Walsall blog: No margin for error

It’s fair to say that there is no margin for error now for the rest of the season, writes Walsall blogger Mark Jones.

We can maybe afford one defeat in our last seven games, and preferably not to Sarfend or Tranny.

Whether or not we’re going to be capable of mounting a play-off challenge in the light of our iffy recent form and decidedly flat performances of late remains to be seen.

Against Crewe there just didn’t seem to be the belief that we could get a result and you sense that everyone needs someone or something to give them a lift. 

What we are desperately short of is an out and out goalscorer.

There were plenty of chances yesterday but someone who is proven in front of goal would have been the difference between one and three points.

Is it a coincidence that an otherwise average Brighton team have climbed the table on the back of Nicky Forster netting seven goals in as many games?

Of course that kind of player is always difficult to get hold of, which is why if you get the chance to keep a player like … shall we say Michael Ricketts for argument’s sake? … then you ought to consider looking beyond the balance sheet and seeing whether you can afford not to sign him.

It was ironic then that it was Ian Roper of all people who should get our very welcome (and very amusing) last minute equaliser.

Ropes was given a torrid time by Jermaine Beckford at Leeds and didn’t look like he was going to get through yesterday’s first half without a red card. 

Indeed if there was anyone experienced enough to take over from him, you’d half expect Ropes to have been rested before now but having a small squad means players have to play their way back into form.     

There has been some discussion about whether we should be thinking of Walsall as a team capable of reaching the top six.

It’s common knowledge that we haven’t got the resources of some (most) in the league and there is the on-going issue of attendances.

However football is never as cut and dried as that, otherwise Leeds and Forest would be one and two in the table, Chelsea would win everything in sight and the top of the Championship wouldn’t feature Hull, Bristol City and our old adversaries from Stoke.

If they can do it at their level then why shouldn’t we try to compete at ours? Personally I feel that we should keep making a fight of it for as long as the maths says we’re in with a chance.    

And if we need some motivation for the final run in, then we could always take some inspiration from the thought that Crewe could still go down by one point.

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