Tue 11th & Thu 13th February

[Alfie]

 

[Alfie]

 

[Alfie]

 

[Alfie]

 

[Scum.]

Barrow away. The first time we’ll play them this season due to the game being postponed previously.

Got to be a win or bust. I just don’t see it though, as it is a Tuesday night away game up north in the freezing winter and we rarely win those.

 

[Mighty_Bantam]

Continuing our run of favourable fixtures with a home game v Accrington.

Given we're in the middle of a run of five weeks worth of Tuesday fixtures I expect changes to the line up.

Need to be winning to keep up that pressure on the top 3/overhaul Doncaster as it stands.

 

[Dan Phillips]

View attachment 21579

Our form makes no sense?

We're unbeaten in 6? If it's counting the Wrexham defeat in the Trophy, then it still makes no sense as we drew yesterday?

 

[jacobncfc]

Big game. If we can back up our recent form with at least a point here then we look very nicely placed.

Couple of injury worries. Jones was kicked off the pitch inside half an hour yesterday, Maynard sounded pretty confident it’s nothing serious afterwards, but unlikely to be involved here you’d think. We also left Tsaroulla and McGoldrick out as a ‘precaution’, both have been in great form so would be good to have them back.

Our run of form has been built on away performances really - four straight away wins with twelve scored in them. We can play in a different way to home games where pretty much everyone rolls out a low block, away we’ve been less obsessed with having endless possession but a real threat with a high press and Jatta’s pace in behind.

Thursday night and on tele is a bit annoying crowd and atmosphere wise. We’ll have four figures, but probably cuts the away attendance in half from a Saturday.

 

[kieran_vale]

Guess for us it’ll be a nervous wait on Jayden Stockleys status after he went off with an injury yesterday. Hopefully he’ll be ok as him and Tolaj are really starting to combine well into a successful partnership. Byers needs to start also, had long enough now.

Difficult game as they all are really but we need to try and push for three points from it. Certainly a draw works better for Notts than us in the context of the push for top three at least.

 

[Optipez]

Tough game for us but if McGoldrick is fit it would be a big boost. Whittaker is looking a real find based on a tiny sample of two games and we've quietly added depth to the squad, the bench just gives us options now we didn't have in the Autumn.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Got a bad feeling about this one. Just feels that Notts have hit their stride and although we're unbeaten in 2025, we're still leaking goals too regularly.

If Stockley is out, our chances go down dramatically. Him and Tolaj will get chances against most league 2 teams. The other slight negative is not really having a ball player from defence. Smith just isn't as good unless he's the central one of the 3 because he's a defender, not a footballer. It really hampers our attacking play. We could negate that by playing Byers who has the ability to collect from deep and find incisive passes.

I see Notts County overtaking Walsall, so they're not the target for us. We do however have 10 home games left and just 7 away, which could potentially be a big advantage as I think we've only lost 2 at home and one of those was a lottery in ridiculous conditions.

 

[hellogregory]

View attachment 21579

Newport have won 3 in a row.
Carlisle have lost 3 in a row.
Newport are at home.
Carlisle are bottom of the football league.

Yet somehow the bookies have Newport as underdogs. Why are Carlisle favourites? Makes no sense.

11/5 on the home win is absolutely mad.

 

[クレイグ]

1-0 Accrington. Whalley diving and getting a pen.

 

[LS Bantam]

The atmosphere at Tuesday night games are always really dire and a lot of the time games take on a training ground feel usually not helped by the 12 away fans that turn up.
We’re definitely due dropping points at home and against someone we should be looking to beat (at least in terms of league position), this looks set up to be an ideal game to slip up.
1-1 but wouldn’t surprise me if we lost.

 

[leedsvaliant]

The atmosphere at Tuesday night games are always really dire and a lot of the time games take on a training ground feel usually not helped by the 12 away fans that turn up.
We’re definitely due dropping points at home and against someone we should be looking to beat (at least in terms of league position), this looks set up to be an ideal game to slip up.
1-1 but wouldn’t surprise me if we lost.

Nah. Whalley is their only decent player and he's ancient. We were down to 10 men for virtually 80 minutes and still beat them. Our keeper had fuck all to do. Their shithousery is top class though.

