August 5 Fixtures

[YEO YEO YEO]

Only just sat down to see other results today, bloody hell Port Vale!! What a cracking start!

 

[Marked Ox]

Ah well.

 

[hellogregory]

I think we'll be ok, just need to be more clinical and not give too many easy chances away.

Your boy Plange didn’t look as bad as you described. Certainly worked a lot harder than Omotoye, he ran himself into the ground really. But just doesn’t look a goal threat, wants too many touches and doesn’t pass. Maybe Simmo can coach him into something I don’t know.

 

[Guernica]

Back in West Yorks after a miserable day in Bolton. It was bloody freezing. Comfortable win for the hosts. We were in it until the second goal but rarely threatened. Lots of work to do but we'll be okay.

 

[SVH]

How did the referee perform in the Port Vale game?

 

[masi51]

What's the League 1 points record? Asking for a mate.

who is your mate Devon Lad??????????????????

 

[The Terminator]

Narrowly lost to Charlton, who I thought narrowly deserved the win myself as they were better in the final third.

We played well overall against a side with better players than ourselves, Corey Blackett-Taylor in particular caused us problems all game, but as expected we need to be better in the final third - Particularly against the divisions big hitters. We overplay far too much at times when we have teams under pressure and don't convert that pressure into chances, had Charlton under pressure a few times but IMO made it a bit too easy for them at times.

Our attacking players having injury and fitness issues isn't helping us, Wellens said we didn't press as well as we could because of this.

Overall I thought it was a good game and well contested with both sides really coming out of the blocks early on in a frantic start. Sol Brynn made some good saves for us I thought too, we didn't work Maynard-Brewer enough.

Ref I thought got confused with a few decisions he made with these new rules, but was OK overall.

 

[91SPP]

Typical of a Paul Warne’s Derby, lots of goal scoring opportunities not executed very well and one goal gifted thanks to new signing Sonny Bradley sliding their striker through one on one. Incredibly frustrating. The second Wigan goal came after a really good spell by us, but just a looped cross in the box was enough for Wyke to take advantage.

I saw that we had the most goal scoring opportunities in the league today, 7 more than Barnsley, yet lost 2-1 at home. It’s situational football, again, it plagued us last season and has killed is day one of the new season. I feel this will be the story of Paul Warne’s time at Derby, hope he can turn it around because he’s a good bloke, but having your fans boo you off first game of the season usually doesn’t end in success.

 

[Bartonyellow]

Typical of a Paul Warne’s Derby, lots of goal scoring opportunities not executed very well and one goal gifted thanks to new signing Sonny Bradley sliding their striker through one on one. Incredibly frustrating. The second Wigan goal came after a really good spell by us, but just a looped cross in the box was enough for Wyke to take advantage.

I saw that we had the most goal scoring opportunities in the league today, 7 more than Barnsley, yet lost 2-1 at home. It’s situational football, again, it plagued us last season and has killed is day one of the new season. I feel this will be the story of Paul Warne’s time at Derby, hope he can turn it around because he’s a good bloke, but having your fans boo you off first game of the season usually doesn’t end in success.

Let’s hope you are booed off next Saturday as well…

 

[Luke Imp]

Not a knee-jerk reaction of the back of conceding three, and I haven't seen the game anyway so couldn't tell you what the defence performed like but forgetting about the result in isolation because it is what it is, I hope that back 6 serves as a bit of a wake-up call because even if you discount losing Rushworth and Poole, a back three of Jackson, Eyoma and O'Connor as a unit isn't good enough. Roughan isn't a LWB and Sorenson, despite performing admirably towards the back end of last season, has hardly spent any time at RWB and I'm sceptical he's a long-term option there. That's how weak and disjointed our back six with one injury.

We're relying on jack of all trades and masters of none aside from O'Connor and Jackson who are specifically CB's.

Hardly concede any set pieces last season and got done by two today apparently!

 

[91SPP]

Let’s hope you are booed off next Saturday as well…

If we don’t win, depending on how the week has gone in the transfer market, I’d imagine the atmosphere will be particularly tense.

