Swindon v Port Vale Match day thread

[Agombar stool]

Probably worthy of its own thread given the recent comments regarding the game in some of the other threads about.

As it stands we are weak up front with both Doyle and Yates having been recalled so we are currently looking at a front 3 of Woolery, Jayesimi with young Scott Twine up front. Thankfully Anthony Grant is back in midfield and hopefully Baudry is back from his injury to slot in at the back.

This is now a big test for us against a decent Vale side looking to do the double over us. As it stands I'll be content with a draw. 1-1

 

[kieran_vale]

I know with Swindon now being without Doyle and Yates that’s a lot of goals taken out of the team but this is still a really tough proposition for us. Going back to the first game Doyle was largely kept quiet but you could see why Swindon were so successful as the real threat from them came from their midfield and the chances they create, it just so happened ours managed to match them on that day.

Our team will largely pick itself as Askey almost never makes changes unless forced to. Only slight question will be Cullen or Pope up top. Personally I’d go with Cullen.

We never do well at the County Ground and think we will lose this narrowly say 2-1.

 

[Grumpy Grecian]

Is young Scott Twine a fully contracted Swindon player or are there strings attached?

 

[Indian Dan]

He’s a bit ropey, tbh

 

[valefan16]

Take a draw, two massive games at Swindon then hosting Exeter Tuesday and I'd take 2 points if offered now.

We've an excellent record against the top sides and despite only 3 away wins in the league two were at Bradford and Crewe.

We beat Swindon comfortably in the end at home less than a month ago and were excellent but they will know what to expect with the high press and letting Zakuani come out with it knowing he can't pass it very well so assume they will look to counter that.

Do we play Pope who held it up well against them at VP or stick with Cullen and play the ball on the deck as we did so well last week? Good problem to have, hopefully we can get a body or two signed in time but doesn't seem much linked currently.

Haven't won here since 2005 I think and don't expect we will in 2020 but hopefully we can match last years draw. Always the toughest trip we face most seasons and expect despite losing two big players it will still be the case.

 

[Indian Dan]

We no longer have Zakuani

 

[valefan16]

We no longer have Zakuani

Wheres he gone!

Scrap my Pope/Cullen debate he has been given a 1 match ban for his tweet! (Could of been worse I guess)

 

[Indian Dan]

Binned. Signed for Dag & Redbridge

 

[kieran_vale]

Wheres he gone!

Scrap my Pope/Cullen debate he has been given a 1 match ban for his tweet! (Could of been worse I guess)

Pope is bloody lucky it wasn’t worse than that given he’s already been banned for his social media activity before. Cullen has had to wait patiently for an extended run in the team, now is his chance.

 

[valefan16]

Pope is bloody lucky it wasn’t worse than that given he’s already been banned for his social media activity before. Cullen has had to wait patiently for an extended run in the team, now is his chance.

Lets be honest the tweet wasn't racist and the FA would struggle to have made a severe punishment stick IMO. but yes one game take it move on keep off twitter Tom!

 

[Agombar stool]

We now have Broadbent who has replaced Zakuani who is probably equally as physical and aggressive and is actually not totally useless with the ball at his feet. His partner will either be Baudry who is excellent at playing it out from the back, Fryers, who is excellent at playing it out from the back, or loanee REG (Rarmani Edmonds Green) who has played one game and was seemingly ok.

So the Vale tactic of allowing our weaker 'footballing' centre back time on the ball will hopefully be nullified - hurrah!

 

[Indian Dan]

Let’s hope their tactic of finishing a player’s season is also nullified! Iandolo a couple of weeks ago, Conroy last season

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

My first away game this, and quite looking forward to it, even though i’ve been to this away ground more than any other and never seen us do anything other than lose.
Swindon played some good stuff at our place, but we’re no pushovers any more.
Pope banned, Cullen start, we’ve nothing to fear.
Vale win.
It has to happen one day.

 

[valefan16]

So Pope has been banned but it’s not down the the Anti Semetic tweet charge but a previous one because he compared someone who was abusing him to Sloth of Goonies... Jesus that’s pathetic by the FA!

 

[Andy Proctor]

Not really bothered about pope being banned as I doubt he would have started anyway probably would only have played last 20 minutes. Hes better off missing a game that we are likely to lose anyway. As far as I'm concerned we have +2 goal difference if were not in minus goal difference after this game then im happy. We never get anything from here other than hammerings so it's a gimme win for Swindon.

 

[Indian Dan]

Taylor missing too?

