Hitcher

I was reflecting on last season and how in our run in we basically stayed up as Bristol rovers were on the beach. Anyway here is my view of the motivations of teams in our fixtures across the run in: - Oxford (H) - Play off chasers on a bad run - Burton (A) - Relegation 6 pointer - Bristol Rovers (H) - Mid table nothingness, but too soon to be on holiday - Northampton (A) -See above - Wigan (A) - See above - Peterborough (A) - Outside chance of automatics - Exeter (H) - On the beach or relegation 6 pointer - Wycombe (H) - On the beach - Bolton (A) - Automatics / Champions - Cambridge (H) - relegation 6 pointer Apart from the Bolton game I think our last 4 fixtures are pretty great. If we can get a few wins in the next few games it puts us in touch (potentially)

The inevitable dire performance just drags you down and hollows you out. I really didn't realise how much it effects me. Our whole season is basically us doing this to ourselves: https://youtu.be/g2c_-9kIjyU?si=oIcUNNSwHP4GSuym Haven't been on OVF for a view weeks for a similar reason as I just get angry/sad/depressed about it all. I can understand why you will watch later though having already paid. It's kind of like being made to watch a horror film and not liking horrors.

A final thing but people are worried about Kate Middleton going missing, when really they should be more worried about Dan Gore. Where is he? What's going on?

Gonna try something new tonight which is not caring and watching champions league in the pub with friends, instead of vale on ifollow. Hopefully this tricks the universe into a decent performance. The only thing that can jolt us out of this drudgery is superstition. If I did care enough to pick a team - I'd like to see us go back to a combative 4-3-3. Hopefully Mitch Clarke can play a bit of the game. From what I remember about orient when they played us at home they absolutely bossed the midfield and we're everything we wanted our team to be. Therefore we need to pack the midfield and get in their faces.

Not sure whether it's been said but Matty Taylor at Cheltenham has apparently done his hamstring and could be out for a while. Appreciate we need to catch teams like Shrewsbury and win games, but not a bad thing that Cheltenham are back to were they were striker wise.

This has been lingering at the back of my mind: Can you remember in the flitcroft interview there was a bit about how bringing in a manager sooner wouldn't have helped with transfers as they are all planned by recruitment team? 2 entire transfer windows under DC we only signed a striker at the last minute (Harrison and Taylor), and both probably as DC could see the car crash happening and pulled out his contact book. We don't learn and are going down. What would have happened in january if we had an experienced manager in earlier? You can guarantee we would have more than we have.

I guess we have set such a low bar in recent weeks I was just glad for a slight uptick in performance. I thought the first half was relatively equal, but we fell apart in the second half. Reading basically had much better wingers which is where most of their threat came from.

Having listened to the DM post match interview it gives me a bit of hope. They had 1 day and 2 classroom sessions to prep that performance. Think we looked more assured on the ball. Also thought it was interesting in a DM pre matcher that he said trying new formations can suddenly breath life into different players. Not everything came off for Weir but it was the best I have seen him recently. Would also say the same for Mighten and Loft. Chislett can still be frustrating. My only concern with 4 at the back is that we are even less will stocked at RB & LB. As others said the game turned when Jones came off. Anyway a few green shoots. The three up top gives us more options for subs. Hopefully when Gore is fit he has an impact.

I do agree on the Clark Messiah point but personally felt he was putting in committed performances before his injury. Mad thinking that he is our only natural wing back in the squad. Think it gives us atleast a bit more balance on one side of the pitch. Grant --> converted CM Sang --> converted CM Massey --> converted right wing / right forward Plant --> converted right wing / right forward

I thought we started that relatively well and carved out the better chances. As soon as we scored though we seemed to be in a never ending pattern of defending freekicks from out wide. Say what you like about Cheltenham but they were committed and had a game plan (even if it is lump enough into the box and eventually the ball will drop kindly). My big worry is that we didn't seem to have the football intelligence to stop it happening. It was obvious the ref was gonna keep letting them have those freekicks. We are badly in need of a bit of grit. Looking forward for garrity and clark to return.

