Analysis: Walsall's winter wobble rumble on after Accrington stalemate

Alex Pattison looked the likeliest player to score in the first half when he drove a low shot into the side netting and blazed another chance over the crossbar.

There was a ruthlessness to the attacking play when Walsall broke on the transition at Tranmere, but that was not the case against Accrington. 

Open play concerns 

Walsall completed just 47 per cent of their 204 passes and emerged with an xG of just 0.07 from open play. 

It was from set pieces that Walsall looked most threatening and created their two best opportunities in a game that featured very few. 

Evan Weir delivered a devilish free-kick towards the near post which was met by top scorer Daniel Kanu. His powerful header cannoned off the crossbar, as Walsall were beginning to build up a head of steam heading into the closing stages. 

Questionable substitutions

That was until Sadler decided to withdraw Jamille Matt and Kanu, just as they finally appeared to be clicking after an otherwise frustrating afternoon. 

Matt had spent the majority of the game engaged in a physical battle with defender Ferrend Rawson, but was beginning to get the better of his former Forest Green teammate. 

Clarke and Charlie Lakin had picked up the baton from Jamie Jellis and Pattison in midfield and Walsall looked set for a late siege on the visitors' goal. 

The substitutions stifled any attacking momentum that Walsall were beginning to gather, and the decision to take off Kanu in particular, left many in the stands baffled. 

Kanu has been withdrawn in the last five games in League Two and Sadler has previously defended his decision, which he feels will protect him from entering overdrive mode during the promotion run-in. 

While there is logic behind that madness, Sadler needs to strike the balance between results and rotation, and this did not feel like the occasion to take off his leading scorer. 

Aaron Pressley had missed the last outing with a broken hand and emerged from the bench with it wrapped in a bandage. 

It was an ineffective cameo from the Scotsman and home debutant Aaron Loupalo-Bi also struggled to impose himself on proceedings. 

Richards omission

One of the main gripes over the team selection was the omission of Rico Richards, who dropped off the bench for Pressley. 

Sadler has suggested Richards could have a more prominent role to play in the second half of the season and he certainly offers versatility in both midfield and attack. 

His presence could've offered a different dimension in attack, but the straight swaps felt too predictable.

Weir did have a late chance to snatch maximum points when his header was tipped over at the death, but even Matt admitted that a draw was a fair reflection of the game. 

The one positive was that the Saddlers emerged with a first clean sheet in six games across all competitions. 

Walsall defended well as a unit overall but goalkeeper Myles Roberts still had a couple of nervy moments between the sticks. 

The stop-start nature of the officiating did little to improve the flow of the game and Brandon Comley spent 70 minutes walking a tightrope after receiving a dubious early booking. 

Comley completely won the ball with a full-blooded, yet clean challenge on Alex Henderson, who spent large portions of the game as the pantomime villain.

Home struggles continue

Regardless, Walsall only had themselves to blame and it is alarming just how much Connor Barrett has gone off the boil recent games. 

Barrett was one of the most outstanding players during the first few weeks of the season, but looked lost at times, both on and off the ball. 

Accrington doubled up on him every time he ventured forward and he often ran into blind alleys, even when one of his teammates shifted across to support him.

Home form is currently threatening to undermine the Saddlers' promotion push. They boast the joint-best award record (24 points) but have collected just two wins from their last nine home games in all competitions. 

Overall, Walsall are ninth in the home league table and have found the net just 17 times at Bescot this season.

Bromley, Cambridge, Salford and MK Dons boast the best home records in the division, all of whom sit ahead of Walsall, after they dropped to 5th. 

Walsall slipped eight points adrift of league leaders Bromley, who beat Swindon Town 2-1, although they do boast a game in hand. 

Cambridge, Salford and MK Dons also emerged with victories to leapfrog them in the table, as Swindon fell behind Walsall into sixth. 

Bromley currently sit on 55 points but Salford in second and Notts County in seventh are separating by just four points.

It's still tight at the top, but Walsall need to reawaken from their slumber at home if they want to still be in the mix at the business end of the season.