Sean O'Driscoll ponders Walsall changes
Walsall head coach Sean O'Driscoll is considering making changes to his team as they prepare for the visit of an in-form but managerless Barnsley tomorrow.
The Tykes endured a hugely disappointing start to the 2015-16 campaign but have turned things around with eight wins in their last 10 games.
But just as things were starting to look rosy, manager Lee Johnson jumped ship to join Bristol City with Paul Heckingbottom placed in caretaker charge.
Heckingbottom began with a 3-0 win over Bury and has since masterminded victories over Gillingham, Doncaster, Crewe and Coventry.
In contrast, O'Driscoll's Saddlers are win-less in five following a run of form that has seen them score just twice – with star striker Tom Bradshaw looking increasingly isolated.
And O'Driscoll admits he is considering tinkering with the 4-2-3-1 formation used in recent weeks in a bid to freshen things up.
He said: "Saturday is another difficult game – they are probably the best team I have seen this season, Barnsley.
"Do you need fresh legs? That is something I need to consider. We have options.
"But you have to remember the team that is flying high in this league (Burton Albion) play everything from a defensive shape.
"Personally, I think that's the first thing you have to nail down. It doesn't mean you are a defensive team, it just means that you have to do the things you have to do.
"If you are Barcelona and you've got those three strikers – then you can do what you want.
"But everyone else, you make sure that when you haven't got the ball everyone knows what they have to do.
"The more you do that the more freedom you can have when you have got the ball."
O'Driscoll's believes his team's lack of goals is less to do with his players and more with how opposition teams are setting up against the Saddlers.
He added: "Nobody has been doing anything differently. We want Milan (Lalkovic) to take people on. We want (Anthony) Forde to run at people.
"We want Bradshaw to shoot and we want Romaine (Sawyers) to get forward more and into the box.
"Sam (Mantom) does it naturally, Jason (Demetriou) gets forward. Andy Taylor supports them.
"But, like I keep saying, it is a different phase of the season and the whole thing is completely turned upside down.
"We are one of the teams that people look at as a good team. We have to make sure we are on our metal.
"Barnsley will come here on the back of some very good victories. They will be really confident with what they can do."