Dean Holden calls for a Saddlers mean streak

Defender Dean Holden today warned Walsall they must be mean to thrive in League One.

The experienced centre-half backed the Saddlers' youngsters to surprise rival defenders with their pace and passing this season.

But the 32-year-old knows Dean Smith's side must be prepared to battle to impose their attacking football on opponents.

"There are one or two teams that like to play the ball around but a lot of it is like Oldham on Tuesday, where you're not allowed a lot of time on the ball," said Holden.

"It is all about picking up the second balls, winning the midfield battle and being first in both boxes.

"We're not the most physical team but what we can do is get the ball down, move it well and create chances. So what we've got to do as a team is try to restrict the opposition's chances at our goal and if we do that we've got a chance of winning games.

"Saturday against Notts County will be another tough game at Meadow Lane and the lads are looking forward to that. It will be a different game again but I'm confident we can go there and get three points. We're confident with the players we've got that we can create chances and score points."

Holden helped the Saddlers collect their first point of the season when they claimed a 1-1 draw on Tuesday at Oldham, one of the defender's former clubs.

And the stopper, who signed in the summer on a free transfer, believes the draw can give Smith's side confidence ahead of Saturday's visit to Nottingham.

"With the way the game went on Tuesday we maybe deserved a bit more, but going to Oldham is always tough and we knew we had to get a point on the board because two defeats in a row would have been no good.

"So we'll take the point and look to build on that and go again on Saturday. It's important to get as many points as you can early and the Doncaster game last Saturday was disappointing so it was important to put that right."