Charlton Circus v Vale

[leedsvaliant]

Yet again, for seemingly the millionth time, we face a team that has just sacked their manager. Why does this always happen to us?

I know that Charlton are in a mess off the pitch, but they've not done too badly on it in the last few games and looked a decent outfit at Vale a few weeks ago. They've also got a very decent squad for this level and I don't expect them to be down near the bottom for long.

Vale are strange, I mean really strange. We seemingly haven't played well for about 8 weeks, yet find ourselves in 7th. We were dreadful for 60 minutes on Saturday and had about 2 attacks but then brought on a couple of subs and all of a sudden looked like scoring.

Why do we persist with Patterson on his own upfront? He's neither strong nor quick nor tall and so offers nothing as the central striker. As soon as we brought a bigger presence in Reggie, we looked much better and more threatening. He's not the most graceful player but he's a better footballer than people are giving him credit for and he really occupies defenders.

I'm hopeful that we might finally play two up front on Saturday as we look so much better for it, but it seems that we want to persist on a formation that does not work. Hopefully Forrester will be back on Saturday and we have missed him badly. If not, put Reggie in alongside Jones and I believe that they will both flourish. Amoros in for Grant and possibly DeFreitas in place of Kelly as I think he looks a decent footballer.

We're toss away from home and I'll be astounded if we go anyhting here, especially with the 'no manager syndrome' that seems to galvanise teams. 3-1 Charlton.

 

[valefan16]

Hard to call this, we were pants against them a month ago but they only scored once for all our best efforts to be gift them three points at the back and we fielded a really poor starting XI that night.

I would go 2 up front, these got smashed at the weekend so try and get the first goal and knock confidence, if we concede early as per our usual away problem then we seem to collapse.

Going for an optimistic 1-1 draw now we've got a win behind us Jerome Thomas to fire home.

As said we've played poorly for a month or more now and are still in 7th so the rest of the league must be equally bad!

 

[markpvfc]

My only new ground in the league this season, so looking forward to the trip if not the actual game. Don't suppose Charlton fans are planning any protests such as the plastic pig stunt this weekend?

 

[Lamby]

My only new ground in the league this season, so looking forward to the trip if not the actual game. Don't suppose Charlton fans are planning any protests such as the plastic pig stunt this weekend?

They couldn't plan anything properly if their life depended on it. But the statement is that there isn't anything planned.

 

[Bobbin']

I can probably think of 10+ examples where the organisation of protests have been a success. Regarding Saturday, there are no planned CARD protests so as not to clash with the clubs armed forces day, they didn't feel it was appropriate. I should imagine there will be attempts at independent protests inside the ground including the usual chants. I think CARD have encouraged this.

Anyway, the game. I wouldn't worry too much Port Vale fans about the sacking of Slade, in his place is his assistant Kevin Nugent and newly appointed coach Chris O'Loughlin (probably before he is shoehorned in as 'head coach'). Also emerged yesterday that probably our best player this season - Ricky Holmes is out for up to two months with a broken bone in his foot so that is a blow and also Josh Magennis is doubt which is another blow as he's the one who gets through all the work up top.

Only positive is that Lookman is back.

No idea who Nugent is going to play or how he's going to play them but hopefully he has a style that differs from Slade's as it can't be a lot worse.

Heart says 2-0 Charlton but my head is telling me we'll put in another lacklustre performance and draw 1-1.

 

[IanPVFC]

I think Holmes tore us apart in the recent match so that's good news!

 

[valefan16]

I think Holmes tore us apart in the recent match so that's good news!

He did, Magennis also held the ball up well for them and made it stick, although he couldn't hit a barn door that night.

Depends how we cope without Granty as he haven't done that very well... i'd be tempted to move Ryan Taylor there as sure he played for Newcastle there a few times in Premier League games.

 

[valefan16]

Odd line up assume it's Jones up front alone!!!

Amoros for Grant, Forrester on bench which is great news!

 

[Bobbin']

Lookman back and Magennis fit to play is a bonus, we are really going to miss Holmes again though.

Jerome Thomas starts for Vale, he's bound to score.

 

[valefan16]

Shows how much Bruno tinkers... five changes from the Vale side Charlton faced just a month ago!

 

[valefan16]

1 down again and our away awfulness continues... expect as per most other away games we will let in 3 or 4 now.

 

[MJA]

I really think we should save money and not bother travelling to away games. Might as well just give the opposition the 3 points as that's all we seem to do when we are there anyway

 

[valefan16]

Time for Bruno to go. Third away game we've been at least two down by half time. Lessons not being learnt at all.

