Before the start of the season, we’d have been looking forward to this Saturday’s trip to North London. Orient were looking like one of the favourites to struggle (and still might turn out to be), but, typically, we’re off to meet them when they are in a rich vein of form. With Richard Money hinting that changes are likely to be made to the starting sixteen, this could turn out to be an interesting afternoon!

Richard Money has some decisions to make for the Walsall line up.

Clayton Ince will start in goal, of course, but there may be other changes in defence. Rhys Weston may well make his debut in place of Darren Wrack, who, despite his excellent efforts, has struggled to cope as a temporary full back at this level, and Ian Roper is pushing for a start. It’s likely the centre backs will be the same, but if there are changes, Scott Dann is a shoe in to start.

The centre of the midfield will probably be the same, in Sonner and Dobson, but the remaining four positions are full of possibilities. Sonko or Hall? Demontagnac or Fox (or will Demontagnac start up front in a 4 4 1 1?), Butler or Mooney or Carneiro?

I think the line up is likely to be:

Ince, Weston, Dann, Gerrard, Boertien, Sonko, Dobson, Sonner, Fox, Mooney, Demontagnac in a 4 5 1/4 4 1 1.

That means a bench out of of Bossu, Butler, Hall, Deeney, Bradley, Smith, Roper and Wrack.

As for Orient, Manager Martin Lyng has had a busy summer and anyone who saw them last season will have difficulty recognising the side.

Out have gone John Mackie (Brentford); former Dingle Shane Tudor (Port Vale); Justin Miller (Port Vale); Donny Barnard (out of contract); Derek Duncan (Wycombe Wanderers); Phil Mulryne (out of contract); Glynn Garner (Shrewsbury Town); Adam Tann (Notts County); Gary Alexander (Millwall); Craig Easton (Swindon Town); Luke Guttridge (Colchester United); Matt Lockwood (Nottingham Forest)

In to replace them have come Stephen Purches (Bournemouth); Tamika Mkandawire (Hereford United); JJ Melligan (Cheltenham Town); Paul Terry (Yeovil Town); Stuart Nelson (Brentford); Sean Thornton (Doncaster Rovers); Wayne Gray (Yeovil Town); Adam Boyd (Luton Town); and Charlie Danielson on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Mkandawire, a useful central defender, might well prove vital amongst those players bought in, as their defence was very leaky last season, as will Melligan and Terry (brother of John, of course) in midfield, but the big success so far has been Adam Boyd, with two in two games and finding his scoring touch after a nightmare spell with Luton. That’s helped Orient to two excellent away wins, at relegated Southend and at QPR in the Cup.

Predictions?

This is going to be a hard one to call. Money is still waiting to field his strongest line up, what with injuries and suspension, while Orient will be full of confidence following wins away against South East rivals. I really can’t see us coming away from Brisbane Road with anything and have to say a point would be a very, very good result.