Match Thread - Port Vale v Lincoln City

[darren1810]

Yes Osprey, Miller is banned for Oldham.

Great pity as I'm sure we were really going there on the front foot and taking the game to them !!!

[For Us All]

I just remembered, no vale man of the match today. I would have gone for Brown because he worked hard picking the ball up out of the net.

 

Brown got it spot on when he said that if you don't want to head the ball from set pieces you've no chance?

[Emile]

What a shocking state we're in, that was the worst I've seen since we lost 7-1 at Huddersfield in 1979-80. Some of the defending was unacceptable by Sunday pub league standards. I actually predicted the 3rd & 4th goals just before they happened, it was that obvious what was coming. Lincoln's gamesmanship for their 3rd was superb, messed about to upset our childlike concentration even down to the point of the free kick taker waiting until the messing about in the box was over before the secondary assault on concentration by tying his boot laces. Result - goal conceded in the manner of 12 year old schoolboys.

Leaving aside for a moment the debacle on the pitch and thinking from the technical area we need to be careful not to lose sight of the core problem, a certain morbidly obese poor man's Phillip Green who's made disasterous decision after disasterous decision and is now trying to recoup the cost of his mistakes at the risk of the club ceasing to be, which bothers us but is of no importance whatsoever to him.

He's strangling the budget, demonstrated by a couple of things;

rate him as a manager or not I know Aspo's on less money here than he was at Gateshead and Askey was getting more at Macc than we offered! The wages Vale pay must be relatively poor because yesterday's starting line up only had three experienced players who have previously played at this level or above, one being young Nathan Smith, all the others have played 12 games or less at league level and some were out of position. That's too many in the team who're still adjusting or discovering if they're good enough.

Aspin is partly responsible but not wholly, I doubt he'd have done almost all his recruitment from outside the league unless budget dictated. He probably had to spend to get Brown & Legge then had limited ability to get further experienced proven players. I'm sure if the Hugill money were utilised Aspin would have recruited differently. Also, if Aspo goes don't expect a proven manager to be employed, it'll be someone cheap.

We have to be rid of Bibendum's blue brother but the big problem with getting rid of Slimcia (one for the older generation) is he owns the whole club and wants all the money he's wasted back. He doesn't give a toss if the club ceases to exist. What's needed is someone to do a deal with him to aquire the club but maybe let him have the Hugill money as it comes in, painful but at least it would get rid of him. If he hangs on until he's got his money back the club will be a dead duck most probably in non league.

 

Great post. What I will say though is our best 11 if they aren’t injured is as good as anyone else in the league. Squad isn’t good enough and that could be blamed on the budget or bad recruitment (quantity over quality).

 

I don’t think Aspin is a terrible manager but some of his tactics (or lack of them) are really concerning. I really want him to do well but I’m not sure he can based on the circumstances.

[valiant_593]

Don’t see why it matters that miller is suspended he wouldn’t have been picked anyway. Would’ve be thrown on at half time once we’re 2-0 down again.

[hamilboy]

Having slept on it and cooled down I do agree I owe an apology in regard to my post on Aspin, yes I still want him gone from the club but my language used regarding his integrity was over the top so I apologise to anyone this caused offence to.

Incidentally I watched his interview and despite his insane ramblings he also looks like a broken man not sure how he drags the players up from this, this is where we need those big characters in the dressing room.

 

What big characters Sproson,Cheadle,Hayward,Swanny,Hazell,have long gone from the vale we have no one of there ilk in the dressing room,We have still got them on the terraces like myself who will never desert the vale,i'll keep dragging myself up the vale in the belief that one day something good will happen to my club we live in hope.

[beasty77]

The first time in 30 years i left a Vale game at half time. We're in a rut. If Aspin goes we'll only replace him with another cheap option, so we're just going round in circles. I personally don't want Aspin to go as i cant see the point getting rid of managers season after season, but yesterday was just embarrassing, and i don't know where we go from here. I honestly fear for our future.

[Iron Curtain]

What a shocking state we're in, that was the worst I've seen since we lost 7-1 at Huddersfield in 1979-80. Some of the defending was unacceptable by Sunday pub league standards. I actually predicted the 3rd & 4th goals just before they happened, it was that obvious what was coming. Lincoln's gamesmanship for their 3rd was superb, messed about to upset our childlike concentration even down to the point of the free kick taker waiting until the messing about in the box was over before the secondary assault on concentration by tying his boot laces. Result - goal conceded in the manner of 12 year old schoolboys.

Leaving aside for a moment the debacle on the pitch and thinking from the technical area we need to be careful not to lose sight of the core problem, a certain morbidly obese poor man's Phillip Green who's made disasterous decision after disasterous decision and is now trying to recoup the cost of his mistakes at the risk of the club ceasing to be, which bothers us but is of no importance whatsoever to him.

He's strangling the budget, demonstrated by a couple of things;

rate him as a manager or not I know Aspo's on less money here than he was at Gateshead and Askey was getting more at Macc than we offered! The wages Vale pay must be relatively poor because yesterday's starting line up only had three experienced players who have previously played at this level or above, one being young Nathan Smith, all the others have played 12 games or less at league level and some were out of position. That's too many in the team who're still adjusting or discovering if they're good enough.

