Match Thread: Port Vale v Cheltenham Town

[TylerB]

5 minutes ago, CambridgeDon said:

FT 1-1. Disappointing. Where does JA have to strengthen in the January window? Priorities seem to me to be left back and centre-mid given Oyeleke's injury record. We have to find a way to break down teams at home.

Now five points off the play-off, with one from the last nine. Let's hope we can use some of the FA Cup money to add to the squad.

Worth remembering that Cheltenham are 4th, and the fact that we're dissapointed at not beating them only shows that we've come quite a way under Askey since those dark Aspin days. Two decent sides on show today and both could have won the game.

Put a fit Oyeleke in our midfield and get a decent goalscorer in January with the money we've made and we wouldn't be far off.

[Iron Curtain]

Unlucky today... second half far better than the first and we had 2 or 3 great chances to win the game against the team 3rd in the league who are very difficult to break down (today’s goal was only the 5th they have conceded away from home all season)

 

[Iron Curtain]

4 minutes ago, TylerB said:

 

We're as good as pretty much any other side on the league bar the odd shocker we're capable of having. But we just don't have enough goals in the squad to be a genuine play-off contender. I wonder if going old school 4-4-2 and starting Cullen alongside Pope might help with this, although then we obviously lose a player in midfield which can be a problem. But at Vale Park it's worth trying. Worrall and Amoo or Browne on the wings with Taylor offering legs alongside Joyce in midfield.

Every time we have tried 442 we have played atrociously and lost. Probably time we forget that one and move on.

[Paul6754]

Should have won that, just couldn't get the final shot or final pass or final touch right today, mega frustrating.

Performance still light years ahead of anything we saw last season.

[TylerB]

2 minutes ago, Iron Curtain said:

Every time we have tried 442 we have played atrociously and lost. Probably time we forget that one and move on.

Defeatist mentality. No reason why a side can't make a 4-4-2 work. In the past we were over-run in midfield because we didn't have legs there, but we do now with the likes of Taylor and Burgess.

[Iron Curtain]

32 minutes ago, TylerB said:

Defeatist mentality. No reason why a side can't make a 4-4-2 work. In the past we were over-run in midfield because we didn't have legs there, but we do now with the likes of Taylor and Burgess.

Either that or it’s based on the fact we have tried it and it didn’t work.

Taylor and Burgess have the energy but are both a little on the small side and can be bullied off the ball.

We are creating chances in the managers preferred formation. Stick with it. 

[PV1973]

We should have won that today. We created enough chances to see them off. Pope missed 3 great chances in the box, Cullen missed a couple. Burgess did first half. We did more than enough today but the finishing let us down. We kept them penned in in that second half and we really put a shift in. Amoo has a very good first half, not so good in the second. Smith was good again, he gave them nothing and even went on a great run in the second half. Gibbons had a good game too, some of his link up play with Amoo was excellent and his crossing and balls into forward running players was cutting them apart at times. We left ourselves open though at times with their extra men in midfield and us not tracking runners and we left ourselves overloaded in wide areas on occasions. Having said that I thought they created very little, especially second half. We were a bit sloppy first half with out use of the ball, not so much second half. Overall I was happy with that performance, I enjoyed that in the main, I want to see us driving forward and putting a shift in for the shirt and on another day we win it. Goals are our problem though. 

[Portvale4]

Thoroughly enjoyable game to watch this afternoon, both sides were attacking and there should have been more than two goals in the game. 
I thought Vale looked impressive in spells. We attacked with pace and power, Amoo in the first half especially was having a lot of joy on the right hand side. Pope was excellent up front, he held the ball well and chased everything up and down. Smith and Gibbons were also had good games. 
If only Pope would have scored, it seemed harder to miss, but Mr Reliable somehow missed. He seemed to trap it in his feet rather than getting a clean connection. There was also some controversial off-side decisions, as both Monty and Cullen were clean through, until the linesman flagged. They were two suspect decisions. 
Cheltenham looked decent as well. Their number 16 was a real handful, he was tricky and quick. He could easily have scored three. You can see why they’ve only conceded 5 away from home and only lost once away. 
All in all it was a decent game, played by two impressive sides. On another day, both sides could have left with three points, both sides had real good chances to win it. 
We are still five points off the play-offs, they aren’t unachievable, but we need to start winning a few games or else they teams above will start running with it. 
Finally, I thought our fans were fantastic today. Everyone really got behind the team, even after we went one day. Credit to everyone today, it was a real good atmosphere. 
Keep the faith Valiants, we are heading in the right direction. 

[Boslem's Brazil]

It was actually a very entertaining end to end game. I think this season we are a ‘nearly’ team (in terms of challenging for promotion) Which is a great achievement considering not so long ago I was consigned to supporting Port Vale as a non league club. If we have some funds available in January, I would throw it all at a striker who can play on on his own and score goals (if available, which is hard in Jan and easier said than done) We have 4 ok strikers on the books, but they aren’t going to get us promotion. 

Anyway, nothing really concerns me anymore, as I know we are in good hands and I enjoy seeing the club being moved forward step by step. In 3/4 years I have faith we will knocking around the playoffs of League 1 with a finished Lorne Street Stand and better stadium facilities in the other stands. Keep the faith and enjoy the ride. UTV. 

[tommytunstall]

Very good advert for League 2 football. Cheltenham were a good footballing side despite having 3 star players out. Thought a draw was a fair result, but if only we were more clinical in front of goal we could have won it. Still the Vale are now in a good place.

[Bald Eagle]

53 minutes ago, TylerB said:

Defeatist mentality. No reason why a side can't make a 4-4-2 work. In the past we were over-run in midfield because we didn't have legs there, but we do now with the likes of Taylor and Burgess.

So you would play Taylor and Burgess and drop Joyce?

[JohnJames]

Sounds like Vale have put some sort of proposal to Forest IRO Taylor. Sproson didn’t indicate whether it was for a permanent move but seemed confident Taylor wants to stay at Vale

[Conrad]

3 hours ago, davehartshill said:

Legge is Captain today. 

Legge is always captain.

[Doha]

Still don't quite understand how Pope, Taylor and Cullen failed to convert second half. Or why Smith elected to use the back of his head to launch an unmarked free header over the crossbar when about three yards out in the first half.

[PV1973]

Looked like Smith was facing the wrong way when the ball dropped to him in the first half.