Walsall v Burton: Isaiah Osbourne eyes charge into play-off spots

Going into tomorrow’s clash with near neighbours Burton Albion, the former Villa man believes Walsall are aiming high – and makes no secret of his ambition to push towards the Championship.

But an extended run in the side is Osbourne’s first priority. After missing the win at Bristol Rovers with concussion, his replacement Liam Kinsella performed well and kept his place in the defeat at Luton.

“Liam came into the team and did really well. But pressure and competition for places is a good thing in football,” said Osbourne.

“At the end of the day you have to think to yourself you’ve got to perform. You need to know that if you don’t perform somebody is going to take your spot.

“You need to be kept on your toes.”

He returned in a 4-3-3 formation, getting on the scoresheet as Saddlers beat Wycombe last weekend, and feels that is a system which brings out the best in his game.

“I think the 4-3-3 suits me,” said the 30-year-old. “Don’t get me wrong, if the gaffer wants to play a 4-4-2 then I’m more than happy to do that.

“But I think 4-3-3 suits me more and in the past couple of seasons I have played in a midfield three. It gives me more licence to get up and down the pitch.

“I don’t minding doing the holding midfielder role and getting on the ball. But I feel I’m more suited to going box-to-box.

“I got forward more last week and got a goal. I’ve now got two for the season. And who knows, I may get three or four or even five – you never know.

“I have played as the one on my own and sitting in a two. Against Wycombe I was more advanced, a number eight really and I’m enjoying it.”

The Brummie left Saddlers at the end of the 2016-17 season but returned this summer after a season with Forest Green Rovers. And he feels he made the right choice – and highlighted his ambition to be part of the promotion chase.

“Yeah, it’s going well. Every since I’ve come back things have been going well,” he said.

“We are all working hard to get as many points as we can and hopefully get in the play-offs.

“My aim, ever since I came back was to get back into the Championship and it would be fantastic to do that with Walsall.

“That is what everyone is pushing for.

“We are team that is confident and very hungry.

“We have got a few players that have played non-league.

“Everyone who is here seems to have a point to prove.”

And he smiled: “There is a lot more still to come from us.”

Likely line-up:

Subs: Dunn, Devlin, Johnson, Kinsella, Ismail, Ginnelly, Gordon.

Burton (4-3-3): Collins, Fox, Brayford, McFadzean, Akins, Quinn, Fraser,

Allen, Hesketh, Boyce, Templeton.

The opposition: Brewers suffering relegation hangover

Burton’s manager Nigel Clough and players spoke before the season about wanting to bounce straight back into the Championship after their agonising relegation, and that was the fans’ hopes too.

But given Albion had not been relegated in the previous 40 years, it was always going to be hard to hit the ground running and know exactly how this Brewers team would adapt. Their small squad was hit by injuries at the start of the campaign and they had a really poor start, losing four of their first five.

The additions of Stephen Quinn and Jake Hesketh, among others, has boosted the squad and the team are producing some impressive football in an attacking 4-3-3 system.

That much has been clear in their best-ever run to the League Cup quarter-finals, where they have outplayed Villa, Burnley and Nottingham Forest. Their main issue in the League now is inconsistency – they rarely play badly, but they have not been clinical enough at either end to go on the sort of run needed to get you up the table.

Clough says there is still plenty of time for that, as there is, but they need to start showing that consistency soon. The Brewers play in a 4-3-3 system, with Stephen Quinn an important player in the holding midfield role, coming deep for possession and keeping Albion ticking over. Liam Boyce leads the line and is Burton’s talisman, not only because of his goals but through his clever all-round play, which brings other runners into the game.

Southampton loanee Jake Hesketh has been in impressive in recent games, scoring two fine goals against Portsmouth and Forest and showing real intent and creativity with the ball at his feet.

He has started either on the right of the front three or in one of the two central midfield roles.

Clough has seven players who have been on the treatment table this week – defenders Kyle McFadzean, Damien McCrory, Ben Turner, Reece Hutchinson and Jake Buxton, midfielder Stephen Quinn and winger Will Miller.

For the Brewers, it’s a case of waiting as long as possible to assess the fitness with all of those players.

The boss says:

‘It was the start of a run of five home games, now we need to carry that on’ – assistant Andy Davies after Wycombe victory.

Memory lane:

Liam Kinsella and Tom Bradshaw scored in a 2-0 victory in October 2015 as the sides battled for promotion.

The key man:

Morgan Ferrier impressed cutting in from the left last week but he needs goals. He’s gone six games without scoring.

Danger man:

Liam Boyce

Boyce has seven goals in all competitions this season, but it is his tireless work up front, running down defenders, that is just as valued. He brings Albion’s other attacking players into the game.