Just back from Wallsall

[Nuff Said 5,958]

Too tired and up too early for a long post but just wanted to say Cody looked like the dog''s b*llocks. So quick and determined. Oli who? TBF, he wasn''t bad, but Cody obviously had a point to prove. What a change from last season when Roder had to play Russell up front - now we''ve got more strikers than we know what to do with.And I''d like to see more of McNamee too - looks tricky.WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE!!! [<:o)]

[Minster Canary 0]

Hope you enjoyed the game, sounded like a cracker, especially those last 15 mins!

[Europe_93 50]

you might see Whitbread on Saturday too ....

Thought we were pretty average, but better than them. 3 pts when others would have dropped them though, is why we are top.

Nice friendly club part from maybe 1 or 2 stewards.

[Marty 0]

to be honest it wasn''t the greatest spectacle, but we hung in there are got the result we deserved. I think Hoolahan was good, the pitch was a bit crap mind. Their fans were dreadful, I didn''t know they were there until they scored! 

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 2,035]

[quote user="Europe_93"]you might see Whitbread on Saturday too .... Thought we were pretty average, but better than them. 3 pts when others would have dropped them though, is why we are top. Nice friendly club part from maybe 1 or 2 stewards.[/quote]

If Drury is out for Saturday, if Wiggins doesn''t play in this situation, then he surely never will, will probably start with Lappin at LB imo

[Twitchy 0]

Great result, just wondering how Mr Lambert reacted to the goals?

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 2,035]

One question for those who were there tonight, because it was diffuicult to fathom purely from listening - WHERE THE HELL DID 5 MINS INJURY TIME COME FROM ?!?!.

because it didn''t sound as if there were any injuries in the whole of the secon half, only one booking in the whole match, and whilst I know refs add time on for each sub, we bought one on in the first half and two on at the same time in the second.

It didn''t cost us tonight but on another night it could ,and it made for a horrible last 5 mins , but why ?????

[Sheffield uni Canary 0]

We didn''t play very well tonight, but we got 3 points and thats all that matters, so pleased for Cody he didn''t stop running from the moment he came on. Although that game did show we missed holt a bit, no one to hold up and we gave it away too often.

[Hooleyfan 0]

There was some play acting injuries by them which must have monted up...substitutions and two goals...5 mins had to be expected imo...good trip, the surface was terrible and it nearly got the better of us...looking forward to getting this rearranged team back at Carra to consolidate without Holty before the trip to the New Den. This was a close one tonight but over the moon at getting all the points. Macnamee has lightening feet and I look forward to seeing more from him. Another great turnout from the Yellow Army...we must of outnumbered the home ''support'' tonight...off to bed now night night all.

[K Lo 246]

[quote user="GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary"]

One question for those who were there tonight, because it was diffuicult to fathom purely from listening - WHERE THE HELL DID 5 MINS INJURY TIME COME FROM ?!?!.

because it didn''t sound as if there were any injuries in the whole of the secon half, only one booking in the whole match, and whilst I know refs add time on for each sub, we bought one on in the first half and two on at the same time in the second.

It didn''t cost us tonight but on another night it could ,and it made for a horrible last 5 mins , but why ?????

[/quote]I was at the game too and knew before that there would be quite a bit of time. One of our players went down, two fo their outfield players did (one taking forever to walk off the pitch) and their goalie dived into the post and needed attention, too.Wasn''t a wonderful game to watch. Walsall had the measure of us for long periods and I don''t think that any of us could have complained if it ended 1-0 to them. Yes, we did have many corners but most were not that threatening. They didn''t seem a bad side and I think we did very well to get the two goals at the end. I was hoping it was going tyo be another Paulton Rovers but no. Definatley missed not having an information board. DIdn''t even have two odl geasers walking round with a board on it.Anyone else think that we out numbered the home supporters?

[Longy 1]

Just got back home (Nottingham).This was my 3rd visit to Walsall and the place hasn''t changed much. It is a bit of a soulless place as it is normally 1/2 full and has little character, though the local seem like a decent if quiet bunch. I have now seen Citys only 2 win at Walsall, the previous being in our Championship winning season where thrashed them 3-1, that was the game where I believed would get promoted that year. Whereas this game just confirmed what I already know that this team really should get promoted at the first time of asking this season.We started brightly without really creating a great deal and would say we were the better team until Drury limped off and we had to re organise. I felt we lost the midfield battle for the remainder of the 1st half and the game was really scrappy even though Oli went close. Their goal did seem to come out of nowhere, I will have to see again but my impression at the game was that Nelson was at fault. Deeney got past him far too easily and took round Fraser and tapped home.2nd half we come out brighter and went close through Chrissy Martin also had a few close shave when Hughes and Korey mishit shots from the edge of the area. As the half wore again Walsall seemed to frustrate us and come more into the game. They went close a couple times midway through the half when Hughes had to clear off the line. Our goal came from umpeteenth corner and was a real scramble, I didn''t even really celebrate properly as I thought it had been disallowed. The winner was a real quality cross from Wes and a good finish from Cody. The subs did have a positive impact especially Cody who gave us some life up front with his running the channel and hasseling. Mcnamee was on the fringes of the play but he did show some quick feet and could be very useful as the season wears on.Overall I thought 1-1 would have been a fair result in a very even game. We have played a lot better this season and deffo missed Holt up front to allow us to go a lot more direct when needs be especially on pitches like this. Walsall a well organised team who have set up very well against us this season, without having any real quality in their team. I think they will finish top half without really threatning the top half, I certainly think they will give Charlton a game whenever that game is rearranged for.Match Rating (6 is average)Forster 7- Didn''t think he made a mistake, handling was good as always wasn''t particularly tested a great deal.R Martin 6- Solid if unspectacular game, reminds a bit of lower division Edworthy. Will never let you down but is rarely outstanding.Doc 7.5 (MOTM) - Apart from an air shot in the 2nd half, was pretty faultless and is proving me wrong week in, week out. Fair play to the big man.Nelson-5 Thought he was at fault for the goal and nearly got turned/outrun on a couple of other occasions. Would like to see Whitbread play alongside Doc on Saturday.Drury 6.5 Hard to give him more for 15 mins but made a good start and we missed him.Korey- 5.5 Made some simple mistakes and wasn''t quite the all action midfielder he has been for most of the season. Needs to work on his shooting as well.Russell- 7 Was combative as usual.Lappin -6 Did a solid job replacing Drury at LB in what isn''t his preferred position.Wes- 7 Really wasn''t the pitch for him but yet again had a hand in both goals. Such a key player for us, what give us the edge over the rest of the league.C Martin 6.5- Did he best up front and was always willing. Yet another goal, isn''t a replacement for Holty though as a leader of the line.Oli - 5.5 Tried his best but often took the wrong option when in possession. He is just a little too raw imo at the moment and with experience will learn to make more right decision.Subs- Hughes 6- Always neat on the ball, but doesn''t provide the bite in midfield that the other central midfielders do.Cody 7.5- Really bright when he came on, good finish for the winner.McNamee 6- Good when he got the ball but was on the fringes and didn''t get the ball often.

