Promotion from League Two is the main target next season, Leigh Pomlett has announced a while back. To reach the goal set by Pomlett, we have to strengthen the squad to a great deal. In some positions, we need to add more experience and, in some areas, we need more offensive flair and creativity. Last season we lacked creativity centrally, especially in the final third. We have struggled many years to create chances for our strikers, no matter which striker or manager we have had that is the main thing that we have been struggling with for the last 5-10 years, at least that is my opinion. Yes, we have been bad defensively from time to time but, that usually comes from dropping the ball to opposition higher up the field that they can counter-attack our disorganised defence.
If we begin from the keeper situation, with only one keeper in the squad at the moment, we need to be on the hunt for a new keeper and, I hope we go for signing a keeper this season and not rely on a keeper on loan.
The ideal might be to sign an older keeper who is accepting a backup role while still have the qualities to step in and compete highly with Roberts for the job as the starting keeper. The progress Roberts showed last season was quite good. He seems to progress more for every season and, that is why I wish he will keep on developing during the coming season. He still needs to be on the front foot if he wants to keep the starting position.
Next in line is the defenders, centrally we are quite good even though I would like to add maybe one more central defender. I’m quite sure who most saddlers fans would bring in. Yes, Andy Butler is available and, his presence in the squad would be a boost of confidence. He is a leader with a winning mentality. He knows the club, even though he remembers from the previous owners time at the club.
With Cameron Pring and Callum Cockerill-Mollett not signed a new contract, we need to focus a bit on strengthening the left fullback position. We can’t start the season relying on Zak Jules or even James Clarke as or choice as left fullbacks. We saw last season that none of these two is good enough to play in any of the fullbacks positions.
On the right side, we have Cameron Norman who is the only option and, we need to strengthen as well but, I’m ok to start the season with Norman the only RB instead if we are unable to sign anyone better.
Centrally we are quite good equipped with players body wise but maybe not in skills. Still the part of the squad we have no hurry to strengthen.
Clarke, Scarr, Jules, Sadler and Leak, if he accepts the contract offer, make up the five players to choose from in the central defence.
In midfield, we are quite good equipped in the defensive part of the game with Kinsella and Sinclair as our first choice defensive midfielders or workhorses some would say. Alfie Bates has also shown he can do a job defensively at the same time be a creative outlet from deep. The best-gifted player creatively last season was without a doubt Danny Guthrie but the problem here is that he can’t play 90 minutes once or twice a week. We have to have a backup to Guthrie if he needs resting or is out injured. Maybe Bates can take his position in those games. Guthrie may not even feature for Walsall next season as he is yet to accept the contract offer made by the club.
To the midfield this season, we add youngsters Joe Willis and Sam Perry to the squad. Both had a taste of first-team action last season and what I saw of them then was very promising. I hope they develop further and given more opportunities in the upcoming season.
Attacking wise we have three strikers who found the net along with Wes McDonald on the left-wing adding a few stunning goals.
I feel we are good enough to start the season with the attacking force that we have right now. One addition to make might be a right-winger since the only right-sided player in the squad at the moment is Jack Nolan. But I am ok to start the season with Josh Gordon as a backup if needed. Caolan Lavery, Josh Gordon and Elijah Adebayo are competing for two places on top. Ideally, I would like to see one more addition here.
To summarise, the current situation is that we need to start bringing in new players as soon as possible. I know Clarke have a list of players he wants to bring to the club and I hope his selling point to those players is good enough to lure them to sign for the club.
I look forward to the next season because the last one didn’t end as we wished. Our form the last few weeks before they decided to cancel the 2019/20 season was upwards and, I think we could have challenged for a playoff position in the end.
If we are to aim for promotion this season the whole club must mean that inaction not only in talk. The owner and the board must provide the possibility for Clarke to build a promotion challenging squad and not once again rely on overachieving players and luck to make the impossible possible.
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