Reading (A) match thread - 20th Feb

[Diego Maradona]

8 hours ago, Spunk Trumpet said:

He was crap. He’s there as a striker on 3k a week plus.

I can run still at 43. Doesn’t mean I should be a Port Vale number 9.

His miss from the Chislett cross was unforgivable.

If you want someone who can run I’d suggest go to Northwood stadium.

Come on. It’s not hard to see he’s absolutely utter garbage, robbing a living and isn’t the answer to get us goals with 15 games to go.

Agree. But, for this season, there isn't much alternative.

[Hoppers]

4 hours ago, Spunk Trumpet said:

And it’s fans like you that get deluded in that aspect because we do absolutely nothing with it!!!

thanks mate 👍👍👍👍👍👍fans like me 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Vtid]

Amazing what a good nights sleep can do 😴 Not angry like I was at full time just really worried now. We were slightly better at some parts of the game last night which is a good sign & personally I would stick with that same formation for the next 2 home games especially. A clean sheet would have been huge last night but you could see after 60 mins what was coming. At the end of the day we are 2 points from safety with 15 games left. Whether we have been poor for months or not the facts are there’s still 45 points to play for. Including 2 games in hand which we all know are meaningless if we don’t win them or pick up points. It’s hard to see where the next clean sheet or win is coming from at the moment but with quite a few games & 1/3 of the season to go I have to remain hopeful. We have to believe Vale! Huge ask that’s for sure 💙

Edited February 21 by Vtid

[Diego Maradona]

When Clarke came in (along with Flitcroft at the same time) didn't he point out that the squad of players that he inherited were one dimensional and only set up for 433 under Askey?

Three years on, history seems to have repeated itself under Flitcroft's watch. One dimensional:352.

IMO we were better last night playing 4231 but no full back in the squad means (until Mitch is back) square pegs in round holes. Jones was ok but always injured. Grant was awful (again) and Sang was full of mistakes. Out of his depth.

[Rampant Zebra]

We have changed too much too quickly, even in the Bruno season we still kept a core of previous players. Evolution not revolution is the normal procedure for success in football. I expect it says that in Rudgies book. I don't think we should still have Luke Joyce in midfield but we now have a squad of players who mostly have no affinity to the club and it shows.

[Portvale4]

A strange as it may sound, I am a tad more optimistic after last night following the switch to a back four, Moore’s post-match interview and the return of Garrity, etc. 

On paper, the final eight home games are winnable. They aren’t against any of the “big boys” in the division - Lincoln, Fleetwood, Shrewsbury, Oxford, Bristol Rovers, Exeter, Cambridge and Wycombe (yet to be rescheduled). 

If we are to stay up, we need a minimum of 15 points out of the 24 available at home. You then couple that with perhaps five points away from home and that puts us onto 51 points, which would have been enough last season. 

Let’s be honest, it’s an absolutely massive task. 

If Moore can pull it off, get that bloody statue up…

Edited February 21 by Portvale4

[pete vale]

14 minutes ago, Portvale4 said:

A strange as it may sound, I am a tad more optimistic after last night following the switch to a back four, Moore’s post-match interview and the return of Garrity, etc. 

On paper, the final eight home games are winnable. They aren’t against any of the “big boys” in the division - Lincoln, Fleetwood, Shrewsbury, Oxford, Bristol Rovers, Exeter, Cambridge and Wycombe (yet to be rescheduled). 

If we are to stay up, we need a minimum of 15 points out of the 24 available at home. You then couple that with perhaps five points away from home and that puts us onto 51 points, which would have been enough last season. 

Let’s be honest, it’s an absolutely massive task. 

If Moore can pull it off, get that bloody statue up…

 

14 minutes ago, Portvale4 said:

A strange as it may sound, I am a tad more optimistic after last night following the switch to a back four, Moore’s post-match interview and the return of Garrity, etc. 

On paper, the final eight home games are winnable. They aren’t against any of the “big boys” in the division - Lincoln, Fleetwood, Shrewsbury, Oxford, Bristol Rovers, Exeter, Cambridge and Wycombe (yet to be rescheduled). 

If we are to stay up, we need a minimum of 15 points out of the 24 available at home. You then couple that with perhaps five points away from home and that puts us onto 51 points, which would have been enough last season. 

Let’s be honest, it’s an absolutely massive task. 

If Moore can pull it off, get that bloody statue up…

I can't see where the next win is coming from, never mind 20 points. Unless Garrity gets the goals we've no chance.

