Resurgent Vale v rubbish again Notts

[Wooderson]

Rubbish in terms of results at least - we probably would have gained a point at the very least in our second-last outing at MK Dons before a terrible decision by the ref handed them a penalty and a man advantage with us 0-1 up on 60 mins. And we played very well for an hour against Swindon on Saturday before Kewell had a bit of tactical mare and put our most combative midfielder at RB.

So we aren’t actually playing that badly, despite losing 3 on the spin, and morale at the moment doesn’t seem to be *that* bad. We could really do with something here though, or ‘not getting the rub of the green’ will turn into a malaise.

The way Kewell was talking after Swindon, you might expect big changes, but I don’t really see what options we have that would substantially improve the team? Kristian Dennis might get a start, but in place of who? The Phoenix-like Stead, one of our better players so far? If we stick to 4-2-3-1 he doesn’t really work as part of the 3 I don’t think, so that only leaves the ‘1’ (Stead). And God help us if Matt Tootle is injured at RB.

I’ll go for an optimistic 1-1 draw.

 

[valefan16]

Everything set up for a Vale win here... in form, not conceding goals, injuries clearing up, the first midweek off in 5 weeks and only six defeats at home in 2018 4 of which were against top four sides and 1 a dead rubber....

Notts win then!

In all seriousness be a tough game but after facing a tough run and coming through it well we have now faced 9 of the top 10 and played none of the bottom four so with only Mansfield in the top half to play in 2018 and most of the struggling sides this could define the difference between top half, play off fringe or mid table.

Manny Oyeleke could return after a month which would be a massive massive boost, we'd not got a point without him until a fortnight ago and only lost once with him! If he is back hopefully we revert to 4-4-2 as won't need to be so cautious.

We've not conceding in six hours since the Lincoln shame, partly down to us being fairly negative but Aspin needs to be more attacking here, Notts County's defence has leaked goals galore so sitting back and giving them impetus would be stupid, need to attack them and look to hurt them. I'd like to see both Miller and Whitfield start with Pope in this.

Assume but may be wrong Kewell still plays from the back and pings it around the back four like his Crawley side did this season at ours?

We should be looking to win this but Vale are the gifters against teams struggling.

I'll go for 3-1 Pope x 2, Miller

 

[LongEatonPie]

Wouldn't say we ping it around the back 4. The defenders don't know how to play that way which is why there have been so many mistakes and goals shipped.

No, Kewell knows that we need to get it to the midfield quickly as soon as we look comfortable and the defence/holding midfield begin to play it around that's when there's a stray pass and a goal conceded.

We attack too but I get the impression HK wants to play just one up top away from home which generally means 5 midfielders getting in each others way.

We definitely can win here but that depends on how generous we feel at the other end.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

I predict a 2-0 defeat , sadly based on very little information, research and zero first hand exposure to either side this season.

Sad times

 

[Andy Proctor]

Notts county arnt rubbish I'd say they have better players than us and are in a false position in the league table. I can see it being a draw 1 1 but either side are more than capable of winning.

 

[valefan16]

Notts county arnt rubbish I'd say they have better players than us and are in a false position in the league table. I can see it being a draw 1 1 but either side are more than capable of winning.

Better players don’t always equate to a better team, strange one Notts but can be various factors, manager, wrong kind of characters, dis harmony for example. Not sure if or what the reason for their struggles are but sometimes it just doesn’t click i guess.

Either way they are struggling for a reason and it’s up to us to find that reason and try and take advantage of it if we want to get the three points and keep the good form going.

 

[Indian Dan]

Notts county arnt rubbish I'd say they have better players than us and are in a false position in the league table. I can see it being a draw 1 1 but either side are more than capable of winning.

They ran out of puff against us last Saturday. Keep them out for 60 minutes and then pop one in. Simples.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

 

[valefan16]

Vale and County to warm up in tops in support of Leicester City, good gesture that.

 

[Andy Proctor]

Better players don’t always equate to a better team, strange one Notts but can be various factors, manager, wrong kind of characters, dis harmony for example. Not sure if or what the reason for their struggles are but sometimes it just doesn’t click i guess.

