Walsall manager Darrell Clarke demands improvement

Walsall manager Darrell Clarke is expecting his side to be more clinical in front of goal as they host Bradford City on Saturday in League Two.

The Saddlers haven’t won since the opening day of the season and are just one point off the relegation zone.

Welcoming the Bantams to the Banks’s Stadium, Clarke wants an improvement in his side’s attacking threat to build upon their defensive displays.

Walsall have kept three clean sheets in the league already this season but have struggled to hit the mark in front of goal scoring just three times in seven matches.

“We’ve got to take a lot more responsibility and be a lot better with our final pass,” Clarke explained.

“The group trained very well but it’s no good being training ground players, we’ve got to put that into performances and it’s time to deliver.

“I like my teams to play on the front foot, I don’t just want to be sat here as a team who are defensive, yes that is a positive but I want to get our forward play going”.

This is Clarke’s first full season in charge of Walsall having been appointed in May following his departure from Bristol Rovers last season.

Walsall’s opponents Bradford City have impressed Clarke leaving him with no doubt about their potential.

“Bradford will be in the top seven.

“They’ve got the squad, the resources and the support base and I’ll be amazed if they don’t finish in the top seven”.

The fixture is a chance for Walsall to end a run of eight matches without a win and three points would put them within striking distance of the top-half of the table.

BY DAN ALEXANDER