Walsall 1-3 Norwich City

By 4two
November 4 2003

3 second half goals saw the Saddlers lose 3 points and their 1 goal lead.

Shambolic Saddlers surrender to Canaries

Saddlers 1-3 Norwich City

 Walker, Bazeley, Ritchie, Roper, Vincent, Osborn, Lawrence, Samways, Wrack, Birch, Merson. Subs: Allaway, Hay, Corica, Leitao, Emblen.

Norwich: Green, Holt, Fleming, Mackay, Drury, Harper, Mulryne, Francis, McVeigh, Crouch, Huckerby. Subs: Crichton, Roberts, Henderson, Jarvis, Shackell.

A diabolical second half performance, the absence of a midfield, pathetic defending and a Colin Lee tactical balls up resulted in a humiliating defeat for the Saddlers. In all honesty, it must be noted that Norwich were the best footballing side to have appeared at Bescot this season.

The game started off at a frantic pace and almost immediately Osborn lashed a ball inches wide from outside the box. Norwich immediately countered and somehow Walker managed to claw away the ball heading for the top corner. The game was end to end stuff and on 10 minutes the Saddlers took the lead. The ball was nodded into the penalty box and the excellent Birch confidently controlled before lashing it into the back of the net.

Norwich then dominated the rest of the half with fast attacking football piling relentless pressure onto the Saddlers rearguard. Walker dived low to his left to palm the ball away for a corner and the ten foot freak missed 3 clear cut headers to bring Norwich back on equal terms. By now Walsall were relying on the counter attack with Merson having a crafty effort fly past the far post and the City keeper pulling off a tremendous save to deny a rocket from Samways. It was with some relief that the ref blew for half time after a nail biting but entertaining first half.

After the break it all went horribly wrong. Norwich continued where they left off continually waltzing through a non existent midfield. Finally the breakthrough came amidst some pathetic defending. A low ball from Bazeley’s position was played across the edge of the six yard box, it wasn’t cleared and a totally unmarked Henderson poked home.

At this point, Colin Lee lost it and replaced Vincent with Leitao? Wrack dropped back to left back, Birch to the left wing and Leitao went God knows where. Immediately after coming on Leitao gifted Norwich the lead. A dubious free kick was worked into the box and McVeigh trotted past the clueless Leitao to poke home. Pathetic. Minutes later Norwich put the game beyond Saddlers reach with the hopeless Crouch being left unmarked to prod home again from the six yard box. Rubbish.

Without O’Neil the Saddlers midfield were totally lost. If any conclusion can be drawn from the shambles it is that Bazeley is crap, Lawrence useless and Jorge hopeless. Let us all hope that O’Neil and Baird will be back for Tuesday.

To finish on a positive note however, the only player to come out with some credit must be young Birch who had another good game.

Shambles.