Jon Whitney has complete trust in Walsall squad

The Saddlers host Derek Adams’ side at the Banks’s Stadium despite a host of first team players missing due to international call-ups.

Both Shaun Donnellan and Liam Kinsella have joined up with the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad for their clash with Azerbaijan.

New recruit Tyler Roberts has been named in the Wales under-21 squad for their games against Switzerland and Portugal.

Maz Kouyhar was part of the Afghanistan side that fell to a friendly defeat against Oman on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Callum Cockerill-Mollett is away with Republic of Ireland under-19s.

With managers able to call off games if three players receive international call-ups, Whitney has made the bold decision to go ahead with tomorrow’s clash.

And he feels that’s the right call after his side put in impressive performances against Portsmouth and Bradford in their last two outings.

“First of all I think it’s great we have got so many players on the international scene – it’s something to be proud of,” Whitney said.

“And I’ve got complete trust in all my players. I trust my squad. And Plymouth is now an opportunity for some players to stake a claim – not juts for a starting spot but for the bench as well.

“I think over the past couple of years, when we have had the international breaks, it has upset our rhythm quite a lot.

“Sometimes it’s nice to get a break. But we are here to play football. And I think the past couple of home games are what we are in football for.

“It’s been a great environment, the atmosphere has been electric and we have built some good momentum.

“I think it’s important we now take that into the weekend. There is a really good energy about the place at the moment so I think we carry on and give the fans another positive performance at home.”

Plymouth enter the game on the back of a 4-0 defeat to Scunthorpe last weekend – a game which saw Antoni Sarcevic sent off in the first half.

Whitney though believes the Pilgrims will prove a stern test for his side.

“Derek (Adams) has got a really hard working outfit,” he added.

“They have come off the back of promotion and had a bit of an indifferent start. They had a very undeserved 4-0 defeat last week. They had a man sent and I thought they were the better team before then.

“They try and play the right way. They have a good tempo and they get it wide and into the box.

“They have got two big six-foot lads who can cause problems and they are organised behind.

“I’m expecting tough opposition but isn’t every team? What we have to do is concentrate on ourselves and the things we’ve been doing right.”