Walsall 1-0 Bolton - Match Report Post #81

Samizadeh in squad for this game.

Will be hitting the road shortly for our first road trip of the year, COYWM

I'd love to see Samizadeh getting a game. Bolton to win 3-1, at least one goalscorer will you surprise you lot. You heard it here first.

Keegan wrote:I'd love to see Samizadeh getting a game. Bolton to win 3-1, at least one goalscorer will you surprise you lot. You heard it here first.

Seen Samizadeh a few times, he's lively but like most of our home grown players probably a bit too small and needs to learn how to cope with the physical side of the game.

Preview: Five talking points ahead of Walsall v Bolton Wanderers

1. No Jay Spearing
After picking up his fifth booking of the season against MK Dons last weekend, Jay Spearing will miss this weekend's clash against Walsall through suspension.

One of the division's standout performers during the opening weeks of the campaign, the midfielder's absence is a blow to Wanderers as they look to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

However, as one door closes another one opens with Tom Thorpe and Derik Osede the two players likely to compete for Spearing's place in the side.

Thorpe came on as a late substitute to make his Whites debut last week against MK Dons having joined the club on loan from Rotherham United on deadline day.

Derik meanwhile has recently returned to fitness after coming off in the EFL Cup against Blackpool, having also seen his pre-season disrupted because of injury.

The duo both gained valuable minutes on Monday as they started in Bolton Under-23s victory over Queens Park Rangers, and will be eager to impress should either one of them be given the nod at the Banks's Stadium.

2. Who's captain?
With Jay Spearing ruled out and both regular skipper Darren Pratley and last season's vice-captain Mark Davies long-term absentees, the captain's armband is up for grabs as the Trotters travel to Walsall.

Manager Phil Parkinson shared with bwfc.co.uk that he won't divulge the identity of Saturday's skipper until shortly before kick off.

Potential candidates include Josh Vela, who led Wanderers when they faced Everton in the Checkatrade Trophy last month, Mark Beevers, who donned the armband in pre-season against Mansfield Town, and David Wheater, the Whites' longest serving available player who previously captained the side on occasions under previous managers.

Whether one of the trio is given the nod or the manager has someone else in mind will become clear come 2pm at the Banks's Stadium.

3. First away game of September
After three successive home draws, the Whites' trip to Walsall marks their first away outing this month having last been on their travels against Charlton Athletic.

Unbeaten on the road so far this season having previously not won away from home for over a year, Bolton will be eager to maintain their current run as they look to consolidate their lead at the top of the Sky Bet League One table.

4. The travelling support
At the time of writing, the Trotters will be back by roughly 1,600 travelling supporters at the Banks's Stadium this weekend.

Wanderers' away following have been magnificent so far this season, being backed by vocal numbers wherever the Whites are playing, be it locally at Blackpool, in the capital against the likes of AFC Wimbledon and Charlton Athletic or a midweek trip to Bristol Rovers.

More of the same on Saturday please, Bolton fans! 

5. Top of the league!
The Trotters remain unbeaten as they sit top of the Sky Bet League One table heading into their latest game.

Two points clear of closest rivals Scunthorpe United and Bradford City after three successive draws, Wanderers know what they have to do to maintain their lead come 5pm on Saturday.

And with the Iron currently holding one game in hand on the Whites, there is an added importance to extend their unbeaten run as Bolton looked to gain an upper-hand in the early stages of the campaign.

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Scouting report: Walsall

SEASON SO FAR…
Having lost in the League One play-off semi-finals to eventual winners Barnsley last season, Walsall have endured a slow start to their 2016/17 Sky Bet League One campaign.

Appointing Jon Whitney as manager on a permanent basis following his stint in interim charge, the Saddlers were disappointed to lose star man Tom Bradshaw during the summer as the Wales international left to join Barnsley.

However, new signings Simeon Jackson and Erhun Oztumer have made an immediate impact at the Banks's Stadium after being brought in to help replace the prolific forward, both registering three goals apiece after netting debut strikes in their victory over AFC Wimbledon.

Alongside the arrivals of Joe Edwards and Franck Moussa, George Dobson, Josh Ginnelly and Jason McCarthy have all signed on loan from Premier League clubs with Kevin Toner and Scott Laird also joining the club on temporary deals.

But despite starting the season with an opening day win, Walsall have failed to pick up maximum points since their aforementioned clash with AFC Wimbledon.

Currently 20th in the table, the Saddlers have fought out draws with Oldham Athletic, Bury and Bristol Rovers, as well as suffered defeats at the hands of Chesterfield, Charlton Athletic and Northampton Town.

But with only one of those losses coming at the Banks's Stadium, Walsall will be eager to kick-start their season on Saturday in front of their home fans as they host league leaders Wanderers. 