 

[Andy Proctor]

Taylor's injured for a month. We are without our 2 topscorers pope 8 Taylor 7. Swindon without there 2 topscorers doyle and yates.

 

[Buxton Vale]

I can't see any new signings coming in for us before the weekend, so its most likely the team that started last time out to face the league leaders. Swindon surely will bring someone in? if not I can see us getting something from a tough game.

 

[Big Bird]

I can't see any new signings coming in for us before the weekend, so its most likely the team that started last time out to face the league leaders. Swindon surely will bring someone in? if not I can see us getting something from a tough game.

I expect us to persevere with Jaiyesimi/Hope/Woolery/Twine right up until deadline day (Vale Home and Colchester away in that time). I imagine the striker hunt will go down to the wire.

 

[valefan16]

Taylor's injured for a month. We are without our 2 topscorers pope 8 Taylor 7. Swindon without there 2 topscorers doyle and yates.

Bit of a strange Stat as 3 of Popes goals came in the cup game at Cheltenham and has actually only scored in one league game from open play.. his brace against ten man Morecambe!

Cullen meanwhile has 5 I think in a fraction of the game time! Been good this season that goals are spread about, Smith has four or five, Legge three, Burgess has three I think maybe four, Woz three or four, Bennett five or six so plenty of goals throughout but oddly one of the big scorers last season Montano is about the only outfielder not to score yet!

I didn’t mind the system with Cullen Saturday as he is a quality footballer but needs the other players around him to still get in support, our performances seem to depend on which mood Amoooooooo is in at times. Can Cullen do it away from home in this system will be the test.

 

[Valeite]

Lets hope the Swindon lads don`t injure themselves putting on their boots or other physical activity.

 

[Pennywise]

Looking forward to this, even though I’ve decided not to go.

Got a lot of time for Swindon. Decent club with decent fans. Great bunch on here and the ones I’ve met down there were more than welcoming. We seem to follow each other around all the time, so should probably be sick of the sight of one another by now.

As for the game, I’d be really pleased with a point given it’s not a happy hunting ground whatsoever. However, we beat them at home just recently and they’ve lost both their top goal scorers, so are somewhat weakened.

I think we will just fall short though. A lot of effort and there won’t be a great deal between the two sides, but I feel we will make a daft error at some point and concede a sloppy goal. You just never know with Vale though. Ridiculously bipolar. One extreme to the other.

 

[Indian Dan]

Can’t call this one. Are the chances we created for Doyle/Yates so convertible that any half decent player would score them?

Or have we become as barren as a nun’s chuff

 

[valefan16]

Yeah we are a funny one really, record against the top sides is phenomenal, only Exeter have beaten us of 9 teams above us and we've beaten many of them once but have a very average record against teams below us so we make no sense really.

To sum it up we managed to keep Aguero, Bernado Silva, David Silva etc down to 1 goal for 43 minutes... a week later Steve Old and Cole Stockton put two past us in 12 minutes so it depends which back line turns up!

In fact the only side we've beaten by 2 or more goals in the league I think is Swindon (excluding Morecambe who were a man down)

 

[Agombar stool]

Can’t call this one. Are the chances we created for Doyle/Yates so convertible that any half decent player would score them?

Or have we become as barren as a nun’s chuff

This is the 64 million dollar question. Can we survive without them. I think Hope might have to play where Doyle/Yates played on Saturday so 'Hope'fully he can pick up the mantle. Eventually he's going to be played wide left up top but I think its a case of needs must.

Will definitely be one of our harder games this season at home anyway, a real proper test.

 

[valefan16]

This is the 64 million dollar question. Can we survive without them. I think Hope might have to play where Doyle/Yates played on Saturday so 'Hope'fully he can pick up the mantle. Eventually he's going to be played wide left up top but I think its a case of needs must.

Will definitely be one of our harder games this season at home anyway, a real proper test.

Dare say you’ll still batter us as per most of our visits! Although we’ve had a couple of draws and narrow defeats more recently so some improvement!

 

[Indian Dan]

He’s a bit ropey, tbh

Tells a good yarn, too

 

[Agombar stool]

Match day. Going for a draw. 1-1 with Hope scoring a pen for us.

Safe trip to all the Vale fans travelling.

 

[valefan16]

Snap your hands off for a draw to be honest, depends largely which Vale turn up, the Morecambe one or the one from last week!

 

[Indian Dan]

Just don’t turn up at all!

Difficult game for us today.