Matchday Thread: Port Vale v Northampton T

[Cahoots]

Each to their own but I think Page did a decent job at Vale. I know his style might not have suited everyone but considering the garbage he had to put up with he did well.

[valiant_593]

Page wasn't my cup of tea what so ever. Won't be booing him though. Did ok overall.

[PV1973]

Nonsense, your failure to understand the situation isn't surprising though. He knew he was leaving before the end of season awards that was the 16th, he issued retained list and contracts on 13th.

 

Meagre funds????? Funny that he had approx 1.6/1.8m available that season and managed to waste it without signing a forward. Fortunately smurf put more money in to sign alnwick, inniss, uche and streete after page had wasted the initial budget that year, a top 12 budget no less.

So your underlying point (that you seem to be struggling to make) is that you don't like Page and feel he wasted the budget because he needed more players in? So what's your view of Bruno who has gone on record stating the positions he wants to fill now he's had a good chance to look at the squad? That's the same as Page did last season surely?

 

What's your point about the retained list? Are you suggesting he tried to shaft the club over because he knew he was leaving? A list that was drawn up with the input of Smurf who knew what he would be offering players for new contracts.

 

As it happened the plan from Smurf worked and the players plus the manager left, so again what's your point? You're just guessing that he knew he was leaving, no one knows for sure.

 

But the retained list has to be issued by a certain time as the players have a month to respond. That gives the club and players enough time to get sorted before preseason starts. So the earlier it's done the better so that the club know where they stand. The contract negotiations are then left to the club and the players agents. So who would have done the list if Page hadn't?

 

Smurfs master plan didn't work well though did it? The upheaval meant we went into preseason scrabbling around for players because we were left in the mire with no manager and players not committing to reduced terms, plus we had no one at the helm to identify targets we were after to add to the squad. I don't believe for one minute our recruitment plan used over the summer was intended, I think that was a mad panic.

 

You're making yourself look stupid mate with a personal vendetta.

[davidatpreston]

I know a few of you like a little bet on the matches, so how about this for a small outside bet that is great value? Now remember, it's an outside bet, it probably WONT win, but there is a chance, and the price seems far higher than it should be.

 

With Skybet (and maybe others) Vale to beat Northampton after falling behind at any time in the match is 16/1.

 

Note that this is NOT the same as the half tiume/full time bet, and must not be confused with it - Northampton could take the lead after 55 minutes then Vale come back win and this bet would still pay.

 

Given that Northampton haven't kept a clean sheet for ages, but often score the first goal, and that Vale have already done this a couple of times and nearly did it also in the draw against Oldham.... seems worth a Christmas quid or two.

 

 

I actually think Vale are a good price anyway, just to win, as NTFC are not in very good form over 10 games.

 

I cant see why the Cobblers are favourites - go with the momentum of last week, especially if Jerome T is back and watch the pennies roll in.

[jjvale_03]

I know a few of you like a little bet on the matches, so how about this for a small outside bet that is great value? Now remember, it's an outside bet, it probably WONT win, but there is a chance, and the price seems far higher than it should be.

 

With Skybet (and maybe others) Vale to beat Northampton after falling behind at any time in the match is 16/1.

 

Note that this is NOT the same as the half tiume/full time bet, and must not be confused with it - Northampton could take the lead after 55 minutes then Vale come back win and this bet would still pay.

 

Given that Northampton haven't kept a clean sheet for ages, but often score the first goal, and that Vale have already done this a couple of times and nearly did it also in the draw against Oldham.... seems worth a Christmas quid or two.

 

 

I actually think Vale are a good price anyway, just to win, as NTFC are not in very good form over 10 games.

 

I cant see why the Cobblers are favourites - go with the momentum of last week, especially if Jerome T is back and watch the pennies roll in.

 

Pricing is becoming more data driven. In particular, shot data is being used more frequently to determine long term expectations of a teams performance. That shot data would suggest that we're one of the worst teams in the division, and that Northampton are around lower midtable, and the odds reflect this.

