Port Vale 2 Bradford 2 - Post Match Comments

[Paul6754]

This forum does make me laugh at times and this is in no way, having a go at any poster, particular as we look shocking with one up front. But out of all the posters now moaning about Page's formations, how many of you were moaning about the fact 4-4-2 left us too open at Home under Adams.

 

Fans on OVF used to cry out for 4-5-1 when teams used to come to vale Park and play 5 in the middle and over run us in midfield when Vale played 4-4-2.

 

Just get the vibe that the late goal today was important for Vale in the context of present team spirit/confidence and even the whole season.

[Aussie Rules]

Wow...wish they wouldn't keep leaving it this late! :D

 

Well done lads. One point is better than none!

 

 

Yes fy cariad, the nerves did jangle a tad, but with the equaliser there was need to open a bottle of Chianti :)

[MattW]

The referee today was very poor indeed! Both sets of fans were unhappy with his decisions.

 

Watching the goals again, I'd say Hanson fouled Neal for the second Bradford goal and the penalty, which was clear, should have been given an advantage as Laur had the ball with only a couple of Bradford players between him and the ball. The ref should have played on and let him see what happened and if he misses then award the pen.

 

Campion needs a start now, but I don't think Bristol City is the place for it, as he'll get little opportunities.

 

Jekyll and Hyde side, some weeks great other boring and devoid of ideas. Better players needed in key positions.

 

Needed;

Better full backs/centre backs.

Defensive midfield shield.

 

Big turn around of personnel needed in summer

[old sage]

I think people are being too negative at the moment, a shock win at Bristol City next Tuesday and it will turn the season around...it just takes the lads to pull together and take the game to Bristol....

That's a lovely dream but I fear that Tuesday will be yet another nightmare for us I'm afraid

[old sage]

I agree, on today's evidence it could be a 3 or 4 nil job, maybe worse. We have absolutely no chance of keeping a clean sheet there. So I would rest Pope and put Campion up front in 4-5-1 with Marshall and either Lloyd or Moore on the flanks. Get Yates back in for Duffy, and McGiven for Dickinson.

 

Oh look, there's a flying pig.

Brilliant drop Pope who was marked by 3 defenders most of the time and who still managed to play the killer pass for Birchall to get the penalty.

My option play both Pope & Campion and give Bristol something to think about.

[Aussie Rules]

That's a lovely dream but I fear that Tuesday will be yet another nightmare for us I'm afraid

 

C'mon ah kid, think positive :D

[old sage]

4-2-3-1does not have to be a negative formation. It doesn't really matter what formation you play when the players have no clue what to do with the ball.

Good players make for good formations. Rudgey often used to use the single frontman but did he really not in my opinion we had good widemen who when on the front foot gave us a front three.

[Guest]

Woke up late so didnt go .

A 2-2 draw with Bradford who beat Chelsea the other week so there confidence would have been.sky high well its a great result.

Campion.first goal aswell well done that lad.

Seems like i wasnt the only one who decided not go why aint Vale using there database of customers to offer deals for families.

For example a family ticket two adults two kids any age up to 18.35 quid.

If i went yesterday it would have cost 42 quid for me lad and nephew ,at.present i aint.prepared pay that as whats on.offer is not worth it at present .

[phizz]

Brilliant drop Pope who was marked by 3 defenders most of the time and who still managed to play the killer pass for Birchall to get the penalty.

My option play both Pope & Campion and give Bristol something to think about.

 

I think you'll find that's the point, he's been battered and is just back from surgery, he's not match fit and it's the obvious time to have a short rest.We need him to stay fit for the rest of the season. I would give him half an hour if needed.

[Tosh]

The first half was mind numbingly boring, the team played like a group of strangers who had no idea what to do.

 

The second half was better the change made a difference and we were much more positive until they got the second when we went flat again until late on when we got out of jail to earn a point.

 

The motm award was a bit of a dig at him not starting I suspect and think it was really between Neale who kept us in it with a couple of good stops or O'Connor who played well IMO. Overall though it was very poor and we now have two very difficult away games where we must improve!

[hamilboy]

Good players make for good formations. Rudgey often used to use the single frontman but did he really not in my opinion we had good widemen who when on the front foot gave us a front three.

 

When rudge played one up front he had a andy jones or a foyle who made space and runs for others they were not a static striker like we played with yesterday.

[Biddulph_PV]

Brilliant drop Pope who was marked by 3 defenders most of the time and who still managed to play the killer pass for Birchall to get the penalty.

My option play both Pope & Campion and give Bristol something to think about.

 

I didn't say drop Pope, I said rest him. It might sound defeatist, but we will not get anything from Bristol and I suspect it might be asking a bit much to play 2 games in a week so soon after coming back from injury.

[TheSage]

He played Tony Naylor a lot of the time on his own but he had pace and was tricky, could run the channels and chase balls over the top.

 

One of the problems we had yesterday was a lack of pace up front. Pope and Campion don't have electric pace and don't run the channels as BW was doing. He might be very inexperienced but the lad from Hull was perhaps worth throwing on earlier if he's quick. That was also a problem Dicko had, as when he looked up to pass the ball no-one was running into space for him. Loft did this a lot last year but when BW doesn't play we look very static. Only Marshall has the energy and pace to do these things. O'Sullivan might be able to help us out as well, but Page was still concerned about conceding another and kept the static Brown on the pitch when he understandably looked very tired towards the end.

 

Bristol City, in many ways, is a bonus game. And though I'm worried about the height in their team stranger things have happened in football!

[PortVale89]

We expect some standard of football and some evidence that the staff have some sort of idea what they are doing.

 

Thes staff have been involved in football and at an international level too. i bet they have a better idea than me or you.

 

****ing Glover doesn't. Glover knows **** all about anything and wants ****ing off the ********.

[Bert Llewellyn]

There were so many things wrong with how we were set up yesterday. The original formation of playing with a loan striker depends on having a midfielder who can get up to support and run past the striker. Lines simply didn't bother to do this. He has been chosen to do this role before and has never delivered. The only player at the club who can do this throughout a match is Dodds. We did it once yesterday, and that was when we got the penalty where Birchall made a run from midfield to get on the end of Pope's wonderful pass. I thought our loan signing O'Sullivan was this type of player? Ideal opportunity to find out in my opinion.

 

I drove over with a friend who is a Bradford fan and we said that if Bradford crossed balls in the air our defence would struggle. There is no way our central defenders would cope with their front two in the air. So the only solution to that was to try to stifle the supply of crosses. Dickinson is always a worry in this case and dropping Yates was a mistake. He isn't a that good a player but he is our only creditable full back. God knows why we haven't strengthened our defence.

 

Overall, far to cautious and lack of belief in our own abilities against a side who are no great shakes in the league at the moment. Just my opinions as ever but I could write a book on what went was wrong yesterday - I'll spare you all that at least!