Bescot Banter: One step forward, two steps back

Going into Tuesday's meeting with Swindon Town on the back of triumphs over Tranmere and Forest Green, the Saddlers faithful would have been forgiven for thinking their team would be able to take something from their trip to Wiltshire.

After enduring a seven-game losing streak, the Reds had not only put together two promising performances but also built a welcome gap over the teams currently occupying the League Two relegation zone, showing there's plenty of talent and ability hidden among our group of misfits and malcontents.

However, in what was a return to the form which has seen the team reside in the bottom half of the table for much of the campaign, the home side were able to storm to victory, netting five goals without reply, dealing Walsall's potentially important goal difference a rather painful blow in the process.

With gaffer Michael Flynn opting to line-up with three at the back, our starting eleven had the potential to be a force in attacking positions, as a potentially opposition-overwhelming midfield five was paired with a strike duo who have clearly been urged to 'shoot on sight' after failing to make more of their goal-scoring opportunities over the course of the campaign.

But the potential forward threat simply failed to materialise as the team lacked quality in almost all facets of the beautiful game, with defensive errors, a passive midfield, and a flaccid frontline giving the Robins little choice but to dish out a thrashing.

In what was a painful reminder of just how poor this team can be, the travelling

fans had every right to walk out of the stadium well before referee Chris Pollard had called for full-time, as their loyalty was rewarded with the biggest defeat of the season.

Although we're by no means blaming the new boss for the team's overall performance, his task has always been to steady the ship ahead of another summer of change, we can't help but feel the decision to line-up with such an attacking mindset was doomed to fail.

Despite the duo of wins which the team took into the clash at the County Ground, our defence has been truly abysmal so far this season, with far too many points being sacrificed rather than secured as opposition attackers frequently enjoy the freedom of the final third.

Clearly, the new manager is looking to get as many points on the board as possible, and you don't win games by parking the bus and hoping for the best, but the real issue which has seen the team struggle to gain traction lies in the backline.

Whilst we're hardly offering much of a threat in attacking areas, the team will never be able to secure an all-important string of wins and draws if we keep on being so charitable at the back. And we hope Flynn and newly-signed assistant Wayne Hatswell will spend as much time as possible working on defensive shape and solidity.

Of course, a return to winning ways against Hartlepool United this weekend would go a long way to easing the pressure, but, put bluntly, we're more than a little concerned for the future of this football club, we can't go on winning the odd two in ten expecting to make anything resembling upward progress.

There have been plenty of promising words coming from both the boardroom and bench over recent weeks and months, and we can only hope that they're not just designed to quell the quarrellers rather than provide a signal of intent.

Whatever happens over the next few months, we're nearing a breaking point for Walsall Football Club, continue down this path, and our Football League future is by no means secure, but begin to put some of the positive words into action, and we may eventually see some signs of progress.

But one thing is for sure, we're far from being secure in League Two, let alone achieving the chairman's desire of turning the club into a Championship challenger, and have to concentrate on the current campaign before considering what may come down the line.

We'd like to bring this week's offering to an end by wishing Alfie Bates all the best for the future. Alfie, who came through the ranks in WS1 after joining the club aged 15, somewhat surprisingly joined Finnish side SJK Seinäjoki in midweek.

Ask many Saddlers fans, and they'd tell you Alfie was one of the more promising prospects to make the breakthrough into the first-team over recent years. Determined and talented, the Coventry born 20-year-old has the world at his feet, we'll be paying close attention as he begins a new chapter of his career