Crewe Alexandra v Port Vale

[yukon]

Do Crewe have a left back yet?

Alnwick is a very good decision, not just a sensible one! I think he'll give Neal a run for his money.

 

[Brammer_£500000]

Do Crewe have a left back yet?

Alnwick is a very good decision, not just a sensible one! I think he'll give Neal a run for his money.

Still waiting on confirmation, there is a press conferene coming up this morning, though that seems more to do with the team training on the Gresty Road pitch this morning, it does look lush, don't think they will be used to grass after the mud heap we played on for most of last season!

 

[Vale on Trent]

Vayuuuuuuuuul

 

[valefan16]

“We have got a lot of faith in big Sam" Paul Bodin, 23rd July.

Yeah, clearly. A few pre-season gaffes and bam! Dropped!

Way to totally destroy the lads confidence. It's no wonder you don't produce any youngsters if this is how you treat them when they make a few mistakes. Shocking man management from Page.

I mean, I could understand if Neal was out for months or if you'd loaned in a temporary replacement straight away, but he could back by the end of August it seems. Not even enough confidence in Johnson to stick with him for the first 4-5 games of the season. Isn't this why you signed a goalie coach? So that he can help Johnson learn from these mistakes?

So funny to see your management panicking mind. Such is their desperation not to lose this game.

We got the opportunity to sign a keeper who made a few Premier League appearances so its hardly a panic move so we don't lose tomorrow its a decision to benefit the team. Johnson is so laid back its unreal and that's cost us in pre season games so if we need to make that change to avoid dropping silly points in the league then its the right thing to do.

Johnson needs game time, hes not going to get in ahead of Neal over the season so i'd imagine this move will free us to loan him and Boot out to develop.

 

[JJ1532]

No LB in for this game. We really should have offered Grimshaw a deal. A cheap one year deal to offer backup to any future loanee LB would have been a sensible decision. Turton should be able to hold the fort for the time being and this is Baillie's big chance to make an impression at RB. Not ideal, but it shouldn't be the difference between a loss and a win here.

 

[valefan16]

We do have a hard-core of fans, always a minimum of 3000, even when we started sliding down league 2, I think the hard-core is now 4000 in this league, it can go up or down but not by much if we are treading water, though if somehow we started doing well the crowds would go up to 5-6000 in this league, not sure we can keep pulling nearly 7000 fans for a last day of the season decider as I think folk have had enough being in that position.
All the mudslinging aside, I think tomorrow’s outcome will be interesting, I think the level headed on both sides will not judge either team on one match, though if Vale easily beat us a lot of our fans will get onto Davies straight away, and if we emerge as winners yet again then I think Page will be getting it tight off sections of the Vale support. It's a game neither club need to start the season off if we are being honest, but it's a game for a lot of people neither team can afford to lose as it will rock the boat with some......

Very much agree, not the ideal first game really but certainly don't want to start with a loss (luckily we haven't for the last 11 years which is surely due to change) part of me expects a cagey don't lose encounter with both managers at some point hinting at a 3 centre back system (although I think we will go 4-4-1-1.

 

[valefan16]

No LB in for this game. We really should have offered Grimshaw a deal. A cheap one year deal to offer backup to any future loanee LB would have been a sensible decision. Turton should be able to hold the fort for the time being and this is Baillie's big chance to make an impression at RB. Not ideal, but it shouldn't be the difference between a loss and a win here.

Your right back should be well tested tomorrow assuming Kelly starts, he has looked outstanding in pre-season, moved between WBA and Norwich so plenty of potential but likely to leave us less exposed as wingers in previous seasons. Could be a key battleground on the outcome that.

 

[Brammer_£500000]

Very much agree, not the ideal first game really but certainly don't want to start with a loss (luckily we haven't for the last 11 years which is surely due to change) part of me expects a cagey don't lose encounter with both managers at some point hinting at a 3 centre back system (although I think we will go 4-4-1-1.

I think deep down both clubs and both sets of fans would take a draw, I know I would!

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Be Guthrie and not Turton at LB.

Think they should've played Johnson. Ben Garratt didn't look too arsed at Chester last week, wasn't at 100%, made a few good saves but we wouldn't dream of dropping him. I remember first two starts he had in 2013-14 he conceded back to back penalties but our persistence was eventually rewarded. Still I hope we really test Alnwick tomorrow rather than try to walk the ball into the net like the Crewe teams of old, and that's why I would fancy Cooper to start over Inman due to the obvious difference in finishing however Inman's pre-season form has been fantastic so expect him to start.

Haber, Nugent and Ray will be a handful from set plays tomorrow, as will Guthrie but really hope Guthrie doesn't get caught napping on the left side tomorrow. Can see it genuinely coming down to who can defend set pieces the best. With Uche having a 50p head and Haber being good in the air I'd fancy us. But we never win on opening day so a soft goal is going in our net from somewhere.

