Matchday Thread: Millwall v Port Vale

[valefan16]

How many of our team will still be with us after 'the idiot' opens contract talks?

 

In fairness if we go down a few will leave regardless, not sure on Foley's contract assume he is out as is Remie (will we get compo if he leaves?)

 

Smith would only go if big money comes in but didn't sound like anyone is offering as yet.

 

IF we go down which is looking more likely than not at the moment we will need a big rebuild after this mess.

[beasty77]

How can anyone say we will struggle in league two when we would have a much changed squad?

 

This squad as bad as it is crushed a Hartlepool side struggling so even this squad wouldn't go down in L2.

 

Ahhh a new changed squad again eh, and look where that's left us this season. Nobody decent will want to play for Port Vale while Smurf is in charge. Season tickets next season will be at an all time low i reckon.

[valefan16]

Ahhh a new changed squad again eh, and look where that's left us this season. Nobody decent will want to play for Port Vale while Smurf is in charge. Season tickets next season will be at an all time low i reckon.

 

It will have to be much changed, most are out of contract in the summer or loanees... few will stay if offered L1 football elsewhere and assume we will try and offload the foreign lads we don't want.

 

Rightly or wrongly it will have to change... I totally agree though that we should never in a million years have overhauled last seasons squad... keeping most of that with Nathan Smith and a couple of decent signings and we would be challenging the top six.

[pete vale]

I think another forum is in the pipeline isn't it? I'm sure I saw Smurf tweet about that the other day. I would say we have replaced players but not like for like. It sounded like an exceptionally tough deadline day for Brown. Maybe word is getting around that we are not good to deal with. That, once it's in place is hard to shift.

 

I don't think the next 2 home games will define the future of the club, but definitely the season.

The only slight hope we may have is that i'm sure that Michael Brown is trying to carve out a coaching career at a higher level. To do that failure at vale is not an option. It may be this season with the playing staff and antics of the owner.

[PVFC764]

If we go down, I do not see how we could get out of Div 2 with the squad we have. It is a hard div to get out of and I can only see us doing a Crewe.

[bomber]

One of the problems in the lower leagues is you need a settled squad all this changing from week to week does not work. Rudgie rarely change the squad much just tweeked now and again. For peomotion in the lower leagues you need at least ten players with 40+ appearances .

[Fosse69]

One of the problems in the lower leagues is you need a settled squad all this changing from week to week does not work. Rudgie rarely change the squad much just tweeked now and again. For peomotion in the lower leagues you need at least ten players with 40+ appearances .

Which take 2 or 3 seasons to build, stable teams that go down say due to a bad crop of injuries to key players, are more likely to bounce back if their players recover. How many players would we need to bring in?

[Worcs White]

I'm sure as a port vale fan I'm allowed to back the manager.

 

It's a shame you don't give the current caretaker the same time and support.

[bomber]

Which take 2 or 3 seasons to build, stable teams that go down say due to a bad crop of injuries to key players, are more likely to bounce back if their players recover. How many players would we need to bring in?

 

A lot unfortunately ,

[cheshirevaliant]

I've just got back from London (stopped over last night). Words fail me how tamely we played, Fasan (and Streete before he got injured) looked like the only one who had the faintest idea what his role was and how to play it to the required level. Whilst Wimbledon and Bolton were actively bad performances, this was probably even more dispiriting that we looked like we had no confidence in our ability to challenge a team we hammered 6 months ago.

 

I don't blame the players or Brown, this mess is not of their making, they are trying their hardest but unfortunately are not up to the mark. As of August, we will be below the position where Smurthwaite took us over, with no ground and a huge debt to an arrogant oaf. Maybe then, the people who still back him will see his faults.

 

We discussed in the pub after the match the steady decline of attacking players throughout Smurthwaite's tenure, from JMW to Marshall to Moore to whoever was supposed to be playing on the right yesterday, from Hughes/Pope to AJ to Hooper. His tenure is now bordering on indefensible.

[Worcs White]

How many of our team will still be with us after 'the idiot' opens contract talks?

 

On current form, I hope none of them. There is a massive rebuilding job to do here and we may not much progress for a couple of seasons. It may get worse before it gets better.

[Andy Proctor]

Well done on the 122 fans that travelled to watch yet again a load of crap.

[jjvale_03]

Last night was depressing.

 

We've got a squad of 35 players and yet we turn up at one of the strongest teams in the league having to play someone who is injured in midfield and our manager named as a sub. There's no sadder and clearer message about our disastrous decisions in the summer than that.

 

We were meek, lost every battle, were slower to every ball, had no idea when in possession, looked vulnerable from every set piece and didn't beat the first man with any of our own set pieces. At times, it was like watching a set of schoolboys against real pro's. Smith had a torrid time against Morrison, Walker and Hooper were lost - the tactic of lumping high balls up to kids at Millwall away wasn't a masterstroke - and have regressed since showing bright sparks when they were first introduced to the side. We've already ruined Callum Guy, that was the first time I'd seen him since his magnificent debut and I was shocked at how much his level had dropped. Michael Brown spent the majority of the evening 'having banter' with the home fans around the dugout, and made ineffectual changes to an already odd game plan. Once again we showed a complete lack of focus and professionalism by conceding a goal less than 60 seconds after saving a penalty.

 

The night was topped off by fans (me included) arguing with eachother about whether this side was worse than Dean Glover's vintage of 2008. We're in a dire state of affairs if we're trying to justify this against that standard.

[Arthur]

Smurf is the problem. The failure of this season and the decline in quality across every aspect of our football club over the last few years, lies solely with him.

 

We need the ******* out.

[Guest]

Smurf took a risk and got rid of what some fans were calling dead wood and replaced them with unknowns which sadly didnt work like the majority thought it wouldnt .

However whats done is done we aint bottom we r fifth bottom with how ever many cup finals left .

If we go down we go down fighting not lamely like last night ,the stats will tell u we were never in it .

Personally i support Vale whatever league they r in as no bearing on me ,im a grafter ,grinder and im a credit to the world of work.

I give it everything every time i walk through the works doors

So all i expect is that the team i go watch do exactly the same .

If u cannot do it then dont pretend u can .

U have to run harder than the opposition ,u have to be braver ,u have to get every second ball etc

Thats up to the players ,the chairman hasnt helped things but it is what it is ,get on with and deliver .

As for the fans turn up if u care .

Utv