Peterborough v Port Vale (The Chairman's Love In)

[leedsvaliant]

As Norman Smurthwaite seems to idolise Darragh MacAnthony and believes that Peterborough are the benchmark for how we should be run, then it will be interesting to see how we fare this weekend.

Despite a very poor performance on Saturday, we've had a decent start to the season and we would have happily taken 7th place after 6 games. We are all hoping that Bury was just a blip and the fact that the pitch was like a swimming pool will not have helped the way we play. The fear is that we will do similar to last year, i.e. be excellent at home when we can dictate the play but be very poor away when we have to scrap a bit more and play ugly to grind out results.

Saturday was the first time that 'strong-armed' tactics have worked against us this season. A few teams have tried it, assuming that some of our foreign lads won't fancy a scrap, and gone home with their tail between their legs. Bruno admitted mistakes on Saturday and we were very lightweight in midfield without Tavares and Grant (which is basically how the goals came about) - we hope that they will both be back on Saturday.

I don't know what to make of Peterborough this year. They are usually there or thereabouts but last year were a very poor outfit. They appear to have improved over the summer and still have a couple of really talented young players such as Maddison. They've had a reasonable start with some excellent wins, coupled with a couple of poor losses (quite similar to ourselves really).

We need to be bang on it from the start (we tend to start games really slowly, same as last year). Go a goal up and I'm confident of a result but it's when we go a goal down - some seem to let their heads drop and we never really believe we can get back into it.

I suspect we'll lose 2-1 but then make up for it with a couple of wins in our following games.

 

[valefan16]

Toughy, gutted to miss this last season when we had the miracle come back late on from 2-0 down to win it.

Saw Posh on TV on Saturday and certainly look beatable but we cant be as poor as Saturday, that said with Grant and Tavares back we should be much tougher to break down.

Fancy us for a solid 1-1 draw with Jerome Thomas firing home for us.

 

[Indian Dan]

Played you both already. Vale looked half decent, Posh were pants.

3 points to Vale.

 

[markpvfc]

Expect this to be a really tough game, hopefully Grant will be fit for this one.

 

[The Hand of Dom]

Good lord, if you have a problem with starting slow as well then this first half is going to be horrendous.

McCann is starting to be very ruthless. Played a centre midfielder at right back ahead of Ricardo Santos against Swindon and told Shaq Coulthirst he isn't wanted and is even behind a 17 year old for a first team place. I like the ruthlessness.

Hopefully the team is ruthless as well. 3-1 Posh.

 

[leedsvaliant]

You're a confident bunch aren't you? Even if Vale are in the best form for 20 years, I'd still predict a narrow victory or even a defeat! Some on your forum are predicting 3-0 or 5-1 - as we know, these scorelines are very rarely the reality.

I suspect other teams fans have bought into the idea that we are 'relegation favourites' and 'cash strapped' and so look on this as an easy win. After last week, I suspect we'll come out fighting.

Don't get me wrong, we could get another spanking, but it makes me laugh how people see us as cannon fodder. We're actually a top 10 standard team in this league and have rarely threatened the bottom since we were promoted back 3 years ago.

 

[valefan16]

You're a confident bunch aren't you? Even if Vale are in the best form for 20 years, I'd still predict a narrow victory or even a defeat! Some on your forum are predicting 3-0 or 5-1 - as we know, these scorelines are very rarely the reality.

I suspect other teams fans have bought into the idea that we are 'relegation favourites' and 'cash strapped' and so look on this as an easy win. After last week, I suspect we'll come out fighting.

Don't get me wrong, we could get another spanking, but it makes me laugh how people see us as cannon fodder. We're actually a top 10 standard team in this league and have rarely threatened the bottom since we were promoted back 3 years ago.

To be fair excluding playing in a monster puddle last week our defence has been solid and with Grant to protect it I would expect/hope we are back to keeping it very tight and giving very little away. If Posh score 3 I will be very disappointed but you never know with Vale over the years.

I don't mind us being seen as cannon fodder as we've enjoyed proving people wrong over the past few years but to be fair to the Posh forum if we play them at VP our forum expects a Vale win.

 

[Jamie_Posh]

You're a confident bunch aren't you? Even if Vale are in the best form for 20 years, I'd still predict a narrow victory or even a defeat! Some on your forum are predicting 3-0 or 5-1 - as we know, these scorelines are very rarely the reality.