I get the feeling it’s going to be a slightly toxic environment this season unless we’re winning. Expectation is the thief of joy in football.

 

[shoddycollins]

Your boy Plange didn’t look as bad as you described. Certainly worked a lot harder than Omotoye, he ran himself into the ground really. But just doesn’t look a goal threat, wants too many touches and doesn’t pass. Maybe Simmo can coach him into something I don’t know.

He drifted out wide a lot which is exactly what Simmo doesn't want his forwards to do.

Overall we just looked like we weren't up to speed today, which is understandable, a lot of players who I'm confident can step up but today was their first taste of what they need to do to do well at this level. Fleetwood were a good side, much better than anything we faced in l2

 

[Si Robin]

Only caught the last half hour and we weren't that bad, although we weren't very good either.

With that being said, why I predicted us to win is beyond me - we never bloody win on the opening day.

 

[Bartonyellow]

If we don’t win, depending on how the week has gone in the transfer market, I’d imagine the atmosphere will be particularly tense.

I get the feeling it’s going to be a slightly toxic environment this season unless we’re winning. Expectation is the thief of joy in football.

It might make for a tense local derby then. Hopefully it’s a good game.

 

[Dan Phillips]

How did the referee perform in the Port Vale game?

Absolutely garbage, as expected, after what we endured under him at Lincoln last season.

No bearing on the result whatsoever though (evidently).

 

[Moomin]

Wow, didn’t expect that one bit today. I mean, scoring after 28 seconds and then again on 4 mins is perfect but my pessimistic side still expected us to capitulate after the missed penalty.

Fair play to the team for being professional and stopping Wycombe from getting back into the game. Also so pleased for James Scott to score today and feel he could really be good for us this season.

But as Caldwell stressed after the game, this is a great start, but that’s all it is and we have to be consistent over the season. Wycombe will be disappointed but I’m sure Bloomfield will get it right and in some ways this could give them impetus to improve quickly.

Buzzing though, UTC

 

[Brox]

Exactly how I saw it. I will say we should have had a penalty at the end of the first half, bang in line with it and Sowerby gets there first and the keeper takes him down.

Our squad also coming back from that long injury list last year and it showed as we faded pretty early in the second half. Think it’ll be a slow start for us.

Age old story though, don’t take your chances you’ll get punished.

You're right, did look like a stonewall penalty. Definitely got lucky with that one. For me, the turnover of the ball in the midfield that led to the penalty incident looked like a foul, and whilst it should have no bearing I wonder if that influenced the referee in some way as it did look like TAH caught your man.

 

[leedsvaliant]

You have made me chuckle since you gey promoted last season................12 months ago the top ten were shit

One game this season you was the better team after you lose 7-0

Yes i get the stats say you did not deserve that sort of score, but its 5/10% quality in this league that will impact games that lge 2 simply do not have

I never said the top 10 were shite. I said that the GENERAL quality of play isn't much better. The top teams have 2 or 3 players that make a significant difference, that's the difference. We had more shots, more corners and more possession today, which is incredible considering the scoreline. The difference? We have the same back 3 and forwards that failed miserably last season....every chance that fell to them, they finished ruthlessly.

Ironically, Barnsley were shite in that first half today. Any half decent league one team with an average strike force would have been a couple of goals to the good. They then had a 25 minute period where everything they hit went in and we just capitulated. Also, it was one of those where the 3rd goal went in and we just gave up and didn't do the basics. Play like they did for that period in the rest of the season and they'll be promoted by March, but play like the first half and indeed periods of the second half and they'll be bottom half. That says everything you need to know....we got beat 7 by a team that in general weren't very good but utterly ruthless.

I'm still at a loss as to why our manager thought that playing the same back line and same forwards as last season would yield better results. In fact, that back 3 was exactly the same one we had in league 2! It's a long way back up from the canvas after this one. We took a couple of pastings last season, and came back from it, but the manner of this defeat suggests a season of struggle unfortunately. We can't go back into that division again...all the work we've been doing off the pitch and the improved attendance will go backwards.

