| Will it be Dr Jekyll or Mr Hide on All Hallow’s Eve? 18:17 - Oct 30 with 624 views | wessex_exile |
I’m starting to feel like a stuck record at the moment – dreadful at Newport, much improved against Exeter and Chesterfield and back to dreadful at Northampton on Saturday. Danny’s post-Northampton reaction was refreshingly honest, he knows it wasn’t good enough, and I’m sure the squad know it too. Let’s hope we see a reaction tomorrow, because right now we’re only out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
I’m certain on paper we’re at least a solid midtable side, with an outside chance of a play-off place, but that means nothing if we don’t start picking up some points. Given we’re still unbeaten at home, five of our next six games at the JobServe (including Worcester in the FA Cup and Ipswich kids in the EFL Trophy) does offer a glimmer of hope that we could be in a much better position by the time December arrives, but not if we continue to play like Saturday.
Tomorrow’s opponents Walsall haven’t quite had the meteoric start that they managed last season, but they’re still in the play-offs despite losing heavily at home on Monday evening against this season’s current runaway leaders Salford City. Given their away form (W1 D5 L0) is nearly as good as our home form is a bit of a reality-check, so if we are going to kick-start our faltering season, tomorrow will not be an easy place to start.
Form is temporary…
Goals – it’s not rocket science. In the last ten league games we’ve only scored seven goals – only Port Vale (on six) are worse, but they’ve won three of those ten games (yes, by 1-0). During the week Chiwome smashed in a hat-trick for the U21’s against QPR, with Kaion Lisbie getting the other two. Is it time for Chiwome to return to at least the bench tomorrow? More importantly, is it time for Bradley to forego his starting position for others? Personally, I think so – Jaden Williams did at least have an impact on Saturday, and although Lubala was a bit of handful at times, Connolly didn’t do too bad either (relative to the overall dismal performance of course).
Played for both
I don’t think there are any players in either squad who have played for the other team at present, but there have been plenty over the years. Notable names include Carl Emberson, Jabo Ibhere, Mark Kinsella, Clive Platt and another of my boyhood heroes Bobby Gough, but the name I’m going to focus on is of course Roy McDonough.
Big Roy was originally on the books at Aston Villa, but in true Roy style, he wasn’t offered a contract by then manager Ron Saunders after trying to throttle the referee in the final of the Birmingham Schools Cup. Using family connections to get a trial, he eventually signed for Birmingham in 1976, and two years later ended up at Walsall for the first really successful part of his career.
Catching the eye of Chelsea during his time at Walsall, he spent a season at Stamford Bridge without making a league appearance, and left for the U’s in 1981, for what was to be the next notable part of his career. Two years later he was off to Roots Hall, then Exeter, Cambridge, back to Southend and then finally back to U’s as we slipped into the Conference. A year later, as player-manager, Big Roy lead the U’s back into the Football League, winning the FA Trophy in the process, and giving Martin O’Neill more sleepless nights than hot dinners.
He finished his career with 22 red cards to his name, 13 in the football league (a record he shares with Steve Walsh), and a well-deserved reputation as a heavy-drinking womanising hard man – but didn’t we just love him!
Head to head
To date, we’ve played Walsall 79 times in the league (W27 D25 L27) and just the once in an Associate Members Cup at Fellows Park back in 1985, which we lost 1-0.
Games to remember: Without doubt our most memorable victory over Walsall was under Parky, when the Saddlers lost 5-0 at Layer Road, with goals from Craig Fagan (2), Gavin Johnson, Geraint Williams and Stephen Hunt. What’s more remarkable was that we were 4-0 up at half-time.
Games to forget: There’s really only one game in the modern era to mention here, the 4-0 battering at the Bescot in September 2024, when Danny was just 31 games into his tenure as manager – that one hurt.
The other match worth mentioning was in October 2015 at the Jobserve under Tony Humes. Sawyers and Lalkovic gave the Saddlers a first half 2-0 lead. Moncur and Sordell levelled the game within seven minutes of the second half starting, Evans restored the lead for Walsall, almost immediately cancelled out by Garvan. When Ambrose made it 4-3 to the U’s with ten minutes to go, we all thought we’d done it, only for O’Connor to equalise in added time.
