chris neal

[Heatwave]

Had an off night, we can all have a bad day at the office....Won many man of the match votes this season, in the running for player of the year, played all season behind a leaky tap of a defence.

He checks the forum this morning and finds he has his own thread.

 

Gotta love us Vale fans...

 

What he said.

 

The stand closure didn't help the atmosphere and that carried onto the pitch. A game we would have won a month ago but what can you do when we have a defence that can't deal with the ball in the air?

 

You can't blame Chris Neal for all that.

[Yukon]

I'm concerned about Grew's influence. Both Neal and Johnson can do the spectacular but then concede awful, easily preventable goals.

 

However with regards to Neal's performance last night, having Buffon, Casillas and Gordon Banks all playing stood in front of a bricked up goal, we'd still concede with our defence in front of them.

 

Grew's influence is only a concer when NEal has a bad game! Blaming it is knee jerk and misplaced

[panhead]

The only excuse for this nonsense is if last night was the only game you've attended this season- you're the delluded one, I'm sure there are more obvious things to whinge about from last night than our best 'keeper in years and one of the, for me, top three in League One

Missed 3 games all season marr mate.ill be there sat to. Season ticket bought n paid for next season. Open your eyes.

[TheSage]

Neal has done ok and even if he wasn't at his best last night he still saved two one-on-ones in the second half.

 

Quite a few keepers are good in this league and I don't think he's particularly among the best but he is decent.

 

The problem is a lightweight back four who are very poor in the air and too lightweight, full backs who allow crosses into the box far too easily, and a midfield that is wide open at times and lets opponents run to the edge of our box unchallenged.

Last night was one of those games where 7-8/11 players were below par and when that happens collectively you see the result.

[valiant_593]

Missed 3 games all season marr mate.ill be there sat to. Season ticket bought n paid for next season. Open your eyes.

 

he's won us so many points this season! It's you that needs open your eyes.

[Alkie]

The stand closure didn't help the atmosphere and that carried onto the pitch.

 

I'm thinking the opposite, the performance on the pitch didn't excite the supporters into creating an atmosphere. I could hear the handful of fans singing from the Hamil end, but they had something to shout about.

[Tosh]

Chris has been brilliant over a long period and will probably be in the top three players for this season, however last night was not his best game along with everyone else, the last two goals were collectively very poor and of a pub team standard.

[filbobaggins]

Shocking display last night. Goalkeepers should comand there 6 yd box. 2nd and 3rd goals both his fault.. Needs dropping....................... RANT OVER!!

 

'pan' head...i can think of more appropriate word to put before head.

 

WTF is this thread absolute disgrace. One of the few players who can play at a higher level and my player of the season.

I hope this thread was fuelled by ALOT of ale as if chris or another player sees this and reports back to him he will be another one doing an 'interview' and not having much reson to sign the next contract.

[mcfin]

Just perhaps, he has no confidence in the back 4? no calling or calling and not attempting to get there etc etc

[Seamus O'Wye]

While not wishing to drop Neal, I would be interested in knowing why he does not come off his line to collect/punch crosses. We all know that commanding the area helps the defenders out, especially when we also know that our defenders are not good enough to consistently win the ball in the air. Over the years we have had keepers who used to collect crosses when they first played for us, but 6 months later, they remain rooted to their line. Are they actually coached by Grew to let the centre halves deal with high balls into the box? If that is the case, surely it is completely the wrong approach and we need a different goalkeeping coach.

Too many times, staying on his line has resulted in the attacker winning the ball and the ball flying past Neal - our defenders don't win a big enough percentage of headers to make this policy effective.

Solution - sack Grew?

[Yukon]

Missed 3 games all season marr mate.ill be there sat to. Season ticket bought n paid for next season. Open your eyes.

 

You are going to the right ground? Definitely?

 

You're in a minority of one because of a silly knee jerk reaction thread based on nothing. Unlucky

[Regal Beagle]

His limitation is definitely that he doesn't want to come off his line. But he is a fantastic shot stopper and his distribution is great, I don't think we could sign a better keeper than Neal without a lot of luck.

 

Had this debate last night with my mate, who said his kicking was poor last night and should have saved the 2nd. I came away thinking he saved two one on ones and had no protection from his defence.

 

Either way, the defence is the critical area we need to sort and goalkeeper is probably the last we should look at.

[Jacko51]

The second goal came when Fredi stood and watched the bloke head in rather than challenge. I'm not sure who was supposed to be marking Wood for the third - it looked like Williamson and he didn't get off the ground either.

[panhead]

'pan' head...i can think of more appropriate word to put before head.

 

WTF is this thread absolute disgrace. One of the few players who can play at a higher level and my player of the season.

I hope this thread was fuelled by ALOT of ale as if chris or another player sees this and reports back to him he will be another one doing an 'interview' and not having much reson to sign the next contract.

 

Good!! They we might sign a keeper who can come off his line. Sober at the time of writing.

[BIRCHES HEAD WHITES]

cant believe this thread . neale may have had moments where he could have done better but being fair ,both headed goals were down to defensive lapses again ala swindon . our defence cannot and will not command the box under aerial threat and i am sick of watching the same old same old. only in the brief period of having innis at the club did we look capable in the air and he made robertson look almost professional at times. even under adams we conceded goal after goal from crosses , corners and free kicks an all to common theme . two new centre halves required for next season along with a left back .