Port Vale match report

[ShockingBadBuy]

Couldn't really afford it, but Boxing Day football is one of the few things that still makes this country great, so sod it. It'll be worth it.

Skipped breakfast: never been to Vale Park, and always look forward to trying an away pie. Also looking forward to McNuts and COG up front, as trailed by Nige after last toothless display at home. Sounds great, as long as we get a solid enough midfield 4 behind them. Gonna be a good day out.

Decent run to Stoke. Happy looking Utd fans on the road. Parking right next to ground. Yo !

Just the 1 up top, but the usual first 15 minutes of domination. Signs are promising. Pies smell good.

Sorry, sad, soft-as-hell goal against. Again. It's already starting to feel like Groundhog Day.

One man down by half time. Everything going rapidly to hell. At least there is a pie still to come.

Queued for 20 mins at HT for pie, to be told "no food at all left". Did they not know how many tickets they'd given us ?

Brief hope, courtesy of some very brave, vintage Murph, who could easily have lost both his legs in the challenge by PV defender ... and a cool finish by JCR.

Hope rapidly buried. Couldn't really see whether it was a pen or not, but tackle looked late and desperate.

Hungry. Bit worried by snow, so left with 5 mins to go.

Total of 7 hours to get home.

Car still somewhere on Dronfield bypass.

If any of you lot who played or managed at Port Vale are reading this, you f*ckers owe me 3 points tomorrow.

That is all.

 

[UnitedBlade]

The club doesn't deserve its supporters at the moment, does it ?

They owe you and all the others who went yesterday.

 

[Wards]

Fair play for making the trip there and back, sounds pretty horrific.

This club really doesn't deserve the supporters it has.

 

[pommpey]

Fair play for making the trip there and back, sounds pretty horrific.

This club really doesn't deserve the supporters it has.

Of course they do. The Prince, that mouthpiece bloke, Mr Foreign-Mission-airmiles, and McCabe-Changing -Investments they'll all be chinking their glasses today not giving one fat fuck about how many united fans trudged home in the blizzard last night after seeing their excuse for a team put in yet another shit performance against Port fucking Vale. Think about it. As the season calendar rolls by, we'd like to believe that they'd look at next week with trepidation when Sheffield United appears for what should be a 'tough match' and 'we won't win that one'. Instead, even the less prolific clubs must be thinking, 'fuck's sake. what has happened to them? They are shit now and we should beat them easily'.

To the more optimistic out there who still offer 'this season isn't over - there's a long way to go' please answer me these questions:

1. Given recent form, are you still confident we will even make the playoffs? What about automatic?
2. Do you really believe the statement that 'money will be made available in the JTW'? If so, what target players do you think we are looking at?
3. Do you think this 'money' (if it materialises) will pay for permanent signings, or loaness, undicloseds (or in other words, 'no clubbers') and 'Google-stars'?
4. If we make the playoffs, given past 'luck' (or lack of ability to deliver) do you feel confident we will negotiate all three matches without catastrophic disappointment?
5. Given the questions above, do you think it still unreasonable that cynics do not share your belief that this season is the one we will emerge from Division One by at least the playoffs?

I'm still behind Clough. I still think he is a good manager, laboured with a disgracefully short-of-talent squad and this board is buttfucking the club and its supporters.

pommpey

 

[Bergen Blade]

Highlights here:



Note McEveley being blocked by Duffy at the corner from which they score the first goal. Cynical, and obviously an obstruction, though it's hard to blame the referee. Harris should have kept marking Williamson in front of Howard.

Penalty was correct, very rash challenge from Harris, who should have stayed on his feet and just tried to block the cross.

Watched the fuller highlights on BP, and thought we looked a bit unlucky.

 

[pommpey]

Their first goal - woeful.

Basham's challenge on Lord MB was a shit sending off. 50-50% in anyone's book. Ref got that wrong, IMHO.

pommpey

 

[breeny]

It's at times like this when I begin to whsh that the fans had ownership of the club. What would it take to make it happen?!