Either way they are struggling for a reason and it’s up to us to find that reason and try and take advantage of it if we want to get the three points and keep the good form going.

They are struggling cos there crap in defence but we don't score many so that nulls that one out.

 

[valefan16]

They are struggling cos there crap in defence but we don't score many so that nulls that one out.

That’s why we must be more positive and if sticking with the 3-4-3 play both Miller and Whitfield.

 

[Andy Proctor]

Ha positive with a negative manager no chance

 

[valefan16]

Ha positive with a negative manager no chance

If we lose and play negative he will get rightly slaughtered. Can’t give County encouragement by sitting back and need to really give that defence a good examination by getting the ball into the Pontiff and getting Miller and Whitfield stretching it going forward.

I would go 4-4-2 personally. Conlon and Hannant in the midfield Whitfield and Worrall wide. Something like that.

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

If we win this we’d be dangerously close to looking towards the top ten.
I fancy an early notts goal and a huff and puff defeat, I really can’t see aspin playing any other way the the way we have been, which is ok to shore things up, in fact it was the best thing to after that battering, but if we have any aspirations of looking up we really should be having a go at home.
But we won’t.
Because we can’t, because we’re bog standard mediocrity.
2 nil notts 4300.

 

[valefan16]

If we win this we’d be dangerously close to looking towards the top ten.
I fancy an early notts goal and a huff and puff defeat, I really can’t see aspin playing any other way the the way we have been, which is ok to shore things up, in fact it was the best thing to after that battering, but if we have any aspirations of looking up we really should be having a go at home.
But we won’t.
Because we can’t, because we’re bog standard mediocrity.
2 nil notts 4300.

Was always going to be a case of rebuilding the damaged club though so surely average is ok? Solid defence in the main, some decent midfielders just need to build on that next season with wingers and scorers. 7 points better off that this stage last season so the progress is clear.

That said a win has to be the aim tomorrow after a good spell. Pointless battling like we have in the difficult run to not take advantage on a more kinder run in.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

We are where we are for a reason. We have won so few games for a reason but incredibly we are vastly improved from Nolan’s side earlier this season

 

[leedsvaliant]

It smacks of a poor and insipid home defeat. We love giving teams a leg up when in a poor run, especially when a win could set us up nicely. It seems that Notts are playing reasonably well without getting much luck, that's got to change some time. However, they do concede regularly, so there must be frailties that we need to exploit.

On paper they should have the players to do some damage and so it should click eventually. I'm not convinced by kewell though, I think he got lucky.

 

[valefan16]

We are an odd side to be honest. Six of our seven losses have come in two three games losing streaks. We let in six then do six hours without conceding (hopefully seven and a half tomorrow).

I just can’t weigh us up yet. In spells we look decent, others we look a mess. Generally depending on the fitness of a freebie from Aldershot although he is quality, finally figures a way in late October to get points without him.

Character wise and work ethic is second to none mind. In general though you think we’ve turned a corner then we will lose three and you can’t see where the next point will come from... then we go on a good run again!

 

[valefan16]

It smacks of a poor and insipid home defeat. We love giving teams a leg up when in a poor run, especially when a win could set us up nicely. It seems that Notts are playing reasonably well without getting much luck, that's got to change some time. However, they do concede regularly, so there must be frailties that we need to exploit.

On paper they should have the players to do some damage and so it should click eventually. I'm not convinced by kewell though, I think he got lucky.

Feels like it did before the Northampton game although we won that so hoping for the same again! Notts seem to shithouse it against us over the years at times too which makes me uneasy!

Kewell is an odd one as he plays totally different to the way County were last season when successful. Comes across as a bit of a plonker too. Still remember him saying how poor we were and one dimensional after beating his Crawley side 3-1 last season! Doesn’t seem to be one of giving any credit to the opponent.

 

[leedsvaliant]

I feel like we have achieved points through sheer hard work and effort rather than any real quality. We have to take our one or two chances per game, because if we fall behind we are screwed.

I'm hoping that now our defence has seemingly been sorted, that we can play a bit more expansively.

