Cov v Vale

[leedsvaliant]

We're a disaster at the moment. No organisation, no style of play, confusing tactics, personnel playing in the wrong positions and no goals scored for 3 games and now we've got two away games against Coventry and Luton. It seems things will get a lot worse before they get better.

We're trying to play this en vogue formation of 1 up front. The trouble being that Pope plays up top and has no one within 30 yards of him, so he's essentially up against 4 defenders on his own. The trouble with this formation is that you need quality players to execute it, and in this league it just doesn't happen. We need to go back to basics and play either a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2.

We haven't scored in something like 9 of the last 12 matches, so alongside a knack of conceding very soft goals, we're never going to be successful the way we are going.

Coventry started the season on fire and to be honest I thought they were going to absolutely stroll this league but they seem to have gone off the boil a little since. They'll still be too good for us I think unless we suddenly click.

Lose this and Luton on Tuesday and we'll almost certainly be bottom of the entire football league, having lost 6 of our opening 7 games, which even the most pessimistic fan wouldn't have imagined before the season. I'd imagine that Brown would be on a sticky wicket and his win ratio will plunge below 20%.

We need to turn around our form quickly, because even at this stage of the season if you get in to a spiral of decline like Tranmere, Leyton Orient etc. it's very difficult to get out of it. Conversely, we have seen teams have very poor starts such as Blackpool last season, Sheffield United lost their first 4 and got promoted as champions, so it can be turned around. I believe we have enough quality to climb the league but is Brown the man to deliver that? The jury is very much out at the moment.

 

[valefan16]

Having lost to three sides who on the day were relatively poor it doesn't bode well. Throw in the fact that we put two of the worst performances a Port Vale side has put in against a dire Coventry outfit last season and it's hard to optimistic.

On the plus side we've played fairly decent the last two times and should of got results certainly last weekend when we did everything but score and the fitness boost of Tyrone Barnett gives us a decent option.

I'd go 4-4-2 playing Barnett off Pope and go for it, we've got quality in Worrall in the middle and Coventry have been poor by the sounds of it in recent weeks too so the first goal will be crucial in either sides confidence.

We will get dicked by Luton so need a positive outcome here really but as you say under Brown can we get the best out of a fairly decent squad?

Watch Barnett be shoved on the wing or something stupid!

Need to turn the corner asap though but even though I live thirty minutes from the Ricoh I just can't be arsed to watch us away from home.

 

[Andy Proctor]

Having lost to three sides who on the day were relatively poor it doesn't bode well. Throw in the fact that we put two of the worst performances a Port Vale side has put in against a dire Coventry outfit last season and it's hard to optimistic.

On the plus side we've played fairly decent the last two times and should of got results certainly last weekend when we did everything but score and the fitness boost of Tyrone Barnett gives us a decent option.

I'd go 4-4-2 playing Barnett off Pope and go for it, we've got quality in Worrall in the middle and Coventry have been poor by the sounds of it in recent weeks too so the first goal will be crucial in either sides confidence.

We will get dicked by Luton so need a positive outcome here really but as you say under Brown can we get the best out of a fairly decent squad?

Watch Barnett be shoved on the wing or something stupid!

Need to turn the corner asap though but even though I live thirty minutes from the Ricoh I just can't be arsed to watch us away from home.

I'm not going either be lucky if 350 go whereas if we were in the top 2 not bottom 2 I bet we would be taking 2000.i think we will score in this game but still lose 2 1.

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

Sounds like we play a similar system with one isolated striker.
Robins needs to play a different system, I'm sure he knows it needs changing as we haven't scored for four hours.
It's a critical game for both clubs, we showed against Shrewsbury in the tinpot cup that we can score when he gives the striker support so I hope he starts with our most creative player Andreu and help up front, we should then be OK.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Sounds like we play a similar system with one isolated striker.
Robins needs to play a different system, I'm sure he knows it needs changing as we haven't scored for four hours.
It's a critical game for both clubs, we showed against Shrewsbury in the tinpot cup that we can score when he gives the striker support so I hope he starts with our most creative player Andreu and help up front, we should then be OK.