 

[groveblade]

Highlights here:



Note McEveley being blocked by Duffy at the corner from which they score the first goal. Cynical, and obviously an obstruction, though it's hard to blame the referee. Harris should have kept marking Williamson in front of Howard.

Penalty was correct, very rash challenge from Harris, who should have stayed on his feet and just tried to block the cross.

Watched the fuller highlights on BP, and thought we looked a bit unlucky.

Looks to me from those highlights that:

Scougall should have reacted much better and got a foot in for their 1st goal.
Basham should have been given a yellow card - not red.
Harris was extremely stupid to give the pen away with a rash and unnecessary challenge.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Of course they do. The Prince, that mouthpiece bloke, Mr Foreign-Mission-airmiles, and McCabe-Changing -Investments they'll all be chinking their glasses today not giving one fat fuck about how many united fans trudged home in the blizzard last night after seeing their excuse for a team put in yet another shit performance against Port fucking Vale. Think about it. As the season calendar rolls by, we'd like to believe that they'd look at next week with trepidation when Sheffield United appears for what should be a 'tough match' and 'we won't win that one'. Instead, even the less prolific clubs must be thinking, 'fuck's sake. what has happened to them? They are shit now and we should beat them easily'.

To the more optimistic out there who still offer 'this season isn't over - there's a long way to go' please answer me these questions:

1. Given recent form, are you still confident we will even make the playoffs? What about automatic?
2. Do you really believe the statement that 'money will be made available in the JTW'? If so, what target players do you think we are looking at?
3. Do you think this 'money' (if it materialises) will pay for permanent signings, or loaness, undicloseds (or in other words, 'no clubbers') and 'Google-stars'?
4. If we make the playoffs, given past 'luck' (or lack of ability to deliver) do you feel confident we will negotiate all three matches without catastrophic disappointment?
5. Given the questions above, do you think it still unreasonable that cynics do not share your belief that this season is the one we will emerge from Division One by at least the playoffs?

I'm still behind Clough. I still think he is a good manager, laboured with a disgracefully short-of-talent squad and this board is buttfucking the club and its supporters.

pommpey

I will answer your questions, especially after the day we had yesterday.

The time is 12.30pm on Saturday afternoon and I have just rolled in from PV.

Got back to Sheffield at 11.30pm and abandoned the car at Crookes - couldn't get back up above the snow line to Fulwood, but walked to my nippers at Broomhill - thanks to the LACK of fucking gritter lorries between PV and Sheffield - now that is the first fucking disgrace. To all of you rear wheeled drive BMW drivers - idiots - it is you lot that cause most of the trouble in the white stuff, and especially to the Maserati driver at the top of the A38 who had only had his car 1 month - unlucky...that's what you get with rear wheel drive in snow!

Anyway your questions - answered from a continued supporter and I suppose a committed optimist, as I refuse to be a pessimist - life is just too short for gall half empty.
1) Automatic - no, think that is obvious. Have posted before and will post it again for all the ones who INSIST Basham and Mceverly at centre half - they will never EVER be good enough - nice and skilful both of them, but our CORE strength is sadly lacking in abundance. If they were good enough to be centre halves they would have been discovered before now. Playoffs - definitely. We will get better.

2) Yes to money and as above 2 x centre halves please. I reckon Doyle is an issue - plays great in a 5 man, is useless in a 4 and to play 2 up from any teams must really play 4 in midfield. Having said that think Doyle ahs been very very good, so it's a dilemma.

3) Difficult to say - rumour has it that agents are not allowing their stars to drop down - the 1st division is now massively away from the Championship in terms of money/fees etc - possibly due to FFP. My opinion is we may have to gamble on loans.

4) Play Offs - think this time we would win - the playoffs is a "CUP" scenario, and Clough appears to be able to win these battles, so would at last hope to win in one. As my nipper has said, eventually we will win one.

