Match Thread: Crewe Alex v Port Vale

[Paul6754]

Highlights very biased in favor of Crewe, no doubting the best and most clinical moves were by the Vale though. Superb piece of football for Worrall's chance which he put past the post from a tight angle, including two excellent, perfectly weighted lay-offs from Pope.

[JRC]

2 hours ago, Erniemossrules said:

Lloyd and Kennedy, come on absolutely dire.

At least they aren’t anywhere near the squad now and will hopefully go out on loan in January to make room for some decent players.

They are near to the squad because two injuries and they'll be on the bench. The main reason they aren't in the match day squad is he's signed Brisley and Atkinson. Both will almost certainly be on a lot less than last season and having Lloyd and Kennedy around allowed him to wait for players he did want to reduce their demands. Atkinson was one of Mansfield's top wage earners so I'd imagine he took a pretty big cut to sign and County had a very hefty wage bill. He also filled in while we waited for Forest to allow Taylor out on loan. Kennedy I'm less sure about but Lloyd is definitely not on mega bucks, reflecting that he's 5th choice on the wing, 4th choice fullback and probably 6th choice in central midfield. He'll get on the pitch a couple more times this season because we don't have a big squad given the new loan window. He's allowed us to get the likes of Campbell-gordon and Hurst out on loan, which will hopefully pay dividends in the future. Provided Hurst or Campbell-Gordon make the hoped for progress it would be a big surprise if Lloyd was here next season. I'd imagine the choice at Christmas is do the management team feel either is ready to challenge for the first 11. If they do Lloyd will probably get loaned out. If they don't then they'll try to get both game time higher up the pyramid. Personally I felt Calverley could have done a job as a fill in anywhere player on a low wage with more potential to develop ( he played full back, centrehalf, central midfield, wide midfield and in goal for Nuneaton) but that was based on a couple of meaningless friendlies and reserve outings.

Kennedy will definitely get a chance because I can't remember many seasons when there hasn't been a point 2 centrehalves aren't injured or suspended at the same time. He looked iffy in the first 15 at Macclesfield and was playing out of position against Exeter but wasn't shocking. Didn't see the Shrewsbury game. He's not looked as good as the 3 players above him in the pecking order at centrehalf but I suspect he's also by some distance the lowest paid. Time to pass judgement is when he does get a run of 2 or 3 games which will come at some point.

[PV1973]

6 minutes ago, JRC said:

.

Kennedy will definitely get a chance because I can't remember many seasons when there hasn't been a point 2 centrehalves aren't injured or suspended at the same time. He looked iffy in the first 15 at Macclesfield and was playing out of position against Exeter but wasn't shocking. Didn't see the Shrewsbury game. He's not looked as good as the 3 players above him in the pecking order at centrehalf but I suspect he's also by some distance the lowest paid. Time to pass judgement is when he does get a run of 2 or 3 games which will come at some point.

If what I heard on the grapevine  is true then you may be surprised who the lowest paid player is. He isn’t a bench warmer either.

[philpvfc]

He was shocking at Exeter. 

[JRC]

35 minutes ago, PV1973 said:

If what I heard on the grapevine  is true then you may be surprised who the lowest paid player is. He isn’t a bench warmer either.

Gibbons, although he won't be if we keep him next season after his contract runs out. I'm assuming you aren't including Birks.

[Bald Eagle]

Is Nathan out of contract in the summer? If so defo needs sorting soon

[JRC]

1 minute ago, Bald Eagle said:

Is Nathan out of contract in the summer? If so defo needs sorting soon

Think he is signed a 3 year contract early in the relegation season. Another who will get a decent pay rise if he stays.

[Bald Eagle]

4 hours ago, The French Connection said:

5 hours ago, Erniemossrules said:

The Manager wasted the budget signing players like Lloyd and Kennedy.He insists on playing one up front and just think what we would have achieved if we had continued to play the pressing game like the last two games.Who  chose the corner tactics against Oldham that prevented us from scoring and left it until the last ten minutes before bringing on Pope and Cullen.
Obviously he is still learning from his mistakes and hopefully improve as the season goes on.

I'd remind you of John Rudge's opinion that, if you get it right with 6 out of 10 signings you've done well. So if a couple of JA's have not come off, yet, he's not done too badly, has he?

Are you seriously suggesting that Sir John knows more than Ernie?😉

[Houston Valiant]

Super Vale Away. Onwards and upwards. UTV 

[Central Scrutinizer]

I have to ask, anyone hazard a guess as to what was going through the mind of that absolute kn0bhead in the Stoke top??? Monkey Dust??

That shirt was 24 years old, is it older than him?

[Guest]

The lad with the old stoke top on .

What was he trying to achieve by running around as i for one was not in the slightest interested by what he was doing as Vale had just scored and it was a fantastic moment .

Why would any fan want to risk being banned from going to any football games by going on and making themselves public through a action what would be of no life benefit whatsoever .

Never even noticed he was wearing a stoke top to be fair and was enjoying Vales goal far too much to be bothered about a lad who has watched Green street too often and thinks he is a local hero now and through the coverage and photo in the sentinel and comments is perceived by some as that .

[valefan16]

half way to 50 points by Nov 2nd (we haven't even achieved 50 points in the last three seasons)

Rattle up as many points and see where we are by 5pm Boxing Day at the half way point but why not have a pressure free aim of the top 7? 

Beat 3 of the top 4 and yet to play the other, won away at the sides 1st and 2nd at the time... surely no one can be critical of us currently? 🙂

Joyce was excellent Saturday especially first half switching play and finding Amoo, Taylor is a real find and need to keep him, joint top scorer from midfield... taking of midfield we have goals from the middle this season which is a positive from last season, add in a couple from Legge and three from Smith and we seem to have a source of goals from all over the pitch now.

Feeling very proud, been a long time since having a feeling like Saturday and the Bradford win... we've got our club back and can enjoy it without the fear of it going Pete Tongue with the owner killing it.

 

Good times!

 

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

2 hours ago, Central Scrutinizer said:

That shirt was 24 years old

....and looked like it hadn't been washed since new!

[Rampant Zebra]

I don't think he should be rewarded for bad behaviour by banning him from watching St*ke, that should be punishment enough. 🙂

[Santa]

1 hour ago, Vale fan in Alsager said:

The lad with the old stoke top on .

What was he trying to achieve by running around as i for one was not in the slightest interested by what he was doing as Vale had just scored and it was a fantastic moment .

Why would any fan want to risk being banned from going to any football games by going on and making themselves public through a action what would be of no life benefit whatsoever .

Never even noticed he was wearing a stoke top to be fair and was enjoying Vales goal far too much to be bothered about a lad who has watched Green street too often and thinks he is a local hero now and through the coverage and photo in the sentinel and comments is perceived by some as that .

I agree with that. Pointless. It passed me by as well. 

The Prize Bullies must be going for some sort of record, the highest number of football banning orders at games that didn’t even involve their first team. You have to say it’s a fantastic effort.