Sat 2 March fixtures

[Tangerine_tart]

The fact Jordan Rhodes & Chris Martin have dropped a level and tore up this league suggests the quality is pretty dire. Even Dwight Gayle is off the mark.

They'd struggle to muster 10 between them in the Championship.

Hopefully Rhodes can tore the league again after being injured for 2 months. We need all the help we can get.

 

[SF_]

Hopefully Rhodes can tore the league again after being injured for 2 months. We need all the help we can get.

You lot just seem to follow up a good result with a shit result without fail.

 

[E10rifle]

Was watching the Orient Live feed and even they said nothing about that

I didn’t see it like that either. Just Drysdale being Drysdale i.e. an inconsistent prima donna prick who wants to qualify for the ‘Most Flamboyant Card Flourish’ at the Ref Olympics.

As for the game it was one of those frustrating ones. Gas scored from a cross that floated all the way in and then just defended their 18 yard box. Our kids huffed and puffed but didn’t really create much. Draw would have been a fairer result but the way everything went we wouldn’t have scored if we’d have played to midnight. Classic smash and grab, but overall representative of our unreadiness for the playoffs this season.

 

[Tangerine_tart]

You lot just seem to follow up a good result with a shit result without fail.

We will beat Portsmouth and get spanked by Northampton the game after. Like clockwork.

 

[folletto]

Beyond belief how bad the error was for the Northampton goal. We’ve had far too many individual errors this season but this one really tops the lot. https://x.com/cafc_me10/status/1764007470874116173?s=46

 

[dannylad01]

Blackpool didn't have to play well to win comfortably at Shrewsbury. Took their 2 chances, we wouldn't have scored if we were still there now. The Blackpool keeper had nothing to do all game.

Having seen an upturn in performances under Hurst, the last 2 games have been dire. The 12 points to 50 seem a long way off after the last 2 games.

 

[Tangerine_tart]

Beyond belief how bad the error was for the Northampton goal. We’ve had far too many individual errors this season but this one really tops the lot. https://x.com/cafc_me10/status/1764007470874116173?s=46

LoL , We've had a few shockers ourselves. Seems common place in this league. Gifting goals week in and out.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Us and Derby are Shite, Portsmouth are bang average........Championship have nothing to worry about next season

You'll all need to spend some serious dollar to avoid coming straight back down. Honestly, Derby were there for the taking by a half competent team today....we're just a bunch of dossers and youth players. Portsmouth were pretty solid if unspectacular the other week, just looked very solid. You were great first half at our place, probably the best team we've played all season....second half you weren't very good.

Let's put it this way, towards the end of September we were top of this league for about 20 minutes. This team we have now would get spanked by our promotion team. I've been watching Vale for nearly 35 years and this is certainly in the top 5 worst squads we have had (not quite as bad as 2017, where we amazingly amassed 49 points!)

I think that will be the big regret for those relegated this year. We'll never have a better chance of staying in a league after an awful season than this one because of the standard.

I know a couple of Derby fans....they said that they've been awful this season, yet they're going to run close to automatic promotion. Stevenage, who have been pretty dreadful in the 4 times we have played them this season, are in the playoffs! They play with the tactics of a non league team!

Basically, whoever goes up has been the most consistent in getting results, which is a huge part of getting promoted but let's not pretend it's been a festival of world class football.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Blackpool didn't have to play well to win comfortably at Shrewsbury. Took their 2 chances, we wouldn't have scored if we were still there now. The Blackpool keeper had nothing to do all game.

Having seen an upturn in performances under Hurst, the last 2 games have been dire. The 12 points to 50 seem a long way off after the last 2 games.

At least you've seen some seeds of change with a new manager. I think we've got worse with Moore!

If you don't beat us next week, you genuinely deserve to go down. It's not just the lack of quality, it's the lack of doing even the basics right. We also have zero character or heart in that team. We started the game today with no striker on the pitch and a 17 year old at full back, and then our only striker (who was on the bench) came on but is also 17. The incompetence of our recruitment policy is embarrassing. At least you have Udoh and Bowman who you can rely on for a few goals before the end of the season.

