Portsmouth (H) 31st March, 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

"Caesar ad sum iam forte, Pompey adarat"

(Dog Latin - traditional)

Much has happened at the Banks's' in the 2 weeks since our last game and I feel certain that the huge majority of Walsall supporters are unanimous in their welcome to Dean Keates, who takes his place in the hot seat vacated by Jon Whitney. It would not be unusual for a newly appointed Manager to bring some support staff with him (and indeed the Wrexham fans' forum contained many comments on the value of Keates' management team), but perhaps multi-personnel changes would be beyond the Bescot purse strings - there is always the possibility that an announcement might be made at the "Meet the Manager" evening on Thursday..........

Anyway, for his first "proper" game in charge we welcome Kenny Jackett's Portsmouth side currently flirting with the play-off zone, so there certainly won't be any of their players "on the beach" while so much is at stake. The turbulent years when the club faced probable extinction (entering administration twice, debts of £135 million, points deductions etc) are thankfully just memories, and a solid supporter base (more than 10,000 season tickets) has helped in strengthening the playing squad. Interesting to note that although Portsmouth are currently in 8th place in the League One table, they've actually lost more games than we have ..... mind you, they have been winning while we've been drawing!! Current League One form:-

17 Feb Southend United (A) Lost 3-1
20 Feb Fleetwood Town (A) Won 1-2
24 Feb Blackpool (H) Lost 0-2
10 Mar Gillingham (H) Lost 1-3
17 Mar Oldham Athletic (A) Won 0-2
25 Mar Oxford United (H) Won 3-0

So .... what can we expect from a Dean Keates set-up? If the Manager's personality conveys anything to the players, then it will be no surprise to see a greater element of "grit", "attitude", "application", call it what you will - characteristics that personified Keates the player. However, it should also be borne in mind that certain players (no names, no pack drill) will be very much aware by now that they won't be gracing the Bescot turf next season - they've either got deals already stitched up, or Keates has dropped heavy hints. At the end of the day though, the bare facts are that Walsall have 8 games remaining this season to salvage their League One place - relegation could well see us playing Wrexham next season!!

Dean Keates has to start his first match without Joe Edwards, of course, but the good news (?) is that Krystian Bielik is reported to be raring to go (wearing the red of Walsall rather than the blue of anyone else), and is keen to "hit the ground running". Our Turkish talisman may well be on his travels when the close season comes along, but for now he is still hopefully in the shop window needing to impress.

Prediction? With our "new manager" situation and a good attendance (Pompey will bring quite a few) I can see a 2-1 home win here - just a gut feeling......

[Walsallone]

I will go for a 1-0 win because of the well known new Manager syndrome!!

[Gripper]

Don’t care if he didn’t pick the team for Wigan etc.

We can’t lose this.

[Ancient Moaner]

We most definitely CANNOT lose this one, though it will be a tough ask, they are vying for a play off space, and are most certainly not the Pompey we played earlier in the season!
Let's hope Keatsy has drilled some metal into our defence which has resembled either a colander or a statue competition of late, the addition of Bielik into the frame may be an unknown factor, lets hope it's a positive one. :wink:
0-0 at best.

[NEWPORT SADDLERS DAD]

If Dean can get the lads to play with half the attitude he had as a player it will be three points to us.

[Walsallnil]

Sad to say I can’t see anything other than another defeat, hope I’m wrong.

[Ancient Moaner]

Incidentally, does anyone out there know why we play on Saturday whilst the rest of the football world play their games on Good Friday? Which makes our Monday fixture (sorry regulation defeat) a bit exhausting even for pro footballers!

[Cheesebag]

"Caesar ad sum iam forte, Pompey adarat"

(Dog Latin - traditional)

Do you have the cat version?

[scott_powell]

Incidentally, does anyone out there know why we play on Saturday whilst the rest of the football world play their games on Good Friday? Which makes our Monday fixture (sorry regulation defeat) a bit exhausting even for pro footballers!

https://twitter.com/Daniel__Mole/status/976813848350117888

A few factors it seems

[El_Nombre]

Snap your hand off for a draw, not something I often say at home.

But Jackett is a good manager at this level and Portsmouth are on the back of two good performances.

Wigan, Portsmouth and Bradford were always free swings for me anyway, the more important fixtures (Bury, Oldham, Wimbledon, Northampton, Fleetwood) lie further ahead and will be the fixtures that see us safe. If we don't get 6 points from that then Deano didn't deserve the job in the first place.

[funk_hits_the_fan]

Incidentally, does anyone out there know why we play on Saturday whilst the rest of the football world play their games on Good Friday? Which makes our Monday fixture (sorry regulation defeat) a bit exhausting even for pro footballers!

https://twitter.com/Daniel__Mole/status/976813848350117888

A few factors it seems

Supporter asks a question, answer is always cost to the club zzzzzz

Gets boring. Like I say Jeff does whatever he can to protect his profit. The cost is the same to every other club, why are we the only ones to change match day??

I think we will scrape a 1-0 win.

[scott_powell]

Snap your hand off for a draw, not something I often say at home.

But Jackett is a good manager at this level and Portsmouth are on the back of two good performances.

