Walsall will be in Carabao Cup action on Thursday evening as they make their way to Gloucestershire where they'll take on Championship side Bristol City in Round One of the competition.NEWS & VIEWS
Following something of a difficult pre-season that saw the Saddlers fail to score in four of their five outings, attention turns to the first cup competition of the season.
Taking on Championship opposition in the shape of Bristol City, Lee Grant will be given a very early look at just how his team stacks up against stronger opposition.
With the aforementioned pre-season campaign in the history books, it's up to the players, who are still getting to know each other, to do their talking on the pitch and, given the opposition, may well see this game as a 'free hit'.
Despite the various games we still don't know how the new gaffer plans on lining up. With a four at the back approach expected, the team should be fairly solid at the back, although the recent friendlies haven't exactly shown that, we're confident there will be an uptick in performance as the real football begins.
Clearly, there are several positions that still require attention, be that in the shape of a first-team regular, or simply to provide competition to the player already likely to start, but this summer's business has been good, key signings made and a with plenty of time to add more before the Transfer Window closes.
Hopefully, the trip to Ashton Gate will provide us with more positives than negatives, but whatever happens, we're in for another interesting campaign.
TEAM NEWS
Walsall have received something of an injury boost with the news that both Rico Browne and James Connolly have returned to training, but this match may well be a little soon for the duo to be named on the team sheet.
Alex Pattison is confirmed to be out as he starts on the road to recovery following a recent hamstring injury,
THE OPPOSITION
Under the leadership of former Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala, Bristol City will reach Thursday evening's clash on the back of a busy summer of change.
Signing the likes of Sam Greenwood, Sam Tickle, Lisav Eissat, and Lorent Tolaj, who they reportedly paid over £4m for, there are plenty of new faces to replace those who departed for new pastures in the wake of the managerial shake-up.
Signing the likes of Sam Greenwood, Sam Tickle, Lisav Eissat, and Lorent Tolaj, who they reportedly paid over £4m for, there are plenty of new faces to replace those who departed for new pastures in the wake of the managerial shake-up.
The Robins played seven games across their pre-season campaign. Winning two, drawing three, and losing two, they took on opposition including Stockport County, Forest Green Rovers, and Newcastle United as they built fitness ahead of the new campaign.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Of the sixty-seven previous meetings it's Bristol City that hold the overall lead with thirty wins to the Saddlers' twenty-one, There have also been sixteen draws during the fixture's history.
Their first meeting took place at Ashton Gate, on Saturday, 3rd October 1936 and ended all-square with neither side able to grab a goal.
Walsall failed to pick up a further point in any of the next four meetings, and conceded a large amount of goals, including losses of five-one and eight-two respectively.
The Saddlers' first victory over the Robins took place at Fellows Park on Saturday, 22nd April 1939, and ended five-nil to the Saddlers.
Walsall went on to drop just one point, as three points for a victory wasn't introduced until 1981, to City in the next four meetings, winning three and drawing one.
Their first meeting took place at Ashton Gate, on Saturday, 3rd October 1936 and ended all-square with neither side able to grab a goal.
Walsall failed to pick up a further point in any of the next four meetings, and conceded a large amount of goals, including losses of five-one and eight-two respectively.
The Saddlers' first victory over the Robins took place at Fellows Park on Saturday, 22nd April 1939, and ended five-nil to the Saddlers.
Walsall went on to drop just one point, as three points for a victory wasn't introduced until 1981, to City in the next four meetings, winning three and drawing one.
THE LAST TIME WE MET
The most recent meeting took place at the Robins' Ashton Gate on Sunday, 3rd May 2015, and saw the Saddlers on the wrong end of an absolute hammering as goals from Aden Flint, who bagged a hat-trick, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (2), Kieran Agard (2), and Marlon Pack, saw the Robins earn an 8-2 win.
Walsall had opened the scoring via Jordy Hiwula, and also levelled the scores at 2-2, but were ultimately unable to withstand their hosts' attacking prowess during an afternoon to forget.
Walsall had opened the scoring via Jordy Hiwula, and also levelled the scores at 2-2, but were ultimately unable to withstand their hosts' attacking prowess during an afternoon to forget.
MATCH OFFICIALS
The EFL confirmed that Jacob Miles will take charge of the match with Declan O'Shea and Ollie Williams being named as assistant referees, whilst Matthew Scholes has been selected as Fourth Official.
Last
season, Miles took charge of 29 games across a variety of competitions
and saw fit to issue 120 cautions and nine red cards.
CATCH THE MATCH
The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+.