Things are on the up….or are they?

When I heard Grimsby had snapped up Martin Butler, I was slightly disappointed yet pleased. I don’t know why, maybe it’s because Butler is the best non-scoring striker that has been at Walsall since Brett Angell. I mean, yeah he did score his fair share of important goals, but when your topscorer came from midfield, the mind wonders abit. Maybe I’m being harsh. Oh well!
All in all, without Butler we have picked up three wins and a draw against some difficult sides. In my opinion, that tells its own story. Also, with Tommy Mooney becoming the new skipper ahead of Michael Dobson, things have changed for the better. However, with a positive comes a negative, and that is the injury to the previously on-loan Dwayne Mattis. He seemed to be a good signing, playing in a five-man midfield with Bradley and Dobson. But in typical Walsall style, he gets injured and will probably never be seen in a Saddlers jersey ever again. So, how will this affect the next few games?
Next up – Southend at the Banks’s Stadium. Easy…well I wish! The men from Roots Hall have been reported this week to be keeping tabs on ex-Saddler James Constable, now of Kiddi, so let’s hope no move is made before Saturday. United will be coming to the midlands wanting to win and they can. Despite the departure of Freddy Eastwood to our near neighbours Wolves, Southend have had a positive start to the season so far and currently lie 5th in League One after a convincing and comfortable 3-0 win over the not so solid Crewe last weekend. This game ain’t gonna be a simple one – not that it ever is with Walsall of course!
After Southend comes another tough game on the coast at Bournemouth, along with a visit from near rivals Cheltenham at the Banks’s Stadium. By the end of this month, we will know whether this week’s departures will have affected the team’s positive run, as the next few fixtures will test the younger members of the squad as well as test DD’s decision to not find any replacements for the departing Butler and Mattis.