AFC Wimbledon v Vale

[leedsvaliant]

We played a bit better last weekend than we have done for a few weeks but still lost. We're on a poor run of form and haven't won many games recently, especially away from home where we are quite frankly shocking. At times we have kept clean sheets but then we go one or two games where we concede 3 or 4 really soft goals and so it's virtually impossible to get anything out of games.

This fixture worries me. At the start of the season, I thought Wimbledon would be dead certs for relegation and their start did not sway my thinking. Since then, they have shown to be a very solid side that can score goals. What worries me most is that they are a big side and we are small. It seems almost inevitable that they will score off a set piece, so it just remains to be seen whether we have done anything about our defending in training.

I don't really know what we can do to shake things up as we've got a few players out injured or suspended. As much as I don't really rate Sam Kelly, he was looking likely to cause problems last Saturday, although hopefully Jerome Thomas will be back as his experience and ability to keep the ball might be invaluable away from home.

Bruno has targeted 9 points over the Christmas period but I'd be amazed given our current form if this was achieved. We just seem very leaky at the back and don't look overly threatening going forward and because we are a young side (9 out of 11 players under 23 last Saturday), we lack some real experienced heads and nous. I can see the makings of a good team, but that doesn't help us in the here and now and we need to get some points on the board so that we are looking upwards instead of down.

I can see this being 2 or 3-1 to Wimbledon.

 

[valefan16]

Huge game which we need a minimum of a point from, similar points haul to us (think they are better away than at home?)

Fancy us to get a point 1-1 Big Reg puts us ahead... then conceded a soft goal from a corner.

Play like we have last two games the tide will turn sooner rather than later.

 

[Topher]

why do we let in so many goals when our defenders are supposedly so good? is it the midfield giving the ball away in dangerous areas and taking our defenders out of the game or tactical ineptitude from Bruno et al? Or are they just not that good?

 

[valefan16]

why do we let in so many goals when our defenders are supposedly so good? is it the midfield giving the ball away in dangerous areas and taking our defenders out of the game or tactical ineptitude from Bruno et al? Or are they just not that good?

Varying reasons it would seem. Last week Zonal Marking cost us, in recent weeks before we were getting done by Tavares or Brown etc. giving the ball away in danger areas.

I would say changing the team every week hadn't helped and a negative formation inviting constant pressure.

Considering the Premier League clubs are circling for Smith (Streete has been as good too) the GA column doesn't look great does it!

 

[Meadow]

Reading the above, this has a Vale win written all over it.

 

[Andy Proctor]

We are garbage away from home dont shoot tackle pass and ship lots of goals i dont know anyone that is going the game 4 1 wimbledon.

 

[Kiwi Womble]

We have been known to be generous to team on bad runs...

 

[Andy Proctor]

We have been known to be generous to team on bad runs...

Vale are worse for giving teams on a bad run wins already done that this season with coventry and northampton. Also we were the first team concede a goal against oldham in about 6 weeks.

 

[Wombling Kiwi]

gone the draw, on this one.

 

[Andy Proctor]

gone the draw, on this one.

If vale get a draw tomorrow it will be celebrated like a win due to us being shite away.

 

[valefan16]

Awful again. Sounds like we've done absolutely sod all to sort the zonal marking issues from last week out at all.

Bruno must be skating on thin ice and hopefully this crisis can be cured.

 

[valefan16]

1-0 down hand ball apparently but been coming. Bruno has to go!

 

[valefan16]

2-0 another fucking corner. Totally shambolic.

 

[Meadow]

I was very impressed with the Vale keeper and defence in the first half.

 

[valefan16]

I was very impressed with the Vale keeper and defence in the first half.

Keeper had a blinder... defence? 14 shots!

 

[Andy Proctor]

2-0 another fucking corner. Totally shambolic.

I honestly think if we dont sack him soon then we will struggle stop up.

 

[valefan16]

I honestly think if we dont sack him soon then we will struggle stop up.

Becoming obvious now. 3-0 a total embarrassment and with all due respect to AFCW this is totally unacceptable for this football club. He has 9 days until Walsall get him gone and give Brown the time to work on sorting this mess out. Today is the final straw for me.

 

[Meadow]

Wow! Wasn't expecting that.

 

[valefan16]

Wow! Wasn't expecting that.

Why? We are absolutely shit, missing half our team and have been getting battered away from home week in week out.

 

[valefan16]

Lots of anger on the forums after that. We are going down fast. Bruno out!

 

[valefan16]

Rumours the chairman has stormed down to the tunnel... repeat of the Exeter debacle that started Pages decline.

 

[valefan16]

Smurf mouthed the word 'toast' at the press as he stormed past. Looks like he's going to do the right thing at last.

Hopefully the fans are reimbursed although none were after Bolton, Bury, Sheffield United batterings!

 

[valefan16]

We played very well but Port Vale are comfortably the worst team I've seen this season. Thought we might win but the second half was a procession

Half a team missing but signed so much shit in the summer we are fucked if one of two are out. Plan B in January might save us but this is embarrassing.

 

[Wombletom]

That was a lot more comfortable than I expected. Vale keeper played a blinder, certainly kept the score down

 

[Bottega Don]

Back when Vale were playing a well quite a few arrogant, bias Vale fans seemed to show up out of nowhere.

Wonder where they are now

 

[valefan16]

Back when Vale were playing a well quite a few arrogant, bias Vale fans seemed to show up out of nowhere.

Wonder where they are now

No more than now. You were just bitter because we'd pounded you (about the only side we've cruised past to be fair)

 

[Bottega Don]

No more than now. You were just bitter because we'd pounded you (about the only side we've cruised past to be fair)

And now you're in free fall and we're 20 points ahead of you, really went well for you that.

 

[valefan16]

And now you're in free fall and we're 20 points ahead of you, really went well for you that.

Well done... didn't realise we had a rivalry with Scunthorpe to care about?

Various factors have hit us, Bruno's incompetence yes, losing five or six of our key experienced players hasn't helped and today as per the last two or three weeks we've had a young side out with our who first choice midfield missing since Charlton.

Had we not lost Grant, Thomas, Purkiss, Forester and Foley for such an extended time I'm confident we'd be doing better but that in no way excuses Bruno and his tactical calamities which came to a head again today.

 

[womble76]

Becoming obvious now. 3-0 a total embarrassment and with all due respect to AFCW this is totally unacceptable for this football club. He has 9 days until Walsall get him gone and give Brown the time to work on sorting this mess out. Today is the final straw for me.

The with all due respect line always cracks me up. with all due respect I expect to beat clubs like vale tbf.

 

[valefan16]

The with all due respect line always cracks me up. with all due respect I expect to beat clubs like vale tbf.

Getting beat 4-0 by a club that has never finished higher than us and only three times been at the same level is hardly what we should be aiming for... but you should expect to beat us... as would Kingstonian at the moment.