Port Vale

[MikeSB]

The gate was 7705..

Thought I would break my absence from this board to say that it was an absolute pleasure to see Dario in the Directors box and shake his hand and say it was just great to see him there once again and he said he was very grateful for me doing that.

The match, my first of the season actually? I' don't think I'm qualified to comment on it. I'll let the regulars do that.

I will also let others comment on the police not allowing Crewe Fans along Gresty Road or Nantwich Road after the match until all the vale fans had gone by. Many people were shouting - no screaming at the police as they had trains to catch. I suppose it was around 30 min wait or longer in whatisname road behind Nantwich Road and then even we had to go through a corden of police one at at a time on Nantwich Road holding us all up again. I have never experienced that ever at a home match.

[AstonAlex]

Great to hear that Dario was at the match, but a shame we didn’t respond with a good performance.

[Terry Harkin]

Well I must admit that surprised me Vale held Crewe quite comfortably that's the worst I've seen Crewe this season I expected a lot more.
To the clown who kept screaming Pope is a *****phile in the main stand.....Seriously maybe an article explaining what a *****phile is and the damage they can cause should be printed in the next programme to educate those who don't understand the seriousness of the offence.
Finally two things I thought the Police did a brilliant job today it's all very well those Kids behind the goal giving it the big one but the Vale unfortunately have an element possibly not even at the game who travelled just for the hassle they could cause, so well done to the Police and lastly to the inbred in the Stoke shirt normal match day again for you ending in defeat.
Good luck for the rest of the season.

[AstonAlex]

I’ve no idea why Pope gets the treatment he does from some Alex fans. He’s the first to acknowledge that he wouldn’t have had a career without us, didn’t leave under a cloud (unlike Byron Moore, for example) and turned up to play the full 90 minutes in Bakes’ testimonial match having played a league match the previous day. It was always known he was a lifelong Vale fan and has never had a bad word about our club either.

I guess, Terry, we have to accept that not all knobheads wear red and white stripes - some wear Crewe red and some Burslem white too!

[Terry Harkin]

Quite right football supporters can be total knobheads but it is only the minority fortunately it's also the reason I got a ticket for the main stand sitting in that Ice cream stand is not a pleasent experience when it's full

[MikeSB]

I thought it was disgusting Crewe Fans booing Tom Pope.

It was good to see the vale fans observe the trumpet player playing the Last Post without interruption re Armistice later this month.

I suppose I ought to say something about the game but some Crewe Fans won't like my take on it..

PV were far the better team and created far far more chances than we did. I made it 30 mins before we had a shot on goal. I was surprised how good vale were in their energy and approach but they had a great following to play to. Good for them.

If you go on to see the highlights you will see vale could have had two or three more goals and we maybe had the odd chance.

We looked like a lower league team than a top of the table one and why my own expectations were badly let down as would the thousand or two Crewe fans that came expecting the same thing. I don't think they would be there next game imo.

Having said that, we must have had a real off day as the table doesn't lie.

Ainley had a real off day and expected more as I did with lots of other players but there you go. Our defending was second rate

Just my take on it..Sorry!

[gazan]

I hate to say it but we seem to freeze against Vale at home. There were a number of times when the players, wanting to play out from the back didn't seem to know what to do when options were closed, which PV did very well. Also, when the alternative chosen for a goal-kick was to go long, I couldn't understand why we still had 5 players around our box. For these situations we also seem to leave Porter isolated. Even if he does win the header, what is he supposed to do next as there are there are never any players near him to bring into the game.
DA made a few errors: Ainley shouldn't have started, it wasn't his kind of match (and he's still not a winger!!). Dale clearly should have started. I understand that Porter has a relatively good game to goal ratio and has other parts to his game but after about 70 mins it was clear he had nothing to offer and Chuma should have replaced him not Green.
In the last 2 games Jonah has been brought on and then played deep. This does not make the .ost of his talents. He is a forward thinking midfielder who can drive at the opposition and Vale rarely had to face that form of attack.
Perry had one of his worst games, perhaps mindful of not being overzealous.
What can I say about Charlie? Here is a player who has talented feet who rarely takes on his marker nor gets into the box enough. In fact with the quality of feet that Ainley, Kirk and Lowery possess they should be getting in to the box as frequently as possible so as to I vote the penalty or just take people on in search of a goal.
In contrast, praise again for steady Eddie who was the o my one to play to his potential. He even executed a couple of nutmegs!👍
So next game we need to be a little more direct and faster playing the ball forward. We also need to get our tricky players in the box more.

[lukcour]

Unbelievably following our dire performance against colchester our management once again decided to use the same formation and tactics. The result was we actually succeeded in being even worse. It was so bad it is difficult to know where to begin.

I feel it is unfair to criticise Ng or Ainley. Incredibly they were the only two players operating on the right hand side. On the team sheet we have a right sided midfielder. In reality we do not . He does not play there, so how can anyone expect either Ng or Ainley to have an impact on the game when they have no support. Ng is an excellent wingback, but a very average fullback, but he needs a player to work with. He has none. Therefore in this formation you can discount the fullback and wide player in effact.

On the left hand side and centre we have a fuulback, a wide man and three midfielders. There is no room for Pickering to be the excellent wing back that he is. Kirk who has improved immensely at thee beginning of the sasson is now isolated. It means that our attacking options on both sides are virtually non existent. For as long as I can remember this has been the traditional successful method we have used.

For the last two games every potential attacking move has been directed down the centre of the pitch. Each time we get into the opponents half the game grinds to slow moving little passes which eventually leads into a dead end. The attacking moves never reach our forwards. The opponents defence must think it is there birthday. They can just sit and watch, and it requires no effort on their part.

This formation cannot work and does not. Our team is so unbalanced. No wingbacks, no wide men, and virtually no strikers. How can we score goals.

I believe That there has to be changes in team selection. My team to create the right balance would be Ng Hunt or Lancashire, Nolan and Adbesi as back four. RM Wintle, CM Green, LM Pickering. Wide men would be Dale or Powell on the right and Kirk on the left. Striker Porter.

I expect the replies will be what about Lowery. We must remember that he is still a very young player. He obviously is a talented player, but IMO he is not ready. I believe a lot of supporters are expecting too much from him. At the moment he lacks the strength or stamina to be a modern day midfielder. He is not mature enough to realise the discipline required from a midfielder.He really does require a long period of a strict body building course and one to one coaching to reach his true potential.

[jimmyboldon]

Good post, you are obviously more technically and tactically aware than me. You ask how can we score goals. Before Saturday we were the top scorers, and are still 3rd on that list. We have a positive GD for the first time that I can remember.
A problem that I'm sure some teams would love to have.

[lukcour]

Unless it slipped your attention you will be aware that we have changed our formation and tactics for the last two games. Incidentally have you been pleased with our formation and tactics for the last two games? For me and a lot more supporters it has been painful to watch. Even our super tacticiation MikeSB was not happy,

Nice to see you posting again Mike. You still driving that piece of Geerman rubbish?