Vale 0 - Gillingham 2 Post Match Comments

[Barcroft]

On mobile so need to be blunt...

 

1. Poor performance but we knew we wouldn't win or play well every week.

 

2. They had done their homework and were excellent in defence.

 

3. Not sure Adams got tactics right today, and now has his hardest challenge this season getting a response from today.

 

4. Marc Richards was in Lorne Street on crutches. Source: my parents, he sat behind them.

 

5. Classic case of a bumper crowd and the operational infrastructure being unprepared, potentially damaging future business. whats the point of advance tickets in one stand and not others. These are ludicrous V2001 decisions that need overturning.

 

6. Todays performance IMO reflected a weak depth to squad. This is linked to administration and BYs failure to find a buyer. The so called interested parties have been interested for ages but nothing seems to be happening, are we being fed bs?

[vale in the blood]

Clintonboulton...exactly. always seems happen.

Hope fans today come back.

[CambridgeDon]

Just back after a disappointing first game this season. Thought the better team won today - better organised, better game plan, better execution, not to mention some of the worst gamesmanship and fouling I've seen in a long time, coupled with a weak and fastidious ref. Thought Micky summed it up in his post match comments when he said the crowd turned up but the team didn't. We looked a yard slower in the head and on the ground and I was surprised by the lack of drive and urgency, particularly in midfield. We didn't begin to take the game to them until they were two up and it was just too late.

 

Mad dog had clearly done his homework on us, with two and sometimes three men on our wingers and two quick forwards against our two really slow centre backs. Our weaknesses were well and truly exposed today and Micky will need hard to work hard to put this right because every other manager will soon pick up on it. We've faced similar problems before when sides have sussed us out and we haven't had the invention in the squad to overcome it. I think we're better equipped this season to put it right and would expect Micky to restore Lofty to midfield after the insipid display we put in today. McDonald will also be lucky to keep his place after today's performance. The tireless Pope also deserves better support but I don't know where it's coming from.

 

I think we'll still be in it at the end of the season but the sooner we get new owners the better because, on today's performance we're still a few players short. The question is, can we manage this season to consistently beat sides in the top six? We are about to find out.

[Barcroft]

Completely agree with all of this!

 

Just back after a disappointing first game this season. Thought the better team won today - better organised, better game plan, better execution, not to mention some of the worst gamesmanship and fouling I've seen in a long time, coupled with a weak and fastidious ref. Thought Micky summed it up in his post match comments when he said the crowd turned up but the team didn't. We looked a yard slower in the head and on the ground and I was surprised by the lack of drive and urgency, particularly in midfield. We didn't begin to take the game to them until they were two up and it was just too late.

 

Mad dog had clearly done his homework on us, with two and sometimes three men on our wingers and two quick forwards against our two really slow centre backs. Our weaknesses were well and truly exposed today and Micky will need hard to work hard to put this right because every other manager will soon pick up on it. We've faced similar problems before when sides have sussed us out and we haven't had the invention in the squad to overcome it. I think we're better equipped this season to put it right and would expect Micky to restore Lofty to midfield after the insipid display we put in today. McDonald will also be lucky to keep his place after today's performance. The tireless Pope also deserves better support but I don't know where it's coming from.

 

I think we'll still be in it at the end of the season but the sooner we get new owners the better because, on today's performance we're still a few players short. The question is, can we manage this season to consistently beat sides in the top six? We are about to find out.

[Tumbleweed_MVF]

gutted today couldnt make the last 3 games, my last game was torquay and I travel a 6 hour round trip on 2 occasions and not even see a goal!!!

I've got reason to moan

[fairportnick]

. It's also annoying that we keep conceding headed goals to short *****. Mac and Boom shouldn't be letting this happen. .

 

It doesnt matter how big they are when there isnt a defender within yards!

[Tubbs]

I CBA read all of the thread but I can imagine its typical OVF.

 

Gillingham reminded me very much of ourselves, not the best team in the league, but giving our key men no time on the ball, a solid defence and quick going forward. Although I thought they were dirty *******s (Typical Allen) they were organised and knew from the start what they had to do. They, to me, are a typical League 2 side that can get promoted.

