Burton Albion (H) Nov 3rd, 3pm

Match Centre 24/25 Match Centre 18/19
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As Welsh is enjoying a well earned holiday, I’ll be standing in for match previews for a few weeks. It won’t be as good as his, but I’ll do my best…

:neutral_face:

“John’s got brewer’s droop he gets intimidated by the dirty pigeons, they love a bit of him”
(Parklife, Blur)

The Opposition

Visitors Burton reached the League Cup Quarter Finals this week thanks to Tuesday’s 3-2 home win over Nottingham Forest, so let’s hope we find them leggy rather than buoyant at Bescot on Saturday.

Relegated from the Championship two years after pipping us to automatic promotion, Burton haven’t made the impression many expected they would on returning to League One. Sketchy form leaves them sat 16th in the table, 7 points and 7 places below the Saddlers.

The Brewers have struggled on the road this season, gaining 5 points from 7 games, and despite scoring 9 goals away from the Pirelli, they have shipped 14. That said, their last two away games have shown plenty of promise; a first away win of the season at Plymouth (3-2) and a very honourable draw at leaders Portsmouth (2-2).

Burton’s first and only previous visit to Bescot was on 10th October 2015. Goals from Liam Kinsella and Tom Bradshaw saw Walsall win 2-0, taking top spot in League One as a result.

Burton’s League Form (Last 6 games)

Oct 27th - Peterborough (H) - Lost 2-1
Oct 23rd - Portsmouth (A) - Drew 2-2
Oct 20th - Plymouth (A) - Won 3-2
Oct 13th - Bristol Rovers (H) - Won 1-0
Oct 6th - Wycombe (A) - Lost 2-1
Oct 2nd - Southend (H) - Lost 2-1

The Saddlers

Though we’re likely to be unchanged following Saturday’s win over Wycombe, Dean Keates has an opportunity to shuffle his defence should he wish.

Jack Fitzwater may be restored to the side if fit, but this would mean dropping Russell Martin or Jon Guthrie. If Fizzy does return, DK has the choice of using Kane Wilson, Nicky Devlin or Martin at right full-back.

Further up the pitch, Kinsella, Ismail and Ginnelly will all be pushing for a starting place, with Keiron Morris perhaps the most likely to be dropped.

Prediction?

I’ll leave that to you…

  • Walsall Win
  • Draw
  • Burton Win
0 voters

UTS

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Nice one @simon … Like having the poll here too!

Bit gutted I’m not at this one. May buy it online as I’m in Amsterdam this weekend.

Personally I’d keep the side exactly the same as against Wycombe.

Think we’ll win this pretty comfortably. 3-0 win.

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Really looking forward to this. Got some friends coming over from Burton for this relatively new fixture for us.

I think 3-2 flattered Wycombe and at times we looked too much for them. I think this will be the case against Burton as well. I don’t see any need for any changes at all. I think Martin would be wasted at right back, he looked so commanding at centre half.

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If I absolutely had to make a change I’d probably bring Devlin in for Wilson.

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My thanks to @simon … I was about to start the preview when I found it had all been done for me, and put together a hell of a sight more professionally than my amateur offerings! I fear there has been a bit of a misunderstanding here though - I did say to our friend PINNACLE on another thread that I would be out of action for the next three weeks, but that was only in respect of the “live updates” that I enjoy doing (and which, for some unaccountable reason) get under his skin.

I will be enjoying the Costa del Sol from November 17th to the 24th, and therefore every Saturday in November will see me away from the action, but I should be able to contribute a preview for each game with the exception of the 24th itself (Sunderland at home).

So again my thanks, and all I will do is quote the literary offering that I was about to use…

"Down beside the pasture Trent"
(Keats)

UTS :wink:

Oh, and prediction? It’s a well-known fact that we can’t keep a clean sheet, so a home win 2-1, I think.

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Good introduction SIMON…as I am a diplomat I will say as good as those we usually get. I am going for a win this week with an unchanged team although I would prefer Devlin to Wilson.

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Looking forward to getting down to the Bescot for this one. First home match since the Doncaster debacle.

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Hmm, Strangely, I can’t make this one either.
Definitely NOT in Amsterdam though…
I’ll go for a win for us - as long as we make sure we put the ball in Burton’s onion bag and not our own.

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Hope the weather stays as nice as it is now for when you get here Welsh.
Boiling hot today😄

PS Simon - Welsh is on holiday permanently!

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Think this will be a draw, 1-1 sounds about right. Draw is 12/5 at some bookies which is pretty generous.

Burton had a poor start but they’ve picked up recently and had that great win in the cup. 4 points from the two home games would be very good return I think.

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Lost their last two haven’t then? Just 5 points from 7 away matches?

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Well according to the first post they’ve taken 4 points from trips to Pompey and Plymouth which I suggest is an excellent haul and one Walsall will do well to get from those two venues.

They had a slow start adapting back to league one, lost away to GIllingham, Bradford and Oxford all in the first few weeks of the season but slowly getting momentum now.

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They’re definitely better than their league position suggests. They’ve beaten Burnley and Villa in cup and are the only team to defeat Sunderland so far - all at home though…

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3-1 to the Super Saddlers - helped by what appears to be an injury crisis at Burton.

15

I’m sensing a home win brewing with this fixture, I hope so anyway, I’m still bitter about them nicking second spot in 15/16.

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I’m also hopping mad about that.:grin:

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I feel quite fermented about it.

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It will do you no good if you keep it bottled up inside

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I’m quite mild about it now, but just wish we’d have managed a lager points total.

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You lot are a real barrel of laughs , aren’t you?

There were a number of reasons why we didn’t go up. In fact , I’d say it was malty-factorial.