Matchday Thread:: Port Vale v Milton Keynes

[TheSage]

No, I don't think it's a lack of effort either.

We've got a string of players who are injured, carrying injuries, played when they shouldn't or simply not yet 100% ready. But they play because we have no other option.

It just looks like many of them are playing with concrete tied to their feet because they haven't got the energy levels necessary to cope with 90 minutes.

It got worse today because, yet again, two more went off, which meant that players who ought to have been subbed after an hour had to stay on.

We've had/got something like 10-11 injuries. Teams like MKDons, Shrewsbury, Gilligham and Swindon had the odd one. It makes a huge difference.

[Volcano]

Forrester was by far worse than Hooper today no idea what people are watching. Forrester doesn't even look like scoring. Hooper looks like he's got some goals in him but he shouldn't have started today as he weren't fit enough. Sam Kelly should have.

[Warren]

I was pretty down throughout the game until Reggie came on. But it looks like our lack of competitiveness was down to a patched up team mostly. Therefore that was a good point. I am not clear how fit Bike is, but watching him second half he moved to the right positions and we didn't concede a goal near the end because of that. You don't get 25 international caps for a good international team for nothing.

 

So hope remains, it is doable to stay up if we can get players fit and stop losing games we should draw or win.

[TJHValiant]

Hooper was undoubtedly injured. Taylor lacks fitness having been on a jolly in the states since January and Cecilia lacks match sharpness.

 

They simply should not be played until they have match fitness. We have other fit players. Tavares for example may have been a bit ropey earlier in the season but he is vastly experienced, earning a big wage and is much better than some players who appeared to be hopping or out of breath after 20 mins.

[Warren]

Forrester was by far worse than Hooper today no idea what people are watching. Forrester doesn't even look like scoring. Hooper looks like he's got some goals in him but he shouldn't have started today as he weren't fit enough. Sam Kelly should have.

 

Forrester isn't fit to do more than 60 and as Brown said afterwards he had to keep him on to 70 plus. We need someone to hold the ball up and occupy the centre halves and he does that, but you are right that we need a regular goal scorer.

[Rudge's Flat Cap]

Awful quality, awful atmosphere, awful performance. The club's on its backside and some people refuse to see it. 3,500 home fans on a sunny Saturday, come on.

 

Fair play to Bikey for doing decently on little fitness. I was wrong in deeming Mehmet to be as bad as Fasan, he does a job. Smith again good. Ageing midfield was fairly pedestrian. Forwards aren't good enough.

 

We need 3 wins still, and we ain't winning anything away. 2 of our remaining 3 home games are against the top 2. I simply can't see where the wins are coming from.

 

Hearing some bloke ringing in Praise and Grumble to remind us 'moaners and groaners' that Smurf 'saved' the club has probably killed any fight I had in me. These people will get the club they deserve.

 

Utter garbage. Smurthwaite did save the club, gave us promotion and a decent league 1 budget. Yes the Bruno experiment failed but do you really think we were better off before he took over? We're a tin pot club from one of the most financially deprived places in the UK... if Smurf goes it's vultures and/Or bankruptcy.

[Mario]

Utter garbage. Smurthwaite did save the club' date=' gave us promotion and a decent league 1 budget. Yes the Bruno experiment failed but do you really think we were better off before he took over? We're a tin pot club from one of the most financially deprived places in the UK... if Smurf goes it's vultures and/Or bankruptcy.[/quote']

:banghead:

[Sam Kelly's Left Boot]

Can't understand for the life of me why super Sam Kelly wasn't playing. Absolute game changer. Brown out. Smurf out.

[Black and white]

Utter garbage. Smurthwaite did save the club' date=' gave us promotion and a decent league 1 budget. Yes the Bruno experiment failed but do you really think we were better off before he took over? We're a tin pot club from one of the most financially deprived places in the UK... if Smurf goes it's vultures and/Or bankruptcy.[/quote']

 

We had a better side before smurf arrived than we do now!

We had less debt before smurf arrived than we do now!

We had better attendances than before smurf arrived than we do now!

 

So yes we are worse off now than before the clown took charge. 1 other thing Mickey Adams got Port Vale promoted not Norman f ****** Smurfwaite!

[Volcano]

You honestly thought JJ tried? I'm hoping you wrong for your sake. The lad didn't jump for 1 header all game and in numerous occasions his feet didn't even leave the ground and failed to close anyone down all game. As for his ability, sadly he's got none.

 

I don't think I saw Forrester win a header all match, I think Hooper only won 1 and ironically the striker who can't head a ball in Big Reg was going up and winning headers.

[grand prix pants]

 

He really doesn't

[Rudge's Flat Cap]

We had a better side before smurf arrived than we do now!

We had less debt before smurf arrived than we do now!

We had better attendances than before smurf arrived than we do now!

 

So yes we are worse off now than before the clown took charge. 1 other thing Mickey Adams got Port Vale promoted not Norman f ****** Smurfwaite!

 

Yeah and the fans booed Micky Adams out of the club.

 

It's like last season fans wanted Page out eventhough I thought we had a very solid season.

 

Many Vale fans need to wake up and be realistic and realise we have no God given right to be a competitive League 1 side. Smurthwaite has given us that by ploughing in his own money. Attendances are dwindling because of the **** eroding our fan base, ageing fan base and the 90s glory days fans gradually losing interest. Not because of Smurthwaite.

[CambridgeDon]

Couldn't properly follow the game today but thought it was a disappointing result. A manager is only as good as his players but, for me, Brown simply doesn't seem able to organise or motivate the players into a winning outfit. That's one point in two fixtures when we should be seeing at least four ir six if we are to survive. If we can't beat the likes of Coventry or MK Dons, how are we going to beat the Blades or Bolton or Fleetwood? These last two games are the ones we should be winning.

I saw that Coventry won again today - that is the difference an experienced, seasoned manager makes - enough said.

Despite the table, I don't think we can realistically expect to survive given our inability to dominate play or outscore our opponents. That's a great pity really because next season in league one looks really promising with the likes of Donny, Pompey, Plymouth and possibly Blackpool coming up - lots of away fans and three great away fixtures by the sea. At least I'll be able to walk to an away game, which is little consolation. Can't stand the Abbey Ground, complete dump, starring two of our former strikers who, frankly, would walk into our side at the moment. It's going to be a tough few years, thanks to Norman.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Might be a huge point come the end of the season.

 

Dreadful game and dreadful performance (still better than Coventry though).

 

We created nothing until Reg came on and instantly gave us a constant threat, he is a great option to have coming off the bench, that must be his role, Eagles must play number 10 and Purkiss and Pugh must not play at all. Oh and we need energy in midfield and people that actually give a damn aside from the centre halves and the keeper. Some tactics would be nice too if that's not being too greedy!

[TheSage]

I'm not sure why some are picking on 2-3 named individuals today as by and large with the possible exception of Smith (though it wasn't his best game) I thought all 10 outfield players were poor, many only worth 3 or 4/10. The one shining light was the keeper who made two very good saves before the break and two brilliant ones after half time. For me, he got us the 'undeserved' point and was by far our best player.

 

I'm fairly sure in my own mind that all of De Freitas, Guy, Knops, Walker and Thomas would all start had they been fit, plus Shadipo too in the frame. But needs must and the walking wounded somehow ground out a point today, bad as it was.

 

But it's a game best forgotten and at least we have a full week's rest ahead now.