Portsmouth v Walsall | Five things you may have missed

1) Defence is the best form of attack.

The Saddlers goal to open the scoring on Saturday was crafted by three members of our new look defence. Firstly, Nicky Devlin forged a path down the right wing before laying the ball off to loanee James Wilson, whose driven cross was bundled home by Luke Leahy. Wilson and Leahy also combined in the first half as the former’s cross was headed just wide by the full-back. Whitney will be hoping that his attacking players can show the same amount of co-ordination in future matches.

2) The wait for an away win continues

The Saddlers are still without an away league win in 2017. In fact, Walsall have only scored more than one goal away from home three times since the 5-0 demolition of Port Vale in May 2016. Anyone for another striker?

3) Hello again, Milan.

Milan Lalkovic made his first start in the League for Portsmouth since the 10th September 2016 in a 4-2 victory against Wycombe Wanderers. Lalkovic didn’t have much of an impact on Saturday, apart from being on the receiving end of an excellent suplex from the Scottish Kurt Angle.

4) Penalty problems

The Saddlers have now conceded three penalities in their first three Legue fixtures this season, more than we conceded in the entire 15/16 season. Is that a sign of our more physical approach, or a consequence of being more defensive and therefore allowing the opposition more attacking pressure? Despite this being the third penalty conceded this season, Brett Pitman’s strike on Saturday was the first to beat ‘keeper Mark Gillespie after Bury missed two spot-kicks on the opening day.

5) Strikers draw another blank

After Amadou Bakayoko and Simeon Jackson failed to find the net again on Saturday, a Walsall striker – i.e, Jackson, Bakayoko and Makris – has featured on the scoresheet in just 11 League games since the start of the 16/17 season. To put that into context, that’s 38 out of 49 games where a Walsall striker hasn’t scored.