Match Thread: Port Vale v Exeter City

[Class personified]

I thought we played well tonight. They had one attack and scored. Raglan should have shut down the cross. Pugh and Tonge I felt dominated the midfield. Monty is looking like a decent left back. Raglan failed to support Worrall at anytime on the overlap whilst Gibbons did that but hopelessly failed with the ball at his feet. I like Howkins and Hannant. I think they do the job they are asked to do. Forrester seems to have no upper body strength. Barnett did ok but we are clearly missing Pope. It’s going down to the wire. Fingers and toes crossed.

[Jacko51]

Please anyone on here give Tom Pope stick when all we have up front is a pair of clueless tw##s that dunna give a fu##.The pair of them had the service tonight but could not hit a barn door. Utter tripe.

 

Barnett wasn't aiming at a barn door - he was aiming at the goal and you must have had your eyes shut if you missed the two he had cleared off the line and the great save by the keeper?

[ELDERBEZZA]

Luke Hannant is a very good player but should we play him up front NO

 

We had to take Forrester off he is terrible and should not start in my opinion but Aspin has no other alternative.

 

When he took him off he moved Hannant to play up the middle just behind Barnett. This was wrong. Whitfield, Harness, Turner all should be there before Hannant.

 

Hannant should be playing in the center, instead of tired legs Pugh or Tonge and i am certain he would still make some good forward runs.

 

I dont believe the above players are better than Hannant but maybe they are a better option to ' try ' and score the goal we needed

 

I'n afraid Pugh and Tonge are not the answer, as they're going to cost us in the next few games.Their legs have gone and we need to freshen up the midfield .Crewe away could be very embarrassing with all their energy!!The 2 donkeys up front need to up the pace too!!

[Sandyford_Lion]

I'n afraid Pugh and Tonge are not the answer, as they're going to cost us in the next few games.Their legs have gone and we need to freshen up the midfield .Crewe away could be very embarrassing with all their energy!!The 2 donkeys up front need to up the pace too!!

 

We will get nothing at Wycombe

 

Chesterfield is MASSIVE we have to get three points

 

I fear the Crewe game, we sent them down 2 seasons ago and this time they could put us in the bottom two.

Then there will be all the off field goings on. If we do lose i wonder what will happen on and off the field

[Beza]

We spoke to George Andrews at ht and at times he talks a load of bollx but he did say that the Exeter keeper was the best keeper outside of the Championship.Well George I think you are correct on this count.

[JSValiant]

I hope you are right Hagrid.But I think without the backing and a reasonable budget next season I don't think Aspin is the answer and I cannot see the owner giving him the Budget he would need.

Therefore if we keep shopping in Poundland then we need an experienced League 2 manager like John Coleman,Jim Bentley,Gareth Ainsworth who have proved it can be done on small budgets.

Whether we can get one to come to Vale Park with the current regime is another matter.

[davehartshill]

Looks like Aspin fell out with a fan at the end. You can really see the frustration on his face. He looks and sounds totally fed up. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he resigned.

[Guest]

How can our goalie have nothing to do yet we concede a goal .

Yet there defence not once buckled under our constant pressure and there goalie walks off with a clean sheet .

15 attempts 9 on target 6 off and ten corners and no luck whatsoever ,yet they who probably ventured into our box 4 times manage score a very amateurish goal .

I cannot list all of them but here goes .

Pugh a cracking effort deserved go in missed by centre metres .

Barnett also a fine shot which deserved nestle in the corner but no this is bad luck Vale it goes wide .

Hannant beautiful ball between the defenders forrester didnt react the ball went for a goal kick should have being a goal .

Worrall carried the ball across the area surely forrester going drive it home it bobbles over his foot .

Barnett header cleared off the line i think twice i n 2 separate moves .

Barnett heads down dodgy pitch creating dodgy control results inHannant not scoring where really he should have chested it down and drilled home but bobbley pitch saw tbat wasnt the case .

Lots more situations where the ball would not break for us including agreat save from Barnett by there keeper and the followvup passed by the Vale player who should have drilled it as low and hard as he could but instead well i dont know what he was doing but there was no conviction in it .

A frustratin night .

It should have being Vale 6 Exeter 1 and for Vale not score a goal is a total mystery to me .

[Erniemossrules]

Sorry to say but this is probably the true Gibbons.

Maybe pressure but i struggle to see a professional footballer in him.

Excellent first month or so but nothing at all since and there have been far more poor performances than good.

Second half for the last two matches, you cannot blame that on confidence,

he looks poor defensively, cannot pass, makes very little forward runs and offers nothing to the team at all.

 

The problem tonight was playing Raglan at right back.

He allowed the guy space to get past him and didn’t stop him crossing the ball.

He did the same on Saturday against Stevenage.

All the bulls*it he has been talking about on Radio Joke and in the Sentinel then he plays rubbish.

I don’t think that would have happened with Gibbons at full back.

Gibbons with Worrall in front of him was always the best pairing.

Also why take Worrall off when he was running them ragged .

