s over-hyped, over analysed and done to death, with statistics panels and histories of previous games, tactics, player data and chatter, chatter, chatter.

Then I am surprised to find a soccer game. On NBC. In contrast it is so simply shown. A single camera angle covering almost all of the action, brief commentary, very few replays and slow-motion analysis that dogs the NFL channels (oh and the accompanying college grade games) …

I am hit by a revelation at that point. And stunned. Truly!

The gap plugged by the ESPN and NFL channels is exactly what English media have done to the “beautiful game”! Isn’t it?

Match of the Day, internationals: talking heads, media headlines, gossip, paraphernalia and personality worship trails a-plenty. I began by thinking criticism of the American system and am quickly brought to face the lengthy analysis of Saturday evening English TV.

Now, this blog may be in danger – or indeed be wholly composed of – of continuing that over- egging of an elementally-simple, beautiful game and so I may myself need to answer charges of hypocrisy at some stage.

So, having caught fifteen minutes or so of the Arsenal v man City game earlier on in the tour I settled down to watch this one. Leicester City against Manchester United. Leicester, unsurprisingly losing 3-1 when I decide to get breakfast. It’s still on when I get back to the room. It’s the whole game, live of course, not the edited highlights.

The football from both teams is so smooth, so fast, so fluent; the ball swept majestically from end to end, from wing to wing. Defence becomes attack with no need for complicated time-outs, team switches or huddles. It is such a simple game. (Earlier from the bus we had seen what was described as “Football Frisbee” being played in one of Washington’s parks. Imagine football with a Frisbee, not a ball and you have it.) But the play is also stylish: dribbling, passing, some fine interceptions and well-timed tackles, some with that physical edge I enjoy seeing.

 “Leicester losing at this point,” the commentator intones, But they are not intimidated, moving forward with both urgency and purpose. They were in the Championship last season and have a degree of robust play that is disturbing and unsettling the Man U. players. And United’s recent-arrival manager van Gaal, has changed the team about, selling some who may well have felt themselves established United players (Danny Wellbeck, now at Arsenal is a good example) and moved in his own players.

A loose, hopeful  ball is delivered down the United right, a challenge goes in from Vardy (the City player, previously with non-League Fleetwood Town). In my opinion Vardy committed a foul on Rafael da Silva, the United full back. Such shoulder charges are rarely seen in the Premier League. But no whistle. Vardy gets into the penalty area; the United full back comes back at him with a challenge and he goes to the ground:

Penalty!

Along with the United players I am surprised: If the first offence wasn’t given why is this one? But rules is rules … and, as a spectacle the game will be better if Leicester get another goal. Plus, of course, I must confess that United are far from being my favourite team.

Goal!!

Leicester then add pressure; an equaliser comes very quickly, from Esteban Cambiasso, after some poor defending on one hand and enterprising opportunism on the other. Then it’s another penalty for the Foxes – and Utd have Tyler Blackett sent off.

The final score ?

Leicester 5 man Utd. 3

… and an impressive game to boot!

Back at home the Leicester M.P. Keith Vaz will use the score line in a speech at the Labour Party Conference in Manchester, saying, with a twinkle in his eye:

“… and anyone who can get the numbers five three into a speech will get an extra thirty minutes from the Chair.”

I press the switch on the remote control box, attach myself to the luggage and the return begins.

Having kept myself away from Saddlers results I will soon find out how they got on in the three games I missed.

Kind of Backwards (Crystal Palace: home: Capital One Cup)

Seems I may have to write this one – kind of – backwards.

No standard build-up, start at the end and work to the beginning.

Crystal Palace overwhelmed us. We had too many players off their game and, having given away a cheap early goal through lack of concentration we never looked like bossing it.

Palace were the better team. They are in the Premier League, should be enough said. But it’s the cup and the old eleven versus eleven clichés kick in. Local paper talk – rare in usual circumstances almost had me believing we could pull off some kind of magic, getting through to the next round of the Capital One (Still, to many a fan, the League) Cup.

We gave away a free kick after six minutes or so; players decided to argue the decision. Palace, ruthlessly (and quite properly) took the kick; man in space, fierce shot (Marcus Gayle) and we were chasing a faster game. Gayle gave a master class in striking, notching up a deserved hat trick to the delight of the Palace supporters. Again I give credit to travelling supporters. We are situated on a motorway at the centre of England; few grounds are easier to get to – but still the commitment must be made. No doubt: the Palace players are fitter, more skilful and using keener “football brains” than our team … as you would expect. But even so …

Bradshaw once again – apparently alone up front – gave a good manful account, Grimes, again largely absent when and where he was needed, managed a shot which came back off the inside of the post, hid the Eagles ‘keeper on the back of the head and … went out.

“When your luck’s not in …” the guy next to me said. True enough, but hey, we haven’t won at home since January. Can it be possible? How long can your luck be missing?

