United 2 Port Vale 1 - report

[cooperblade]

I'm aware of that, hence my comment about Westlake being left to deal with the entire right hand side, he got very little help and spent a lot of time effectively covering two positions from a position further forward than his normal right back position. It was even a bit high for a wing back.

I'd agree with that, thought we had two definite lines of 3 and 4 when we got set up at goalkicks etc

 

[silverfox]

I'm aware of that, hence my comment about Westlake being left to deal with the entire right hand side, he got very little help and spent a lot of time effectively covering two positions from a position further forward than his normal right back position. It was even a bit high for a wing back.

As you say Westlake did very well as he he had no one in front of him most of the game.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I'd agree with that and how can George Long get 7 on the little he had to do and Blackman only 7.5 with the masses that he did? Yes I'd agree he was wayward but he created more opportunities than anyone both for himself and others who seemed to not be on his wavelength. At least he took the responsibility to influence the game.

Long's one on one save in the first half was worth at least a point though. We're lucky to have such a promising goalkeeper.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I'd agree with that, thought we had two definite lines of 3 and 4 when we got set up at goalkicks etc

But not to the extent that Westlake let Ashley Vincent drop in behind him when their goalkeeper kicked it long etc?

 

[axel smeets]

Marvelllous report as usual deadbat. More accurate however would be : United were shite bar stoppage time, won it with 2 late goals and Vale fans made right pricks of themselves. Never laughed so much at opposing fans in my life

 

[United Aren't Back.]

7.5 for our top player and Maguire getting a 6????

I thought he was very poor today.....he seemed very scared of his man and was poor throughout the game as well as his mistake.

I rate him and was saying before the match how consistant he has been but today he was poor.

I'd mark him a 4.5 ....and there were players worse than him!

Maguire was worth a 4 maximum today, a truly turgid display. Where deadbat saw good crosses from Williams I will never know. Blackman worth a six, wayward shooting and selfishness that suggests wilson cannot get him to play otherwise than exceptionally selfish and wayward in his shooting. So predictable he is.

 

[cooperblade]

Long's one on one save in the first half was worth at least a point though. We're lucky to have such a promising goalkeeper.

Lucky or seeing the benefits of a forward thinking attitude in terms of our academy set up? Seen a big chance in Long compared to last season when he, understandably, looked uncertain. I don't think we've missed Howard at all and the shirt is now Long's to lose.

But not to the extent that Westlake let Ashley Vincent drop in behind him when their goalkeeper kicked it long etc?

No, you're right he didn't but I also think that, more often than not, he was no further back than Flynn hence my comment that it became a 5 at times.

 

[shorehamview]

Where were all the "Blades"?

A very poor turn out.

At home with Small SV, doing much needed jobs in the garden. Well, one of them was.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Hey what? You still with us?

Seriously, Sitwell - apologies for other day. Deserved it. Ward - Yeates, scumbags at Lane.

Great to see a SUFC 11 battle and fight for the win today.

Has your account been hacked, Mic?



It is total frustration being a Blade isn't it?

You're right, though, it was good to see us battle back and for once, (not always for the right reasons, mind) the substitutions were timely and worked!

 

[sitwell]

What ever that formation was in the first half it was awful and Wilson should have changed it about 20 minutes into the game ,Blackman who is our most potent threat at the moment was lolling about in the middle doing nothing and it was screaming for a right winger.
Bit of a gripe at Maguire too ,holding onto the ball and throwing it away like a big kid when they tried to get it back ,harking ack to Lowton v Oldham last season one of the pivotal moments ,dont they ever learn ?
It was great sat in my usual seat without the 3 wankers who sit behind me slagging us off ,must have been busy in Meadowhall.

 

[sitwell]

Dont worry I had a bad day too , but I wouldnt put made up stories on and pass them off as fact. Its gone .

 

[boo radley]

Long's one on one save in the first half was worth at least a point though. We're lucky to have such a promising goalkeeper.

And the outlet of Blackman was not? They were so fearful of him that the chances they were restricted to was probably because he more than any other player kept them worried and this restricted their outlet. This is why Long had nothing much to do. If long had made say five more good saves what would his points rating then be? If he had not made that save what would his points rating be?
Just to be clear I'm not having a go at Long, I like him. I'm having a go at the player ratings.

