Matchday Thread: Port Vale v Chesterfield

[valiant_593]

I think 3-5-2 suits us but with Thomas being back it would be tough to fit him in so I'd go 4-1-3-2

 

Alnwick

 

Purkiss

Streete

Smith

Kiko

 

Grant

 

De Freitas

Tavares

Thomas

 

Jones

Cicilia

 

This gets Jones up top where he looks more natural even though his goals have come from out wide and gives cicilia a strike partner he needs. For me Tavares has looked good in an advanced position and may get more time on the ball playing attacking midfield and not have to worry about players going past him as much. Grant in front of the back 4 with Thomas who is quality and de Freitas who I really like out wide. Kiko to start at left back, of the 3 we have he's the one he stands out, knopps is a solid player who I like but kiko is improving defensively and has a cracking cross. Purkiss back in the side for Taylor who I've not been overly impressed with at right back.

[valiant steve]

Taylor has been terrible at right back in terms of opponents getting in behind and crossing at will. The problem has been an unbelievably weak midfield. Jones is completely wasted on the right and doesn't understand how to link with the right back leaving him exposed time and again. We look OK on the left when Thomas plays there but again, whoever plays left back is often exposed when Thomas doesn't play.

Taveras and Grant don't work well together in the centre and with one up front, nothing played forwards sticks putting constant pressure on the defense and no pressure whatsoever on the oppositions defense.

Has to be two up front (Jones +1, at the moment big Reggie) and play a right-sided midfielder on the right side of midfield! Taveras surely dropped for someone like Amoros?

JA

BP RS NS KK

RT AMOROS AG JT

AJ RC

[Michael]

Brown has to make his mark on this team tonight so I expect to see a completely different set up to Bruno's because if he starts tonight with 4231 or even the same 11 that started last match the fans will be on his back straight away thinking it's same old so I hope we see a completely new approach.

[philmpv]

Will the game even be on tonight? Very cold and possible frozen pitch?

[CAVALIER]

Be good to be off I think personally to allow MB time

[burslems finest]

I think it'll be off, it's not got above 3 degrees for the last few days.

If it is on though, it's got shades of when gannon left.

He was playing bizarre tactics and players, we had a (soon to be relegated) Hereford at home straight after he'd gone.

We were all rejoicing that the horse and grew had taken over and the players we were all wanting returned to the side.

We laboured to a draw.

Confidence counts for a lot in this game.

Ours is very low.

[Rampant Zebra]

I think you are right about confidence. We need to come out on the front foot and get Alex Jones to score at the first opportunity he gets. Chesterfield aren't doing very well either and a quick goal from us could finish them off. First goal could win it. Our fans need to make a bit of noise before the start to get the players going.

[oakesypvfc]

JA

BP RS NS KK

RT AMOROS AG JT

AJ RC

 

That's the team I would play aswell!

Nice blend of experience and youth!

[PVTony]

Port Vale have played the other five teams in the bottom six in L1. Chesterfield being the six team to be played tonight.

The form against these relegation cadidates has been abysmal to say the least. Won 0, drawn 2 and lost 3; goals for 3 and against 9.

 

A different approach/attitude/tactics/team formation/enthusiasm and pride must be forthcoming tonight. M.Brown can make a great favourable impact with the fans and chairman if he can bring out the best in the players and achieve a victory from his demoralised squad against Chesterfield who will be fighting for survival.

[oakesypvfc]

I think it'll be off, it's not got above 3 degrees for the last few days.

If it is on though, it's got shades of when gannon left.

He was playing bizarre tactics and players, we had a (soon to be relegated) Hereford at home straight after he'd gone.

We were all rejoicing that the horse and grew had taken over and the players we were all wanting returned to the side.

We laboured to a draw.

Confidence counts for a lot in this game.

Ours is very low.

 

Yeah it is very much the same situation as back then just hope Browny has them fired up!

 

However the game will definitely be on as temperatures are increasing all day up to 8 degrees tonight!

[SFBT]

I think 3-5-2 suits us but with Thomas being back it would be tough to fit him in so I'd go 4-1-3-2

 

Alnwick

 

Purkiss

Streete

Smith

Kiko

 

Grant

 

De Freitas

Tavares

Thomas

 

Jones

Cicilia

 

This gets Jones up top where he looks more natural even though his goals have come from out wide and gives cicilia a strike partner he needs. For me Tavares has looked good in an advanced position and may get more time on the ball playing attacking midfield and not have to worry about players going past him as much. Grant in front of the back 4 with Thomas who is quality and de Freitas who I really like out wide. Kiko to start at left back, of the 3 we have he's the one he stands out, knopps is a solid player who I like but kiko is improving defensively and has a cracking cross. Purkiss back in the side for Taylor who I've not been overly impressed with at right back.

 

Agree with much of this post.

The full backs have been criminally exposed all season.

Grant and Tavares plus one up front gifts oceans of space to the opposition.

Have to have a tighter formation.

[SFBT]

Will the game even be on tonight? Very cold and possible frozen pitch?

 

Seriously? Forecasting 7 degrees for tonight!

[TheSage]

It'll be interesting to see what tactics Brown adopts and which players he picks.

 

I do agree that we need to pick full backs who are full backs and get get up and down the pitch. I've been thinking for a while that perhaps Taylor alongside Grant would help us in midfield, at least from a defensive angle.

I think we'd all have two up front and try to play further up the pitch.

 

It's difficult because we are not overly blessed with attacking talent but I wouldn't play Tavares. Certainly not as an attacking player. Has he scored a single goal in 5 months? Does he ever run past the centre forward and get into the box? I just don't think he's quick enough or energetic enough. We really miss Foley don't we?

 

Should be interesting but we'll have to battle for anything we get. It is difficult, I agree, to turn around a tanker on the rocks when confidence is low, there are no new players to bring in (yet), and those that do play are used to a completely different style of football.

 

Here's hoping Brown's boys can put a smile back on our faces.

[onestepatatime]

Hope no one expects miracles today!

 

Yes, there may be more optimism and hope about our future than there was some days ago BUT we have to be patient Valiants. Give Brown and his selected team all the encouragement they need to get off to a flying start but if anyone believes that we will look like world beaters tonight they need to to sit down and stop drinking!

 

In time hopefully Brown(and/or a n other)will sort out the mess left and get fans excited again, ready to fill empty seats at Vale Park. We do have the core of a reasonable Division 1 squad and maybe, just maybe by the end of this season we will start to make others realise that our "international experiment" was just that....a learning curve in our history.

 

My enthusiasm and passion for Vale didn't die during Bruno's short stay but somehow I am now starting again to feel that sensation in my bones that we are going places and Norman will supply the doubters with answers that will start to heal some sores. Football is a crazy game and us die hards are actually quite crazy you know, but once a Team gets into your blood you only ever want to see good things and progress. In Vale's case it just takes years and years to comer to fruition. lol.

 

In a couple of seasons we will all be singing and dancing together, past squabbles and concerns things of the past. Let 2016 go out with a win to commence our rise again from the ashes. Keep smiling fellow Valiants, happy days are on the horizon.(p.s. I haven't been on the pop!)

[melv]

I think we'd all have two up front and try to play further up the pitch.

 

 

 

Here's hoping Brown's boys can put a smile back on our faces.

 

Yea certainly play further up the pitch.It's been annoying me that when the opposition have a corner or a free kick that we never have anyone on the half way line ready for a quick break when the ball gets cleared out.Infact many times there isn't anyone any near the centre circle.Total madness to play one up front and not have anyone on/or near the half way line ready for a quick break.