Mat Sadler calls for more "composure" after second successive Walsall stalemate

Walsall registered just one shot on target across the 90 minutes and Sadler admitted his team need to show more quality in the decisive moments.

"We have to try and find that formula of how we want it to look still," boss Sadler said.

"Because certainly today there was not enough of those moments of calm or moving the ball where we want it to be. 

"I'm not trying to make any suggestion that I want us to be a 70-80 per cent possession team because I don't. 

"I want us to be a team that is fantastic out of possession, which we are, but it's that bit of composure and calmness in possession that was needed today".

Walsall dropped to sixth in the table and sit just four points ahead of eighth-place Chesterfield, who they face in their next game on Saturday.

Sadler insists the goal is still promotion and has backed his players to navigate their way through another challenging period.

"I certainly want to reference that. That's what we want to do - we're here to get promoted," he continued.

"It's that little bit of a period where we have to fight through it and come out the other side. 

"If we thought that everything this season was going to be plain-sailing then we'd be foolish to think that because it won't be. 

"But when it isn't properly firing to then pick up a point is something we can hold on to." 

Sadler tweaked the midfield for the 3-1 win at Tranmere on January 17, but those dynamics have not worked in the past two stalemates. 

"They are very different games," Sadler replied when asked why the performance at Tranmere was in stark contrast to the draws against Accrington and Crawley.

"That sort of shift and dynamic will come because we'll work hard and make sure it does.

"Then you go into these two games and we've played two very different teams. It's a different challenge to get on top in those games and wrestle the momentum.

"We obviously want to be more of an offensive weapon than we have been in the past two games,"

There were boo's at the full-time whistle after another abject display but Sadler says he will continue to have belief in his approach.

"Certainly not shouting and bawling, I don't think that gets anything out of anyone," he concluded.

"I'm a big believer in that. When you've got guys that work as hard for each other as we do, I don't think shouting and bawling is required. 

"It's about continuing to believe in what we want to do. Clearly we've made a little tweak to the shape, which has brought success at Tranmere and a stalemate in the two games after that. 

"We have to work out exactly how that looks, but that's what you do on the training ground and what we'll do with each other."