Once again we'll be covering the Saddlers as they make their way to the Mornflake Stadium where they'll take on Crewe Alexandra in their 46th and final league game of the season.
PRE-MATCH NEWS & VIEWS
The Saddlers made it a rather remarkable thirteen games without a win last weekend as they lost 1-0 to Accrington Stanley at a packed Poundland Bescot Stadium.
Despite creating several promising chances in the visitor's final third, the all-important goal didn't arrive, leaving much of the faithful frustrated, some of whom making sure the gaffer was aware of their feelings.
Whilst it may be somewhat difficult for some on the outside to understand why a team that's on course for a top five finish to be booed off the pitch, the sheer level of post-January collapse has been a sight to behold.
After five seasons of indifference in League Two, 2024/25 was shaping up to be a rare example of everything coming together at once. A hungry squad, strong tactical understanding, and a fair bit of luck.
However, after Stoke City opted to call Nathan Lowe back to occupy a seat on the bench , and sometimes not even in the matchday squad, the wheels have well and truly fallen off.
Winning just three of their twenty-one league games since Nathan returned to the Potteries, the Saddlers have been simply incapable of putting games to bed, with far too many points simply gifted to their opponents.
Obviously, it's not all down to the players, as mentioned in last weekend's preview, the gaffer also has plenty of questions to answer, not least his often confusing substitutions, along with what has turned out to be a disappointing January Transfer Window.
Whilst the overall level of players signed could be considered OK for League Two, none of them have really hit the heights we needed in order to keep the now distant run alive.
Alfie Chang has shown glimpses of the player he was expected to be before injury halted his progress, and Ellis Harrison has provided something different in attack, but none has been enough to change the team's fortunes.
Despite this weekend's match not exactly being a win and we're in situation, a victory for the Saddlers, along with a couple of promising results elsewhere, and automatic promotion could still be conformed. Where have we heard that before...?
OPPOSITION NEWS
Opponents Crewe Alexandra are also in a slump of their own. Winning just one of their last eleven, the Railwaymen have seen their once strong chance of at least finishing in the Play-Offs dwindle into a place in mid-table.
They'll reach this weekend's match on the back of a 2-0 defeat to previously relegation threatened Tranmere Rovers in a match that saw them reduced to nine men as both sides saw men sent for an early shower.
FORM IN FIVE
Here is how the Saddlers and their opponents Crewe Alexandra have fared in their last five Sky Bet League Two games.
CREWE
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WALSALL |
LLDLL
| LLDDL
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HEAD-TO-HEAD
There have been 79 competitive meetings between Walsall and Crewe Alexandra, and the Saddlers hold an overall Head-to-Head lead, having won on 32 occasions, compared to Crewe's 25. The spoils have been shared on some 22 previous occasions.
Their first meeting was a League Division Two match that took place at the Alexandra Recreation Ground on Saturday, 5th November 1892, and saw the sides engage in a goal-fest which Walsall Town Swifts won 6-5.
Walsall would remain undefeated for the next six meetings between the two, with Crewe's first win not arriving until Saturday, 22nd April 1922 as they won two-nil at the original Gresty Road.
THE LAST TIME WE MET
The most recent meeting took place at the Poundland Bescot Stadium on Saturday, 9th November 2024, and saw the spoils share as the Saddlers and Railwaymen grabbed a goal each.
The first goal of the game didn't arrive until the second-half when Omar Bogle popped the ball into the far corner after getting on the end of a superb pass before beating the back line and firing home.
Walsall levelled the scores five minutes from full-time as on-loan Stoke City man Nathan Lowe continued his fine spell of form as he got on the end of a George Hall pass to smash the ball into the back of the net.
MATCH OFFICIALS
The EFL has confirmed that Matt Corlett who is based on Merseyside will take charge of the match with Carl Fitch-Jackson and Abbas Khan being named as assistant referees, whilst Paul Marsden has been selected as Fourth Official.
GAMES
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24
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YELLOW
CARDS |
RED
CARDS |
119
| 3
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PENALTIES
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3
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