 

[oaklandrdblade]

Where were all the "Blades"?

A very poor turn out.

Might in part have been due to the fact that season ticket holders couldn't buy their own seats online until late Weds/early Thurs due to a glitch in the online system. Strange though it sounds with so many non ST seats available I know of two people who wouldn't have gone if they couldn't buy their own seats!

 

[oaklandrdblade]

Maguire was worth a 4 maximum today, a truly turgid display. Where deadbat saw good crosses from Williams I will never know. Blackman worth a six, wayward shooting and selfishness that suggests wilson cannot get him to play otherwise than exceptionally selfish and wayward in his shooting. So predictable he is.

Yoda comes to S24SU!

 

[Bergen Blade]

And the outlet of Blackman was not? They were so fearful of him that the chances they were restricted to was probably because he more than any other player kept them worried and this restricted their outlet. This is why Long had nothing much to do. If long had made say five more good saves what would his points rating then be? If he had not made that save what would his points rating be?
Just to be clear I'm not having a go at Long, I like him. I'm having a go at the player ratings.

My comment had nothing to do with Blackman. Maybe Deadbat should comment, but a goalkeeper with little to do who looks assured and makes one great save usually get a 7. Without the save he'd get a 6 maybe? If he'd been busier he'd get an higher rating I'm quite sure.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Lucky or seeing the benefits of a forward thinking attitude in terms of our academy set up? Seen a big chance in Long compared to last season when he, understandably, looked uncertain. I don't think we've missed Howard at all and the shirt is now Long's to lose.

Agree, and while I often worry that we don't involve the youngsters soon and often enough, we've done a lot of things right with Long. He was made reserve keeper last season, got a spell in the first team, and even though he made a mistake or two I'm quite sure that spell was good for him.

 

[Ollessendro]

Thanks for report DB. I was out shopping wi ar lass yesterday.

Just watched the highlights and from my armchair it seems clear we deserved to win. I accept all your points (I rarely disagree with the way you read the game) but the highlights just showed United having lots of chances. Their keeper made two cracking saves, fom Blackman and Miller, and the latter missed a sitter. In a way it is worrying that we are wasting so many chances, but at least we are creating them. Plus, Blackman and Miller are causing problems against most teams they play. Then we finally got what we deserved. Very good header after a good Flynn cross (another assist from him) and then a well taken finish after Cresswell did well (would have been a pen if Miller was not there to stick it in?). It was Flynn's effort that forced the save and lead to the goal. So despite him being poor, he was heavily involved in both goals. I would bet if Highbury did his key passes index then he would be out in front (with only possibly Blackman anywhere near him).

 

[boo radley]

Thanks for report DB. . I would bet if Highbury did his key passes index then he would be out in front (with only possibly Blackman anywhere near him).

He hasn't got time, he's oiling his bike chain!

 

[alcoblade]

Against a 4th division team, McCallister and Flynn showed again what poor players they are.

If we would find a decent replacement for Flynn, and backup for KMac we'd be avoiding the failure at Wembley this season.

To think, only a few sesons ago we squandered several hndred grand on pub player Ryan France, just to piss Wendy off. God, how we are paying the price now.

UTB

 

[Northyorksblade]

Might in part have been due to the fact that season ticket holders couldn't buy their own seats online until late Weds/early Thurs due to a glitch in the online system. Strange though it sounds with so many non ST seats available I know of two people who wouldn't have gone if they couldn't buy their own seats!

They could have always have picked up the phone like I did.

 

[Greenwich Blade]

My comment had nothing to do with Blackman. Maybe Deadbat should comment, but a goalkeeper with little to do who looks assured and makes one great save usually get a 7. Without the save he'd get a 6 maybe? If he'd been busier he'd get an higher rating I'm quite sure.

A few seasons ago there was that excellent series in the match day programme featuring articles by journalists both local and national. In one of them, a journo explained how she scored the marks for her newspaper, saying that basically all players start with a 6, then if they do something noteworthy they get an extra mark, and when they make an error they lose one. Maybe Deadbat uses that system.

However, it can't always be taken as gospel because Coventry away in the relegation season, Simmo would have ended up with 21 out of 10, and most other games he would have ended up with minus 6.

