Game 21 - The Saddlers (H)
Team - Walsall
Date - 20/12/2025 12:30
Where - Meadow Lane

What would your starting line-up be? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

Yet another unchanged line up?

Keys to victory? If Roos is Jekyll and Hyde, may Mr.Jekyll turn up again on Saturday. Apart from that, the same as always. As MP says, performance is the player's responsibility. If 11 show up well, we'll be top by 2:30.

I can't say I'm confident though. The fixture in Dec '23 still brings back bad memories. Baldwin put us ahead but they totally bossed it in the second half. And 1-2 again on New year's Day. They have about a half dozen players left from then, including Barrett, Weir, Jamille Matt. I think we'll prevent them making it a hat-trick of festive Meadow Lane wins by drawing 1-1.

This fixture beats the MK Dons match as the most important fixture of the season so far.

If everyone is fit I expect Martin Paterson to field an unchanged side that has shown so much spirit in the last few games.

It will be a tough match, but Notts are made of sterner stuff under Martin & I expect to see them carry on playing in the same vein with aggression, determination & remain hard working all over the pitch.

Another big plus are the subs that will come on in the 2nd half, who will give the team fresh imputus, which could lead to further opportunities upfront late in the game.

Hoping for a win, but avoiding defeat will also be a big plus as we near the years end.

It's Matchday.

It's an unchanged starting eleven to face Walsall today.

Great to see an unchanged team again following a win.

Small detail...McDonald doesn't make the squad today. I know Ness has done well coming on lately, but I hope RodMac has a cold or something because he still might be a contender for our POTY so far, and should be ahead of Ness in the pecking order.

COYP - let's go top and stay there 😛

Kick off.

Notts 0 Walsall 0

Update

14: 'Big one-handed save from Roos to deny Kanu following Bennetts' wayward square pass'.

Notts 0 Walsall 0

Update.

21: 'Excellent build-up play results in a chance for Dennis inside the area, but he can't keep the bouncing ball down with his left-footed effort'.

Notts 0 Walsall 0

Update.

39:  'Grant sees a low shot saved as Notts continue to dominate'.

️Notts 0 Walsall 0

Goalless at the Break

Dominance of ball and territory.

Impressive performances so far from the likes of Platt, Tsaroulla and Iorpenda. Grant has been frustrating.

1: Back to it.

Notts 0 Walsall 0

Jones on for Bennetts

CMON U PIES!!!

Update.

58: Massive close-range save from Roberts to deny Dennis after Jones' cross had caused chaos!

️Notts 0 Walsall 0

Update.

65: Gordon replaces Tsaroulla

Notts 0 Walsall 0

Update.

74: Kouhyar replaces Grant.

Notts 0 Walsall 0

Update.

85:'Brilliant run through the middle of the pitch from Dennis - but his shot is straight at Roberts'.

️Notts 0 Walsall 0

FULL TIME

Notts have to settle for a draw.

Notts 0 Walsall 0.

I am happy with a point. It is a point gained & keeps our tough December unbeaten run going. This point could prove vary valuable at the end of the season.

We dominated a team that is top of the league. We just continued with another Martin Paterson inspired performance. We could easily have won that match with more luck.

Notts were the better side in every aspect of the game today except one, putting the ball in the net. It's a point, we move on with confidence. We are in a good place.

Ah well, I suppose it's a consolation that we looked so much better than the 1st placed team.

Nice game for our Defenders and CMs - to snuff them out and show what they can do with the ball.

A tougher game for the forwards who had less space to work in

Can't complain at that performance. Just wish we had a midfielder who could chip in with the odd goal. Missing Hall a bit.

2 minutes ago, Sheffield Pie said:

Can't complain at that performance. Just wish we had a midfielder who could chip in with the odd goal. Missing Hall a bit.

Yeah interesting challenge for MP for Chesterfield. Does he go for the extra goal threat that Hall and Jones would give over Bennetts and Grant?

There's no way he can drop Dennis.

Because it's quite a tough away fixture, I reckon he'll start Jones but not Hall.

2 minutes ago, theAnticlough said:

Yeah interesting challenge for MP for Chesterfield. Does he go for the extra goal threat that Hall and Jones would give over Bennetts and Grant?

There's no way he can drop Dennis.

Because it's quite a tough away fixture, I reckon he'll start Jones but not Hall.

It will be tempting to bring Hall back, but the way Martin works, if there are no injuries, I think he will select the same eleven for Chesterfield & have Hall on the bench. Notts have a strong bench nowadays & with Hall it will give it more strength.

If we had thought that we would have been unbeaten so far in Dec with 7 points from 9, most would be over the moon with that against top sides. Chesterfield at their place will be another tough one but I think this Notts side can get a result there & keep the run going.

By the 70min mark it looked like JJ had that shirt again and Bennetts had had his run. But then came one of his wasteful spells and it didn't look as certain.

But JJ is ready physically and is able to do the job defensively. Bennetts' all-round game is solid but he's a goals and assists desert, so this will be a real test of MPs courage and positivity.