 

[MJA]

Time for Bruno to go.

Please tell me that is tongue in cheek

 

[valefan16]

Please tell me that is tongue in cheek

No. Half our games are a total right off and he fails to change anything! We've been awful for months now and only our home games are keeping us out of trouble (and we've been lucky in them!)

 

[valefan16]

Another dire away day, only positive we've only conceded 2 which is an improvement on recent away games!

Same formation, same tactical uselessness... huge game Tuesday now.

 

[MJA]

I can't believe I am seeing calls for the managers head already

This must be a record even for Vale fans

 

[valefan16]

I can't believe I am seeing calls for the managers head already

This must be a record even for Vale fans

1 league win in 8 isn't it?

 

[Lamby]

Quite a boring game but can't complain with 3 points. I'm pretty sure the ref was from Stoke!

 

[MJA]

1 league win in 8 isn't it?

So every time a team has a dip in form they should sack their manager?
Bristol City are on a similar run in the Championship and I don't see too many of their fans calling for Johnson's head and the same can probably be said of many teams up and down the country.

What happened to a bit of stability in football? All we seem to talk about these days is managers on the brink of being sacked and managers being sacked

 

[MJA]

Harsh, what do Bury fans realistically expect to achieve?

I will also point you to the above quote made by you in the 'David Flitcroft SACKED!' thread

 

[Bobbin']

I can probably think of 10+ examples where the organisation of protests have been a success. Regarding Saturday, there are no planned CARD protests so as not to clash with the clubs armed forces day, they didn't feel it was appropriate. I should imagine there will be attempts at independent protests inside the ground including the usual chants. I think CARD have encouraged this.

Anyway, the game. I wouldn't worry too much Port Vale fans about the sacking of Slade, in his place is his assistant Kevin Nugent and newly appointed coach Chris O'Loughlin (probably before he is shoehorned in as 'head coach'). Also emerged yesterday that probably our best player this season - Ricky Holmes is out for up to two months with a broken bone in his foot so that is a blow and also Josh Magennis is doubt which is another blow as he's the one who gets through all the work up top.

Only positive is that Lookman is back.

No idea who Nugent is going to play or how he's going to play them but hopefully he has a style that differs from Slade's as it can't be a lot worse.

Heart says 2-0 Charlton but my head is telling me we'll put in another lacklustre performance and draw 1-1.

Always follow your heart gents.

May not have been pretty but was important to get any kind of win after last weeks debacle at Swindon.

Again, showing that our first eleven is good enough to win games. Sounds as though Magennis and Ajose were linking up well in the first half, something Slade was unable to achieve.

Talking of Slade and Ajose, isnt it amazing what happens when you play last years top goal scorer correctly. Scored one and had another chalked off for offisde.

 

[markpvfc]

Woeful first half yet again and the game was all over. Decided to play 2 up front from half time but brought Pato on so we may as well have played with 10 men. Reg scored last week and generally looks 10x more of a threat than Pato but doesn't get on the pitch. Bruno is completely clueless, Smurf will be lucky to get 3000 through the gate Tuesday night.

 

[valefan16]

I will also point you to the above quote made by you in the 'David Flitcroft SACKED!' thread

We are a bigger club than Bury and don't have the HMRC on the door every month!

Bruno has lost the plot...

We looked superb a couple of months ago, destroyed Scunny, Millwall etc, but since Coventry did us over October 1st or something we have been extremely poor, Purkiss has disappeared of the face the earth, been battered most away games 4-0 V Blades, 3-0 down in 15 at Bolton, again game over at half time today... nothing is changing, if you have a bad few games change the system but he isn't.

A poor return against Oldham then Shrews and we are in deep trouble.

He is using too many players, changing it by two, three or four faces each week so getting no consistency. Players are starting one game then not even on the bench the next! We have four captains! Players out of position? Kiko looked decent when he came on last week... why not play him in his left back position rather than bring in a centre half to play left back? If Anton can't come on at HT who's head and shoulders above both Reg and Pato why is he even on the bench? Why as a second choice not bring on Reg who as poor as he is actually causes ten times more problems to defences than Pato?

Amoros looks decent, isn't on the bench for weeks for some reason (fit as played for the stiffs) starts today... where the hell is Shalaj?

He just seems a desperate but stubborn man at the moment... keeping the system that isn't working (but he clearly believes in) and just chucking different players at it each game hoping it will work. We are the best home team in the FL but we've been so lucky lately and with our dire away form any loss of home results and we will plummet fast.

