Every game that remains is vital for us now and on the basis that winning the title is unlikely, I’m wondering if 3 draws from the games against Donny, Wimbledon and Vale and maybe 2 wins (or even 1 win) from the other 7 games might just be enough to yank us over the line to promotion?
My point being that it’s not the points attained that make the difference but the denial of 3 points for those chasing teams in the closing games…
Just a thought…
It is a good point . A few weeks ago it would have been an even better one. I hope we can win the 2 home games at least but draws would not be disastrous.
My fear is that some of the players have got it into their minds that ‘must not lose’ is the mindset, so that we are almost reluctant to play the attacking pass.
I do wonder whether Adomah should be employed as RWB (the position he was originally brought in for) to give a steadying influence to our defence.
Imagine the boost of Donervan, Farq, Earing and George Hall. And then the energy of our young loanees.
I believe that Sadler is showing loyalty to the players that have got us where we are so far; however, suspensions will likely force his hand.
I’d love to see a confidence boosting win because it is easy to forget that we have some very good players. We all just need an injection of confidence and self belief. A good performance and result can quickly get us back on track.
I’ve just posted on the match thread that I don’t think Sadler sees Adomah as a RWB anymore. In all honesty he wouldn’t last 90 mins and I think he would struggle defensively, I never really bought the idea of him being a RWB when he first signed anyway.
The last charge of the glass brigade. We have had to carry them all season, three of which in Farq, Earing and Hall we could have predicted them not playing many games this season. No doubting their ability but combined they have played 112 more minutes that Nathan Lowe, they would be the first names on my release list in the Summer.
I would have been confident in having enough, if we defended well (as pre-January), but we ship loads of goals now. We look like we’re going to concede every set-piece and our GK is not exactly dominant.
For many years, in the 1980s, Walsall would be near the top of the old Division Three and then there would be an alarming slump after Xmas.
My dad (a Walsall season ticket holder for around 45 years) used to joke that “we came down with the Xmas decorations.”
My gut instinct tells me that it could be explained that some of the players knew that they were not good enough for the next level up.
Some players (Jellis / Simkin / Lowe / Williams / Barrett) know that they can play at a higher level and can get paid more at another club (e.g. Bolton).
Others (Jamma / Uncs / Comley / Donervan) know that time is ticking and that their bodies are beginning to creak.
The other group (Hall / Earing / Farq) knows how good they can be (when fit) but also know that their bodies are going to prevent them from getting new contracts.
And then there are the loanees (Wheatley especially?) who have no loyalty to Walsall and probably don’t really care because they are already signed up elsewhere.
The manager has all of this to contend with and yet some supporters seem to think that the manager’s job is easy!
By the way, EVERY team has similar pressures and expectations. In MANY JOBS (including mine) man management is essential because, deep down, most people know when the writing’s on the wall…
3 wins and 3 draws gets us to 80 points
Three teams would have to better that record to obviously go above us for us to miss out on automatic promotion
Would mean teams themselves would have to get to 81
Bradford need 15 points from 10
Doncaster 19 points from 10
Wimbledon 21 points from 11
Notts County 23 points from 11
Port Vale 23 points from 12
Then the rest like Crewe and anyone below them would have to win 8/9 games from their remaining 10
So i think 4 wins and a couple of draws will do it
Fair points @Coop63 i think the games left are splitting two clear categories. On the route to 83 … can win must win
Harrogate
Newport
Accrington
Barrow
Wins against those 4 seals us 80. But with every one of those fixture we don’t win we need a win from this list. I’m not sure I’d back us right now
Bromley
Gills
Wimbledon
Donny
Vale
Crewe
When you put in to context that we’ve dropped points against or blown leads against Cheltenham Carlise Swindon none of who are special it makes me worry about 4 must wins and has heaped pressure on us for the others
Can’t see us winning another game. Team is shot.
Maybe 5 draws and 5 losses
Don’t think I have seen many saying the managers job is easy, but he made clear yesterday that there were no issues internally and pointed his finger in our direction.
That might make his job somewhat harder I respectively suggest.
You can see that Sadler has no passion when he does his interviews, nobody will ask him any straight questions. How are the players going to fight to get promoted if the manager hasn’t got any passion. As far as asking him any awkward/relevant questions it’s a case of “the emperor’s new clothes”.
Sadler is not a big game manager unfortunately.
His teams make to many errors when it matters, that’s on him.
We didn’t do too badly in some big cup games. We have also beaten all our main rivals this season.
My Grandad who supported Walsall from the 1920’s until he passed in the 90’s would often talk about Walsall’s regular fights against promotion. Being top at Christmas and ending the season missing out. I have supported Walsall since the late 1980’s. I now understand exactly what he meant.
We’ve lost important games when it really matters.
Theres a huge difference.
The games against Vale , Notts County , Wimbledon were pretty big !! We have 3 more to come. I accept they will be a test and it is up to the coaching staff to do their work and give us the best chance of winning.
Our last 3 were big games, it’s the business end of the season now.
I can’t remember the last time such a thing has occurred in Division 4 , any helpers before we disregard Crewe and below’s chances of sabotaging our promotion hopes
100%
If the Cheltenham fiasco hadn’t ended the way it did and the chances at Carlisle gone in, we’d be pretty much there…
Eh ho, this is Walsall aye it……
I understand what you mean (and we are all frustrated) but, we have the same points tally as Sunderland, after the same number of games.
We are still in a terrific position, even though current form is not what we would want.