It’s only October some of our more optimistic fans saying and in a sense they are correct, it is still early days but Shrewsbury’s problems are plain for all to see.

We have failed to score a goal in our last three league games, have lost 3 of our last four competitive games, two of those being at home and we currently sit 2 points of the relegation zone going into the biggest derby of our campaign. Hardly encouraging is it?

In my last few posts I have pointed out Shrewsbury’s need for a striker constantly and it really is the hot topic at the club at the moment, it appears as though everyone other than Graham Turner has a solution to the problem.

As a general rule, if you're not going to score then you need to make sure the opposition aren't going to either. Shrewsbury centre back Darren Jones came out last week and admitted that the defence are currently giving away sloppy goals and this is causing us to not get the results we need and as a fan I couldn't agree more. Moments of hesitation or lapses in concentration at the back have been at fault for a number of goals this campaign and with the strikers really not doing their jobs we need the defence to be doing there’s.

Sunday’s game against Walsall is the Saddlers first visit to the Greenhous Meadow and its sure to be a fiery encounter. Despite their fantastic start Walsall have not registered a win in their last four competitive outings and will be desperate to get themselves back to the winning ways. The game is being broadcast on Sky and this will no doubt spur on players for both teams as they will be eager to impress in front of the cameras.

Turner has fared well in local derbies since he took over two years ago but this will be a different game than the ones we were used too in League Two. We are coming into this on the back of two consecutive home defeats and morale is going to be low.

It’s going to be a very difficult game and as current form would suggest we should be happy with a point but as a fan against a local rival I want nothing more than a win. Will this be the case? We'll have to wait and see.

You can follow me on Twitter @LiamHoofe

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