57 minutes ago, kevin_struggles said:

I would maybe understand the starting shape if it had worked at all this season but it hasn't so I don't 😁

No starting shape has worked this season.

Not wishing to sound defeatist but I’d happily play 4-4-2, players in their right positions and give it a red hot go. If we lose and go down so be it but at least we die with our boots on. And personally, I think we would stay up. 

29 minutes ago, kevin_struggles said:

I would maybe understand the starting shape if it had worked at all this season but it hasn't so I don't 😁

What does Smith do with the players he had available. He's paired Cole with Stockley and introduced Shipley for a  greater range of passing in the middle of the park. I guess his starting 11 reflected  Vale were playing a confident team with a number of wins in recent games and he didn't wish to be out of the game at HT.

As the game panned out Smith made the call on the starting line up and the result shows he got it right. When they had 11 on the pitch they dominated, the sending off changed everything and Smith made the right subs at half time and the rest is history.

I felt Curtis and Hall were gonna come on at some stage.

 

 

Just got back after a post match curry. 
 

fantastic second half, this is why 3/5 at the back needs to get in the bin. Play more wide attacking players and stretch those defences. 
 

Was a red all day long but do think we’d have beaten them 11v11 had we made the same changes. 

 

Ronan Curtis MOTM for me. 
 

Let’s get another on Sunday. UTV. 

18 minutes ago, worldsendvalefan said:

29 minutes ago, Brian Johnson said:

Yes he would of 

But not till the 88th minute

He changed it at half time so your rubbish argument fails 

I played golf today in wales. On the way home I checked the score we were 1-0 down at half time. I went the pub for one and in the car I put radio praise and grumble on. I assumed Stoke had won 5-0 and was gutted till I realised it was us. Rang my dad to confirm it was true. New year miracle. Was it as good as he said it was? Is this the turning point? 

10 minutes ago, Stockleys_socks said:

There's a big difference between making changes and making the right changes, for that Smith deserves a lot of credit. DM wouldn't have been so positive thats for sure.

442 without Curtis as a natural side player. That's what Moore played. He ruined anyone with flair...Shorrock wasting his time at Chester,Chizzy bombed out.

All of this is on Moore and the owners letting it happen 

Quite telling it isn’t it that the second half dwarfs a lot of what we put out in Moore’s tenure easily. You can probably count on one hand the number of positive league games like that under Moore. For pure entertainment value anyway today was a brilliant second half. 

First game I have enjoyed all season. Superb. Up the Vale.

2 hours ago, CambridgeDon said:

Feel especially pleased for Curtis tonight. He has been outstanding all his career playing wide right only for Moore NEVER to play him in that, his best position. Just showed today what he can do - one half of football and one assist and one terrifically taken goal, speeding in on the ball from the blind side.

Well done, lad - you must feel top of the world tonight and long may it continue.

Just shows what can happen when you play your best players in their best positions and then let them off the leash. 

Curtis excellent player never stops working im pleased his and Vales New year started well .

We have good players (very )who were playing with no confidence 

Well 5 goals in 1 half shows what a very talented squad we have .

Its so nice to hear that it was going in tge ball that is 

Lots of hard work ahead but at least today everyone can go home with a smile on face ..

Just seen goals .

Hall and Curtis on thats what changed game .

So many firsts today .

2 wins when i havent attended ,the only 2, so in case players are reading this forum ill stay away but will i hope i can see Vale win at home when i attend .

Seen the sending off its a red out of control 

Well done all 

New manager in stands?

Who did folk see today ?

UTV 

Edited January 1Jan 1 by Dipepa delight

1 hour ago, Diego Maradona said:

Just back in - so haven't read upon comments.

Positives:

George Hall ripped them apart on right! 
Ruthless in front of goal

Should give the players some belief/confidence - what we now need

Negative:

Unable to establish what has been worse. Watching Moore's style of football for 2 years or listening to Dave (Vale fan) on Praise & Grumble. Christ - you would have that we'd lost 5-1.

Incredible!

 

 

He was absolutely clueless.

Said we needed a manager who knows the bottom two divisions well then completely refuses to accept Darren Ferguson, then suggests Steve Cooper as bloody manager? You know, the bloke who's only ever managed in the Premier League and the Championship. Proper puddled the bloke was.

49 minutes ago, worldsendvalefan said:

2 hours ago, DazFred said:

We've won 5-1 and you give Smith no credit?

No, that result was all down to the players. They got the chance to show what they can do when played correctly. Just like at Luton. Smith had the situation forced on him. He had to do something positive after the sending off. Do you really think he would have changed things if not for the sending off.

That’s harsh imo. We’ve seen at Wigan against 10 men Moore failed to make changes that worked. Or other times wait too long to change them. It’s not some tactical masterclass but you have to give him some credit for making the right tactical and personnel changes.

2 minutes ago, The Evil Dead said:

He was absolutely clueless.

Said we needed a manager who knows the bottom two divisions well then completely refuses to accept Darren Ferguson, then suggests Steve Cooper as bloody manager? You know, the bloke who's only ever managed in the Premier League and the Championship. Proper puddled the bloke was.

I don't think he realised that he was embarrassing himself, with his nonsense. Some people get like that when they get to a certain age. 

14 minutes ago, Dipepa delight said:

Curtis excellent player never stops working im pleased his and Vales New year started well .

We have good players (very )who were playing with no confidence 

Well 5 goals in 1 half shows what a very talented squad we have .

Its so nice to hear that it was going in tge ball that is 

Lots of hard work ahead but at least today everyone can go home with a smile on face ..

Just seen goals .

Hall and Curtis on thats what changed game .

So many firsts today .

2 wins when i havent attended ,the only 2, so in case players are reading this forum ill stay away but will i hope i can see Vale win at home when i attend .

Seen the sending off its a red out of control 

Well done all 

New manager in stands?

Who did folk see today ?

UTV 

Have you given up slagging the interim off? 

5 minutes ago, Old fort said:

I don't think he realised that he was embarrassing himself, with his nonsense. Some people get like that when they get to a certain age. 

I didn't want to say it and come across as disrespectful, but it does seem the majority of older callers tend to ramble on about any old nonsense and end up repeating themselves and tripping themselves up with contradictory statements.