Matchday Thread: Port Vale v Peterborough Utd

[Paul6754]

Calling all happy clappers and optimists....are you now ready to join the band of realists as to the fate that await us?? That was a horrible mess of a performance...and thankfully I didn't see the last two goals as I'd given up the ghost long before then.

The positives based on the 85 mins or so I saw were the goalie, who made a good penalty save and generally dealt with everything ok apart from a couple of nervous clearances; and Shodipo who showed promise.

The negatives are too numerous to list, but the main concerns were the midfield, which did not have enough guile or craft about it, ADF had a terrible game; but also the full-back positions with Tanser looking what he is...a Rochdale reserve.

I commented whilst listening to Brown on RS prior to the game that he spoke very well and clearly knew want he wants but the tactics and line-up were all wrong today. Why is Hooper continuing to be played wide? Why is Forrester not starting ahead of Walker who offered very little? it's Folely or ADF, not both.

We look every inch a relegation side. I predicted we'd concede 3 and was immediately shot down by some posters on here but after Grants and Alnwicks departure that soft centre we already had just got that little bit softer.

I'll not even mention a quite ludicrous refereeing performance but that wasn't the reason we lost I'm afraid.

 

Said it on the other tread but the playing fabric of this club has been decimated by Bruno and Smurf in 6 months or so and it won't be changed in one transfer window particularly when there is not a substantial amount of money available for transferr fees.

[Vital Spark]

Said it on the other tread but the playing fabric of this club has been decimated by Bruno and Smurf in 6 months or so and it won't be changed in one transfer window particularly when there is not a substantial amount of money available for transferr fees.

 

Its not just a lack of transfer fees, its lack of realistic wages, coupled with the clubs eroded image that stops us attracting anyone other than has-been journeymen or academy kids. Norman thinks he can do everything on a shoestring, but the poor state of the ground, the attendances and our fragile league position suggests he's wrong.

 

 

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[bookworm]

We signed 8 players in this window. Two permanently they are clearly spending money. What is clear is that brown looks out of his depth

 

Dunner werrit, wane bay o rate

[AlienTitWrench]

When o when are we going to get a decent manager I think we only had 2 in 30 years Rudge and Horton sick of it

 

Adams was decent enough to steady a sinking ship and get us promoted. I thought Foyle did ok for a season and a half along with page. So maybe 4 in 20 years.

 

 

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[Worcs White]

It partly is his fault. He signed a few of these lads it's his tactics his team selection his subs. It was bloody **** again. I bet he's got a worse record than Bruno as manager!

 

Your loyalty to that failure Bruno is commendable, but sometimes in life you have to accept you backed the wrong horse and stop trying to make these pathetic comparisons to justify your mistake.

 

The reason we are in this mess is Bruno's inability as a manager and the pathetic players he brought in. Brown has a monumental task, moulding a side out of loan players in tandem with losing his best and most consistent players, to keep us in this division. If he manages to keep us up it will be an exceptional achievement. Let's give him the same time afforded to rubbish Riberio to see if he can at least manage to hold on to league one status.

[AlienTitWrench]

Keeper didn't move for the first. Yes he saved a pen, but shouldn't have let the third in. Went through his hands.

 

Let's hope it was first game nerves!

 

 

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[Class personified]

Macc the lad and I were on the way back to Sheffield analysed the remaining fixtures and reckoned we were on course to reach between 43 to 45 points. Relegation beckons.

[Bucknall Rob]

How?

 

He picked the team. His **** tactics. His poor substitutions

He has signed some of these players and they're not good enough. The left back is useless and signings like Pugh are just a joke. The bigger picture is of course the chairman but brown dosent go without blame.

 

Has the manager really been backed, we signed 2 kids from QPR, a Rochdale reserve, Eagles not good enough for Accrington, Pugh another at the end of his career, 3rd choice keeper at Celtic, a 20 year old with no experience at Derby and Walker with very little experience at Forest. Yet again the cheap option, we may have signed 8 but I am pretty sure the wage bill will have come down significantly.

[valefan16]

It's so frustrating as all the promise of the last two games evaporated today and we were so poor.

 

Keepers not made a save other than the penalty and we've lost 3-0 that's a huge worry.

[Hagrid]

We haven't won since Brown's opening game, and that wasn't a great win. On today's showing we're in trouble.

 

Only Foley and Shodipo stood out. Shodipo's substitution was baffling considering we lost all width and pace. Forward line offered nothing. Midfield was overran. Back line was shaky from minute one. Purkiss is done.

 

What angers me is that we have a horrifically, unbalanced, bloated squad with no real leaders in. We have 4 keepers with about 5 professional games between them. 2 young, promising centrebacks with no back up. Woeful options at fullback. Enough centre mids to the extent where Amoros and Tavares can't make the 18. 4 young forwards with around 15 career goals. Legions of ***** never making it near the matchday squad.