 

[masi51]

You'll all need to spend some serious dollar to avoid coming straight back down. Honestly, Derby were there for the taking by a half competent team today....we're just a bunch of dossers and youth players. Portsmouth were pretty solid if unspectacular the other week, just looked very solid. You were great first half at our place, probably the best team we've played all season....second half you weren't very good.

Let's put it this way, towards the end of September we were top of this league for about 20 minutes. This team we have now would get spanked by our promotion team. I've been watching Vale for nearly 35 years and this is certainly in the top 5 worst squads we have had (not quite as bad as 2017, where we amazingly amassed 49 points!)

I think that will be the big regret for those relegated this year. We'll never have a better chance of staying in a league after an awful season than this one because of the standard.

I know a couple of Derby fans....they said that they've been awful this season, yet they're going to run close to automatic promotion. Stevenage, who have been pretty dreadful in the 4 times we have played them this season, are in the playoffs! They play with the tactics of a non league team!

Basically, whoever goes up has been the most consistent in getting results, which is a huge part of getting promoted but let's not pretend it's been a festival of world class football.

I dont believe there is a lot wrong with our best eleven in this league......I would fancy us staying in the championship with another Manager. Our problem is we play Evatts way and dont deviate, its been great in the bottom two leagues but you cannot walk out of defence ten yards like we do against league one teams in the Championship.
I think we have gone as far as we can under Evatt if we get promoted as we would get some hammerings in the championship playing our way.
If we stay down i fancy us to destroy this league next season as i think we are still growing as a team.

That growth would only happen in league one

 

[Gassy]

I didn’t see it like that either. Just Drysdale being Drysdale i.e. an inconsistent prima donna prick who wants to qualify for the ‘Most Flamboyant Card Flourish’ at the Ref Olympics.

As for the game it was one of those frustrating ones. Gas scored from a cross that floated all the way in and then just defended their 18 yard box. Our kids huffed and puffed but didn’t really create much. Draw would have been a fairer result but the way everything went we wouldn’t have scored if we’d have played to midnight. Classic smash and grab, but overall representative of our unreadiness for the playoffs this season.

no idea on the red either, Lino on our side was the one that gave/called it. Have to say, it felt so good winning against Beckles. That bloke is a disgrace, how the ref never spotted it I’ll never know, but he could have had about 7 yellow cards. Conteh had his shirt literally ripped in half and had to get it changed and he still gave nothing.

Agree with you summary though. I thought defensively we were excellent. The only time I was concerned was the last minute wonder save, which somehow the ref has given a GK, otherwise I thought our positional play and fight was excellent.

Apart from the first 5/10 mins I thought we looked the better/more dangerous team in the first half, and after our goal you looked all over the place. I was disappointed how little we offered 2nd half, but ultimately it was enough.

Orient reminded me of a classic play off chasing team with good momentum and togetherness. Clearly they don’t have the players with the skill set of the play offs, but their working together will get them over the line in most games.

Overall good game, good atmosphere and a 10/10 fish and chips from Chris’s fish bar

 

[codaplenty]

Magnificent performance from Fleetwood, a highly entertaining game in which Wigan contributed substantially.
Excellent contributions all over the pitch,
Bosan Lawal a gem of of a player, Jayden Stockley, plagued by injuries but now back in top form. As good as he was up front, his defending at the back was top drawer. Captain Wiredu never stopped running and was immense all over the pitch. Patterson, a constant thorn in Wigan's side supplying endless crosses
I think we just might run out of games but make no mistake Charlie Adam has turned this team round and we will fight to the bitter end
All you teams above us, you should start looking over your shoulder, but not too much......

 

[Luke Imp]

Said before the game that Stevenage would play for a point, they didn't want us closing the gap on them and that's how the game panned out. They did make a quadruple sub with 15 minutes to go to try and nick it but it didn't do anything.

A fairly broken game, no real flow with defences on top. A 0-0 about right really. That's 10 unbeaten with 7 clean sheets and only 3 conceded in that time.

Missing McGrandles today who's another one off to see a specialist next week.

 

[Mansfield_Ram]

Agree with allot of what’s been said. This league is terrible. Derby being second is surreal and we don’t need to get out of second gear - but then I question whether we even have a gear that’s higher anyway.

Best game we’ve played this season is Oxford away where we came from 2-0 down to win 3-2. We controlled the ball and the game BUT we didn’t threaten a huge amount.

