Walsall v Southend: It’s still all to play for says Martin O'Connor

A dreadful performance against Accrington Stanley last weekend has left everyone feeling flat with the Saddlers currently three points from safety with just four games left to play.

But following that lacklusture display against John Coleman’s side, O’Connor hauled the players in for a team meeting on Sunday.

And tomorrow they have a huge chance to get back to winning ways when they take on a Southend side who have failed to taste victory in their last 14 outings.

“I have told the boys that everything is still to play for, they know that,” O’Connor said.

“I am a positive person and I am not going to hide behind statistics and things like that, it is all about the next game.

“People will look at us and look at the Accrington performance and say that we aren’t a good side and rightly so because on Saturday we weren’t a good side.

“We weren’t good enough and we haven’t been for three or four months.

“But we can still get ourselves out of it and that is the positive I have been telling the players. We still have a chance to get ourselves out of this scrap.

“Rather than looking at the negatives like how we didn’t perform against Accrington, how we didn’t turn up, how we didn’t show any fight, the positives are that we are still in with a chance of getting out of this.

“Accrington has gone now and we can’t affect that performance or result.

“But we can affect the performance and the result against Southend. And the players know they now have to perform.”

Walsall’s performance at Accrington lead to an angry reaction from fans who told the players exactly what they thought of them.

And O’Connor says he understands their frustrations.

“We had a talk on Sunday and if I was one of the fans who travelled and wasted my weekend and money, I would be frustrated and disappointed,” the interim boss added.

“Our fans support the players when they give 100 per cent on the pitch and when they don’t, they have every right to show their frustrations.

“I said to the players, you can’t expect fans who have worked hard all week to pat you on the back after that non-performance.

“The fans have every right to show their frustrations, I have no qualms about that and the players don’t have any qualms about that either.

“They held their hands up straight after the game and admitted it wasn’t good enough

“Only we can put it right now. We have to do that on Friday.”

Likely line-up:

The opposition: One team in worse form than Walsall

It takes some doing to be in worse form than Walsall a the moment.

Somehow though, Southend have managed it.

It is now 14 matches and three months since the Shrimpers last won a game of football.

That was a 4-0 triumph at rock bottom Bradford on January 19.

And it means the Essex-based side now sit 22nd in the League One table, one place and one point above the Saddlers.

But while it really has been a nightmare season at Roots Hall, there are mitigating factors.

The Shrimpers have been decimated by injuries for almost the entire campaign with as many as 10 players often on the sidelines.

The club – and former manager Chris Powell – have to take some of the blame for that, however.

When you sign injury-prone players such as Luke Hyam and Harry Lennon, you can’t be too surprised when they pick up knocks.

But Southend have also had their fair share of misfortune.

When they took on Walsall back in October, striker Tom Hooper was ruled out for the season after colliding with George Dobson.

At the time, he had netted seven goals in his last 13 games.

And his injury has meant Simon Cox has practically had to carry the team on his own ever since.

The 31-year-old is doing everything he can and has netted 16 times this season.

But all over the park Southend are struggling for confidence.

At home, the Shrimpers are having the worst season in their history having won just six times. And it is now the task of Kevin Bond to keep them in the division after they sacked Powell last month.

The 61-year-old is best known for being Harry Redknapp’s long term assistant.

And Redknapp has watched the Shrimpers in the two games Bond has taken charge of.

His reign started with a 2-2 draw at Fleetwood, a result and performance that gave supporters some optimism.

But a 2-0 home defeat to relegation rivals Wycombe last weekend again has fans fearing the worst.

Southend’s cause was again hit by injury in that match with ex-Saddler Jason Demetriou picking up a knee problem.

He will now miss tomorrow’s game.

Fellow ex-Saddler Sam Mantom is expected to feature though.

The boss says:

It’s not about Southend, it’s about us. We’ve got a plan and we have to stick to it. The players know they have to perform.

Worth a look:

Ishmel Demontagnac scored a hat-trick as Walsall secured a thumping 5-2 win against Southend in August 2008.

Key man:

With Josh Gordon suspended, it will again fall to Andy Cook to lead the line and provide a goalscoring threat.

Danger man:

Simon Cox

As it stands, the former Republic of Ireland international is Southend’s only real source of goals.

Able to play as an out-and-out forward and as a number 10, Cox’s quality, nous and experience are integral to the side.