Match Thread - Stevenage v Port Vale

[Santa]

Didn't go last night, but it sounded like our season so far summed up in a game of two halves.

 

At times this season we've been cautious, picked an overly defensive side and it's been a false economy, too often we surrender the midfield battle and get overrun.

 

When we play with positive intent and put teams on the back foot, we take so much pressure off ourselves defensively. At times we even look in danger of scoring goals and entertaining the fans.

 

Plenty to chew over for Aspin who I think is still looking the right balance, particularly when Manny is missing.

[Jacko51]

As a club that should be regarding 12th in League 1 as an average season,

 

We had that and Norman chucked it away so he could carry out his experiment.

[PV1973]

It amazes me that people think a draw away from home against Stevenage is poor ?

 

We are at best a mid table side . Our squad is wafer thin on any quality , there is no investment financially in the squad . Of those played How many of the top 8 have we beaten ?

 

Yes aspo is negative all to often and yes his selection sometimes baffles but you cannot polish a turd . We are miles away from the autos and probably 3 quality players away from the play offs . Let’s get real .

I don't think its a poor result. I think it was a poor performance in terms of our attacking play. I would go so far as to say I don't think Aspin is tactically aware enough of how to set up to in so much that we have no pattern of play or real tactics to create chances. I think his natural inclination is to be defensive and make some rash team choices that hampers us.

 

Think back to even last season when even in a crap season we created some good chances and we were seeing full backs and wingers get good deliveries in, seeing overlapping at pace to get balls in for Pope. Even that basic tactic has gone out of the window now. Aspin is not only stifling the opposition but us too.

[onestepatatime]

Just got home - we played pretty well I thought and created a few chances. We made the odd mistake but good defensively overall.

 

I’m not sure what game some people on here watched going by the comments.

 

Sorry mate but do not agree with you at all.

 

We should have been 2 down inside the first 15 minutes. 1st half we were dire in every respect and fortunately they were too. 2nd half improved considerably with introduction of Miller, who at least faces forward and tries to take on opponents. There were many goalmouth skirmishes and it could have gone either way but it would have been completely unfair if anyone had won the game.

 

Whenever Vale stifle or at least try and stifle the opposition we do not have the nous to do it correctly all the time. Vale are so, so much better in attempting to try and attack even if meant we went a goal down then. Aspin's sole intent is to grind out results with no plan to entertain or have a plan to create chances. OK we are better off in points than last season , which is what most would have settled for pre season but are we being too pushy in asking for a little positivity in set ups/tactics/selections?

 

I will attend come what may but so many other Valiants are now resigned to watching garbage that our fan base appears to be dwindling, which is such a pity as with a bit of thinking Vale could be doing much better than we actually are. This Division is WIDE open and those that take risks and are positive will succeed. The rest will simply be also rans, and I'm afraid we might be in that category.

 

 

All fans see differently at games but I am at a loss to agree with you about last nights game.

[Howjy04]

I think we would get more goals if Miller was played as the front man,he’s quick to get into the box and get on the end of crosses and through and over the top balls,can outpace players and shoots on sight.If people prefer Pope on his own,expect to be bored by hold up,back to goal football.I think Tom should be used sparingly,he cannot lay balls off and get into the box quick enough which he was able to do long ago.How about Tom playing just in front of the defence?

[Alan Baker]

As Tom Pope said, "we are where are are."

 

All sounds a bit familiar that.

 

All this over-hoping is unrealistic and unfair.

[PV1973]

Nobodies over hyping anything. Most of the views are realistic discussing how bad we are at times and the lack of creativity and goals.

[ValeKev]

Some contributors to this thread should be ashamed of themselves. A point away in the league is a good result regardless of how much a tiny club you think Stevenage are. Sick of reading the same garbage from the same lukewarm supporters.

[PV1973]

Some contributors to this thread should be ashamed of themselves. A point away in the league is a good result regardless of how much a tiny club you think Stevenage are. Sick of reading the same garbage from the same lukewarm supporters.

I'm certainly not ashamed of anything. Most of the comments on here from those that were there are realistic and constructive about how we play. Nothing wrong with saying it how some of us see it.

 

Who said we should be beating Stevenage as they're a tiny club? I didn't see that post.

[onestepatatime]

Some contributors to this thread should be ashamed of themselves. A point away in the league is a good result regardless of how much a tiny club you think Stevenage are. Sick of reading the same garbage from the same lukewarm supporters.

 

I'm not shamed of myself for expressing my opinion! Get a grip mate. All some of us are saying, if you actually digest and read through the posts , is that we are experiencing a negativity from the Boss down and it's coming out in the play of the squad, against some poor opposition generally. We are however mindful of the need to stay in the League after the very trying last season.

 

 

Some of us can post sensible posts. I was not lukewarm either last night, it was a reasonably warm night at Stevenage, even though the so called football on offer was absolutely cold and uninviting!

[onestepatatime]

As Tom Pope said, "we are where are are."

 

All sounds a bit familiar that.

 

All this over-hoping is unrealistic and unfair.

 

Over -hoping? No way mate, just plain simple fanaticism from people who care about the Club.

[Santa]

I get the impression that Al's dry sarcasm may have gone over the heads of one or two.

[Emile]

Happy with a point and clean sheet away from home.

 

Hope we can start scoring a few goals from open play too! Should be feeling confident going into the game on Saturday now

[Santa]

Hope we can start scoring a few goals from open play too!

Absolutely. Think it's five goals all season from open play in the league.

[Mario]

Some contributors to this thread should be ashamed of themselves. A point away in the league is a good result regardless of how much a tiny club you think Stevenage are. Sick of reading the same garbage from the same lukewarm supporters.

 

Obsessed.