Port Vale vs MK Dons

[MK_Allwood]

Port Vale come into this match on the back of six straight defeats. MK Dons have won their last four games.

Set up for a 2-0 Port Vale win.

 

[BetterCallSaul]

Need to win to keep it going 3-1 Dons

 

[MK_Allwood]

Need to win to keep it going 3-1 Dons

With Preston playing the league leaders this is a great oppurntunity to close the gap. Nothing but a win will keep us in contention.

 

[BetterCallSaul]

Won't matter if Preston win though. Just praying and hoping City at least draw.

 

[MK_Allwood]

Won't matter if Preston win though. Just praying and hoping City at least draw.

It's all ifs and buts. We can only do our job and we will see where it gets us.

 

[valefan16]

8-0 MK

 

[BetterCallSaul]

8-0 MK

I'll talk this

 

[Scumarmy.]

I'm going to do the thing where we pretend we are really worried about this game because it would be 'typical' of *insert club* to lose to *insert club* because the first is in great and the latter in bad form.

We're going to lose this because it would be typical Dons to bottle it and lose to some shit team like Vale:

Port Vale 2-1 Milton Keynes Dons

 

[Bacchus]

Result for this is academic if Preston win against City. Hopefully though we should continue our good form for a 2-1 or 2-0 result. Would like to see Grigg continue pushing on for 20 goals, although perhaps wouldn't if it pushes his price tag higher and beyond our price range in the summer.

 

[valefan16]

I can only see over the next six days us giving MK 3 points and then giving PNE 3 points thus keeping the same treatment

 

[Steven Simcock]

1-3 MK and Vale slip closer to the trap door

 

[Dave-Vale]

We won't score and MK will.

 

[Scumarmy.]

Well the hope of automatic promotion is either going to be very much back on today with us 2 or 3 points behind Preston North End with a better GD or it will be all over.

We just need to win and hope. It's going to be MASSIVEly emotional.

4-2-3-1 as usual:

Martin

Walsh
Kay
McFadzean
Hodson

Alli
Potter (C)

Powell
Carruthers
Bowditch

Grigg

Subs: Burns (GK), Spence, L. Baker, Green, Hall, Hitchcock.

C. Baker and Reeves are out injured as we already knew, but a bit of a blow is that Lewington also misses out through an injury picked up in training yesterday which means Walsh comes in at LB and Potter captains. Other changes are Bowditch in for L. Baker and Powell in for Hall.
On another note, we only have 6 substitutes (Cole left out) because you are only allowed 5 loanees in the matchday squad...sounds like Lewington being left out was a very late decision because Flanagan or Randall could have come in otherwise.

We are just a team of loanees though...

Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur)
Lewis Baker (Chelsea)
Devante Cole (Manchester City)
Will Grigg (Brentford)
Rob Hall (Bolton Wanderers)
Keith Andrews (Bolton Wanderers)
Joe Walsh (Crawley Town)

 

[BetterCallSaul]

I'm very nervous

 

[valefan16]

Sounds positive, should be playing ten men apparently after Willo was taken out clean through?!

 

[Bacchus]

We are just a team of loanees though...

Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur)
Lewis Baker (Chelsea)
Devante Cole (Manchester City)
Will Grigg (Brentford)
Rob Hall (Bolton Wanderers)
Keith Andrews (Bolton Wanderers)
Joe Walsh (Crawley Town)

To be fair though Walsh, Andrews (in a coaching role) and possibly Grigg if we can afford the fee are all going to become permanent signings in the summer.

 

[Scumarmy.]

Right so we have just been battered by Port Vale and managed one rubbish shot in 98 minutes after being on a high scoring, 4 game winning streak...send the club back to fucking Wimbledon. Bottlejobs.

 

[valefan16]

Good and unexpected point but sounds like two dropped on the day. Ends the run and to not allow them a shot for 86 minutes (after not being caused any problems by Rochdale until the 96th minute gives me hope we can get out of this. 4 games to go and only 1 against a top side, onto a massive game at Scunny. A win there would really go a long way to staying up.

 

[The Alex]

Good and unexpected point but sounds like two dropped on the day. Ends the run and to not allow them a shot for 86 minutes (after not being caused any problems by Rochdale until the 96th minute gives me hope we can get out of this. 4 games to go and only 1 against a top side, onto a massive game at Scunny. A win there would really go a long way to staying up.

But I thought you were the shittest team in the world and everyone should lump their savings on Vale to go down?

 

[valefan16]

But I thought you were the shittest team in the world and everyone should lump their savings on Vale to go down?

We still probably will, to barely conceded a shot in two games and pick up 1 point doesn't bode that well but we've got hope at least!

