Port Vale 2 Shrewsbury Town 0 - Post Match Comments

[JRC]

That Colchester game was the only poor game Streete has had and he got dropped immediately. Duffy has been very good this season but he has also cost us goals. I thought it was harsh to drop Streete for one poor performance but I like him as a player. His distribution is far better than McGivern's.

 

Watch a compilation of our worst corners defended and you will see its not the first time he's gone ball watching instead of man watching. Yes he's got all the makings of a top class centrehalf, but he needs to sort out his positional play and his concentration at set pieces. The other regular offenders at corners has been Purkiss.

I'm sure he'll come back stronger and I'm sure Page will be working with him on it during training. Rival managers were picking up on who wasn't quite doing the job required and a change had to be made in the short-term as we had reached the point where we were a goal down every game to a corner before we started the match.

[Howjy04]

Can anyone tell me what/ who the minutes applause was for yesterday? ,just after the half hour mark.Cheers.

[smithie]

We must have conceded possession 10 times yesterday through McGivern's brainless punts to 5ft Letch-Smith.

 

Given that we knew since Burton Uche was going to be out, it struck me as pretty poor that we didn't plan another route out from the back.

 

These pointless long-balls were a contributory factor in it being a poor game to watch - I was just grateful that Salop were utterly awful once they had the ball.

 

However, Purkiss has been a real find with some really clever moves to his play and a decent cross. Put Streete back in the defence and we won't concede many.

[Warren]

We must have conceded possession 10 times yesterday through McGivern's brainless punts to 5ft Letch-Smith.

 

Given that we knew since Burton Uche was going to be out, it struck me as pretty poor that we didn't plan another route out from the back.

 

These pointless long-balls were a contributory factor in it being a poor game to watch - I was just grateful that Salop were utterly awful once they had the ball.

 

However, Purkiss has been a real find with some really clever moves to his play and a decent cross. Put Streete back in the defence and we won't concede many.

 

I agree it wasn't the greatest game to watch. I go in the Bycars stand and close to the pitch. The long balls are not as pointless as they seem because most are angled towards the corner and allowed diagonal runs from Dodds or Leitch Smith. The same balls were appalling at Burton because nobody was up for them even when we had 11 on the pitch. But yesterday against that particular team who are ok but weaker than most I've seen it was effective. Also Leitch Smith is better in the air than one might think. Certainly stood still against a tall centre half a lofted ball does not work but one dropped in to space he can move to gives him a chance and he won several of those yesterday. That all said I feel we are playing that way because we have lost Andoh and have reduced ability to play out from the back down the left side. Daniels can dribble but he needs space to run in to and isn't a dribbler like Andoh who can be effective at that in any situation. But of course Daniel has a greater physical and arial presence.

[ELDERBEZZA]

Can anyone tell me what/ who the minutes applause was for yesterday? ,just after the half hour mark.Cheers.

 

Was it for Vale fan Steven Sims who died recently aged 33 years old.?Three tributes were mentioned at half time over the public address system.The other 2 were for a long time fan Neil Wade ,former headmaster at Goldenhill Primary School and Tim O'Keefe .RIP to all fellow Valiants

[Leicestershire Valiant]

Great result ! Really needed the stats look as if we battered them!

 

Shrewsbury's first shot to trouble Alnwick was in the 85th minute. Shrews fans celebrated like a goal had been scored. Our defence protected Alnwick all afternoon, and my only gripe is that for some reason, we just didn't want to shoot at goal when we had half a chance.

[Leicestershire Valiant]

Thought we did well yesterday against a very poor Shrews side. I also thought the atmosphere was a little flat compared to previous games with Shrewsbury. Just two points I thought I'd make:

1) I thought you could have replaced Tootle with someone from the New Inn's second 11 and he'd of put in a better performance for them. At fault for both goals, a foul throw and totally inept performance.

2) Why did Doddsy go over to the paddock when he scored holding his ear? Was someone giving him some stick? If so why?

 

looked like a Benny Hill salute to me! (Fred Scuttle)

[Howjy04]

Was it for Vale fan Steven Sims who died recently aged 33 years old.?Three tributes were mentioned at half time over the public address system.The other 2 were for a long time fan Neil Wade ,former headmaster at Goldenhill Primary School and Tim O'Keefe .RIP to all fellow Valiants

 

Cheers Dave.RIP Valiants.

[Shropshire_Valiant]

Decent performance albeit against arguably the worst side I've seen in the 2 and a bit seasons of us being back at this level. As Beechy said on the first couple of pages they were shocking make no bones about it! However we had to put them away which I've known Vale struggle with in the past. With where I live I'll be dining out on this for a while!:D:drool::D

 

I haven't been a fan of the signing of AJ but I thought he played well yesterday, some excellent movement and again like a lot of players who have come through at Crewe he has good touch and ball control. I'm just not sure the lad will ever make a striker and will struggle to hold down a place in the team as a result.

Can't fault any of the players tbh O'Connor and Purkiss especially I thought were the pick and good for Doddsy to get a goal.

[CAVALIER]

Page has openly said we don't hoof it enough then brings in McGivern.

[Guppy 4 England]

Looks like training might be working.....we got two headers on target off our own corners and didn't concede off one yesterday !

[Warren]

I am going to defend McGivern. Firstly I think he is a good defender at either centre half or left back. Secondly, his main downside in the past has been carelessness and watching him yesterday he cleared everything promptly and simply. Thirdly he is a decent passer of the ball which is why he can play left back. I think he did make some misplaced passes yesterday but the team were playing direct stuff so the emphasis is playing the ball in to an area to challenge and if it is defended then winning the second challenge on clearance. So if we take his simple effective defending - put it in the stand first approach - and the directness he was asked to be part of - I think he did fine.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

Fantastic win!!

[Trampilot]

Thought it was a "professional" performance on Saturday. I know some are Page doubters but you have to hand it to him that Vale are playing better under him and the loss of two of the "better" players didn't dampen the performance.

 

Dodds and AJ look a good pairing as well. Dodds looked a little off at the start but got a lot better. If he starts being more instinctive with his finishing he'll do fine.

 

Shrewsbury - what has happened. A nothing team. No shots for 80 mins. Tyrone Barnett was a £1m player now looks like someone who had never seen a ball before.

[Ben]

I am going to defend McGivern. Firstly I think he is a good defender at either centre half or left back. Secondly, his main downside in the past has been carelessness and watching him yesterday he cleared everything promptly and simply. Thirdly he is a decent passer of the ball which is why he can play left back. I think he did make some misplaced passes yesterday but the team were playing direct stuff so the emphasis is playing the ball in to an area to challenge and if it is defended then winning the second challenge on clearance. So if we take his simple effective defending - put it in the stand first approach - and the directness he was asked to be part of - I think he did fine.

 

And a nicely waited pass to Daniel for the first goal.