Walsall analysis: Darren Byfield bold approach rewarded with stellar display in Crewe win
Darren Byfield let Walsall off the leash and was rewarded for his boldness with the performance of the season in a seismic success at Crewe Alexandra.
There was a different feel in the air and that notion was reinforced further once the line-ups dropped 75 minutes before kick-off.
Former boss Mat Sadler had religiously stuck with a 3-5-2 formation for the majority of his reign, but Byfield immediately took a different approach.
Byfield meant business with bold selection
Byfield had vowed to play front-foot football and his bold selection suggested that he meant business.
38-year-old Albert Adomah rolled back the years on the right wing and Jid Okeke was able to express himself more on the left.
Rico Browne was also brought in from the cold after over two months without playing a single minute in League Two and produced a very steady performance at right-back.
Why Flint call made sense
There were so many interesting tactical tweaks across the pitch, but his decision to leave Aden Flint out was perhaps the biggest talking point of all.
Flint had been the only Walsall player to start every league game this season and seemed indispensable during the first half of the campaign.
Questions have began to be levelled at the 36-year-old in recent weeks, although that has been the case for all of his teammates following a dismal run of two wins from the final 14 games under Sadler.