[pete vale]

1 hour ago, Vtid said:

Amazing what a good nights sleep can do 😴 Not angry like I was at full time just really worried now. We were slightly better at some parts of the game last night which is a good sign & personally I would stick with that same formation for the next 2 home games especially. A clean sheet would have been huge last night but you could see after 60 mins what was coming. At the end of the day we are 2 points from safety with 15 games left. Whether we have been poor for months or not the facts are there’s still 45 points to play for. Including 2 games in hand which we all know are meaningless if we don’t win them or pick up points. It’s hard to see where the next clean sheet or win is coming from at the moment but with quite a few games & 1/3 of the season to go I have to remain hopeful. We have to believe Vale! Huge ask that’s for sure 💙

One thing that I have noticed of late is that after 60 mins we run out of steam. It was inevitable that Reading would score. We offered nothing really. Just looked a 'tired' below average outfit going through the motions as best thay can. Where is the data on all this Dave. More KPI required on the football pitch required, Is there an out of contract player out there who at least looks like being able to find the net at some point? Disappointed, disillusioned and feel hood-winked based around the  'feel-good'/ 'do good' HMS Port Vale FC ship that is going down faster than the Titanic.

[Portvale4]

 

18 minutes ago, Portvale4 said:

 

 

3 minutes ago, pete vale said:

 

I can't see where the next win is coming from, never mind 20 points. Unless Garrity gets the goals we've no chance.

I agree.

Just to add, Exeter currently have 21 points from their last 15 games, which is 14th in the form table over that period. Before that, Exeter looked down and out, with fans turning against Caldwell. It just shows how a couple of decent results can change the momentum. 

It is 100% doable. We basically need to turn bottom four form into mid table form to stand any chance of survival. 

[pete vale]

3 minutes ago, Portvale4 said:

 

I agree.

Just to add, Exeter currently have 21 points from their last 15 games, which is 14th in the form table over that period. Before that, Exeter looked down and out, with fans turning against Caldwell. It just shows how a couple of decent results can change the momentum. 

It is 100% doable. We basically need to turn bottom four form into mid table form to stand any chance of survival. 

The numbers are there, we aren't Exeter and 6 wins in 53 games suggest the path in which we are following sadly. Massive ask to get 20 points with this squad.

[Bimbleabout]

Amazing what a good nights sleep can do Not angry like I was at full time just really worried now. We were slightly better at some parts of the game last night which is a good sign & personally I would stick with that same formation for the next 2 home games especially. A clean sheet would have been huge last night but you could see after 60 mins what was coming. At the end of the day we are 2 points from safety with 15 games left. Whether we have been poor for months or not the facts are there’s still 45 points to play for. Including 2 games in hand which we all know are meaningless if we don’t win them or pick up points. It’s hard to see where the next clean sheet or win is coming from at the moment but with quite a few games & 1/3 of the season to go I have to remain hopeful. We have to believe Vale! Huge ask that’s for sure

Good night's sleep? Mine was awful with Vale going round and round in me head ho hum up at 5 let's gooooooo

[Phil500]

1 hour ago, Rampant Zebra said:

We have changed too much too quickly, even in the Bruno season we still kept a core of previous players. Evolution not revolution is the normal procedure for success in football. I expect it says that in Rudgies book. I don't think we should still have Luke Joyce in midfield but we now have a squad of players who mostly have no affinity to the club and it shows.

Very true. Just a job to most of them. Sell themselves to the highest bidder. Think we all do that. Have no problem with Ellis Harrison, but he is a prime example. Passionate supporters like DI can’t see this, making comments like die for the shirt.

I myself have seen many relegations, difference with this one is the internet. Never get to euphoric after Mansfield or too down after Canvey Island. Not a big difference to me if we play Cambridge or Colchester.

Will still go if we finish up in the National League. Would look forward then to games against for example Chesterfield and Oldham. No second clubs for me. Port Vale for Life.

 

 

[nodge]

17 minutes ago, pete vale said:

One thing that I have noticed of late is that after 60 mins we run out of steam. It was inevitable that Reading would score. We offered nothing really. Just looked a 'tired' below average outfit going through the motions as best thay can. Where is the data on all this Dave. More KPI required on the football pitch required, Is there an out of contract player out there who at least looks like being able to find the net at some point? Disappointed, disillusioned and feel hood-winked based around the  'feel-good'/ 'do good' HMS Port Vale FC ship that is going down faster than the Titanic.

He's simply got to get some free agents in to back the team up and give us a bit of depth

[pete vale]

1 minute ago, nodge said:

He's simply got to get some free agents in to back the team up and give us a bit of depth

You would hope DM has contacts and things are in motion friend? Maybe even a left wing back? To do nothing is not an option with these players....

[valefan16]

I felt more positive after that performance (But I was also positive after the Stevenage one and we didn't build on that!).

We played some nice stuff and looked more comfortable, Loft should score and you can see confidence is at a low ebb throughout but something to work from with the 4 at the back.

However we need Mitch Clark back and fast, once DJ went off Grant was torn to pieces so Clark at LB, Sang at RB might be the way to go, all be it Azeez is a very good winger at this level.

Cracking Goal to break us, that said Wing scored an identical one last season against us at Wycombe! but our heads dropped after that.

Defensively we did seem to panic every ball into the box as well so need to calm down.