This is only our second season in league - and last year we played some dross - morecombe and Forest green being particular highlights but you had three good league 1 teams - one who is now challenging for autos/play offs in champs. I’m therefore never sure whether we are just not used to league 1 and this is normal - or this year is a special kind of shit.

 

[valefan16]

Seeing the quality an injury riddled mid table Middlesbrough had against us in the cup and not one L1 side we’ve placed has come even close. Huge investment required and the gap seems to be getting bigger with the money in that level.

People will look at Ipswich for eg but they threw huge money at it last season.

It’s more even this year. No Crewe or FGR as such, all be it post Jan Vale probably runs them close!

 

[valefan16]

At least you've seen some seeds of change with a new manager. I think we've got worse with Moore!

If you don't beat us next week, you genuinely deserve to go down. It's not just the lack of quality, it's the lack of doing even the basics right. We also have zero character or heart in that team. We started the game today with no striker on the pitch and a 17 year old at full back, and then our only striker (who was on the bench) came on but is also 17. The incompetence of our recruitment policy is embarrassing. At least you have Udoh and Bowman who you can rely on for a few goals before the end of the season.

That’s the thing at the moment, I can take is losing, even 3-0 like today but it’s the manner that’s bothering us fans, it’s feeble and weak. Yes we’ve big injuries and are again reliant on youth players who aren’t ready, yes we didn’t have a fit striker but at least battle and fight, a working class club like Vale that’s the minimum expectation. It’s embarrassing at the moment and the gallows humour today said it all. The away end was in great voice and got behind them but in the end it was songs about getting battered everywhere we go, losing every week and a league two tour!

All you can do at the minute really. Cowards. Ojo seems to have really dialled it in as well.

Flitcroft has failed, we spend good money on having him and a recruitment team and they’ve fell well below minimum expectations. No striker or wing back in January was criminal.

See Tom Pope is raging about it all on twitter and it’s hard to disagree with anything he says, Moore should be digging the lads out after today but isn’t.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Agree with allot of what’s been said. This league is terrible. Derby being second is surreal and we don’t need to get out of second gear - but then I question whether we even have a gear that’s higher anyway.

Best game we’ve played this season is Oxford away where we came from 2-0 down to win 3-2. We controlled the ball and the game BUT we didn’t threaten a huge amount.

This is only our second season in league - and last year we played some dross - morecombe and Forest green being particular highlights but you had three good league 1 teams - one who is now challenging for autos/play offs in champs. I’m therefore never sure whether we are just not used to league 1 and this is normal - or this year is a special kind of shit.

Felt like it was better last time we were here. It's nowhere near the early 90s, when there were some real quality teams at this level. Some of the footballers I've seen this year are dreadful....I think below the Premier League the standard has slipped massively. Stoke have been god awful in the league above and are still in with a chance of being safe.

There's so many basic errors made, even among the top teams. Genuinely, the only times I've felt that the team we were playing was way better than us is Bolton for one half, Barnsley for one half and Leyton Orient for one half! The difficulty is, such is the wage demands of players these days, that even those with a bigger budget can only sign bang average.

Even last season, only Ipswich looked a level above. Wednesday were dire both times we played them....they beat us by a speculative shot in the first game and scored with 2 of their only attacks in the second game. We beat Plymouth at their place, comfortably, and lost when we had already packed up for the beach on the final day.

A reflection on this league is that we were nearly top of it after 2 months of the season, and we're genuinely as bad as FGR were last season. That says everything you need to know.

 

[valefan16]

Felt like it was better last time we were here. It's nowhere near the early 90s, when there were some real quality teams at this level. Some of the footballers I've seen this year are dreadful....I think below the Premier League the standard has slipped massively. Stoke have been god awful in the league above and are still in with a chance of being safe.

There's so many basic errors made, even among the top teams. Genuinely, the only times I've felt that the team we were playing was way better than us is Bolton for one half, Barnsley for one half and Leyton Orient for one half! The difficulty is, such is the wage demands of players these days, that even those with a bigger budget can only sign bang average.

Even last season, only Ipswich looked a level above. Wednesday were dire both times we played them....they beat us by a speculative shot in the first game and scored with 2 of their only attacks in the second game. We beat Plymouth at their place, comfortably, and lost when we had already packed up for the beach on the final day.