 

[leedsvaliant]

How did the referee perform in the Port Vale game?

He set a pretty low bar last season and was even worse today. He's one of those that appears to making decisions for a different game than the one he is refereeing. No impact on the result though obvz.

 

[91SPP]

He set a pretty low bar last season and was even worse today. He's one of those that appears to making decisions for a different game than the one he is refereeing. No impact on the result though obvz.

Port Vale had the same amount of attempts on goal and more possession than Barnsley, but lost 7-0. I’m not sure 7 goals in 13 attempts has ever been done before in the history of football. Incredible.

Barnsley continuing to be the best team out of possession perhaps in the world, nevermind the league!

 

[valefan16]

I never said the top 10 were shite. I said that the GENERAL quality of play isn't much better. The top teams have 2 or 3 players that make a significant difference, that's the difference. We had more shots, more corners and more possession today, which is incredible considering the scoreline. The difference? We have the same back 3 and forwards that failed miserably last season....every chance that fell to them, they finished ruthlessly.

Ironically, Barnsley were shite in that first half today. Any half decent league one team with an average strike force would have been a couple of goals to the good. They then had a 25 minute period where everything they hit went in and we just capitulated. Also, it was one of those where the 3rd goal went in and we just gave up and didn't do the basics. Play like they did for that period in the rest of the season and they'll be promoted by March, but play like the first half and indeed periods of the second half and they'll be bottom half. That says everything you need to know....we got beat 7 by a team that in general weren't very good but utterly ruthless.

I'm still at a loss as to why our manager thought that playing the same back line and same forwards as last season would yield better results. In fact, that back 3 was exactly the same one we had in league 2! It's a long way back up from the canvas after this one. We took a couple of pastings last season, and came back from it, but the manner of this defeat suggests a season of struggle unfortunately. We can't go back into that division again...all the work we've been doing off the pitch and the improved attendance will go backwards.

To be fair to Crosby 2 of the 3 centre halves we signed were crocked today! That said Cass isn’t a centre half and neither him nor Jones had played in months due to injury so wasn’t the best idea.

Plus knowing Barnsley’s aerial threat from set pieces surely Iacovitti starts in place of Cass?

It was a weird one though as you say most sides in this division are 2-0 up not 2-0 down against a side that puts in that first half performance and we only really had ourselves to blame there.

It wasn’t your standard 5/6/7-0 in that most stats were in our favour but if you allow players between the sticks to be unmarked from crosses then you get beat most times, any EFL side punishes us today with that defending. Literally the easiest goals they’ll get all season because no one is within 5 yards of them when the ball comes in.

They weren’t very good but didn’t have to be and that’s the huge worry in that aspect.

We have to sort it and fast, hopefully Balmer and Lowe are back for next weekend but would probably now look for another big centre half as cover.

Cass should be a RB or RWB but not near centre half again after that! We need a LWB and better cover at RWB because Sang when he moved there was a disaster and Grant didn’t seem best suited to that role.

Frustrated the only person at the club to apologise to the fans is Connor Ripley who despite conceding 7 is arguably the least to blame for today.

Hopefully it was just one of those freak performance and results, we were terrible at Exeter last season and only their poor finishing kept it to 4-0 and bounced back but going to need some characters to step up after that. The worst result in my time supporting the Vale of 20 years that and not one the fans of a working class club like ours will accept and tolerate.

 

[valefan16]

He set a pretty low bar last season and was even worse today. He's one of those that appears to making decisions for a different game than the one he is refereeing. No impact on the result though obvz.

I didn’t think he was that bad, he was very to the letter of the law, was funny him booking their keeper for time wasting at 6-0 but that’s the new rules that have come in as was the bookings for them standing on the ball at our free kick. Does seem though these rules are asking for loads of red cards being dished out this season!

Big shout for Ellis penalty and the picture of Clarke when clean through if it’s from that incident does seem to be a foul but would need to see both again.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Not the greatest result for us today but it was a fair one. It worries me that our play was so predictable in the first half and we seem to have a manager who has been tactically outthought by Joey Barton of all people. Their gameplan was simple, as was their goal after catching us on the break, but at least we improved in the second half when the subs were made.

