Port Vale 0-1 Notts Co reaction: despite Brown’s denial, it’s one upfront and it doesn’t work
A round-up of comments following Port Vale’s poor home defeat to Notts County on Saturday…
Players and management
“We were sucker punched, against the run of play, it was there for all to see. We are disappointed to give the goal away like we did and obviously it hurts you, we have to score. We had a lot of play and it wasn’t to be again.”
Michael Brown
“Victories like this mean a lot when you’ve had to really work for it, as you could see by the reaction from the lads at the end of the game.”
Notts County goalscorer Lewis Alessandro
Views from the OVF forum
“I am still loathe to say it as only five games have gone but if the players that have been brought in are that bad he needs to go or if they are being organised that badly he needs to go. The formation was odd and was compounded by players being played out of position.”
jassmart
“It’s like Groundhog Day every game since January when he took over. No attacking flair, no game plan other than lump it up field, no visible system or rhythm to the play…”
MattHoll
“Wonder what game he watched? Coming up with ‘we played 4-3-3’. However, the players could not get up and help Pope, so it was Pope up front only. He needs to play two up front and take the risk…”
PVFC764
“The effort was there but too slow all over the pitch and this long ball mainly rubbish to Pope is certainly not working. It’s easy if you are scouting the Vale you would just put your best header of the ball on Popey. Brown, well if you thought that was a good performance and that’s the maximum you can get out the group then you are so deluded…”
Vale fan in Alsager
“What I find baffling is the fact that just about every supporter says the same, and what’s more has been saying so since Michael Brown took over. OK, so he inherited a poor squad, but he still played one up top in the second half of last season. Result, few goals and relegation…”
Alkie
“When you start the game with four centre-backs and three defenders on the bench you know it’s not going to be a good day…”
valesince83
“In our last 12 league games we have failed to score in nine of them. Brown won’t solve this problem by playing Tom Pope on his own up front with no one within 30 yards of him. Tom won’t outrun the defence so you can’t play the ball in behind. There is no point hoofing the ball in the air to Pope if no one is near him to pick up the knock downs. It’s absolute madness to keep doing the same thing game after game and expecting a different outcome…”
Jacko51
“On paper we should have a good team with a chance of a play off place. In reality we are anything but. Have to say it that it seems to be tactics and the inability to have a plan B during the game that costs us…”
SheffieldClayHead
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