Port Vale 1 Gillingham 1, post match comments

[jjvale_03]

One goal conceded in three matches and that was a howler by the sounds of it.

 

Huge improvement on previous seasons.

[valiant_593]

My point was assessment of his three games than just today. Never looks confident for me.

 

Fair enough, Ive only been the home games so can only comment on them, personally think hes looked very assured other than the mistake today.

[ethan and archies dad]

Kelly put the excellent ball in that resulted in the goal v Burnley.

 

He wasn't great but no one helped him either. He was defending against 3 men with Dicko, Gillingham were running the midfield at that point.

I think gillingham were running the midfield only after he came on, not before.m

[Vital Spark]

Name one time in the game today in which Alnwick miss kicked a ball. I thought other than the shocking mistake he was excellent. He commanded his area really well and his distribution was also brill.

 

Totally agree. He's looked very solid in the two home games I've seen, far better than Johnson. You could even say he'd have got away with the back pass most of the time, as it looked debatable whether it was intentional from where I was sitting.

 

Very happy with Jak.

[cpade]

Can see these threads becoming repetitive unless we sign a striker that we actually play. Again, not being negative, we have the makings of a very good side and I'm impressed with the type of players we've bought in but we're missing a very key part of the jigsaw. I really hope we either throw Hooper in or big Norman and Page can sort something out ASAP, it'd be a real shame if we don't sort this considering everything else is looking good. Thought Uche was poor today and as much as I think Daniel gives it a bash he isn't good enough to lead the attack. As things stand its gonna be frustrating.

 

Also, what the **** was Alnwick doing? He's had boss all to do for 3 games but still manages to look shaky and couldn't kick a cat. You don't realise how good Neal is until he's missing.

 

Rubbish , Alnwick looks very strong, just a mistake today , nothing more - think his distribution, particularly when throwing better than we've had in a long time

[Jinkin John Jeffers]

Rubbish , Alnwick looks very strong, just a mistake today , nothing more - think his distribution, particularly when throwing better than we've had in a long time

 

Completely agree. He also looks like he is working hard on his kicking. Silly mistake today but overall his game is solid.

[cpade]

Very up and down game. Vale started ok and should have been one up after 2 minutes with Ryan getting a free header.

 

We did create today we just lost our composure in front of goal or we decided to pass rather than shooting.

 

Sam Kelly did have a poor half but other than today he has been good so its too early to judge what he will be like. I also thought folly had a poor game. Too slow with the pass and too many passes sideways.

 

Bryon looked threatening. Just wished he would be a little more direct around their penalty area rather than stopping and losing the momentum.

 

Dodds had a better game today and tgr girl was first class.

 

Nice steady start for us.

 

Kelly wasn't good at Crewe & had cameo against burnley

[Biddulph_PV]

I feared this would be a frustrating game and these were confirmed within about 30 secs when Innis ought to have buried a free header. However, some of the football we played again was outstanding and do I think the 6-1 card count just about says it all in terms of the two teams respective approaches to the game.

 

That said, they are not the worst side we'll face and I think last season we would have lost that game. The test of how far we've come would be if we achieve the impossible and get something at Swindle!

 

There were a couple of disappointments for me. Kelly, well........I'm not really sure what to say as he was basically anonymous. I really hope he is not the new Kaid Mohammad. Daniel, also completely ineffective. Uche was frustrating and does, I think, need someone alongside him at home. Dicko's distribution shows no sign of improving. Also, and perhaps THE most frustrating, are our attacking set-plays. Do we ever practice these in training?

 

However, Byron Moore had another great game and Andoh was frightening the life out of them. It was noticeable how much further forward their no.2 went after he went off and I feel sure had Andoh stayed on, he would have got himself sent off. Goalie (despite some stupid comments on here) and defence looked strong and what an I say about Grant, easily MoM. Dodds was, well, typical Dodds really. Plays 5 mins of football fit for the Prem, then disappears for the next 20.

 

I am however enjoying watching the Vale again as the football being served up is a vast improvement on last year, even the games we won. And anyone who still thinks we were wrong to let Williamson go is surely in a minority of one now after the type of completely anonymous performance we know he is capable of.

[TylerB]

If Andoh is out for a bit then I feel we should give Leitch-Smith a go up front alongside Ikpeazu when at Vale Park. The latter is barely getting a look in on goal when he's wrestling with what is normally two big oaf center-halves every game. Play Foley just ahead of Grant in the middle until O'Connor is back with Moore and Dodds the other two.

 

Neal, Innis, Streete, Duffy (in the sort of form he's in), Grant, Foley and O'Connor is a terrific spine. The strongest we've had in Donkeys years. If the likes of Leitch-Smith and Hooper can just average a goal every three games then if the defence stays as solid as it's been so far this season Vale should be up there around the play-offs.

[24November92]

First match of the season for me. Bar a stupid error by the goalie the game was ours. Still rather have Alnwick than Johnson any day. Defence looks sound. Duffy a different player from last year. Inniss a man mountain Purkiss a solid player whilst even Dicko looked defensively secure. Grant phenomenal until he tired near the end. Foley looks a tidy player. Andoh is exciting player I hope the injury is not too bad. Uche big disappointment making me realise how we miss Pope upfront. The less said about Kelly the better. On that showing simply inept. Overall an enjoyable experience. However our nemesis Swindon next. Can we get anything out of that game. Need a forward who can score methinks.

[valiant_593]

Fair enough, I don't agree. If he continues in goal I think our players will have to start coming in the stand to get on the end of his kicking. He also holds onto the ball way too long most of the time. This was a minor point anyway and I'd still prefer him in goal to Johnson but it just makes you realise how good Neal is. We'd all be raving now!

 

He certainly dosent hold onto it too long. Ive never seen a vale keeper throw the ball out so soon after claiming it. His kicking really isnt bad either, not bad at all

[Regal Beagle]

Fair enough, I don't agree. If he continues in goal I think our players will have to start coming in the stand to get on the end of his kicking. He also holds onto the ball way too long most of the time. This was a minor point anyway and I'd still prefer him in goal to Johnson but it just makes you realise how good Neal is. We'd all be raving now!

 

He's miss kicked a couple a game but overall he has looked confident and pro active in terms of coming off his line and his distribution. No complaints at all from me.

[jeffers]

Agree with BPV that Inniss should have scored after a minute, his worse header of an otherwise solid performance. We went off once we lost Andoh's pace, no substitute for out and out pace. I am not judging Kelly on one game, but on every one I have seen him in, he struggles to get into a game even with Dicko urging him. Did not seem interested at all. Look forward to getting Ocky back particularly with his dead ball options.

All in all still a major improvement on last season.

[DaneValiant]

But for a goalkeeping blunder we would've won that. And were unlucky not to win anyway. We kept a "physical" (dirty) team,who hammered Sheffield Utd last weekend, pretty quiet and only gave them a few shots at goal.

 

We've now only conceded 1 goal in 3 games - last season I was pleased if we finished a half without conceding. Things are looking a lot better this season.

[Warren]

There are a group of clubs in the South East who get on my wick. Crawley, Stevenage, Colchester, Gillingham et al. They are characterised by the professional foul every time there is a counter attack, fain injury, water bottle time, wasting time and generally being an arrogant unpleasant lot. Gillingham specialised in the cynical counter attack foul today and the way to stop that is for the referee to deem the hauling down offence as violent conduct. Do proper men come from these places?