Port Vale player ratings

[Jesus Gul]

[SUB][/SUB]Loft looked a good League one player and you could see why he is pretty much ever present for Vale since leaving us. Thought he was going to score with one shot just wide.

Did they sing...'Loft will tear you apart'? (or did we sing it even?)

 

[Black Rod]

Because 3 means a totally shit display. If you're a striker and score, you've done your job, no?

No - 0 means a totally shit display, surely? And he may well have been totally shit despite scoring. From what others have said, it sounds like he missed a fair few chances before netting an open goal and indeed he could have been sent off.

I've always thought that these ratings reflect an overall performance and not just whether a player has done there job. If that was the case then Obika should get a 10 for doing his and Brezovan a 0 for letting a goal in when he is paid to keep them out

 

[drew]

Perhaps there should be a caveat that if you are going to criticize other peoples ratings then you should state if you were at the game. I wasn't but can understand a goal scorer getting a 3. Watching the highlights, the goal was a gift and any average striker would have done well to miss!!! Those arguing that a goalscorer should get more than 3 just because he scored sound like the sponsors at the Amex who (admittedly up to the last couple of home games) would only award MOM to a goalscorer. A comparison would be a goal keeper that makes one save and lets in 3 howlers.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Dunks defending for that goal was utterly shambolic. Not looking at the ball particularly or attacking it. Let their guy have a free header and he didn't even have to jump - Sunday league! Been shocking last few yrs. need another cb urgently!

I wasn't there but defending for the goal didn't look great on the highlights. However, in Dunk's defence, he's hardly played in the last couple of years so to say he's been shocking is harsh. He has a lot of potential but he needs game time. Hopefully games like yesterday will get him back towards the form he showed during the first Amex season.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I wasn't there but defending for the goal didn't look great on the highlights. However, in Dunk's defence, he's hardly played in the last couple of years so to say he's been shocking is harsh. He has a lot of potential but he needs game time. Hopefully games like yesterday will get him back towards the form he showed during the first Amex season.

Quite, but sadly he is lacking 'pace wise' at this level. His concentration levels are quite poor and often defends on his heels rather than his toes and as a consequence is flat-footed when the ball comes in.

I do feel sorry for him as IMO, he's never been quite the same player since the court case........... As you say a run of games could help.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Quite, but sadly he is lacking 'pace wise' at this level. His concentration levels are quite poor and often defends on his heels rather than his toes and as a consequence is flat-footed when the ball comes in.

I do feel sorry for him as IMO, he's never been quite the same player since the court case........... As you say a run of games could help.

He's not the quickest, I agree. However, nor are Greer or Upson and they more than make up for it with other qualities.

The problem for Oscar is that he can't split the Upson/Greer partnership but Dunk does need games. If we got another centre back in, it would almost be worth loaning out Dunk but then we'd only have 3 centre backs again. It's a tough one.

However, looking at it having not been at the game, I don't think it could have gone much better for Oscar. We won reasonably comfortably from the sound of it and he was able to rest key players. Three players scored their first goal for the club, especially key being Obika who hopefully can push on from that. Chicksen, Forster-Caskey, March and Dunk all got game time too.

Yesterday shows we do have some depth when you consider it's only 2 years since a weakened team were taken to penalties by Wrexham and could easily have lost in both games.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

He's not the quickest, I agree. However, nor are Greer or Upson and they more than make up for it with other qualities.

The problem for Oscar is that he can't split the Upson/Greer partnership but Dunk does need games. If we got another centre back in, it would almost be worth loaning out Dunk but then we'd only have 3 centre backs again. It's a tough one.

However, looking at it having not been at the game, I don't think it could have gone much better for Oscar. We won reasonably comfortably from the sound of it and he was able to rest key players. Three players scored their first goal for the club, especially key being Obika who hopefully can push on from that. Chicksen, Forster-Caskey, March and Dunk all got game time too.

Yesterday shows we do have some depth when you consider it's only 2 years since a weakened team were taken to penalties by Wrexham and could easily have lost in both games.

Yes, good post.

I think Dunk needs to spend a season away, perhaps somewhere like MK Dons, Sheff Utd, Preston or similar where they try to pass.

Our next CB signing has to be a pacey one. ?Zak Knight........

I don't know why we haven't raided Bolton given their financial difficulties, can only be no being able to match their wage structure I assume.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Yes, good post.

I think Dunk needs to spend a season away, perhaps somewhere like MK Dons, Sheff Utd, Preston or similar where they try to pass.

Our next CB signing has to be a pacey one. ?Zak Knight........

I don't know why we haven't raided Bolton given their financial difficulties, can only be no being able to match their wage structure I assume.

Completely agree. We lack a bit of pace at the back and we need to invest a bit at CB. Knight may be on quite high wages but Bolton might be willing to subsidise a bit to get him off the books, with their financial problems.

If we get a big club in the cup today and sell Bridcutt, it might offer some money to spend on new players this week and we can hopefully get a few in. A CB is obviously on our list, as we were after Williams, but I agree I wouldn't replace El Abd, I'd bring someone in to be first choice alongside Upson ideally (or at least compete with Greer).