Aspin is partly responsible but not wholly, I doubt he'd have done almost all his recruitment from outside the league unless budget dictated. He probably had to spend to get Brown & Legge then had limited ability to get further experienced proven players. I'm sure if the Hugill money were utilised Aspin would have recruited differently. Also, if Aspo goes don't expect a proven manager to be employed, it'll be someone cheap.

We have to be rid of Bibendum's blue brother but the big problem with getting rid of Slimcia (one for the older generation) is he owns the whole club and wants all the money he's wasted back. He doesn't give a toss if the club ceases to exist. What's needed is someone to do a deal with him to aquire the club but maybe let him have the Hugill money as it comes in, painful but at least it would get rid of him. If he hangs on until he's got his money back the club will be a dead duck most probably in non league.

 

Excellent post.

 

Especially the bit about the managers wages.

 

I wanted Aspin to succeed but I fear he is not the right man... but as I have said elsewhere... being Angry at Aspin is like being Angry at a fireman who is struggling to control a fire started by an Arsonist.

[Bald Eagle]

We go on about Aspin being a Vale legend and all this cobblers, but Michael Brown had a far more illustrious career than he had.

 

Brown is the only Vale player to have played for the club after having won the FA cup (Stanley Matthews friendly appearances as manager not counting) and had a long career in top flight football.

 

The reality is nothing Aspin has done in his career has given us reason to believe he could be better manergerial material than Brown. It was all sentimental nonsense.

 

1) Aspo was a legend for Vale, Brown was a decent player for us. I don’t see how anyone can dispute Aspo’s status as a player

2) Jimmy Greenhoff

3) Time will tell if Aspo will be a good manager for us or not (I personally have significant doubts), but Brown was an absolute car crash of a Manager and we would be where Chesterfield are now if he had remained. Playing records have nothing to do with managerial ability as Klopp and The Cowley brothers continue to show amongst others

[Guest]

Once selected its the players responsibilty to perform and do the basics i hear we conceded from 5 set pieces so we have a soft underbelly .

Thats not Aspins fault is it .

Bad times for the club again its so sad to hear but the continual playing of players who should have being shown the door after the last few seasons.

Its a very telling scoreline and heads must roll for it but who would i want on my side in a battle Aspin thats who but if the players have decided to not play for him then is fate willbe sealed and yet another Vales legend cult status will be damaged by mediocre players .

Smurf needs to go

[beasty77]

Also how bad is Smith. He also should of buried that header first half to make it 1-1.

[PV1973]

The trolls are out. Not seen a peep from them for ages. To top it off they haven’t even seen the goals or been to the game even.

 

Having put myself through watching the goals again last night the defending from corners was awful. Smith, Rawlinson, Kay, Pugh, Clark in particular looked all over the place. Not on their toes, getting blocked, leaving men free. It was an absolute nightmare. It’s easy to say it’s just the players fault. But it’s the management that prepare them, it’s the management that should be analysing the oppositions setplays and making players aware of what to expect. To be fair Aspin says they did the work in the week. But it wasn’t enough and the players looked clueless. To be fair Lincoln are excellent at what they do, some quality setlieces there and I’m sure they are very happy that they scored from so many.

 

Interesting to hear him talk about picking 4 centre halfs across the back to combat them and trying to justify Clarks selection on the right by saying him playing there didn’t contribute to the goals. But the problem with that is that he didn’t contribute anything by playing there. I can’t believe he didn’t put Worrall there, at least he knows the position.

[valiant_593]

Excellent post.

 

Especially the bit about the managers wages.

 

I wanted Aspin to succeed but I fear he is not the right man... but as I have said elsewhere... being Angry at Aspin is like being Angry at a fireman who is struggling to control a fire started by an Arsonist.

 

Don’t agree. Having a **** chairman dosent mean he has to make awful team selections week in week out. Have shocking tactics and be unable to organise a side. He’s not up to league management.

[geosname]

Only seen the highlights..... that's the worst defending I've seen for a long time.

[TheSage]

One of the biggest problems we had yesterday and it's hardly been mentioned was a glaring lack of experience and know-how.

Of the back four only Legge really is what I'd call a proven player at this level. Smith is in a shocking run of form and still learning. Vassell and CR are very inexperienced. In midfield Conlon and Clark are young lads and Clark had never played there before. And of course up top we've got K & W who can't have played many games between them at all. This is in addition to the front 6 being very lightweight and powderpuff against one of the most physical teams in the league.

I don't know who was fit and who wasn't precisely but surely there was a case for sticking Kay - with his height - in front of the back four to help cope with Rhead, and considering both Worrall and Dodds who it is true haven't played very well but both of whom could have done a better job than 4-5 yesterday. It wasn't Clark's fault he was stuck in an unfamiliar position, nor Pugh picked from nowhere after he started in the week, but we picked a very young team, green between the ears, and got steamrolled - predictably - by a streetwise, strong and determined outfit. It was men against boys.

Yes, individual errors contributed enormously to the result though they could easily have scored 10 had not Rhead headed past an open goal and Brown made two super saves. But why were we placing young lads in unfamiliar positions against the league leaders? Asking Smith to mark Rhead was daft, just to give one example from many.

Naive tactics and selection at best, at worst an absolute shambles. And we've played them before and got the tee-shirt from another hammering in August, yet learned nothing.

[SourceOfTheTrent]

Don't know if anyone else has pointed this out but so far this season Vale have scored 11 goals at Vale Park including the Chickenpot game putting us one goal in front of the number Lincoln have scored at Vale Park this season.