 

[valefan16]

I feel like we have achieved points through sheer hard work and effort rather than any real quality. We have to take our one or two chances per game, because if we fall behind we are screwed.

I'm hoping that now our defence has seemingly been sorted, that we can play a bit more expansively.

We’ve battled hard that’s for sure, phenomenal effort considering we’ve played ten games in 32 days or something stupid.

Defensively in the main I’ve been impressed, Legge is a monster and Rawlinson has been a very good signing, seems Vassell has something about him too now he’s broken into the side. Compared to last years it’s a million miles better, shame about the Lincoln debacle as that’s accounted for a third of our conceded goals!

Midfield is better, Tonge, Pugh rarely feature but it is very defensive minded, we seem to have a ford escort engine when Manny is injured but a Ferrari engine when he is fit!

Strikers still not how we need it though and the lack of goals is a concern. Pope is quality but again playing on one leg as we are desperately lost without him. Miller seems decent but isn’t scoring and makes the wrong choices at times. I said at the start our play off hopes would depend on Miller and Pope clicking and stand by that... they haven’t yet and hence mid table it is.

 

[valefan16]

Miller on the bench which is frustrating but we were much better with Whitfield second half last week.

 

[valefan16]

I’m a Leicestershire boy and have to say this is class by both Vale and Notts. Lot of my family are gutted this week but rivalry goes aside.

 

[valefan16]

Frustrating half for us that, switched off once and backed off and conceded but have been mostly on the front foot.

Notts County look awful bar Boldewijn who is carrying them so far in this. Only the referee knows why he blew up on Ben there when their lads slipped with him not close to touching him.

Everytime we get the ball in they look panicked we need to press this home second half.

Time wasting from County after 25 minutes! Would need to see their goal again to see if offside but he’s on the goal line when he puts it in!

 

[valefan16]

How didn’t we win that! And how did we nearly contrive to lose it! Take it but two dropped points.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Didn’t expect a point at Vale. Much needed

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

Was always going to be a case of rebuilding the damaged club though so surely average is ok? Solid defence in the main, some decent midfielders just need to build on that next season with wingers and scorers. 7 points better off that this stage last season so the progress is clear.

That said a win has to be the aim tomorrow after a good spell. Pointless battling like we have in the difficult run to not take advantage on a more kinder run in.

Yes, ok is good, we’re better than last year, and that’s fine for me.
Not for the morons on twitter,Facebook and ovf but the people who want aspin gone need to look at the bigger problems at our club, anyway the game.
Thought we played well, could’ve won, definitely didn’t deserve to lose, and it was entertaining!
How often do you say that?
Both teams club clocked that hitting the channels produced mistakes which gave opportunities, why we don’t do it more often amazes me.
Whitfield was superb today(why take him off?) miller is a pony and kewell is an absolute weapon.
We were in the boxes near to him, after the final whistle he was giving our groundsman a load of abuse, for what I don’t know, he certainly took a bit of stick from those around me for it.
Notts won’t go down, they don’t look as bad as us last year, but my word they aren’t great.

 

[jacobncfc]

Terrible game of football, 2-2 massively flattered it. Vale should’ve won but also were genuinely terrible in the final third so only really have themselves to blame. We should’ve won having gone ahead but our defence is a mess so we didn’t.

Whole thing was just flat. Crowd was flat, atmosphere was flat, game was flat.

Only thing I can remember worth mentioning is the ref booking Tootle for timewasting after about 15 minutes when he was waiting for Turley to tie his laces. Just add the time on you absolute div, he’s obviously not timewasting that early.

 

[valefan16]

Thought Notts were terrible myself, if Boldewijn gets injured based on that they will struggle to stay up. Hopefully those blasted Aspin for not blowing the budget on Dennis will get off his case now too!

9 times out of 10 we win that comfortably but it was one of those, guess it evens out the Bury win last week which we did well to get!

Still don’t know how Miller put that wide from four yards either!

Whitfield was good but tell you what Vassell looked superb today! Decent atmosphere in the Paddock second half.

 

[jacobncfc]

It made me laugh that we flashed a brilliant cross through the six yard approximately eight seconds after a substituting Dennis off, having not got the ball anywhere near there for the preceding hour.