Our first home League Two game of the season see us welcome the very vegan-friendly Forest Green Rovers to the Banks’s,
Rovers are now managed by ex-Wolves Under 23 manager *Rob Edwards^, and so far so good for him after picking up 3 points and a win in the Carabao Cup so far this season (via penalties) against higher tier opposition.
The two fixtures so far have been:
7th Aug - L2 - Sutton United (H) - Won 2-1
10th Aug - CC1 - Bristol City (H) - D 2-2 (W 6-5 pen)
From a Saddlers perspective it would be nice for us to get a goal from open play before that becomes a thing, and the two games played so far have shown the forward players are starting to gel but might need a bit longer to fully understand one another.
Starting line up for the game may be pretty similar to Tranmere but players who may have given Matt Taylor a selection headache the other night could be Tom Leak and Rollin Menayese. Either could play and wouldn’t weaken the squad IMO, Kieran Phillips may get his first start up front too.
What XI would you start with?
Who’s attending? What are your score predictions?
Have you ever had a vegan meal or dish? Did you enjoy it?
Rusworth
Mills Taylor Mayo ward
Labadie perry
Wilkinson earring shade
Phillips
Obvious by now I really don’t rate osadebe at all so he is out the team and I’d like to see perry start.
Would like to see earring in his natural number ( I believe ) 10 role
Put Wilkinson in his actual position.
I like Taylor to be alongside Mayo as he seems to have more pace
You know that would entail us scoring a goal from open play?
I would love us to get a win under our belt, if that is beyond us, just to score a goal would do!
Takes me back a couple of seasons when we played FGR in an opening home game, one of their players went down in the box and the Homeserve chanted " He’s eating our grass, he’s eating our grass, the vegan bastard, he’s eating our grass" made me loff
No Holden, no White and a keeper who seems unhappy that some of his team mates are’nt up to his standards! And up against a team that’s found early rhythmn and a winning formular. Not great preparation for Matt, and no sign of the CF we need badly.
Sounds negative, yes, but realistic! This will be an early test of Matt’s management ability. Hope he gets it right, but I can’t see better than a draw.
I never thought I’d see the day I’d be happy for Walsall FC to draw Vs Forest Green but we need a point to get us going so I’d take a 1-1 hopefully we can keep a clean sheet and win 1-0 .
This will be telling. It’s all well and good saying well they are a strong team, we haven’t finished recruiting yet or … Lord help me … “gelled” but the truth of the matter is a lot of the same fans have been writing off anything anyone says about mid table as “Oh my God stop being negative”. Indeed, our Chairman has made his yearly proclamation of where he expects us to be.
Well if all that is true, it doesn’t matter how strong they are, we need to be strong. It’s no good saying on one hand we should be aiming for top 7 then saying we are up against it against these teams at home. They are going to be there or there abouts, if we are serious we have to look something alike or better.
This game will be a measuring stick for just how close, or far away, we actually are from those targets.
According to the E and S he’s back in training, Saturday is probably too soon it says, so looks like a couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, Taylor has confirmed Rory Holden is back in training and getting closer to match fitness for Walsall.
The playmaker has been on the sidelines for the last several weeks after picking up a problem in pre-season but is making progress – although Saturday’s clash with Forest Green Rovers may come too soon.
I can see us finally hitting the net Saturday afternoon as I’m there this week so it’s a given.Jamille Matt big threat for them so keep him quiet and score a couple ourselves 3 points on the board and the worlds a better place 2-0 win UTS.
Well, I’ve finally got my ticket - I went to the ticket office as the phone lines weren’t being my friend.
I’m looking forward to my first live match since COVID - new striker or no new striker.
UTS
I do hope we have the opportunity to sing “he’s eating our grass” again. That was one of the few highlights of the last couple of seasons for me……