 

[JJ1990]

This is quite possibly the last game we need right now. Long away trip, no fit senior strikers, battered and deflated, against a side that is good at home and doesn't concede many. Urgh.

Anything other than a heavy defeat will be a miracle.

 

[Optipez]

Got a bad feeling about this one. Just feels that Notts have hit their stride and although we're unbeaten in 2025, we're still leaking goals too regularly.

If Stockley is out, our chances go down dramatically. Him and Tolaj will get chances against most league 2 teams. The other slight negative is not really having a ball player from defence. Smith just isn't as good unless he's the central one of the 3 because he's a defender, not a footballer. It really hampers our attacking play. We could negate that by playing Byers who has the ability to collect from deep and find incisive passes.

I see Notts County overtaking Walsall, so they're not the target for us. We do however have 10 home games left and just 7 away, which could potentially be a big advantage as I think we've only lost 2 at home and one of those was a lottery in ridiculous conditions.

You've got more faith in Notts than me! We're doing really well but we've not suddenly become Barcelona.
There's just 5pts between second and eighth, very tight.
I don't think we've lost a game we've scored first in this season and if we do edge in front and teams have to open up we do tend to look threatening.

 

[RavenBish]

Definitely one of those fixtures where I’d snap your hand off for a draw right now.

injuries the only real cause for pessimism on our end if Jones, McGoldrick and Tsaroulla all miss out. Jones and Didzy in particular are the ones you’d be looking to for a moment of magic in a tough game.

As Jacob said, we do look better away from home when we can just counter-press and use Jatta’s attributes in behind on the break.

 

[codaplenty]

Like many I'm surprised at Tranmere's position in the league. Fleetwood's track record playing teams at the wrong end of the table is grim.Recent defeats by Carlisle, Morecambe, Tranmere must fancy their chances especially the dreadful run they are currently in. Tbh I will take a draw right now, which will be a step in the right direction. 1-1

 

[Boz]

Apparently we’ve lost all three competitive games we’ve played against Fleetwood. I can remember losing in the Tinpot Cup
last season when both sides in poor form but not the others. They’re the only side of the current 92 that I’ve not seen play live so something to cross off my bucket list on Tuesday night. Didn’t recognise many names in their squad, Jay Lynch the keeper and Danny Mayor, who we had on loan in his younger days then tore us to bits with other teams but probably past his best now? Sam Finley, a former Cod is looking like one of our worst signings of recent years

It feels like another Colchester tie where we fell behind early and never looked like getting back into it. If Rovers can either score early or not concede in the first hour, we might have a chance of taking something from the game. Not hopeful though.

 

[loz]

Apparently we’ve lost all three competitive games we’ve played against Fleetwood. I can remember losing in the Tinpot Cup
last season when both sides in poor form but not the others. They’re the only side of the current 92 that I’ve not seen play live so something to cross off my bucket list on Tuesday night. Didn’t recognise many names in their squad, Jay Lynch the keeper and Danny Mayor, who we had on loan in his younger days then tore us to bits with other teams but probably past his best now? Sam Finley, a former Cod is looking like one of our worst signings of recent years

It feels like another Colchester tie where we fell behind early and never looked like getting back into it. If Rovers can either score early or not concede in the first hour, we might have a chance of taking something from the game. Not hopeful though.

This is the most pessimistic page I have ever come across. If the nerves are jangling, you will all be wrecks in 3 months time. Teams are in their current positions for good reason and obviously all of us will suffer some shock results otherwise there would be no need to play games, just allocate the points. Barring irreplaceable injuries however, the top teams will carry on thus. The fly in the ointment is a good team from just outside the top 7 hitting a good run and there are a couple that are capable of that.

 

[gary]

Crewe at home . It's probably a good time to be playing them I guess. We still have a few out injured but generally our squad is in decent shape. Jackson can make changes if he wants to. I expect him to make 2 or 3 changes from the Accrington game. I'd probably expect Matty Stevens and Tilley to come back into the starting 11 and I'd like to see Browne start the game. He is a quality player but being used sparingly at the moment due to his previous injury record.

