Frustrated Dean Keates could eye transfer market to fix Walsall mistakes
Walsall boss Dean Keates has warned he will dip into the transfer market if his players don’t stop making silly mistakes.
The Saddlers slipped to a 2-0 loss at Portsmouth last night with goals from Oli Hawkins and Ronan Curtis sealing the points for the League One pacesetters.
The result means Walsall have now conceded two or more goals in nine of their last 10 games.
Many of those have been preventable - including the two at Fratton Park. And Keates warned he won’t wait forever for players to learn from their mistakes.
“We are frustrated with the goals we conceded,” the boss said.
“I keep going on about learning and developing but it has got to start sinking in now.
“Otherwise other players have will have the opportunity to come in and play for this football club.”
Portsmouth’s first goal arrived when - following a throw-in - the ball looped up and off George Dobson with Hawkins then nodding in.
“For their first goal, the second phase of it loops off George and lands on someone who is 6ft 4 at the back post,” Keates said.
“With that you need a little bit of luck. But it’s the first phase. It’s a throw-in and we have not got tight enough. They have not really had to work anything.”
Walsall looked dangerous from short corners at Fratton Park but it was from one of those set-plays Portsmouth grabbed a second.
Liam Kinsella hit a tame cross into the box which allowed the hosts to break - with the midfielder apologising to his teammates in the dressing room after the game.
“Short corners is something we have worked on,” Keates continued.
“And it worked. But Kins’ touch wasn’t good enough and then it has sat up and he has to think damage limitation.
“Both goals have come from our mistakes again.”
Walsall had 53 per cent possession on the night but as well as tightening up at the back Keates says they need to be more clinical.
“We had a lot of ball but I think at the moment we are not helping ourselves in both boxes,” he added.
“Between 18 and 18 we had an awful lot of possession, we have had good phases of play.
“Attacking wise, when we have created opportunities, we weren’t clinical.
“And when they had their chances, they were clinical - that is why they are top of the league.”
