This could turn out to be one of the hardest games to predict this season, as Walsall (a draw and two defeats over Christmas) travel to Brentford (three consecutive defeats), in an attempt to get revenge for a home defeat earlier this season in what had been a dire performance.

Team selection by Paul Merson is going to be the big talking point tomorrow. Zigor Aranalde was left out of the Doncaster game, but the defence still looked a little unbalanced, Darren Wrack was unavailable through injury, but the midfield underperformed and Matt Fryatt was not fit enough for a start, but may be for this game. On top of that, it will be the team’s 4th game in a very short period and Merson himself may be struggling to play so often and two games in three days might be too much for the thrity odd year old legs of Simon Osborn.
Toni Nhelko’s work permit hasn’t come through and it’s difficult to see what options Merson has. Herivelto will, however, be raring to go and I would not be surprised to see Merson rest himself and a move to 4 4 2.
The one piece of good news is that Julian Bennett is expected to be fit, despite needing stitches in his head wound received in a collision with the Doncaster ‘keeper yesterday.

Brentford will be hoping for the return to the team of 22 year old midfielder O’Connor, injured in the Boxing Day home defeat by Torquay, and Walsall will be hoping for a poor show by ex Saddlers Jamie Lawrence and Dion Burton.

Brentford’s home record is played 12, won 9. drawn 0, lost 3, so this would be a tough prospect normally, but both sides have had an abysmal Christmas and neither will want anything less than three points tomorrow. Because of that, I don’t see anything other than a tense draw, making this a poor festive period for the Saddlers, with a return of two points from 12 available. Let’s hope for something better than our normal virtually pointless January!