Saturday 30th July

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Let me try to scrub my brain clean by discussing something, literally anything, else


For a start, I'm certain Jaros will be in goal, because Liverpool won't have sent him here to sit on the bench. If things go well he'll be keeping Ben out of the team on merit, if not we'll have the Twice-Should-Have-Been-NL-Keeper-Of-The-Season-But-The-People-Deciding-It-Are-Consistent-Fuckwits to shore things up between the sticks.

Second, I've seen that midfield trio trouted a few times and we really need the likes of Croasdale in there to hold things. Perhaps drop Collar instead - not anything against him, but when you sign four hundred midfielders then someone has to make way.

Other than that, I think that'd be the starting XI.

If Jaros was going to be our first choice keeper he would have played with our first choice defence at the weekend. I think it’s also likely they would have given him the number one shirt.

I’d be very surprised if Ben wasn’t in goal for the Barrow game.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Apparently we have a fully fit squad with 0 missing out through injury. As a consequence I see the following in a 3-5-2 formation

Bryn

Brennan, Macdonald, Clayton

Shade, Gladwin, Reed, Williams, Devine

McKirdy, Adeloye

Bench: Ward, Hutton, Baudry, Iandolo, Khan, Darcy & Wakeling

This means no place for Harries, Minturn or Parsons.............. Not sure if I have missed anyone?

 

[Optimistic Poolie]

Any Walsall fans, what are you expecting from Saturday? Are you happy with transfer business you have done etc.

Not sure what to expect myself going into the game so curious on if you fancy your chances or not.

 

[Ninety Per Cent]

Sold out for Saturday now, even the wheelchairs

Typical Donny, pretending to be disabled in order to get something Free/Cheap.

They’ve been practicing it in Skeg last month or so.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Apparently we have a fully fit squad with 0 missing out through injury. As a consequence I see the following in a 3-5-2 formation

Bryn

Brennan, Macdonald, Clayton

Shade, Gladwin, Reed, Williams, Devine

McKirdy, Adeloye

Bench: Ward, Hutton, Baudry, Iandolo, Khan, Darcy & Wakeling

This means no place for Harries, Minturn or Parsons.............. Not sure if I have missed anyone?

Yes I have forgotten someone. Ricky Aguirre who just been given a 3 year contract!

 

[Crewelad87]

I beg to differ, Donervon Daniels was immense for us last season and transformed our defence, Peter Clarke was in the Team of the Season last year and Manny Monthe has been good for us.

League 2 must be awful. Donervan Daniels was a walking disaster for us for the last two seasons in league 1

 

[Crewelad87]

Rochdale away tommorow both teams predicted to struggle, can you have a 6 pointer on the opening day? If the rumors are true we haven't even got a senior goal keeper for tommorow, apparantly Richards is injured. Arsenal's 3rd keeper is due to sign on loan but not sure if it will be done in time.

New loan keeper

Mellor Mcdonald Offord Uwakwe

Colckett Ainley Thomas

Agyei Baker-Richardson Brook


We're still missing a few both our full backs (Adebisi and Williams) and our main goal scorer in Long. Long and Williams probably being our best two players. I'd definitely take a draw if offered to me now.

 

[RiftHouseLad]

Any Walsall fans, what are you expecting from Saturday? Are you happy with transfer business you have done etc.

Not sure what to expect myself going into the game so curious on if you fancy your chances or not.

A poll on the Walsall forum reckons 80odd % going for a home win.
SUITS me, get it.

 

[RiftHouseLad]

Typical Donny, pretending to be disabled in order to get something Free/Cheap.

They’ve been practicing it in Skeg last month or so.

Don,t be knocking Donny now, used to be a great half way house on away days.
lol

 

[Agombar stool]

Yes I have forgotten someone. Ricky Aguirre who just been given a 3 year contract!

Aguiar, it's Aguiar.

A lot of fans are saying Williams and Gladwin can't play in the same team but I note you have got them in your line-up

Bryn

Brennan, Macdonald, Clayton

Shade, Gladwin, Reed, Williams, Devine

McKirdy, Adeloye

Bench: Ward, Hutton, Baudry, Iandolo, Khan, Darcy & Wakeling

That said, I can't see it being much different from what you've posted. Perhaps Hutton for Devine and Darcy/Khan for Gladwin. No space on the bench for Harries then? (he's already taken a lot of stick for his pre-season performances which I think is incredibly harsh)

 

[Agombar stool]

I beg to differ, Donervon Daniels was immense for us last season and transformed our defence, Peter Clarke was in the Team of the Season last year and Manny Monthe has been good for us.

