Sat 23rd Jan 2016, Port Vale v Bradford City, pre-match comments, the match itself

[The Wonder of You]

As good as Alnwick has been a shot stopper, of late his command of the box from early season onwards has been awful. Defence are uncertain whenever a cross come s into the area.

 

Today he was glued to the line when what he should of being doing was going through anything that was in the way to clear that ball that came in. He should be dropped IMO. Any other player not performing is often out and its time for Neal to start commanding a defence.

 

Other than that I am gutted we cannot perform against 10 men in any way shape or form, Very disappointed!

[paulvaliant]

Clueless Page. You always make stupid decisions that give me doubts about your management credentials. Hooper off for Daniel was a joke and then to shut up shop for the last 10 minutes by having both Brown and Grant in midfield against a team with 10 men was also laughable.

 

We pretty much always lose when we have 10 men but hardly ever win when the opposition have 10 men. Says it all really.

[valiant_593]

As good as Alnwick has been a shot stopper, of late his command of the box from early season onwards has been awful. Defence are uncertain whenever a cross come s into the area.

 

Today he was glued to the line when what he should of being doing was going through anything that was in the way to clear that ball that came in. He should be dropped IMO. Any other player not performing is often out and its time for Neal to start commanding a defence.

 

Other than that I am gutted we cannot perform against 10 men in any way shape or form, Very disappointed!

 

Dont be silly! The ball was nowhere near him! If he had come out then he would have been left stranded. Drop our best player... good one.

[Alkie]

Bringing Daniel on for Hooper was a poor decision (more get have been different if he was used on the left to support Dicko & Kelly) but to put him in the middle where he won absolutely zero balls in the air was a joke, especially as Hooper had been winning these. Moore on the right was once again brainless, picking up the ball wide on the right and running across the edge of the 18 yard box until he lost the ball, facilitating another Bradford surge forward.

[Spunk Trumpet]

Just called my dad who went today.

Asked him how it was..... "Dog****" was his reply.

He went on to say he doesnt know what goes through Pages head. And he has supported the manager.

Only 4200 locals when we are 5 off the playoffs shows you just how people feel.

Apathy setting in.

[ontopgate]

Totally unacceptable. They were there for the taking and are nearly as poor as us. Especially with 10 men.

 

Possession at half time was 50/50 at half time but they'd had more shots. They went to 10 men and we looked worse than them. Utterly clueless.

 

Dickinson wants shooting. What an absolute awful player. He was terrified of Marshall and was nowhere near him for both the goal and the previous chance. He is a liability and for the money he is on there must be a better full back out there.

 

Same problems with the defence every week. It's boring. Duffy out muscled and out jumped.

 

Kelly needs to wake up and sharpen up.

Hooper is no where near good enough yet. Needs loaning out.

 

We have absolutely nothing up front. We still never look like having a shot never mind scoring.

 

Watching Vale games has become utterly depressing to the point that I've not missed the fact we haven't played at home nor can I be arsed to go away games.

 

I must be mental for paying for my next season ticket as if that's what we've got in store and the kind of performance we put in to attract supporters then I won't hold my breath on any kind of reduction on my ticket.

 

It can only change with new owners and when we sack Page. It has to happen if we are to do anything.

 

The football is utterly negative and turgid, with basic mistakes every week and no game plan except try not to concede, which will never happen with this defence. We had only two shots all game. It's boring beyond belief. Set pieces are a joke. As is our approach play and defending.

 

I can see this season fizzling out or, even worse, we repeat last year's monumental collapse and get sucked into relegation trouble.

[Houston Valiant]

Mid-table mediocrity with Page in charge. I have been reading Men of Steele for the 2nd time, and I have to say that they must be turning in their graves at this state of affairs.

[For Us All]

So glad I don't go home games anymore just saved myself that embarrassment unfortunately I'm committed to going Wigan next week but at least that will be a good pics up.

 

Give it a rest,you're getting boring.

[brookersleftboot]

yet theres still people out there having a love in with Page based on this notion of home form!!!

 

New owners will hopefully get us a proper manager & not this clueless spin doctor

[markpvfc]

Our lack of creativity and attacking intent was perfectly summed up a late freekick just outside their box that was rolled to Grant who turned round and played it back to the halfway line.

[Biddulph_PV]

Poor game against poor opposition who, we shouldn't forget played 120 + pens in the week.

 

I have said before and will say it again.....WE WILL NOT KEEP CLEAN SHEETS WITH McGIVERN AT CENTRE HALF....certainly not against the likes of Bradford. Plus his distribution is truly awful.

 

Also both full backs were poor. I said to my dad at half time Marshall would come on 2nd half to run at one of the full backs and we all knew what the result would be. However Yates' absolutely dreadful cross when he again failed to beat the 1st man was the catalyst for their goal. Dicko failed to stop the cross, goalie doesn't come, centre half beaten for height.....so simple, but so frustratingly repetitive.

 

What exactly does Dicko have to do to get dropped??? What is with Page's truly bizarre treatment of Streete?? I would have him at centre half every time over either Duffy or McGivern. How, after last weeks shocker at Millwall and playing a similar side, did he not bring innis back into the team? As rough as JJ Hooper looked, I would also have him every time over Daniel, who should not be allowed to put the jersey on again after a truly effortless and anonymous cameo.

 

I heard Pages interview post-match interview on Radio Joke (hilariously Blakeman said caller were asking whether complacency set in when 11 vs 10 when no-one had even mentioned it!) and I agree with him to a point about not slinging the ball into the box as there's no-one to win it. But better to do that then playing sideways passes on the half way line I would suggest.

 

Poor management and negative tactics will not get the fans back.