Port Vale v Cambridge Utd

[Habbinalan]

https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2018/august/port-vale/

Rest in Peace Tony. Was buzzing at full time only to be hit by this on the way home when announced he had died just as we were busy celebrating Millers opener. Real sickener.

Thoughts with his family. Although terrible for them and those close to him, I can think of worse places and ways to go. Puts the game in context.

 

[valefan16]

https://www.cambridge-united.co.uk/news/2018/august/james-antony-evans/

Class from CUFC too

 

[Dave-Vale]

Believe he was carried out/died around the time that Miller scored. Retrospectively, that goal is now very bittersweet.

Very nice statement from Cambridge.

 

[valefan16]

Believe he was carried out/died around the time that Miller scored. Retrospectively, that goal is now very bittersweet.

Very nice statement from Cambridge.

Died around the 35th minute, carried out as the goal went in hence most didnt know what had happened. Very very tragic and good the club have rallied around, we've had a few losses the last 18 months with Ryan in the Lake, Matty Carragher passing to name a couple. Switching P&G on after to hear he'd died and of course the breaking news that they'd found Samantha Eastwoods body was quite sombre and put everything into perspective.

 

[Laker]

Didn’t go and therefore find it hard to comment but it sounds like we did ok first half and were nowhere to be seen second half. The goal right before half time sounds like the turning point and maybe we would have been ok if we’d got to half time. But a defeat was fully deserved.

I’m not reading too much into it, if we get similar results in the next five games then I’ll be more concerned. The opening game often throws up some unusual performances and strange results. I’m hanging on to that for now.....! ;-)

 

[Habbinalan]

Didn’t go and therefore find it hard to comment but it sounds like we did ok first half and were nowhere to be seen second half. The goal right before half time sounds like the turning point and maybe we would have been ok if we’d got to half time. But a defeat was fully deserved.

I’m not reading too much into it, if we get similar results in the next five games then I’ll be more concerned. The opening game often throws up some unusual performances and strange results. I’m hanging on to that for now.....! ;-)

We didn't threaten much going forward at any point. Once the goal went in, I was confident we could get one or two back - then I remembered we were away and depending on Azeez until the Corr could be released.

The niggling doubt, which is growing and unlikely to be dissipated by our next 4 away matches, is that the result and performance were a continuation of our dire away form last season (only 4 away wins). Sixfields, Stevenage, Colchester then Newport will look a bigger challenge with each failure.

I'm almost thankful that Northampton will probably be my last away trip until we sample the joys of Lincoln.

 

[valefan16]

Cambridge looked bitty to be honest, they looked like the side with many new players rather than us.

The lad on the right first half caused us problems down the channel but it was all long ball into him and once we worked into defending that I thought we were comfy. Going the other way we were lumping it back first half and Cambridge's centre halves were big lads who dealt with it, once we got it down and played it second half Cambridge struggled with that.

The worry for Cambridge would be once Brown made that great save they just appeared to throw the towel in and had we been more ruthless we'd have hit 5 or 6, they'd battled really well first half but second half they just didn't do that... maybe a confidence thing if you've struggled away from home.

At half time I thought Cambridge looked half decent, much better than last season.

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

A fair assessment that, vf16, they certainly put some decent balls in our box, and had a few free headers, and at half time I really thought they would get back into it.
The second killed it, and their heads visibly dropped.
Vale really could’ve had 5.

 

[valefan16]

A fair assessment that, vf16, they certainly put some decent balls in our box, and had a few free headers, and at half time I really thought they would get back into it.
The second killed it, and their heads visibly dropped.
Vale really could’ve had 5.

Well the fear was after our pre season that Cambridge making so few changes over the summer and us making massive squad and formation changes they’d probably do us as they’d be a gelled unit and we’d looked bitty in pre season so the surprise was that. Out of interest did Cambridge play anyone decent much in pre season? As we looked hardened by playing four sides above us in the pyramid, so maybe they’d had a softer pre season? I don’t know but put it this way they are a half decent side which makes the win and performance pleasing, they were not canon fodder and I’m sure they will have a decent season.

 

[Laker]

Well the fear was after our pre season that Cambridge making so few changes over the summer and us making massive squad and formation changes they’d probably do us as they’d be a gelled unit and we’d looked bitty in pre season so the surprise was that. Out of interest did Cambridge play anyone decent much in pre season? As we looked hardened by playing four sides above us in the pyramid, so maybe they’d had a softer pre season? I don’t know but put it this way they are a half decent side which makes the win and performance pleasing, they were not canon fodder and I’m sure they will have a decent season.

Yeah it was commented on our forum that our pre season opposition weren’t suitable. We played Millwall at home but otherwise every other opposition were lower ranked than us and we smashed most of them, as expected. Hopefully this is a wake up for the standard we need to be at.

I don’t think we’ll have a good season. We are no stronger player for player than last season, in fact most would argue we’re weaker.

 

[MisterTee]

Our squad is paper thin, any run of injuries to the first team and we are relying on kids. The board are either unable or unwilling to sanction further transfers so either we are going to have to go loan hunting which Joe Dunne has formerly talked about not wanting to do or praying for no injuries. It's going to be a *long* season ahead.