Saddlers Social: Walsall fans give their latest views from the Banks's

Dan Gilbert

After a promising start to the festive period it seems we have again taken one step forward and two steps back.

There are no excuses for the Rochdale performance. It was gutless. Yet somehow Andreas Makris still failed to get onto the pitch.

Instead Jon Whitney stuck with 'Mr Offside' himself, Simeon Jackson. Not to single him out though, as they were all poor.

The boos at full-time were fully justified too. Sadly I've got no doubt we'll see more performances like that as it seems Whitney never learns. He's often outclassed tactically, a fair judgment to make now we're halfway through the season.

Most disappointing of all though is that the board won't act and we'll be stuck with this rubbish until the end of the season.

Nick Etheridge

Having been through more formations than the Red Arrows this season, one thing that has remained constant is the poor use of Flo Cuvelier.

With his injury record, the signing was always a gamble but being continually played out of position is a massive waste of a talented player.

The only times we looked threatening against Rochdale was when he picked the ball up in the centre and drove forward. It was like watching the Flo of old.

So why continue to persist with him out wide? One thing we've lacked this season is positivity through the middle.

Adam Chambers and Joe Edwards are too similar and provide nothing going forward. And with Erhun Oztumer inexplicably not getting a look in, there's no link between the defence and forwards.

Given a run of games, Flo could do this, providing he can keep fit.

Tom Miner

After a far too predictable performance against Rochdale, it's becoming more apparent that Jon Whitney still doesn't know his best team, or his best system.

With everyone's performances under the spotlight, one player who shouldn't be immune from Whitney's weekly shuffles is Adam Chambers.

After deservingly picking up player of the year last season his influence on the game has declined, while he defended as deep as his own centre-backs against Rochdale.

With Isaiah Osbourne and Joe Edwards capable of playing the destroyer role, more adventurous ball-players such as George Dobson and Reece Flanagan, or even the possibility of moving Kieron Morris, Flo Cuvelier or Erhun Oztumer in there, we are not short of options.

No-one should be guaranteed a spot at the moment.

Kevin Paddock

To think this time last year we were sat top of League One with a playing squad worth £5million.

Now we are languishing 14th in the table with no-one really to sell for money. Despite the fees the club received in the summer, the only investment came in the form of a Cypriot striker who doesn't play.

The Rochdale defeat was hard to take given we are similar sized clubs with small crowds.

However, they have Keith Hill who is a top coach. We have our physio. The board have made huge mistakes in the past six months that have taken us back six years.

Now is the time to act. With Kenny Jackett and Steve Cotterill out of work, we have a chance to salvage something from this dreadful season and build for the future.

Richard Kendrick

Well that was awful!

We were boring, unimaginative and had no attacking threat. Their keeper looked like he'd spent the whole Christmas period stuffing his face with Quality Street and not once did we make him work, but how were we going to get anything from the game when our two best players were not on the pitch?

It comes to something when the highlight of the afternoon is the person who hit the crossbar during the half time challenge, a feat neither of our strikers could match when presented with the chance.

Bakayoko clearly winning the WFC 'miss of the season' competition and Jackson managing to achieve what no player had done since the Tile Choice stand opened; nearly hitting the upper tier with a wayward shot.

Amidst the shambles though, credit should go to Kory Roberts. The young lad played well and is making the most of his chance.