And, er, dare I ask it: what if we are actually in a streak of good luck; because things could be worse. Sometimes, as one of the characters in long running TV series Holby City said “haven’t you got it yet: it’s the hope that kills!”

Some excellent displays from our two full backs, both always making themselves available for the pass, running long and hard down both wings as well as defending reasonably well (bearing in mind that we were thumped 3 – o). Andy Taylor (selected as man of the match, a minute before he failed once again to get a free kick on target. And Liam Kinsella, playing against players far larger than him, refusing to be intimidated and very mature in his approach and attitude.

Seemed like a good crowd, packed car park, but at nearly four thousand I really believe it could have been better. The middle and upper tiers of the Walsall end were closed.

Talk between us was of the trip to Tallinn, tram railways, history of Walsall, work, and whether we should go to Scunthorpe on Saturday.

On the same night, however, giant killing was being done. M.K. Dons put paid to Manchester United (who broke the British transfer record with the £59.7 million pounds purchase of Angel di Maria). Four goals to nil! That’s just amazing! Louis van Gaal, the new United manager, still with a lot to prove then (watch this space!). But a couple of the goals were scored by former Walsall striker Will Grigg.

A day later Burton Albion, just down the road and a division lower dumped QPR.

Footnote is that Dean Smith has managed to sign reluctant French striker Mathieu Manset who impressed during his loan spell here and his appearance against Leicester City in a friendly. https://saddlersfan.wordpress.com/2014/07/31/its-a-friendly-right/

Now , just maybe, we have a target man and enough people returning from injury to mount a realistic and proper start to the season. Manset up front with Bradshaw feeding off him ought to be a good combination; and we’ve got one less trophy to worry about now.

Strikers … One Step Forward Please.

So, it was confirmed today. David Moyes, chosen by Sir Alex Ferguson among others as his successor is out of a job. The price of failure. The pressures of football management. Or maybe any kind of management when the stakes are financially or artificially high.

Seems a somehow disloyal decision to me, but then I support a local club that’s run, it would appear on completely different lines. They’re the “toffs”, we’re Alf Tupper on his way to training via Winton’s chippie and doin’ a paper round on the way.

Meanwhile Wolves are promoted as champions and Brentford also get promotion. The knock on effect of that is that Walsall get another slice of cash for Will Grigg (one of our key forwards last season).

He couldn’t agree a deal with Dean Smith and moved to Brentford in the close season, but we were due some money. The F.A. needed to set up a tribunal as the two clubs couldn’t agree on a figure. But the tribunal was (wickedly) late for we could have done with the money during the transfer window so as to be able to nab something that resembled a replacement. Not to be – and the authorities remain bullet-proof. Then eventually they got together and we were granted an initial £325,000 with additional clauses.

Now, with Brentford qualifying for promotion, we get an additional £50,000. Bonus. And we need a dyed in the wool striker! Dean Smith should get some of the money to spend. And he should be able to start looking soon (hint, hint!)

Craig Westcarr has been our season-long front man, but, with all due respect he is not an out-and-out striker. Sure, he can hit the ball, has vision, but lacks the aggression to get in where it might hurt and the killer instinct to put himself in the right places. Sawyers was worth keeping, but is inconsistent: a talented ball player but lacks application sometimes.

A year ago, losing the three doing-well strikers (Febian Brandy, to Sheffield Utd, Jamie Paterson – Notts Forest and Will Grigg, to Brentford), really knocked us back. But, after a surprisingly reasonable season, we need to be in the market. And we have money. Don’t we?

 

Bradford Away (From a Distance!)

I have tremendous host, here in spring-beautiful Upper Austria. A marvellously spacious room, balcony and such hospitality. I should not be surprised (but I am!). Every time I have stayed here I am met by the same polite, genuine friendliness that relaxes me. Wonderful.

The son is a fine musician, a sometime-guitar teacher. Oh, and a Man United fan! Saying that, we get on well together, talk music, genres, but I cannot persuade him to shun the Red Devils and become a Saddler.

Tuesday evening and he mentions that he will be going to his neighbour’s to watch the United v City game (a real derby) and would I like to go. I admit that I am tempted. Walsall are playing at Bradford but that is unlikely to feature on any TV show. But I decline, hopefully gracefully.

He sends his father a text one minute after the game has started: Utd. are one down. I am in bed when he gets back, but meet him later on the following day.

“We lost three to nothing,” he says. “I was angry for one hour after the end of the game. Then not. We did not have a chance. Man City were in, I think you say … a different class …”

What a marvellous attitude. I salute it and him.

He is also willing to take a moment, interrogate his smart-phone (known as “handies” here) to find the Walsall result. I am expecting poor news. But he tells me we won two – nil.

That Craig Westcarr scored both goals.

The rest of the day – needless to say – goes smoothly… except he still will not convert !