Saturday 2nd October

[FGR Stroud]

 

[Salvador]

Bradford away with exactly the same start to the season as us. No idea how it’ll go. For about the 5 season in a row we’re shaping up to have a better away record than home. I’m not going to know if I can go till later in the week. Just in case I do can any Bradford fans recommend somewhere to park? All the streets I saw on google maps looked like permit only. I’ve never driven there but will have to this time. No north parade session for me.

 

[kieran_vale]

I think certainly in terms of the table our game with Orient is probably the game of the day. Hopefully can get a good crowd into VP for it.

They have started really well and are clearly a good side led by an excellent manager for this level. For our part it feels like we are gelling as a unit now and three wins on the bounce is encouraging as is the controlled way we have done it too. Probably be the same team again though depending on if Brad Walker has recovered from his injury he might come in to consideration.

 

[Bottega Don]

Christ I had no idea who we played until now, this is gonna be a hammering

 

[Scunny Pacifist]

Christ I had no idea who we played until now, this is gonna be a hammering

Just shut up yeah. Embarassing to call yourself a supporer. Go support the Cods. We dont want or need you and your negativity.

 

[AR27]

Bradford away with exactly the same start to the season as us. No idea how it’ll go. For about the 5 season in a row we’re shaping up to have a better away record than home. I’m not going to know if I can go till later in the week. Just in case I do can any Bradford fans recommend somewhere to park? All the streets I saw on google maps looked like permit only. I’ve never driven there but will have to this time. No north parade session for me.

Easiest place to park is the Broadway shopping centre. Couple of quid all day and only 10/15 minute walk.

As for the game, if we have Vernam back then we've got half a chance of a point. Either way, you should fancy your chances.

 

[Scunny Pacifist]

Christ I had no idea who we played until now, this is gonna be a hammering

I bet you arent even going are you Mr Vanilla?

 

[chipmunx]

Mansfield away for us - they were one of the worst teams we played last season (W4-2 Away and W2-0 at Home) - 2nd only to erm.... Cheltenham (2-0 and 3-0). Our defence is still a bit dodgy at times, but we are far far better going forward than last season. IF we actually put together 2 good halves in a match anything could happen.

 

[Agombar stool]

Plenty of needle I imagine at the Memorial next Saturday. Garner in our corner, Pitman in theirs. I suspect things may boil over. Should be a great atmosphere and not a drum in sight!

 

[denzel ecfc]

Need to win; I'm bored of draws.

Should keep the home form going against Walsall. Have a relatively settled side and Collins is now back in the fold so lots of options in midfield for a change

 

[Scunny Pacifist]

Shut up tosser

No I wont. Going to Newport with Lance Stoe

 

[denzel ecfc]

Shut up tosser

Charming

 

[Scunny Pacifist]

Charming

Wasnt talking to you mate. Was talking to Lance Stoe as you can see below. I like Exeter. Always have done since I made love to Geoff Breslans wife when I was a nipper.

 

[valefan16]

Should be a good game against Orient and a real test of our credentials… that said after this fixture we will have played 4 of the current top 5 (us being the other) so despite on paper tough fixtures we have turned our start into a very good one.

It will probably be a draw but hopefully home backing will see us through.

Take a point with nicer looking fixtures on paper after this to come (although as any Vale fan would tell you that usually doesn’t mean a lot!)

 

[The Terminator]

Tom James is banned for us, which is annoying as he is the only right sided player we have who can play the wing back role we deploy. Last time we messed around with one of our wide players we didn't play well against Carlisle or Harrogate. So Kenny may switch to 4-4-2 with Craig Clay at right back, but our 3 at the back formation has been a key reason for our good September.

Vale Park isn't a ground we ever do well or play well at, a draw wouldn't be a disaster.

 

[GEORGE]

A dull fixture list other than Vale - Orient, 4th vs 2nd. Should be a good game.

It won't be dull in Bristol on saturday -- I can tell you that.

 

[Moomin]

Wasnt talking to you mate. Was talking to Lance Stoe as you can see below. I like Exeter. Always have done since I made love to Geoff Breslans wife when I was a nipper.

Hats off to your knowledge of late 90s Exeter City wingers.