Wigan, Portsmouth and Bradford were always free swings for me anyway, the more important fixtures (Bury, Oldham, Wimbledon, Northampton, Fleetwood) lie further ahead and will be the fixtures that see us safe. If we don't get 6 points from that then Deano didn't deserve the job in the first place.

Agree that i'd take a draw against Portsmouth but disagree slightly with Bradford being a free swing. Whilst in the grand scheme of things it probably is due to league positions, having seen them against Doncaster I fully expect us to get something out of that game. They are a very poor side. Since Jan 1st they've won 2, drew 2, lost 8. They've lost to Wimbledon (0-4) and Northampton at home in that period as well as losing away to Oldham and Doncaster. They also only managed a point at Bury. They are really not a side to be feared right now and we need to capitalise. Valley Parade is not the fortress it once was and whilst losing wouldn't be the end of the world I don't thing we should look at it as a free swing given their form in 2018.

[El_Nombre]

Snap your hand off for a draw, not something I often say at home.

But Jackett is a good manager at this level and Portsmouth are on the back of two good performances.

Wigan, Portsmouth and Bradford were always free swings for me anyway, the more important fixtures (Bury, Oldham, Wimbledon, Northampton, Fleetwood) lie further ahead and will be the fixtures that see us safe. If we don't get 6 points from that then Deano didn't deserve the job in the first place.

Agree that i'd take a draw against Portsmouth but disagree slightly with Bradford being a free swing. Whilst in the grand scheme of things it probably is due to league positions, having seen them against Doncaster I fully expect us to get something out of that game. They are a very poor side. Since Jan 1st they've won 2, drew 2, lost 8. They've lost to Wimbledon (0-4) and Northampton at home in that period as well as losing away to Oldham and Doncaster. They also only managed a point at Bury. They are really not a side to be feared right now and we need to capitalise. Valley Parade is not the fortress it once was and whilst losing wouldn't be the end of the world I don't thing we should look at it as a free swing given their form in 2018.

To be fair I'm talking more traditionally we've always struggled there, rather than them being a form team. I don't remember us ever getting a good result there.

[SaigonSaddler]

A win, based on nothing more (at this stage) than a surge of optimism.

[chunkster]

I am very surprised that we haven’t made at least 1 signing to shore up the defence?, having said that, I just hope that Deano can Instill some semblance of order at the back, and have some sort of game plan and tactics, something that we are Alien to, so with that in mind I will go with a draw,I can’t see this squad pulling much out of the bag even with someone knowing what they are doing being in charge :|

[Welsh_Saddler]

I am very surprised that we haven’t made at least 1 signing to shore up the defence?, having said that, I just hope that Deano can Instill some semblance of order at the back, and have some sort of game plan and tactics, something that we are Alien to, so with that in mind I will go with a draw,I can’t see this squad pulling much out of the bag even with someone knowing what they are doing being in charge :|

Bielik probably counts as a signing ........ in the sense that if he does play, it will be his first game for us!! :wink:

[chunkster]

I am very surprised that we haven’t made at least 1 signing to shore up the defence?, having said that, I just hope that Deano can Instill some semblance of order at the back, and have some sort of game plan and tactics, something that we are Alien to, so with that in mind I will go with a draw,I can’t see this squad pulling much out of the bag even with someone knowing what they are doing being in charge :|

Bielik probably counts as a signing ........ in the sense that if he does play, it will be his first game for us!! :wink:

Has he got over his injury? :D

[SoccerHQ]

Pompey were really good last weekend and they're only two points off sixth.

Jamal Lowe and Brett Pitman upfront is going to be difficult for the defence to handle so would be surprised if Walsall keep a clean sheet.

However Pompey concede a few aswell.

I was going to say this looks a 1-1 to me but as long as Dean Keates ventures down to the dug out this time I can actually see this being a 2-1 win.

Be interesting to see the selection this time. I would take Morris and Maz out, bring in Flo and Ngoy, go two strikers with Ozzy in a free role and see what happens.

Only problem is the not so great full backs are exposed even more in that system.

[SoccerHQ]

Snap your hand off for a draw, not something I often say at home.

But Jackett is a good manager at this level and Portsmouth are on the back of two good performances.

Wigan, Portsmouth and Bradford were always free swings for me anyway, the more important fixtures (Bury, Oldham, Wimbledon, Northampton, Fleetwood) lie further ahead and will be the fixtures that see us safe. If we don't get 6 points from that then Deano didn't deserve the job in the first place.

Agree that i'd take a draw against Portsmouth but disagree slightly with Bradford being a free swing. Whilst in the grand scheme of things it probably is due to league positions, having seen them against Doncaster I fully expect us to get something out of that game. They are a very poor side. Since Jan 1st they've won 2, drew 2, lost 8. They've lost to Wimbledon (0-4) and Northampton at home in that period as well as losing away to Oldham and Doncaster. They also only managed a point at Bury. They are really not a side to be feared right now and we need to capitalise. Valley Parade is not the fortress it once was and whilst losing wouldn't be the end of the world I don't thing we should look at it as a free swing given their form in 2018.

