Walsall @Home 15 Dec

Thought we played well today just short of 6 or 7 quality players and we should be ok.

Scoring goals 11 goals in the last 3 games we have definitely turned a corner. Let’s hope we can be in touching distance of safety by the time the transfer window opens and see if the money man backs Hopkin.

 

Performance of the season!

That's more like it!

 

Called the thrashing, just missed out on conceding which I'm delighted with.

Ball, O'Brien and Payne were running circles around them, and the press never gave them a chance to do anything. Caddis showed his class and even Mellor skilled their left back for the assist, amazing game. Hope Rupp decides to buy those three loanees outright after what he saw today.

 

Lol short of 6 or 7 quality players really? Basically your saying as long as we get a new team we will be ok

 

That was the coldest I've ever been watching a football game.

We weren't as solid as the clean sheet might suggest but we're much better going forward. Some actual interplay and no need for a big forrad. Who'd a thought it...??

LOB outstanding, Payne very good, as was Ball. Chicksen pretty awful but that's par for the course.

We've found a system that suits us and could be even better when Scannell comes back in. Don't be fooled though, we need 3 or 4 quality players minimum.

Oh, and the fitness and work rate levels are miles better than a few weeks ago. Closing down for the ball properly, winning second balls, midfielders running beyond the forwards.

 

I've just about thawed out!.

Great performance from all the team,,especially Caddis, Payne and the excellent O'Brien. Best individual performance from a City player since the days of Josh Cullen from young O'Brien today.

Glad we've ditched hoofball, some of the interlinking play from Payne, Ball and O'Brien was a joy to watch. Shame they are all loan players!

Need to follow this up with a victory against Scunny now, and gain some momentum.

Based on today's performance, then the great escape may well be on afterall

 

Boomed out from the Kop, anyone who went today couldn't have asked for more, a very good all round team performance with young O'Brien outstanding followed closely by Jack Payne (yes some were saying we couldn't fit him into our system) you can always find a place for tallent.
O'Donnell very little to do yet pulled off a fantastic save to maintain our clean sheet when he should have been frozen to death.
Although there were only just short of 13,000 it really did feel like the old Valley Parade fans giving their full vocal support, just goes to show everyone believing and singing to the same hymn sheet what can be achieved.
Just the worry that many of the lads who were a big part of our win today are not our players, O'Brien, Payne, Miller, Ball, I thought both O'Connor and KNP were very solid and Cadiss had a very steady game, Akpan is getting nearer the player many said he could become.
Sorry Stuart I believe we will be exchanging places after next Saturday's game, hopefully the 3 points against Scunthorpe will get us out of the bottom four, surely we couldn't do a Plymouth or Barnsley...............................................could we.
No I haven't been on the lash .
I also thought the referee Ben Toner had a very good game as well.

 

I thought the officials were excellent in comparison to what we've had. The thing that really stood out was our dig-in attitude when it came to intercepting and winning the ball back, I thought O'Brien and Caddis were excellent at that and that's where a lot of our chances came from.

Bring on Scunny.

 

Hopkin starting to get the best out of these players, 13 goals in 4 games and an important clean sheet today

On we go to Scunthorpe next week with confidence flying

 

Speak of the anorak and -- for better or worse -- he shall appear! Now are you sitting comfortably? Good. Then I'll begin!

Back in the 98/9 season we beat Portsmouth 4-2 (away) and Bristol City 5-0 (home) in successive matches. As for 4-4s, they are about as rare as hens' teeth... at home to Bolton in the 91/2 season seems to be the last time it happened in the League, and in the FA Cup, in the 85/6 season away at Ipswich.

What a nice win today! So nice to feel good about City again.

RCB

 

Echo what everyone else says. Don’t think I’ve ever been as cold at a game of football. Wish we had played like that when we could enjoy it more but great performance.

Not flawless but 4 -0 and we could have had more.

As everyone has said Payne/Ball/OB were great. They have a great understanding of each other and we have to keep those 3 if we are to stay up.

Back to back home wins and clean sheets. When was the last time that happened?

Home form is key to our survival. We looked excellent today and hope the clowns calling for Hopkin to go have a good long look at themselves tonight.

We are not by any means safe but a good run of results now and we can start to look up the table rather than down.

Could have had 4 or 5 man of the matches today.

Akpan looked good too. Wonder if he wasn’t fit earlier this season?

Credit to Hopkin and the team for today. Fantastic performance. Best I’ve seen us play in a long time n

 

Seems like the general quality of play has improved now the team is fitter.

 

Sitting where we do I noticed the new guy Anton McElhone was always on his feet encouraging/cajoling the players, where as it's usually Hopkin.

 

Have to agree about the ref, best I've seen this season by quite some way. Booking their player for diving in the area was good to see, something that should be done more often. And the two linos were pretty good as well, didn't miss anything that I can recall. Just as well they didn't score from that handball the ref missed, but, given the result and how good he was otherwise, I'm prepared to forgive him.

 

The ref missed their handball in our area that nearly led to a goal.

Other than that he was ok.

 

I believe the referee had had a belly full of Ginnelly, didn't he call Walsall's Captain over to tell him he'd had enough of the verbals from him and he would be booked if he continued.

 

Until it’s mathematical impossible, we can

 

They're very well respected. Frustratingly recent games, going toe to toe with Peterborough in three games, looking fine against Pompey and beating an on form Oxford side - basically shows how good the first 15 (or so) really are if they have their heads focussed correctly

I maintain, as I have all season to understandable derision that this is a top ten squad / team. In fairness Caddis has made a big difference, but so has the injury's now been at the normal level you'd expect

 

He wanted to give him the chance to see the fruits of his labour - looks like he missed out by a couple of weeks.