Match Thread: Cheltenham Town v Port Vale

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

10 minutes ago, Doha said:

In fairness I am genuinely surprised Ronaldo actually did get it on target, if it was a 'spot the ball' competition screenshot you'd probably put your X on somewhere around the advertising boards on the left.

I thought it was a spot the ball when I clicked on it........turns out the X in the very top-right was just to close the picture!

[LancyTony]

2 hours ago, Joe B said:

Sorry, this made me laugh. At least we're not *checks notes* two places below where we are now! Wish I had your optimism.

 

It isn't just 2 places, though is it? It's *checks notes* 5 and 10 points, and better GD by 20 and 22 goals - so, worth another point. Not pretty and certainly no room for complacency, but I've not seen enough from the bottom 2 (3) to think that 2 of them can get out of the mire. And a single win from us might drag those above us into it, too?

[valeparklife]

Relegation odds have shortened from 28/1 to 16/1 to 10/1 after the last 3 games.

Bizarrely they have Colchester as more likely to go down than us!

I can see these closing further and further over the next few weeks.

[LancyTony]

2 hours ago, Eddie Ford said:

Not at all. I loved how we did something by poaching a manager from another club.

 

It is a fairly common practice in football - not one that we initiated!

[LancyTony]

2 hours ago, Quebec_Valiant said:

Not sure I understand the anti-Sproson thing.  He's an agent, its his job to plonk players into clubs and get the best deal for his client (the player).

Earlier in the season many on here were of the view that missing out on Taylor was the explanation for our decline Vs last season.  Now somehow Sproson has hoodwinked the club.

There weren't many voices against Taylor being signed...in fact, there were a lot hoping we could sign him!

[Breadwinner]

MY Mark's Brown 4 made a few good saves  but you do not bottle out of kicking the ball away and the second hits him and goes in ,the third goal a lucky goal bouncing shot .

Mills 4 no confidence on the ball at all and no confidence when it come to defending either 

Legge 5 thought he was the only one playing at the back at times today 

Smith 3 lousy over rated and downright awful always miles away from his player Mark's fresh air .

Crookes 5 improved as game went on .

Taylor 3 decent effort at goal but was not winning the ball or driving us forwards ,replaced all in all ineffective 

Joyce 5 another one who's performance improved in last 20 you have to ask what the lousy long ball hoofing created first 77 mins ,nearly scored a equaliser which the goalie did well save .

Conlon 4 struggling to see what he offers .

Hurst 4 scored but generally didnt have a good game not involved as game passes him by.

Guthrie 1 unacceptable terrible performance offered zilch lost the ball was dominated ,crap in a word 

Rodney 5 ,4 of that mark for last 20 where he played well after moving from being a lousy centre forward to a good go for it Wideman .

SUBS 

Swann 10 that's what we want see brilliant well done young man 

Robinson 7 created the spark with Swann for impressive ending of game whether he scored or not 

 

[fuzzyvalefan]

Lol- as if Robinson’s middle name is Ronaldo! That is <ovf censored> priceless.

[Mario]

There weren't many voices against Taylor being signed...in fact, there were a lot hoping we could sign him!

I didn't want him I wanted a centre half

[1]

Lost against two league leaders and one promotion chaser all by one goal, two of them away. Most people who have predicted points from now > end of season have us losing in this tough patch and coming out with some wins later on. Oldham is winnable and Worrall is round the corner. Should be looking to take points at home whoever we play. 

[1]

However good or bad a group of players are, a manager should play the formation that gets the best out of the best players available. Conlon and Taylor look lost and clearly can’t do / don’t understand their role under Clarke. 

[Badgerspaws]

Many would consider the second goal conceded as being unfortunate, and indeed it was. But the cross from the left that lead up to the goal passed no greater than three yards in front of Brown, who never moved a muscle. Two strides and he would have caught it. What do we pay Ronnie Sinclair to do?

[Mario]

9 minutes ago, 1 said:

Lost against two league leaders and one promotion chaser all by one goal, two of them away. Most people who have predicted points from now > end of season have us losing in this tough patch and coming out with some wins later on. Oldham is winnable and Worrall is round the corner. Should be looking to take points at home whoever we play. 

Agreed but Oldham are pretty good away from home so that will be a struggle

[Mario]

2 minutes ago, Badgerspaws said:

Many would consider the second goal conceded as being unfortunate, and indeed it was. But the cross from the left that lead up to the goal passed no greater than three yards in front of Brown, who never moved a muscle. Two strides and he would have caught it. What do we pay Ronnie Sinclair to do?

We used to laugh at agent Jones at stoke, Askey was pictured with stoke at wembley in a stoke shirt and now we have Jones from down the bloody road anyone think they were and are double agents ?

[ValeForever.]

1 minute ago, 1 said:

However good or bad a group of players are, a manager should play the formation that gets the best out of the best players available. Conlon and Taylor look lost and clearly can’t do / don’t understand their role under Clarke. 

Conlon has been very poor since Clarke came in. I don't think he's enjoying the more defensive role myself.

He was interviewed by the club in the week & they asked him a set of questions. He said he was enjoying playing in that more advanced role earlier in the season & he was looking to add more goals/assists to his name but eluded to the fact things have changed a little now Clarke has come in.

I also agree with the post about Rodney playing out on the left. He was terrorising full backs at the start of the season out there. He's able to get a run on them or knock it past them and use his speed & strength.

It's all ifs & buts... but if we can get Wozza & Popey back fit in the next couple of weeks, I'd be sticking Rodney left & Wozza right with Popey & Swan up top. I think that gives us the best chance of scoring & creating chances. BUT we need to get them pair fit first.

For those saying they aren't worried, we are bang in the mixer. We've now taken 15 points from our last 23 games, that's 0.65 points per game. It's rock bottom of the league form over the course of a season. Only our points haul from the first 10 games of the season is currently keeping our heads above water. We desperately need a couple of wins in the next 4 games.

[ELDERBEZZA]

Fact,Conlon enjoys the more advanced role that made him such an improved player this season.His role since Clarke has arrived speaks volumes for the manager and his defensive system ,which is wrecking one of the only positives from a sxxt season.Play the decent few players that we have in their best roles.