I still see a draw as two points dropped, albeit Rovers looked like a useful side. How nobody came in to tap in that ball across the goal in the last minute was baffling, and I think we had a stonewall penalty turned down when Yengi was dragged down in the box, too.

We need to get our act together quickly as August's fixtures are generous and we need to be winning them. All well and good taking a month to gel, but by then we'll be playing the likes of Barnsley, Derby and Wigan away.

 

[Bobbin']

We won a crap game between two crap teams, will take it.

I’ve always been of the opinion that it’s unacceptable to concede 6 goals or more against a side in the same division as you and it should result in automatic relegation.

 

[hellogregory]

After the shit referees in League 2 last season, I naively thought the standard would be higher in League 1.

Based on what I’m reading in this thread, and what I witnessed at Brunton Park today, they are just as shit.

Todays ref was an utter embarrassment to himself and the EFL.

 

[Fuzzyvalefan]

I don't want to see Cass, Jones, Sang or Massey anywhere near the team on Tuesday. I can tolerate a player being crap but to down tools and give up is inexcusable.

 

[Fuzzyvalefan]

On the plus side, watching Massey and Cass employed as professional footballers gives me hope that I still have to chance to make it.

 

[hellogregory]

He drifted out wide a lot which is exactly what Simmo doesn't want his forwards to do.

Overall we just looked like we weren't up to speed today, which is understandable, a lot of players who I'm confident can step up but today was their first taste of what they need to do to do well at this level. Fleetwood were a good side, much better than anything we faced in l2

We’re definitely not fully fit, that was clear in how many players were out on their feet by 80 minutes.

I think we are lacking quality in forward areas but have enough in other areas of the pitch to get us through some games. Not really sure what he sees in Plange based on today, I was expecting him to be quicker. Working hard isn’t enough on its own. Simpson says he’s bringing in another forward. I hope whoever it is has a bit of pace and strength.

 

[Dan Phillips]

We won a crap game between two crap teams, will take it.

I’ve always been of the opinion that it’s unacceptable to concede 6 goals or more against a side in the same division as you and it should result in automatic relegation.

I guess Bolton should be non league then.

 

[denzel ecfc]

To be fair to Crosby 2 of the 3 centre halves we signed were crocked today! That said Cass isn’t a centre half and neither him nor Jones had played in months due to injury so wasn’t the best idea.

Plus knowing Barnsley’s aerial threat from set pieces surely Iacovitti starts in place of Cass?

It was a weird one though as you say most sides in this division are 2-0 up not 2-0 down against a side that puts in that first half performance and we only really had ourselves to blame there.

It wasn’t your standard 5/6/7-0 in that most stats were in our favour but if you allow players between the sticks to be unmarked from crosses then you get beat most times, any EFL side punishes us today with that defending. Literally the easiest goals they’ll get all season because no one is within 5 yards of them when the ball comes in.

They weren’t very good but didn’t have to be and that’s the huge worry in that aspect.

We have to sort it and fast, hopefully Balmer and Lowe are back for next weekend but would probably now look for another big centre half as cover.

Cass should be a RB or RWB but not near centre half again after that! We need a LWB and better cover at RWB because Sang when he moved there was a disaster and Grant didn’t seem best suited to that role.

Frustrated the only person at the club to apologise to the fans is Connor Ripley who despite conceding 7 is arguably the least to blame for today.

Hopefully it was just one of those freak performance and results, we were terrible at Exeter last season and only their poor finishing kept it to 4-0 and bounced back but going to need some characters to step up after that. The worst result in my time supporting the Vale of 20 years that and not one the fans of a working class club like ours will accept and tolerate.

Yeah its great to win the first game and to lose it by a big margin must be pretty soul destroying, but sometimes a shock can force a team into putting things right quickly.
I remember when Norwich lost their first game 7-1 to Colchester and think they still went up that year!