Home vs Port Vale 22nd October

It’s going to be a tough period coming up with what we have left available, we need to Be realistic and last night’s team is mid table at best.

Moving on to Saturday, Henley for Mellor, and McCarten needs to start with probably Oteh giving way

 

Can't disagree with that. But for a couple of sloppy moments when we pushed for the winner we'd have taken a point. First half was flat but overall it wasnt a bad performance. We just missed that bit of spark in the final 3rd. I think Pritchard is a big miss.

 

I was pissed last night with the game. But having slept on it and read your post I’d say you’re spot on, great post.
Hopefully we get a few injuries back for Macc and we need to put it behind us and win on Saturday.

 

Apart from Mellor no one had a particularly bad game, it was more the lack of a cutting edge second half that cost us the three points. Pritchard is a big loss as is Connolly and his pace which meant the only creative outlet is Ismail and he’s a typical lower league winger who will frustrate and excite in equal measure. And i understand why Bowyer didn’t make his subs early, we were dominanat second half, just happened to get caught by a sucker punch.

 

Fully disagree.

Yes, we had a lot of the ball in the second half but wasn't doing much with it.

Thought we could of brought off Devine brought McCartan on and have him playing behind the front two.

I find Bowyer a bit of a bottler! I fully understand why he got a load of draws at Blackpool as he's gutless as a manager.

 

McCartan didn't get on yesterday because one of akpan or devine would've needed to come off and bowyer didn't want to take the risk of going more attacking and trying to win the game. At home against a poor side, that was most disappointing.

 

He actualy called McCartan back to get stripped then didn't put him on.

 

This is my main worry about Bowyer.

Far too safe, boring and worries about what the opponents do.

 

You are always the first to call McCarten shite. If he’d come on and did nothing you’d have criticised the sub, don’t worry you aren’t the only one who would have.
Roger is right we were totally dominant second half but didn’t have the needed quality. If we had Pritchard, Donaldson, Devitt or Connelly on the bench I have no doubt he’d have brought one of them on who he actually trusts to make an impact. I don’t think he rates McCarten and only brings him on when we’re winning to rest players, he won’t be here next season. But amazing how absence makes fans rate a player more, most don’t normally want him on the pitch.

 

Only because he thought vaughan was injured. It would've been a straight swap.

 

In all honesty it could have been Otech for me, although you're correct Vaughan looked like he was struggling with a knock.
Having said that although Vaughan competed for every ball it was plain to see he was struggling with the role he was asked to pay last night

 

Yes, you're 100% correct that I don't rate McCartan but that doesn't mean when the game is 1-1 and we're at home playing with 3 non creative CM players, 1 poor FB, 1 extremely poor FB and 2 forwards that need support that we couldn't of brought McCartan or another sub on to change things.

I don't think McCartan will be here next season and might be gone in Jan but last nights defeat was on Bowyer as he's a bottler!

 

Agree bronco. I think some people just can’t forgive Akpan for his past but the last 3 or 4 games he hasn’t really put a foot wrong, and last night he was a very good reaction save away from a sensational goal. There were much worse performances yesterday, namely Mellor and Oteh. And I still think GB was wrong to bring BRE straight back in, he should’ve been made to fight for his place. Several misplaced passes again last night and did plenty of ball watching for their winner, along with Devine. Letting the opposition fanny around with the ball in the area, especially so late in the game, is criminal

But onto Macclesfield now. GB hinted before yesterday’s game that Connolly could’ve been in contention against Vale, let’s hope he is back for Macc!

 

A fit Connolly will make a difference, although the lad Ismail battled away the longer the game went on the less effective the lad was, and as we don't have a midfield player who can thread a pass through for Vaughan or Otech to beat the defender a wideman on both wings wouldn't go a miss.

On the Corn Dolly shara-bang Saturday ?.

 

I like you Fordy but sometimes you don’t half write some guff. Port Vale had their entire team in the last third of the field pretty much all second half. Injuries transpire that 3 of the more creative players were unavailable. Credit Vale, they came to do a job, they were protecting a point most of the game. Great support from them for a Tuesday night as well, they certainly knew how to celebrate a last minute goal, something we’ve had the benefit from a few times this season. We got beat, i’ll guarantee you every other side will this season.

 

Well he didn't put a foot wrong in the first half I grant you, then again he didn't do or try to do anything much - apart from maybe threatening to break into a jog a couple of times.

 

Agree. Whilst he run off his knock, I bet he is very sore this morning. Took some time to 'run off' his knock and hope he hasn't aggrievated the knock, to the point he misses game time. In my head, must be some doubt to his participation at Macclesfield

 

Said this last night, but like Doyle, Bowyer is suffocating Vaughan with this run around near the half way line act miles away from goal.

 

Now the dust has settled thought I'd write my thoughts down on here.

People know I'm not Bowyer's biggest fan but to set the team up as he did was criminal, three defensive midfielders at home to an opposition team as Port Vale was a disgrace - especially with Shay McCartan on the bench. I honestly thought at HT he should of brought McCartan on for Devine, put Akpan back as CM & Shay in Akpan's position (the hole) - I know we was on top second half but to not create clear cut chances the game was screaming out for someone like Shay McCartan who can produce a piece of magic, produce a goal, set some one up etc.

Secondly, we win and lose as a team. Yes it might be Bowyer's fault last night, but you also have to praise him for the previous wins & form. We have eight players out, ten if you include Robinson & Reeves. My biggest concern is not having a replacement for Donaldson, I think that could cost us from now till January (his return)

On the other hand, I'm excited with the prospect of Pritchard & Connolly coming back into the frame on Saturday. The longer term absentee's should be back mid December - early Jan (Gibson, Devitt, Palmer, Donaldson) That should make us a lot stronger and have an healthy bench.

Not sure the issue with Chris Taylor is, Bowyer said he was fully fit and up to speed when he first signed. Hopefully see him getting involved in the next few weeks.

We need to learn how to use Vaughan the correct way, he's far too isolated up top on his own. Sometimes he is a victim to his own downfall with regards to the fouls/moaning etc - just get on with it!

 

He didn’t trust the bench Fordy he’s not our first manager to not make a change when we’ve had a weak bench, we have 6 players out who would at a minimum be in the 18 he’d have made changes had we had them players on the bench. You weren’t calling Bowyer a bottler after our 3 wins on the bounce. You’re the most up and down poster there is.

A good business man can stay calm and assess what went wrong and improve for next time, all you do is throw hissy fits when we don’t win. You can’t win every game even against crap teams. The only thing that matters now is improving for Saturday and winning.