Match Thread: Cheltenham Town v Port Vale

[Guitar Ray]

3 minutes ago, Vale1995 said:

Utter crap maybe try just trusting what weve been told by the people who dragged us from the bottom of league 2 to mid table league one in 12 months. They might actually know whats best rather than people who dont have any clue on the ins and outs of a running a football club. I highly doubt the club go through the clubs finances with anyone who isnt trusted. So for you to think you know someone who would know this information your either in connection with someone high up in the club (highly doubted) or your just believing chinese whispers and trying to spread inaccurate rumours. I see no benefit of spreading such <ovf censored> for any reason being a vale 'fan'

Unfair to say it’s utter crap,  Chinese whispers maybe but it may turn out to be true.  The bottom line is that the owners will do whatever they need to do to run the business sustainably.

[philmpv]

Just for those who need it

[The man in the pub]

So Morecambe manage to score 5 without Jake De Bruyne, and Brizzle concede 5 despite Gibbo playing 90 minutes.  After reading this forum in the summer I didn’t think either of those were remotely possible 

Whatever view you have on the Gibbo debate everyone agrees he left as a result of his recent injury record and DCs view of that. Can see a few players looking anxiously over their shoulder come the Summer if DC is consistent and applies the same logic

[valiant_593]

45 minutes ago, Bald Eagle said:

So Morecambe manage to score 5 without Jake De Bruyne, and Brizzle concede 5 despite Gibbo playing 90 minutes.  After reading this forum in the summer I didn’t think either of those were remotely possible 🙃

Played 90 mins again did he? Be nice if some of the injury prone players we have kept could do that. Wilson has completed one 90 minutes this season. 

[SuperHuman]

To summarise :

I am happy with our first season back in League One, so far. We would have all took being comfortably mid table at the end of January.

Do I think we are over achieving or achieving above expectations? Not really. I expected us to be around mid table and to stay up. Yes, we are a league higher, but there are still numerous worse teams than us. 

I do think that people can be happy or consent whilst also feeling frustrations. I’m getting increasingly frustrated with the number of games we’ve had to play without a recognised striker or with one fit striker. 

Today, for example, is an acceptable away point. However, we can feel frustrated that we didn’t win. Cheltenham were extremely poor and there for the taking.

League One is our level - we are fine where we are. I do think there may become a time where fans want or expect more though.

[JRC]

4 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

That was very dull. Played a really poor side there, thought the same when they were down the vale. Played some tidy enough stuff and looked solid defensively but absolutely nothing going forwards. It’s not really good enough that we’re at this stage again (as we were in the summer) playing games at the back end of a transfer window with no strikers. This should have been addressed much earlier and because it hasn’t we are completely toothless and just won’t score goals. 

Why oh why was Holden brought on again? DC apparently rates McDermott, well get him on the pitch over someone blatantly not close to this level. to me those young lads are on the bench to make up the numbers and would have only played a significant part if we were 3/4 - 0 up. 

I think we should be looking to improve the squad in every window. Again imo that side today is weaker than the one that played at Wembley and that’s not the first time I’ve said that this season.

Donnelly did ok, but I don’t think he will have many easier games than that, Jones back in for me and potentially move Donnelly to LWB for Benning who i thought was poor again. Garrity and Ojo had good games, as did Dennis but just a completely lack of nothing up top is just going to stop us winning games. Still no idea what Massey does. Got away with it at the end as well. 

Agree they were poor. Also think McDermott would have done more than Holden.

The side and squad is stronger but playing against better teams. Ojo, Butterworth, Politic would have played at Wembley. Harrison is an upgrade from last season. The keeper is better.

Massey isn't a centreforward. He's been ok on the right of a 3. He did a lot of pressing today and was a large part of the reason they never go a passing game going. 

[Guppys left peg]

I think with Holden there’s nothing he does that makes you think he’s utter garbage. It’s all very neat and tidy but the problem is none of it ever makes an impact on the game for us and if you’re going to be in that attacking third it’s rather an important trait to have. I’d have gone with Plant and given him license to run at them similar to how Dennis was causing them issues.

[Dangermouse3]

Thought our back three in the main were physical and won most headers but up front we hardly made things stick. We were tidy but no final third penetration. 
Interesting to see Worall play higher up the pitch and Donnelly had a good game.

As others have stated is not Holden a waste of a wage? Not seen him excite me in any way. No strength, speed or guile. Just keeps the ball moving. He should be moved on even if he is a model professional.

I feel it was two points dropped today. But we do seem to be better away from home.

VTID

[TJHValiant]

30 minutes ago, valefan16 said:

We are 11 clear of the drop in our first season back what expectations did you have? If we were struggling I could understand it but we aren’t currently.

Probably about where we expected. Didn’t expect relegation. We are too big and well organized a club these days. While there may be a few much bigger teams, there are also plenty of small clubs who if we are in good shape, should be nowhere near finishing behind. 
 

Last time we got relegated, we had a insane mad man running the club who spent the budget on non league foreign agent catalogue oddities managed by firstly a Mourinho fantasy act. Then we he left, we then got an utterly inexperienced half wit in who managed to not just bring in 1 dreadful keeper, but 3. He has never been employed since, except to comment on lower level football games occasionally. 
 

Yet we only got relegated by 1 point.

So yeah, expectations and yes thanks to how well Carol and Kevin have principally run the club, are a little bit higher than then. 

[werstayinup]

1 hour ago, vale victory said:

Stats say we didn’t create a chance of real note

1 goal in our last 3 games tells its own story , we desperately need sone cutting edge up top

The concerning part for me is that DC said in his interview that Harrison and Wilson are a couple of weeks away but he has said that for 2 or 3 weeks now,a few weeks ago he said Harrison was really close.

He didn't mention Mipo in his interview only Jones,i wonder if he has gone back to make space for another loan?

[valefan16]

The concerning part for me is that DC said in his interview that Harrison and Wilson are a couple of weeks away but he has said that for 2 or 3 weeks now,a few weeks ago he said Harrison was really close.
He didn't mention Mipo in his interview only Jones,i wonder if he has gone back to make space for another loan?

I expect Harrison will be back next weekend…

DC is all cloak and daggers with injury news.

[Sam Kelly's Left Boot]

4 minutes ago, Guppys left peg said:

I think with Holden there’s nothing he does that makes you think he’s utter garbage. It’s all very neat and tidy but the problem is none of it ever makes an impact on the game for us and if you’re going to be in that attacking third it’s rather an important trait to have. I’d have gone with Plant and given him license to run at them similar to how Dennis was causing them issues.

Shame his header against the bar couldn't of dropped in, I think there's a decent player in there as DC wouldn't of re-signed him. But to lightweight for me, seems to get knocked off the ball very easily.

[Coyney Valiant]

Dull game today thought we were the better of 2poor sides garrity miss unbelievable again 95 % of the vale fans sat down after the kick off there was more noise from the old folk at the indoor bowls championships last weekend 

[mr.hobblesworth]

So many missed opportunities this season. Not sure how cutting back the squad to the point where we don't score any goals is going to help the finances. 

[werstayinup]

56 minutes ago, TJHValiant said:

That’s the problem. So similar to valiant 2001 era. Big hopes of a better squad and a golden era with big stadium plans like under soil heating gave way to years of league 1 football that people got fed up of after a decade in the Champ. 
 

Attendances dwindled and we declined to league 2 and that was it. 
 

Really fear a repeat. We have to grasp a wave of good energy when it is there but this feels like ebbing away at the moment. 

There is no comparison at all between the shanahans and that lot at all