Star Player League 2023/2024 Walsall Members only need to copy and paste the format below, post into a comment and make your selections, I will do the rest; 1. 3 points (Man of the Match) - 2. 2 points (2nd best performing player) - 3. 1 point (3rd best performing player) - Competition rules can be found here: https://www.not606.com/threads/star-player-league-2019-2020.375941/ Each thread will remain open until the following times; Saturday games will close on a Tuesday evening Sunday games will close on a Wednesday evening Monday games will close on a Thursday evening Tuesday games will close on a Friday evening Wednesday games will close on a Saturday evening Friday games will close on a Monday evening
Another poor performance from Gills. We needed creativity in January window. We didn't get it. Midfield was non existent. Offered nothing. Mom Masterson Hutton Hawkins
1 Hawkins wona lot in the air and with a decent attacking partner could have caused more problems walker is too small and will get bullied off the ball. 2 Hutton the only player showing any desire at times and got the crowd going. 3 Masterson for the goal and got into position with other chances. The new lad the columbian looked lively for the 15 minitues he played and when match fit could eat good addition.
1. Hawkins - if only for his ability to keep hold of his shirt - it seems that the opposition can't get enough of it ! 2. Masterson 3. Turner - if only for the fantastic save late in the 2nd half - to preserve a precious ( but totally undeserved ) point.
1. Hawkins - Offered no protection by the ref and battled hard all game. 2. Masterson 3. Hurtado looks a real live wire and at least looked like he might make something happen. I would have matched alwaysright exactly if it wasn't for Turners distribution yesterday which was shocking, but I do agree that he made some good saves.
@alwaysright asked me for an open opinion, so here goes, buckle up your seat belts folks... 1 Hutton 2 Hutton 3 Hutton @alwaysright, you misunderstand what I meant, I'm not concerned about people like you and me that read this forum, I'm referring to the players themselves... I said from the off I wasn't convinced about Tom Nichols, he's like a D grade if not worse of a Cody McDonald, in fact he's nothing like Cody, the guy can't poach (I'm not referring to the illegal tapping up for clarity) - In short he was absolute dog poo. Now you can blame the manager, the team, fans booing, whatever you like, but for me he offered nothing. Next up Bonne, I believe in a thing called Fate, I genuinely do, fate warned us it was going to be a car crash and we should have heeded the signs. Again blame what you want for his contribution, but if that was the best we had (as per some fans), then we really were in trouble. I'm sure you all watched Hutton yesterday get the crowd going, all he had to do to get that cheer was run - I've a simple message for all the other players on the back of this, if you can't be arsed, get out of my team, do not pick up your wage, do not pass go....just f off. My target for Harris and now Clemence was play-offs, not autos, I'm a realistic sort of guy. I've no problem if you fail, IF you tried! I feel more sorry for the owners, spending their hard earned cash on our poxy little club to be served up dross..... I don't boo, I've never booed, I don't ask for much, and I only rant like this when I think people are taking the p, just sort it out! (and for more clarity, I don't attach any of that blame to the owners)
I have not heard the Rainham end so quiet at the start of a game it took Hutton chasing to get them goind and I agree with alwaysright some players are not showing the same passion. On paper our midfield looks to be one of the best in the devision but apart from Coleman who is consistent without being spectacular. We are missing a spark not sure we are going to make the play offs not consistent enough.
We've had this discussion before but Nichols was not signed as a Cody type goal scorer. He was brought in at a difficult time to open up opportunities in the forward areas. His movement off the ball as well as on, is what brought us those goal scoring abilities last season (him and Hawkins got 9 as a pairing by end of season). Harris played a different shape at start of this season and with Hawkins injured and midfield not following around him, made it exceedingly difficult for Nichols to flourish. By the time Hawkins did come back in the side, Clemence tinkered every week with different combinations that didn't really give Nichols & Hawkins to return to work together what they can offer. Nichols is not a bad player, however his style of play required a partner. It worked in the first couple of weeks when Nadesan was fit, but after that, playing him up top on his own did not work. Nichols is the type of striker that links up play with his movement. He is not an out and out goalscorer type and thus a comparison to Cody McDonald is not relevant nor comparable. As I said in the Transfer Window Shut post, I don't disagree in letting him go to Mansfield as it hadn't worked this season his goal tally has been poor and I'm sure he realises that himself. However the fact a team higher in the league than ourselves are willing to spend money to buy him, shows that they also recognise his qualities and is a valuable asset at League Two level for most sides, we just have progressed from where we were this time 12 months ago.
I agree a good player don't suddenly become bad, and it's often influenced by the manager, players, tactics around them. Likewise players can do well at the Gills, due to the set up we give them, but then it not work out for them when they move on. Maybe with players wage bills these days I expect more from the team as a whole, but as the saying goes you can't polish a turd - because looking at the L2 table this morning, we've scored the grand total of 26 league goals the lowest in the league, other teams are nigh doubling that, in fact Notts County (7th) have scored 61 goals. I was looking at some L2 poll first thing this morning, the top 20 players in League Two, not a single Gills player in there lol. So whatever the reasons those that have gone, they will be quickly forgotten in time and I can't say I'd be looking back with any fondness... Tom who, see forgotten already!
