Express & Star

Walsall Darrell Clarke boss not afraid to tweak team

Walsall manager Darrell Clarke has said he isn't afraid to shake up his starting XI and formations as he looks to use his "flexibility" to his advantage.

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After joining the Saddlers in the summer, the 41-year-old started the League Two season using three centre-backs and wing-backs in a 5-3-2 formation.

But Clarke has since switched to a 4-4-2 for the last six games, only using his old formation once, for 45 minutes against Southampton U21s in the EFL Trophy.

And the boss is expecting his players to adapt to any formation he plays over the course of the season.

"They (the players) have to be adaptable," he said.

"Anybody that's followed my managerial career will know I change things if I don't think it's working.

"If they don't they won't be playing will they.

"Be adaptable, they're my players, if they're not adaptable they won't be on the bench, they won't be there to make changes.

"Certainly not the other way round, players feeling comfortable, I ain't having that.

"They're professional footballers, they're paid to do what I want them to do.

"They've adapted well to be fair to them, which is good when we have changed it."

Assistant manager Brian Dutton believes that Clarke's willingness to change shape and formation during a game, or between games, is one of his strengths and makes his teams more likely to succeed.

"The gaffer's very flexible," he added.

"The Saddlers fans will see that this season, if something's not working he's not afraid to change it.

"We hold out hands up, we tried a 5-3-2 again and weren't' able to get good pressure on the Saints boys and they were allowed easy territory.

"We remedied that at half-time and changed to a back four - I think it worked, the second-half was probably then Saddlers' second-half all in all.

"The Saints had a few flash opportunities but I think we controlled the game, we got good pressure on them and limited them to opportunities.

"That's a real strength of the gaffer, he's not stubborn, he will change it if it's not working."