RECENT FORM
• L 2-0 - Chesterfield A - (Sky Bet League One, 16/8/16)
• L 1-2 - Charlton Athletic H - (Sky Bet League One, 20/8/16)
• D 3-3 - Bury H - (Sky Bet League One, 27/8/16)
• W 5-2 - Grimsby Town H - (Checkatrade Trophy, 30/8/16)
• L 2-0 - Northampton Town A - (Sky Bet League One, 10/9/16)
• D 1-1 - Bristol Rovers A - (Sky Bet League One, 13/9/16)

THE MANAGER: JON WHITNEY
Jon Whitney was appointed Walsall manager on a three-year deal in June 2016 after a spell as interim boss. 

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Born in Nantwich, Whitney made almost 200 Football League appearances as a defender for Huddersfield Town, Wigan Athletic, Lincoln City and Hull City, but was forced to retire due to injury in 2001, aged 30. 

He first joined the Saddlers in 2003 as a physiotherapist and has since held various coaching, fitness and sports science roles. 

Whitney became part of former manager Dean Smith’s coaching team and took temporary control of first-team affairs following Sean O’Driscoll’s departure in March 2016. 

He guided Walsall to third in League One and a place in the play-offs, but the Saddlers were beaten by eventual winners Barnsley in last season's semi-finals. 


KEY PLAYER: SIMEON JACKSON
Having signing a two-year deal with Walsall in July, Simeon Jackson made an immediate impact at the Banks's Stadium as he marked his debut with a brace against AFC Wimbledon on the opening day of the season.

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Born in Jamaica, the forward moved to Canada as a child where he started out in youth football, before moving to the UK as a teenager. 

His prolific goal scoring abilities at non-league level caught the eye of Rushden and Diamonds and at the age of 17 Jackson found the net 42 times in 93 appearances. 

The Canada international furthered his career in 2008 with a move to Gillingham where he continues his fine goalscoring form, adding another 42 goals over a two-year spell with the Kent club. 

This prompted interest from Norwich City who were quick to move for the free-scoring forward, paying £600,000 for his services in the summer of 2010, with his goal against Portsmouth in May 2011 clinching the Canaries' promotion to the Premier League at the end of his first season with the club. 

His next move was to the German Bundesliga with Eintracht Braunschweig in July 2013 before returning to English football with the likes of Millwall, Coventry City, Barnsley and most recently Blackburn Rovers prior to his move to Walsall.


LAST WALSALL XI (v Bristol Rovers, D1-1)
Etheridge, Edwards, Toner, McCarthy, Laird, Makris (Kouhyar 36), Morris, Chambers, Moussa (Bakayoko 84), Oztumer, Jackson. 

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Buxton still in the side by some miracle and Chris Taylor gets a start

My guess is 4-2-3-1 with trotter and vela the 2 and Taylor Henry and Ameobi behind proctor

yes so do i now, thats why i took out the bit about 442 

Fuck off Parkinson. Another in a long line of BWFC managers where performance means fuck all.

We'll get dicked.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Fuck off Parkinson. Another in a long line of BWFC managers where performance means fuck all.

We'll get dicked.

No we won't but I agree that Wilson should have started, good to see Clough back and if Taylor's starting then he must be showing in training he's got his fitness back.
He mustn't think Thorpe is fully up to speed yet.

Chris Taylor is rubbish. He shouldn't be anywhere near the first team. Proctor is shite, he shouldn't be anywhere near the first team.

We'll get dicked.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Chris Taylor is rubbish. He shouldn't be anywhere near the first team. Proctor is shite, he shouldn't be anywhere near the first team.

We'll get dicked.

You are a ray of sunshine on an otherwise cloudy day

i've not seen much of Chris Taylor yet so lets give him a go before we rubbish him eh?

Walsall down to 10

wessy wrote:Walsall down to 10

But you knew what was coming next though didn't you

no cutting edge again and i've just heard Connor Wilkinson scored twice for Chesterfield 

wanderlust wrote:I should be feeling confident about this game but I'm not. Wozzle don't have great players but they can defend against mediocrity all day long so unless we improve on recent performances I'm thinking a draw at best with Scunny moving to the top of the league with a game in hand after they beat Shrewbury.
But...we could become good all of a sudden.

That impostor Hope is f****** with my head again.
Doesn't look like we're any closer to becoming a dominant force in this league and although there are a lot of new players I was hoping for some improvement by now.
At least we've got that "undefeated and top of the league" nonsense out of the way so maybe that wake up call will have an impact and they'll start to go into games with a sense of realism and urgency.
If KA was serious about us getting promoted to attract new investment Parky needs to start earning his money now before the challenge gets beyond him.