Darrell Clarke: Walsall are not reliant on signings

Clarke is in the market for two attack-minded players to help end the Saddlers’ barren run in front of goal and is likely to sign a centre-forward to accompany Caolan Lavery, Elijah Adebayo and Josh Gordon before next Monday’s deadline.

But Clarke has backed new recruit Lavery to improve his sharpness and Adebayo and Gordon to find the confidence in front of goal, rather than heap pressure on to any prospective new signings.

Asked about the importance of bringing a fourth centre-forward in, Clarke replied: “It is big but the lads that are already at the football club, we are not going to be one striker reliant.

“Lavery has got some minutes in now, I’d like to think he will be a hell of a lot sharper now having missed all of pre-season.

“And Elijah and Josh have got to keep working and keep working those positions so they get that confidence strikers need to put the ball in the back of the net.

“It’s not as if they aren’t having a right good go, they are trying.

“But we just haven’t been good enough in the final third. But it’s not just about that, it’s about making the right runs and the right pass as well.

“We have got to put it all together moving forward.”

Walsall have gone four-and-a-half hours without finding the net.

The Saddlers have not scored in the three league outings since James Hardy secured a late point at home to Forest Green.

Walsall welcome Grimsby to the Banks’s Stadium on Saturday.

“It is frustrating because we are not a defensive team – we have dominated most of the possession and had opportunities in the final third,” Clarke added.

“We asked questions, we asked questions with our movement, but we just aren’t finishing it off and that is what is costing us.”