5) This forum has it's fair share of pessimists - normally very vocal after a LOSS - ie: PV. I didn't think we were too bad at PV - what concerns me the most is our centre halves -we are just not ruthless, uncompromising and to be blunt - fucking hard - we should have tough, bit, strong centre halves and let the fancy dans up front play the football. We actually need 2 x Chirs Morgans.

Again on the cynics - it is a free forum/board to discuss what is wrong, yet YOUR opening gambit is to have yet ANOTHER pop at the board.

To finish, yes the squad is lacking in talent in certain areas, for me Baxter is lazy, and Scougal is just on continued borrowed time creating nothing and scoring none. We need to play 5 to accommodate Doyle which means we are short up top, but having said that COG was absolutely magnificent yesterday, but he needs Mcnuts with him.

We just need to keep trying, but it is difficult for us all - including Clough and glad to see you still have faith in him.

UTB

 

[UnitedBlade]

Two terrible conceded goals again: careless and reckless.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

I will answer your questions, especially after the day we had yesterday.

The time is 12.30pm on Saturday afternoon and I have just rolled in from PV.

Got back to Sheffield at 11.30pm and abandoned the car at Crookes - couldn't get back up above the snow line to Fulwood, but walked to my nippers at Broomhill - thanks to the LACK of fucking gritter lorries between PV and Sheffield - now that is the first fucking disgrace. To all of you rear wheeled drive BMW drivers - idiots - it is you lot that cause most of the trouble in the white stuff, and especially to the Maserati driver at the top of the A38 who had only had his car 1 month - unlucky...that's what you get with rear wheel drive in snow!

Anyway your questions - answered from a continued supporter and I suppose a committed optimist, as I refuse to be a pessimist - life is just too short for gall half empty.
1) Automatic - no, think that is obvious. Have posted before and will post it again for all the ones who INSIST Basham and Mceverly at centre half - they will never EVER be good enough - nice and skilful both of them, but our CORE strength is sadly lacking in abundance. If they were good enough to be centre halves they would have been discovered before now. Playoffs - definitely. We will get better.

2) Yes to money and as above 2 x centre halves please. I reckon Doyle is an issue - plays great in a 5 man, is useless in a 4 and to play 2 up from any teams must really play 4 in midfield. Having said that think Doyle ahs been very very good, so it's a dilemma.

3) Difficult to say - rumour has it that agents are not allowing their stars to drop down - the 1st division is now massively away from the Championship in terms of money/fees etc - possibly due to FFP. My opinion is we may have to gamble on loans.

4) Play Offs - think this time we would win - the playoffs is a "CUP" scenario, and Clough appears to be able to win these battles, so would at last hope to win in one. As my nipper has said, eventually we will win one.

5) This forum has it's fair share of pessimists - normally very vocal after a LOSS - ie: PV. I didn't think we were too bad at PV - what concerns me the most is our centre halves -we are just not ruthless, uncompromising and to be blunt - fucking hard - we should have tough, bit, strong centre halves and let the fancy dans up front play the football. We actually need 2 x Chirs Morgans.

Again on the cynics - it is a free forum/board to discuss what is wrong, yet YOUR opening gambit is to have yet ANOTHER pop at the board.

To finish, yes the squad is lacking in talent in certain areas, for me Baxter is lazy, and Scougal is just on continued borrowed time creating nothing and scoring none. We need to play 5 to accommodate Doyle which means we are short up top, but having said that COG was absolutely magnificent yesterday, but he needs Mcnuts with him.

We just need to keep trying, but it is difficult for us all - including Clough and glad to see you still have faith in him.

UTB

Good post and sums up in words on the forum , from the weather yesterday , game at PV and points 1 to 5. You have said what i have been thinking and true to a tee. We have to be positive or the last one out of the lane , turn the lights off.

The board are doing there utmost for the club , and Mr McCabe wants to see us moving forward before he has to call it a day .

Your assessment on Doyle is correct.

I wish Mr Clough would bring back Butler , and the Butler / Basham partnership , in my opinion would prove a success. Butler is another Chris Morgan.

