Chris Marsh: My hopes are high for Kieron Morris at Walsall

Whether it's talking tactics opinions on management and the players or reliving the glory days of the past, Marsh will be pulling no punches in his column each week.

Well, Oldham was an entertaining afternoon.

Talk about a game of two halves. It wasn’t as if Walsall were that bad in the opening 45 minutes. But they made a very ordinary Oldham side look all right.

The second half was much better though and we have now seen the potential that exists in Jon Whitney’s new-look side.

For me, there were a lot of positives. I thought Joe Edwards worked his socks off in midfield. He did well at wing-back last year, but it’s in the middle of the park that I feel he is most effective.

Nicky Devlin also caught the eye on what was his home debut. It’s amazing to think he was playing part-time football last season. And I think he is going to get better and better as the season progresses.

Of course everyone knows how good Erhun Oztumer is – I’ve always been a big fan of his. I thought he linked up well with Amadou Bakayoko even before that late winner.

But I think Kieron Morris’s performance went somewhat under the radar. There is no doubt he can flatter to deceive. I really like him on the ball though and his first touch is top class.

When I talk to people in the game about Walsall, it is often Morris’s name that comes up.

He has got real potential. It’s just that final delivery and he needs to improve.

It was interesting on Saturday because I think a lot of the players and Jon was annoyed they were booed off at half-time. But I’ve got to say I thought the fans were exceptional, for me they booed at the right time.

I had times when I was on the end of some right stick from Walsall fans. The announcer would shout ‘number one – Jimmy Walker’ and there would be loads of cheers.

Then it would be ‘number two – Chris Marsh’ and I’d get every name under the sun. That’s pressure on top of pressure. But on Saturday the fans didn’t single out one player.

You can boo at half-time and you can boo at full-time. But unless you are 3-0 down and you can see players aren’t trying, I don’t think you should boo during the game.

I thought the fans were great on Saturday. They waited until the right time to give their views.

I have to admit I didn’t see that improvement coming in the second half but whatever Whitney said at break worked because afterwards they were excellent.

Doing it against an Oldham is one thing though. Now they have to prove they can go out and play against the better sides in the division because it’s Portsmouth and Bradford next and they have a lot more quality than John Sheridan’s Latics.