I think that's the difference, your manager will recognise what he needs to do to change things and ours probably won't. I'd be amazed if we get anything but a 2/3-0 defeat Saturday.

 

[valefan16]

I think that's the difference, your manager will recognise what he needs to do to change things and ours probably won't. I'd be amazed if we get anything but a 2/3-0 defeat Saturday.

To be fair he does change it after we go 1-0 down from making the same mistake the week before I.e one up front at home to the likes of Crewe and Notts County in league two!

Maybe Brown just can't adjust his philosophy to lower league football and tries to be too clever with his tactics playing Premier League style with League Two footballers who knows but it will be his demise regardless.

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

Agree with all the negative posts about vale.
Nailed on cov win.
I'll listen in until we inevitably concede.

 

[Vanni]

Sounds like we play a similar system with one isolated striker.
Robins needs to play a different system, I'm sure he knows it needs changing as we haven't scored for four hours.
It's a critical game for both clubs, we showed against Shrewsbury in the tinpot cup that we can score when he gives the striker support so I hope he starts with our most creative player Andreu and help up front, we should then be OK.

TBF, one striker or not, you lot had quite a number of decent goal scoring opportunities against Chesterfield. I know they had a man sent off after 60 mins or so, but still, I reckon you were a tad unlucky not to score. Mind you, I'm only going on the highlights and I'm well aware that highlights are no substitute to watching the whole game.

We had a good run of games last season playing with only one striker, so I don't necessarily agree with the 'two strikers up front' belief that most footy fans clamor for.

 

[Habbinalan]

TBF, one striker or not, you lot had quite a number of decent goal scoring opportunities against Chesterfield. I know they had a man sent off after 60 mins or so, but still, I reckon you were a tad unlucky not to score. Mind you, I'm only going on the highlights and I'm well aware that highlights are no substitute to watching the whole game.

We had a good run of games last season playing with only one striker, so I don't necessarily agree with the 'two strikers up front' belief that most footy fans clamor for.

It's amazing what you can achieve with only one occasionally functioning trainee striker employed within the CB post code.

 

[Bartonyellow]

How's Marcus Holness doing for you?

 

[kieran_vale]

For me living in Milton Keynes the next two fixtures at Cov and Luton are really easy for me to get to however there is no way on earth I am subjecting myself to watching this garbage. Will probably check in on the score on Soccer Saturday about half 3, see we are a goal or two down then switch back to the cricket for the day and not think anything else of it.

 

[darren gregory]

How's Marcus Holness doing for you?

Harness is okay, nothing special yet. Busy player. Put a peach of a cross in for a goal on the opening day.
Our clueless manager doesn't seem to know if he is a winger, a player who roams around or whatever.
Think he is being dragged down to our level to be fair, i would give him 6.5 / 10 so far.
Had most of the crowd booing last week when our manager inexplicably subbed him having looked one of the most lively players ( which wasn't hard to do )

 

[darren gregory]

As for the match i fear the worst. Reckon it will be 2-0 , 3-0 defeat. Comes to something when Brown excited about Tyrone Barnett being fit.
Can only see Pope being isolated again and having to rely on his searing pace to create chances.
Possibly an embarrassing following too , though i had already booked my parking prior to the last 3 defeats, does that mean i have to go though !!!

 

[PVFC27]

I'll be there, just down the road for me Not expecting anything though, less likely to be disappointed.

 

[SkyBluesRose]

We'll win if we can score. The problem is though, is that we can't bloody score for the life of me, there seems to be this disconnect between the strikers and the rest of the team, where we waste time passing the ball amongst us until we get disposessed by the other team. FFS we can't even score against a Chesterfield team down to ten men.

At least our defence is still decent, but meh. Most likely this game will be a boring 0-0 draw, but will not be surprised if Vale manage to get a goal in through due to rookie goalkeeping errors and whatnot.