 

I'm not saying I completely agree with this analysis. Football isn't played on paper, and from what I've seen our shot data is negatively skewed by the fact that we play at a slow tempo (particularly for the opening 60 minutes of matches) and rarely take pot-shots from outside the area. It's no coincidence that Alex Jones has a great shots/goals ratio given we only shoot when we're a maximum of ten yards from goal. In saying that, the general trend is that teams who take more shots win more matches, so it's not without reason that the bookies think we're a poor side who have perhaps been over performing so far this season. For what it's worth, I think the match should be a pick'em, ie. I think in the long run they're a slightly better side than us but home advantage tips the scales back in our favour slightly, meaning it's an even match.

[Guest]

Marc Richards to open the scoring for them then Reggie better than Kevin Francis Cecelia will lose his rag and bag a hat trick for the mighty Vale who will lay seige to there goal sending the fans home thinking Vale r good aint they and that centre forward ,what a brilliant all round player he is .

Utv Gooooaaaaaaarrrrrnnnn

[smithie]

[QUOT

 

E=Paul6754;685211]Amoros/DeFreitas don't usually start when Grant, Foley and Thomas are available, I wonder why, Cicilia, 3 goals in 14 league starts awkward but says how far Vale fallen when he's the big hope, Kiko hasn't been fit for at least 25% of the season, had somes mares when he has started should have been sent off on Saturday, goes withouit saying I disagree.

 

Yes you don't get so many points but just take 3-4 points off gained by having the run of the ball and that table looks very different. A thumping of a very poor team with a very poor record in their last 10 or so games, especially away from home.

 

They don't always start because they're not (yet) first choices. We're doing well enough to blood them gradually, which is how it should be.

 

If you believe that in football luck evens itself out, then surely other teams have had similar luck to be where they are.

 

As for Reggie, don't all teams have "the next big thing" in the squad? We had a bloke come from Rhyl once for £3000 by the name of Andy Jones. He didn't turn out too bad.

[Paul6754]

[QUOT

 

E=Paul6754;685211]Amoros/DeFreitas don't usually start when Grant, Foley and Thomas are available, I wonder why, Cicilia, 3 goals in 14 league starts awkward but says how far Vale fallen when he's the big hope, Kiko hasn't been fit for at least 25% of the season, had somes mares when he has started should have been sent off on Saturday, goes withouit saying I disagree.

 

Yes you don't get so many points but just take 3-4 points off gained by having the run of the ball and that table looks very different. A thumping of a very poor team with a very poor record in their last 10 or so games, especially away from home.

 

They don't always start because they're not (yet) first choices. We're doing well enough to blood them gradually, which is how it should be.

 

I hoped even anticipated that in June/July the squad would be paired down by 4 or 5 players perhaps more but Championship/high Lge1 quality woould be bought in to provide the basis of a team for a push at the play-offs or even promo. What we got was virtually a rookie manager etc etc etc who did the opposite with some exceptions hence my frustration and hence why I consider we've gone backwards not forwards but accepting there is no guarantee of success.

 

If you believe that in football luck evens itself out, then surely other teams have had similar luck to be where they are.

 

So far this season Vale have had more than their fair share and long may it continue, it does tend to even itself out over a season but I hope for Vale's sake that spares us this year.

 

As for Reggie, don't all teams have "the next big thing" in the squad? We had a bloke come from Rhyl once for £3000 by the name of Andy Jones. He didn't turn out too bad.

 

I'm Vale through and through and I dislike posting such stuff aboout the Vale but when you consider not so long ago we had players like Tom Pope, Marc Richards, etc and going back a bit further Beamo, Roy Chapman, Tony Richards and the guy from Rhyl!! etc as leaders of the line, Cicilia just isn't in the same class and doesn't cut it for me.

