Chesterfield v Port Vale

[leedsvaliant]

After a reasonable start at Crawley (although not an amazing performance), we got brought back down to earth on Saturday with a shambles of a performance. We've already got 3 or 4 first teamers out on long term injuries (3 games into the season!) and I'm just not convinced that our manager can get the very best out of these players. We're once again shipping goals for fun, although at least we've scored 6 in our opening 3 games.

Having said that, I've also looked at the Chesterfield fans board and they are saying similar things, poor defence etc. It seems though that they were unlucky on the opening day against Grimsby and battered them and then they had a man sent off last weekend, so the results don't necessarily reflect what happened.

They have a fairly aging defence and so we need to look at pace to get at them. We can't just hoof balls up to Pope and expect to get anything. A few new players are struggling to settle in for us - Wilson who we thought would be a great signing looks to struggle in particular.

I think we'll lose as we struggle massively away from home, when teams attack us we tend to crumble, so wouldn't be surprised to see a 3-1 defeat.

 

[Buxton Vale]

Lose this and questions will need asking. Two poor teams 0-0

 

[valefan16]

Think we will do better away than at home this year oddly as we seem to set up better with the 1 up front.

I'd look at playing Dan Turner and Whitfield as these two were superb when they came on. We do always struggle at Chesterfield and our last visit was a dark day in particular.

Get a draw I will be happy.

 

[CFC91]

Can't see us winning this at all personally. Be a miracle if we finish the game with 11 men

 

[Andy Proctor]

We always lose at chesterfield so we will lose. Even if we were 3 nil up with 20 mins left knowing our luck the game would get abandoned and then when it would be replayed we would lose.

 

[valefan16]

Can't see us winning this at all personally. Be a miracle if we finish the game with 11 men

I think we've got a win and a draw in about 12 visits you'll be fine. Plus Mad Gav is back so probably be 10-10 men

 

[Westbars_Spireite]

Hopefully Port Vale are even worse than we are. I think they may just be.

 

[valefan16]

Hopefully Port Vale are even worse than we are. I think they may just be.

Depends which one turns up. Superb first half at Crawley and defended well under pressure second half, decent despite making changes at Leeds for an hour then collapsed in 20 minutes last Saturday failing to do anything we had done previously!

Michael Tonge will start which is a boost. He's 800 years old but still got quality and leadership.

I imagine we will go with something like what finished the Wycombe game as the lad Whitfield on loan from AFCB came on and was impressive (his goal was class too).

Hopefully Saturday was just an off day. Guess we will find out but a poor performance and worry will set in.

 

[Dan Phillips]

Lose to this rabble and it's time to pack in.

In all fairness, if we can't beat a side who've won 2 games from the last 22 or whatever it is, then serious questions need to be asked. This is the most positive I've been heading into a new season for quite some time yet after the initial feelings after the Crawley game and the first 60 minutes at Leeds, it's amazing how one horror show on Saturday changes everybody's mindset completely. The beauty of football I guess.

Never get too excited with the positives but don't get too downhearted with the negatives. It's a marathon and not a sprint. Rome wasn't built in a day. And so on and so forth...

 

[CFC91]

If we don't win tomorrow. I fully expect the knives to be out for Caldwell and rightly so.

I'm not bothering as I have other plans but might be tempted to come out of my self imposed home game exile for the Coventry game in September

 

[spireite]

We'll turn it around tomorrow, put 4 past the Vale and keep a clean sheet.

 

[Valeite]

Last seasons game was appalling, Chesterfield were terrible but won deservedly- i expect a repeat.

 

[YouBlues]

How many you expecting to bring?

 

[valefan16]

How many you expecting to bring?

Usual 800-1200 range id expect.

 

[valefan16]

Typical Vale knew that was coming after our domination of the game.

 

[valefan16]

Another collapse. Confidence that bad? Think Brown may have to go.

 

[valefan16]

Wow. Dominated for much of the game yet switch off and are 2-0 down. Absolutely nothing learnt from last season and we need to make the change before we head towards the drop. This is diabolical.

 

[valefan16]

Fans kicking off. Brown subbing Whitfield. Time to go man you are clueless!

 

[spireite]

That's it nah. Up the table we go. Win next week and we'll start to remove the demons from our head.

 

[valefan16]

Pressure cranks up on Brown. Third game in a row where we've collapsed in minutes. Trainspotters up next... lose that and hopefully he will be gone.

 

[Buxton Vale]

Pressure cranks up on Brown. Third game in a row where we've collapsed in minutes. Trainspotters up next... lose that and hopefully he will be gone.

I wouldn't bank on it. It's a very poor start to the season, but can you really see smurf paying him off?

 

[kieran_vale]

Do wonder who it would be to make the call to move on from Brown if we did. Just looking more and more that the win at Crawley was down to their ineptitude rather than anything we did. Seems very few lessons have been learned which is the main concern. This midfield particularly is so painfully slow.

I've been loathe to have a go at him or Bruno before that as in reality i blame Smurthwaite for our predicament but one thing can say is these are now Browns players so he doesn't have that excuse to fall back on.

 

[valefan16]

I wouldn't bank on it. It's a very poor start to the season, but can you really see smurf paying him off?

Depends because his multi million asking price will be even less likely to be met if we are hosting Boreham Wood and Braintree next season!

Tactically clueless had his chance but last Saturday and today are dire. Promised a hard working side and playing like we are still in friendlies. Failed to address the midfield issue and goalkeeping issue. Six wins in his 22 games. As bad as Lee Sinnott and Glover only I'd argue we have better players.

We've got injuries galore again also which is not looking coincidental either. Being poor in league one I can take being dire at this level is beyond unacceptable for this club.

 

[Buxton Vale]

I completely agree, with you. Everyone can see whats wrong with the squad expect Brown. I just don't see it being acted on just yet. Too many cheap options keep coming back to bite us.

 

[valefan16]

I completely agree, with you. Everyone can see whats wrong with the squad expect Brown. I just don't see it being acted on just yet. Too many cheap options keep coming back to bite us.

It's just full circle, a full squad rebuild again, quantity over quality. 36 players signed and 12 loans in 13 months. No lessons learnt and tougher tests than today are coming in Coventry, Notts and Luton. Massively worried.

 

[Westbars_Spireite]

Yay.

 

[valefan16]

I completely agree, with you. Everyone can see whats wrong with the squad expect Brown. I just don't see it being acted on just yet. Too many cheap options keep coming back to bite us.

It's all ok mate we were just tired today because the boys played bat Villa on Tuesday... great one Brown

 

[Andy Proctor]

What an awesome decision by me and my 3 mates not to go.

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

This season has shades of the last last time we were relegated to bleak 2, we won 3-1 away then first game(at Luton I think) but it didn't take us long to realise how poor we were.
Saying that we started last season on fire and collapsed, so, still time for it to change, but I haven't been impressed with brown since he took over.
Smurf won't sack him, because it would cost him, and I'd very much doubt he'll walk as it's his first job and he needs it to work.
Next week is a big game for us, lose and the knives will be out.

 

[valefan16]

Thing is I don't think the squad is that bad and isn't anywhere near as bad as that League Two side with the likes of Glover, Perry, Richman, Howland, Davidson and Anyon.

Players like Lawrie Wilson, Denton, Smith, Kay, are decent enough at this level but are not performing at all. Why is that? Brown? Tactics? Training? Fitness?

An average manager would get far far more from this squad.