Mat Sadler explains Jid Okeke's absence from Barnet defeat after Walsall loan return
Mat Sadler says Jid Okeke was not involved in their 3-1 home defeat against Barnet because of a lack of training due to the weather conditions last week.
Walsall were forced to train on AstroTurf due to the grass pitches being out of action.
Okeke re-joined the club on loan from Stockport County on transfer deadline day, but had seen his preparations disrupted by the weather, which swayed Sadler's decision not to select him.
"Difficult for Jid because we really thought about it, but because of the weather, we haven't actually trained [last week]," Sadler said.
"The training ground was under water. So for Jid, he hasn't trained with us properly since he came back.
"That was probably some of the reasons."
The 21-year-old played 18 times during his previous loan in the first half of the season, before being recalled by Stockport at the start of last month.
He made two substitute appearances in League One and also played 90 minutes in a 2-1 win over Harrogate Town in the EFL Trophy during his brief return to the Hatters.
As for Walsall, goals from Adam Senior, Idris Kanu and Kabongo Tshimanga condemned them to a second successive defeat on Saturday.
The Saddlers have collected just one win from eight games, which has seen them plummet from the league summit to seventh.
"No, I think we've put ourselves in a position to be fighting and that's what we've done," he added.
"It's obvious, of course we want to win the games. There's no point in saying it, of course I do.
"Because we've all wanted to do that. After every single game that we've won, you come off and you're delighted with that.
"Then we've gone through a spell when we've not. We want to get back to that quickly, of course we do."
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