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Brezovan 6
Calderon 6
Dunk 5 at fault for the goal and left another one which Chicksen had to rescue
Upson 8
Chicksen 7
Ince 7
Agustien 6
Forster-Caskey 6
March 8 - MOM - it may have been a cross but it counted
Orlandi 7
Obika 6


Andrews 7
Lualua 6

 

[Machiavelli]

Upson 8: Coolness personified, never put a foot wrong and possibly the best centre half we have had since the Lawrenson days.

At last. Someone -- apart from Walt Jabsco -- recognises what a gem we have in Upson. I can't believe how his calm, consistency, reading of the game, heading ability, strength and resolve are not more widely recognised on NSC, in stark contrast to the nostalgia for Bridge.

 

[Medwayseagull]

At last. Someone -- apart from Walt Jabsco -- recognises what a gem we have in Upson. I can't believe how his calm, consistency, reading of the game, heading ability, strength and resolve are not more widely recognised on NSC, in stark contrast to the nostalgia for Bridge.

Even at this stage it is difficult to see any other real contender for player of the season.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

At last. Someone -- apart from Walt Jabsco -- recognises what a gem we have in Upson. I can't believe how his calm, consistency, reading of the game, heading ability, strength and resolve are not more widely recognised on NSC, in stark contrast to the nostalgia for Bridge.

What are you talking about?

People have been saying how good Upson has been for us for quite a while on here now. To imply yourself and two others are the only to recognise this is utterly ridiculous!

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

Micky says Dunk was excellent. Interesting.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Perhaps there should be a caveat that if you are going to criticize other peoples ratings then you should state if you were at the game. I wasn't but can understand a goal scorer getting a 3. Watching the highlights, the goal was a gift and any average striker would have done well to miss!!! Those arguing that a goalscorer should get more than 3 just because he scored sound like the sponsors at the Amex who (admittedly up to the last couple of home games) would only award MOM to a goalscorer. A comparison would be a goal keeper that makes one save and lets in 3 howlers.

Well I was there and in my opinion Obika was worth more than a 3. First full game in abysmal conditions, but it is all about opinions.

 

[Acker79]

At last. Someone -- apart from Walt Jabsco -- recognises what a gem we have in Upson. I can't believe how his calm, consistency, reading of the game, heading ability, strength and resolve are not more widely recognised on NSC, in stark contrast to the nostalgia for Bridge.

You mean Upson, highest rated on here in two of the last five matches. Upson, second only to Ince for season average rating (after 6 or more appearances). Is that the Upson that no one is giving any recognition to?

 

[Acker79]

Because 3 means a totally shit display. If you're a striker and score, you've done your job, no?

There is more to a striker's job than scoring a goal.

But in my years compiling the player ratings, it seems that:

4 is a totally shit display.
3 is a Barnes/Brezovan* hater's^ rating of Barnes or Brezovan when they've had a generally good game but not scored/conceded a goal, or the rating someone gets if they are sent off between 20 and 50 minutes
1 is the rating of someone sent off early v Palace.
0 is a Barnes/Brezovan* hater's^ rating of Barnes or Brezovan when they've put in a below par performance.


(* at times can add Dicker and Lopez to this category, ^also includes posters who claim they don't hate said player, are just being fair yet seem to contrive to find excuses to ignore positive contributions leaving only negative ones)

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

There is more to a striker's job than scoring a goal.

But in my years compiling the player ratings, it seems that:

4 is a totally shit display.
3 is a Barnes/Brezovan* hater's^ rating of Barnes or Brezovan when they've had a generally good game but not scored/conceded a goal, or the rating someone gets if they are sent off between 20 and 50 minutes
1 is the rating of someone sent off early v Palace.
0 is a Barnes/Brezovan* hater's^ rating of Barnes or Brezovan when they've put in a below par performance.


(* at times can add Dicker and Lopez to this category, ^also includes posters who claim they don't hate said player, are just being fair yet seem to contrive to find excuses to ignore positive contributions leaving only negative ones)

I agree, I just thought a 3 was very harsh. His goal wasn't a tap in, as some on here seem to think, it was a one on one with the goalie, and how many of those have we missed in recent times?

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

At last. Someone -- apart from Walt Jabsco -- recognises what a gem we have in Upson. I can't believe how his calm, consistency, reading of the game, heading ability, strength and resolve are not more widely recognised on NSC, in stark contrast to the nostalgia for Bridge.

Upson is immense and is one of the few that could hold their own if we go up..... He'll need some pace beside him, but his reading of the game is simply outstanding.

 

[One Love]

I agree, I just thought a 3 was very harsh. His goal wasn't a tap in, as some on here seem to think, it was a one on one with the goalie, and how many of those have we missed in recent times?

Also on that pitch in those conditions it would have been very easy to miss that finish.

 

[severnside gull]

Yes, good post.

I think Dunk needs to spend a season away, perhaps somewhere like MK Dons, Sheff Utd, Preston or similar where they try to pass.

Our next CB signing has to be a pacey one. ?Zak Knight........

I don't know why we haven't raided Bolton given their financial difficulties, can only be no being able to match their wage structure I assume.

Bolton arent in much of a different position to us in that all their debt is owed to one person. It has been overhyped
Think they are selling Ngog which will help them.