Do Or Die Game As Saddlers Face Southend United

Easter saw the resurrection of Jesus Christ – we need our own resurrection if we are to survive another year in League 1.

Theoretically the Saddlers could be relegated to League 2 on Easter Monday if results go against us and the way we are all feeling at the minute we just want this season over – one way or another!

No more leeway for the players to not turn up – this is it. Do or die.

TEAM NEWS

WALSALL

Adam Chambers is back training but hasn’t featured for nine months, Matt Jarvis will miss out again as club continues to monitor his ankle.

Josh Gordon is suspended.

Maz Kouhyar joins Kory Roberts on the physio table following his ruptured ACL two weeks ago.

O’Connor will have to decide what players to drop following their abysmal performance against Accrington Stanley last weekend.

SOUTHEND

Southend will be without former Walsall fullback Jason Demetriou who limped off the pitch during their defeat to Wycombe last weekend.

However another former Saddler will return in the shape of Sam Mantom.

LIKELY LINE UPS?

Walsall – Roberts, Devlin, Scarr, Fitzwater, Leahy, Ismail, Kinsella, Dobson, Blackett-Taylor, Oteh, Cook

Southend– Bishop, Bwomono, Lennon, White, Hart, Kightly, Kiernan, Dieng, Mantom, Cox, Humphrys

ONES TO WATCH

Probably none of the twenty two given both clubs form of late…..

ANDY COOK (WALSALL)

Cook has carried this side for most of the season and he will need to do it again this weekend if we are to have any chance of surviving. It will be the Cook v Cox battle.

SIMON COX (SOUTHEND UNITED)

No matter how poor Southend are doing if you have a proven League 1 striker in Simon Cox the opposition need to worry.

Cox has scored sixteen goals this season in a very poor Southend side.

STATS

Walsall have lost our last six games
Southend have lost five of their last six.
In the 35 games combined (105 points) both clubs have managed to get just SEVENTEEN points between them.
Form (last five) – Walsall – LLLLL Southend – LDLLL

PAST MEETINGS

The Saddlers and Southend have met on eighty-five occasions – Walsall 25, Draw 18, Southend 42

The Saddlers have won two of our last five home games against Southend

The last time both sides met, Southend won 3-0 thanks to goals from Dieng and a brace from Bunn.

Our last five home games v Southend

28.10.17 – Walsall 0-1 Southend

26.11.16 – Walsall 0-0 Southend

16.04.16 – Walsall 1-0 Southend

15.08.09 – Walsall 2-2 Southend

30.08.08 – Walsall 5-2 Southend

MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE: ROSS JOYCE

Assistants: Gregory Read and Alix Pashley

Fourth Official – Benjamin Speedie

Joyce has officiated forty-one games so far this season, dishing out one-hundred and forty-five yellows, four reds and awarding ten penalties.

This will be the seventh game Joyce has officiated involving the Saddlers with us winning three, drawing one and losing two.

The last game he officiated involving the Saddlers came on New Years Day where the Saddlers lost 2-1 against Charlton with Joyce awarding a penalty after Jack Fitzwater pulled down Lyle Taylor.

MATCH PREDICTION

WE NEED TO WIN! WE CANNOT LOSE! – Sorry for the capitals but this game has so much importance to whether we are in League 1 or League 2 next term.

Southend are also in the same boat so it will be a very cagey affair with neither side giving much. We don’t expect it to be a thriller, nor do we expect to keep a clean sheet.

VITAL PREDICTION – WALSALL 2-1 SOUTHEND