We're a disaster at the moment. No organisation, no style of play, confusing tactics, personnel playing in the wrong positions and no goals scored for 3 games.

We haven't scored in 3 games either.

 

[PUSBCCFC]

We have been absolutely garbage for 4/5 games now. If we lose today...

 

[Buxton Vale]

Pivotal game for Brown today. If we can nick a win, then some pressure will be lifted from him. If we lose, then another defeat at Luton on Tuesday may seal his fate.

Watch it be a draw.

 

[Buxton Vale]

We'll win if we can score. The problem is though, is that we can't bloody score for the life of me, there seems to be this disconnect between the strikers and the rest of the team, where we waste time passing the ball amongst us until we get disposessed by the other team. FFS we can't even score against a Chesterfield team down to ten men.

At least our defence is still decent, but meh. Most likely this game will be a boring 0-0 draw, but will not be surprised if Vale manage to get a goal in through due to rookie goalkeeping errors and whatnot.



We haven't scored in 3 games either.

We don't do clean sheets.

 

[valefan16]

Two up bloody front! Finally Brown. Debut for Barnett who partners Pope.

We've had some bad luck of late certainly the last two games so hoping we can get a bit of luck go our way today.

 

[kieran_vale]

Two up bloody front! Finally Brown. Debut for Barnett who partners Pope.

We've had some bad luck of late certainly the last two games so hoping we can get a bit of luck go our way today.

It's a start now for his next task he can start trying to name full-backs in the full back positions rather than Gunning and Davis.

 

[valefan16]

Pressure cranks up on Brown. Another side in dire form we've done our usual helping hand for.

Dire defending apparently.

 

[kieran_vale]

Ah well, congrats on your win Cov. I'm going on a limb we will barely threaten never mind actually score one ourselves. But hey as it stands we are only 7 points off the playoffs in Michael Brown logic...

 

[valefan16]

Ah well, congrats on your win Cov. I'm going on a limb we will barely threaten never mind actually score one ourselves. But hey as it stands we are only 7 points off the playoffs in Michael Brown logic...

We are a complete embarrassment.

 

[kieran_vale]

Paying the price for literally for two years of shoddy recruitment. I have heard it said that the squad is decent but I'd slightly differ from that. There is no doubt that some of the players would not look out of place in a top 7 side individually but the squad is hopelessly unbalanced. Just look at how many wingers we have.

I also reckon after this game Brown will try to justify his previous preference for 1 up front by saying he gave the fans what they wanted with two up top. That's fine but it is also no good if in other key areas of the field you are playing players out of position especially when you have specialists in those positions on the bench.

 

[valefan16]

Four centre halves at the back with Wilson and Denton two outstanding players at this level on the bench?

Three wingers across the middle out of the four.

Makes no sense. Smurfs there hope he reacts

 

[valefan16]

Hit the woodwork for the third game running!

 

[kieran_vale]

In regards to midfield who exactly has ADF pissed off in the management team? He is someone with the energy and ability that could spark this team to life but Brown seems to just ignore him.

 

[valefan16]

In regards to midfield who exactly has ADF pissed off in the management team? He is someone with the energy and ability that could spark this team to life but Brown seems to just ignore him.

A player that could be one of the best at this level if given game time for me. Right atitude too. It's ok though we will play a winger there instead!

 

[kieran_vale]

Agreed, for me him and Tonge (when his ban is over) would be my first choice. Haven't seen anything of Middleton so can't comment on him.

I'm still annoyed at Brown for releasing Amoros in the summer as well claiming he could not handle the pace of the English game which was complete bollocks.

 

[valefan16]

Agreed, for me him and Tonge (when his ban is over) would be my first choice. Haven't seen anything of Middleton so can't comment on him.

I'm still annoyed at Brown for releasing Amoros in the summer as well claiming he could not handle the pace of the English game which was complete bollocks.

Then signs Kay who can't handle the pace of an under 6s match