Sad, Gutless, Worrying. Walsall 0-2 Reading
By 4two
August 31 2002
Walsall gave a second half display that can only be described as sad and gutless, despite having a number of good chances during the game, Walsall failed match a normal Reading side.
Walsall 0-2 Reaing
Goals: Hughes 78', 91' (Reading),
Man of the Match: Jimmy Walker (Walsall)
Report:
The game began brightly from a Walsall perspective, with Jorge Leitao having an early effort disallowed for offside.
The Walsall midfield controlled the game and a number of good attacking opportunities were created. Walsall wasted there set pieces on the edge of the area, and failed to convert any of the chances they had.
Birch and Wrack had chances that fell to them around the half our mark, but they caused the Reading keeper no problems, but it was a sign that Walsall were being positive and looking for a goal.
Corica and Leitao worked well together creating a number of openings and potential chances, which Walsall were unable to convert.
Reading didn't really threaten the Walsall goal during the first half, Darren Bazeley cleared away a Reading corner on 20 minutes, and Jimmy Walker confidently dealt with the other half chances Reading had.
Half Time: Walsall 0-0 Reading.
For some Bizarre reason, the side that came out after half time, gave a gutless and pitiful performance. The kind of performance you would expect from a side who had nothing to play for at the end of the season.
Walsall failed to push forward and continue they way they did in the first half. The question could be raised about fitness, because the Saddlers ran out of steam. Aranalde was woeful, Martinez was of the pace, Wrack was lazy and Birch drifted out of the game.
Walsall backed off and allowed Reading to attack them. Within ten minutes of the teams coming back out, Roper, Hay and other Saddlers players were giving away petty free-kicks, and Reading had had a number of half chances.
Walsall did have chances in the second half, Wrack had a chance he should have stuck away on about 70 minutes after a Corica corner had been flicked on by Leitao.
Readings defense played the off side trap well, catching 4 or 5 Walsall player off on two occasions in the second half when they had good opportunities from free kicks.
Readings two second half goals were caused by Walsall not being aware, and not getting back in numbers. Twice Reading broke quickly, and twice they scored, John Salako was key in both goals. Hughes scored his first thanks to a Salako pass which he put a way in to the top left hand corner. Between the two goals Martinez was sent of for his second bookable offence after a mistimed challenge, after this it was obvious Walsall were never going to get back in to the game and Hughes got his second in the 90th minute from a Salako pass which he struck across the goal from the right hand side of the penalty area.
Walsall fans left the ground pondering how they saw 2 halves that were so different, and wondering how long Aranalde and Wrack will be allowed to put in Performances where they stroll around misplacing passes and being guilty of sloppy positioning and marking.
The full debut of Martinez was disappointing, his passing was poor and his work rate isn't half as good as Fitzroy Simpson's, who we missed dearly today. Jorge Leitao lacked any real support, Birch is a center forward, not a right midfielder, and Wrack is far more effective on the right flank, while Corica seems at times to be carrying the side, and when he was subbed for Junior with about 20 minutes remaining Walsall fell apart and lost there focus, highlighting what a key player Corica is.
Junior got just over 20 minutes to show us what he could do, he had some promising touches, but he is going to have to adjust quickly, who knows, maybe we could play him left wing, because Lee thinks forwards make could wingers.
One thing for sure is, we cant rely on Corica and Walker carrying us through games this season, the others need to pull there fingers out.
Report:
Walker - 9/10
Bazeley - 6/10
Aranalde - 2/10
Hay - 5/10
Roper - 8/10
Wrack - 2/10
Corica - 7/10
Martinez - 3/10
Sonner - 7/10
Birch - 5/10
Leitao - 7/10
Subs:
Junior - 6/10
Matias - 5/10