Match Thread Most liked posts in thread: Port Vale (H) @ 15:00 19th March

Just got back.

Firstly, I have had a really enjoyable day at a proper club with a proper stadium rather than a cow shed and one man and his dog. I thought it was a good atmosphere. What a travesty that we both find ourselves in this hellhole. We deserve so much more than Forest Green being above us in the league standings, but that's what years of mismanagement does for you.

I thought we edged the game and we really piled on the pressure in the second half but the first 15 we were giving the ball away a lot and we really came under pressure in the last 15. Vernam is a cracking player and changed the momentum of the game and it was a nervy end. Not sure where 6 minutes of injury time came from!

Thought Proctor and Wilson were the difference for us. Proctor plays with real aggression and Wilson's touch and movement is far too good for this league. The whole team is not particularly glamorous or overly skillful but they work incredibly hard, particularly Garrity who has unreal fitness levels.

I think you have the base of a decent squad. Vernam is good, Perreira looks decent. Unfortunately, your previous manager deemed it prudent to sign permanently injured Angol and the terrible Robinson. With a couple of better strikers, you'd be so much better. I think with Hughes' contacts within the game, he'll be able to bring in better quality in general and surely must have been promised a better budget.

Anyway, thanks for an enjoyable day and hopefully next time we meet it will be in a higher division. All the best for the rest of the season.

 

I hate to say this, because I'm not his biggest fan, but we badly missed Eliot Watt today. He makes far too many errors for my liking, but he's always available to get the ball off the back four and move it forward. No one else did that today so we never gained any control in midfield and resorted to hoofball again.

 

Let's not lose our shit.

There's a huge amount of work needed and this squad is nowhere near good enough. We knew that, and the optimism around Mark Hughes and the last 2 results we've had shouldn't distract anyone.

Several additions needed in the summer.

 

No quality in that game whatsoever. We lost all the composure in possession that we showed in the last two games and resorted to hoofing it far too often. Missed Watt badly and we never got Cooke in the game. Very Adams like at times. Fullbacks poor too.

Delfouneso in midfield was a big mistake but I'm sure we won't be seeing that again.

Only positive was Vernam back and with an immediate impact. We're a far better team with him in it and he's one of only a few that we should be trying to keep.

As a more general note, our home form is a disgrace. It seems a lifetime ago that we went unbeaten for a full season at VP and teams used to hate coming here. Now we're rolling out the red carpet every other week and seeing shite sides celebrate like they've won the champions league.

 

Big, strong and organised is normally enough to get you out of this league. Something we having been sorely missing.

 

After many years under terrible owners and one promotion in 30 years, combined with that shower up the road being in the greedy league for a few years, I think we do alright to average nearly 6000 at home in a city with a population of 250,000 and 2 teams. Our crowds have dwindled due to the dismal matchday experience over the years and the glory hunting kids that seem to be everywhere now.

We never travel that well to Bradford for some reason, probably because it's the billionth time we've played you in the last 15 years. But we will still take 800 - 1000, which is probably a better following than 80% of this league.

Should be a good game on Saturday, with 2 teams hitting their stride again. Whilst you don't really have anything to play for, the new manager has given you impetus and it'll mean your players wanting to impress. Start well and I'm sure your fans will respond and make life difficult.

Our 2 main men up front have regained their fitness now after long spells out and Ben Garrity never stops in midfield and has scored 10. We're a bit vulnerable from set pieces or pace and we have a habit of conceding a cheap goal. We also lack pace generally, which is why I think we'll come up short this season. We haven't really got that game changer apart from perhaps Wilson.

I'd take a draw and move on to be honest. Our next 2 games are against teams above us at home which will be more crucial to take points from.

 

No hard feelings at all. Having lived in Leeds for 3 years and knowing a few absolute pricks who were Leeds fans, you hold my respect by putting up with them as neighbours!

In all honesty, neither of us should be down here, particularly you with your fanbase and history. The sooner we get out of this league playing the dog and duck every other week, the better. You've been dealt a bad hand with a poorly constructed squad, but Hughes did well with the shite and had them playing good football....I think he's a bit of a coup for you.

 

That was much less about supporting Adams, and much more about the reluctance to start again with another lower league plodder, appointed by - and limited to the same extent by the people who keep making poor decisions.

If anyone, including the club, thought they'd get Mark Hughes in, we'd have made this change in November.

 

Mark Hughes is on a different Level - Totally love this guy - he’s so calm and influential. I still can’t get my head round him being our Manger.

Next Season is going to be Awesome

 

I think today vindicated those of us who cautioned against getting too carried away by Hughes' obvious improvement. Vale were very physical and uncompromising and, not surprisingly, several of our players were not up for the fight. We really need to be ruthless in the summer and not be sentimental about keeping players who have an occasional good game but really don't have the consistency, even at this level, to be part of a promotion challenging side.

 

Hughes has made an impact for sure, but he ain’t a miracle worker. Squad needs massive overhaul (again). Port Vale were quicker and stronger and, I think, deserved to win and to some extent showed us the way.

 

I don't think it's that lucky.

They've beaten us once in their last six visits -

 

I've said it before several times and I'll say it again. Jack and Ken never fell out, in fact they used to have lunch together several times a year, I know because I've been with them on occasion so please stop peddling untruths.

 

If Derks dull football had got us limped into the play offs and by some miracle won them we'd have been slaughtered in L1 with absolute zero plan B, it's painful being down here but I can swallow another season in L2 given the early signs under MH so far pointing towards us being so much better prepared if we can get up.

 

The ref wasn't the reason we lost. Unfortunately until the substitutions we weren't at the races at all. Playing Delfuneso in midfield was the same mistake Adams made. Hopefully Watt is back for the next game becuase we missed him in midfield.

 

It’s a match to continue building momentum and for players to continue impressing the manager. There’s a lot to play for and I for one am looking forward to the game

 

With Walker returning to the squad and hopefully Vernam too, I'm looking forward to seeing a confident side full of attacking intent and trickery. The whole squad look confident on the ball at the moment and are putting in 6s, 7s & 8s rather than the 3s, 4s & 5s under Adams. If we can maintain this trajectory of performances into next season, Valley Parade will be rocking again.

 

Best of luck to Vale for the season, they’re organised but can’t really compliment them anymore than that.
As for us a reality check for those getting carried away, we very much still need to make a lot of changes in the summer but hopefully Vernam and Walker stay, they showed when they came on tha quality we need to be striving for. Need two new full backs it’s such a key position in modern football.

 

Our full backs are rubbish. We need to vastly upgrade on them next season.