Sunday 29th & Monday 30th December

[クレイグ]

I actually think Baldwin is worse than Ash Taylor. And Zesh Rehman. And Chesterfield's number 5.

 

[hellogregory]

View attachment 21245

Wow we were the only team in the bottom half to win.

More days like this required for us to have a chance of staying up.

 

[Optipez]

Josh Martin with an all time great ‘I’ve done fuck all for three months but someone got injured in the warm up so please extend my short term contract’ display here. He’s moving like Carlos Alberto out there.

Man of the match contender, unbelievable performance from him. Give him a week to week contract if that's what being out on his ear does to him.

 

[Optipez]

Close enough.

Vale fans, cheer up, most of our fanbase wanted Maynard out 8 days ago and we're second now, it's just the way the league is this year.

I was one of them. It must have been some pretty special clear the air meeting after the Salford match because they're running through walls for the team and Maynard has made some very good decisions since.
His tactical changes worked great today, won us the points.

 

[leedsvaliant]

What I find most amusing is that this is the 3rd team in a row who thought they might get beaten by us. Cheltenham will be exactly the same. We're a poor side, completely devoid of confidence and any sort of plan. Grimsby were comfortably better than us today....a Grimsby side that has lost I think 5 or 6 at home.

They're a decent side but not a great one , but we made them look like prime Barcelona. We'll do the same to an average Cheltenham side.

At this point I'm looking to see if we have 13 points in us to escape relegation.

I thought we had a pretty strong squad, as we seemed to overpower teams with our substitutes and general freshness. I'm starting to think we've actually got a poor squad. Our loanees look very inconsistent, our two signings from lower leagues look miles off this level. Our 'stellar' signing is constantly injured and our main striker has scored 4. We have the biggest budget in the division but it feels like we've blown it.

 

[Boz]

Funny isn't it, I guess it's the position and form of both clubs that it's easy to get worried when the opposition come forward. Patrick sounded especially dangerous, but that wouldn't surprise me given he's a good player.

Are you playing Jennings out of necessity? Although it sounded like he battles well I'm not sure he's at L2 level, thought he'd dropped back into the NL a good while ago.

Jennings has actually been one of our better players when deployed correctly either in a front two or as a no 10. It doesn’t work well using him out wide or as today in a midfield role.

 

[Optipez]

An absolutely wonderful game of football today almost ruined by an absolute whopper of an official.

Notts are, without doubt, the best team I've seen at Whaddon Road this season, their desire to battle for every ball is astounding, not to mention some of their slick football - one/two touch passing and quick movement at all times - I think they just edged the win in the end. First half they were phenomenal, second half we really got at them.

Some of the ref's decisions were truly baffling though - he gave a foul by Jordan Thomas despite the Notts player basically rugby tackling him to the ground, which meant Colwill's finish was disallowed (keeper had stopped to be fair to him). The corner from which Notts got their third goal was never a corner in a million years - the Notts player was sat on the ball as it went out. Take nothing away from the finish though, that was truly outstanding. The ref also gave some shockers the other way as well. I think I saw that it's his 3rd or 4th game at this level and it showed. The absolute calamity when dealing with the Notts player getting injured was embarrassing - the lad takes an age to go off (fair enough if he's injured), is allowed back on, walks about a yard or so, then sits back down. The ref then waits 3-4 mins for the Notts sub to get ready instead of just allowing the game to play on, as he should have. He was so abysmal he'll be on the Premier League list in no time.

I fear for Notts if Jatta is sold in January though - there's no doubt in my mind he can play much higher and if a Wrexham or similar come in they really will struggle to keep him. Sam Stubbs will be having nightmares about him tonight.

One of those batshit games where we take it on the chin and move on. Everyone in the ground really was entertained - the best game at Whaddon Road in some time.

The corner that never was was a terrible decision, he was as close as I was to the ball and it was a stone wall goal kick.
You carried a threat going forward all game, very pacey down the wings but I did think we were worth the points if only because we had a lot of players out of position and not match fit who ran themselves into the ground today.
A great match for the neutral.

 

[OneDecentLester]

Proud of our players today given the circumstances. I would be very, very surprised if many other teams in this league could have 15 first team players out injured and still produce a performance like we did today. Standouts for us definitely Dobra, Mandeville & Banks IMO. I’ve seen a few Bradford fans waxing lyrical about Markanday on Twitter but he was quiet for his standard today I thought apart from a few moments of magic.

