CITY 2 WALSALL 2
En route to the game I relished the prospect of two consecutive home games against clubs lucky to get a fixture against us and wondered how this could possibly provide us with anything other than six easy points. Then I remembered what happened at the end of last season when we failed to beat any of the fellow relegation contenders we met at home within the space of a few weeks.
Tonight's performance against Walsall was a step back to those dark days, save only for the fact that we showed enough spirit to twice claw our way back into a game we could have lost and yet should have won in a canter.
The first half hour was dire in the extreme. We played at a snail's pace, goalie to back four, back four to midfield, midfield when challenged back to back four so that the whole wretched process could start again. Pearson had clearly banned the back four from hoofing the ball in the direction of Howard as this inevitably leads to its immediate return. However the failure of the central midfielders to do anything other than try to play simple passes in a backwards direction meant that we were unable to pass the halfway-line until one of the back four disobeyed orders.
We had virtually 30 minutes of this nonsense during which we conceded a truly farcical goal. In the 11th minute Walsall surprised everyone by getting the ball and making a quick break down the right ending in a long, telegraphed punt from far right to inside left in old money. Nicholls brought the ball under control whilst the City defence took a nap. Gilbert unsuccessfully tried to impersonate a defender as he had done against Huddersfield and Nicholls walked through him before poking the ball in the direction of the goal as Hobbs closed and Martin advanced. The deflected ball trickled towards the goal (I cannot say the net because it surely didn't have the legs to get that far) where Tunchev stood imperiously on sentry duty as it crept over the line. The statues posing as City defenders suddenly sprang to life and everyone pointed at the City player nearest to them. Cue hilarity and boundless joy amongst the small band of travelling away fans….
At this point we all knew this was going to be one of those nights. Fortunately around the half-hour mark City started to make some progress down the flanks. From a left side break which woke the crowd – a disappointing 17 000 – we gained a corner. As the previous one had been taken short and stupidly wasted hopes were not high but Walsall showed that they also knew something about cowboy defending as City had a rugby-union size overlap at the far post where King met Gradel's cross with a firm header into the roof of the net. Cue relief, followed by annoyance as the tannoy blared out that annoying piece of music which the powers that be think should greet every City goal. I assume the same people appoint the ball-boys who are now so few at evening games as to be an endangered species.
For the next 10 minutes City had their best spell of the game and should have gone ahead when Dyer set up Powell for a super cross that gave Howard a free header from the centre of the goal some 8 yards out. Faced with surely the original dodgy keeper he managed to send the ball not only high but wide as well. Not a great night for Howard. He has no turn of speed, poor first touch, no ability to hold the ball up and surprisingly little upper body strength so heading must be why he is in the side.
On nights like this when his headers could not locate the target he looks an absolute liability and Fryatt must despair of him. In fairness Howard did get his head to a long punt forward that the afore-mentioned dodgy keeper rushed out of goal to try to punch away but predictably missed by about half a minute and it took an excellent piece of defensive covering for the ball to be hooked away from under the bar.
Hope sprang eternal as the second half began but Walsall had learned from the first half that City would be half-asleep for awhile. Quick break down their left, great ball across and Ricketts totally unmarked – where was Tunchev? -accepted the free header with glee in spite of Martin's decent effort at saving it. This was an object lesson in how to finish and Howard should be made to watch the video. Ricketts would be a good acquisition for us and we could let them have Howard and Campbell in return.
The amount of money wasted on these two does not bear thinking about. I am aware that Northampton have a similar player, Akinfenwa, and he will no doubt look forward to taking on our rather light-weight side. Millwall, my bet for automatic promotion showed our soft-centre and word soon gets round that you can kick sand in the faces of several Leicester players.
City to their credit rolled up their sleeves and tried to get back in the game. We had nearly all the possession and occasionally we threatened. The equaliser when it came was quite similar to our first goal. Corner from Gradel, near post this time, a firm header from Tunchev, making amends and keeper beaten far too easily. We had other near misses especially when Fryatt, very quiet against his old club, cut in from the right and shot across the face of the goal. The ball by Sod's Law went straight to Howard who virtually mis kicked from in front of goal. In defence it came at him very quickly – it was an intended shot after all.
Of the remaining efforts the most memorable featured the longest advantage anyone can ever have seen on a football pitch. Martin was fouled as he kicked upfield. The ball was flicked on to Fryatt who exchanged passes as the Walsall defence opened up and then smashed the ball from distance just over the bar. The referee allowed this to go on and then gave City a free kick at the other end of the pitch! Surely a record in both time and distance.
The only other noteworthy feature of the second half was the return to home action of Kisnorbo and Mattock. The subs bench, by the way, strangely consisted of almost an entire back four with no midfielders and an ageing striker. So the logic is that we will look to replace the players who are generally doing their job the best and the others will play the full match!
I suppose the truth is that the only decent reinforcements we have are defensive players. Kisnorbo had a good effect on the team though Walsall by this time were in constant retreat. Mattock also showed up well. We even saw Berner who had to take Dyer's place wide left for the last 10 minutes. My sources tell me he is a fullback primarily. He didn't look like a wide left player to me. So why is the squad so horribly unbalanced and what does the manager intend to do about it?
City: Martin, Gilbert (Mattock 61), Hobbs, Tunchev, Powell (Kisnorbo 65), Gradel, King, Oakley, Dyer (Berner 82), Fryatt, Howard
Walsall: Ince, Palmer, Roberts, Gerrard, Boertien, Deeney, Mattis, Taundry (Bradley 82), Ricketts (Weston 90+), Nicholls, Ibehre (Reich 90+)
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation