The Official Site report that Mark Kinsella will take a strong reserve side to Oldham this evening, including a welcome return for long term injury victim Daryl Taylor.

Wright, Roper, Larossa, and Smith all get some match practice alongside twenty one year old trialist striker Michael Husbands.

Husbands was in the Villa youth team set up during Merson’s spell at Villa Park, and is described as a pacey striker who has suffered with a bad run of injuries. His only first team experience came in the conference with five sub appearances for Hereford, and latterly with Southend where he started just 4 games, and appeared as a sub 12 times. He has yet to score in his first team career, and is currently operating without a contract at Bristol Rovers.

Kinsella names himself amongst the subs as the reserves go in search of their first win. Hopefully Taylor can soon get fit and press for a place on the wing for the first team where we have had problems with a lack of pace this season.

Danny Fox is also reported to be back in contention for Saturday’s game.

The Express and Star are reporting that Matty will be looking for a move in the January transfer window. However, other than expressing an obvious desire to play in the Championship (something he could of course achieve with us) there are no direct quotes to suggest he has “set his sights” on a January move.

In fact Fryatt expresses relief that the immedieate speculation concerning his future is over, enabling him to concentrate on enjoyng his football with Walsall.

Clearly there are doubts concerning the probability of Fryatt signing a new contract in the meantime, and the effect this will have on his value by the time the transfer window re-opens. But we knew that anyway.

The story can only serve to rekindle at least some of the tiresome speculation concerning Fryatt’s future, a subject that appeared to go on the back-burner last week.

The clarification of his desire to move to at least Championship level, seems to rule out Forest.

Saddlers were indebted to a resurgent Matty Fryatt’s fourth goal of the season at sunny Bescot. Fryatt netted against the run of play on 57 minutes following great work from Leitao.

The visitors had started the second half the better side and only a bad miss from skipper Andy Gurney and a great Oakes save from Brazilian Miglioranzi kept the Saddlers in the game.

This prompted a tactical switch from the visitors with Cureton and Christian Roberts joining the fray in a switch to 4-4-2. Saddlers responded by replacing Standing with Mark Wright who curiously went into centre-midfield with Merson floating on the flanks and Leitao still out wide on the right.

As the game meandered on the pattern emerged of Saddlers sitting deep, unable to retain possession while Swindon laboured in search of the equalizer.

Eventually common sense prevailed, Merson being replaced by Kinsella on 80 minutes allowing Wright to go wide and Leitao up front in a switch to the 4-4-2 that last week “the team couldn’t play”. Jorge came closest to putting the game beyond doubt shooting over in stoppage time.

In the end it was another for the “we didn’t play that well but won” category of game and another that demonstrated that we are still no nearer finding a consistent formation. It was also further evidence of the paucity of a division topped by Scunthorpe earlier today.

More considered reaction no doubt on the messageboard, what formation we go for at Yeovil is anyone’s guess.

Craig Pead got the sponsor’s man-of-the-match award, and the crowd was 5,392.

Saddlers lined up with Leitao in a floating role, playing right midfield when we lost possession and up-front when we had the ball.

Both sides had chances in a lively opening, with the Saddlers noticeably trying to build from the back while the pace of Ricky Shakes caused plenty of problems down Walsall’s vulnerable left hand side where full-back Taylor and winger Wrack were both playing out of position.

On loan Man Utd. Keeper Heaton saved well from Fryatt and then watched as Gerrard blasted a deflected effort over following a Merson corner.

Swindon’s other on-loan Man U starlet Colin Heath was lucky to escape a red-card midway through the half when he threw the ball away having already been booked for a cynical pull-back on Pead.

As the Saddlers continued to shade things approaching the half-hour Wrack headed against the post following a great cross from Taylor when he really should have scored.

As the half threatened to peter out Walsall continued to force plenty of corners which looked the most likely route to a breakthrough. However, from open play the presence of Merson was again restricting the influence of Standing and Wrack who were both largely anonymous as an attacking force, while Jorge also struggled with his role

Half-time verdict, lots of pretty football but apart from the set-pieces not enough substance, a couple of costly misses by Wrack and Gerrard.

