Shrewsbury vs Walsall - preview: Rare chance for fringe players to emerge in EFL Trophy
Mat Sadler appears to have settled on his preferred Walsall eleven but the EFL Trophy will provide those on the fringes to prove him otherwise.
Sadler has expressed his desire to rotate his team early in the season, but made just one change, as the Saddlers made it back-to-back wins in League Two with a 1-0 win at MK Dons on Saturday.
The team which emerged victorious at Stadium MK, and over Salford City at Bescot in the game previously, is likely to look vastly different at Shrewsbury Town tonight.
Evan Weir (knock) and Jamie Jellis (groin) were forced off in Buckinghamshire and are unlikely to be risked, although Sadler was optimistic that both will be back for the visit of Chesterfield on Saturday.
Jake Hollman, who joined on a free transfer from A-League outfit Macarthur FC earlier in the summer, is also set to figure in Shropshire.
The Australian midfielder has made all four of his Saddlers appearances from the bench, but has not been involved in the match day for the past two matches.
Sadler emphasized the importance of building up his match fitness in his quest to help ease his transition to life in England.
Hollman was in the stands for the win on Saturday and Sadler confirmed that he will be involved in their EFL Trophy opener.
"Most definitely," he said when asked if Hollman will feature. "We want to look after Jake and build him up.
"He was here today [at MK Dons] and he is really chomping at the bit which is the good thing about this trophy."
Sam Hornby and Ronan Maher could also be handed a rare opportunity from the start, while Rico Browne, Dan Cox, Brandon Comley and Jamille Matt will be looking to push their way up the pecking order too.
Co-chairman Leigh Pomlett also hinted at the possibility of providing academy players with more opportunities in the competition at the latest fan forum in August.
Walsall excelled in this competition last season and finished the group stage unbeaten, which included a 3-0 victory over Shrewsbury at Bescot.
They progressed to the knockout stages for the first time in three years, beating League One side Reading on penalties, before bowing out at eventual winners Peterborough United in the round of 16.
Walsall predicted XI (3-1-4-2): Hornby; Browne, Farquharson, Cox; Comley; Clarke, Finnigan, Hollman, Maher; Adomah, Matt.
Subs: Kilroy, Burke, Warrington, Thomas, Lakin, Kanu, Wragg.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.