It's not rocket science for Walsall

Walsall blogger Mark Jones believes it has been only too obvious what should be done with the Saddlers during their recent struggles.

If you had offered me a replay at 2:55pm last Saturday, I'd have gladly accepted.

If you had offered it me 50 minutes in to the game after non-league Fleetwood had equalised against our 10 men, I would have ripped your arm off.

A missed penalty, a home team who couldn't quite get to grips with being so dominant and of course 'Super' Jimmy Walker were the main reasons why Walsall remain in the FA Cup - for this week at least.

You have to keep reminding yourself that we were the Football League team and our opponents are from two levels below, but in many ways the game gave a number of pointers as to what has been going wrong all season.

Let's start with 'Wacka' himself. It's brilliant to have him back and at the Highbury Stadium on Saturday - never thought I would be going there again - it was almost like he'd never been away and he richly deserved the Man of the Match accolades.

But the question that won't go away for me is why did it take until the last weekend in October for Jimmy to be brought home?

Clayton Ince announced his retirement just before the end of last season, Rene Gilmartin ventured off his goal line long enough to sign a contract at Watford in July and Tottenham released Walker in the summer. It really should have been a no brainer.

We actually got cash for Gilmartin too, so there shouldn't have been any financial excuses either. You have to assume that manager Chris Hutchings simply thought Jonny Brain and David Bevan would be a better bet.

Ryan McGivern's x-rated tackle also epitomised the problems in our defence.

Naive, unnecessary and irresponsible, watching it again on TV it actually looked easier to win the ball.

It's been blatantly obvious that our back four needs a leader who can organise and be a role model. That, combined with some good quality work on the training ground, could go a long way to eradicating a lot of the defensive errors we're becoming increasingly prone to.

Yet it took until October for Hutch to bring in a player in - on loan naturally - who fitted the bill. And unfortunately Andrew Davies played about as many minutes for us as Allan Picken did a few years back before travelling back to the land of clay.

Which is a shame as he looked a quality player - much like Picken.

The ease with which our Blue Square Premier opponents passed the ball around and dominated our midfield should be particularly worrying, but again it merely highlighted a problem that's been there all season.

Whilst on the one hand it is great to have a home grown, self-confessed Saddler in Richard Taundry as team captain, you have to ask what it says about the qualities of the other senior players if a 21-year-old lad, still learning himself, just back from injury gets the armband ahead of them.

There are obvious areas where the team has needed strengthening since the start of August. So, like many fans, I was surprised to see more funds being spent and another loan used up to bring in an additional striker.

Equally shocking was the public slating of Reuben Reid, our top scorer remember, this week. Sure there have been some games where he has struggled to make an impact, but why single him out for criticism?

All the people who were at Fleetwood last week would have their own opinion about which of the strikers on show was the least effective, I rather suggest it wouldn't be Reuben.

An aspect of good management is being able to make the right decision quickly in difficult circumstances.

So many people at Fleetwood questioned the wisdom of taking off a creative player, Steve Jones, so early in the game.

Then again tactics and substitutions have been questionable all season, so why should a tricky first round cup tie be any different?

The problems have been there since August but so have some of the obvious solutions.

Tactics and performances go hand in hand, get the one right and the other will follow.

Prepare properly on the training ground, bring the right kind of players in whatever your budget is, motivate and try to inspire. But, above all else, don't keep making the same old mistakes.

And if non-league teams get the better of you, then it's not rocket science what should happen next.