Match Thread Port Vale (H) @ 15:00 19th March

Mark Hughes sentiments at his after match interview.

 

Vernam Is out of contract and Eisa we don’t know about for us.

 

Yesterdays game and the rest of the season are brilliant for Hughes. He can assess the team under stress. After going behind and see who has character and fight. It will enable him to weed out those he needs to replace and allow him to build early for next year.

Vale outmuscled us. The first half had the most misplaced passes I can remember. Terrible quality. Vale took hold of the game second half and we looked all at sea. Delfounso is not a CM. If we are going to try and play football then we will need to add strength and fight to our play. We missed Watt yesterday and it shows what he brings. None of the midfield functioned properly until the subs came on. Watt Cooke and walker are ball players. We need to move the ball quicker to create overloads. Yesterday was too slow and vales evident fitness allowed them to smother our play.
Vernam made a real difference when he came on. Cook although isolated isn’t the answer he lacks mobility and doesn’t hold the ball up well enough whereas walker links play. the CH were mauled by Proctor who looked physically much bigger than when he was at city.

 

Yes Delfounso was none existent yesterday and Evans didn’t have a great game hence we were overrun in midfield but let’s not fall into the trap that this makes Elliott Watt better than he is…… we have been overrun in midfield on numerous occasions this season with Watt playing. As for mis placed passes that people are highlighting let’s remember Watt does this over and over again too. The simple fact is our midfield options are p&£s poor so someone having a bad game doesn’t mean Watt is the answer (in my opinion he isn’t, positionally poor, can’t tackle and gives the ball away too often). Saying he is a better option than Delfounso (a forward playing out of position) or Evans (again playing out of position) isn’t really a ringing endorsement that he is the answer…….

 

I thought it a little strange given the starting eleven, that he didn't play Sutton in the middle and Delfounso out wide.

 

Completely agree that’s the way I would have gone, even as far as playing Sutton where Evans was moving him forward one and Delfounso wide as you say.

 

James Wilson, who a lot on here said was a has been or overrated, ran the show yesterday. If we can get a few players like him who are direct, creative and good on the ball, we’ll walk the division next season with Hughes in charge.
Instead , due to DA, we’ve got Delfonso looking like he’s won a fans competition to play for 65 mins.

 

My only guess would be that he wants ball players in there whereas Suttons strengths are his pace and unpredictability. Still don't think Delfounso should have been there

 

As soon as I saw it was 3-5-3 I knew we would be in trouble against a 5 in the middle who have athleticism and pace. So it proved.

 

Songo'o snapped another string to his bow yesterday....his pace. Did you see how slow he was, once he dived in and got beaten down on that left wing during the first half? I like his reading of the game, and he's quite often Jonny on the Spot when it comes to blocks and goal line clearances, but a centre back he's not. I think he should be playing the "water carrier" role if he's still here next season. Simple passes from in front of the back two, to our creative players. Mop up any trouble the centre backs can't deal with.

 

I expect more from a DM now rather than the simple pass.

That is so 2015. Songo has been a massive disappointment.

At the back he’s poor for me on the ball.

 

He will go back to Morecambe with his chum

 

Then he’s in trouble. Doesn’t have the skillset for much else than a “stopper”. Out of contract at the end of this season, or are we stuck with him for another year?

 

We haven’t seen enough of him in his correct position for him to be completely written off but when he has played in midfield hasn’t really stood out to me. As for at centre half he is awful, last ditch tackles (although he is good at them) are largely down to the fact he has made mistakes in the first place.

 

First time I've been disappointed in MH thus far but not the end of the world. As others have said Sutton in the middle and Delfounso out wide seems obvious to me so hopefully he learns from that and moves forward. As to Songo next season he may become a useful squad player to come on if needed in defence or to try stiffen up a midfield late on in games.

 

What is his correct position? That’s the problem.

 

Lets not forget… this set of players is a piss poor team and they are over achieving under Hughes,,

 

Ha ha fair point.

 

Oh and vale made some really good fouls (cynical) but prevented us breaking on them several times. The blond hair lads foul in the first half was a proper booking.
Oh and the first goal was hilarious. The half volley /Exocet across our area that hit Foulds in the chest was pure comedy. We weren’t still giggling when vale scored from the error though.I’m not blaming Foulds for that but our defending had been dodgy and it wasn’t a surprise when it happened.