The midfield are a very unknown quantity too. We'll miss Grant's combative style when without the ball but I think we'll be a lot better with the ball in that area and that's what we desperately need. I think Crewe fans are foolish if they rate this defence and assume it'll improve because it genuinely won't and a change in manager is the only way we'll sort that wretched area out.

Byron to shy away once again when he gets booed, Grant to be sent off, Uche being as ineffective as ever and Ajay in George Ray's pocket when he comes on for a cameo will all be nice bonuses too!

 

[valefan16]

Uche ain't getting the ball in the air tomorrow... Generally all to feet now Bodins in charge

 

[markpvfc]

Byron to shy away once again when he gets booed, Grant to be sent off, Uche being as ineffective as ever and Ajay in George Ray's pocket when he comes on for a cameo will all be nice bonuses too!

I guess that'd leave Colin Daniel to score the goals then.

 

[JJ1532]

Be Guthrie and not Turton at LB.

Why exactly? Guthrie hasn't played a single minute at LB in pre-season. In fact, I think the last time he played at LB in a 4 man defence was away at Sheff U in the FA Cup last November. Ok, everything is last minute as they expected to have Holmes-Denis in by now, but it would contradict everything Davis has said and done so far in pre-season to stick Jon back out there, even for just this one game.

Why won't it be Turton? I want him to become the first Crewe player to have played in every outfield position by the time he leaves!

 

[Vale on Trent]

Be Guthrie and not Turton at LB.

Think they should've played Johnson. Ben Garratt didn't look too arsed at Chester last week, wasn't at 100%, made a few good saves but we wouldn't dream of dropping him. I remember first two starts he had in 2013-14 he conceded back to back penalties but our persistence was eventually rewarded. Still I hope we really test Alnwick tomorrow rather than try to walk the ball into the net like the Crewe teams of old, and that's why I would fancy Cooper to start over Inman due to the obvious difference in finishing however Inman's pre-season form has been fantastic so expect him to start.

Haber, Nugent and Ray will be a handful from set plays tomorrow, as will Guthrie but really hope Guthrie doesn't get caught napping on the left side tomorrow. Can see it genuinely coming down to who can defend set pieces the best. With Uche having a 50p head and Haber being good in the air I'd fancy us. But we never win on opening day so a soft goal is going in our net from somewhere.

The midfield are a very unknown quantity too. We'll miss Grant's combative style when without the ball but I think we'll be a lot better with the ball in that area and that's what we desperately need. I think Crewe fans are foolish if they rate this defence and assume it'll improve because it genuinely won't and a change in manager is the only way we'll sort that wretched area out.

Byron to shy away once again when he gets booed, Grant to be sent off, Uche being as ineffective as ever and Ajay in George Ray's pocket when he comes on for a cameo will all be nice bonuses too!

George Ray has and will never have any forward in his pocket.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

George Ray has and will never have any forward in his pocket.

See Tom Pope last season.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Why exactly? Guthrie hasn't played a single minute at LB in pre-season. In fact, I think the last time he played at LB in a 4 man defence was away at Sheff U in the FA Cup last November. Ok, everything is last minute as they expected to have Holmes-Denis in by now, but it would contradict everything Davis has said and done so far in pre-season to stick Jon back out there, even for just this one game.

Why won't it be Turton? I want him to become the first Crewe player to have played in every outfield position by the time he leaves!

Turton is our very own Stevie Nicol! But in all seriousness I think Turton playing LB at Chester last week was an experiment and he really struggled on that side. I think he wants Turton at RB so we have the extra option of Guthrie for height from set plays. It'll only be for the one game then THD will come in for PNE on Wednesday night. I always laugh how Vadaine had his best game in a Crewe shirt against Vale last season and we all know Davis wants a big line-up for these derbies to cope with Vale's aerial play!

We all know Davis loves a contradiction too. Be back to five at the back if we ship in a ton of goals in the first month!

 

[valefan16]

But this isn't Micky Adams and if you want to tackle our aerial play please do focus on it... This isn't a Vale side with Dinosaur coaching like Glover and Grew to be fair to Page (who needs a good start) he's signed his own players and more importantly back room and in pre season we've played some quality football with Bodin focusing on this. If we take that into tomorrow and the season as I expect we will without Pope leading the line then we will suprise any team worrying about us in the air.

I've said all along our best business is the wholesale changes in the coaching staff and with our strong point being the midfield it was suicide that we did often lump it from back to front and bypassed our best areas.

I was expecting a horror season in June but the signings as a whole and changes we've seen leave me very positive that we will do better than last season (which in fairness until mid March was in the main a solid one)

 

[valefan16]

See Tom Pope last season.

Yet gift us the goal when the shocking Jordan Slew had his pants down and he had to take him out

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Yet gift us the goal when the shocking Jordan Slew had his pants down and he had to take him out

Forgot about that we were that dominant! In fairness to George he's improved since then though, was shocking till Christmas then bucked his ideas up after a second sending off of the season at Oldham. Thankfully our weak link won't be playing tomorrow!