A reflection on this league is that we were nearly top of it after 2 months of the season, and we're genuinely as bad as FGR were last season. That says everything you need to know.

We were top because we had a Premier League level midfielder and another who probably will end up as well, if it wasn’t for that we’d be dead and buried by now.

To think we’ve gone from Arblaster and Devine in midfield to Jason Lowe and Jenson Weir!

 

[leedsvaliant]

That’s the thing at the moment, I can take is losing, even 3-0 like today but it’s the manner that’s bothering us fans, it’s feeble and weak. Yes we’ve big injuries and are again reliant on youth players who aren’t ready, yes we didn’t have a fit striker but at least battle and fight, a working class club like Vale that’s the minimum expectation. It’s embarrassing at the moment and the gallows humour today said it all. The away end was in great voice and got behind them but in the end it was songs about getting battered everywhere we go, losing every week and a league two tour!

All you can do at the minute really. Cowards. Ojo seems to have really dialled it in as well.

Flitcroft has failed, we spend good money on having him and a recruitment team and they’ve fell well below minimum expectations. No striker or wing back in January was criminal.

See Tom Pope is raging about it all on twitter and it’s hard to disagree with anything he says, Moore should be digging the lads out after today but isn’t.

What annoys me the most is the teams around us are shite too but they at least look like they're willing to fight, or pull out the dirty tricks. We look like we've accepted our fate and are not even willing to try.

Look at Cambridge last season. They were done for with a dozen games to go. They came to us and won and then won a few others. We've not got that in us. No one wants to employ even the dark arts. We're not good enough, but we're way too nice and have been for a number of years. Today, I'd have been pulling every trick in the book to disrupt Derby. Time wasting, tactical fouls, diving, trying to get them sent off, generally being horrible. Why aren't we doing this as a minimum?

 

[AmberRich]

Also, as a fan base, Stevenage are a bit rough aren't they. Haven't seen as many wannabees for a while.

Impossible, according to them their supporters are as good as gold. Its the opposition who are always troublemakers.

 

[Pompeyblueboy]

Seeing the quality an injury riddled mid table Middlesbrough had against us in the cup and not one L1 side we’ve placed has come even close. Huge investment required and the gap seems to be getting bigger with the money in that level.

People will look at Ipswich for eg but they threw huge money at it last season.

It’s more even this year. No Crewe or FGR as such, all be it post Jan Vale probably runs them close!

I think you have forgotten this is the 3rd division. You're watching Too much Premier league.

I've not seen a really bad team down FP this season. I think the refs have got worse thou

 

[codaplenty]

2 years ago, Fleetwood survived staying in league 1 with an unbelievable 40 points, same as Gillingham but with a better goal average. Crewe were rock bottom that year with 29 points
It will take a lot more than 40 points to stay up this season, does that not suggest that it's more competitive this year, not crap. I honestly get sick and tired of everybody whinging how bad this league is. FFS what do fans want at this level ? It's got to be down to how a manager can get the best from his team. It's only 2/3 games ago that Florid Salopian was saying the return of their prodigal son has turned everything round - now there back struggling again and facing being sucked into the shite at the bottom
Here's the thing, Fleetwood have been worse than shite, horrendous performances against 'allegedly' poor teams. A home record that's worse than Nightmare on Elm Street, but now a glimmer of hope with determined displays over the last few weeks
I expect us to go down but it won't be lack of effort, Adam has slowly, steadily started to mould HIS team with his character and fans can be optimistic for the future.
I think what comes to mind for many fans who moan,irrespective of which league they may be in is quite simply sour grapes !!

 

[Si Robin]

Beyond belief how bad the error was for the Northampton goal. We’ve had far too many individual errors this season but this one really tops the lot. https://x.com/cafc_me10/status/1764007470874116173?s=46

If he can do that a couple of times on Tuesday that would be great.

 

[Laker]

I don’t think the bottom of the division is any worse than last season. There was one period for about two months last season when it felt like none of the bottom eight were picking up any wins. We were awful for
Months, Dons underperformed all season, Burton got out of it but were appalling for most of it, even Vale thought they were going down. And that’s ignoring FGR, Accrington and Morecambe who actually went down.

