Walsall boss Dean Keates: Shut Bantams out for the point we need
Boss Dean Keates has challenged Walsall to register back-to-back clean sheets for the first time this season as they go in search of a crucial point at Bradford tonight.
The Saddlers know a draw at Valley Parade will be enough to guarantee their League One status for next year.
But while a point will be enough, Keates insists his team will approach the game just like any other.
“We will approach the game the same way as we always do,” the boss said. “We will look at the opposition, look at what their strengths and weaknesses are.
“We’ve done the same things. We’ve looked at how we can get at them and how we can get three points.
“We got a clean sheet against Northampton and that is something to build on.
“It’s something I pride myself on, if you get a clean sheet you don’t lose the game.
“When I came through under Chris Nicholl – that was something that was drilled into us.
“Clean sheets are something I always strived for when I played.
“And now I’m a manager, it’s something I pride myself on.
“One or two more goals though would make life a lot easier.”
Keates was happier with the way his team defended in the win over the Cobblers.
“It’s given us confidence,” he continued. “We were gutted last at Scunthorpe because there is no doubt we deserved a point.
“It was our mistakes that led to their goal.
“But against Northampton, there were not many mistakes that I could point out and say ‘look, this needs to be better.’
“The decision making was better.”
Keates will be able to call on the talents of Erhun Oztumer tonight despite Walsall’s talisman coming off with what looked like a knock against Northampton.
“He (Oztumer) is absolutely fine, Keates added.
“I think he just got picked up by one of the fans. But he is fine.
“He really showed his quality in that second half. I thought we got him into good little areas and it was good to see.
“When he was turning he had Northampton on the back foot.
“And playing forward, when there are bodies going past him, there is no doubt he is quality.
“He has got the ability to put the ball through the eye of a needle.”
Before tonight’s game, there will be minute’s silence in memory of the 56 people who died in a fire at Valley Parade in May 1985.