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

But this isn't Micky Adams and if you want to tackle our aerial play please do focus on it... This isn't a Vale side with Dinosaur coaching like Glover and Grew to be fair to Page (who needs a good start) he's signed his own players and more importantly back room and in pre season we've played some quality football with Bodin focusing on this. If we take that into tomorrow and the season as I expect we will without Pope leading the line then we will suprise any team worrying about us in the air.

I've said all along our best business is the wholesale changes in the coaching staff and with our strong point being the midfield it was suicide that we did often lump it from back to front and bypassed our best areas.

I was expecting a horror season in June but the signings as a whole and changes we've seen leave me very positive that we will do better than last season (which in fairness until mid March was in the main a solid one)

Stoke signing ex Barcelona and Real Madrid players and Vale playing attractive passing football? Next you'll be telling me The Potteries will be the European Capital of Culture!

Nah in all seriousness I rate Vale's centre midfield and I reckon they'll edge ours tomorrow as I think ours is a work in progress and I'm reserving judgment on the new lads, their defence looks capable with Inniss in it and I think we have the better forward line, else Messrs Ikpeazu and Leitch-Smith would be donning the Crewe red tomorrow! It'll be a very even game tomorrow hence why I've gone for the draw.

Grant will have a MOTM performance though I'm convinced, Davis said some very pleasant things about Grant this week which countered Baker's scandalous character assassination of him at the end of last season. Can understand now why we got rid of Grant but Baker was bang out of order for accusing Grant of not being value for money given at times he looked like he gave a shit more than the shrinking violets in our squad, many of them mollycoddled Academy players (not all, but some, including our "captain") plus Uche and Inman. Give Inman credit he's been up for it during pre-season and hopefully will maintain that form. It's long been said Grant was a bad influence on him at Crewe and time will tell if that rumour was true or not.

 

[valefan16]

I'd imagine Grant will be passed a copy of the Baker article in the dressing room and the digs that our ex Crewe contingent weren't good enough much in the way Macc Town did after Shane Tudor and Mark Grews comments in our first year in League Two... Well if Page has any sense anyway. Grant is exactly what we need and missed last year, he's a great signing for us because we missed that last season... And the season before Griff was out his depth in L1 (Swindon at home second half at 2-0 up still gives me mares as Griff set up their come back).

It's a tough game to call, both expected widely to struggle, Crewe have made a huge amount of signings but may find comfort in a gelled side whereas we've made huge changes with what's likely to be a new keeper, three new defenders (all be it two had short spells with us last year), three midfielders and one if not two strikers starting.

Whilst I feel we've improved since last season thus should survive comfortably against bookies predictions it's really hard to predict tomorrow... Will Crewe be extra up for it like recent meetings? Will we finally turn up to a Crewe game? Will we gel? Will Crewe defend as bad as last season? Will Uche perform?

It's certainly going to be interesting to see how it pans out!

 

[Fuzzyvalefan]

I'm hoping for a win and am confident we can get in but would take a draw. I shall be there (in the Crewe end, being very quiet!!!)

 

[leedsvaliant]

I felt ridiculously confident last season before crewe away but we were quite frankly embarrassing first half. At least we've got a few lads making debuts who should be bang up for it.
Crewe seem to have the hoodoo on us and made us look ineffective last season. I'll be shocked if the same happens so I'll go 1-0 vale.

 

[The Alex]

Got a free ticket for this and not sure if I'm even going to bother, huge game for Vale players and fans.

 

[Freakyteeth]

THE ALEX USED : SHIT BAIT

IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE!

 

[Vale on Trent]

One thing I'm confident of is that we won't outplay Crewe and we won't suddenly become a passing team.

 

[valefan16]

One thing I'm confident of is that we won't outplay Crewe and we won't suddenly become a passing team.

It's going to take time, I expect us to improve as the season goes on as we have a lot of new players to gel and a youngish side so I imagine we will do better after new year then before.

 

[Crewelad87]

Id guess we will line up

Garratt

Turton Ray Nugent Guthrie

King fox Bingham

Dalle Valle Haber Inman

Subs: Richards, Bailee, Ng, Atkinson, Cooper, Colclough, Saunders

Still worry massively about our defense but think we actually look pretty good in goalkeeper, midfield and attack.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Id guess we will line up

Garratt

Turton Ray Nugent Guthrie

King fox Bingham

Dalle Valle Haber Inman

Subs: Richards, Bailee, Ng, Atkinson, Cooper, Colclough, Saunders

Still worry massively about our defense but think we actually look pretty good in goalkeeper, midfield and attack.

Don't think King will start, think Davis will choose Atkinson for CM because of his experience in comparison. Apart from that spot on, not even our strongest line up out tomorrow so won't be too upset if we narrowly lose the game, long as we show we're capable of not rolling over like we used to do.

 

[The Alex]

Crewe 1 - 3 Fucking mongs

 

[valefan16]

Inniss on the bench... Only Page!