Completely agree with the Bradford fan that mentioned their defenders making probably more errors than Grimes actually did, but the difference was they punished us and we missed a couple of sitters, especially that Mandeville chance first half. Guess that’s the sort of thing that happens when most of your main attackers are sidelined. In terms of our goals conceded though, I’m actually more pissed off at Grimes for the first one than I am the second. A miscontrol / mistake can happen at times (Bradfords 2nd), but to let someone just run straight past him on the half way line for Bradfords first when we were in total control was absolutely unforgivable, you could visibly see how fuming our players were with him for that. Take one for the team, take him out and take the yellow, it’s simple stuff ffs.

Bradford fans seem a very decent & honest bunch across social media and on here tbf, so good luck for the rest of the season. Atmosphere was great from both sets of fans today I thought.

Roll on January and getting players back to fitness & bodies through the door. Berry & Colclough back for the MK dons game is massive.

 

[valefan16]

What I find most amusing is that this is the 3rd team in a row who thought they might get beaten by us. Cheltenham will be exactly the same. We're a poor side, completely devoid of confidence and any sort of plan. Grimsby were comfortably better than us today....a Grimsby side that has lost I think 5 or 6 at home.

They're a decent side but not a great one , but we made them look like prime Barcelona. We'll do the same to an average Cheltenham side.

At this point I'm looking to see if we have 13 points in us to escape relegation.

I thought we had a pretty strong squad, as we seemed to overpower teams with our substitutes and general freshness. I'm starting to think we've actually got a poor squad. Our loanees look very inconsistent, our two signings from lower leagues look miles off this level. Our 'stellar' signing is constantly injured and our main striker has scored 4. We have the biggest budget in the division but it feels like we've blown it.

We have the players but the system is dire, as I said what manager signs 40 goals worth of strikers to never play them up top, has Tolaj played any games up front yet?

We play essentially 7 defenders with 5 at the back and 2 holding midfielders which is dull to watch, we should trust ourselves against League Two opposition to have a go, it’s not like we are facing Derby or Bolton in League One at this point.

The big problem as well is he doesn’t know his best XI, you can’t keep making 4-6 changes a game and expect any relationships to build, bang average sides are able to string passes together and look more fluid with less quality than we possess simply because they have had half a season building relationships, we haven’t kept the same XI since early September and it’s been pretty much a minimum of four changes from one game to the next.

Moore has made this problem himself with that, especially since Garrity got injured.

Having seen the goals back now Jesus Christ, I can take losing to quality but we’ve handed that on a plate, the third is obviously a farce but the first is criminal, Shorrock weak on the touch line and Rippers not in a good position, the second one I can’t even work out what’s gone on there, Ripley just watches it and neither centre half deals with it. All three a half decent professional outfit shouldn’t concede.

Wednesday is massive now, he roasted them in front of the fans at full time and he needs a big response, failure to beat Cheltenham and the place will be very unhappy come full time and imagine the fans feelings will be loud and clear.

If he can’t get a big response Wednesday after today and what he has said at full time then he isn’t the right man to take us forward.

 

[Soz]

You know what's mad, I nearly missed the Walsall game because of how shit it is to watch. First v second, vale v Walsall, Im minutes from the ground and I considered sacking it off.

We have not been good to watch all season. It's fine when you get the rub and nick the 1-0s but a couple of injuries and a few bad decisions and we've gone from clear front runners to relegation form.

Darren Moore has to change. All well and good vilifying players for shite mistakes but his team selections are genuinely scary. We have him a massive budget which he duly spent on players that he refuses to play, and when he is forced to play them he puts them in midfield or wing. Joker.

 

[GTFCfish]

Proud of our players today given the circumstances. I would be very, very surprised if many other teams in this league could have 15 first team players out injured and still produce a performance like we did today. Standouts for us definitely Dobra, Mandeville & Banks IMO. I’ve seen a few Bradford fans waxing lyrical about Markanday on Twitter but he was quiet for his standard today I thought apart from a few moments of magic.