Line-up
If it were down to me, I’d make some changes tomorrow. Bradley to the bench for certain, and recall Chiwome back into the squad as well (also benched to start with). Thorn keeps his place, he didn’t do too bad out on the right wing on Saturday. Connolly comes in for Lubala, Payne for Jay Williams and KVY for Hunt. If Anderson is fit than he’d get the nod ahead of Connolly as far as I’m concerned.
Lo-TutalaVincent-YoungTuckerTerryIandoloPaynePerryThornSesayConnollyWilliams (Jaden) Substitutes: Ihionvien Digby Kuffour Williams (Jay) Raggett Hunt Chiwome
Walsall will be looking to bounce back after losing so badly at home to Salford, and they are a very difficult side to break down away from home, so it’s going to be very tight tomorrow. Given we just need points right now, I’m going to go for an ill-deserved 1-0 with the goal coming in injury time off the arse of Bradley as Ward tries to clear a goalmouth scramble.
Weather watch
Compared to last Saturday as the storm rolled in, tomorrow will be positively autumnal. A dry, albeit chilly day, temperature around 13-14 degrees and a light breeze from the east. Not exactly shirt sleeves, but perfect for anyone heading out trick or treating as darkness descends post-match.
Up the U’s! [Post edited 31 Oct 9:22]
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| Will it be Dr Jekyll or Mr Hide on All Hallow’s Eve? on 14:49 - Oct 31 with 366 views | wessex_exile |
Well, I got a few of them right, Bradley on the bench, Chiwome straight into the starting XI, and KVY replaces Hunt. Still no sign of Anderson though, but Tom returns to the bench and Raggett starts in place of Terry. Payne preferred ahead of Jaden Williams. | |
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| Will it be Dr Jekyll or Mr Hide on All Hallow’s Eve? on 15:04 - Oct 31 with 362 views | wessex_exile |
Well this hasn't started well - first corner, chaos in our box, and it's bundled home for Walsall - ho hum. | |
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| Will it be Dr Jekyll or Mr Hide on All Hallow’s Eve? on 15:49 - Oct 31 with 335 views | wessex_exile |
Great response from the U's, forced some decent saves, one goal disallowed but Jack from the spot gives us the equaliser we deserved. Apart from their early goal, a very good performance from the U's so far. | |
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| Will it be Dr Jekyll or Mr Hide on All Hallow’s Eve? on 16:05 - Oct 31 with 325 views | wessex_exile |
Chiwome gave it a go, but not fit for the second half, so replaced before kick-off by Jaden Williams - hope it's just a knock. | |
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| Will it be Dr Jekyll or Mr Hide on All Hallow’s Eve? on 17:03 - Oct 31 with 282 views | wessex_exile |
Well that was a travesty, we should have won that game, or at worst drawn 2-2 - but we lose 3-1. Walsall are a good side, and probably deserve their position at the right end of the league, but we were better - f'ck! | |
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| Will it be Dr Jekyll or Mr Hide on All Hallow’s Eve? on 17:04 - Oct 31 with 281 views | CrashBandicoot |
23rd, not good. Time for all 3 Cows to leave the pasture? |  |
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| Will it be Dr Jekyll or Mr Hide on All Hallow’s Eve? on 17:05 - Oct 31 with 275 views | gerry_us |
Mr Hide? Must be Cowley brothers surely. |  | | |
| Will it be Dr Jekyll or Mr Hide on All Hallow’s Eve? on 17:38 - Oct 31 with 202 views | noah4x4 |
Both Jekyll and Hyde. I thought we were the better side bar three sloppy defensive errors. I can forgive goal three as we were chasing the game and had, by then, surrendered all defence in the hope of snatching a draw.
Shame Chiwombe isn’t 90 minutes match fit. He showed promise. Pity Bradley came on and just wandered around ineffectively with his hands on hips. Walsall defending was, at times, World class.
It’s a positive that they sacked the hapless sea-scout with the bugle. But was today a recording? However, the beat Remembrance ceremony in twenty years. At least we got one thing right. |  | | |
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| Will it be Dr Jekyll or Mr Hide on All Hallow’s Eve? on 19:08 - Oct 31 with 107 views | bwildered |
Most we deserved was a point. Least we played better twenty minutes either side of half time, where has they say get ahead while on top. Sadly the keeper was not worked enough during that time due to our inability to work enough clean cut chances and some decent defending.
Sadly again subs had no effect thereafter and a possible home victory slipped away.
DC trying to work different combinations, but has we set up differently from last season, keeping clean sheets is a must. |  |
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