Saddlers Social: Walsall fans on digging in deep at Bradford

Nick Etheridge

The mention of Valley Parade still haunts me following that 4-0 defeat in the 2015/2016 season.

We’ve not had a brilliant record there since and taking into account the way the team has started the season, I think most Walsall fans would have snatched your hand off for a point before kick-off.

To earn that point the way we did showed real guts and determination, as well as a real understanding of how to navigate the situation we found ourselves in.

That’s not something that we’ve been able to say too much in recent years. As Matt Taylor himself said, it felt like a victory and although the players will take the credit for coming away with a draw, Taylor should earn some too by recognising where the threat was going to come from and setting up the defence to deal with that.

Andy Cook was always going to be their major threat but the lads defended our box brilliantly and kept him at arm's length for the most part.

There will be praise given to others before him, but Brendan Kiernan showed exactly what he does to merit a place in the team. He’s not going to beat someone with a blistering turn of pace or consistently deliver dangerous balls into the box, but what he will do is work ridiculously hard defensively and in games like Saturday that’s crucial.

The important thing now is that we don’t have results like this in isolation. If the team can put a string of results together on the back of this, then the season will start to look rosy again.

Rob Harvey

Well, what a performance that was on Saturday against Bradford.

Not only did we come from behind to get something from the game, which is something we have very rarely looked like doing in recent times, but we managed it playing the whole of the second half with 10 men!

I don't think many teams will get much away at Bradford, so I'm hoping that by having to dig in to get something, the lads have formed a stronger bond and togetherness and we can now move forward and get our season started properly with a win against Mansfield this coming weekend.

If we can get a good result in our next two games, then I really believe we have turned a corner and, fingers crossed, this is what we see.

A special mention again also has to go to our keeper Carl Rushworth. Some of the saves this kid pulls off are unreal and I predict a very bright future ahead for him.

Savour him this season as I don't think he will be here again next year. Onwards and upwards now please Walsall!

Roberto Petrucco

Are things finally clicking on the pitch? It feels like it may be, however the next two league games will be the key as to whether the last two games have been luck, or good play.

Bradford showed that Walsall can grind out a result, and that Taylor has instilled a fight and passion into his players that has seen them put bodies on the line to secure points.

Rollin Menayese has been key in the defence. When he signed, many wondered why we were loaning a centre-back who couldn’t get into a fellow League Two team.

However, his performances have shown that he is the right fit at Walsall. He is quick, strong and reads the game well.

He will be unavailable against parent club Mansfield this weekend, which gives Ash Taylor a big opportunity to try and get back into the starting XI.

This is what I like about this Walsall side, the competition for places. With players returning from injury in the attacking areas, it is slowly looking like a side that could have depth to it, but keeping players injury-free has been a curse at Walsall in the past.

Chris Saunders

Getting back on level terms after going a goal down at Bradford is never easy, but to go down to 10 men almost instantaneously really does make you fear the worst.

Fair play to the team for digging in and gaining a very hard earned and valuable point.

I am sure this result will do all the players the world of good, and confidence should be building now. Hopefully, we can keep this momentum up and go on a good run now and see where that takes us.

After the performance, social media was filled with people full of praise for the team which was great to see.

It’s not been often over the last few years that fans have felt that way about the whole team, but we Walsall fans at a base level love a team that battles until the very last second. So, if they keep on going like this, they will have the fans firmly behind them.