The week that was...

There was no The Week That Was last week due to the fact that there was little to report from Bescot, but it’s back this week to report on all the happenings involving the Saddlers.

Last Saturday saw the visit of Millwall, a side who had taken a measly one point from their previous six games and who we had earlier beaten easily at the New Den. We meanwhile, had at last sorted out our away form and were looking to continue our two match unbeaten run. Football is not that simple however, and Millwall dominated. The returning Sadlier pulled us apart, Ifill ran rings around us and the likes of Dennis Wise and Steve Claridge were able to sit on the bench and watch. Well done to Junior though, he not only managed to hit the target with his right foot but even found the net!

Junior replaced Shuker in that game and the youngster has this week spoken about his frustrations at Maine Road. It seems with the likes of Anelka, Fowler, Macken, Goater, Wanchope, Hucherby, Benarbia and Berkovic  - now there’s some quality – young Shuker will leave City in search of first team football. Looking back, I don’t mind that Shuker didn’t play yesterday (v Burnley). So long as we are safe, I believe it would be best to keep him out of the limelight – otherwise a bigger club than us may come in for him. At about 4:30pm yesterday, I hoped/expected/wanted Shuker to come on. With us down to ten men and defending in numbers, long balls to a tiring Jorge and then a slow Zdrilic simply played into the hands of Stan Ternent’s Clarets. With the pace and willingness-to-chase of the little Liverpudlian, things could have been different.

After the initial 20 minute onslaught by Burnley, the next fifty were some of the best we have produced this season. Three goals – and there could and should have been more; Junior’s point blank miss, firing Leitao’s cross over the bar, Corica’s miss after rounding the keeper only to see a Burnley players outstretched leg thwart his attempt and then Junior beating the keeper to a long ball only to lose out to a defender.

I probably blame Jimmy for his red card. It was a split second decision, and knowing how he hates to lose, he will do anything to stop a goal. Perhaps if he’d had time to think, he would have realised that with us 3-0 up he might as well have let the goal in. All he did was to take away our two best players at the time (himself and Junior) and reduce us to ten men. It would have been a lot simpler just to let Gareth Taylor score.

I don’t blame the referee however. He applied the rules of the game by showing a red card to the ‘last defender’ for a ‘professional foul’. We are not a Premiership club or even a big First Division club so why should we be treated leniently? Chelsea are a big club so when Carlo Cudicini brings down Freddie Ljungberg, he is allowed to stay on and then save Thierry Henry’s penalty. Refereeing inconsistencies need to be looked at.

Roy Whalley also believes the FA need to look at another matter involving First Division clubs - Administration. Leicester City are on the verge of the Premiership while Bradford look set to retain their Division One status at the expense of, perhaps, Grimsby Town. Is it fair that clubs who overspend ( cheat?) are allowed success at the expense of honest clubs such as ourselves?

As a final note, ahead of our visit to Deepdale on Tuesday, I think we should sign Iain Anderson. The tricky winger has been transfer listed by Craig Brown and, with a move for Gareth Ainsworth now dead, would be a perfect signing! He changed the game at Bescot when he came on as a sub a few seasons ago as North End came from behind to beat us during Sir Ray’s spell in charge.

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