I agree very much with @Shev. Couldn’t believe believe it when he talked about us scoring a few more goals. Reminded me of that American Co-commentator (can’t recall who or at what match) who insisted five minutes before the end of the game that we were going to win, even though we were losing at the time.
Crosby is not popular with the Vale fans, so perhaps he’s speculating that that position may become available soon. Or ours, of course (although personally I think that that’s unlikely).
We played better today, trouble is we remain completely impotent in front of goal and susceptible to moments of madness at the back.
Port Vale offered absolutely nothing and we simply couldn’t capitalise. Had we come up against a better team I suspect we’d be looking at another defeat rather than being, quite rightly, frustrated by only a draw.
There’s no way we go down. We were good today. Unfortunate. Still poor across the season but we gave Port Vale nothing. Scrappy goal and very few other chances conceded. We’ll be fine
I liked the co-commentator's refreshing honesty. It's rare to hear someone describe decisions our own players are making as stupid (when they are), Stryjek's kicking as woeful (which it was) and the change in formation back to 532 as a mistake (which it absolutely was) on a service put out by the club's comms department.
As for the match itself - we looked fine in the 442 except for the long-ball distribution from the keeper which saw - as usual - so many opportunities lost. Playing with wingers was nice and as we get more used to that system I would hope to see them play with more confidence in driving the ball forward. There was nice interplay between Grimmer and McCleary which I hope Boyes and Sadlier will be able to mimic soon.
If we must change formation midway through the second half, as Bloomfield has done both against Port Vale and Derby, I would like to see Vokes and Lyle Taylor playing together in a front two, with Phillips dropping into a midfield diamond with Leahy and Wheeler in the middle and Scowen at its base. Maybe next week.
I thought we looked a decent side for much of the game, even after Vokes was subbed off, but as usual this season we looked like we couldn't figure out where the next goal was coming from.
Max's distribution suffered in the second half due to the wind, but I would have expected that to have been figured out and the ball kept as low a spossible or on the ground, especially as first half he benefitted from the wind being in his favour.
We’re 6 points clear with superior GD. Playing much better. Our best players are due back from injury soon. We’re better than at least 6 other teams this season, even if our form suggests otherwise.
I thought we were relentless - 19 shots, 6 on target, through on goal twice to be called back for incorrect offside decisions. I know that is just citing stats, but our passing was delicious at times - back heels, flicks, and through balls splitting the defence into the path of McCleary or Sadlier. The one ding is obviously sticking it in the back of the net.
We will be absolutely fine if we keep playing like that. The four at the back is working, and the reinforcements keep coming back.
I thought that was a good game but why almost immediately from the goal we suddenly let a team who offered nothing upuntil then get corners and chances was a bit beyond me. Some of the officiating decisions seemed odd to me but perhaps they looked more reasonable from Vipiennes. It looked like Vokes got booked for trying to score.
I thought we played a lot better today with 4 at the back ,we missed a lot of chance cokes and Phillips missed absolute sitters and the ball does not seem to dropping for us in the box.That was a real sucker punch at the end but you could just see it happening
We were not brilliant. We were competent. But do you really believe that squad is playing anywhere near its optimal level? I hope Sadler had a problem as taking him off was madness.
I had hoped we would be more brave and keep Vokes on and then pushed Taylor close to him to feed off. Instead the subs made us lose structure. Dale Taylor is not a winger.
But I guess it’s another certificate of participation on the XG front so pats on the back all round
I suggest he's got until Jan 6th and the Burton game, if we've not picked up a minimum of 6 points in those four games and played much better against teams in the bottom half of the table then it's time for a change. He will have been in charge for 40 games at that point, currently 36 games and 39 points which amortised leaves us short of 50 points for a whole season.
Today and at Derby was much better playing 4-2-3-1 so I am optimistic that he can turn it around with the players we have and the smaller injury list. Over to you Matt.
Comments
I agree very much with @Shev. Couldn’t believe believe it when he talked about us scoring a few more goals. Reminded me of that American Co-commentator (can’t recall who or at what match) who insisted five minutes before the end of the game that we were going to win, even though we were losing at the time.
Danny Cowley was at the game again today. That's the 3rd or 4th time he's been at AP this season. Is he just local, or is he after a job?
Crosby is not popular with the Vale fans, so perhaps he’s speculating that that position may become available soon. Or ours, of course (although personally I think that that’s unlikely).
I bloody well hope not
We know Bloomfield is a club legend but the time is coming soon for the Couhigs to act. We are slipping dangerously close to the relegation battle.
We played better today, trouble is we remain completely impotent in front of goal and susceptible to moments of madness at the back.