That's fair enough and you see them more than I do. I can only base it on our 2 league games against you where Daniels and Monthe were both involved and were all over the shop, particularly in the game at the CG. Replacing Menayese with Clarke is probably an upgrade, but surely he's going to be susceptible against pace?

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Typical Donny, pretending to be disabled in order to get something Free/Cheap.

They’ve been practicing it in Skeg last month or so.

Not bitter are you in your DN suburb

 

[chipmunx]

not really expecting more than 1-2 points max from our 1st 3 games;- Stockport (A), Bradford (H), Sutton (A)... any more than 3 and i'll be putting a top 12 finish bet on.

 

[Ninety Per Cent]

Not bitter are you in your DN suburb

Shame it’s a Different county and not Sheffield’s Biatch.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Shame it’s a Different county and not Sheffield’s Biatch.

Enjoy yourself in the basement, I doubt we’ll be seeing yourselves anytime soon

 

[The Terminator]

With Rob Hunt signing for us, I'm almost certain he will start in place of Dan Happe which is a bit of a relief as he wasn't ready to start IMO.

Wellens has confirmed that Harry Smith is fit and will start tomorrow, which means we will at least have a striker to start the game, even if he isn't 100% fit.

Think Ethan Coleman will also start in midfield in place of Craig Clay alongside George Moncur and Darren Pratley.

Our use of the 5 subs will be interesting.

From what I can see, Grimsby haven't had a friendly/game for about ten days!

 

[BlackHaddock]

With Rob Hunt signing for us, I'm almost certain he will start in place of Dan Happe which is a bit of a relief as he wasn't ready to start IMO.

Wellens has confirmed that Harry Smith is fit and will start tomorrow, which means we will at least have a striker to start the game, even if he isn't 100% fit.

Think Ethan Coleman will also start in midfield in place of Craig Clay alongside George Moncur and Darren Pratley.

Our use of the 5 subs will be interesting.

From what I can see, Grimsby haven't had a friendly/game for about ten days!

Our lads have been sunning their selves in Tenerife as a reward for getting promoted. Should be all relaxed and wanting to play on Saturday. Think we will surprise a few teams early on, our squad is mostly unknown to Div 4 managers and supporters at the moment. Hope our 'togetherness' along with a sell-out away following can bring home the 3 points.

One or two missing through injuries, but we'll have a team who will help each other out and not give in.

 

[Son of Cod]

With Rob Hunt signing for us, I'm almost certain he will start in place of Dan Happe which is a bit of a relief as he wasn't ready to start IMO.

Wellens has confirmed that Harry Smith is fit and will start tomorrow, which means we will at least have a striker to start the game, even if he isn't 100% fit.

Think Ethan Coleman will also start in midfield in place of Craig Clay alongside George Moncur and Darren Pratley.

Our use of the 5 subs will be interesting.

From what I can see, Grimsby haven't had a friendly/game for about ten days!

We played Tenerife's B team on the 23rd I think. The yoots also played Grimsby Borough under the Grimsby Town banner on the 26th. We've probably not had as many minutes in our legs as the rest of the division but we've also had about 3 weeks less to prepare than the rest of the division so I'm fine with that, better than cramming in too much. We'll be fit, ready and well up for tomorrow. Players and fans that is.

 

[Stocky]

If Leyton Orient fans think that Paul "Paul Hurst" Hurst is not going to have his lads up for it tomorrow, they'll get a shock. Away win there for me and I expect Leyton Orient to go well overall too.

Draw for us tomorrow I'm feeling. Think Barrow are going to be awkward.

 

[Son of Cod]

If Leyton Orient fans think that Paul "Paul Hurst" Hurst is not going to have his lads up for it tomorrow, they'll get a shock. Away win there for me and I expect Leyton Orient to go well overall too.

Draw for us tomorrow I'm feeling. Think Barrow are going to be awkward.

Hopefully so, I can't see us getting absolutely turned over. My main concern was the lack of bite in midfield without Fox but Kieran Green is an upgrade on that if anything. Need McAtee firing though and long term we need attacking Plans B and C.

I think Barrow will give you a game but EP is gonna be packed surely? Reckon you'll nick it.