 

[Greenwich Blade]

Might in part have been due to the fact that season ticket holders couldn't buy their own seats online until late Weds/early Thurs due to a glitch in the online system. Strange though it sounds with so many non ST seats available I know of two people who wouldn't have gone if they couldn't buy their own seats!

I tried to book my own seat on the same day I got my Crawley ticket, and with no idea there was a glitch in the system saw that I was stuck up near the back in a corner of the Kop so I just assumed we were in for a bumper crowd and my usual seat had long since gone.

In fact I was quite looking forward to sitting somewhere new until I arrived and found I would have been Billy No Mates in splendid isolation, so I wandered down to my usual place and was disappointed to find I wasn't going to be fighting off a part-timer for my season ticket spot. If we get Man Ure at home in round 3 it may be a different story.

 

[Large Mendonca]

I take it that it's only me who thought our winner was offside ?

Cresswell looked way off to me, and although Miller wasn't offside to slot in the goal, it is difficult to say that Cresswell wasn't interferring.

Not that I care !! - plenty of things go against our club, it's nice to win one for once

 

[Highbury_Blade]

I would bet if Highbury did his key passes index then he would be out in front (with only possibly Blackman anywhere near him).

can't be arsed to shell out for bladesplayer this season. i might cough up for a month at the end of april so i can do it then.

To be honest, the only reason i did it last season was cos quinn was getting so much stick.

 

[Greenwich Blade]

I take it that it's only me who thought our winner was offside ?

Cresswell looked way off to me, and although Miller wasn't offside to slot in the goal, it is difficult to say that Cresswell wasn't interferring.

Not that I care !! - plenty of things go against our club, it's nice to win one for once

Looking at the goal on telly last night I think if Cressy had touched it (and especially if he'd stuck it in) he'd have been flagged, but I don't think he did actually touch it - it looked like the Vale defender just got a toe on it to touch it away from him, right into the path of Miller.

Of course, whether he was interfering is another matter - I suppose when you're that close to getting the ball, you probably are. But like you said, who cares?

 

[Large Mendonca]

Only saw it on the big screen at the game, but anyways like you said Greenwich who cares !!

PS. Was on a Cardiacs fundraising site (to Tim Smith) last week and saw your Avatar ! I know there used to be a lot of musical discussions on the old SUISA site but didn't realise you followed the Cardiacs all over

I got into them too late i'm afraid and missed them live, a shame........

 

[Guesty]

At the match my immediate thought was that Cresswell was a mile off. Miller obviously wasn't, as he was behind the ball when it came to him. On the highlights programme it looked that the kid in the Left Back position might have been playing Cresswell on. He was certainly interfering whether he touched it or not though, that's why their defender had to put in the desperate challenge that sent it to Miller!

 

[Greenwich Blade]

Only saw it on the big screen at the game, but anyways like you said Greenwich who cares !!

PS. Was on a Cardiacs fundraising site (to Tim Smith) last week and saw your Avatar ! I know there used to be a lot of musical discussions on the old SUISA site but didn't realise you followed the Cardiacs all over

I got into them too late i'm afraid and missed them live, a shame........

Yep, and I managed to stick my nose into most musical discussions on SUISA. The avatar is the cover of my Cardiacs book, and may look familiar in theme to anyone who bought Fever Hitch. It is called Aylesbury Bolton Wolverhampton Hove: A Little Man And 101 Cardiacs Gigs, and just to keep it on topic, many Cardiacs fans have complained that there's too much football in it, just like most Blades complained that there wasn't enough football in Fever Hitch.

The football subject matter includes my vain attempts to see United win on the same day as a Cardiacs gig, culminating in that miserable 1-0 defeat at home to Plymouth under Robson on the same day Cardiacs played in Leeds, and also watching England beat Holland 4-1 at Euro 96 in Cardiacs' dressing room, the balance being redressed somewhat by missing the first 15 minutes of a gig in Manchester in order to see the end of England's miserable 3-2 defeat against Croatia, the Wally with the Brolly match...

Available from me via Amazon or eBay...

 

[boo radley]

can't be arsed to shell out for bladesplayer this season. i might cough up for a month at the end of april so i can do it then.

To be honest, the only reason i did it last season was cos quinn was getting so much stick.

Shame, as said before I thought it was great.

 

[Ollessendro]

Shame, as said before I thought it was great.

Highbury_Blade - you can use my account if you can be arsed matey.