We are top of the League and hahahah at Dirty Leeds.

[Smudger 0]

Was a close run thing on whether we outnumbered the home supporters I would say with both of us having just short of about 2,000 fans each.  It was flippin freezing and our play was very predictable at times with nobody holding the ball up when it went forwards and it being returned straight back to sender far too easily by a poor Walsall defence.McNamee shown 1 or 2 flashes of what he can do and Cody done well too.  I would like to see us quickly get another out and out winger in though, as our pattern of play still was very one dimensional even after the two 2nd half substitutions and a better team would of stood firm against us.  Just felt that their defence knew exactly where the danger was going to come from and that an out and out winger down the other flank when McNamee is on the pitch would help him and give the team far more balance.I hope that Korey Smith is ok as I was surprised to see him substituted after nearly breaking through to score before being crunched by that shattering challenge on the edge of the penalty area as he was about to pull the trigger.  Young Korey or Fraser Forster were my candidates for Man of the Match up until that point.

[Europe_93 50]

[quote user="GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary"]

[quote user="Europe_93"]you might see Whitbread on Saturday too .... Thought we were pretty average, but better than them. 3 pts when others would have dropped them though, is why we are top. Nice friendly club part from maybe 1 or 2 stewards.[/quote]

If Drury is out for Saturday, if Wiggins doesn''t play in this situation, then he surely never will, will probably start with Lappin at LB imo

[/quote]

For Nelson I meant.  A little bit more pace in the CB area and we probably wouldn''t have conceded the first. 

It may depend on the other changes he has to make though, I can see a case for starting with McNamee if Drury misses out (lappin to LB), we missed Holt a straight replacement only makes us weaker so Lambert may favour a slight tactical change.  You could see Cody and Johnson sharing the game again too, he might feel Johnson has been more effective coming on when others are tired.  That said we''re winning so he won''t want to make too many changes, so Nelson may stay in for a little longer.

Promotion is won on nights like last night - away from home, 1 down, freezing, tired from previous fixture, .... so well done to the boys, we''re in good shape.

[Ghost of Davie Ross 0]

I think Paddy Davitt said the attendance was around 5000 with 1700 of them Norwich supporters - a pretty impressive percentage.

[Lord Horn 0]

Attendance - 5020 (1365 City fans)

[Canary_on_the Trent 0]

[quote user="Lord Horn"]Attendance - 5020 (1365 City fans)[/quote]

Thats rubbish, must have been close to 2,000, the stand behind the goal holds 1,500 and there were no more than 150-200 empty seats in there and i''m sure there were several hundred of us in the other stand along the touchline.

[Jim Smith 2,604]

Would agree there were more than 1365 of us there. About 2/5 of the crowd I would say.

Another massive three points in a game where we really did not play well. In fact I would say its as poorly as we have played in a long time. Apart from Russell the midfield was non existant and we had no real shape of pattern to our play for long periods. Wallsall will feel hard done by but then we have a knack this season of making our quality tell in the final third and that happened again.

Thought we really struggled when Drury went off, both defensively and in terms of missing the attacking outlet he has become. As much as I like Lappin and admire his attitude, he cannot play full back because he is just so unbelievably slow. Wingers don;''t have to do anything to beat him other than knock it past and run onto the ball. We cannot afford to have him play there for any run of games, hopefully Wiggins may get a game on saturday.

Russell Martin continued his recent trait of being crap at home but playing well away from home. Maybe the big crowds at CR get to him as he looks a different player away.

OJ had a mixed game. Some nice touches but didn;t hold it up well and fell over a lot. Confirmed my initial view that at the moment he is better as an impact sub. Cody caused more problems when he came on with his hassling and direct running.

As usual once we started to get Wes on the ball we looked a much better and more dangerous team.

Macnamee only touched the ball about 3 times but each touch was decent. he looks a good player but not one who does a lot without the ball.

Forster probably at fault for the goal but made up for it with his now regular important save towards the end of the game.

As I have said above, crap performance on a shocking pitch but a massive, massive three points!

 

 

[I am a Banana 0]

I think to be fair to both cody and ollie, they are currently still players who are good for 70 mins and tired legs on the end of defenders, im not sure if either are ready for 90 mins [;)]

[Shaun Tilly Lace 0]

Seems like the new messiah (Lambo) can bring the best out of everybody. I wonder if he could go on to be even better than the man he''s often compared with (Martin O''Neill).