Express & Star

The inside track on new Walsall signing Jack Earing

With the signing of Jack Earing from Halifax, Walsall have picked up a young talent who was attracting interest from clubs across the Football League.

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The 22-year-old scored eight goals in the National League last season and was a star player in non-league.

Coming through at Bolton he picked up a handful of appearances for them, including one Championship appearance, before dropping down the leagues to forge a career.

Many Saddlers supporters will be unaware of what Earing could bring to the Banks’s Stadium, so we spoke to Halifax reporter for the Halifax Courier, Tom Scargill, for an expert opinion on the midfielder.

How would you describe Earing as a player?

He’s very talented, balanced, technically strong, intelligent and creative. You could see the lad had talent in his first season with the way he controlled and passed the ball, but he struggled to hold down a regular first-team spot and was sent out on loan. But when he started this season, he looked stronger and in better shape physically. He’s an archetypal number 10, tries to find space, play on the turn and run with the ball.

What are his biggest strengths and weaknesses?

Running with the ball is probably what he’s best at, and something he’s got more effective at under Pete Wild, who has worked with him on driving with the ball in central areas, which paid off with some of the goals he scored this season. He finds good spaces in which to operate, gets the ball under control quickly and tries to create from there. Biggest weakness would still probably be the physical side to his game, even though he did grow from a boy to a man from his first season to his second, he may need to show that same progression again to compete in League Two against sides who try to mark him out of the game.

Is he capable of making the jump to League Two at this stage in his career?

I don’t see why not. He’s certainly got the ability, he was troubled by a hamstring injury which ended his season a bit early, but if he can shake that off and be fit for the start of the season, I think he can really shine. If Walsall play through midfield and get the ball to his feet in good areas, he can cause problems.

What is his best position and how versatile is he?

Definitely as a number ten. I wouldn’t say he’s particularly versatile, but Halifax have never really used him in any other position so I’ve not had chance to see that.

How was he best utilised at Halifax and in what formation?

He played in the number ten role in a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-4-1-2 at Halifax, both of which worked well for him. He had two players behind him to mop up play and give him the platform from which to express himself. Of the two, the 4-2-3-1 perhaps worked better as it gave him two wingers either side of him with which to link up and play off.