Walsall Preview - Win or Bust

Wycombe Wanderers travel to Walsall on Monday for their 40th league game of the season.


The League table currently shows Walsall in 14th place with 48 points from 39 games and Wycombe in 23rd spot with 32 points from 39 games.

Walsall's home record is.........Won 6...Drawn 8...Lost 5.
Wycombe's away record is......Won 2...Drawn 8...Lost 9.


Now nine points below safety, Wycombe Wanderers need to win at least five of their remaining seven games to stand any chance of avoiding relegation.

It's a tall order for a side who haven't won any of their last seven games and have only managed six wins all season, but that's the harsh reality of the situation.

Beat the Saddlers tomorrow, and Wycombe can at least look forward to their next two games against relegation rivals Hartlepool and Tranmere with a renewed sense of purpose.

Fail to win, and it's all over bar the shouting.

No doubt manager Gary Waddock has made this clear to his players. The team talk should be easy - No more hard luck stories - Win or you're as good as down.

Here are all the stats......


Walsall's last five games (All Competitions)

LG1: Orient (A)..............Lost 0-2
LG1: Colchester (H).......Won 1-0
LG1: Southend (A)..........Lost 0-3
LG1: Exeter (A)..............Lost 1-2
LG1: Stockport (A)........Drew 1-1


Wycombe's last five games (All Competitions)

LG1: Carlisle (H)..............Drew 0-0
LG1: Oldham (A) ............Drew 2-2
LG1: Exeter (H).............. Drew 2-2
LG1: Colchester (A).........Drew 1-1
LG1: Huddersfield (H)........Lost 1-2


Walsall Goal Stats (43 games in all Competitions)

Goals Scored (Total).........48
Goals Conceded (Total).....56

Goals Scored (Home)........27
Goals Conceded (Home)....22

Clean Sheets....11


Wycombe Goal Stats (43 games in all Competitions)

Goals Scored (Total).........48
Goals Conceded (Total).....80

Goals Scored (Away)........23
Goals Conceded (Away)....41

Clean Sheets....5


Walsall's Top Goal Scorers (All Competitions)

Troy Deeney............11
Darren Byfield...........9 (inc 1 pen)
Steve Jones...............9
Alex Nicholls..............4
Sam Parkin...............3 (inc 2 pens)
Matthew Richards.......3

Three other Walsall players have each scored 2 goals.
Two other Walsall players have each scored 1 goal.


Wycombe's Top Goal Scorers (All Competitions)

Matt Harrold.............10 (inc 6 pens)
Jon-Paul Pittman.........9 (inc 1 pen)
Scott Davies...............4
Matt Phillips................3
Kevin Betsy................3
Stuart Beavon............3

Three other Wycombe players have each scored 2 goals.
Nine other Wycombe players have each scored 1 goal.


Walsall Shooting (Top-3)

Troy Deeney............28 on-target...26 off-target...1 against woodwork
Darren Byfield..........23 on-target...24 off-target...0 against woodwork
Matthew Richards.....19 on-target...17 off-target...5 against woodwork


Wycombe Shooting (Top-3)

Jon-Paul Pittman.....31 on-target...21 off-target...1 against woodwork
Scott Davies...........19 on-target...24 off-target...4 against woodwork
Matt Phillips............20 on-target...20 off-target...2 against woodwork


Shooting (Club)

Walsall.......149 on target...145 off target...10 against w'work (Rank-24)
Wycombe...196 on target...183 off target.....9 against w'work (Rank-17)



League Form Guide

All Season
Walsall......Pld: 39...W: 12...D: 12...L: 15...Pts: 48...Pts per game: 1.23
Wycombe..Pld: 39...W: 6.....D: 14...L: 19...Pts: 32...Pts per game: 0.82


Since 1st January 2010
Walsall.........Pld: 17...W: 4...D: 5...L: 8...Pts: 17...Pts per game: 1.00
Wycombe.....Pld: 15...W: 2...D: 8...L: 5...Pts: 14...Pts per game: 0.93


Against Top Half Opposition
Walsall..........Pld: 20....Pts: 22....Pts per game: 1.10....(Rank-10)
Wycombe......Pld: 22....Pts: 22....Pts per game: 1.00....(Rank-13)


Against Bottom Half Opposition
Walsall...........Pld: 19....Pts: 26....Pts per game: 1.37....(Rank-16)
Wycombe.......Pld: 17....Pts: 10....Pts per game: 0.58....(Rank-24)


Last Five league Games
Walsall..............LWLLD - 4 points
Wycombe.........DDDDL - 4 points


Last Five League Games (Home)
Walsall............DWLDW - 8 points


Last Five League Games (Away)
Wycombe.........WDLDD - 6 points



Previous Meetings

Earlier this season Wycombe were 2-0 up and coasting at Adams Park until a calamitous second-half collapse saw Walsall win 3-2.

The two sides have met on 16 previous occasions with 7 wins for Walsall, 6 for Wycombe and 3 draws.

At the Bescot Stadium there have been 4 wins for Walsall, 2 for Wycombe and 2 draws.

1993/94 LG2: Walsall 4 Wycombe 2
1995/96 LG1: Walsall 0 Wycombe 1
1996/97 LG1: Walsall 2 Wycombe 2
1997/98 LG1: Walsall 0 Wycombe 1
1998/99 LG1: Walsall 2 Wycombe 2
2000/01 LG1: Walsall 5 Wycombe 1
2005/06 FLT: Walsall 3 Wycombe 2
2006/07 LG2: Walsall 2 Wycombe 0


The Man In The Middle

Monday's referee is Grant Hegley from Hertfordshire who was promoted to the National List of Referees in 2001. His most recent Wycombe game was the 1-0 defeat to Franchise at Adams Park earlier this season. During the current campaign he's issued 1 red and 32 yellow cards in 31 games.


Prediction

Away Win

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