Port Vale offered absolutely nothing and we simply couldn’t capitalise. Had we come up against a better team I suspect we’d be looking at another defeat rather than being, quite rightly, frustrated by only a draw.
There’s no way we go down. We were good today. Unfortunate. Still poor across the season but we gave Port Vale nothing. Scrappy goal and very few other chances conceded. We’ll be fine
I liked the co-commentator's refreshing honesty. It's rare to hear someone describe decisions our own players are making as stupid (when they are), Stryjek's kicking as woeful (which it was) and the change in formation back to 532 as a mistake (which it absolutely was) on a service put out by the club's comms department.
As for the match itself - we looked fine in the 442 except for the long-ball distribution from the keeper which saw - as usual - so many opportunities lost. Playing with wingers was nice and as we get more used to that system I would hope to see them play with more confidence in driving the ball forward. There was nice interplay between Grimmer and McCleary which I hope Boyes and Sadlier will be able to mimic soon.
If we must change formation midway through the second half, as Bloomfield has done both against Port Vale and Derby, I would like to see Vokes and Lyle Taylor playing together in a front two, with Phillips dropping into a midfield diamond with Leahy and Wheeler in the middle and Scowen at its base. Maybe next week.
I thought we were brilliant, just very unfortunate.
We'll be fine though after a few years of excitement it's a bit galling that this season rests on the BSM Trophy.
We were the better team but brilliant is a truly bizarre way to describe that performance.
I thought we looked a decent side for much of the game, even after Vokes was subbed off, but as usual this season we looked like we couldn't figure out where the next goal was coming from.
Max's distribution suffered in the second half due to the wind, but I would have expected that to have been figured out and the ball kept as low a spossible or on the ground, especially as first half he benefitted from the wind being in his favour.
As ever Scowen was our stand out player.
Yes that was madness. Lovely to be optimistic in life but it just smacked of not understanding anything about football.
There's every chance we could go down. To suggest otherwise is bizarre.
We’re 6 points clear with superior GD. Playing much better. Our best players are due back from injury soon. We’re better than at least 6 other teams this season, even if our form suggests otherwise.
we looked like we couldn't figure out where the next goal was coming from.
Don’t worry, Vokes will be arriving in the box any second now.
Vokes is out of contract in the summer, isn't he?
I hope I live to see the day we have a manager @davecz doesn't think is always poor and on the way out. Love the guy, club legend, sack him Rob.
Potts should hopefully make a crucial difference.
Who else? McCarthy or Kane VY?
I thought we were relentless - 19 shots, 6 on target, through on goal twice to be called back for incorrect offside decisions. I know that is just citing stats, but our passing was delicious at times - back heels, flicks, and through balls splitting the defence into the path of McCleary or Sadlier. The one ding is obviously sticking it in the back of the net.
We will be absolutely fine if we keep playing like that. The four at the back is working, and the reinforcements keep coming back.
Relentless and brilliant?
At times I was more interested in the quite stunning changes in colour of the sky behind the main stand!
I thought that was a good game but why almost immediately from the goal we suddenly let a team who offered nothing upuntil then get corners and chances was a bit beyond me. Some of the officiating decisions seemed odd to me but perhaps they looked more reasonable from Vipiennes. It looked like Vokes got booked for trying to score.
Thought we looked much better again today with a back four but weren't clinical enough when on top.
But 5 points from the last 10 league games is appalling. That's half a point a game or the equivalent of 23 points over a full season.
You saw more in Lyle Taylor than me @aloysius
I thought we played a lot better today with 4 at the back ,we missed a lot of chance cokes and Phillips missed absolute sitters and the ball does not seem to dropping for us in the box.That was a real sucker punch at the end but you could just see it happening
We were not brilliant. We were competent. But do you really believe that squad is playing anywhere near its optimal level? I hope Sadler had a problem as taking him off was madness.
I had hoped we would be more brave and keep Vokes on and then pushed Taylor close to him to feed off. Instead the subs made us lose structure. Dale Taylor is not a winger.
But I guess it’s another certificate of participation on the XG front so pats on the back all round
@Shev we were better, but not brilliant, don't get too carried away
I suggest he's got until Jan 6th and the Burton game, if we've not picked up a minimum of 6 points in those four games and played much better against teams in the bottom half of the table then it's time for a change. He will have been in charge for 40 games at that point, currently 36 games and 39 points which amortised leaves us short of 50 points for a whole season.
Today and at Derby was much better playing 4-2-3-1 so I am optimistic that he can turn it around with the players we have and the smaller injury list. Over to you Matt.
That was a game we should've won, we didn't, says it all
Are you sure you weren’t watching Wishaw Wycombe Wanderers by mistake?