26th Dec 2015, Coventry C v Port Vale, pre-match comments and the match itself

[Paul6754]

The modern way to play away from home is a form of 4-5-1 with a player(s) comming late to support the lone striker, keep it tight especially in midfield, keep a good shape and catch the home team on the counter. Vale have been doing this well and been very competitive in every game, we've generally competed well and lost by the odd goal away from home and the only time we've lost by more than one is when extra attacking players have been thrown on and gaps have appeared at the back and we've been caught on the counter.

 

In the last two games we more than matched Walsall and it wasn't just a slip that cost us but a slip and when trying to clear the ball as he fell, Grant inadvertently played the perfectly weighted pass for the Walsall player to run on to and set up their first goal, if Grant had just slipped and not touched the ball they probably wouldn't have scored. Against Coventry, who played one up front at home, we matched them but a one in a season strike and deflection undid us. Against walsall Uche was clobbered in the box by their goalie who made no attempt to play the ball and the ref bottled a pen and same again yesterday.

 

Rob Page has got the away tactics right, we just need the strikers to put away a chance or two, the refs to stop bottling pens against Uche and Enoch back to give some pace on the counter.