Carlisle v Port Vale

[shoddycollins]

I do like a Tuesday night home game.

Vale have made a decent start to the season and I'm sure they'll have this game marked as one to continue that. Certainly with our defence, or lack of, they have every opportunity to go all out attack. Of course being the away team, they may choose to sit back a bit instead, which would be an opportunity missed for them and probably give us the chance to nick a point out of this.

Can't really see us winning this, I'll go for 1-1 prediction.

 

[kieran_vale]

We’ve been an absolute abortion away from home for a very long time now. Basically Carlisle just have to try and shut down Pope and we will be little to no threat.

 

[shoddycollins]

try and shut down Pope

Our current defence would struggle to stop THE Pope from scoring, let alone Tom Pope. If he's capable of moving at least at a brisk walking pace then he'll breeze effortlessly past Gerrard.

 

[hellogregory]

We got our first clean sheet on Saturday at Cheltenham, but from watching the full match back yesterday, it was more a case of them being hopeless up front than us being good at the back. That said they still managed to force us into 2 goal line clearances so at least that bit of defending and the clean sheet its self should hopefully inspire a little bit of confidence.

However I can't see Port Vale being as bad going forward as Cheltenham were, therefore it will be back to the norm of our defence totally buckling under nearly every attack.

Can only see a defeat here. Comfortable 3-1 win for Port Vale.

 

[valefan16]

We've not won away in 2018.... our last away win was ironically at Carlisle in December!

We have been very different in each of the three league games so far...

Solid defensively, great attacking controlled 3-0 v Cambridge
Diabolical defending, poor attacking 2-0 loss at Colchester
Solid defensive, poor attacking hard fought 1-0 v Crawley

Which defence and which attack turn up is entirely random at the moment!

We've got a mini injury crisis potentially, Manny Oyeleke is almost certainly out which saw us battered for long periods by Crawley with Kay in midfield so may resort to three across the middle and drop Miller with Pope alone up top. That said Pope has barely trained since Colchester but got through 90 Saturday so may not start.

Montano is possibly out as may well be Hannant who is our main creative midfielder.

Play 2 in the middle i'd be fearful of what Carlisle did to us at home late in the season as Joyce can't do it all alone!

2 away games, if we get a couple of points or a win and loss I would be delighted, would take a draw from this.

 

[Buxton Vale]

I'll be happy with a point from this one as we have a few injuries to key players.

 

[darren gregory]

Shall be travelling up for this before proper day on the piss at Tranmere on Saturday.
Definitely take 3 points from 6 , concerned about our soft centre away from home.
No Clint Hill to help us out this time
What sort of reception will Luke Joyce get ?

 

[shoddycollins]

Shall be travelling up for this before proper day on the piss at Tranmere on Saturday.
Definitely take 3 points from 6 , concerned about our soft centre away from home.
No Clint Hill to help us out this time
What sort of reception will Luke Joyce get ?

I think you'll find our current defence infinitely more accommodating than Clint Hill was.

I imagine Joyce will get some applause from sections of the crowd, generally those behind the dugouts, and also the odd jibe, especially if we take the lead. I doubt there'll be a lot of focus on him though, he left neither regretfully nor under a cloud.

 

[Dave-Vale]

How come we get our very own thread for a Tuesday night game?

Manny Oyeleke is injured so we will probably play Joyce and Kay together which means we will too deep and have very little creativity.

Hoping that Montano and Hannant are fit and that Aspin realises that he will need to play 352.

 

[shoddycollins]

How come we get our very own thread for a Tuesday night game?

Cos, we're such a massive deal on these forums. Also it's always been the way, none of this trying to sneak combined match thread in via the back door like a tinpot Shaun Harvey.

 

[LongEatonPie]

How come we get our very own thread for a Tuesday night game?
.

Because we don’t want to make a scene and attract attention at the moment.

 

[leedsvaliant]

If we play Kay and Joyce in midfield, we will lose. They both play so deep that it just invites pressure on the back four and there is zero pace between the two of them to get us pushing up the field.

We either need to add another more mobile body into midfield, or put someone like Hannant in midfield alongside Joyce.

We've looked a mixed bag so far and I'm surprised to see us in 5th in an albeit early table. Carlisle look an unknown quantity to me - there seems to be a lot of negativity around them at the moment, but they are strong at home and I expect that we will struggle with the injuries we have.

I'll go for a 1-1 draw.

 

[hellogregory]

We are not strong at home.

We only won 7 of our 23 home games last season, leaving us 16th in the home form table, where as our away form was 4th best in the league.

 

[leedsvaliant]

We are not strong at home.

We only won 7 of our 23 home games last season, leaving us 16th in the home form table, where as our away form was 4th best in the league.

That surprises me. Perhaps because we always (apart from last season) seem to struggle at Carlisle. They looked a very competent team when they beat us at Vale park only 3 or so months ago, so what's happened?

 

[shoddycollins]

They looked a very competent team when they beat us at Vale park only 3 or so months ago, so what's happened?

