Analysis: Soft Walsall show just why a rebuild is required

The Saddlers displayed their true colours as their very worst traits returned for a depressing 2-0 defeat against Leyton Orient.

And Flynn, clear as day, knows the extensive work that is required going into the summer.

Ahead of this game, the Welshman had urged his out-of-contract players to prove themselves and show they deserve to be in his plans moving forward.

However, as the boss pointed out afterwards, a few are playing their way firmly out of his thinking – whether they are out-of-contract or not.

There is a culture of losing games and making silly mistakes at Walsall and Flynn, rightly so, will not put up with it.

He wants to be pushing for promotion from League Two next season and, as the table shows, the current squad is nowhere near good enough for that.

Yes, they can turn it on for spells and pick up some good results, but at their core, they are soft.

The Saddlers consistently switch off and concede cheap goals.

It has happened under two different bosses now, which would suggest errors are just part of some of the players’ make-up.

So, Flynn has to act. As much as the trend of ripping things up and almost starting from scratch at Walsall seemingly every summer is frustrating for supporters, things are heading in that direction again.

To stick with the majority of this group would be a mistake as they have proved over the course of this campaign they are simply not up to the task.

Now should be a time where players are desperate to prove their worth to Flynn.

Instead, though, Saturday saw them offer up one of the worst performances of the season that was reminiscent to those seen towards the end of Matt Taylor’s tenure.

All it took was 15 minutes for them to implode against Orient, who, by the way, went into this game a point and a place worse off than the Saddlers.

It was another case of Walsall completely playing into the hands of the visitors, who got their goals and strolled through the following 75 minutes.

They could not have asked for an easier afternoon’s work. Like a few teams already this term, they would happily play the Saddlers every week.

Otis Khan – who left the Banks’s Stadium in January to join Orient – was, naturally, at the heart of the visitors’ two goals.

His cross saw the flat-footed Rollin Menayese beaten to the punch by Harry Smith, who gratefully prodded the ball home.

Khan then went from provider to scorer as a corner routine saw statuesque defending punished – Khan’s strike deflecting off Joss Labadie on its way in.

Menayese, whose performances have nosedived since joining the club permanently in January, was then hauled off after that quick-fire double.

And summing up the day, his replacement, Lee Tomlin was also off before half-time having picked up a groin injury.

The second half could not have been any worse than the first and Walsall, thankfully, did not concede any more goals. It was still a bit of a non-event, though.

Boos rang out at both the interval and full-time, and the home fans were absolutely correct in voicing their displeasure.

They have backed the players brilliantly throughout the season – the away followings being particularly strong – but have not been repaid with enough results or performances of an acceptable level.

Of course, the Saddlers are going to lose games. Every team does, but the manner of this one – and many others before it – was pretty shameful, really.

Walsall were pressed by Orient from the outset, and they fell apart at the seams.

They looked struck by fear when they were on the ball, and professional pride did not seem to kick in when out of possession either.

The Saddlers rolled over and handed the three points to Orient on a silver platter.

There are six games to go and Flynn has try to get a tune out of them in the final few weeks of the campaign.

And, in fairness, Walsall may pick up a couple of enjoyable victories along the way that help boost fans’ spirits.

The flaws in this squad, though, are there for all to see and some decent results cannot mask the obvious.

Again, this was a throwback to watching the Saddlers during that wretched seven-game losing run under Taylor. The problems then still exist now and the season cannot finish soon enough.