Skipper backs partner Sonner

Walsall captain Michael Dobson is gunning for goals this season – and he reckons new-boy Danny Sonner can help him get them.

Dobson today predicted that the return of Sonner for a second spell at The Banks’s Stadium will release him to break forward from midfield.

And the skipper, who scored three times in his debut season in the Midlands, wants to replace some of the goals scored by his former midfield partner, Dean Keates.

Keates scored 13 times last season before leaving for Peterborough in June, but Dobson believes he can take up some of the slack in a new-look central partnership with Sonner.

“When I played alongside Keatesy last year the roles developed so Keatsey ‘bombed on’ and I just sat in behind him,” said Dobson.

“This year, with Danny being a bit of a ‘sitter’ as well, it will be nice to take turns and maybe get into the box a bit more and maybe get on the scoresheet.

“It could turn out that we both work well together.

“The way that Keatesy played last year just meant that I sat in and did what I had to do.”

“There were times when I got forward and it looked promising, but things didn’t quite happen. But I didn’t get forward enough because you can’t just ‘clear’ the midfield, so you couldn’t have Keatesy and me bombing forward at the same time.

“Hopefully this year I can bag more than three.”

Dobson retains his number eight shirt next season after the Saddlers’ squad numbers were announced yesterday.

Rhys Weston gets two, Danny Sonner gets four, Tommy Mooney will wear 10, Paul Hall gets 11 and Carlos Carneiro gets 14.

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