Match Thread: Port Vale v Swindon Town

[valiant_593]

16 minutes ago, valefan79 said:

Shocking performance today, yet another moment of madness from Covolan, I called it straight away that he would be gone, why the need to jump up like that I have no idea.  The first 45 minutes we got battered and other than the goal we offered nothing. I thought other than Hall and Harratt, the rest were woeful.

The worry for me is that this performance has been coming for a while in the league, since Crawley away we have got 7 points from 7 games, in that time we haven't play well in the league at all, Walsall, Newport and Swindon we were a massive second best in all these games.  Something has to change because the midfield 3 have been off their game during this time and getting overrun.

Massive game on Tuesday as we could easily be half way down the league in a few weeks and Carol hasnt spent all this money to be there.  For me changes needed and a change of formation, the beginning of the season we were in people's faces, on the front foot, creating chances and now look a long way from that team.  My team going forward 

Stone

Gibbons  Smith  Hall   Hussey

  Walker Conlon Garrity

Worrall Harratt Politic

 

Definitely my 11 as well. It suits us, gets all of our best players on the pitch. 

[Rockape99]

40 minutes ago, Vale1995 said:

Just feel like we were set up negativity from the get go today, do we really need 5 at the back at home. Got completely overran because playing so deep and missing a player in the middle because of the back 5

We didn’t set up with 5 at the back we got pressed into by Swindon, there wing backs kept a high line and we had no answers . I agree they made us play deep. Only plus point is Harrett .

[Andy Proctor]

56 minutes ago, VantaaVale said:

Totally disagree, We were off the pace from the beginning. A loss waiting to happen regardless of the officials.

I'm not bothered if you disagree or not I'm just saying that I can't be bothered watch poor officials every week so after this season I'm done with watching vale.

[saintvaliant]

For all Clarke’s self proclaimed tactical flexibility we very much seem wedded to starting with this 3-5-2 system.

Would be good to see him surprise the other side on occasion by mixing it up. Might also find it gets a few players going again as well.

[Coyney Valiant]

7 minutes ago, Paul6754 said:

He did do more in 90 mins than he did for us but I don't agree that he couldn't be bothered for the Vale.

When ever he played/came on for Vale he seemed to be trying too hard and it was obvious he had skill, could create and do the unexpected. However, under JA and DC he didn't get much of a chance, 259 lge mins under DC and I can't find any Lge mins for his time under JA. If my memory serves me right he played well in a JPT game and scored a superb goal.

For me it was a case of both managers being unable to work out the best place to play him or they didn't "trust" him or like his style of play. The Swindon manager seems to have worked him out as did Carlisle the season before.

 

Wish we’d got him playing like that for us he was a constant threat all afternoon 

[blackdog]

Let down badly today by Covlan, and not for the first time, if we had gone in at half time all square we could have regrouped but going down to 10 men altered all that, pleased to hear DC say he will be punished because he has become a liability, that saying we were 2nd best all over the pitch showing little or no aggression and desire.   

[Biddulph_PV]

Definitely need a change a system. Sides have completely sussed us out now. For Tuesday I’d have:-
Stone
Gibbo. Cass. Hall. Benning.
Walker. Pett. Conlon.
Amoo. Harratt. Politic.

[darren1810]

Well that was a fun day .

Lost count first half of the times they sliced through our midfield to have shooting opportunities. One shot off a corner was scandalous switching off where he was totally unmarked.  We get back in it with a wonder goal and self implode just as Clarke about to rip into them. 

The ref allowed Williams to do what he wanted and he did so. 

I thought Mckirdy was clever with the sending off ( yes clear red no argument) but he knew exactly what he was doing. But having caught the ball it's job done by Cov.

Haven't gone through the thread and I'm sure I'll get a response to this next bit....I want to see more from Conlon as a captain a bit more oomph  ,he's out of form at the moment ( and yes I know we haven't played ) but our so called best midfield in the division were completely outclassed and found wanting badly. I want to see Walker reinstated for his physicality .

Hall looked tidy and Harritt is a little gem. He's scored two brilliant goals so far. 

Not good typing when it's raw and I'm deflated but it does seem a pivotal result. Suddenly 10 behind Tranmere and as I've said before points in the bag over games to play every time.

Simply have to win Tuesday. 

 

[Santa]

6 minutes ago, Rockape99 said:

We didn’t set up with 5 at the back we got pressed into by Swindon, there wing backs kept a high line and we had no answers . I agree they made us play deep. Only plus point is Harrett .

Correct. Their wing backs pushed ours back and their wide CBs had as much time to do what they wanted. No wonder Clarke wanted to make the change at HT to press higher.

We both played the same formation but they imposed their game on us rather than the other way round. Obviously if we get in level and with 11 men at half time it might have been a different story second half. 

[blackdog]

4 minutes ago, darren1810 said:

 

Haven't gone through the thread and I'm sure I'll get a response to this next bit....I want to see more from Conlon as a captain a bit more oomph  ,he's out of form at the moment ( and yes I know we haven't played ) but our so called best midfield in the division were completely outclassed and found wanting badly. I want to see Walker reinstated for his physicality .

 

 

You can have a reaction from me......Conlon is a shadow of the player he was in September and October he's certainly lacking oomph.

[onestepatatime]

When all we can offer in midfield from the off is a dynamo called Ben Garrity then we are in trouble. He was the only player for me today who gave anything like a performance in midfield. Conlon and Pett were abysmal, non effective and totally out of sorts. We surrender the middle of the park from the 1st whistle. I felt for Hussey, he had absolutely no one near him to assist him.

