Walsall scored seven times on route to wins over Grimsby Town and Carlisle United this week and Mat Sadler’s side are emerging as title contenders after an impressive first 12 matches leaves them two points adrift of leaders Port Vale with a game in hand.
Their 4-1 win at Grimsby was followed by a 3-1 home success over Carlisle and they have been crowned The Deck’s League Two Team of The Week. Morecambe were the previous winners but their joy was short-lived as they suffered two defeats this week to slide to the bottom of the standings.
Why Walsall Are Proving to Be Credible Title Contenders
The Saddlers are the top scorers in the fourth tier despite playing a game fewer than most of the leading sides in the division. They have scored 26 times, almost identical to their expected goals tally, which is comfortably clear of the next team in that attacking metric.
Stoke City loanee Nathan Lowe is proving to be a shrewd pick-up, scoring eight goals in all competitions. The 19-year-old is building an impressive strike partnership with Jamille Matt, who has matched his tally of five league goals in the 2023/24 campaign.
Both players scored in each of the wins this week and complement each other’s attributes as the physical and aerial presence of Matt is creating space for the talented youngster to get on the ball in the final third. They are not alone in contributing to the scoresheet, with ten different players finding the back of the net in league action.
Walsall are not a side that tends to dominate possession but their 3-5-2 shape allows them to remain resilient at the back and they have the second-lowest expected goals-against tally in League Two of just 10.97. Their record of 14 goals conceded is heavily skewed by a 6-2 defeat at home to Fleetwood Town on the 1st of October, a result that they have bounced back from emphatically with seven points from three matches.
They have one of the youngest squads in the division with an average age of 24.9 but that is blended with the right mix of experience and it would be a major surprise if they were not one of the teams competing for the title that they won in 2007.
Upcoming Fixtures and Future Prospects
Walsall travel to Accrington Stanley at the weekend before a run of six home games in seven across all competitions. It will not be an easy trip at the weekend as Accrington have put together a run of form recently, winning three games on the spin before losing at MK Dons last time out.
The Saddlers face Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup in an intriguing clash where you would not back against them to pull off a shock win against the League One side, following their opponent’s inconsistent start to the campaign.
Their next two League Two matches are at home to Gillingham and Crewe Alexandra, both difficult opponents that will have aspirations of playing in the third tier next season. However, this Walsall team will not fear any opposition and should be confident going into any fixture in the fourth tier.
Manager Mat Sadler has been with the club in some capacity since joining as a player in 2019 and that continuity is paying off for the League Two side after eight wins and a draw in their opening 12 matches. They also took Premier League side Leicester City to a penalty shoot-out in the Carabao Cup in addition to remaining unbeaten in their first two EFL Trophy matches.
Walsall have not competed in League One since suffering relegation in the 2018/19 campaign but judging by their performances in this season so far, they are on course to gain promotion from the fourth tier at the very least.