Has anyone started to think that this might be a long season? I mean, we get five goals one week (albeit we could have easily conceded more than the two we did in that game), then the following week, with the same side, we capitulate meekly at home, without ever over troubling the opposition defence. There is something not working at Walsall Football Club at the moment and those trouble need to be addressed before the season just fades away. We have two tough away games starting tomorrow, followed by an equally tough home game against Carlisle, with the possibility of a pointless September rearing its ugly head. The defending has to get better and the supply to the forwards has to find an awful lot more consistency.

Having said all of that, we should have some welcome reinforcements for tomorrow’s game at Bristol Rovers. Rhys Weston is likely to be fit and, if so, will almost certainly feature, although his lack of any proper pre-season may restrict his usefulness. Steve Roberts is also supposed to be fit to play, but, let’s face it, he has already failed to complete three games with injuries already this season, as well as missing another full game.

Dwayne Mattis, according to reports on the BBC, may also feature, but, not only has he been out for some time, he hasn’t even had the benefit of the reserve games that Weston has had, while the midfield is likely to be weakened by the absence of Hughes, who is only rated 50/50.

Quite what that means for selection we’ll have to wait and see, but, if Hughes is out, I don’t think we have the resources to play anything but a 4 4 2 and, even then, Mullen will have the conundrum of whether to play Demontagnac or Reich (or Zaaboub!) on the left and the right wing is even more problematic, with the possibility of Reich, Deeney or Nicholls – or even Palmer, should Weston play at full back. The central positions are likely to be filled by Taundry and Mattis (if he’s fit) or Bradley (if Mattis doesn’t make it).

Rovers have also been having their defensive woes, managing to score four at Peterborough last week and still ending up losing. They do, however, have defenders Danny Coles and Ryan Green back in training following injury and they might feature. If they do manage to tighten up at the back, they will be a real threat, however, with Rickie Lambert (SIX goals already this season) and Daryl Duffy (three this season). Goal scoring midfielder Craig Disley has yet to open his account and will need watching – he got their goal against us there last season.

Predictions?

Well, if we can keep clean sheets, I think we have the firepower (given the correct team selection) to win games. We just don’t look like keeping clean sheets, however and that unwelcome club record run without one is now only a couple of games away. It also seems that Mullen is struggling to find that balance in the side that allows us to keep it tight at the back yet still present a threat to the opposition. Unless he’s found something since last Saturday, I can only see a defeat being on the cards.