Port Vale Vs Crewe Alexandra D road derby

[darren gregory]

Yes he was tiny but as I said he was coming away with the ball from more than one 50/50 challenge so fair play to a young player not looking out of place at all

 

[The Alex]

So considering the fact he’s probably better than 3 out of the 4 centre mids we played yesterday, it shows how wrong Artell got it. Never mind benching Kirk and Ainley, and even Dale. Was like Pulis was managing us yesterday.

 

[Jigsaw]

Not quite sure what Artell was thinking with his team selection. Combine the width of that pitch, our most creative outlet, and the presence of two 6+ foot strikers, why wouldn't you start Kirk and Ainley in a 4-4-2 and let them run at full-backs and feed both strikers?

Both strikers were very poor and didn't create anything or had anything to feed off thanks the shape of playing 4 center-mids across the midfield (diamond)? Yes, Olly Finney was poor, but so were Green and Jones - Wintle & Garrett were the only players who could walk away from that game knowing they put in a performance.

 

[TimeyWimey]

It is/was infuriating as there is clearly a good manager (/management pair with Lunt) there but they spend too long patting themselves on the back when they get something right, aka Mansfield. Not only did we set ourselves up for a 0-0, we were so slow to change it. It could have been 4-1 to Vale by the time any subs were made. It’s not even using hindsight, everyone in the away end knew we were crying out for pace and width. Ainley and Kirk should have been on at half time (with that donkey Taylor-Sinclair on the first train back to Scotland).

May not have changed the result but it may have stopped it being one of the worst performances of the season. I’m not going to blame the players too much (apart from Taylor-Sinclair, who can’t do the basics) because they were set up to have no chance.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

It is/was infuriating as there is clearly a good manager (/management pair with Lunt) there but they spend too long patting themselves on the back when they get something right, aka Mansfield. Not only did we set ourselves up for a 0-0, we were so slow to change it. It could have been 4-1 to Vale by the time any subs were made. It’s not even using hindsight, everyone in the away end knew we were crying out for pace and width. Ainley and Kirk should have been on at half time (with that donkey Taylor-Sinclair on the first train back to Scotland).

May not have changed the result but it may have stopped it being one of the worst performances of the season. I’m not going to blame the players too much (apart from Taylor-Sinclair, who can’t do the basics) because they were set up to have no chance.

Very harsh to really lay the boot into Taylor-Sinclair (who was poor as were most on Saturday) in my eyes, who didn't have a natural winger down his flank to help him out when making runs. Was one of our better players against Cheltenham last week in a game where the likes of Kirk, Ainley, Porter, Bowery and Ray all had stinkers.

However, I'd like a fullback more in the Greg Leigh mould for next season. We're crying out for pace out wide but I have a horrendous feeling Artell is gonna neglect it once again.

 

[jbet]

It always seems to be Crewe's poorest performance of the season when we beat them. How peculiar.

 

[Jigsaw]

Colchester Away was the poorest performance, but Vale away was a close second! Tell me jbet is it a derby or a rivalry?

 

[valefan16]

Colchester Away was the poorest performance, but Vale away was a close second! Tell me jbet is it a derby or a rivalry?

Depends, a derby means its local suggesting a rivalry is more than that...

If you compare the atmopshere and the hatred even against Sjokes under 21's (mainly from the lardies) then its a different level, always feels the Crewe game is more of a circus with loads of posturing from Artell, Adams, Gradi whoever is in place.

 

[jbet]

Colchester Away was the poorest performance, but Vale away was a close second! Tell me jbet is it a derby or a rivalry?

I grew up on the Staffs/Derbyshire border so Crewe has never meant much to me personally given there were zero Crewe fans at my school and I've never worked with any either. I'm guessing it means more to those who live on the Staffs/Cheshire border. I get annoyed by Crewe because they've always had a superiority complex even though we are a bigger club. But when Crewe's fans are setting off flairs and trying to storm the pitch I just laugh, whereas if that was Stoke I would be foaming at the mouth with rage.

Can't deny it's a rivalry given we always pick up plenty more home fans compared to a normal match, but for me personally it doesn't mean that much.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Colchester Away was the poorest performance, but Vale away was a close second! Tell me jbet is it a derby or a rivalry?

I seem to remember Vale fans getting all salty when Crewe fans said they were shit at the home game and likely to struggle this season, rather than harp on about their wonderful performance and imminent promotion. Just a very insecure bunch tbh tbf.

 

[Valeite]

Crewe were poor on Saturday and must be greatful that they had a purple patch Jan/Feb, otherwise they would be down with the likes of Yeovil who are the only team to play worse than the Alex did at Vale Park this season apart from ourselves at times.

 

[valefan16]

Crewe were poor on Saturday and must be greatful that they had a purple patch Jan/Feb, otherwise they would be down with the likes of Yeovil who are the only team to play worse than the Alex did at Vale Park this season apart from ourselves at times.

To be fair to the Alex I guess that’s what you get with a lot of young lads in terms of inconsistency, not many teams can win and lose 6-0 in a fortnight or whatever it was!

Credit them for chucking them in and they’ve added some experience compared to previous sides.

That said our strongest area is the defence which had an average age of 21 at the weekend. Difference an experienced keeper adds though!

Behind the posturing and claims of being better than league positions the harsh facts remain that both clubs are currently failing in being so low in the pyramid and should be doing better. The fact we’ve had two seasons of basically seeing who is more shitter than theyve been for decades than the other rather sums up the thing and in that I sort of get what Artell was trying to waffle on about post game.

 

[The Alex]

A lot of Crewe fans seem to be content with our position though, traditionally we’re a 4th division club and our budget shows that, but the majority of us expect far better.

I do agree though, no reason why Crewe and Vale shouldn’t be in league 1 if Shrewsbury and Walsall are there. Could be worse mind you.