Saddlers supremo calm about Kanu

Daniel Kanu scored for Walsall for the fifth game running yesterday in what was ultimately a 1-1 draw with Shropshire's finest.

But Walsall supremo Mat Sadler is reported to have remained calm about the future of Kanu after Nathan Jones raised the possibility of a recall,

Sadler said: We are looking after Kanu well and they [Charlton] are very pleased with how we are looking after him.  We give everything to loan players when they come to the club and we are a good destination for them.'

'We've got a great relationship with Charlton.'  If Kanu does return to The Valley, it will be the fourth season in a row that the Saddlers have lost their top scorer back to a parent club in January.

A cautionary note: there is a gap between League 2 defences and those in the Championship.

Into the Valley of death

Walsall striker Will Grigg, part of the strike force that has scored 17 league goals this season, has proclaimed tomorrow's match with Charlton a 'life or death' encounter as the bottom club in npower League One visit The Valley.

Ugly mug manager Chris Hutchings is in buoyant mood, rather like a condemned man looking forward to his last meal. Having watched the Addicks at Luton he has pronounced them 'fallible' (we could have told him that) and has forecast that Phil Parkinson will succumb to the 'manager of the month' curse: Saddlers

For most football fans, Walsall is best known as the stadium they crawl past on the M6 as they head towards one of the many clubs in the north-west. The club has been in the second tier and I remember beating them 4-2 there. Walsall fans were protesting that day about the failure of their board to spend any money and it doesn't look as if they've spent very much since.

I was thinking of using Ali G's line about Wales to describe Walsall: 'I don't know much about Wales, but I hear it's crap'. However, here are three good things about Walsall:

1. Leamington won a famous cup victory there.
2. The Addick artist (see links) lives there and is a season ticket holder at The Valley.
3. My nice friend Lindsay lives there (if you think you have a hard time commuting to London, listen to her tales about the London Midland service to Perry Barr where she works opposite the dogs track).

Reading the result off the table should lead to a 2-0 win and closing the gap on Brighton. This being Charlton, I am forecasting a failure to get a grip on the game and a 1-1 draw.

Charlton fail to dominate

Charlton drew with Walsall 1-1 last night, while Colchester managed to turn a 0-1 scoreline at half time into a 2-1 victory over Carlisle. Parky showed some imagination in ringing the changes. The unimpressive Basey was replaced by Solly and Akpo Sodje started up front with Burton. Wagstaff started in place of Sam who replaced him on 80 minutes. Racon replaced the lacklustre Semedo.

Charlton had thirteen corners to one for Walsall, six shots on target to three and eight off target. They also had more of the possession. However, they lack a natural goal scorer from open play.

Deeney thrilled most of the crowd of 3,417 by putting the home side ahead on 32 minutes. Battering ram Akpo Sodje was brought down at the end of the half and Burton converted the penalty.

Deeney was sent off in the 78th minute, but despite the 'ten man Walsall' headlines this was too late to help Charlton all that much.

What this confirms is that the team, in whatever combination, is not good enough to win away against mid-table teams and the reason for that is the financial situation of the club.

Match off

The braziers have failed to work again and today's match at the Bescot is off according to Walsall's site. Hope no one got too far up the M1.

When you enter their site the way it is laid out makes you think there is a special sale of Walsall players at £17.99 each instead of some tat.

I think this would have been a difficult match for us on frozen ground. I know the conditions are the same for both sides, but they would have helped the home side more.

I can now go and buy a Coventry Blaze half year season ticket. Come on you Blaze! Giants tomorrow, let's turn them into pygmies again.

Another pitch inspection at 12 noon

There will be another inspection at the Bescot at 12 noon, but the referee is confident the game can go ahead. He wants a bit more work done by the Saddlers ground staff, braziers in new positions etc. He thinks that rising temperatures as the day goes on will also help: cloud cover is increasing in the Midlands.

There may be quite heavy snow showers later in the day.

I am concerned about injuries in this game. In trying to avoid another draw, defeat is a real possibility, but as other bloggers have observed, this is a difficult match to call which could go one of three ways.

It must have been quite a New Year in Erith as Paul May is indisposed and I can't get to the game because of other commitments. We will provide a summary report.

Walsall pitch inspection

This will be at 9.30 a.m. There has been a sharp frost in the Midlands over night, but Walsall will be keen to get the game on after two postponements. No doubt they have their braziers out. I wouldn't mind a postponement in the hope that we get Youga and Richardson back.

If the game does go ahead, with the good Mooney-Burton partnership broken, we could revert to 4-5-1 with Shelvey in the hole.

Walsall match in doubt

Sunrise on the first day of 2010 in Hugh Town, St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly. The Scillies were the warmest place in Britain (11 degrees centigrade) yesterday. In the Midlands it dawned cold and very frosty. Courtesy Radio Scilly.

There will be an early morning pitch inspection, but tomorrow's match between Walsall and Charlton is very much in doubt: Frost

Norwich game rearranged early doors

I was amused to see a senior policewoman with West Midlands Police announcing on the regional news last night that anyone causing trouble in Birmingham's 'entertainment' district over the new year would be arrested 'early doors'. Ronglish conquers all! You can take lessons in Ronglish here: Big Ron

Postponed games are often replayed a couple of months later, but the Walsall v. Norwich game has been re-scheduled for January 12th. Sources close to the league explained, 'The media narrative, and indeed that of the fans of champions designate Leeds, is that Norwich will occupy the other automatic promotion spot. Let's face it, that Delia has a touch of class even if she does like the occasional glass of sherry. We don't want unfashionable clubs like Charlton or Colchester in the automatic promotion spot. So Norwich need to get the points on the board.'

The spokesman said that awarding a 3-0 victory to Norwich had been considered, but fans were thought not to be ready for such an innovation yet.

If Norwich beat Walsall and we draw with them, that could be important at the end of the season.

Giant in the Saddle

This is not an advert for John Window's equine empire, but exciting news from Walsall:

'Walsall have signed defender Clayton McDonald on an 18-month deal following his release by Manchester City. The 21-year-old, six-foot seven son of former Walsall striker Rod [not Ronald] McDonald has spent three months on loan at the Banks's Stadium this season. The last of his loan deals from City expired earlier this month.

But McDonald's move has now been sanctioned in time for him to be considered for Saturday's League One home game against Charlton Athletic.'

Threatened snow has not arrived in the Midlands today (it is raining hard) so fears that Saturday's game might be frozen out as happened last Saturday with the visit of the Canaries have lessened.