Baxter and Scougs have to be dropped and replaced , which i think they will be against Scunny . ( Scougs i do see as one for the future , but is not yet a first team player )

COG and McNuts - Mr Clough has to see if the partnering formula works , or he is seeing something in training , we do not know about or appreciate.

Mr Clough , although he is showing his lack of league 1 experience , is the right man for the job . The problem will be if we do not get a result against Scunny , and the patient fans turn against him , we could have issues .

The board will not act , thankfully on a knee jerk reaction , but let us hope , the bad run does not affect the financial requirement for transfer activity , with certain members of the board ( Mr Prince).

The play offs are in reach , and the cup run , should assist on how to play the games over two legs and a final.

More experience is required on the coaching staff , with a focus on belief , mental strength.

Fans have right to have a go at all things SUFC . We all pay good money , and are sick and tired of the blades always pissing in the wind.

We have to get the correct calibre of players bought and loaned , and if it means paying over the odds , to achieve this , then so be it.

3 no quality players are missing . Get these and we will see a different ball game

UTB

 

[Grappler]

I will answer your questions, especially after the day we had yesterday.

The time is 12.30pm on Saturday afternoon and I have just rolled in from PV.

Got back to Sheffield at 11.30pm and abandoned the car at Crookes - couldn't get back up above the snow line to Fulwood, but walked to my nippers at Broomhill - thanks to the LACK of fucking gritter lorries between PV and Sheffield - now that is the first fucking disgrace. To all of you rear wheeled drive BMW drivers - idiots - it is you lot that cause most of the trouble in the white stuff, and especially to the Maserati driver at the top of the A38 who had only had his car 1 month - unlucky...that's what you get with rear wheel drive in snow!

Anyway your questions - answered from a continued supporter and I suppose a committed optimist, as I refuse to be a pessimist - life is just too short for gall half empty.
1) Automatic - no, think that is obvious. Have posted before and will post it again for all the ones who INSIST Basham and Mceverly at centre half - they will never EVER be good enough - nice and skilful both of them, but our CORE strength is sadly lacking in abundance. If they were good enough to be centre halves they would have been discovered before now. Playoffs - definitely. We will get better.

2) Yes to money and as above 2 x centre halves please. I reckon Doyle is an issue - plays great in a 5 man, is useless in a 4 and to play 2 up from any teams must really play 4 in midfield. Having said that think Doyle ahs been very very good, so it's a dilemma.

3) Difficult to say - rumour has it that agents are not allowing their stars to drop down - the 1st division is now massively away from the Championship in terms of money/fees etc - possibly due to FFP. My opinion is we may have to gamble on loans.

4) Play Offs - think this time we would win - the playoffs is a "CUP" scenario, and Clough appears to be able to win these battles, so would at last hope to win in one. As my nipper has said, eventually we will win one.

5) This forum has it's fair share of pessimists - normally very vocal after a LOSS - ie: PV. I didn't think we were too bad at PV - what concerns me the most is our centre halves -we are just not ruthless, uncompromising and to be blunt - fucking hard - we should have tough, bit, strong centre halves and let the fancy dans up front play the football. We actually need 2 x Chirs Morgans.

Again on the cynics - it is a free forum/board to discuss what is wrong, yet YOUR opening gambit is to have yet ANOTHER pop at the board.

To finish, yes the squad is lacking in talent in certain areas, for me Baxter is lazy, and Scougal is just on continued borrowed time creating nothing and scoring none. We need to play 5 to accommodate Doyle which means we are short up top, but having said that COG was absolutely magnificent yesterday, but he needs Mcnuts with him.

We just need to keep trying, but it is difficult for us all - including Clough and glad to see you still have faith in him.

UTB

We have one in Terry Kennedy, who by all accounts is a real life hard nut, scared of nothing.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Two terrible conceded goals again: careless and reckless.

The first was a joke of a goal - we were right behind it and it was farcical even for our standards.

