Saddlers Social: Walsall fans have their say

Richard Kendrick

Bringing on the subs and playing two up front on Saturday wasn’t a managerial masterstroke, it was obvious we could play that way against a very poor MK Dons team.

Credit to the new boys, let’s hope they give us an increased threat but I do feel sorry for Bakayoko. He works his socks off up front on his own without a sniff at goal, gets one chance per game (OK, he fluffs it) and then gets slated.

The fans have driven out plenty of young strikers over the years – some of whom go on to become too good to play for us. Ours aren’t perfect, that’s why they’re with us.

Fans need to support and encourage our own youth, we’re quick enough to do so with other teams’ players.

Kevin Paddock

It has been a very hectic week at WFC but a constructive one.

Fans met owner Jeff Bonser and came away positive, we signed three Premier League players on loan on deadline day and got a much-needed victory in our six-pointer with MK Dons on Saturday.

Now the performance against MK Dons was not the best but at this stage of the season it’s about getting those three points! We now head to Blackpool four points outside the drop zone.

Ngoy looks a very shrewd aquisition, Fitzwater looks solid at the back and with Bielik still to come in it seems Whitney has done okay in the window.

I sat down with Jeff, Stefan and Dan last week and it was a really positive meeting. Hopefully it’s the start of a brighter future.

Tom Miner

I thought dramatic deadline days were reserved for £50million signings slying around in helicopters and TV pundits in ridiculous yellow ties discussing who the latest player was to be spotted in grainy pictures at some Spanish airport.

But no, it turns out Walsall can play that game to, and rather than letting prize assets go it was Dan Mole sprinting to a scanner that won us the game against MK Dons and might well give us enough firepower to beat the drop.

Although many like to complain about not developing our own players, the loan system is crucial to teams like us, as it usually provides us with young, hungry and more importantly cheap players that can quite often result in permanent signings.

Give me that any day of the week over an ageing journeyman.

Nick Etheridge

Although it has been said on numerous occasions previously, I really hope that Jon Whitney has seen the light.

In what was a game shorn on quality, it was his decision to gamble that changed the game.

Rather than make the usual like for like change, he was brave enough to take off Oztumer, and smart enough to take Bakayoko out of the firing line and go with two up front.

This gave MK something different to think about and came to fruition in a few minutes.

If Whitney had shown this proactive approach in games, rather than reacting when things go against us, we would have a few more points on the board.

Time will tell if this is just a flash in the pan or not.