Walsall vs Crewe Alexandra: The inside track

It was a hard start. They didn't win in the first three and it quickly changes from only a few weeks before that. They'd been to Wembley, been to the play-off final and had a good day out apart from the result. 

Then all of a sudden three not so good results in the opening weeks of the season had the supporters talking a little bit negatively. There was always confidence in the management team. They know exactly how the football clubs runs and how it works and they were never going to be panicking. 

It doesn't come as a surprise to me to see where they are at the moment coming into Saturday's game against Walsall because the recruitment over the last couple of weeks under Lee Bell has been excellent. 

This summer has fine as well. The big disappointment that they've had has been some horrendous long-term injuries. I know every football manager and every football supporter talks about injuries but Crewe have had their real fair share. 

I would say out of the seven players who've had long-term injuries, five of them would be starters every week. That tells you that the squad has been stretched but they've managed some good results and get themselves into a handy position ahead of what will be three terrific games for the football club. 

Walsall in second this weekend, next Saturday Notts County are due at Crewe and then the following Monday night they take on leaders and local neighbours Port Vale so we've got an interesting month ahead. 

They're all impressive at the moment because they're all in the team apart from the odd one who are still injured. The goalkeeper would be interested to talk about especially from the West Midlands area. 

Filip Marschall is on loan from Villa. He actually finished the season off with MK Dons and had a horrendous semi-final when they got hammered by Crawley in the play-offs. He's come into Crewe in the summer and has proved an exceptional signing. 

He's had five or six clean sheets, he's a commanding figure at 6ft 4in and he's been really impressive. Then they've got players in like Jamie Knight-Lebel from Bristol City on loan and Max Conway on loan from Bolton. A left wing-back who has taken over from Rio Adebisi and he's highly tipped to have an exceptional career. 

They've all done very well but they've been hit by injuries. Jack Lankester has been out for five or six weeks. He won't figure on Saturday. Max Sanders came up in the summer and is a midfielder beginning to establish himself. 

Omar Bogle who most people will know in the lower leagues. He's had his fair share of injuries and is only just getting back into the team. He's not been starting but he might be a surprise starter on the weekend if the manager changes things because they lost that cup tie against Dagenham & Redbridge. 

No I never do. That's how the football club runs. It doesn't get severe pressure put on them because they lost a football match. It was very interesting although he lost heavily in midweek in the Champions League was what Pep Guardiola said after they lost last weekend in the Premier League. 

'Everybody expects us to win 3-0. Everybody expects us to win 30 games on the trot and do the treble. We've only lost one game'. And that's exactly what Crewe have done. They've only lost that one game to Dagenham & Redbridge. 

There's not much to choose between League One, League Two and the National League. On another day, Crewe would've won that game but it wasn't to be last week and they've just got to get on to it. 

They've got to be looking to the tasty match with a great atmosphere against a really in-form Walsall side who know exactly how to score goals. It should be a terrific game because you went get Crewe coming and parking the bus. They never do. 

They will try to play open football and try to get some goals and take some points away from the Poundland Stadium come 5 o'clock on Saturday night. 

One thing I cannot believe is that Lee Bell was not shortlisted for the manager of the month last month. He went unbeaten and has got more points on the board than a couple of the managers who were in the last. 

He's very important. He knows the club, he has played for the club, he has coached and managed at academy level and has moved into the first team. He gets them into the play-offs in his first season and here he is now coming into a new month in November sitting fifth in the table. 

Lee has got a good backroom team. They're all connected to Crewe and have been there a long time. He certainly leads from the front. I don't know how ambitious he is but it wouldn't surprise me if his name isn't being noted by a few other clubs around the country. 

Let's hope that's not the case at the moment. Let's hope that he can get Crewe back into League One. That's his aim and that's what he wants to do and hopefully he's going in the right direction. 

One thing I will say about the league this year is that there are no outstanding teams who're going to go well clear. I think there's going to be a lot of clubs who will be involved for a top seven place and also for a top three place. 

It's going to make for an exciting season. Full credit to Mat Sadler as well. He's certainly turned their fortunes around there because they've been trying for a few years to get established again in League One. 

It's not been the case but it could be their year this year. They've got their ammunition in terms of the best thing you need in football is for people to score goals and Walsall are definitely scoring goals.