Weekend reaction: fans mostly positive after win over Man Utd XI
Here’s what the OVF audience felt about the weekend’s double header of friendly matches against a Man Utd XI and Sheff Wed.
Port Vale 4-2 Man Utd XI
This was definitely a game that split opinions. For some users, the result overshadowed or even reinforced fears about the new season:
“My verdict is I think next season will be a struggle on that evidence. The 4 goals masks the fact that we actually created very little and, by the same token, conceded two really poor goals and allowed a really inexperienced United side a couple of chances second half that a League One side would take.”
Biddulph_PV
“They were playing against Man U’s Z team for heavens sake. Jury’s still out.”
Torquay Valiant
However, overall there was a positive reaction to the 4-2 win over a Man Utd XI with users commenting:
“I seriously question how anybody can take any negatives from yesterday. We looked organised, solid in defence for the most part, and a threat going forward.”
Jinking John Jeffers
“De Frietas will be a player for us. A top player… We look very good in the middle of the park.”
Beechy
“Thought the team played well today. The new guy/trialist Loza played well when he came on, gave us the width we have been asking for. Foley’s goal was well taken and it was good to see Cicilia on the score sheet, hopefully he will get more for us now. After seeing the way we played today although it was against kids, I’m more optimistic about the coming season.”
Magicman
“It was so refreshing to see such good football being played from the team, especially in comparison to the draconian stuff of last season. Grant is something else, and I just hope we can keep hold of him for a while yet. De Freitas and Foley were outstanding, as was Loza when he came on, changed the game completely by giving us width and positivity going forward.”
valiantsireno
“We scored 4 and there’s at least another 3-4 decent chances we had. If we create those chances every week then we will certainly be at the right end of the table.”
Regal Beagle
Sheff Wed 3-0 Port Vale
The method of defending dominated post-match discussion with a debate on Vale’s use of zonal marking:
“The defending was awful.”
valiantsireno
“That first comes from zonal marking and having a player at the back post (Lloyd) who isn’t a good header of the ball vs one of their centre-halves who also had a run on him.”
PV1973
“Very true, my view is we need a player on each post and man mark at least 2/3 of their danger men.”
elav trop 1876
“Has anything good ever come from zonal marking?”
Regal Beagle
“I’m not a fan of zonal marking either. It allows other lads to get a run on goal while you’re static. But that goal today was dreadful. How on earth can we leave one of their best headers of a ball free like that. I think the two closest to him were Lloyd and Amoros, neither of whom wanted to know.”
TheSage
“Teams will be able to exploit zonal if they know where the weakest headers of the ball are.”
PV1973
“The worry is with this zonal marking as someone else said it will exploit a weak header of the ball and in Hanson on Saturday you have one of if not the best header of a ball in this League.”
werstayingup
You can still join the debate via the two dedicated Matchday discussion threads in the forum: