Analysis: Walsall outclassed in Barnet defeat as pressure builds on Mat Sadler

Sadler has attempted to shuffle his pack, or tweak his system in recent weeks, but none of his changes have had the desired effect. 

He made three alterations from the 2-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers on Tuesday and has made no fewer than 13 across the past four games. 

The end result has been a dismal five-match winless run and just one victory in eight games in League Two. 

In that time, Walsall have plummeted from the league summit to seventh and have collected just six points in the process. 

They continue to cling on to the final play-off place but Chesterfield are breathing heavily down their necks after moving to within a single point of the Saddlers. 

The team looks completely bereft of confidence and Sadler looked like a man under pressure on the touchline. 

Barnet were by far the superior team and played some tremendous passing football on a pitch hardly befitting of their swashbuckling style. 

Walsall simply had no response and spent large periods of the first half sitting deep and struggling to get out. 

They were far too passive and Barnet made them pay. Adam Senior was a constant threat as he ventured forward from deep and the front-three of Idris Kanu, Ryan Glover and Kabongo Tshimanga posed plenty of problems. 

The midfield offered the defence very little protection and Barnet were comfortably able to weave intricate passes at will on the muddy Bescot surface. 

Myles Roberts was key to preventing Walsall from suffering further humiliation and produced an outstanding finger-tip save to deny Senior from distance. 

Walsall never really managed to get a foothold in the game during the first half, although Kanu was guilty of being a little too selfish on a rare foray forward. 

Kanu spun away from his marker and raced dangerously down the inside-left, as Alex Pattison peeled away unmarked to his right. 

The pass was on, and Pattison was screaming for it, but Kanu decided to go alone and dragged his eventual finish wide. 

He would be made to rue his single-mindedness shortly after when Senior virtually had the freedom of the Walsall box to place a precise finish into the bottom corner. 

Walsall had no fewer than eight players in the box compared to the Bees' five but Senior was gifted a free run to open the scoring. 

Pattison had failed to check his shoulder and nobody closed down Kane Smith after Barnet created an overload down the Saddlers' left. 

Boos rang out around a toxic Bescot but the atmosphere would become even more sour as the afternoon unfolded. 

Sadler responded with four substitutions at the break, as he switched his entire midfield, and also introduced Aaron Loupalo-Bi. 

A presentable chance fell to Loupalo-Bi inside the box just after the restart when Mason Hancock swung a delightful cross into his feet. 

The young striker controlled well, but was far too hesitant in getting a shot away, as Barnet got bodies behind the ball. 

In contrast, Barnet were clinical at the other end when they built from the back with a dazzling passing move to set Glover free down the right. 

His cross was parried by Roberts into Idris Kanu who made no mistake when he finished emphatically to make it 2-0. 

That's when the first audible calls for 'we want Sadler out' echoed around Bescot and it would not be the last time the home supporters demonstrated their dissatisfaction. 

Kanu did offer Walsall a lifeline when Hancock's cross was deflected fortuitously into his path to score his 16th goal of the season. 

But it would prove only a temporary reprieve. Four minutes later, Barnet added a third and restored their two-goal cushion. 

Idris Kanu left Connor Barrett in his wake and squared for Tshimanga, who escaped Evan Weir inside the box, to tap in from a matter of yards. 

A number of supporters headed for the exit door and Weir prevented things from getting even worse when he hooked another Barnet chance off the line. 

It's difficult to see where Sadler goes from here. Results, and performances, are showing no sign of improvement. In fact, they only appear to be getting even worse. 

Perhaps the 11-day break prior to their trip to Grimsby Town will give them a chance to reset, or at least offer a short reprieve from the inevitable onslaught from supporters.

However, patience is wearing ever thin, as yet another promotion charge appears to be slipping from their grasp.