 

[Stocky]

Hopefully so, I can't see us getting absolutely turned over. My main concern was the lack of bite in midfield without Fox but Kieran Green is an upgrade on that if anything. Need McAtee firing though and long term we need attacking Plans B and C.

I think Barrow will give you a game but EP is gonna be packed surely? Reckon you'll nick it.

Packed to the rafters pal but we're shite on the opening day. I think we'll go well but just got a feeling it's going to be a really awkward, frustrating game tomorrow. Hopefully our lads prove me wrong.

 

[Son of Cod]

Packed to the rafters pal but we're shite on the opening day. I think we'll go well but just got a feeling it's going to be a really awkward, frustrating game tomorrow. Hopefully our lads prove me wrong.

Yeah it's a tricky opener, especially as they are bringing a few. Didn't really realise that about you being crap on the opening day but still enough quality in your ranks to get a win. I fully agree it won't be easy though, I think Barrow have recruited pretty well and Old Man Wild was definitely taking notes last season.

 

[Kauto Star]

not really expecting more than 1-2 points max from our 1st 3 games;- Stockport (A), Bradford (H), Sutton (A)... any more than 3 and i'll be putting a top 12 finish bet on.

That is a tough start on paper. However, you just never know how the first few games are going to go as a season kicks off.

Hopefully you have better joy on your travels than your home game in that trio of games

 

[SaddlerJonny]

That's fair enough and you see them more than I do. I can only base it on our 2 league games against you where Daniels and Monthe were both involved and were all over the shop, particularly in the game at the CG. Replacing Menayese with Clarke is probably an upgrade, but surely he's going to be susceptible against pace?

That game was just a disaster, no-one had a good performance that day. Judging players on that game would mean Shade is a disaster too, when he is a good player. Clarke will be in the centre of the back 3 to protect him pace wise.

 

[SaddlerJonny]

League 2 must be awful. Donervan Daniels was a walking disaster for us for the last two seasons in league 1

It really is awful. Jon Guthrie is one of the best defenders in the division and he was a disaster for us in League 1.

 

[SaddlerJonny]

Any Walsall fans, what are you expecting from Saturday? Are you happy with transfer business you have done etc.

Not sure what to expect myself going into the game so curious on if you fancy your chances or not.

Expecting a solid and workmanlike team with not a lot of creativity as we haven't really had too much time to gel properly. Transfer business has been very good though with an improved budget thanks to our new owners with plenty of EFL proven players in the 11. We have high expectations based on the squad assembelled, our new owners and Flynn's pedigree - it's just about making it click for one, and not getting any more injuries for two. We have been decimated by injuries. We currently have our first choice striker Wilkinson out until Christmas, our captain last season Labadie out until Christmas, our first choice left wing back Liam Gordon out until December, back up centre half Oisin McEntee out until September, and first team centre midfielders Jack Earing and Joe Riley out pretty much all pre-season and are just about fit for the bench on Saturday to make up numbers. Without trialist Timmy Abraham signing and those two coming back we'd not be able to fill the bench.

 

[Reremnart]

Any Col U fans on here? There’s one ain’t there?

Ditto Stevenage but there again I wouldn`t come on here if we had sold 60 tickets for the first game of the season having signed 50 plus players in the off season. Having said that 60 is better than last season when 29 of them turned up I think it was.

 

[Agombar stool]

That game was just a disaster, no-one had a good performance that day. Judging players on that game would mean Shade is a disaster too, when he is a good player. Clarke will be in the centre of the back 3 to protect him pace wise.

Funnily enough Shade was pretty good first 25 minutes or so of that game, he's my pick for our potential star signing so it will be interesting to see where he plays - been RB in pre-season - and how well he does. He does look to have all the attributes to be a good player.

 

[F!RTHY]

Still could reach 20,000 at this rate!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1553077645885071362

 

[SaddlerJonny]

Funnily enough Shade was pretty good first 25 minutes or so of that game, he's my pick for our potential star signing so it will be interesting to see where he plays - been RB in pre-season - and how well he does. He does look to have all the attributes to be a good player.

I'm a big fan of Tyrese Shade I think he will be very good for you. One of those weird wingers who are better defensively than they are going forwards. I remember we all gave up on him but Flynn put him at left wing back away at FGR in his first game and Shade completely nullified Kane Wilson.