Give it Browny until end of the season... see how he does and we will set up stronger and better, Bruno doesn't know his best XI

Alnwick

Taylor
Streete
Smith
Kiko (LB is a tough one as we have used so many there!)

Thomas
Grant
Foley
Kelly

Jones
Forrester

Not rocket science, the best XI in their correct positions.

We can't play only half a season all the time. We moaned at Page but even the shocking away form under him wasn't as bad as this!

 

[leedsvaliant]

Such an obvious result. What really irks me is the fact that most away games are over by half time. Charlton had a really poor result last week, so you would expect us to come out at them (especially as they have no manager) with all guns blazing and dent their confidence further. Instead, we give them two soft goals and then try and change it second half but with zero attacking threat.

Surely, if it hasn't worked away from home, try something different. Put 10 men behind the ball and try and grind out a 0-0, anything but losing with a whimper. The subs were baffling - bring on Patterson who offers nothing instead of Cicilia who will at least cause the defence to have something to think about.

Teams playing us when we're away from home know that they are in for an easy 3 points and it's pathetic.

 

[valefan16]

Such an obvious result. What really irks me is the fact that most away games are over by half time. Charlton had a really poor result last week, so you would expect us to come out at them (especially as they have no manager) with all guns blazing and dent their confidence further. Instead, we give them two soft goals and then try and change it second half but with zero attacking threat.

Surely, if it hasn't worked away from home, try something different. Put 10 men behind the ball and try and grind out a 0-0, anything but losing with a whimper. The subs were baffling - bring on Patterson who offers nothing instead of Cicilia who will at least cause the defence to have something to think about.

Teams playing us when we're away from home know that they are in for an easy 3 points and it's pathetic.

Spot on, the second goal was awful! 45th minute and hes got the whole half of the pitch to run into!

 

[darren gregory]

VF16, Kelly makes your best Vale starting 11 ?? Game all about opinions mate but good grief !!!
The league 1 tinker man Bruno has truly lost the plot as you rightly say. Kelly had 45 mins at Carlisle and was hauled off after being truly atrocious, never on the bench all season, suddenly he is a regular the last 4 or 5 games, why??? has he been excelling in the reserves, NO.
Why can,t we have the truth about Purkiss, one of our 3 captains mysteriously jettisoned from the squad with no explanation.
Cicilia comes on 1-0 down v Fleetwood, scores and is a general nuisance, yet at Charlton was overlooked for Pato who is turd.

Over the 2 games we deserved nowt against Charlton and stole a point at home.
We have made no progress away from home it is Page all over, W 1 D 2 L 6 and an abysmal goal difference.
For me Taylor has the quality to go in midfield as an ex Prem player, true he may not have the legs but get the guy in there.
Tavares is horrific, no goals no assists, apart from dragging a scuffed shot wide at Bradford on the opening day has he ever threatened a goal.
All the Dodds haters seem to forget he guaranteed 6 to 8 every season, probably got 5 already in a poor Shrewsbury outfit.

Goals from midfield, Tavares 0, Foley 0, Grant 1, Kelly 0, Thomas 0.

Basically take Jones out of the team and we are bottom 4 material, i will take survival now but half of these clowns are on 2 year deals i believe.

This week against 2 of the bottom 3 is a defining moment, we simply have to get 4 points minimum , lose to Oldham and we are in the mire.

 

[valefan16]

Kelly has been playing ok, and who else is an actual right winger who is better? De Freitas possibly I like what I have seen from him but haven't seen enough to judge, Jones should be up front, Mbamba has the pace but nothing else.... Kelly is scraping the barrel but have we a better option?

Grant's goal was a penalty wasn't it? (5 game ban now i notice!)

 

[darren gregory]

my x1 for what it is worth
Alnwick

Purk Streete Smith Knopps

Grant Foley Taylor
Thomas floating
Jones Forrester

Clearly Grant banned for 5 games, Foley out till January and Purkiss may of played his last game for the club. Forrester is the new Inness injured every time he plays.

I just think he has to play 11 and regardless of the result stick with the same team, someone said earlier on the thread about the amount of changes all the time. I think Knopps was steady enough without basically crossing the half way line so would keep him at LB , god only knows what the team will be tomorrow and in this weather we could be looking at an horrific attendance .

 

[MJA]

We are a bigger club than Bury

Are we? Me thinks someone is still living off the fact Port Vale punched above its weight for a few years in the 90s when being managed by the best manager we have ever had.

Port Vale is a mid-table 3rd tier club by stature, size, fan base and finances. Plain and simple