Completely agree with the Bradford fan that mentioned their defenders making probably more errors than Grimes actually did, but the difference was they punished us and we missed a couple of sitters, especially that Mandeville chance first half. Guess that’s the sort of thing that happens when most of your main attackers are sidelined. In terms of our goals conceded though, I’m actually more pissed off at Grimes for the first one than I am the second. A miscontrol / mistake can happen at times (Bradfords 2nd), but to let someone just run straight past him on the half way line for Bradfords first when we were in total control was absolutely unforgivable, you could visibly see how fuming our players were with him for that. Take one for the team, take him out and take the yellow, it’s simple stuff ffs.

Bradford fans seem a very decent & honest bunch across social media and on here tbf, so good luck for the rest of the season. Atmosphere was great from both sets of fans today I thought.

Roll on January and getting players back to fitness & bodies through the door. Berry & Colclough back for the MK dons game is massive.

15 players out injured?

Why have you never mentioned this before......?

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

The corner that never was was a terrible decision, he was as close as I was to the ball and it was a stone wall goal kick.
You carried a threat going forward all game, very pacey down the wings but I did think we were worth the points if only because we had a lot of players out of position and not match fit who ran themselves into the ground today.
A great match for the neutral.

Never a corner. Very fortunate with that one and the on Si mentioned earlier was questionable when foul given on their forward.

From the away end I couldn't tell at all but mates back in Notts said we should have had a clear penalty first half but not sure if talking about Austin or Crowley one.

Definitely worth the points created so much for an away side with 5 goals and the woodwork hit once or was it twice? Got into good shooting positions on edge of area often but couldn't keep them down.

 

[mozzavale]

Really? I thought they were the quietest visitors for yonks given they brought 700+

Can't both be right. It was either noisy or quiet. Which is it

 

[OneDecentLester]

15 players out injured?

Why have you never mentioned this before......?

Last time I mentioned it, it was 14. The time before that, 13…

The bastard list keeps growing every game

 

[Cloudy]

Can't both be right. It was either noisy or quiet. Which is it

I said I thought they were the Vale fans were very quiet. Understandably perhaps

 

[Pie and chips]

Never a corner. Very fortunate with that one and the on Si mentioned earlier was questionable when foul given on their forward.

From the away end I couldn't tell at all but mates back in Notts said we should have had a clear penalty first half but not sure if talking about Austin or Crowley one.

Definitely worth the points created so much for an away side with 5 goals and the woodwork hit once or was it twice? Got into good shooting positions on edge of area often but couldn't keep them down.

My mate back home said it was the one on crowley that was a stonewaller

 

[valefan16]

You know what's mad, I nearly missed the Walsall game because of how shit it is to watch. First v second, vale v Walsall, Im minutes from the ground and I considered sacking it off.

We have not been good to watch all season. It's fine when you get the rub and nick the 1-0s but a couple of injuries and a few bad decisions and we've gone from clear front runners to relegation form.

Darren Moore has to change. All well and good vilifying players for shite mistakes but his team selections are genuinely scary. We have him a massive budget which he duly spent on players that he refuses to play, and when he is forced to play them he puts them in midfield or wing. Joker.

Madness, today a good example considering the budget, he plays 17 year old Jack Shorrock who clearly isn’t ready yet, will be a great prodigy for us but isn’t quite ready and needs a loan, torn to bits v Carlisle, again today not doing him any good, plays Hackford who’s again not really ready for it yet and hasn’t really worked, good tap in v Accy and MK and a stunning finish v Bradford granted but his play aside from those three moments is miles off it.

On the bench you have Tolaj who up to October had the most assists in the division and a few goals to boot, despite being out of position… you have Connor Grant if Kyle John wasn’t ready or Cover who could of saved thrown Shorrock in again. Grant whilst not setting the world alight won L1 18 months ago and has experience.

Then the real elephant in the room, Nathan Smith, not the best footballer, struggled in L1 the last few months but a solid, very good pure defender at this level, proper s***house with his pinching and getting a reaction, surely a better option than Debrah who’s been out of form, he’d be pinching the likes of Rose trying to get a reaction and roughing them up, we are just too soft otherwise.

Yes some of our so called stellar signings and players are missing but we should have enough to set up a side capable of being competitive today and the biggest worry today is the appearance of a lack of effort and desire. Something after last season we vowed as a club to ensure didn't happen again and would be representative of the area and fan base. Up until this point even out of form we’ve seen fight and effort until the end but that disappeared today and that angers the fan base the most as it’s the one non negotiable when wearing the Vale shirt.