 

We are still a good team and have proved that. Lets move on and get onto the next one!

[mattpvfc]

No problem gillingham better side today let's move on to bradford now.

[Fosse69]

I've made up for it since, 3 pints in 20 mins in the smithy.

 

What I'm getting at is we need to make money, there were plenty of people with money in their pockets and willing to part with it and it hasn't happened.

 

Its not just the booze, they ran out of food too. I wouldn't like to guess on how much revenue has been lost today in the railway paddock.

 

As for the game, we can't win them all, roll on next week.

Did you expect more than 6K at VP? Doubt the caterers did either.

[Vital Spark]

I don't think the Gillingham full-backs handled our wingers particularly well today, it was the decisions made with the final delivery or shot that let us down. There were numerous occasions where the wingers got in really good positions and wasted the opportunity with a silly shot or a poor cross. We need to persevere with the same team and formation at Bradford but be more clinical when opportunities come our way.

[Barcroft]

Did you expect more than 6K at VP? Doubt the caterers did either.

 

I did, predicted we'd have around 7k, thought that was fairly obvious looking back at attendances in games with similar scenarios eg: Shrews at home when 1st versus second.

 

I also predicted chaos at the ticket office for Lorne Street and therefore got my ticket in advance.

 

It's a shame those who are actually paid to sort this stuff out don't. These farces just set the wrong impression to all those fair weather fans!

 

Give me a job, Bob, I'd actually get issues like these sorted at the club by foreseeing issues that can be prevented!

[blackdog]

So what does Lodey do........... time and time again this happens does he never learn ?

[Highwayman]

Credit to Martin Allen with the signing and guts to play the guy Findley who caused all the problems in the 1st half, Allen had obviously done his homework on Vale. From Valiant player, Gills did committ and were allowed to get away with many fouls which killed the game from a Vale perspective in the 2nd half. Not the end of the world.

[windsorvale4ever]

oh well 1 bad performance in 8, still 2nd in the league. lets not start to moan yet we have been spoilt with some of our displays upto now, micky adams will get it right, lets hope alot of those extra fans come more regular and they might see some great games like we have before today.

[Inny]

I agree that today Gillingham were the better side. They exploited our weaknesses in the first 30 minutes but we still had enough chances to get something out of the game.

 

The difference between the two clubs was evident as Gills went out and got a new player last week, something we can't do whilst in admin.

 

We started particularly poorly. No one wanted the ball. I thought Williams and Duffy on the right in the first half were poor but certainly improved in the second half. The two centre halves played how we all expected them to play against a forward with pace - poor.

 

Morsey continues to get stronger and more important to us and Vincent looks a handful.

 

Neal. 7. Nothing he could do about either goal.

Duffy. 6. Poorest game in a Vale shirt. Terrible distribution and his mix up with shuker cost us for 2nd goal.

 

McCombe. 6. Held on to the ball to long in defence instead of moving it forward. Allowed their forwards too much space and time.

McDonald. 5. Slow, rushed every time he had the ball and not strong enough. He was a mile off their forwards.

Loft. 8. Steady. He at least wanted the ball.

Williams. 7. First half poor and showed very little movement. Much better second half and he looked a threat.

Morsey. 8. Battled well especially as out umbered in midfield. Struggled to find a pass in first half due to lack of movement of others.

Shuker. 6. Poor today compared to recently. He just didn't find enough time on the ball due to their very narrow play.

Vincent. 8. Looked dangerous at times and always looked to get at their defence. Didn't see enough of ball in first half.

Dodds. 7. Looked like a better midfielder than forward today with some very clever passes.

Pope. 6. Loads of effort as usual but their defence had him in their pocket.

 

Subs.

 

Williamson. 5. Did nothing

Burge. 6. Again did very little.

Taylor. 6. Frustrates the life out of me with his lack of ambition to go forward when there is a huge space in front of him.

 

Can't wait for Bradford. I'm very confident we will be back to our best. Good luck lads.