To be fair I'm talking more traditionally we've always struggled there, rather than them being a form team. I don't remember us ever getting a good result there.

I saw a 1-1 draw there just three years ago. I think most are still scarred by that awful 4-0 defeat which pretty much killed the automatic hopes in 15/16. The good news is Hanson dosen't play for them anymore....he now plays for Bury. :lol: :roll:

I agree with Scott thought, shouldn't be written off as I also saw them v Donny and they were hopeless. Only issue is they're playing tonight so will have two days extra recovery.

[Welsh_Saddler]

More motivation, if any were needed, in Milton Keynes Dons' 1-2 away win at Gillingham tonight - this puts the Dons only 2 points behind us........

[Whitters]

Incidentally, does anyone out there know why we play on Saturday whilst the rest of the football world play their games on Good Friday? Which makes our Monday fixture (sorry regulation defeat) a bit exhausting even for pro footballers!

https://twitter.com/Daniel__Mole/status/976813848350117888

A few factors it seems

And here was me thinking it's because our god-fearing owner had religious reasons.

[Exile]

If we win 7-0 and other results go our way we might hit 14th, I think. No doubt some pedant can check the probabilities fir me.

So 0-0 and bring on the brown trousers for the run-in!

[Ancient Moaner]

Snap your hand off for a draw, not something I often say at home.

But Jackett is a good manager at this level and Portsmouth are on the back of two good performances.

Wigan, Portsmouth and Bradford were always free swings for me anyway, the more important fixtures (Bury, Oldham, Wimbledon, Northampton, Fleetwood) lie further ahead and will be the fixtures that see us safe. If we don't get 6 points from that then Deano didn't deserve the job in the first place.

Agree that i'd take a draw against Portsmouth but disagree slightly with Bradford being a free swing. Whilst in the grand scheme of things it probably is due to league positions, having seen them against Doncaster I fully expect us to get something out of that game. They are a very poor side. Since Jan 1st they've won 2, drew 2, lost 8. They've lost to Wimbledon (0-4) and Northampton at home in that period as well as losing away to Oldham and Doncaster. They also only managed a point at Bury. They are really not a side to be feared right now and we need to capitalise. Valley Parade is not the fortress it once was and whilst losing wouldn't be the end of the world I don't thing we should look at it as a free swing given their form in 2018.

To be fair I'm talking more traditionally we've always struggled there, rather than them being a form team. I don't remember us ever getting a good result there.

I saw a 1-1 draw there just three years ago. I think most are still scarred by that awful 4-0 defeat which pretty much killed the automatic hopes in 15/16. The good news is Hanson dosen't play for them anymore....he now plays for Bury. :lol: :roll:

I agree with Scott thought, shouldn't be written off as I also saw them v Donny and they were hopeless. Only issue is they're playing tonight so will have two days extra recovery.

If they were bottom without a win in 2018 we would STILL lose there, we always freeze at Valley Parade. I used to live 10 minutes away so it was always a regular match, can only ever remember us winning there once, 1-0 I think it was.........but no doubt the stats folk will shoot that down in flames! It always seemed to be a matter of how many we would lose by.
And yes that 0-4 defeat was one of the most embarrassing non-displays of all time, it seemed as if every time they attacked they would score, we were truly appalling that day.

[PT]

Firstly, I’m really surprised they haven’t sold more tickets. It is now pay on the day for them with nearly half their allocation remaining unsold. Following their win last week I honestly thought they’d all go. I think we’d manage the allocated 15% of our home support were circumstances reversed.

Secondly, the usual surge from those in trouble is sucking us further and further into trouble. I kind of had Keates first three games (including the Wigan game) as free hits with an opportunity for him to weigh up his team. It now feels like we need a win from one of these two Easter games.

I don’t think it will come in this one and having deprived ourselves of a day’s rest, Monday looks hard too.

I’ll go for 1-3 tomorrow. 5,750.

[Cowshed]

Crucified 1st half

Resurrected 2nd half

2-1

[BarnsleySaddler]

I think we can manage a draw. New manager, players who need to impress to get another contract, and Portsmouth who should win this. Believe. UTS

[Optimistic]

Anything can happen, as Rochdale proved against Shrewsbury today. I still think that the squad we have is half decent considering that we had a whole new defence at the start of the season. The results went in our favour today and I think that we need to be looking up the table not down as there are plenty of other teams which are fighting (or not as the case may be) to get into the bottom four slots. If we get the ball down and play we look good as long as somebody has the confidence to take a shot.

[SoccerHQ]

Would take two draws tbh.

Get to 46 points and then 4 points from the Bury, Wimbledon and Oldham games would be enough I think.

[Cully]

Crucified 1st half

Resurrected 2nd half

2-1

:D Very good.

[wednesburysaddler]

difficult one this is.

most teams experience a new manager bounce and normally grind 2 or 3 wins out from 1st 6 matches in charge but as we only have 8 matches to go were in poker terms all in.

the manager still has the same young poor squad and our best player doesn't want to be here.

I would like to think that whatever team and formation he assembles today the players must give the full 100 percent as they've put us in this position to start with.
some huge 6 pointers round the corner but anything from this match is a huge bonus