His replacement Harness never got going.

Still can’t understand why Whitfield has not being playing

He made a big difference when he came on.

I think Aspin has been listening to Baldrick Brown with his team selections and tactics.

[Beza]

Barnett wasn't aiming at a barn door - he was aiming at the goal and you must have had your eyes shut if you missed the two he had cleared off the line and the great save by the keeper?

no I didnt have my eyes "shut" my dear.But what I did notice was the lack of understanding between the front two, they were dreadful.

[NellyTheValiant]

My take, we played pretty well, a few reasonably decent shots and a couple off the line but for the most part our shots gave their keeper a photo opportunity.

 

Poor defending for their goal, a cross cut out by Smith preventing a 1 on 1 and a great tackle by Tonge to save a tap in with 2 of their guys waiting. Other than those chances they barely had a shot.

 

I was disappointed with the changes made 2nd half. Bringing Gibbons on but taking off Worrall, why? Theywere our best outlet during our better games. Hannant had a decent game on the left but he was moved to accommodate Whitfield who for the most part had to cut back onto his right foot to knock a decent ball in.

 

Why does Aspin insist on leaving Tonge (in particular) and Pugh on the pitch for the entire game. We're losing 1-0 we need energy in the centre of the park but he leaves them on, when they're knackered. Tonge, every set piece, why. The few corners they had looked dangerous, pinged crosses difficult to defend, ours, over hit, hanging, floated crosses that are difficult to do anything with and it showed with nearly every header being powder puff and easily catchable.

 

Other than that we were reasonably decent but I do fear for us. Stevenage and Exeter were 2 of the easier remaining games and we've picked up 1 point from 6.

[Family Stand Terrier]

I hope you are right Hagrid.But I think without the backing and a reasonable budget next season I don't think Aspin is the answer and I cannot see the owner giving him the Budget he would need.

Therefore if we keep shopping in Poundland then we need an experienced League 2 manager like John Coleman,Jim Bentley,Gareth Ainsworth who have proved it can be done on small budgets.

Whether we can get one to come to Vale Park with the current regime is another matter.

Neil Aspin isn't the issue. Please will people get this through their skulls. Smurf has had 5 managers under his tenure, and fans have constantly blamed each of them. Can none of you see the recurring problem? Imagine Aspin does go...why would you have faith in Smurf appointing the Manager you want? Why would Smurf all of a sudden support the new Manager with a wage structure that attracts quality over quantity? What is it that I'm missing that makes him such a great owner in some people's eyes?

[ELDERBEZZA]

My take, we played pretty well, a few reasonably decent shot and a couple of the line but for the most part our shots gave their keeper a photo opportunity.

 

Poor defending for their goal, a cross cut out by Smith preventing a 1 on 1 and a great tackle by Tonge to save a tap in with 2 of their guys waiting. Other than those chances they barely had a shot.

 

I was disappointed with the changes made 2nd half. Bringing Gibbons on but taking off Worrall, why? Theywere our best outlet during our better games. Hannant had a decent game on the left but he was moved to accommodate Whitfield who for the most part had to cut back onto his right foot to knock a decent ball in.

 

Why does Aspin insist on leaving Tonge (in particular) and Pugh on the pitch for the entire game. We're losing 1-0 we need energy in the centre of the park but he leaves them on, when they're knackered. Tonge, every set piece, why. The few corners they had looked dangerous, pinged crosses difficult to defend, ours, over hit, hanging, floated crosses that are difficult to do anything with and it showed with nearly every header being powder puff and easily catchable.

 

Other than that we were reasonably decent but I do fear for us. Stevenage and Exeter were 2 of the easier remaining games and we've picked up 1 point from 6.

It looked as though Worrall had a knock when he came off.A pity,as had he stayed on at expense of Tonge/Pugh,we probably would have won.

[Hagrid]

Aspo had some words with a fan at the end.

 

Considering the shambolic nature of the club, lack of funds, ambiguous future in terms of the owner, 'backstabbing', I can see him keeping us up and then walking.

 

He's too decent of a bloke to leave us in the lurch but honestly wouldn't blame him if he decides enough is enough. Working in a club run by Norman Smuthwaite, with Tony Fradley your day to day boss, must be a nightmare. To be so invested in a club and see them struggling so much must be difficult. Having spoken to him and his wife briefly I know how much a defeat hurts him, let alone a run like this.

 

My dream is we stay up and owners that back him gives him a chance at rebuilding this club which he clearly wants to do. Unfortunately, I can see the dreadful situation of the club driving a very decent bloke away.

[ELDERBEZZA]

neil aspin isn't the issue. Please will people get this through their skulls. Smurf has had 5 managers under his tenure, and fans have constantly blamed each of them. Can none of you see the recurring problem? Imagine aspin does go...why would you have faith in smurf appointing the manager you want? Why would smurf all of a sudden support the new manager with a wage structure that attracts quality over quantity? What is it that i'm missing that makes him such a great owner in some people's eyes?

 

smurf is the issue