Official Port Vale match thread

[NMH]

Good news and bad news;

Good news;
it was a fair result, good competitive intent throughout, and the players worked as a team to form passable 'shape'.
Started well and kept them out of the game for first 45 minutes completely - they came up with nothing and compared poorly - you would have thought there could only be one result. Toward the end, Rehman had two open headers that really should have stretched their net - and we gave them problems with crosses .

Bad news;
it's a game of two halves! - the second half was all Vale's. They outplayed and out-thought us. BHA had no plan other than a hopeful lump up to LK who was on his own. He was marked absolutely, so there went that option. Our lot treated the ball like a hot spud, dumped it asap in every move, and all the midfield work culminated in a hopeful lob toward Knight every time. The Albion got a penalty, and otherwise rarely looked like getting anything much else.
They ALLOWED their shots, rather generously on the edge of our area, for their goal AND their (how-did-it-not-go-in?!) close attempt. Sadly, under any pressure, this side give away goals easily and make schoolboy errors. Leon always gives the pass he wishes he could be getting - and this is illustrating the woeful cry-out for a decent forward line that can work together and cause trouble. Once marked, LK is obviously all there is (!!) It's so simple for opposing managers to spot and rectify, as Brian Horton did at half-time.

 

[Zeitgeist]

Two points dropped or a point gained? On the balance of the game, two dropped. After the fright at the end when Roberts spooned the shot from Littlejohn ( ? ) then another of their players hit the underside of the bar when he should have scored, maybe we should be grateful for the point?

After a bright start in the first half, we seemed to lose direction after the break. Our weakness this evening was midfield. Or rather Rehman was! Sure, our options were limited tonight, but surely Dean hammond MUST be a better option than this disinterested waste of space? Ironically, he could have won the game for us with two headers, one hitting the bar. By his standards, Jones was having a reasonable game. So McGee takes him off and brings on Lee ( ? ) His first telling contribution of the game was a precision pass.....Straight to the feet of an opponent! From that moment he was fairly anonymous for the rest of the game.
Tonight we had no real grafters in midfield to role their sleeves up, which is what you need in a game like tonights. Yeates looks good in spells, but when it gets physical, he doesn't seem too bothered.

After Leon took a knock, he seemed to lose interest. Kerry had a better game, but then they never really threatened down the right side too much. My man of the match?....Guy Butters. Personally, I thought he was the rock of the defense tonight. Sure, he can't pass and is little more than a old style stopper who hooves the ball upfield, but he reads the game well and always seems to be in the right place at the right time...

 

[Binney on acid]

Leon was marked closely all second half. That was it from him, after that. We kept humping the ball forward regardless of who or where to! What is the point of that except to broadcast to the opposition that we have no idea what we are doing without Knight?

All said, it was a point gained this time, as we could have so easily lost to Port Vale.

 

[Gwylan]

Two points dropped or a point gained? On the balance of the game, two dropped. After the fright at the end when Roberts spooned the shot from Littlejohn ( ? ) then another of their players hit the underside of the bar when he should have scored, maybe we should be grateful for the point?

That's a bit harsh. I thought Roberts made a terrific save...I thought we were gonnas at that point.

And El Abd did really well to put their guy under pressure.

 

[perth seagull]

Clearly McGhee isn't as good a manager as Coppell was.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

If we are to get automatic promotion, we have to win games like this - it was there for the taking.

Jones was absoloutely superb and he looked as miffed as the rest of the crowd when he went off - most bizarre substitution i've ever seen. Piercy went across to the left to replace him and was ineffective. He should play through the middle as he always looks to cut inside.

Butters was a rock in defence and read the game really well. Pethick was solid alongside.

Roberts made a couple of real howlers and almost gifted 2 goals. How Port Vale missed that chance in the last minute - i'll never know - it was easier to score.

Nobody in midfield looked capable of winning the ball. If we had a ball winner, Yates would have been dynamite, he showed some great touches.

Rehman ran around the pitch aimlessly but worked very hard - not sure about him at all.

Knight was well shackled but still made a couple of nice runs. McPhee tries really hard but I am certain we need another striker.

All in all, two points dropped i'm afraid.

 

[Bwian]

Clearly McGhee isn't as good a manager as Coppell was.

I personally think he is. Different style but equally as good.

Remember that McGhee hasn't had a full squad to work with since he arrived. The time to start assessing McGhee is when he has all of the injured guys back.

Does anybody seriously think Vale would have got a look in with Cullip, Chippy, Blackwell, Oatway and Rodger in the squad?

We'd have battered them senseless.

 

[bhaexpress]

Hey, I know this will be an unpopular statement but I'd like to see Charlie back. We need more bite in midfield.

Still what do I know ? I rated both Lewis and Rougvie and would like to have them back too.