 

[Pie and chips]

I actually think Baldwin is worse than Ash Taylor. And Zesh Rehman. And Chesterfield's number 5.

We pulled your pants down when we swapped centre half's in the summer and notts knew it

 

[Limerick Mariner]

I said I thought they were the Vale fans were very quiet. Understandably perhaps

All relative, once Evan Khouri had made that scything tackle and then gee'd the crowd up McAtee style, the Upper was making great noise. On Boxing Day all you could hear was the taxi-load of Harrogate fans.

 

[CTFCfan99]

Didn't see much of our game so can't comment too much, but by all accounts we played pretty well - but County were next level. And what a strike for their 3rd goal, even if it wasn't a corner in the first place.

 

[Ainsty]

All relative, once Evan Khouri had made that scything tackle and then gee'd the crowd up McAtee style, the Upper was making great noise. On Boxing Day all you could hear was the taxi-load of Harrogate fans.

Everywhere we go it's the taxi load of Harrogate boys making all the noise.

 

[BarraMatt]

At this point I'm looking to see if we have 13 points in us to escape relegation.

Give over hahahaha.

 

[CFC91]

League table is a bit crazy isn’t it?! I expect us to shake the squad up in Jan and also hopefully get some players back so still hopeful we can kick on and be part of the promotion shake up

 

[Si Robin]

What I find most amusing is that this is the 3rd team in a row who thought they might get beaten by us. Cheltenham will be exactly the same. We're a poor side, completely devoid of confidence and any sort of plan. Grimsby were comfortably better than us today....a Grimsby side that has lost I think 5 or 6 at home.

They're a decent side but not a great one , but we made them look like prime Barcelona. We'll do the same to an average Cheltenham side.

At this point I'm looking to see if we have 13 points in us to escape relegation.

I thought we had a pretty strong squad, as we seemed to overpower teams with our substitutes and general freshness. I'm starting to think we've actually got a poor squad. Our loanees look very inconsistent, our two signings from lower leagues look miles off this level. Our 'stellar' signing is constantly injured and our main striker has scored 4. We have the biggest budget in the division but it feels like we've blown it.

I think we'll beat Vale to be honest - as, I'm sure, do a lot of our fans. We're better away from home and we've been pretty decent at home recently.

 

[Si Robin]

Didn't see much of our game so can't comment too much, but by all accounts we played pretty well - but County were next level. And what a strike for their 3rd goal, even if it wasn't a corner in the first place.

Other than it not being a corner, the only other frustrating thing about it was the fact we'd been warned in the first half of what the lad could do from the edge of the box when he hit the post from the same position. Should have had a man on him really.

It was really one of those strikes when even I applauded though to be fair.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

I was perfectly in line for the Abbott goal and celebrated accordingly by going nuts. Naturally buzzing afterwards unfortunately we conceded almost immediately so couldn't enjoy the buzz for very long at all.

The one in the first half was a tremendous hit too and very unlucky not to score two worldies in one game. He's quite the young player.

I thought all our goals had a touch of quality to them be it the strike, through balls, rounding the keeper and dink cross.

Si who were the two wide men terrorising us especially our makeshift left back Grant?

 

[Kauto Star]

Proud of our players today given the circumstances. I would be very, very surprised if many other teams in this league could have 15 first team players out injured and still produce a performance like we did today. Standouts for us definitely Dobra, Mandeville & Banks IMO. I’ve seen a few Bradford fans waxing lyrical about Markanday on Twitter but he was quiet for his standard today I thought apart from a few moments of magic.

Completely agree with the Bradford fan that mentioned their defenders making probably more errors than Grimes actually did, but the difference was they punished us and we missed a couple of sitters, especially that Mandeville chance first half. Guess that’s the sort of thing that happens when most of your main attackers are sidelined. In terms of our goals conceded though, I’m actually more pissed off at Grimes for the first one than I am the second. A miscontrol / mistake can happen at times (Bradfords 2nd), but to let someone just run straight past him on the half way line for Bradfords first when we were in total control was absolutely unforgivable, you could visibly see how fuming our players were with him for that. Take one for the team, take him out and take the yellow, it’s simple stuff ffs.

