Saddlers Social: Walsall fans on difficult run of results

Chris Saunders

A very poor result at Hartlepool does really worry everyone and rightly so, however I don’t think full-on panic station buttons should be pressed just yet.

I know it’s been a common theme for a few seasons but we have had to turn over lots of players again, and the inevitable time to gel will be needed.

What is clear though is a lot more effort and passion needs to be shown from the players on the pitch even when the style of play isn’t coming off, otherwise we will get abject performances.

Aside from just the game though it’s clear that a better use of our threat in the final third is needed not just to win games, but to take pressure off the midfield and defence otherwise it’s going to be a hard season.

For this we need a final bit of quality recruitment and this could change whether this season is comfortable or even allows us to challenge, or we drift into a relegation fight.

Roberto Petrucco

When was the last time it was fun to be a Saddler? The build-up to this season was built on a fresh start, changes throughout the club, and a renewed optimism. That has come crashing down within a handful of games.

Fan frustration is growing, despite everyone knowing that this new team will take time to settle and gel together.

However, it is years of frustration, and similar issues that have been simmering have now begun boiling over.

Walsall fans want a bit of entertainment, a bit of excitement, and wins. So far, that has been lacking.

Matt Taylor will get this team performing better and more consistently, but he will need to start picking up points along the way before that consistency comes.

The age old saying of 'don't look at the table until 10-12 games have been played' is what we are all clinging to. So please Matt, get some more points on the board quickly.

Rob Harvey

Another game, another defeat. Four league games in and already this next week and a bit is possibly the most crucial part of our whole season as it stands.

Transfer deadline day is approaching and us fans need to see from the owner and the board that we really are going to make a push to do something positive this year.

We are clearly light up front, and goals are hard to come by at the moment so let’s see what they do.

Can we get that all important striker in that most Walsall fans see from the outside that we need, or will we end up with an under-18 or under-21 player who is untried in mens football?

The next seven or so days gives us a great indication of where we might be headed this season. Fingers crossed it is the right way. History tells us a different story though.

Onto Saturday, we need to get a good result. Period. The longer the winless run goes on, well, we all know how that tends to work out.

James Kenealey

This isn’t the start I expected. A summer transfer window filled with activity, yet we still seem to suffer exactly the same issues as we did during the torrid second half of last season.

We’re clearly incredibly short up front and this lack of outlet is putting even more pressure on the rest of the side. Watching the defensive mess that led to Hartlepool’s opener gave me uncomfortable flashbacks to pretty much all of the last three years. How is it that we struggle with the basics so much?

I’m not going to belittle Nicky Featherstone’s talents, I still remember how he helped us keep a much more expensive opposition midfield quiet during that trip to the Molineux, so he’s alright by me. But you’d think we’d be giving a side fresh from the Conference that contains Gary Liddle a run for their money. Apparently not so.

How is it that so many ex-Saddlers go on to perform so much better at other clubs?

How disheartening it was to also see the same old match day problems rearing their heads at that opening home fixture. Queues, shortages of food and drinks, toilet issues – the complete package. And all that with a crowd that was, disappointingly, far lower than I expected given the 18-month break.

If only it was as easy to stroll into the stadium in time for kick-off as it was for the visitors to stroll through our midfield all afternoon.

This season it’s the club’s own stated aim that we must be challenging at the right end of the table. It’s very early days, but so far it’s just been, well, challenging.