 

[Yorkie]

Good old Hells Bells on Soccer AM. Brought up the problems of our Park & Ride. Even got a 'quote' from Brighton Council

She emphasised Leon being top scorer (even though she said 16 instead of 17) but didn't like Leon's 'hip hop' dancing celebration

 

[Zeitgeist]

That's a bit harsh. I thought Roberts made a terrific save...I thought we were gonnas at that point.

And El Abd did really well to put their guy under pressure.

From the angle I saw it, while cowering under a sheet of plastic, thats how it appeared from distance. Still, maybe those nearer had a better view? I forgot to mention Roberts earlier Howler which could have cost us dear. During the second half, Roberts threw the ball across his area, only to dive on it and pick it up as an oponent advanced on him. I thought ( ? ) the rules stated that a keeper couldn't pick the ball up again after it'd been released from his hands? Anyone confirm this? If that is the case, Rob Styles doesn't know the ruling, as it happened right under his nose!

 

[Dover]

MM appears to have worked on the fitness of the team. They were passing to one another for over an hour, and the valve seemed to ge the better of us.

I could not understand the subsitution. Lee could go right now. I can only presume MM wants to see all of the squad in match conditions.

The Fulham Fancy could also go home. Complete waste of space. It appears to me that Charlie would have been the man to get stuck in and distribute the ball to Peircy and Yeates. I also belive a fully fit FDM would have organised his defence better.

 

[Bwian]

Good old Hells Bells on Soccer AM. Brought up the problems of our Park & Ride. Even got a 'quote' from Brighton Council

She emphasised Leon being top scorer (even though she said 16 instead of 17) but didn't like Leon's 'hip hop' dancing celebration

I missed it, what was said by the council (and Hell's Bells too).

On another point-anybody have any idea what Leon's little dance was about? He was enjoying himself whatever it meant...

 

[Kenhead]

I was playing quite alot of attention to lee in the 2nd half, he wasn't marking anyone all game when he come! hopefully he can play alot better on boxing day

 

[Yorkie]

I missed it, what was said by the council (and Hell's Bells too).

On another point-anybody have any idea what Leon's little dance was about? He was enjoying himself whatever it meant...

Helen mentioned that we'd played the game last night and why had we got to change the fixture. She was very scathing, in a nice way, about why the council insisted on us changing.
The council basically gave a one sentence statement about the Park and Ride and traffic conditions in Brighton in December.

Hells Bells came across as being very sympathetic towards our cause (well she would be wouldn't she) and more publicity towards our plight. (Come on JP make that decision)

 

[Curious Orange]

Horrible weather last night. But a spirited performance from the boys, and unfortunately that was the problem, there were a lot of boys with Nathan Jones being the most experienced player from the midfield and attack. The teenage central midfield pairing weren't able to control the game for the full 90 minutes. Rehman had a better game but I can't see him keeping his spot when Chippy and Oatway are both fit again (He looks like he'd prefer to be playing at the back), an experienced partner for Yeates is needed to get the best out of him.

A draw was probably about right, we had the chances to win the game. We'll do better when our injury crisis starts to clear up. Let's face it, we always look better when Danny is playing.

 

[Bwian]

Thanks Yorkie

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

We've got very little idea this season at all. First half, OK, we played it about a bit, but second half we were pitiful. How many times was it wellied aimlessly forward. Ten? Twenty? You can see it every game. Opposition teams start off giving us the old cliched 'too much respect' cos we're third and they think we therefore must be a bit good. Then when they finally twig that we aren't, they go hell for leather in the second half to get all three points and we end up on the back foot. Admit it, we were bloody lucky not to get beat last night and it's nowhere near the form needed for promotion. That's been the case practically every game this season and if you hate Steve Coppell for the rest of your life, at least acknowledge that his shrewd signing of Leon Knight has saved us from a serious embarassment this season.

 

[BrightonBird]

Unfortunatley I wasn't there, but I cannot believe that Jones played well!

Many thanks to BAG who kept me updated, but my battery had run out so didn't get the message until later on and couldn't reply.

 

[Tighe11]

Great first half but nobody apart from only leon can score. If we had another goalscorer on our side (not saying Mcphees no good he does a terrific job but we do need a few more goals from him) we would of wrapped that game up by half time. In my opinion we still miss Bobby, Blackwell, Rodger and Brooker. Knight is terrific but his lack of physical presence does mean he needs somebody else with him upfront with a bit of experience.
last night was a real pisser because we where so good in the first halve for them toget that goal was unjust but once they did we lost it and they where far better. Pethick is appauling his long balls do nothing just like him, give Virgo a game. A chance missed last night to catch up but theres a long way to go.

quote:
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Originally posted by perth seagull
Clearly McGhee isn't as good a manager as Coppell was.
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Completely agree Mcghee aint the main to takes us where we want to be. I also feel that if we did go up we would come straight back down due to Dick Tight. I do feel he has done alot of good for us but when it comes to team invetment he dont want to know. Imagine if he didnt let us buy bobby, how different things would be.

bring on Tranmere.