Ratings v Port Vale

[Lakewalker214]

Everybody 7 except Amoo 6 who has bags of talent but fails to anticipate any ball and chase any ball not to his feet and Noble 8 my MOM who ran the midfield spraying passes and linking with forwards well supported by Potts and Berrett.
I am sitting here wondering how the hell we lost this game. We were totally on top for 60 minutes missed two excellant chances to make it 2 when they break away and score. Then while we were feeling sorry for ourselves they break again and we have lost. We created loads of chances but failed to properly test their keeper. Goals win matches.
The substitutes were odd taking off midfield to put forwards on. There was little passing after that just lumped long balls forward.

Overall this wasn't a bad performance and we deserved at least a point. Still wondering how we didn't get at least one and I suspect Kav. is thinking the same.

[MrBlue]

We didn't dominate that game for an hour. We barely turned up for the first 25-30 mins.

We were starting to come into it before our goal and then we looked pretty good between our goal and their equaliser -especially the first few mins of the second half.

After we went behind there was a lot of huff and puff (you might even say they put in a 'good shift') but there was a lack of real quality from any of our attacking players.

Port Vale's style was horrible to watch but if you really have to play long ball football then that is the way to do it - pack your team with big blokes and thump the ball forward with a purpose. I'm not massively sure what our tactics were and if Kav is sitting at home trying to work out why we lost he might want to consider that I think he got a bit out-managed.

Pascal was our man of the match , non of the other defenders would rate that highly as distribution was so poor. Potts was the pick of the midfielders, the rest failed to impose themselves - espe

[my_blue_way]

Spot on Mr Blue. We came up against a team with a bit more nouse of how to win the game, similar to Bristol City. The contrast between their forwards and ours was also marked. Not particularly in terms of ability, more how they ran aggressively and tried to upset our defenders with their physical presence and movement. Something lacking in our game.

Pickford played very well and we must try to keep him until the end of the season.

Kavanagh - I agree those subs were a complete mystery and made no sense tactically. It seemed more a case of give it a go and see what happens. ***** games coming up and a lot of work to do.

[thetashkentterror]

Says something when Lewis Guy was brought on before Nacho Noshow.