Ant Gerrard kept his place in the Saddlers line-up this afternoon and admitted he was in the wrong to question Paul Merson’s selection before the Bournemouth game. Gerrard revealed he apologised to Merson after the spat on the touchline, and he lined up alongside Chris Westwood this afternoon. Both Fox and Staunton were ruled out. With Wrack effectively replacing Bennett we will have to see how the formation pans out! Looks for all the world on paper like 4-3-1-2 (n0 I’m not kidding), but who knows.

Saddlers line up.
Oakes, Pead, Taylor, Gerrard, Westwood, Osborn, Standing, Merson, Fryatt, Leitao, Wrack.
Subs Gilmartin, Kinsella, Roper, Wright, Larossa.

Swindon are unchanged from the defeat at Tranmere, so presumabley stay 4-5-1 and are looking for a 0-0.

Swindon come to Bescot looking for their first success on Walsall soil since their golden era of 68/69, when nearly 11,000 turned up to watch the Don Rodgers inspired side that had defeated Arsenal in the League Cup final a month earlier. Desmond Decker was number one, Nixon was trying to quit Vietnam, and a young Phil Parks was in goal for the Saddlers.

Since then we’ve always managed to get something off the visiting Robins, but that’s about as much of a clue as anyone could have to predicting this game on their fixed odds.

Indeed, predicting the line up or formation of either side could prove difficult enough. Town currently have 5 players in on loan including winger Colin Heath from Man United who scored in last week’s win over Yeovil. He then supported lone striker Rory Fallon in an experimental 4-5-1 that failed to squeeze out a 0-0 draw at Tranmere.

Swindon boss Andy King took some stick for negative tactics in that game and may not be so cautious against the so far profligate Saddlers defence. He could turn to our old tormentor Jamie Cureton to partner Fallon, as was the case after Tranmere scored on Monday. Ominously, Cureton has yet to score for Swindon.

As for the Saddlers, well where do you start? Merson rates Staunton as very doubtful, but seems more optimistic about Fox who could return to a back four containing Gerrard and Westwood. I wouldn’t be surprised to see 3-5-2 with Fox or Roper replacing Bennett, enabling us to keep two up-front. Merson is quoted: “we had them watched on Monday and they were pretty poor”, suggesting an attacking approach.

The midfield permutations are even more mind boggling now Merson is back in the frame, with Smith, Wrack, and Wright having completed their “rests”.

About the only certainties are that Fryatt will be up front now his immediate future is decided, and Bennett will be suspended. Merson also ruled out a return to 4-4-2 after the Swansea game.

Prediction? There’s a bit of needle between the managers following King’s derogatory assessment of our win at the County Ground last season but these early kick-offs always seem to produce a low key game. With Swindon not having won away since February, and Saddlers at last having found some defensive steel I’ll be putting 1-0 home win on my coupon.

*Ref: Trevor Kettle – last seen by us at Cheltenham in the LDV. Averages a steady 6 cards per match and has dished out 10 in a match 4 times in the last two years. He had a busy time handling the televised Southampton/Wolves match on the opening day when he booked eight and sent off one.

It would be fair to say that, in the eyes of many fans, one of Paul Merson’s more peculiar decisions since becoming Manager of Walsall was to give reserve midfielder Joe Broad another two year contract.

Having made seven starts (5 in the League) for the club, a twenty four year old midfielder should be pushing for a place in the 16, if not the starting line up, but the club now say that they are looking at sending him out on loan to non league Redditch.

It remains to be seen as to whether this means Merson has realised he made a mistake with Broad, but it seems he is definately moving into “last chance saloon” teritory and has to prove himself whilst there, should he go to Redditch.

Meanwhile, Tamworth have been asking about taking Daryl Taylor on loan. This is likely to be agreed, if his injury permits, as it will form a useful part of his recovery.