Walsall v FGR

[Stripes]

Pretty much a delve into the unknown for both sides. I have no real knowledge of Walsall other than reading the match previews and reports on here from last week’s game. Sounds like Walsall will be hard to score against at home, we’ll give them chances, but it was stated by MC we need to learn how too better see out games this season. We won’t know how successful we’ve been at that for some time yet. We’ve usually got a goal in us away from home though, and our away record last season was second only to Lincoln so providing our adjusted system hasn’t changed too much with regard to away tactics then some confidence of a result.

I suspect that Walsall have retained and assembled enough quality to go fairly close come the end of the season so they are naturally favourites. Add in our new look defence and missing players (Liam Shepherd at right/wing back) and very uncertain keeper situation and you would rationally see Walsall pulling this one off. But I’ll stick to a familiar theme from last season which saw a lot of 1-1’s for us. A Draw.

 

[Chris FGR]

Yeah I think we're probably better suited to playing away what with the pace we have up front, so think we'll give Walsall a run for their money. That being said they've got a good manager in Darrell Clarke who usually got the better of us in the NL and they've brought in some very decent players on paper. Would definitely take a point.

 

[FGR Stroud]

Chris’s post that Walsall manager Darren Clarke usually got the better off us in the NL reminded me that his team Bristol Rovers destroyed us home and away in the play-offs, two years before we were promoted into the EFL.

I checked out his Wikipedia page and discovered that Walsall have done good in hiring him: Darren was at time of his departure from Bristol Rovers the fourth longest serving manager in the EFL. He had secured them two straight promotions and in June 2018 graduated with the FA's highest coaching qualification (FA Level 5 UEFA Pro).

Both managers have good and respectful words to say about each other’s team.
Darren said of FGR: “Forest Green are a tough team, they were in the play-off mix last year.
“They are well organised and a very possession-based team.”

Walsall are a big club in a league below where they should be. A home victory for them must be expected but the one ray of hope for FGR is that Darren only took charge in May and has had less opportunity than Mark Cooper to judge his team in competitive matches.

Having said that I have a home win for Walsall in Oakie’s Prediction League.

 

[SaddlerJonny]

I'm going to go for a 1-1 draw to be safe! FGR to score early on and our new signing Caolan Lavery to score off the bench late in the second half. I was spot on my prediction last week so I hope I'm wrong this week and we win 3-0.

 

[Greenacres]

We were the draw specialists at the start of last season, our unbeaten twelve game run featured no less than eight of them. Although we will be hard to score past I think we may have the same issues with sticking the ball in the back of the net at the other end. I can see this one going the same way, my prediction 1-1

 

[Chris FGR]

Good news for our over seas fans is we're now streaming live games, so the likes of The Jovial Forester can see what we're all moaning about while he's away lol.

 

[Chris FGR]

Haha we're robbing them blind here, conditions tough tbf.

Faz Rawson sounds pretty bad, vomiting on the pitch. Last thing we needed after Williams leg break last week. This will be a late one.

 

[Chris FGR]

Conceding a late equaliser is always bloody annoying but decent point and you can't say we deserved more tbf.

 

[Greenacres]

Sounds like concussion for Faz, which can make people throw up, I just hope he is OK and it isn't anything more serious.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Good news for our over seas fans is we're now streaming live games, so the likes of The Jovial Forester can see what we're all moaning about while he's away lol.

Ha, paid a fiver for the stream and then had to go out local time and have missed it, just got in and seen the score. Will have to wait for highlights. Good point!

 

[Saddlerrad]

Well, 1 defensive mistake when Clarke should have just booted the ball out of play has cost us 3 points there. FGR’s philosophy was admirable, but with the conditions and the keeper looking very nervous, it played into our hands. We should have been out of sight before FGR really got near our box for the 1st time.

Game was quite even for 10 minutes either side of half time, but as soon as Clarke made subs we seemed to pin FGR back for the second half and thoroughly deserved the equaliser.

If I’d have been offered 4 points from these two games I’d have been very happy, it could have been 6. Northampton are tipped to do well and FGR made the play offs last season, so that bodes well.

If we get a more clinical striker in, I can see us doing well.

 

[SaddlerJonny]

Battered them, should have won by 3 or 4 but one silly mistake and FGR took it. Good point which I would have taken before the game, but at the same time it is very much 2 points dropped.

Hope the FGR number 6 is okay, looked in really bad shape and I was very worried when he keeled over just before coming back on and threw up everywhere. Had no business walking off the pitch for his own safety and shouldn't have even been considered to come back on. Very poor from whoever made those decisions.

I'm going to go for a 1-1 draw to be safe! FGR to score early on and our new signing Caolan Lavery to score off the bench late in the second half. I was spot on my prediction last week so I hope I'm wrong this week and we win 3-0.

I was nearly spot on this week too!

 

[saddler78]

Expected a bit more from Forest Green today we really should have won that game although happy enough with a point and a solid start to the season for us.