[Joe B]

I've defended/worshipped Covolan all season; sometimes for a joke, sometimes because I like the idea of an erratic Brazilian GK at Vale Park, and because sometimes I've genuinely thought his distribution and high starting position helps us.

What he did today has left me with no choice but to say he shouldn't start for us again. How many GKs will have 2 red cards this season (three including pre-season?). It was either malicious or stupid, but the man is a liability and I can't see us getting promoted with him in goal. I have concerns about Stone, and honestly think we may need to look at other keepers. This isn't a young, rash keeper - he's 30, performing a kung-fu kick halfway through a game we clearly need to battle through. Idiotic. 

With regards to the game, we were absolutely battered by the best team I've seen since we got relegated 4.5 years ago. They were excellently coached, technically streets ahead, and make us look like amateurs in spells. They dominated us more than Brentford did, even with 11v11. The sending off changed little, just making the second half a formality. They passed the ball with ease, and Williams and McKirdy were just popping up in space before turning. Garner has worked a miracle - that squad are entirely loanees + lads who had no club a few weeks before the season. Whilst we had a rebuild, they were sending the U18s to pre-season friendlies. They played controlled football and it was men v boys. 

I was baffled at the dropping of Gibbons + the decision to start Wilson. Gibbons has to play. Wilson isn't fit. Edmonson and Harratt have to be the pairing moving forward but I won't lie, I'm worried. Wilson took a while to get going at the start of the season and we can't afford to give him weeks to up to speed. Proctor doesn't seem back any time soon. We're relying on two loanees, and whilst Harratt looks a find, is that a wise idea?

McKirdy put in the best individual performance of an opposition player this season. Absolutely magnificent. His touch, turns, control, and vision (the first goal was all him) were miles ahead. He's in a team that seems built around him, and playing off a big man like Simpson clearly allows him the creative freedom to run games, as he did today. 

As a wider point, and even with the caveat of cup games + a big stoppage, we've won 3 in 10. We've played well in spells in those games, but have been below par in the majority - Walsall, today, Newport. Even Burton, we had a good 10 minute spell. Oldham we were good then collapsed. We're not in form at all. We're stuttering. Our wins, against a dismal Hartlepool, a 9 man Br Rovers, and a bit of magic in the cup, were not a result of controlled performances. Conlon has been anonymous for a while, which is never a good sign.

I'm concerned. I've been a massive fan of 'The Process' and DC thus far, but today we played a team who have had 3 players recalled, their keeper at AFCON, and had a few injuries, and they looked technically levels ahead and coached to a far better standard. I have urged calm after games like Walsall and Oldham, where a few lost their heads, but today, and reflecting on the last 10, makes me realise we have not played like a promotion winning team for a while. 3 of our last 5 wins have seen an opposition player sent off, ffs.

Those who read this forum a lot will probably recognise I've been a massive optimist all season but I'm a tad worried today, I can't lie. Something significant needs to change. Maybe the system needs to shift. A GK who isn't a liability. Forwards who aren't either a) unfit or b) under 21. Whilst Hussey is a good player, was he a priority for this window, if it results in our player of the season being benched? Is Hall comfortable in a back 3?

Worried. Major change needed on Tuesday. 2 wins in 7 league games. Not good enough.

[Joe B]

To summarise my essay - we're bang out of form, 2 wins in 7 league games (one against 9 men), no keeper we can rely on, not playing well for any extended spells in games, strange personnel decisions to shoehorn in new signings, outclassed by a better-coached team who have lost 4-5 starters in the last fortnight.

[Biddulph_PV]

18 minutes ago, darren1810 said:

Well that was a fun day .

Lost count first half of the times they sliced through our midfield to have shooting opportunities. One shot off a corner was scandalous switching off where he was totally unmarked.  We get back in it with a wonder goal and self implode just as Clarke about to rip into them. 

The ref allowed Williams to do what he wanted and he did so. 

I thought Mckirdy was clever with the sending off ( yes clear red no argument) but he knew exactly what he was doing. But having caught the ball it's job done by Cov.

Haven't gone through the thread and I'm sure I'll get a response to this next bit....I want to see more from Conlon as a captain a bit more oomph  ,he's out of form at the moment ( and yes I know we haven't played ) but our so called best midfield in the division were completely outclassed and found wanting badly. I want to see Walker reinstated for his physicality .

Hall looked tidy and Harritt is a little gem. He's scored two brilliant goals so far. 

Not good typing when it's raw and I'm deflated but it does seem a pivotal result. Suddenly 10 behind Tranmere and as I've said before points in the bag over games to play every time.

Simply have to win Tuesday. 

 

Agree with all that. Conlon non-existent today. As a team, when we are off it we do look really, really poor but frustratingly we’ve also got that Burton performance in us. Tonight it feels like we are a very long way off the top 3 of that’s on the standard if that’s the standard.

[LancyTony]

1 hour ago, Phantom Lord said:

It's amazing where all of the 'definite automatic' comments have gone. I'm not saying that they are going to bite the posters of said comments on the ass but I always take anything like that with a pinch of salt now because I won't let other people build my hopes up just for them to be shattered anymore.

I'm still confident! We can virtually lose 1 in 3 and still get automatic. And most of the top teams will have to play each other in the second half of the season - there will be some surprises. We're not that far off the PO positions, and we've proved before we can go on the kind of run we need to! Keep the faith!