Bradford fans seem a very decent & honest bunch across social media and on here tbf, so good luck for the rest of the season. Atmosphere was great from both sets of fans today I thought.

Roll on January and getting players back to fitness & bodies through the door. Berry & Colclough back for the MK dons game is massive.

Apart from perhaps Donny, best visiting side I've seen this season, and to perform like you did in the first half with all those players out injured is impressive.

Markanday and Banks were the players that caught my eye the most.

I suspect if the likes of Grigg, Madden and Colclough had been available you would have been out of sight by half time.

Our players and crowd finally woke up for the second half and I think we just about shaded the second half with Sarcevic, Pattison and Pointon particularly impressive.

Some dodgy defending from both sides particularly Baldwin for us and Grimes for you.

Referee and the lino on the Midland Road side were absolutely shocking and the ref did his best to spoil an entertaining game by blowing up for fouls for both sides for the slightest bit of contact. A friend at the match said the ref was an ex pro footballer, if so, you would think he would have been much better and let the game flow more freely.

A good atmosphere created by your fans in the first half and ours in the second half.

I think Chesterfield will certainly be in the mix for one of the automatic places if they can get their key men back soon.

We are now more or less at full strength after suffering our injury crisis for a few months.

 

[Spireitelass97]

Apart from perhaps Donny, best visiting side I've seen this season, and to perform like you did in the first half with all those players out injured is impressive.

Markanday and Banks were the players that caught my eye the most.

I suspect if the likes of Grigg, Madden and Colclough had been available you would have been out of sight by half time.

Our players and crowd finally woke up for the second half and I think we just about shaded the second half with Sarcevic, Pattison and Pointon particularly impressive.

Some dodgy defending from both sides particularly Baldwin for us and Grimes for you.

Referee and the lino on the Midland Road side were absolutely shocking and the ref did his best to spoil an entertaining game by blowing up for fouls for both sides for the slightest bit of contact. A friend at the match said the ref was an ex pro footballer, if so, you would think he would have been much better and let the game flow more freely.

A good atmosphere created by your fans in the first half and ours in the second half.

I think Chesterfield will certainly be in the mix for one of the automatic places if they can get their key men back soon.

We are now more or less at full strength after suffering our injury crisis for a few months.

Ref was so inconsistent. Blew for nothing then ignored obvious pushes and shirt pulls, players being held back etc. everyone we had a corner or free kick he kept blowing for something before e could take it - just book whoever it it is that keeps fouling!

 

[leedsvaliant]

You know what's mad, I nearly missed the Walsall game because of how shit it is to watch. First v second, vale v Walsall, Im minutes from the ground and I considered sacking it off.

We have not been good to watch all season. It's fine when you get the rub and nick the 1-0s but a couple of injuries and a few bad decisions and we've gone from clear front runners to relegation form.

Darren Moore has to change. All well and good vilifying players for shite mistakes but his team selections are genuinely scary. We have him a massive budget which he duly spent on players that he refuses to play, and when he is forced to play them he puts them in midfield or wing. Joker.

I was the same. I should have been bang up for that Walsall game but I knew exactly what would happen. They weren't even good but I knew they would want it slightly more than us. The reason they're 12 points clear is that they have a clear plan and players familiar with each other.

To me, our team looks like one you'd play in the Vertu trophy thing. I know we have injuries but this constant 5 or 6 changes makes us play like a bunch of strangers.

 

[Si Robin]

I was perfectly in line for the Abbott goal and celebrated accordingly by going nuts. Naturally buzzing afterwards unfortunately we conceded almost immediately so couldn't enjoy the buzz for very long at all.

The one in the first half was a tremendous hit too and very unlucky not to score two worldies in one game. He's quite the young player.

I thought all our goals had a touch of quality to them be it the strike, through balls, rounding the keeper and dink cross.

Si who were the two wide men terrorising us especially our makeshift left back Grant?

In the second half it was Jordan Thomas and Lewis Payne (arguably his best game for us to be honest). First half, Arkell Jude-Boyd was on the right with Thomas, but I assume you mean the second half because we didn't have nearly as much joy in the first half.

I agree all of Notts' goals were taken well, but we really did gift at least 3 of them, arguably the 5th one as well by going all out attack (which I really can't blame our players for).