Well, it's that time of year again, as the dust settles from the Christmas and New year celebrations and 2012 settles in the much coveted January transfer window begins.
The usual humdrum surrounding all of our fellow Midlands clubs began weeks ago and yet unsurprisingly Saddlers fans are stuck clutching at straws with little or nothing in terms of transfer news sounding out from The Banks' Stadium.
Yet there is a widely agreed opinion that to change and improve our stuttering form so far this season Dean Smith could seriously do with bringing in a player or two during this window.
So what do we need?
First of all I believe that we desperately require something new up front. I believe we could do with someone who can hold up the ball well and supply Macken, who at times is marked out of the game due to a lot of high balls pumped towards him, but his lack of height meaning he can rarely realistically challenge.
A lot of people are saying that we need a goals scorer, but I genuinely believe that given a good holding player in support, and good service to feet, rather than aimless long balls, we already have that in Macken.
Jarvis seemed at the start of the season that he could be that man, but so far he has been largely ineffective. A holding striker would also benefit Alex Nicholls with good service to utilise Nicholls' pace.
We really need a commanding figure in midfield and quickly, basically what Adam Chambers can be albeit inconsistently.
So many times this season we have all seen The Saddlers' midfield fall apart seemingly overwhelmed and a 'captain figure' is required in the midfield, to take stock and keep everyone's chin up.
We could definitely do with a box to box sort of midfielder, someone who is happy to play that link between defence and attack, that we so desperately need at times, rather than aimless hoofs up-field, which 95% of the time are just ending in a turnover of possession. Taundry, Chambers, Peterlin and Jamie Paterson have all shown themselves to be competent at playing that link at times, but not consistently enough.
I also believe that we need a wingman with pace, which is what we were promised in Claude Gnakpa but let's face it, isn't really what we got.
Jamie Paterson has come into the team and proven himself to be exciting and full of flair, if a little overindulgent at times, but since the injury of Kevan Hurst a couple of months ago, to me it has outlined the lack of depth, that we have on the wings. Nicholls is used more as a striker than a winger and Deano uses Taundry on the right side of midfield a lot, but Taundry is not the man you want running at full backs.
Now I am of the opinion that defence is the strongest part of the whole team, and probably the one that doesn't require wholesale changes.
Andy Butler is strong and commanding, and always a force in the air even if there are slight worries about his disciplinary record at times. Manny Smith has really come into his own and looks strong, although I do believe we could do with a centre back to keep Olly Lancashire on his toes, as he has looked shaky at times in my opinion.
Mat Sadler, and Lee Beevers at full back position, is a position that doesn't worry me too much as both are proving to be very good acquisitions and are very reliable, with Westlake and possibly Taundry available to cover any injuries, so possibly one natural full back to be bought in to be used as cover.
On the plus side, we do have a wealth of talent in goal, with the unshakable veteran Jimmy Walker and his young protégée David Grof. An area where I don't believe we need any changes during January.
As a realist/Walsall fan (same thing) I'm well aware, that with our well publicised lack of transfer funds and tight pocketed chairman, we will probably be lucky to bring in anyone, but realistically I think we could be in trouble come the season end, whether moves are made in signing free agents or more Lonee's, something needs to be done!
We can all live in hope!
By: Lee Hale