Hayden White: Walsall must seize the big chances

The in-form right back reckons an impressive performance in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Leyton Orient shows that the Saddlers are capable of becoming a far better side than their 18th-placed standing in the table suggests.

But White has also echoed the words of head coach Matt Taylor that they will have to do a whole lot better in front of goal if they are to move up the standings.

“If you look at the league table you would say it was a good point on Saturday,” says White. “But on the basis of play we were disappointed, we think we should have won the game.

“It is like the gaffer said, we need to do better in the final third and there were a couple of situations where I myself could have done better and picked someone out.

“Leyton Orient were in the top six and we went away from home and dominated in stages so we need to start believing in ourselves that we can be a good team.

“Hopefully people who are watching us can see it is coming together – it might be a bit slower than everyone wants but there are definitely improvements.”

After back-to-back defeats to Newport and Bristol City, Walsall are now unbeaten in three league matches but their haul of five points might have been higher with better finishing.

Tonight’s hosts sit two points and three places below the Saddlers in the standings but also have some momentum after taking four points from their previous two matches, including a 3-0 home win over Stevenage at the weekend.

White continued: “Oldham will be a different test and another tough test – there are never any easy games in this league and every team offers a different kind of threat.

“We just need to go there and try to create the same kind of chances and this time put them in the back of the net.”

White says both he and the squad are loving life under Taylor so far, and he believes the potential is certainly there to turn what has been a slow start results-wise into a successful season.

“I am loving it here and all the boys are – training has been really good and we are buzzing,” he added.

“In my case I think you can see the difference a pre-season makes. I feel like I am getting fitter and stronger and hopefully people are seeing that in my performances.

“As for the team I saw something online last week about where Bolton were in the table this time last year. Now I’m not saying we are going to do a Bolton and achieve what they did in the end but it just shows that it is still very early in the season.

“I am sure if we can keep this standard of performance then we will climb the table – we just need to do better in the final third.”

Taylor has no fresh injury concerns heading into the match, with Rory Holden and Liam Kinsella the two long-term absentees.