By Alan
April 2 2005

Saddlers managed to salvage a point in this crucial relegation six pointer against Torquay United. Merson described this as yet another cup final. We still haven't managed to win one. Manager Paul Merson tinkered with both his formation and personnel for this crucial relegation encounter with Torquay United. He got it hopelessly wrong.

Saddlers started off in a conventional 442 formation with Merson and Wrack employed as wingers and Pead partnering “Cant Tackle” in the engine room. Young Gerrard and Perpetuini supported Roper and Emblen in defence whilst Leitao and Joachim ran around a bit up front.

The team from NMFE done their bit in distributing (and I assume purchasing) 8000 red balloons which were released as the players came out of the tunnel. Unfortunately the carnival atmosphere soon faded as Saddlers put on one of their most inept home performances of the season.

They were simply dreadful. Hopeless. Clueless. Torquay on the other hand looked interested and tried to play some nice football. They could (and should) have been 4-0 up at half time. As early as the fifth minute Perpetuini was penalised for shirt tugging. The resultant free kick was launched to the far post and a Gulls forward nodded inches wide of the post.

Akin whats his name then tucked up Emblen like a kipper and advanced on goal. With only the keeper to beat he scuffed his shot awfully wide. Akin whats his name then rose to meet another Gulls cross which fortunately for Saddlers came back off the post.

Saddlers never responded to the continual Gulls pressure. The nearest they came to scoring was via a Gulls defender when he tamely headed back to the visiting keeper.

The wide men offered absolutely nothing and the engine room was non existent. Time and time again Saddlers cleared their lines and Torquay were able to pick up the ball and advance again. Osborn was terrible. In some ways you have to feel sorry for Pead. Not only was he supposed to be covering the poor Osborn but he was also trying to do the leg work for Merson and Wrack..

All in all Walsall were extremely lucky not to have been buried out of sight at half time.

With no changes forthcoming during the interval Walsall continued in much the same way for the second half. It was no surprise then when Torquay took the lead, although it was in bizarre circumstances. A harmless ball was launched down the flanks with Roper seemingly in attendance. Oakes then came rushing out of his area causing much confusion. Roper left it for Oakes who in turn left it for Roper. Whilst these two dillied and dallied Akin sommat or other nipped in and walked the ball into an empty net. Hopeless.

Walsall still couldn’t raise their game and barely had a shot on target until finally Merson made some changes. Wright came on for Emblen with Gerrard dropping into the heart of defence. As soon as Wright came on Torquay panicked. With his first cross he managed to find Leitao who in turn put the ball through to Joachim 3 yards out. With the goal gaping Joachim shot and incredibly a Gulls player cleared off the line.
Another through ball from Wrack found Merson in the clear but he was only able to shoot straight at Marriott. A sublime pass back from Merson fell to Wrack on the edge of the box. With oceans of time and space Wrack sadly shot first time over the bar.

Fryatt then came on for the very poor Leitao. With his very first touch he claimed the ball 25 yards out and laid it off to Wrack. Wrack then gave it him back and he scored a beauty giving the keeper no chance.

Saddlers were finally in the ascendancy, for all of 5 minutes. Osborn however almost gifted away the points with an inexplicable pass to a Gulls player who, with an open goal, shot first time towards the empty net. Somehow Oakes managed to recover from wherever he had wandered off to prevent a last gasp winner.

Oakes also managed to pull off 2 magnificent saves to gain Saddlers a crucial but undeserved point.

Torquay were much the better side. Walsall were absolutely hopeless.

It is difficult to see where the next win is coming from given recent performances. No disrespect to Willenhall Town but Walsall would struggle to come away from Noose Lane with a point let alone a victory.

We are a very, very poor side. Yet, we managed to play Luton off the park earlier in the season. What the hell has gone wrong?