[smithie]

I hoped even anticipated that in June/July the squad would be paired down by 4 or 5 players perhaps more but Championship/high Lge1 quality woould be bought in to provide the basis of a team for a push at the play-offs or even promo. What we got was virtually a rookie manager etc etc etc who did the opposite with some exceptions hence my frustration and hence why I consider we've gone backwards not forwards but accepting there is no guarantee of success.

 

 

 

So far this season Vale have had more than their fair share and long may it continue, it does tend to even itself out over a season but I hope for Vale's sake that spares us this year.

 

 

 

I'm Vale through and through and I dislike posting such stuff aboout the Vale but when you consider not so long ago we had players like Tom Pope, Marc Richards, etc and going back a bit further Beamo, Roy Chapman, Tony Richards and the guy from Rhyl!! etc as leaders of the line, Cicilia just isn't in the same class and doesn't cut it for me.

 

Pope had a long fruitless spell before the glorious promotion season. Reggie is a lot younger and clearly has a lot to learn....but I'd much rather try our luck with him than go back to the conveyor belt of has-beens like N'Guessan, Patterson & Theo Robinson etc.

[SourceOfTheTrent]

I'm Vale through and through and I dislike posting such stuff aboout the Vale but when you consider not so long ago we had players like Tom Pope, Marc Richards, etc and going back a bit further Beamo, Roy Chapman, Tony Richards and the guy from Rhyl!! etc as leaders of the line, Cicilia just isn't in the same class and doesn't cut it for me.

 

Oohh, showing your age there! Maybe Reg can be like Lee, son of Roy Chapman, who won a league title with Leeds by letting the ball hit him in the face / groin / backside, etc. and diverting into the net!

[DenisW]

I'm Vale through and through and I dislike posting such stuff aboout the Vale but when you consider not so long ago we had players like Tom Pope, Marc Richards, etc and going back a bit further Beamo, Roy Chapman, Tony Richards and the guy from Rhyl!! etc as leaders of the line, Cicilia just isn't in the same class and doesn't cut it for me.

 

We have also had Ian Lawson, Mel Charles and Terry Owen to name but 3, give me Reggie over these anytime

[Bert Llewellyn]

I love all the comparisons but let's face it folks each of us know sweet FA when it comes to spotting future superstars. Reggie has improved beyond all recognition but he hardly has much competition in the forward stakes.

 

I have the feeling that we are still working on what is our best formation.

 

I wonder how many on here could honestly say a year ago that Smith would turn out to be so good and how many of you who are now praising Streete were criticising him last season.

just chill out a bit and let's what happens after the January window.

[Fosse69]

I love all the comparisons but let's face it folks each of us know sweet FA when it comes to spotting future superstars. Reggie has improved beyond all recognition but he hardly has much competition in the forward stakes.

 

I have the feeling that we are still working on what is our best formation.

 

I wonder how many on here could honestly say a year ago that Smith would turn out to be so good and how many of you who are now praising Streete were criticising him last season.

just chill out a bit and let's what happens after the January window.

Work in progress. Could be the January window will bring snow and plenty of chill.

[Rampant Zebra]

I love all the comparisons but let's face it folks each of us know sweet FA when it comes to spotting future superstars. Reggie has improved beyond all recognition but he hardly has much competition in the forward stakes.

 

I have the feeling that we are still working on what is our best formation.

 

I wonder how many on here could honestly say a year ago that Smith would turn out to be so good and how many of you who are now praising Streete were criticising him last season.

just chill out a bit and let's what happens after the January window.

 

I had a feeling a year ago that Smith was going to be good, I saw him play a few times for Stafford Rangers and he stood out amongst men despite being younger then.

[Pheonix Vale]

We have also had Ian Lawson, Mel Charles and Terry Owen to name but 3, give me Reggie over these anytime

 

I REMEMBER: Johnny Rowland, Cyril Done, Basil Hayward, Graham Barnett, Johnny James, Harry Poole, Albert Leake Jackie Mudie,

Dickie Cunliffe, Colin Askey, Cliff Portwood etc.

& my all time favourite - Jack Wilkinson