00:00You've talked about Aidan Flint and the impact that he had, and we will talk about that. But just as a back three, you know, Walsall have lost, you know, their core, you know, Evan Weir's come in, you know, and seems to be taking his chance, you know, Rico Brown and then Aidan Flint, you know, an experienced old head.
00:20Given the blows that Walsall have had in terms of, you know, obviously injury to Harry Williams, Taylor Allen going, you know, it doesn't need to be real praise directed there towards, you know, Sadler and whether it's Ben Boycott and those at Traveller for putting what looks like on paper.
00:41And I know it's only been one game, but a very good back three together, because that's seemingly what it looked like on Saturday.
00:46Yeah, and I mean, you know, that's probably not even the back three that we might see for the season.
00:51I feel like, you know, in terms of Evan Weir and Aidan Flint, that's probably going to be the case.
00:55But you've got strong competition there and Priestley Fox, and if they can get him fit and get the best out of him, that's another great option to have a brilliant competition for places.
01:05Obviously, Dan Cox would be one that will be looking to try and get as many minutes as he possibly can.
01:11Obviously, very inexperienced, his first loan spell from Derby County.
01:15And I kind of spoke to Evan Weir actually about that.
01:18And, you know, Evan spoke about kind of developing in the shadow of Taylor Allen, actually, last season and said, you know,
01:25he was kind of happy to sit back, learn as much as he could from him, absorb it all.
01:31And, you know, he said he thoroughly deserves his move and hopes he does well on his step up.
01:35And now it's his chance to, you know, make his mark.
01:38And obviously, he made the perfect start with that on Saturday.
01:40But with Rico Brown, I mean, you know, I thought he was extremely impressive in pre-season, deserved his chance.
01:46But that only came through the fact that, you know, Harrison Burke was missing through an injury,
01:50because I think we would all suspect that he would have probably started on the right side of that back free,
01:55as has been the case for kind of much of pre-season.
01:57But Rico Brown was handed the opportunity and, you know, I thought it was an extremely harsh call.
02:02I mean, Sadler called the referee in decision outrageous when Harry Smith went down under the softest of challenges inside the penalty area by Rico Brown.
02:11But he didn't really put too many more, too much of a foot wrong other than that incident.
02:16And I mean, you know, like I say, even that was a soft call.
02:19And I thought he acquitted himself really well in the main.
02:22I mean, I still think that probably Harrison Burke will come back in.
02:25But, you know, it's another option to add to that defence.
02:28So it's not only the back free in itself, but it's a competition for places you've got across it.
02:34And, you know, I think, for example, Matt Sadler's first season, we saw some of the defensive injuries they had.
02:41I mean, you know, Griesley Farkerson, obviously notorious with his injury record.
02:45Donovan Daniels, he'd had a terrible 18 months with injury.
02:51Osher McKenty was another one.
02:52I know he kind of played in midfield at times, but spent a number of spells on the sidelines.
02:57So it feels like, you know, fingers crossed, touch wood, that Walsall really do have kind of that strength and depth in those defensive areas,
03:04as well as, you know, strong back free on paper anyway.
03:08Yeah. Yeah.
03:08So it just tells me about Aidan Flint and his impact, someone who's, you know, consistently been a performer in the championship.
03:15You know, such a shrewd move for Walsall.
03:19So it's going to be a massive sign.
03:20I think so.
03:21I think so.
03:22You know, I mean, he looks deceptively quick for 1-36.
03:27But for those that, you know, maybe have feared that, did he still have it in his legs?
03:34I mean, even if he doesn't, he clearly has the footballing IQ to compensate for that because he hardly missed a beat.
03:40He was incredible, towering in the air.
03:42But not just that.
03:43You know, I watched kind of the extended highlights back the other night.
03:48And there was a moment where, you know, Walsall could have maybe been overawed just after the red card.
03:54And he's kind of turned to Miles Roberts and just called for calm.
03:58And you've got two young centre-backs either side of him in the form of Rico Brown and Evan Weir.
04:04And he was just that sort of commanding vocal presence that they need, that calming head.
04:10And that experience is so key.
04:12I know it's maybe kind of cliche, but it really is.
04:14And I think he'll be essential for that.
04:17But yeah, he was just an absolute, you know, to use a phrase that Matt Sadler likes to use a lot for Priestley Fox and at times a man mountain.
04:26And exactly the type of winning mentality, that calming presence.
04:30I mean, he wore the armband and, you know, he looked the part and played the part.
04:33He was incredible.
04:34And also to play against his former club, I know there's maybe a bit of bad blood there with the fact that he went to Bristol City all those years ago from Swindon Town.
04:43After making his break for in the Football League and there were sort of jeers and boos whenever he headed or touched the ball.
04:51But, I mean, he rose to that.
04:52He loved it.
04:53And towards the end there, he's maybe given a little bit back.
04:56But, you know, when you've played as long as he has in these sort of occasions, he's the sort that, to me, has proven throughout his career, who embraces and thrives on that pressure.
05:11And yeah, it was a real top draw performance from him.
05:14I mean, you know, early days, it's a long season and at his age, you know, will he be able to maintain that?
05:22But, you know, early evidence suggests it's an absolute fantastic signing, to be honest.
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