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"We make another long journey north this evening to face Carlisle United. Looking back at Saturday's game at Hartlepool, it was very disappointing to see us gift them two goals. However, full credit to the players for bouncing back and showing tremendous strength of character. That's what I am looking for and it meant that we finished strongly to deservedly take something out of the game.
"Our goals have come from decent crosses in recent weeks and if we can get the ball to the wingers, they can create opportunities. We've been working hard on the training ground to get the players understanding of playing with each other and knowing what their strengths are. It takes time, but we'll continue working hard and plugging away.
"Tonight we take on a Carlisle side who have won seven games at home this season and as such they will present us with a tough test. We will go there with our preparation right and determined to bring home a positive result. Carlisle is another long away trip but one we can look forward to after we took a good point at Hartlepool. It is always nice to pick up points on your travels.
"The three games that he (Sam Williams) has been here, he's contributed and he's scored, and he does liven things up a little bit, so it's nice to have that variation of players to change things round. It's good for him to get the experience of a club like ours.
"I think he's enjoying being part of the first team and getting on the field. We're just taking it game by game and he's got a few more games to go yet, so if he keeps developing and progressing as he is (a loan extension) is something we might look into.
"Michael (Ricketts) could be involved. He has trained extremely hard and wanted to train with us last Friday but I told him he had to work with the physio. He did that and worked hard but I have said to him I don't want him breaking down because it is important to us that our senior players are fit."
As already alluded to, Saddlers first choice goalkeeper Clayton Ince is, along with former Carlisle loanee Chris Birchall, away on international duty in El Salvador with the Trinidad and Tobago international team. That meaning that Rene Gilmartin moves up off the bench while youth team stopper James Belshaw is then likely to take Gilmartin's place.
Central defender Stephen Roberts is still out with a back injury but Michael Ricketts could play some part in the game as he makes his comeback from a recent hamstring problem. Midfielder Mark Bradley will definitely be available though, Bradley back with the Saddlers squad after this week's Welsh under-21 fixture in Northern Ireland was postponed due to the wintry weather conditions at present.
Two players rated as 50-50 for the game though are fellow midfielders Richard Taundry and Dwayne Mattis, Taundry having recently suffered from a dead leg while Mattis has got a slight thigh strain.
The referee for tonight's match is Craig Pawson from Sheffield, and he will be assisted down the lines by Paul Marsden from Leyland near Preston and Lee Metcalfe from Preston itself. Meanwhile the fourth official is David Unsworth (not the former Everton player) from Bolton.