Match Thread - Port Vale v Lincoln City

[George]

Apparently we’re the only team to score more than 1 in the league against Lincoln this season, which is something. Isn’t it??

 

Straws and clutching.

[For Us All]

is sot blaming the club problems on brexit perchance:smile:

 

Not sure but it looks like he's supporting Leave means Leave?

[Jacko51]

Apparently we’re the only team to score more than 1 in the league against Lincoln this season, which is something. Isn’t it??

 

Straws and clutching.

 

A further straw to clutch at. As many have mentioned on here, we lost 6-1 at home to Blackpool in 1987. Four weeks to the day after that we won 6-0 away at Fulham. Put 10th November and first round of the Cup in your diaries lads!

[For Us All]

On a par with mickeyfearns.

 

Who?

[whotobeakiller]

A further straw to clutch at. As many have mentioned on here, we lost 6-1 at home to Blackpool in 1987. Four weeks to the day after that we won 6-0 away at Fulham. Put 10th November and first round of the Cup in your diaries lads!

 

That Blackpool match was a blip in the side at that time who held their own in the old Third Division, Fast forward to 2018 and the resemblance between the squad in 1987 and the one in 2018 is hardly comparable and is in fact disrespectful to the likes of Andy Jones, Phil Sproson, Robbie Earle, Jon Bowden et al. Two days later was a home game against Bury which Vale won 2-0 (At home)

 

Let's see what happens next game away to Oldham

[whotobeakiller]

I would expect a different attitude next week.Get yourselves to Oldham.

 

You just hit the nail firmly on the head. This side has no desire or heart or pride and that shows in their attitude

[Warren]

You just hit the nail firmly on the head. This side has no desire or heart or pride and that shows in their attitude

 

The result against Exeter where we drew in injury time required a massive amount of heart. In terms of running I wouldn't be too critical of the team yesterday. What I am critical of is professionalism. When closing down, it is not good enough to just run towards an opponent, they have to be matched physically and tackled. You can't be bullied in your own box. Block the runs off, allocate the man who is going to concentrate on nothing else except heading the ball (see Van Dyke at Liverpool, Pique at Barcelona (the master of that in a small team)). Stop kicking the ball up the pitch as if we have our normal target man. Stop kicking the ball in to touch again and again. Don't pass the ball into a place where we actually don't have any players. Play the players in their correct positions, if they are not good enough to beat Lincoln they will be even less good in their wrong positions. We made Lincoln look a great side yesterday, they passed the ball round like I've seen at Liverpool twice this season. But they are not Liverpool, get stuck in and pressure them and they will fall apart technically because they haven't actually got a high skill level. And we didn't do it. In that game we needed to counter the main threat in the air and get stuck in. It was abject. So I am going to Oldham next Saturday to see if we can do better.

[Emile]

Great to hear Ferns has been finally banned! Thanks Rob for cleaning the forum up of offensives trolls.

 

Hoping for a better performance next week. Can get a tram straight to Oldham so local game for me and bringing friends with who’s aren’t vale fans. Let’s hope we don’t turn up in that shower of form again.

[Paul6754]

One thread that runs through most of Vale's performances this season is that the players aren't tight enough to the opposition, especially at set pieces and in and around the penalty box in open play.

 

Looking at most if not all Lincoln's goals yesterday the marking is horrendous, give any pro a free header from within 10 yards and a goal will usually result (Unless your name is Smith!!!).

 

One particular example of poor marking was Legge's own goal. From the throw in Smith was at the back of his man (tight to him for once) but Vale had a player in front of the Lincoln guy but he was 2 yards in front but not close in front standing on his toes. Result was an easy long throw to their man, a flick on and Legge then faced with an almost impossible task to defend the ball and a goal resulted.

 

Surely at set pieces the way to defend is a combination of zonal and man marking. IMHO, for corners there should be a man on each post and three men across the 6 yard line, one on each corner of the 6 yard box and one in the middle plus a further 3 defenders free to pick up the runners, plus one around the D and one left up front.

 

Having 3 men along the 6 yards line defends the ball being played into the near post along the 6 yards line which Vale got caught with at least twice yesterday resulting in goals.

 

I was always encouraged to "Attack the ball" and for headers "Jump with your man, nudge him, put him off balance, don't give him a free header, you don't have to win the ball", Vale defenders don't seem to be doing these basic things at the moment.

 

This isn't rocket science and surely easily fixable on the training ground, Aspo was a defender but perhaps we need a coach who specializes in defending and defending set pieces, employ someone part time or on a consultancy basis.

[jamiepvfc109]

still haven't got over yesterdays performance ive never witnessed defending like that at vale park even under Sinnott gannon glover brown Bruno. it was embarrassing it could have been double figures. Apsin has to take the blame why he keeps swapping and changing the team so much 4 central defenders pugh on the wing clark on the right wing hes made 1 mistake since hes been at our club, kanu isolated upfront it was a complete joke. we didn't look like a team because nobody knew what each other was doing because he made so many changes against the league leaders. people saying we scored 2 against them not many teams have done that the penalty was a soft sympathy given penalty. how many teams have concede 6 at home against Lincoln ? we made them look way better than they really are last season with what many fans say we had apoor team we competed better against them than this sseason. im sorry aspin needs to go soon before we are dragged closer to thr bottom 2

[Jacko51]

That Blackpool match was a blip in the side at that time who held their own in the old Third Division, Fast forward to 2018 and the resemblance between the squad in 1987 and the one in 2018 is hardly comparable and is in fact disrespectful to the likes of Andy Jones, Phil Sproson, Robbie Earle, Jon Bowden et al. Two days later was a home game against Bury which Vale won 2-0 (At home)

 

Let's see what happens next game away to Oldham

 

Disrespectful?! You really don’t have a sense of humour do you?!

[sandyford_valiant]

Wait till he picks the same side next week :)

[Heatwave]

Wait till he picks the same side next week :)

 

May well be (most of) the same players. Whether it's the same team depends on their collective character and as such it's an even more important match than Lincoln.

[CambridgeDon]

Looking down the league I've tried to console myself that there are several weaker teams than us, including Cambridge, who are now second from bottom having lost 5 out of their last 6 home games. Cause for hope perhaps until, that is, I heard from a couple of Cambridge supporters about yesterday's match. Despite losing 1-0 they were confident they will avoid the drop. Apparently (and it checks out with the Sky and BBC reports) they dominated large swathes of the match and had the Dons on the back foot for much of the game. They have 2 of their 3 forwards out injured and also Reggie Lambe away on international duty, so they lack firepower - until they're back. So it looks as if that's another one we can cross off.

 

I hope to goodness Aspo can turn it around but when we're faced with a manager who can't set up the team effectively, organise the players into any sort of cohesive play, or motivate them into a fighting performance, we have a big problem. My greatest concern is that even if Aspo fails to pick things up, we are saddled with an owner who either doesn't care or, worse, doesn't know what to do. Or even if he did, wouldn't stump up the necessary to get us out a problem of his making.

 

Is there anyone out there with a cool few million - because that is what it will take.

[Warren]

When Kay came on yesterday I wanted to cry. it was the final straw. There is only so much anyone can take. If he can compete for his main position he was brought in to play at, centre half, then fine. But Aspin keeps playing him in midfield. I have had enough and enough and enough and enough. In final chance saloon, just one more time this dude starts or comes on in midfield and I will stop going. He is pub team level in midfield. It is just insulting the midfield players we have to bring him on and play him there and no matter they are under performing he isn't even for a micro second the answer.