As for the sending off - stay on your FUCKING FEET Mr Basham - when will these numpty footballers realise the FUCKING RULES have changed.............massive ARGH!!!!!!! - just zero intelligence - same as Higdon at Chezzer.

As for the penalty - see above - STAY ON YOUR FUCKING FEET !!!!!!!!! - there was no need for it - just zero intelligence again.

IMHO we deserved something at PV - if it wasn't for the brain dead idiots. Even going 1 down, we would still have won - but 10 men were just not enough in the end.

Repeat above - COG was magnificent from minute 1 to minute 90 if he is not given MOM then you should stop watching football.

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

We have one in Terry Kennedy, who by all accounts is a real life hard nut, scared of nothing.

being hard is one thing, having the football brain to go with it is another - think he is a tad on the small side though.

As for hard - read COG - he epitomises everything we want to see in a R&W shirt and feel he will become a cult hero. He works so hard, is no slouch, has a brain in his head and is everything the S6 lot have said about him.

UTB

 

[Ballinpigpubs13]

Had a meat and potato pie and I use the term meat loosely.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

being hard is one thing, having the football brain to go with it is another - think he is a tad on the small side though.

As for hard - read COG - he epitomises everything we want to see in a R&W shirt and feel he will become a cult hero. He works so hard, is no slouch, has a brain in his head and is everything the S6 lot have said about him.

UTB

He will be a cult hero ( which we are missing and need) if he becomes permanent .Don't forget he is a loan player and thankfully has not been recalled by Brighton as the guy at Peterborough . Blades have to extend the loan until the end of the season or buy him in January . How the blades work he could go back and we finish up with someone else.

If Brighton have not got a manger yet , Mr Warnock would be ideal , then we might get him on a free.

UTB

 

[Grappler]

being hard is one thing, having the football brain to go with it is another - think he is a tad on the small side though.

As for hard - read COG - he epitomises everything we want to see in a R&W shirt and feel he will become a cult hero. He works so hard, is no slouch, has a brain in his head and is everything the S6 lot have said about him.

UTB

I seem to remember him winning everything in the air when I have seen him play.

Agree about COG, solid player, would work well with McNulty at his side.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I seem to remember him winning everything in the air when I have seen him play.

Agree about COG, solid player, would work well with McNulty at his side.

yep, you have a point about Kennedy - just think we quickly need 2 x experience at CH. kennedy might be the answer, but would not like to get to April and be thinking "we should have got 2 x CH in January" - Kennedy would be a bit of a gamble and we are running out of gamble time ie: Baxter/Scoogs/Higdon.

UTB

 

[Trigger Blade]

Highlights here:



Note McEveley being blocked by Duffy at the corner from which they score the first goal. Cynical, and obviously an obstruction, though it's hard to blame the referee. Harris should have kept marking Williamson in front of Howard.

Penalty was correct, very rash challenge from Harris, who should have stayed on his feet and just tried to block the cross.

Watched the fuller highlights on BP, and thought we looked a bit unlucky.

Their 1st came from a corner, which was a really obvious goal kick and the lino was 3 feet away.

At that point we forecast a Michael Brown volley from the edge of the area, but instead he went short, knocked it into the area and our defence watched it trickle over the line. A soft goal even by this season squishy standards.

 

[Grappler]

yep, you have a point about Kennedy - just think we quickly need 2 x experience at CH. kennedy might be the answer, but would not like to get to April and be thinking "we should have got 2 x CH in January" - Kennedy would be a bit of a gamble and we are running out of gamble time ie: Baxter/Scoogs/Higdon.

UTB

While Scoogs has pace, without doubt, he doesn't bring enough to the table for me, yet rarely seems to be taken off.

 

[Wards]

1st goal is awful. What the hell are we doing there - that just looks so unorganised it's untrue.

Basham's red doesn't even look a yellow - it's a 50/50 and Brown knew exactly what he was doing, the snide cunt.

Definite pen, don't really understand why he has dived in really.