It’s just there were four superb teams last season in Ipswich, Plymouth, Wednesday and Barnsley. I don’t think there’s any teams playing at the level of any of those sides this season.

 

[valefan16]

Next weekend is pivotal, whilst probably gone anyway a Vale win v Shrewsbury would really put the cat amongst the pigeons with those on 38 points, especially if Cheltenham get something in either game.

If we don’t beat Shrewsbury it’s certainly curtains for us, a win 3 points behind them with 2 games in hand and it looks much more achievable.

If only we’d not bottled it Tuesday night.

Hopefully Darren Moore finally getting a full week to work on things will see improvements.

 

[K-Win]

I agree totally with codaplenty etc above. I'm really not sure what the Vale fans expected when they came into League One. It's the third tier. Most of the football is going to be pretty workmanlike.

Last season was a real freak. Wednesday had retained most of their Championship squad. Ipswich had a big budget and an up and coming young manager, and Plymouth's excellent recruitment and very smart coach somehow finished above them both. Statistically, Ipswich had the most dominant season seen at this level since stats were taken seriously.

This season is really just a regression to the norm, although we've definitely benefited from the plights of the teams that were relegated from the Championship.

The bottom half of League One (which is what Vale fans should be mostly concerned with) actually looks more competitive than the last few seasons. There's a strong chance that a half decent team like Fleetwood and/or Cheltenham might drop out, which is unusual.

And yes, we're well aware that our current squad won't be good enough if we do go up. We will undoubtedly invest on the playing side and hope that our Sporting Director and Coach know what they're doing. The Plymouth model is the one that we're following closest, with probably a bigger budget, and they have given themselves a good chance of survival this season despite losing their manager.

 

[E10rifle]

no idea on the red either, Lino on our side was the one that gave/called it. Have to say, it felt so good winning against Beckles. That bloke is a disgrace, how the ref never spotted it I’ll never know, but he could have had about 7 yellow cards. Conteh had his shirt literally ripped in half and had to get it changed and he still gave nothing.

Red card was for throwing a punch. Pretty clear red according to those who were in the South Stand, though it came after the grappling that was evident at every set piece. Drysdale never got a handle on it, of course. Dunno why you’re singling Beckles out - he and Conteh were fouling each other at every single set piece. The only bad challenge in the entire game came in the first half from the same prick who got sent off.

 

[masi51]

We were top because we had a Premier League level midfielder and another who probably will end up as well, if it wasn’t for that we’d be dead and buried by now.

To think we’ve gone from Arblaster and Devine in midfield to Jason Lowe and Jenson Weir!

Jason Lowe and Jenson Weir once played for us in League one........And yes we did get relegated that year

 

[Gassy]

Red card was for throwing a punch. Pretty clear red according to those who were in the South Stand, though it came after the grappling that was evident at every set piece. Drysdale never got a handle on it, of course. Dunno why you’re singling Beckles out - he and Conteh were fouling each other at every single set piece. The only bad challenge in the entire game came in the first half from the same prick who got sent off.

Agree on it being the only bad challenge, Wilson took one for the team there.

Beckles was constantly fouling, pushing off the ball, throwing and pushing players all over the place. Notice how he came out fine, but Conteh had his shirt ripped in half - and you don't think thats worth a yellow? How hard do you have to grab someones shirt to rip it in half ffs

 

[91SPP]

Vale fans saying how shite we were, but I actually thought it was the best we've played this season. The back three looked comfortable, Joe Ward and Louie Sibley were good in the hybrid wide midfield/wing back role, Dwight Gayle showed his quality. NML, who usually is the driving force of our team, had a poor game too. It was good to see others step up.

We have been shite for a lot of this season, though, no doubt about it, but I thought we showed some promise on Saturday. We looked a little more coherent than we have done for the most part of this season. I'm still not confident that we will actually achieve anything this year, but think Ebou Adams and Dwight Gayle give us a chance.

I do agree with everyone else, it's very true that this division is very poor. I thought the same last year and it will be the same next year. There's only 6 or 7 teams in the league who have footballers who can kick a ball in a straight line - the rest have teams filled with footballers who are doing their best to avoid stacking shelves at Tesco the year later.