 

[Destruction]

Cheers Vale.

Just don't do this on Friday.

 

[MK_Allwood]

Disappointing day all round really.
From our point of view this was a great opportunity to close the gap on Preston with them drawing but we weren't at the races today. Bowditch was poor all game and we seemed to lack any impetus to put a good move together or get the ball into feet in and around the box. Kay was lucky to stay on the pitch after fouling the last man. Positives were few and far between but Walsh looked solid and Hall again looked promising down the wing.

I was impressed with Port Vale today and were unlucky not to take all three points. For a team losing six on the bounce coming in to this afternoon they attacked with confidence committed men forward. They would of win the game if Hodson didn't pull off a goal line clearance with almost the last kick of the game. Play like that in your last few games you will stay up no problem.

Poor turn-out from both teams support wise and it looks like the play-offs loom yet again for MK Dons.

 

[Bacchus]

I think we have to start thinking tactically now about the playoffs, lets dodge the Chesterfield bullet and let Swindon through for third place, rest the key players for the playoffs and throw a couple of games.

Hitchcock, Flanagan, Burns, Randall, Rasulo and even Tshimanga rotated into the squad for the remainder of the season please. Rest Alli for as much of the remainder as possible.

 

[MK_Allwood]

I think we have to start thinking tactically now about the playoffs, lets dodge the Chesterfield bullet and let Swindon through for third place, rest the key players for the playoffs and throw a couple of games.

Hitchcock, Flanagan, Burns, Randall, Rasulo and even Tshimanga rotated into the squad for the remainder of the season please. Rest Alli for as much of the remainder as possible.

Maybe rest them for the last game of the season, not sure about leaving them out for five games. I think we need to seal third as even though we have a better record against Sheffield United than Chesterfield, I would prefer to play Chesterfield as they are the lesser quality team than Sheffield United. I would rather meet Swindon in the final than Sheffield United as well.

 

[Bacchus]

Maybe rest them for the last game of the season, not sure about leaving them out for five games. I think we need to seal third as even though we have a better record against Sheffield United than Chesterfield, I would prefer to play Chesterfield as they are the lesser quality team than Sheffield United. I would rather meet Swindon in the final than Sheffield United as well.

I can see where you're coming from, but I think Chesterfield had us figured much better and will have even more to play for knowing they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Sheffield United we had figured and the pressure will really be on the them as they're almost 'expected' to do well and go up by their fans and even quite a lot of neutrals. As long as we don't concede the home advantage I think it's our best chance to play United then hope Swindon can knock Chesterfield out in the semis. Chesterfield are starting to feel a lot like Yeovil in 2013, we really don't want to face them once they have belief they can go up.

 

[MK_Allwood]

I can see where you're coming from, but I think Chesterfield had us figured much better and will have even more to play for knowing they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Sheffield United we had figured and the pressure will really be on the them as they're almost 'expected' to do well and go up by their fans and even quite a lot of neutrals. As long as we don't concede the home advantage I think it's our best chance to play United then hope Swindon can knock Chesterfield out in the semis. Chesterfield are starting to feel a lot like Yeovil in 2013, we really don't want to face them once they have belief they can go up.

I agree that Sheffield United have a lot of pressure and Chesterfield have none. Whoever we get it isn't going to be easy but in the play-offs any result is possible and no-one has a divine right to win however well you do in the main season. All I can guarantee is we never make it easy so there will be drama!

I'm also looking forward to us getting slated for taking 400 to Chesterfield when they bring 3k to us.

 

[BetterCallSaul]

Well, that would be terrible

 

[Scumarmy.]

I agree that Sheffield United have a lot of pressure and Chesterfield have none. Whoever we get it isn't going to be easy but in the play-offs any result is possible and no-one has a divine right to win however well you do in the main season. All I can guarantee is we never make it easy so there will be drama!

I'm also looking forward to us getting slated for taking 400 to Chesterfield when they bring 3k to us.

There is not a lot of pressure on us to win the play-offs either really considering that our budget is smaller than Scunthorpe United's.

Stop being so melodramatic about the crowds too, we will take at least 500.

 

[markpvfc]

I think I was one of the only Vale fans not screaming for a red card as although he was the last man it didn't look like a clear goal scoring chance. Neither team looked like scoring in a month of Sundays but Vale at least had some attempts that we wasted, Dodds, Williamson and Campion all should've done better with efforts they blazed over.

 

[Scumarmy.]

We still probably will, to barely conceded a shot in two games and pick up 1 point doesn't bode that well but we've got hope at least!

Happy birthday fella, it was good of us to let you have a point to celebrate over wasn't it?