Bescot Banter: Frustrating seven days for Walsall

After seeing their side suffer a fifth-successive defeat last weekend - Aaron Collins' late goal capping off a truly dismal display against ten-man Bristol Rovers - Saddlers fans would have been forgiven for hoping that Monday's Transfer Deadline Day was going to be a busy one.

However, despite an increasing number of issues, and general lack of form, that wasn't to be as, aside from the odd non-transfer related social media post, it was 'All quiet at the Banks's Stadium' with club officials seemingly happy to stick with what they have, at least for now.

Whist Head Coach Matthew Taylor was able to secure the services of Reece Devine and Devante Rodney, who joined recent arrival Donervon Daniels in making the move to the Banks's, his first-team remains riddled with issues, especially in the creativity department, which has resulted in the latest in a long line of miserable matchdays.

Speaking of creativity, and despite the recent arrivals, the failure to replace winger Otis Kahn, and the surprise loss of Kieran Phillips - who was recently recalled by his parent club in favour of a switch to Exeter City where he is to be deployed as a striker - has added yet more pressure to an already struggling attacking line, and, quite rightly, has given fans even more cause for concern.

With the recall of Kieran Phillips serving as a great example, the attacking side of the team is made up of far too many square pegs in round holes, with players seemingly being asked to fit into positions they're not really suited to and, as a consequence, they regularly drift through games, offering very little to the cause.

Scoring just two goals in their last five league games, the Saddlers have made so little impact in the final third that Head Coach Matthew Taylor may well be better suited adding more players to the backline and looking to park the bus rather than bother sending out an attacking line which just can't find the back of the net.

Unfortunately, the issues don't finish at a flaccid frontline as, despite goalkeeper Carl Rushworth's frequent heroics, the Reds continue to be their own worst enemy and often gift the opposition goal-scoring opportunities, with defensive errors becoming a painful blight on a campaign which promised so much.

However, with at least a bit of defensive cover now secured, we believe the team is in a better position to thwart opposition advances, and offer a bit more support to 'keeper Carl, however, if the frontline continue to make so little of their opportunities in front of goal, then the recent downward trend will surely continue.

Along with many of our fellow supporters, we're beginning to struggle to work out what the plan for the rest of the season is. Do the board hope to scrape survival before yet another summer rebuild, or do they truly expect the team to be able to turn things around and begin to climb back towards the Play-Off places?

After beginning the campaign with club chairman Leigh Pomlett insisting we'll be giving promotion 'a good go' the team has struggled to maintain anything resembling a strong run of form, with the six-game unbeaten run in October being the only thing separating us from the relegation zone.

The fact that we've reached the month of February and played some twenty-seven league games, with the team still unable to win two or more games in a row, tells you all you need to know about the painfully pedestrian Saddlers.

With fan patience beginning to wane, we hope all at the club can rise to the

occasion and show supporters just why they should bother backing a team which is lacking in so many areas and continues to shoot itself in the foot on an almost weekly basis.

Whichever way the season ultimately ends. Be it with the team securing mid-table mediocrity, a last day reprieve, or suffering relegation to the National League, things have got to change. From the boardroom to the break room, the turnstiles to the terrace, we all need to come together and help the club to get back on track, hopefully starting with an