Saddlers Social: Walsall fans have their say

Robert Dearn

I have a bit of a gripe with this transfer window. I have a gripe because we aren't going to get relegated, and barring a wonder of a second half of the season we aren't going up. So what do we do.

In an ideal world we would be a few points better off, and looking for reinforcements to aid the push. But I think we need to sign players who may need blooding ready for next season. Jack Nolan seems that type of signing, someone with little game time, but is very talented.

For me, I agree we need another winger, however I am unsure whether we need a highly experienced one. Someone raw, and in their early 20s is what I would rather see (like Wes McDonald), rather than someone older who may be less driven.

I feel that another 1 or 2 players who can be eased into the squad this season would be better signings, meaning they are ready to hit the ground running come August.

Chris Saunders

The season is over and it’s not even February. Two bad results have ended any chances of us ending the season strongly but more worrying was the performance against Morecambe. This division isn’t unfamiliar to us but the performance against possibly one of the worst teams we have played possibly ever was borderline unforgivable.

The season being a write off is bad enough but with talks of us struggling to get targets due to budget constraints and the current squad we have not being at a level to compete leaves a worrying outlook for next season as well.

We simply need to use the remainder of this season to get our youth team players first team ready for next year and the recruitment in the summer has to be spot on otherwise it could be a dark few years at this football club.

Ian Newbold

Anyone know a decent wide player? Available? Played 100+ EFL League games? Bit like a couple we released in the Summer?

Seems we are struggling to get a wide man in. Again. For the second window running.

So, what do we do?

Keep trying for players? Increase the budget? Drop the pre-requirement of experience? Or do we look within? Give a recently repaired Maz Kouyar games to prove himself?

Accelerate Jack Nolan’s integration to the first XI? Try Adebayo out on the flanks? Do what the last two departing managers did, play Cameron Norman as a winger?

As undesirable as some of those things read, at least we do have a few options. And a decent new winger is no silver bullet guarantee to solve all our problems anyway. It could even add to them if it means upsetting the applecart or wasting more of our alleged modest budget.

IF no one comes in, IF, let’s not panic. At least we will learn more about the players, and management team, that we already have.

Nick Etheridge

The January transfer window is getting closer and closer to slamming shut (why does it always slam?) but the squad is in desperate need of some attacking impetus. If Jack Nolan was signed as a work in progress, then the right hand side really is a must.

Now I’m no Carol Vorderman but something doesn’t quite add up. In the summer we were told that we have funds to be competitive and that there was money left over for reinforcements in January, but Clarke’s comments that we are a million miles off a signing are worrying.

Although the last couple of results, and more importantly performances have been terrible, it’s clear that we are going to finish mid table this season, and for me that’s perfectly acceptable given the state that club were in off the back of last season. It’s the perfect time for players like Jack Nolan, Alfie Bates and Callum Cockerill-Mollett to gain as much time on the pitch as possible with a view to them becoming regulars next season

On the managerial front I’m still happy with Darrell Clarke. He’s certainly improved players during his time here, with Cameron Norman the latest example, following in the footsteps of Wes McDonald, Josh Gordon, Liam Roberts and Dan Scarr.

Clarke should shoulder some of the blame for the loss against Morecambe by changing to one up front. For me though, it’s a plus point that we have a proactive manager who will try different things to alter the game, rather than continue with something that clearly isn’t working.

This was a major criticism of both Keates and Whitney so I’m happy for Clarke to continue to change things mid game, even if it doesn’t always work out. You can’t win them all they say, but as Walsall fans we already know this!

Rob Harvey

Four days, two games, two defeats. A bit grim really isn’t it?

I don’t even know where to start to be honest with you. This season was never every going to be easy, and we were never ever going to be running away with the league. We were always destined to be mid table and fighting for nothing, but the least we expect is some heart and desire in every game, and our game against Morecambe lacked that in abundance.

Tuesday ranks up there as one of the worst Walsall performances I have ever watched personally, with one shot on target (which was the penalty), and there was no real entertainment on show other than the catastrophic defending that led to Morecambe’s second goal. It’s getting a bit boring listening to the same sound bites from the manager too. Personally I think he will get it right eventually, and to be honest he’s got a while left because this season is going nowhere, but he needs to do something about the issues he’s got rather than just keep talking about them. Surely he knew what the issues were going to be, and what the budget was going to be so you either get on with it or leave if you don’t like it.

The transfer window shuts soon, and I’m not hopeful of too many more (if any) incomings, so it looks like we are in for a rough ride for the next few months. Maybe we’ll gel and Jack Nolan can start to breakthrough properly and become a very exciting prospect for next season. Oh yeah, and if Alfie Bates is back fit get him back in the squad!

On we go to Crewe, who I can’t say I’m a massive fan of myself. Please, please, please bring the three points home!

Jon Taylor

If anything the past two weeks have shown us that we are indeed, as DC has put it, ‘miles away from the top seven’.

Whilst the performance against Carlisle wasn’t bad and we should have got something out of the game we didn’t. Then against Morecambe the team didn’t turn up and put in a truly awful performance which has not been uncommon across the past two seasons.

From reading across social media fans are getting fed up at the quality of football on show at Walsall and with such a small fan base to begin with it is worrying. Pomlett talks of the magic 5,000 figure but I feel if performances continue as they are we will be lucky to get 4,000 through the door next season.

As a club the change from Bonsor was a welcome one but until the freehold belongs to the club we will always have a £450,000 hole in our budget. This may allow us to be competitive when it comes to paying salaries and improve the overall performances on the pitch.

James Kenealey

One step forward, two steps back.

Morecambe had won two away games in the league this season, with a travelling goal difference of -21 going into the Tuesday night visit to Bescot. What an awful, awful result.

Ever changing lineups, constant tactical shifting and seemingly less of an idea of a settled starting 11 than the start of the season. It all feels a bit like roulette at the moment, which I expect to continue until the end of the season in front of ever-diminishing attendances.

I wasn’t at the Morecambe game myself, nor was I at Carlisle, but reports suggest that Sheron has been a poor addition. What a weird acquisition.

I said weeks ago that the January transfer window was going to be a crucial month. Huge questions need to be asked at all levels of the club if we enter February as we are now.

Stating obvious and specific targets and then blatantly missing out on these targets and then claiming we’re “a million miles away” from signing a winger from only one division above is not the way to go about things. It’s really poor PR. I was a vocal critic of the total silence from the club in the previous regime but this constant rattling in the papers is as tiresome as it is confusing.

Any fantasy of a late play-off push must be cast aside from everyones mind now - including the Chairman. It’s time to have a serious think about our strategy on and off the pitch for next season.

Dan Price

I don’t expect us to win every game but on a decent run seeing Carlisle and Morecambe up next I would not have thought we would come away pointless from those two games. Tuesday night for me was one of the worst performances of the season, we lacked passion, creativity and again the team selection looked a little suspect. There isn’t really much to elaborate on rather than these performances are far from acceptable to a paying audience and we have to see an improvement come Saturday.

I was disappointing to see the penalty incident between Flash and Wes, Flash looked far from happy with the decision which makes you think that he should be penalty duties. I’m just hoping his half time substitution was genuine injury rather than dressing room bust up over that incident.

Things can only get better, roll on Saturday.