Comment: Walsall's defensive regression underlines recent struggles

That is the question which is on everyone's lips after a dismal run of two wins since the end of January. 

Bradford City have closed the gap at the top to just two points although they squandered the chance to leapfrog Walsall after suffering a 1-0 defeat at Gillingham on Saturday. 

Nonetheless, Walsall are sleepwalking their way into the business end of the season.  

Their demise has coincided with Nathan Lowe's recall by Stoke City in January but the strong defensive foundations from the first half of the season have also crumbled at an alarming rate. 

In the first 23 games, Walsall conceded just 19 times, with six of those coming in a bizarre 6-2 drubbing at the hands of Fleetwood Town at Bescot at the beginning of October last year. 

They finished 2024 by registering five successive league clean sheets for the first time in 49 years and Stoke City loanee Tommy Simkin had kept 11 shutouts in his first 21 appearances in League Two. 

Since the turn of the year, Walsall have shipped an astonishing 22 goals, with only relegation strugglers Tranmere Rovers leaking more (25). 

Meanwhile, Walsall have registered just one clean sheet in 2025, with Simkin posting a lowly save percentage of 57 per cent - according to FotMob.

The 20-year-old was forced into just 2.3 saves per game in 2024, whereas the opposition have averaged 3.6 shots on target since the New Year. 

That is a significant increase and points to the fact that Walsall are giving up way more opportunities than before. 

It boils down to the old adage of a goalkeeper is only as good as his defence, although Simkin has conceded more goals than projected with an xG of -6.4 goals prevented.

One of the key issues has been defending from set pieces. They were guilty of leaving Jayden Luker unmarked on the edge of the box in their 3-1 defeat against Grimsby Town on Saturday, and did the same when Jordan Thomas netted a late equaliser from a long throw-in at Cheltenham Town. 

Walsall were experts at getting the basics right earlier in the campaign but concentration levels have severely dropped. 

On Saturday, David Okagbue failed to track Luker's run in behind for Grimsby's third goal and Taylor Allen allowed Joel Cotterill a free charge into the box for Swindon Town's winner at Bescot. 

It would be amiss to suggest that the back-line and Simkin are solely responsible for their poor recent defensive record. Walsall were previously solid as a unit, with Lowe and Jamille Matt starting the defensive process from the front while the midfield worked in tandem to protect the defence. 

Walsall are pressing at a much lower intensity in the wake of the changes to the front-line and the decision to alternate between Oisin McEntee and Charlie Lakin at the start of the year has upset the balance of the midfield. 

There has ultimately been a domino effect across the team and Sadler needs to find the balance again in order to turn the tide.