So just to confirm: - Moore - Everyone would be thrilled but question for me is whether he could succeed on a smaller budget / the mess we are in. Apart from Huddersfield all his teams have been expected to do well. - Bonner - Track record of staying up. Also a bit more experience with that promotion. Sense it just went stale for him at Cambridge - from forum comments think he would be well received on the whole - Kennedy - I think we're being a bit dismissive. On the plus side can build a solid team but not much more experience than Crosby Are there any other main contenders? Keep seeing Gary Bower, Derek Adams mentioned too.

I think there is also a narrative in that he got them defensively solid, signed some better strikers but they all got injured. So didn't have much luck trying to evolve the style of play.

How did he go from that record at Macc to Lincoln in Lg1. Was he a coach at Lincoln and they took a punt on him?

Are we in danger of becoming a bit of a echo chamber and then getting sad/angry if something does or doesn't happen? I guess that is the internet.... Anyway a few people have mentioned it but I'm on the side of wanting an experienced manager. I think the situation we are in we need a trusted hand.

We are going to have to out Stevenage Westly era Stevenage to get anything from this.

Maybe a premier league club will send us a young up and coming coach on loan that we can use as manager and in the process prove we are a welcoming environment for the next time in February we sack our manager.

The fashionable choices would be Duff, Wild, Eustace etc. I do also like the idea of Paul Cook but why would he leave a likely promotion and league 2 play off charge next season. Matt Sadler from Walsall would be funny for the lols. Williamson at MK Dons would be good from a style of play perspective, but only hired in October. Simon Weaver at Harrogate is just slowly and consistently overachieving. Chris Hughton would be a wildcard appointment. Just sacked by Ghana. Might fancy a route back into UK football.

It's kinda typical that we have a double whammy of being outside of the transfer window and also the pool of really obvious out of work managers seems a bit sparse.

Just cracked open another beer and feeling reflective. It's so easy to get sucked into the doom and gloom. Most things are gradually inching forward at the vale. It takes time as we don't have mad money to through at it. Anyway if we stay up I think we'll be in even better shape for next season. We're seemingly getting money for transfers now, in amongst the loans have brought in some good players (Chislett, Deborah etc). The youth players will be a year older and more experienced. I do think Crosby has been dealt a bad hand. We can't rewind the transfer window so all we can do is get behind the team, stop moaning, strap in and try our best to enjoy the ride.

This is class. Kinda shows a good trajectory in that more right than wrong.

It does seem mad that we haven't even got another body in as a striker. Wasn't expecting miracles but atleast another option. On the plus side: - Hoping we have upgraded in defence. Hardman Barnsley lad might be better than Balmer - Weir and Gore are possibly better than we expected as blaster and devine replacements - I'm excited about Mighten. We've missed a pacey strong ball carrier. Something different for the squad. My only hope is that it's not to much of a square peg round hole signing - like politic

It feels high risk for us to be waiting for clubs to sign strikers, so our preferred loans become available. I agree it could land us better players but personally I don't think we have the luxury of messing about with it. Get another striker in, and then hold out for that premier league academy dream player.

Has there been any news about Uches injury? An alternative take it might not be a bad thing if short term, as could put extra emphasis on doing a bit extra than planned in the transfer window.

I was on my way to start a relegation thread so glad there already is one. In terms of the next 5 fixtures I am only writing off Peterborough. My predictions Fleetwood A - Draw - Our midfield still hasn't gelled Leyton Orient H - Draw - Just don't think we'll have it together by then . Stevenage H - Win - finally some revenge Peterborough A - Lose of course Cheltenham A - Lose - Just think DC will have the measure of us Having said all that I think anything under 7 points from that run is bad news for us. One of the only upsides from the Portsmouth game and our league position is that it might force our hand a bit and temper the overconfidence with some realism.

Amazing but how do you know this?