After going out of the Cup on Saturday, it’s back to a vital league game at improving Swindon Town tonight, as we try to avoid being dragged into the mire. Saturday’s results left the Saddlers just two points clear of the relegation zone, although there are a couple of games in hand on some of the teams around us. We also have a run of away fixtures, where our form has been poor.

Still, we’ve got a solid defence to fall back on, haven’t we? Well, no. Ian Roper is not going to be fit tonight, Chris Westwood played with pain killing injections in an ankle injury on Saturday and is very doubtful and, to cap it all, Scott Dann was “feeling unwell” yesterday, so who knows what the defence will look like. Presumably, either Fox will move to centre back, Wright to left back, James to the wing and Constable in, or Bradley, who has been groomed as a centre back in the last couple of reserve games, might step in.

Midfield and strikers pick themselves, fortunately, as only Merson himself, Wrack, of course, and new signing Devlin are injured, so Merson has a wide choice (other than the left wing), even if there is no movement on bringing in a striker today. (Andrew Borrowman from Blues and Patrick Suffo are both on trial).

Still, bottom four Swindon shouldn’t present that much of a threat to our weakened defence, should they?

A while ago, they wouldn’t. However, they let Jamie Cureton out on loan, where he found some form and have sold Fallon, their “star forward” for £300,000, letting them make several signings, including Lee Peacock, snatched from under our noses, Paul Smith (remember him?), who is showing decent form for them, and now Trevor Benjamin on loan. They will present a big, muscular threat, with Peacock and Cureton starting (presumably) and Benjamin ready to come on.

The Swindon/Saddler links will also play a part tonight. They got Peacock when we were interested and we got Constable when they were, so the comparison between them could be fascinating. Manager Iffy Onoura was the first scapegoat of last season, when he got the push as Walsall coach, so he’ll feel he has something to prove. Paul Smith seems to be pleasing the Swindon fans and you do start to wonder about the “travelling” excuse he gave for leaving us, as the journey along the M4 and around the M25 can’t be that much better than the M1/M25 (or even the M11/A14) journey. Lastly, of course, Grant Smith will be returning to the club where he’s had the most successful part of his career so far. The sub plots will be interesting!

So, results? A win, please. Nothing else will do in the situation we find ourselves now. Unless we can find some away wins quickly, we will find ourselves in the bottom four and then, if confidence drains away, we could be in real trouble.