Walsall's Romaine Sawyers backed to be brave in quest for goals

The 22-year-old forward, who signed a new two-year deal at the start of the month, has expressed the desire to up his goal tally next season.

Sawyers hit the net seven times in what was his first campaign of senior football with the Saddlers, having made the move from Albion last summer.

Boss Dean Smith agrees the goal total needs to improve but also wants to see more bravery in the box from his player – though not necessarily the physical kind.

When asked where Sawyers can improve next term, Smith replied: "It's goal-scoring and being braver in the two boxes.

"That's not just about being braver and sticking your head in and getting volleyed but it's braver in taking a chance every now and again.

"I think he will bring it into his game and I think he has learned a lot.

"He is an intelligent kid. Whenever you sit down with him he knows what you are talking about and he is quite knowledgeable on the game.

"Now it's all about taking that knowledge onto the pitch."

With 16-goal top scorer Craig Westcarr and Troy Hewitt having been released at the end of the season, Sawyers and the relatively untried Amadou Bakayoko are currently the only two forwards on the club's books.

That is unlikely to stay the way for long, with Smith keen to make additions to the forward line sooner rather than later this summer. But the manager has shown his faith in Sawyers with the new deal and believes the forward can make a significant contribution next year.

"We all know he can handle the ball really well and bring others into play, he can see a pass and added on to that he is big on scoring goals as well," added Smith.

"We can't forget that the goal he scored against Notts County back in August was the first goal he has ever scored. He has gone on and scored seven goals.

"That is an aspect he needs to improve on, he can certainly score more goals than he has done this season and he will do, he will benefit from the season he has had."