Terrible result though - I'm genuinely beginning to think we'll do well to be in the top 6 come the end of Jan. We look a mess.

 

[FleaPitBlade]

Bash's red was almost as disgraceful as the defending for Vales goal. His feet weren't high, it wasn't particularly late, he didn't jump in, it wasn't from behind.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

While Scoogs has pace, without doubt, he doesn't bring enough to the table for me, yet rarely seems to be taken off.

yes, agree totally with that and for me it is our combined centre midfield, supposedly the heart beat of the team that is actually creating ....fuck all at present.

We have solved the up top position with COG ,but we need to solve the CH and central midfield - they need to be more productive, and the continued none productive nature is a concern to us all.

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Bash's red was almost as disgraceful as the defending for Vales goal. His feet weren't high, it wasn't particularly late, he didn't jump in, it wasn't from behind.

Have you seen it on the video from another post?

Both Basham and Brown lunged in - the difference with Basham, and you can see it very clearly if you freeze frame the action, is that Bashams FULL weight of his right boot makes contact with Browns leg above the ankle - whilst I was thoroughly pissed off with the challenge at the time, the replay shows the ref got it spot on correct.

UTB

 

[Jonboy60]

It's at times like this when I begin to whsh that the fans had ownership of the club. What would it take to make it happen?!

£1 apparently.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

1st goal is awful. What the hell are we doing there - that just looks so unorganised it's untrue.

They've let in soft goals all season. It's lack of a king pin centre half, who makes it his job to either get to the ball himself or makes sure somebody else does. A COG in defensive guise if you like, or the morphing of Maguire and Collins.

I still maintain the lack of a lynch pin at the back is the difference between this season and the back end of last season. We won lots of a games last season 1-0 thanks to a cast iron defence. If we'd have kept a clean sheet yesterday it would have been 3 points and comments of that's how teams destined for promotion grind out the wins in difficult circumstances and when not at their best.

Get a decent defender in the JTW, one that wins all the first balls and organises the rest of the back four and we'll start looking much better. There's plenty of decent enough defenders at the club, they just need to fall in alongside a lynch pin.

 

[hykeham_blade]

Their first goal - woeful.

Basham's challenge on Lord MB was a shit sending off. 50-50% in anyone's book. Ref got that wrong, IMHO.

pommpey

Couldn't agree with you more pommpey - was going to write something very similar myself.

I have to say if my u14's had conceded the first goal I would have been fuming. The left back, centre half, and GK would have all got a good telling off at half time - just not acceptable.

 

[Trigger Blade]

Get a decent defender in the JTW, one that wins all the first balls and organises the rest of the back four and we'll start looking much better.

Andy Butler, and he scores goals too, perfect for us......

 

[longinthe toothblade]

Wasn't the best I've seen of them this season but then again, it wasn't the worst.

Normal pattern of play for me. We were on top [least for most of it] for the early part of the game with no end result. A lot of huff and puff [apart from Basham's full blooded tackle which was never a red] but we never REALLY threatened and we weren't really going anywhere. Usually, when the teams we are playing work that out, their confidence grows and we become vunerable and we are just as likely to concede as we are to score - exciting though!

Definate penalty - no arguments.

PV were ok for a side who's supposed to be struggling and overall it saddens me to say, we probably got what we deserved - which was not a lot.

Listening to Cloughs post match comments on the way back, they were the usual benign, 'fantasy'-full bollocks. I sometimes think he watches a different game to us. I think that he must have made a general recording that he plays every week - with a voice over re the opposition.

Either way, I think that's 4 pts now out of a possible 18. Last win, mid November?

Not good enough and for anyone out there still quoting automatic promotion, I am really sorry but you must be crackers. My view, unless there is a significant improvement we will struggle to make and maintain the top ten, let alone the play offs.

Still, Scunthorpe tomorrow and I will be there again - as I have been for the last 50 years.............HO HO HO x

 

[Bergen Blade]

To those who are critical of the first goal, did you see the foul on one of our players? It's very clear, but not easy to spot.