Saddlers Social: Not pretty – but it’s still a point gained

James Kenealey

After we took the lead on Saturday, I made the observation that had the Leyton Orient game gone ahead last week and we’d have won it, we’d have been top of the league as things stood.

The ultimate of optimistic ‘what ifs’ and more than a little bit of a stretch, any such delusions of grandeur were firmly put to bed by the lethargic performance that followed. We seemed behind the pace throughout that game and apart from the goal really didn’t offer anything in the way of the a threat. Our passing was poor and we really had to hold on for that point in difficult conditions. I’m not really sure why we decided to set up like that, or to not play one of our most threatening players, and had Forest Green been even vaguely more clinical, we’d have left the land of the greens without a soybean to show for it.

Onto more serious issues, the news that we won’t be allowed crowds for the foreseeable is a worrying turn of events. I urge those season ticket holders who can afford it to please, please refuse any refunds and leave their money in the club – and those without to buy as many iFollow passes/bits of merchandise as they can. The club needs us. The cost of a few pints a week each could really help Walsall FC right now, and in return we’ll have a club to go back to. That’s reward enough, right?

It’s also time for the inordinate, bloated wealth of the Premier League to step up and help out. Clubs left right and centre are going to be folding if nothing is done. These are people’s livelihoods, clubs and communities. How many more Bury’s do we need to see before something is done to help?

Or maybe, just maybe, the government will realise that allowing a few thousand masked and socially distanced spectators into an outdoor sporting event is actually safer than letting them drink in pubs… even before 10pm.

Nick Etheridge

What an absolutely brilliant point to win on Saturday, and one that could be invaluable come the end of the season shake-up. Let’s not beat around the bush, we were absolutely terrible and had it not been for a combination of terrible finishing and good goalkeeping, Forest Green would have been well out of sight.

The most refreshing thing to come from Saturday was the post-match interview of Darrell Clarke. No end of times have we had managers who would have blamed anything that they could conjure up. Not our Darrell though. He calls a spade a spade and called the performance exactly what it was. Terrible.

The main problem for me was the midfield who, not for the first game were out muscled. Alfie Bates was the only player who looked to put his foot on the ball and control the tempo. Encouraging signs if Danny Guthrie is going to be in and out of the side. The game was crying out for the introduction of Emmanuel Osadebe to just provide a bit of physicality. Hopefully Clarke will find the right combination soon, otherwise we’ll have to hear him being brutally honest again.

Dan Price

Yet again another shuffle of the pack by Clarke and, to be honest, when I saw the team I was surprised to say the least.

I wrote about the same thing last year, we have to find some consistency in and around the starting XI.

Making nine changes from the midweek game I get because of the cup tie but also to have four changes from the game at Harrogate again tells me he’s not sure on what his best XI looks like.

I think on the whole we were lucky to get the point out of the game but if you draw your away games and win your home ones then you’re onto a super season.

Lastly, It was great seeing a stat on social media that we have the longest active league unbeaten run in the top four tiers of English football with eight games…. UTS.

Rob Harvey

Another point on the board and we will take it. By all accounts Saturday was a poor performance for most of the 90 minutes but we managed to hold on to a point even with Forest Green laying siege to our goal in comparison to what we did to theirs.

Defensively I think we need to strengthen, whether that’s a new signing or just toughening up a bit more so it will be interesting to see what Darrell Clarke does with the transfer window closing soon.

Moving on, another two tough games coming up but I’m confident we can get at least four points from them. You know what they say, win at home, draw away, and more often that not you’ll get promoted. Only three games in, but so far so good.

Keep the Faith! UTS!

Chris Saunders

Still on an unbeaten run and that can only be a good thing. A point away from home is always a decent result and to get it in a less than stellar performance is nothing to knock in my honest opinion.

The big concern going around is the tinkering, especially with the formation but I must say in my opinion it’s a gamble that can be worth taking. While it didn’t really come off with the performance if we had come away with the three points it wouldn’t really be a talking point.

The lack of fans has really changed the experience and feel of games and the sooner that can safely change the better.

However the efforts around from fans with fundraising from the club alongside the chairman’s updates of how everyone at the club is helping has shown us what a community institution we really are and I just hope come the other side of it not only are Walsall FC still around but we thrive as the heart of the community we really are!

Robert Dearn

I try to be a positive person, so let’s try and put a positive spin on the weekend’s game. One clear shot, one goal? Surely that shows we’re clinical? 27 shots against us, and only one conceded. Again, a positive?

I joke, but there is something to take from that game. Last season, and seasons before it, they are the matches we don’t score, and concede a lot, as our defence crumbles. However, we played badly, and managed to scrape a point. It wasn’t a pleasant game to watch, and it is one many will be glad they were at home for, rather than at the ground getting soaked and freezing. The formation changes seemed to confuse us more than Forest Green, and we looked worse for the change of formation at the break.

I will say that I am very happy that we now have all three strikers off the mark. George Nurse and Caolan Lavery combined well, and it was a good header. Lavery faded towards the end of last season, and has taken a while to sharpen this campaign. He needed a goal, and I think it will benefit the team to have three strikers who have netted, and don’t have that hanging over them.

Ian Newbold

An undeserved point this weekend? Perhaps, for the performance on the pitch, but Walsall FC, and everyone associated with it, certainly deserved something after the sterling work going on off the pitch this week.

From the Chairman’s communication, to the players and staff willingness to make sacrifices and play their part in cost cutting, to the supporters overwhelmingly leaving their money with the club, suddenly a single point doesn’t seem nearly enough.

In these depressing and often very sombre times it’s warming to know we have a club that has all its parts pulling together and really understanding the situation we are in and the role everyone has to play. I’m convinced the club will pull through this crisis regardless of what outside help comes, and that’s what really matters right now.

Stuart Cox

Saturday was described by DC as ‘daylight robbery’ which is a pretty fair assessment of the game. After taking the lead against the run of play we were poor for the remaining 75 mins or so, looking weak in pretty much every position.

A change to the formation again meant a shuffle of personnel, but we were second best across the whole pitch with maybe the exception of Liam Roberts.

I know DC favours his team selection and formation choices to be based on the opposition but, given that these are League Two footballers, I’m sure that a tried and tested system that the players are familiar with week in week out would be more beneficial.

Chris Nicholl did it, Ray Graydon did it, and to an extent Richard Money did it too and players knew their job.

I’m still confident that this was just a bad day at the office, but we couldn’t have complained if it was seven or eight. Let’s regroup, refocus and get back to basics for Saturday. Still positive!