 

[E10rifle]

We are usually absolute shite at Vale Park, but if we play anything like we did on Saturday I expect we’ll get something. If we’re off it in any way then we’re up against an in-form side with some decent forwards and it’ll be trouble. I’d take a 1-1 and run.

 

[RLC]

Crawley at home for us, which probably does not merit its own thread.

It feels like a pivotal couple of weeks for us. We have got two home games against fair-to-middling sides that a promotion challenging team would expect to win, and we have to build on encouraging recent displays. We were good at Forest Green yesterday but again failed to score, and there is still a concern that our number nines are not going to produce enough for us this season. Hopefully Nevitt and / or Maynard can bag one or two goals to ease those fears.

Crawley have won their last couple of games, but have been pretty poor away from home I believe. Tom Nicholls is probably the man to watch for them.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Mansfield away still leaves scars - the only time I've been there we lost 8-1. Hopefully gone are the days of them hitting us for 7 or 8 every time they play us.

Had no idea Mansfield were bottom of the form table - we stand a chance of taking three points. Our own form has been LDWLDW, so hopefully the cycle doesn't continue.

Our second half on Friday was the most cohesive football we've played, we're looking good. Let's see if we can do it over 90 mins for once.

 

[IanPVFC]

I'd take a draw against Orient, certainly wouldn't be seen as a bad result! Always feel cautious when we're in good form, as inevitably it comes to an end!

^ There's years of watching shit for you! Struggle to enjoy it too much when we're doing ok!

 

[FGR Stroud]

Crawley at home for us, which probably does not merit its own thread.

 

[FGR Stroud]

Bet365 odds

 

[Chief Rocka]

We've the best home record and second to the worst away, we've not been that bad away from home, should've got a point at Barra, tragic forward line at Tranmere cost us all three, we never beat Sutton there and a bore draw at Oldham were it looked like neither team were gonna score if we played all night.

They've not started well and we need to get this first win away sorted soon cos we have some rotten looking away trips coming up.

 

[Devon_Lad]

We should be able to extend our unbeaten run after this weekend. No more draws please, as already mentioned. I'm going for a 3-1 win.

 

[GTFCfish]

Mansfield away for us - they were one of the worst teams we played last season (W4-2 Away and W2-0 at Home) - 2nd only to erm.... Cheltenham (2-0 and 3-0).

How come you have never mentioned any of these results before?

 

[kieran_vale]

Bet365 odds
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Just looking at those odds I know they lost to Oldham last time but I would be all over Dale at Bradford right now. When they came to VP I’d say similar to us I think they are much more effective away from home and can well see them winning there.

Given I think the big question mark still to be answered from a Vale perspective is how we can put teams away at home on a consistent basis I wouldn’t touch us on that score.

 

[shoddycollins]

Need to get Nathan Thomas in for this one.

 

[Casey]

RLC; Im available to answer all questions and after the lockdown I'm twice the man I used to be so if you need a separate thread just go for it

We've had loads of injuries among our defenders this season (seems like just bad luck) and we had to rush Francillette back to play two centre halfs on Saturday. Also Nichols returned from an 8 week injury lay off but looks to be just shy of match fitness (he was blowing at the end of Saturday's game). You may see Kwesi Appiah start up front. I know his injury record but he has looked good when coming off the bench so far. Nadersan serving the second of a three match suspension for being an idiot means it's either Ashford (who's done well) or Him.

I always expect a tough game v Tranmere but I'm hoping for a sneaky point Saturday.

Casey

 

[MadJohn]

Stevenage, ugh. We've got a seriously gruesome record against these. 8 defeats in our 11 previous encounters and just one win (in our last meeting, so things are looking up I suppose). I'm slightly confident, but I was more than slightly confident about Sutton and Oldham, and that didn't go well. We don't score many goals at all and that leaves us uncomfortably vulnerable, though our defensive record is more than solid.

If we can score first I fancy us to nick it. We have an outstanding record in protecting leads under Challinor's management, and we win a very large % of matches in which we lead. I'll go for 0-1, but a defeat would be no surprise at all. The only thing that's certain is that there will be more Pools fans in Stevenage than ever before. Home and away attendances will hold up very well while the feelgood factor remains, but we need to start grabbing some wins on the road to keep that vibe going.