Not all of us, I predict a boring 0-0 or a scrappy 1-0 to either side. I suspect you looked on the official posh forum - bit deluded some on there and not that active. LondonRoad.net is a larger forum and will probably have a wider range of predictions.

 

[The Hand of Dom]

You're a confident bunch aren't you? Even if Vale are in the best form for 20 years, I'd still predict a narrow victory or even a defeat! Some on your forum are predicting 3-0 or 5-1 - as we know, these scorelines are very rarely the reality.

I suspect other teams fans have bought into the idea that we are 'relegation favourites' and 'cash strapped' and so look on this as an easy win. After last week, I suspect we'll come out fighting.

Don't get me wrong, we could get another spanking, but it makes me laugh how people see us as cannon fodder. We're actually a top 10 standard team in this league and have rarely threatened the bottom since we were promoted back 3 years ago.

I said nothing about you being cannon fodder.

We're at home, I don't care who we play in this league, if we're at home I expect us to win. It doesn't work that way, of course, but home should be a place teams fear to come. I know McCann is trying to get that back.

I don't think 3-1 is a ridiculous predicted score line. Everyone and their dog knows we like to attack. I think with the attacking quality we have for this league, we can score goals and hopefully this can happen.

Don't look deep in to things for something that isn't there, would be my advice.

 

[Buxton Vale]

Hard to call this one as both teams have had mixed form in the few games played so far. If our defence gets back to the pre-Bury standard, then we could come away with at least a point.

I'll go for a positive attitude and a 1-1 with Forrester or Jones scoring.

 

[MJA]

Not sure whether it is just last weekend knocking my confidence a bit but I really don't see us returning with anything from this one.

Hoping that with a stronger midfield with Grant protecting the back line we are not quite as generous as at Bury but my prediction is a 2-0 win for the 'boro.

Prove me wrong please Vale

 

[Monkey]

I can see a good old fashioned 0-0 on this one. I'd take that.

 

[valefan16]

Rumoured it might rain. 17-0 Posh!

 

[MJA]

Just when I was going to moan that Vale were ruining one of my bets, Peterborough got a quick equaliser.

Interesting start to say the least

 

[valefan16]

Just when I was going to moan that Vale were ruining one of my bets, Peterborough got a quick equaliser.

Interesting start to say the least

Poor to switch off after making the breakthrough to be honest! Sounds like we could of gone back in front straight away though!

 

[MJA]

Sounds like 2 teams who are wanting to have a go at each other so this could be a high scoring game

 

[kieran_vale]

Sounds like it's pretty entertaining. Struggling to listen to Ray Williams for any decent length of time have to admit though. Radio Stoke really need to bring back Mumbling Mick for Vale games.

 

[MJA]

I refuse to listen to Radio Stoke. It was always shit but Williams has managed to take it to new depths of awfulness - the bloke is a complete nob

 

[valefan16]

Sounds like a solid half from us. Goal disallowed and had a couple of chances. Two goals better off than at half time last season I guess!

 

[ColB]

Decent game of football between two good footballing sides. Next to nothing in it.

 

[MJA]

Decent game of football between two good footballing sides. Next to nothing in it.

You there ColB?

 

[ColB]

You there ColB?

No mate, just quoting what my brother is texting me from the game haha. Should have mentioned that really!

 

[MJA]

That's close enough mate. I just prefer the perspective from people at the game from the idiots reporting on it on the radio if you see what I mean?

If markpvfc is who I think he may be, I suspect he will be at the game so he will be a definite who can give us an actual true insight into the match

 

[Monkey]

Oh bollox!

 

[valefan16]

Very disappointing.

 

[MJA]

Bruno Out

Smurf Out

 

[MJA]

Bruno Out

Smurf Out

I love Bruno

I love Smurf

 

[MJA]

Forget all of these continental signings, Alex Jones is proving to be our best signing of the summer

 

[valefan16]

Get in!!! Upset my kids and dogs going nuts then!!! All of a sudden no shirt on and probably the old bill en route thinking we've had a domestic!

Super Alex Jones!

 

[kieran_vale]

Will leave it for others who were at the game to say how well we played and whether we deserved it or not.

Either way am delighted with the attitude the team has shown today, at least compared to last week. Point is more than decent.