Burton A 2 Port Vale 0 POST MATCH COMMENTS

[Magicman]

Up until now I have liked Page and disagreed with the calls to sack him. However it seems that we are slipping further and further down the table and this needs to be addressed ASAP. Whether or not Page is the man to turn things around remains to be seen, but I am seriously starting to question his ability to manage the team

[Andyregs]

Where are all the idiots who were telling me we were nailed on for the play offs and playing the best football since Rudge?

 

This team is now getting sucked in to the relegation battle. Why? Because the chairman doesn't understand football or how to run a club. Our supporter base has been taken for granted (look at Burton to see how to run match day catering etc., giving supporters a great experience, as well as football in the community, scouting and getting decent managers. Appointing Page at the end of last season, on the back of a terrible run, coupled with re-signing all the previous players did nothing to convince me he had a clue. It seems many of the stay away supporters felt the same. Prices are too high and the match day experience very poor. We are now back into another free fall, without the cushion of points or any teams that look worse than us as the teams below us from last have replaced their managers and moved up, or have done recently (Darren Ferguson would've been my choice, another one missed). I'm sure Barnsley will do something similar and move up too with their resources.

 

Our squad is full of players not good enough. The first XI isn't bad but beyond that we will struggle, especially with only one recognised striker. A player who is raw, unproven and that we don't even own. Leitch-smith has good feet and a finish but looks lightweight and needs to play with a big man. Hooper looked completely out of his depth yesterday and did when I've seen him in the reserves. A conference player. Doesn't jump, run with any idea and 5 poor touch. Campion seems on his way out too and, again looks out of his depth. Surely it's better to have signed one, quality, proven first team striker than have three who aren't up to it?

 

Dodds and Daniel ran themselves into the ground yesterday in positions that weren't their best with absolutely no support from midfield. I don't understand the hatred of these two. Play Daniel on the wing and Dodds in the hole. Dodds played a great pass in for Ikpeazu and should've won us a penalty just before their second. He also spent the game unselfishly chasing everything, closing space. rather than play his natural game with the ball. Yet he's criticised. Baffles me. With him at 10 we were winning games. Seems fans want a team of Griffiths or dickos. Both brainless. The change from 4-5-1 is what is causing us problems as is our poor defence.

 

We have plenty of midfielders but they don't seem to play well together. Foley and Grant have been the best pair. O'Connor doesn't look fit yet. Birchall isn't quick enough to be a winger anymore but can play centre mid or part of a game out wide so offers cover. Lloyd is still too lightweight and not quick enough or possesses a trick to be a winger nor tough enough to play centre mid. He does try hard. Should've been loaned out last season to the conference. Kelly has been abysmal every time I've seen him. Quick feet but brainless and doesn't have end product. Loan him out or get rid. Again one quality player would be better than 3 not good enough. God knows what's going on with Brown. Season too far or fall out? Either way another wasted wage.

 

Enoch was missed massively as he works hard and puts people on the back foot.

Moore is inconsistent but on his day is quality.

 

Defence: yesterday in particular, Duffy looked fat slow, too short, too weak to play centre half and is poor with the ball at his feet. Needs to stay out of the bookies and train more. Mcgivern has had one good game, the one in which he was left back but unfortunately broke his arm. Otherwise poor. Inniss has been struggling to recapture his previous impressive form but seems to have been carrying an injury. Streete has been the only decent centre half but always seems to get dropped! Purkiss has been excellent but I'm worried he only plays well on good pitches as he's not been as solid of late. Dicko has played better early in the season but is very limited but on a huge wage. Most goals come from people running at or playing the ball between him and Duffy.

 

Having 4 keepers is ridiculous. Send Boot out on loan, why was Johnson not playing reserve games? Loan him out as his confidence is shot as soon as Neal is back. Alnwick is decent but not as good as some people make out. Maybe in the future. Doesn't come for crosses enough. Makes spectacular saves but misses run of the mill ones that Neal would get.

