Walsall vs Swindon Predictions

• Ian Holloway’s recent jobs are a cause for concern ahead of his first full season at Swindon
• Walsall have been busy in the transfer market after winning three of their final four games last term
• The Saddlers had the most Expected Points in League Two last season

Fresh start for Saddlers

On Christmas Day last year, Walsall sat six points clear at the top of League Two, while only two sides had picked up fewer points than Swindon. However, the pair’s fortunes flipped in the turn of the year, as Swindon earned the fourth-most points in the division since New Year’s Day, while Walsall blew automatic promotion with six wins from 24.

Given the contrast there, Swindon should be in line to continue their ascent with three points at Walsall on the opening day. However, the Saddlers were able to sort themselves out at the end of the campaign, winning on the final day before beating Wimbledon to make the playoff final.

Wembley heartbreak was another blow for Walsall, but they’ve made a flurry of signings to strengthen a side which had the best underlying metrics in League Two last term.

Ian Holloway’s work at Swindon has been fantastic so far, but he has more to prove. He’s back in the dugout for the first time since losing 10 of 19 games with Grimsby at this level in 2020/21, which followed a solid mid-season salvage job. That came after a break following two underwhelming campaigns with QPR.

Mat Sadler has his critics at Walsall, but their strong start points to his qualities as a coach. A new season offers him a fresh start, which makes the Saddlers appealing at odds against to pick up all three points.