Port Vale 1 - Walsall 1 Post Match Comments

[Supervalefan1]

My opinion of today's game was i thought Mcgivern had a good game and dicko played well and put 100% into the game. and pleased with tom pope first goal of the season but he seemed to knock off in the second half. i was really impressed with Marshall i thought he put 100% especially by chasing everybody with the ball and his crosses are great.. i still wouldn't of played dodds today how many more chances does dodds want?.. i also think he should be taken off earlier in the second half as well. also pope got tackled and pushed in the back quite a lot a lot but the ref did nothing about it but when it was the walsall players who got fouled or fall all over the place and he decides to blow the whistle.

[Inny]

What the hell happened at half time?

 

Still think that Neal should have started and that Dodds has been given one chance too many.

 

I genuinely thought/ think that we've signed some quality players and won't panic just yet but perhaps Micky's one trick pony is just a little too predictable for most opposition managers.

 

I thought first half Dodds had a good game. He provided more creativity and accurate passing than Lines and O'Conner put together. The second half the whole of the midfield were all over the place and being over-run.

[issachhunt]

they are probably one of the poorer sides this season and they probably deserved to win a long season ahead i think

[Caroline Oakes]

What the hell happened at half time?

 

Still think that Neal should have started and that Dodds has been given one chance too many.

 

I genuinely thought/ think that we've signed some quality players and won't panic just yet but perhaps Micky's one trick pony is just a little too predictable for most opposition managers.

 

 

You are on the sofa!!! The team were no better when Dodds went off. If only MA would play Dodds through the middle. Wrong formation for the personnel we have IMO. Agree, regarding Neal, was Johnson being watched??

[andy jones]

Same old same old saw us finish 9th last season.

 

Paid £15 to watch Burton did you? Quite good value for League 2.

 

Since when has ball retention decided football matches? We created more goal chances that's what I care about. An entertaining game finished in a draw, which was a fair result.

 

Lots more positives than negatives.Donny away will be a big test as I expect them to win the league.

[fraggle]

Marshall on today's performance is a country mile better than Jeno MW! Marshall always looked to round his man and get the ball in the box, 1st assist of the season as well!

 

Interesting that Jeno was taken off after 60 or so mins, their fans commenting all he does is cut inside... Well done Micky great bit of business brining Marshall in!

[blackdog]

Same old same old saw us finish 9th last season.

 

Paid £15 to watch Burton did you? Quite good value for League 2.

 

Since when has ball retention decided football matches? We created more goal chances that's what I care about. An entertaining game finished in a draw, which was a fair result.

 

Lots more positives than negatives.Donny away will be a big test as I expect them to win the league.

 

You have addressed some of the points I made so I guess you were satisfied with the second half performance, you say goal chances are more important can you tell me how many chances we created for the last 60 minutes of the game ?

[carpetman123]

Looked better when brown and Jennings came on last 6-7 minutes should have been earlier really they passed us to death 2nd half, it was crying out for a striker sub so the sooner we get one in the better...think we need two really!!

 

McGiven was my MOM didn't put a foot wrong and Big Sam is getting better each time he plays good stop from a shot in the first half and managed to flap a few dangerous crosses away 2nd half

 

Marshall looks a better player than jenno much more pace about him but they tightened up on him more 2nd half

 

All in all good point against a very good passing side but need to do more keeping the ball ourselves instead of needless punts upfield giving it away

[CambridgeDon]

Just back after a long drive with plenty of time to think about a disappointing performance, particularly the second half. What concerned me most was our complete inability to keep the ball and develop any sort of passing game. Lofting the ball forwards is a tactic that simply won't work at this level and against better sides we are going to get seriously found out. Walsall came to play their game and Romaine Sawyers was given the freedom of the park with predictable results. As some one behind me said, it's a good job they couldn't finish or we'd have been toast.

 

I thought Micky got the formation and team selection wrong from the start and Dodds, who I've often stood up for on this site, had an appalling game. On that performance, he will be lucky even to find himself on the subs bench. It was only near the end when Brown came on that we seemed to have anyone who could get a grip on the game.

 

Still, early days, a point on the board, and time to put things right. And we need to, 'cos next up in the league is Donny who won 0-3 away at Yeovil. Plenty to do, Micky.

[andy jones]

Black dog I was disappointed with second half. Thought we had a deserved lead at BY and their Manager was probably relieved to be only one down.

 

 

Thought Mickys subs were designed to shore up and get a point rather than try to win it.

 

But in all honesty it was OK. Both Dodds and Pope just failed to add to the lead in the first half. Thought we should have had a pen for hand ball from the free kick in the second half. And O'connors failure to work the keeper from that central free kick was disappointing.

 

I do think there has been the usual over-reaction on here.

[Caroline Oakes]

Dave, usual over reaction or just simply fans differing opinions?

[andy jones]

I was talking more about those saying it's by doing to be a season of struggle - after one game I see that as an over reaction TBH

[Samwelo]

Pages of tripe to slog through here. For me we played the wrong formation and he wrong man in Dodds over Birchall. Dodds can't hold his position on the wing, he's number 10 role or nothing for me. I think what we saw today was a rehash of last season in that we were lob sided, one winger who got marked out of the game after a successful first half. If Byron Moore was available to play we'd be more balanced in the wide areas giving the "playmakers" in O'Connor and Lines more space to do their thing. The second half wasn't pretty but McGivern Duffy and Dicko held up pretty strong as did Johnson. Add Moore and a 10+ goal a season striker and we are dangerous, especially if we go 451/433 with Jennings or Brown holding the midfield. Oh and I'd put Yates back in!

[andy jones]

good summing up that.

[For Us All]

Marshall on today's performance is a country mile better than Jeno MW! Marshall always looked to round his man and get the ball in the box, 1st assist of the season as well!

 

Interesting that Jeno was taken off after 60 or so mins, their fans commenting all he does is cut inside... Well done Micky great bit of business brining Marshall in!

 

Marshall played well for 45 minutes and deserves a lot of credit but it is too early to compare him with Jeno.