Bonham - Kept us from going 2-0 down that day, returned to Brentford at the end of his loan.
Liddle - will likely start tonight, but looked shakier this season than when he had the calming influence of Hill alongside him.
Ellis - Voted third in player of the season, turned down a contract offer to sign for Tranmere
Hill - Voted player of the season. Retired and now assistant manager at Fleetwood
Grainger - another likely to start tonight, more of an attacking threat than a defensive rock though
Jones - still at the club and still a key player though will miss out through injury tonight
Joyce - likely to play tonight, but not for the home team, having turned down a contract offer
Campbell-Ryce - subbed at half time last season, since released and gone to Stevenage
Parkes - another defender still at the club who looked better alongside Hill last season
Devitt - Voted second in player of the season and likely to be vital tonight
Nadesan - Scored the leveller last season. Initially returned to Fleetwood before being loaned out again, may start his second of the season tonight
Hope - Came on as a sub last time to score the winner, making an excellent start to the season so expect him to start.
Bennett - A half time sub last time out, been starting more recent games. Didn't have a huge impact in the last game though, needs to improve this season
O'Sullivan - A late sub last time, didn't end the season on great form and was released

Hope that answers your question. The majority of attacking players (and all of those who stood out in that match) are still at the club and might even have improved on their effectiveness from last season, add Jerry Yates and Adam Campbell to that and we're probably more of a threat going forward. However we've lost the keeper, two centre-backs and both holding midfielders from that match and I doubt we'll have anything like the control of the play and possession that we had last season. That Port Vale game was a particularly good example of that, and may well have been helped by the fact there wasn't anything riding on the game and the manager already knew he was leaving anyway.

 

[valefan16]

If we play Kay and Joyce in midfield, we will lose. They both play so deep that it just invites pressure on the back four and there is zero pace between the two of them to get us pushing up the field.

We either need to add another more mobile body into midfield, or put someone like Hannant in midfield alongside Joyce.

We've looked a mixed bag so far and I'm surprised to see us in 5th in an albeit early table. Carlisle look an unknown quantity to me - there seems to be a lot of negativity around them at the moment, but they are strong at home and I expect that we will struggle with the injuries we have.

I'll go for a 1-1 draw.

It depends where we settle for me, the same XI that put on the most complete performance for years on the opening day then put in one of the poorer ones just seven days later so I still can't work out how good or bad we are yet. Hopefully as we gel we see improvement and we can look at the second half Saturday as to how we can progress when we play away from Vale Park, if we can start getting draw's even away and keep winning at home we will be ok.

 

[leedsvaliant]

It depends where we settle for me, the same XI that put on the most complete performance for years on the opening day then put in one of the poorer ones just seven days later so I still can't work out how good or bad we are yet. Hopefully as we gel we see improvement and we can look at the second half Saturday as to how we can progress when we play away from Vale Park, if we can start getting draw's even away and keep winning at home we will be ok.

Agreed. We just need to get results away from home, as our home form is generally pretty good. I'd prefer us to scrap out some draws away from home and just be solid, rather than losing timidly. Our defence seems to be improved, as we now have two no nonsense tall center halfs who will kick it and head it away rather than getting bullied.

We just need to inject more pace from somewhere as at times we look very easy to defend against. It seems that Aspin doesn't rate Kanu, which is a shame as he seems one of the few with a bit of pace about him.

 

[kieran_vale]

Just seen the Vale team for tonight. Erm interesting selection is a polite way of putting it. Not sure what formation they are meant to line up in. Literally looks like Aspin has picked 11 names out of a hat.

 

[valefan16]

Just seen the Vale team for tonight. Erm interesting selection is a polite way of putting it. Not sure what formation they are meant to line up in. Literally looks like Aspin has picked 11 names out of a hat.

He’s gone 3 at the back possibly 3-4-1-2?

 

[shoddycollins]

We're unchanged from the weekend. I'm astounded to see Gerrard in the starting line up, he must be dead on his feet after the weekend

 

[valefan16]

Our fans are slitting wrists at that XI but we got pegged back time and time again so if he does go with a back three then Dodds in front of Kay and Joyce could alleviate that in Mannys absence...

If it’s 4-4-2 with Rawlinson at RB and Dodds in the wing and Kay and Joyce alone in the middle well done Carlisle on your comfortable win this evening!

 

[Buxton Vale]

Sounds like we are doing ok so far despite everything.

 

[valefan16]

Absolute gift! Done everything right at the back and all that work undone

 

[shoddycollins]

our commentators saying Aspin's dropped a bollock with this setup and I can see what they mean. Port Vale look very generic so far.

 

[kieran_vale]

I'm sorry this is dreadful. Only question is how many Carlisle win this by.

 

[shoddycollins]

I'm sorry this is dreadful. Only question is how many Carlisle win this by.

oh were more than capable of fucking this right up

 

[kieran_vale]

oh were more than capable of fucking this right up

Trust me Vale will find a way to outdo you on that.

Literally been Carlisle vs Leon Legge (who has been great to be fair). Don't want to get on at Aspin but at some point he needs to sit down with his coaching staff and figure out our best team and then fucking stick to it.

 

[valefan16]

Only got ourselves to blame, very negative set up but we were comfortable and gifted Carlisle the lead, then almost give another even worse gift with a dodgy back pass.

Carlisle looked to have little threat up top but can’t see us scoring unless we get more bodies in midfield.

Got to say one of the strangest decisions seen to not only give a foul but a yellow to Legge for a clean win of the ball! It was shocking

Legges been immense again and Hannant has played well. Joyce seems to have forgot he was transferred in the summer as he is constantly giving the ball away.

Worried at how open we are without Oyeleke breaking things up. Frustrated.

 

[shoddycollins]

Trust me Vale will find a way to outdo you on that.

Literally been Carlisle vs Leon Legge (who has been great to be fair). Don't want to get on at Aspin but at some point he needs to sit down with his coaching staff and figure out our best team and then fucking stick to it.

the only disappointment for us is that we could have put you to the sword and didn't. Squandered a great chance to go two up when your defenders fucked up and how many times have we come up regret not going in at half time with more than a single goal?

 

[valefan16]

the only disappointment for us is that we could have put you to the sword and didn't. Squandered a great chance to go two up when your defenders fucked up and how many times have we come up regret not going in at half time with more than a single goal?

We are shit away and Aspin has turned into the tinker man with one day to work on a new system. Should of gone one up front maybe adding Hanno in the middle.

He won’t change it either. Well done on your win tonight.