Match Thread - Port Vale v Notts County

[Heatwave]

According to their forum their inexperienced chairman has spent big, hence them being second FAV to win the league back in August......But spent big on a load of old cr@p!.....

 

Now where have we heard that before?

[Fosse69]

XG must vary a lot, analysis of players in the Champions League by a group poring over past games and changing the viewing angles of the game can give a very detailed result, far different to viewing a game live. But they and the Prem have the money to do this, and the incentive when the stakes are high and every bit of knowledge can be decisive.

[PVFC764]

We need to work out why Notts County are bottom of the league when they were expected to be top. Exploit the root causes. Win the game. Simples.

 

Attack them from the start of the game and close them down when they have the ball. Don't respect them and end up defending in our half all the time.

 

But Vale are generous to teams with bad runs and not scoring. Hope that does not happen again.

 

Looking forward to seeing what happens Saturday. Clean sheet and all the forwards scoring would be great for confidence - both players and fans.

[PV1993]

I understood the reason to be so defensive away after the Lincoln game, and I can kind of empathise against Bury - but at home to struggling Notts we really need to take this to them (regardless of their big status in this league).

 

We should be attacking anyone at home but as this is a transition period I understand the need for patience against better teams. This is a game we need to prove ourselves though.

 

Stick with the same formation but with a bit more attacking intent. My team:

 

3-4-3: Brown; Rawlinson, Legge, Vassell; Gibbons, Conlon, Hannant, Clark; Miller, Pope, Whitfield.

 

Miller and Whitfield to both start, with Kanu able to change things from the bench. Seems harsh to drop Smith but we need someone capable of playing out from the back and Vassell gives us that option moreso. Wingbacks in wingback positions!

 

3-1 Vale. If we keep the same line up then we run the risk of them scoring and not being able to reply. We've defended well so far but it won't last forever and, despite their lowly position, they can score.

[PV1993]

Aspo talks about getting more strikers through the door; in my view we need someone to create these high quality chances, an Eagles mould (not advocating Eagles, just a player like him).

 

100% agree

[Paul6754]

Totally agree with PV1993 and Hagrid.

 

Just a thought, Smurf to use some of the Hugill money (as long as the price is sensible) to buy Danny Mayor from Bury as his contract is reputed to be up at the end of the season.

[PV1973]

Aspo talks about getting more strikers through the door; in my view we need someone to create these high quality chances, an Eagles mould (not advocating Eagles, just a player like him).

If we had a player like that in our side I don't think he would be Aspins cup of tea. I know we've got no one like him now, but hes only got to see players like Whitfield or Miller to drift out of the game slightly and they're subbed or dropped. I think he prefers players who are going to put a shift in over a perceived 'luxury' player.

[nickkidsgrove]

I understood the reason to be so defensive away after the Lincoln game, and I can kind of empathise against Bury - but at home to struggling Notts we really need to take this to them (regardless of their big status in this league).

 

We should be attacking anyone at home but as this is a transition period I understand the need for patience against better teams. This is a game we need to prove ourselves though.

 

Stick with the same formation but with a bit more attacking intent. My team:

 

3-4-3: Brown; Rawlinson, Legge, Vassell; Gibbons, Conlon, Hannant, Clark; Miller, Pope, Whitfield.

 

Miller and Whitfield to both start, with Kanu able to change things from the bench. Seems harsh to drop Smith but we need someone capable of playing out from the back and Vassell gives us that option moreso. Wingbacks in wingback positions!

 

3-1 Vale. If we keep the same line up then we run the risk of them scoring and not being able to reply. We've defended well so far but it won't last forever and, despite their lowly position, they can score.

 

Are you off your head!

 

No smith! Please tell me you follow the ball 100% of the time and don’t realise how Smudger annoys the CF’s / Strikers off the ball! The man is a pest, horrible, shirt pulling, dragging and talking in the ear. For a young CH he is fantastic and why he was a stand out player under baldrick and Bruno.

 

You’ve got to get real, and think about the best team. Don’t just watch the ball, watch the team, tactics, formations.

 

Then pick a team without Smith!

[Danish Valiant]

Don’t think we’ll see many changes from the last games. Aspo has hinted Conlon might be rested, opening the door for Manny if it’s not to soon.

[Fosse69]

Don’t think we’ll see many changes from the last games. Aspo has hinted Conlon might be rested, opening the door for Manny if it’s not to soon.

Probably too soon, pencilled in for a full test in the reserve game on Monday. Gives a chance of a cup game then?

[ELDERBEZZA]

Are you off your head!

 

No smith! Please tell me you follow the ball 100% of the time and don’t realise how Smudger annoys the CF’s / Strikers off the ball! The man is a pest, horrible, shirt pulling, dragging and talking in the ear. For a young CH he is fantastic and why he was a stand out player under baldrick and Bruno.

 

You’ve got to get real, and think about the best team. Don’t just watch the ball, watch the team, tactics, formations.

 

Then pick a team without Smith!

 

SPOT ON!Maybe mates with the other Smith hater from Alsager 😂😂

[Upfromnowhere]

Are you off your head!

 

No smith! Please tell me you follow the ball 100% of the time and don’t realise how Smudger annoys the CF’s / Strikers off the ball! The man is a pest, horrible, shirt pulling, dragging and talking in the ear. For a young CH he is fantastic and why he was a stand out player under baldrick and Bruno.

 

You’ve got to get real, and think about the best team. Don’t just watch the ball, watch the team, tactics, formations.

 

Then pick a team without Smith!

 

Though a close call, i would love to see us revert to a back four, and on the assumption, Legge would be a shoe in, choosing between Rawls and Smithy, I too would opt for the former, however close the call

[Upfromnowhere]

Just watched the Derby Chelsea game, and Lampard has just shown how you can play one up front (and a small one in fact) and still play fast attacking football, whilst maintaining solidity at the back. It's called mindest.

Derby pressed Chelsea in their own third with 4,5 players and the minute they lost the ball, had 6,7 men behind the ball defending.

Yes it took a lot of work, a lot of energy,and most of all a positive mindset, but the chances they created playing this way, against one of the strongest teams in Europe was a joy to watch, and were it not for two OG's would have thoroughly deserved to win.

Now why can't we do similarly at our own level. Moving forward they had options everywhere, soooooooo envious. I hope Neil was watching

[valiant steve]

Looking forward to this game. Might be a bit windy. As ever, the first goal is crucial. Another clean sheet would be great.

[PV1973]

Are you off your head!

 

No smith! Please tell me you follow the ball 100% of the time and don’t realise how Smudger annoys the CF’s / Strikers off the ball! The man is a pest, horrible, shirt pulling, dragging and talking in the ear. For a young CH he is fantastic and why he was a stand out player under baldrick and Bruno.

 

You’ve got to get real, and think about the best team. Don’t just watch the ball, watch the team, tactics, formations.

 

Then pick a team without Smith!

Its funny that people only notice what a player does with the ball, they aren't seeing what the defenders are doing positionally or the little tricks they do with forwards or the runs the full backs make off the ball etc. I love that side of the game, which is why (as sad as this may sound) I also try to keep one eye on the back 4 (or 5) as play goes on. In terms of Smith if you watch him its funny to see the forwards getting frustrated and always looking at the liner or the 4th official to say stuff like 'have you seen this sh*t going on here'?