Matchday Thread: Port Vale v Chesterfield

[Another shropshire valiant]

Back 4 looked solid, great to see Purkiss back in the team,Jack had a solid game, Granty back to his "combative" best, Kelly ran his nads off and looked positive going forward, Big Reg looked very uncomfortable at times, poor first touch and the turning circle of an Oil Tanker...I think he his better used coming off the bench because he can cause chaos in the box... Thomas and Taylor showed all there experience...would have liked to see Turner given a bit more time but overall the 3 points were very welcome....

[philmpv]

Much needed win. I thought some players grew into the game in the second half which made the difference, notably reg, Thomas and Kelly (to an extent). Reggie did some lovely things at times, as did Kelly. Kelly is most frustrating as he never seems to know what to do with the ball when he gets to the final third though.

 

De freitas never stopped running, and we needed that.

 

We had a 10 minute period when for some reason we would come out of our box, but thankfully seemed to realise (particularly grant) and started pressing again.

 

Defensively sound, and the back four did all that was asked of them.

 

Good result, not a game for the purists, but I'll take that any day of the week.

 

Utv.

[Rampant Zebra]

Good result since Jones was due to start until he became ill during the warm up.

[Howjy04]

Relegation battle , my ar5e.

[TylerB]

Relegation battle , my ar5e.

 

Yeah, because we were that good this evening.

 

The win was welcome and the effort was there, but it took a deflected goal to beat a side that only looked a fraction better than Hartlepool, who were the worst side I've seen at Vale Park for a long time.

 

Still, seeing as you were one of the few who has been saying all season how good we are, how great Bruno is and how we're going to achieve big things I suppose you'll say anything to try and convince yourself that you weren't talking absolute ******** all along.

[Doha]

Still a bit too stationary for my liking but finally, some running.

 

Kelly is treated as a bit of a scapegoat. Yes he's not clever enough yet and needs to start looking up for the pass but at least he runs at the opposition. Grant has the life of riley, strolling about on the pitch at 3mph, slowing the game down and turning over possession, yet I don't hear him get the grief Kelly gets.

 

Credit to MB for dealing well with the loss of Alex Jones in the warm up. Clever use of the subs to kill the game.

 

Cicilia has only just turned 22 and still has lots of development to go through. He doesn't quite have the sharpness or killer instinct but he is useful and would probably do ok alongside a nippy forward. He has a great first touch for this level and uses the fact that he's a big gangly daddy longlegs awkward fcuker to his advantage. Reminds me of Tom Pope in that defenders struggle to cope once he's on the ball and moving with it, he's deceptively strong when he wants to be. It doesn't help that he's up there all on his own and is expected to do the work of 3 players. You can't expect him to trap the ball, turn, beat four defenders and slot it in the far corner when he has absolutely no support around him because the midfield are completely immobile and he didn't have the option of Jones as an outlet tonight. It isn't fair on the guy and hopefully Brown will stop this 1 up front nonsense.

 

Expected Thomas to get MOTM.

 

Of all the foreign imports Kiko could be a long term success at this level I think.

 

Very poor match officials again.

 

Chesterfield are going down. On the balance of play and on chances created 3-1 Vale would have been a fair result.

 

 

 

Tactical change is not going to happen overnight but if MB is to be successful he needs to start weaning the squad off zonal marking immediately.

[Howjy04]

De Freitas was outstanding tonight.

[philmpv]

Yeah, because we were that good this evening.

 

The win was welcome and the effort was there, but it took a deflected goal to beat a side that only looked a fraction better than Hartlepool, who were the worst side I've seen at Vale Park for a long time.

 

Still, seeing as you were one of the few who has been saying all season how good we are, how great Bruno is and how we're going to achieve big things I suppose you'll say anything to try and convince yourself that you weren't talking absolute ******** all along.

 

Every side we've played this season at home seems to be the worst side you've seen for a long time.

[philmpv]

De Freitas was outstanding tonight.

 

Agreed. Still got a lot to learn but very promising

[Rampant Zebra]

Are you watching a different Grant? He ran about quite quickly at times

[Mario]

Ched Evans will score from a set-piece and win the game for them, I'm calling it now.

 

Wrong again

[TheSage]

De Freitas was outstanding tonight.

 

I thought so, too. Not just his ability on the ball but in a defensive capacity as well, tracking back and getting a foot in. That was the best 90 minutes he's put in to date. What a shame he couldn't quite grab a goal his efforts deserved.

[Howjy04]

Wrong again

 

£500 down the crapper.

[Conrad]

Still a bit too stationary for my liking but finally, some running.

 

Kelly is treated as a bit of a scapegoat. Yes he's not clever enough yet and needs to start looking up for the pass but at least he runs at the opposition. Grant has the life of riley, strolling about on the pitch at 3mph, slowing the game down and turning over possession, yet I don't hear him get the grief Kelly gets.

 

Credit to MB for dealing well with the loss of Alex Jones in the warm up. Clever use of the subs to kill the game.

 

Cicilia has only just turned 22 and still has lots of development to go through. He doesn't quite have the sharpness or killer instinct but he is useful and would probably do ok alongside a nippy forward. He has a great first touch for this level and uses the fact that he's a big gangly daddy longlegs awkward fcuker to his advantage. Reminds me of Tom Pope in that defenders struggle to cope once he's on the ball and moving with it, he's deceptively strong when he wants to be. It doesn't help that he's up there all on his own and is expected to do the work of 3 players. You can't expect him to trap the ball, turn, beat four defenders and slot it in the far corner when he has absolutely no support around him because the midfield are completely immobile and he didn't have the option of Jones as an outlet tonight. It isn't fair on the guy and hopefully Brown will stop this 1 up front nonsense.

 

Expected Thomas to get MOTM.

 

Of all the foreign imports Kiko could be a long term success at this level I think.

 

Very poor match officials again.

 

Chesterfield are going down. On the balance of play and on chances created 3-1 Vale would have been a fair result.

 

 

 

Tactical change is not going to happen overnight but if MB is to be successful he needs to start weaning the squad off zonal marking immediately.

 

Not knocking Cicilia but good first touch?

He hasn't got a first touch.

[philmpv]

Not knocking Cicilia but good first touch?

He hasn't got a first touch.

 

Sorry but have to disagree with that. He can control any ball below head height far better than anybody else in the team. He often finds the pass after too