Five points from Chesterfield’s opening four league matches isn’t a true reflection of the National League Champion’s start to this season. The Spireites have won the xG battle in each fixture so far, 1.65 v 0.22 against Swindon, 1.98 v 1.06 against Crewe, 0.93 v 0.16 against Salford and 2.32 v 1.38 against table topping Gillingham.

Despite these numbers, Chesterfield are actually over performing their xG for the season. However, that can be put down to the five goals scored at Crewe on matchday two. If we take that match out of the equation then the Spireites have scored just two goals from an xG of 4.91.

With 59, Chesterfield have taken the most shots in the league. They have the most touches in the penalty area by a considerable margin, 96. Doncaster are second best with 85. They’ve also attempted the most dribbles and the second most crosses. All this whilst ranking third for possession and second for xGA.

The data all points towards an improvement in results and that means an improvement in goals, So, where do we look for the main threat? James Berry-McNally has three for the season already, Armando Dobra, two. And Will Grigg, one. The one member of the forward line yet to get off the mark is Blackburn loanee, Dilan Markanday.

But, it’s coming. Markanday has had eight shots, two of which on target from 223 minutes of gametime for a total xG of 0.72. This is a good matchup for him. He’s a great 1v1 dribbler and can get the better of his direct opponent, Denver Hume. I’m expecting a rinse and repeat of Markanday taking the game to Hume, coming inside from the right flank and getting shot after shot off. He can open his account for the season on Saturday.

The international break provides an opportunity to throw a dart at a Walsall defender against MK Dons. With left wing-back, Liam Gordon away representing Grenada it is expected that Irish youngster Evan Weir will step into the first XI.

It’s possible that Weir could play at left centre-back with Taylor Allen shifting to wing-back. Both players are adept at both roles. It doesn’t matter greatly. Weir is a value bet regardless.

You have to look beyond Weir’s Walsall numbers to understand his threat. He has only played 269 minutes of Saddlers minutes. But if you look at the numbers from the League of Ireland, where Weir performed his trade before signing for Walsall you see a player that scored four goals in 2020 from 1,018 minutes. Another four in 2022, from 2,045 minutes. A solo goal in 2023 before, yet another four goals in 2024, from 1,641 minutes. Weir is only 22 years old and he already has 13 career goals to his name – from just 118 appearances, a goal every nine matches.

So what makes Evan Weir so threatening? Answer, he scores goals in a multitude of ways. Weir is a threat in the air from corners, when playing wing-back he has a tendency to join in attacks and make his way into the penalty area but most interestingly, he has a deadly left footed shot from direct free kicks. A look at his Walsall minutes to date show that he’s manged to get himself on free kicks when he’s on the pitch.