Walsall boss Dean Keates said he was “massively disappointed” that the Saddlers lost 2-1 to relegation rivals Rochdale on Saturday but felt his side deserved at least a point.
The Saddlers have now won just three in the last nineteen league games, and only Ipswich and Bolton have a worst point return in the last fifteen games however Keates thinks the Saddlers aren’t having the rub of the green at the minute and on another day could have grabbed a point.
However it’s clear to see the current set up and plan is not working and pressure is beginning to mount on our legendary former player.
Speaking to the Express And Star Keates said
“It was a massive game, there’s no denying that and we’re massively disappointed,”
“Did we deserve something out of it? Yes. We had enough chances but little things aren’t going for us.”
On Rochdale’s first goal “It’s a coming-together, it ricochets off two of our players and it just drops down.”
“As I said about the fine margins of football, when things aren’t going for you, the kid’s hit it on the half-volley and it’s gone into the top corner.“
“When we did make passes in the last 10-15 minutes, we created some opportunities. I think the fine margins of football are not going our way at the moment.”
The Saddlers now head to Blackpool on Saturday knowing another defeat may see them slide even closer to the trap door – we are just three points clear as it stands.
Now Keates and his side MUST react, they MUST start finding that form from the early part of the season and we MUST stop gifting the opposition goals.
Let’s not beat around the bush Saturday was a dire performance from start to finish and many more games like that will see us head into League 2. We have got to stop with the rubbish “it’s still Jon Whitney’s team” – Keates has had two transfer windows now, he’s brought in eighteen of his own players but for some reason continues to keep with Whitney’s men that very nearly got us relegated last season.
We cannot even complain that the board aren’t helping him. Despite having the burden of players remaining on big contracts from the Whitney era the board have put their hands into their pockets and given Keates the chance to build his squad early.
I think none of us would deny that Dean Keates the player is a legend at this club and we will be forever indebted to him for his League 2 winning goal however as he said when he first took over that chapter is over and we must judge him as a manager….and right now it’s not going very well Dean.