 

Can't blame the chairman, yes he has brought in players himself, but they have always been on top of the agreed budget, so they are a bonus, as page obviously decides whether to play them. And the best signing for years has been one of them. The problem is that page did not build a balanced squad to last us a season, despite having 30 players at his disposal. It's ridiculous how little depth we have when one player gets injured and there are 19 others not playing.

[mr.hobblesworth]

Why do you think this forum isn't representative of our fans ?

 

The people I know and talk to at the games aren't half as anti-Page as this forum might suggest the fanbase is. Some are but they're in the minority.

[Bald Eagle]

Gary nevill would be a better use of smurfs money . One of the few pundits on sky who knows summat about football and is the main reason why the curent england team are no longer a joke

 

Smurfs money couldn't get Neville. On way more as a pundit than we could ever pay

[carpetman123]

The people I know and talk to at the games aren't half as anti-Page as this forum might suggest the fanbase is. Some are but they're in the minority.

 

So you're happy with 6 wins in 29 then?

[Bald Eagle]

Can't blame the chairman, yes he has brought in players himself, but they have always been on top of the agreed budget, so they are a bonus, as page obviously decides whether to play them. And the best signing for years has been one of them. The problem is that page did not build a balanced squad to last us a season, despite having 30 players at his disposal. It's ridiculous how little depth we have when one player gets injured and there are 19 others not playing.

 

Depth of squad is indeed an issue. When you looked at the bench there was nothing there to change the game. Only Streete of the subs is good enough for the first team, baffling decision to drop him for McGivern. JJ looked like a competition winner rather than a pro footballer

[pvfcoasis]

can understand why on the bristol city forum when we signed him they were laughing. the guys a poor excuse for a footballer.

[mr.hobblesworth]

So you're happy with 6 wins in 29 then?

 

No, of course I'm not. That doesn't mean I think we should sack him though.

[davidatpreston]

Stone wall dive for me as he throws his chest before his legs. He's always diving and chucking himself around if you watch him particularly at Crewe and Swindon but fans will always defend their own and hate opponents for it. If Joe Garner was a Vale player he would be adored because winning is everything and cheating can win games.

 

What a disgusting comparison to compare Uche with that cheating creature. Uche is awkward, ungainly and hard to handle but generally an honest player who was not cheating yesterday and his reaction and utter disappointment adds to that argument. He does not go out to look for fouls like Garner, and is a genuine lad who wants to do well for Vale.

Your crass and shallow interpretation of what happened, and this vile comparison is a disgrace, and certainly does nothing in the cause of supporting Port Vale, its players, manager and owner.

[davidatpreston]

The people I know and talk to at the games aren't half as anti-Page as this forum might suggest the fanbase is. Some are but they're in the minority.

 

Add in the fact that some of the biggest critics of Page are not Vale supporters as they choose not to attend Vale games, and you are right on this one.

 

That doesn't mean he is perfect and hasn't made mistakes, just that lunatic ill-considered reactions like 'get Rosler in and solve all our problems instantly' are both impractical and over-emotional.

[ashfieldrichard]

Here's my take. We are in free fall like at the end of last season. Five points from a possibly 24 away from home is shocking and we still have tough away games to come at the likes of Coventry, Wigan and Sheffield Utd.

 

And after today people may start to knock Uche but the lad should have been brought in to partner the Pope and not to replace him.

 

It's laughable that we are asking a 20-year-old inexperienced kid to score the 15-20 goals we need off the main striker to keep us in the league.

 

Whatever happened to playing 2 strikers if goals are short? Is this what they teach at coaching school?

[valiant_593]

We haven't got two.

 

well we have.....

[valiant_593]

Uche and who?

Daniel isn't a striker.

Ajay isn't a striker.

Dodds isn't a striker.

 

hooper, campion, arent they strikers?

[mr.hobblesworth]

This squad is a work in progress.

This manager is a work in progress.

Both have improved over the last 12 months. People want everything immediately nowadays, what ever happened to building a team?

[vale2010]

This squad is a work in progress.

This manager is a work in progress.

Both have improved over the last 12 months. People want everything immediately nowadays, what ever happened to building a team?

 

Whats the use of building a team then get relegated. Half of your team would then want to leave because they wouldn't want to play in league 2. Page has had long enough in my eyes.