Matchday Thread: FA Cup 1, Port Vale v Stevenage Utd

[TheSage]

Doesn't look too shabby but a lot of variables there - is Purkiss going to play for us again? Are Jones and Thomas and Forester going to be fit? Sadly Thomas goes off in most games. And will Bruno bite the bullet and put two up front?

 

You're not far away from Stevenage are you, rob? What will be their modus operandi? Do they still play in the Westley way - up and at em with a lot of high balls?

[john1952]

one thing for certain with no jones forrester turner we are left with big reg and paterson i dont think stevenage defence will be having many sleepless nights this week

[PV1973]

Simply put we need a good performance and a win. I can't see us going 4-4-2, but I feel we need to try something different, whether thats in formation or our style of play and be more direct as we seem to be very easy to get at early on. We need to get out of this rut. If we go 2 up front I'd like to see us playing either Jones (if fit), Forrester (if fit) or even Turner off the other striker, something to give us a bit more mobility.

[robf]

You're not far away from Stevenage are you, rob? What will be their modus operandi? Do they still play in the Westley way - up and at em with a lot of high balls?

 

I am fairly close but it's not a team covered in my local press so I can't say unfortunately.

[smithie]

Simply put we need a good performance and a win. I can't see us going 4-4-2, but I feel we need to try something different, whether thats in formation or our style of play and be more direct as we seem to be very easy to get at early on. We need to get out of this rut. If we go 2 up front I'd like to see us playing either Jones (if fit), Forrester (if fit) or even Turner off the other striker, something to give us a bit more mobility.

 

We need a win...that's all the FA Cup is about at this stage, with £18,000 the prize for going through.

[Guest]

A big game but every game is a big game but these games in the cup if we get to the third round r massive for the club .

Stevenage will be up for it no doubt about it .

Will Vale look at how they went out last season a total embarassment of a performance ,well lately we r the same ,do we have players capable of raising there game for any game ,do we have a manager who is willing to drop the very players who r not committed thing is r to many of them believing there own hype .

Every time u step on the pitch u will be judged so Grant for example till Millwall game a 7/10 season ,now a 3/10 since then yet he wants a better contract ,Smith a 8/10 now a 5/10 etc so players complacent etc .

Who would i choose players who want to play for Vale and will come off that pitch

shattered cause they had given everything and more ,players busting a gut to get us to round 2 for all 90 mins ,and blood on there faces cause they put there heads on the line stop a goal or score one .

[Jase Sherratt]

We need to be very careful in this game. Stevenage will no doubt have had us watched since the draw was made and will try and exploit our weaknesses, which we have shown plenty of during the last few weeks and they will more than fancy our chances. Ideally we could do with getting out of the blocks fast, score first and go into half time comfortable with more than a goal lead.

 

Vale don't do things ideally though do they.....

[Tenement Funster]

Alnwick

Purkiss - Smith - Streete - Knops/Hart

Taylor - Grant - Brown - Thomas

Jones - Cicilia

 

My fear there would be that (particularly if Knops is full back) that we have an extremely defensive midfield so there would be huge pressure on Thomas to deliver and he isn't 100% yet.

 

My team (presuming Jones won't be fit) would be:

 

Alnwick

Taylor - Smith - Streete - Knops/Hart

Mbamba - Grant - de Freitas - Thomas

Paterson - Cicilia

 

Mbamba did well against Oxford when he came on and I thought de Freitas added some much needed energy when he came on against Bolton.

[robf]

My fear there would be that (particularly if Knops is full back) that we have an extremely defensive midfield so there would be huge pressure on Thomas to deliver and he isn't 100% yet.

 

I'm not so sure. For me, Brown has proven experience and I seem to remember when we had him from time-to-time last season, he wasn't a one-trick pony. If someone was covering (i.e. if Grant was back on form) Brown can amble forward and spray the odd attacking pass and even chip in with the odd goal. And if Grant is off his game, Brown offers cover. My worry would be if Grant is off the boil can Defreitas cope by himself in central midfield? Personally, I'd back Brown's experience over him.

 

However, I guess the point with Grant is similar to the one with Thomas. We are very reliant on two or three members of the team to be on song. I just think for me the first priority is not to lose and for that reason I'd rather be too defensive in midfield than too attack-minded.

[Paul6754]

For me, I would look at experience for this game. If the players from overseas leagues are still struggling to adapt to the league then the potential "blood and thunder" of a cup tie is a time for the experienced players.

 

If Purkiss is still in contention, I would bring him back into defence and I'd also bring Brown into midfield. I know Brown and Grant isn't a natural combination but if Grant's off his game we then have another shielding player.

 

I'd also hope that Alex Jones is fit, that we move to a 4-4-2 and that perhaps we can include Anton Forrester (should be fit after three weeks out) on the bench which makes the matchday squad stronger.

 

So, my fanciful starting eleven (which I don't think will be the one on Saturday by a mile) would be:

 

Alnwick

Purkiss - Smith - Streete - Knops/Hart

Taylor - Grant - Brown - Thomas

Jones - Cicilia

 

Can't fault the logic, only change I would make would be Paterson up front with Jones, if Jones isn't fit then Paterson alongside Cicilia but two up top please whatever. Need to win game for confidence if nothing else.

[blackdog]

So you want to replace Pope every season, how long does that go on for, until he's 84?

 

He's gone, the chairman succeeded with Page, now it's down to him and Bruno and I'd imagine he will succeed with Jones and Forrester as signs are very promising.

 

No I don't want to replace Pope as the player just as I didn't want Tony Richards or Roy Chapman, you are just being argumentative to suggest that, but I do want his goals replacing, the conveyor belt of talent who according to Smurf will be sold in January have failed miserably, if Smurf had succeeded with Page as you say why ship him out and gamble on such an unknown quantity?

[Bucknall Rob]

Most important game of the season so far, got to win this game.

 

I don't think we will go with this team but this would be mine;

 

Alnwick

Purkiss Streete Smith Knops

Thomas Taylor Grant Hart

Jones Cicilia

 

If Jones is not fit then it has to be Paterson up front, would be looking at getting Taylor in the middle, Tavares has been awful for a number of weeks, Taylor has played many games in centre of midfield before. We have struggled in midfield for a few weeks now, someone with his experience should make this better. We need get Taylor on the ball as much as possible, think he is wasted at right back.

[Santa]

Even if Jones is fit, would Birmingham allow him to be cup-tied to us?

[Fosse69]

Even if Jones is fit, would Birmingham allow him to be cup-tied to us?

I wonder if we have checked, the same applies with allowing Hooper to play for the Cobblers?

[For Us All]

It just goes to show how desperate we are that a lad that has played for Kidsgrove could be seen as a saviour

 

So much for Smurf saying he could replace Popes goals for half the money.

 

Don't knock it,Mark Bright started off at Leek Town.