 

Brown looked out of his depth today. The 4-3-3 wasn't working and he did little to change it bar sub our most dangerous player and lob a striker on. Pugh and Eagles are tidy players but aren't needed.

 

4,000 Vale fans sums up the sentiment around the club. Fans aren't bothered. The atmosphere is progressively getting worse, and with a squad of foreign cast-offs, loanees, and old men looking for a last payday, there is little to draw fans back in.

 

There's only one place the blame lies, and its at the top.

[smithie]

Macc the lad and I were on the way back to Sheffield analysed the remaining fixtures and reckoned we were on course to reach between 43 to 45 points. Relegation beckons.

 

If we accept that 50 points should be enough

to stay up (it usually is), look at it this way;

 

Cov need the equivalent of 10 wins from 17 games.

They've won 4 out of 29 so far. It's not going to happen.

 

Chesterfield need 8 wins from 17. They've won from 7 from 29. It's not going to happen.

 

Bury need to win half their remaining games, and they've won less than a quarter of their 30 so far.

It's not going to happen.

 

To my mind, those 3 are as good as down. Obviously I'd rather not be having to consider these things but that's hw I see it...plus we've got a game or two in hand over everyone around us.

[Bycars Ender]

We haven't won since Brown's opening game, and that wasn't a great win. On today's showing we're in trouble.

 

Only Foley and Shodipo stood out. Shodipo's substitution was baffling considering we lost all width and pace. Forward line offered nothing. Midfield was overran. Back line was shaky from minute one. Purkiss is done.

 

What angers me is that we have a horrifically, unbalanced, bloated squad with no real leaders in. We have 4 keepers with about 5 professional games between them. 2 young, promising centrebacks with no back up. Woeful options at fullback. Enough centre mids to the extent where Amoros and Tavares can't make the 18. 4 young forwards with around 15 career goals. Legions of ***** never making it near the matchday squad.

 

Brown looked out of his depth today. The 4-3-3 wasn't working and he did little to change it bar sub our most dangerous player and lob a striker on. Pugh and Eagles are tidy players but aren't needed.

 

4,000 Vale fans sums up the sentiment around the club. Fans aren't bothered. The atmosphere is progressively getting worse, and with a squad of foreign cast-offs, loanees, and old men looking for a last payday, there is little to draw fans back in.

 

There's only one place the blame lies, and its at the top.

 

Great post, spot on.

[TheSage]

If anyone tells me that we are not in a relegation battle or that we don't miss players like Pope, Dodds, O'Connor & Dicko than I'll have you certified.

 

I think Brown got the substitutions wrong today and should have subbed the ineffective front two but he's had to shop in Lidl and has been dealt an appalling hand by Smurf and Bruno. We might regret terribly not strengthening before Tuesday because the squad as I've said previously is desperately short on experience, physicality and defensive cover.

 

Young lads are fine when you are winning but need help when the chips are down, like today.

We won nothing in the air all match but Pope of course can be replaced for half the money.

I thought the keeper did ok. Their last two goals didn't matter. The game was over by then.

 

And, don't shoot the messenger, but we missed Grant in front of the back four today. We were wide open in midfield and DF and CG were both poor.

 

Positives? I think the keeper did ok. Foley tried very hard as usual. Shadipo showed flashes. But we need 8-9 lads getting 8/10 and many of them didn't deserve more than a 5 today.

 

I hesitate to single him out but Purkiss was shocking. But we have no-one to replace him.

 

I hope we don't have cause to regret our lack of activity on deadline today because we look woefully thin at the back and lack a physical presence and leadership.

 

Thanks Mr Chairman and Bruno for putting us in this unholy mess. It's been an absolute shambles since last August.

[Hagrid]

Bl**dy hell, talk about doom & gloom. Looked at objectively, we probably need another 20-22 points from the remaining 17 games to stay in league One--not unachievable IMO?

 

All teams in this division seem capable of beating each other with no great logic--Believe me--if you're also doing the League One prediction competition! Look at the Southend v Scunthorpe match today and Bolton who not long ago looked a shoe-in for promotion have had a bad run--so too had Peterborough (until today!) We'll pick up again at some point and although I'm not a betting man, looking at the teams below us I still think we might just scrape into 19th/20th position.

 

Yessss lets all get excited cus we will probably scrape enough points together to limp over the line this year.

 

smurfies barmie armie

[Davebrad]

If we accept that 50 points should be enough

to stay up (it usually is), look at it this way;

 

Cov need the equivalent of 10 wins from 17 games.

They've won 4 out of 29 so far. It's not going to happen.

 

Chesterfield need 8 wins from 17. They've won from 7 from 29. It's not going to happen.

 

Bury need to win half their remaining games, and they've won less than a quarter of their 30 so far.

It's not going to happen.

 

To my mind, those 3 are as good as down. Obviously I'd rather not be having to consider these things but that's hw I see it...plus we've got a game or two in hand over everyone around us.

 

I;m with you with everything crossed, bye the bye what ale do you drink? i'd like some...