 

[Meadow]

Crewe at home . It's probably a good time to be playing them I guess. We still have a few out injured but generally our squad is in decent shape. Jackson can make changes if he wants to. I expect him to make 2 or 3 changes from the Accrington game. I'd probably expect Matty Stevens and Tilley to come back into the starting 11 and I'd like to see Browne start the game. He is a quality player but being used sparingly at the moment due to his previous injury record.

Tilly missed Saturday due to his partner giving birth. I expect him to return all guns blazing. Matty Stevens needed a rest. Browne needs to start

 

[leedsvaliant]

This is the most pessimistic page I have ever come across. If the nerves are jangling, you will all be wrecks in 3 months time. Teams are in their current positions for good reason and obviously all of us will suffer some shock results otherwise there would be no need to play games, just allocate the points. Barring irreplaceable injuries however, the top teams will carry on thus. The fly in the ointment is a good team from just outside the top 7 hitting a good run and there are a couple that are capable of that.

It's years of being a Vale fan for me. Can never ever be confident as we've been let down so many times before. From the outside, we've not moved out of the top 7 for a long time, including being 5 points clear at the top at one point but nothing surprises me with this club. We could win 8 in a row and go top or slip down to 14th.

There's not many games where I turn up and think the result is a foregone conclusion in our favour. I guess it's the trials and tribulations of a lower league football fan.

 

[FiRTHYY]

Accrington Stanley (h) -

Mixed feelings going into this one. Looking at the head to head, Accrington haven’t beaten us at VP in the league since that embarrassing, ‘Welcome to L2’ hammering in 2007. We’re evidently very hard to beat on home soil, losing just once all season.

Injuries to key players are becoming a concern again - it was Kavanagh’s turn to hobble off at halftime on Saturday.

We’re due a poor result at home, we can’t win them all (currently won our last 7).

I think Alexander will make at least a couple of changes. If Kav isn’t fit, his likely replacement will be Micky Mellon. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sarcevic rested, with Jamie Walker taking his place. I thought Brad Halliday looked a little leggy on Saturday, again, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Callum Johnson start.

GK: Sam Walker

CB: Aden Baldwin
CB: Jack Shepherd
CB: Romoney Crichlow

RWB: Callum Johnson
LWB: Tyreik Wright

CM: Ritchie Smallwood
CM: Alex Pattison

AM: Jamie Walker
AM: Bobby Pointon

ST: Micky Mellon

I don’t see us losing, but I think it’ll be a frustrating draw. That being said, we’re due to give someone a right good hiding at some point.

 

[loz]

It's years of being a Vale fan for me. Can never ever be confident as we've been let down so many times before. From the outside, we've not moved out of the top 7 for a long time, including being 5 points clear at the top at one point but nothing surprises me with this club. We could win 8 in a row and go top or slip down to 14th.

There's not many games where I turn up and think the result is a foregone conclusion in our favour. I guess it's the trials and tribulations of a lower league football fan.

"It's years of being a Vale fan". How many of us can replace Vale with our own team's name?

 

[valefan16]

Big Big game this one and the games you want to be involved in, especially after a couple of years of struggle.

Notts County and a very good side, in form, so are we with 2 points a game and unbeaten in 2025 so should be a decent match up.

Not buying the foregone conclusion that we will lose it, the league is so tight and we should be confident in our own form, bookies have it tight and think it will either way.

Ideally need Stockley for this one, he dominated their centre halves when he came on at their place and that link up with Tolaj is really bearing fruit since New Year so would be a blow to lose him. I do think though we have to unwrap George Byers from cotton wool now as well, changed the game at the weekend and this is a big game and you need your big game players and he is certainly one of them.

If Stockley is fit probably go the same as Swindon apart from Byers in for Harper, if Stockley is out probably stick with Curtis as he is the experienced option and Umolu doesn't look ready.

Smith v Jatta could be "interesting"

 

[BarraMatt]

MK at home. Looking at their recent form you'd be hopeful of a win. But trying not to be greedy given our struggles since the start of the season, I would take a point if offered now, another step towards safety. It would also be nice to back up a win with at least a point, haven't done that since the start of the season.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Big Big game this one and the games you want to be involved in, especially after a couple of years of struggle.

Notts County and a very good side, in form, so are we with 2 points a game and unbeaten in 2025 so should be a decent match up.

Not buying the foregone conclusion that we will lose it, the league is so tight and we should be confident in our own form, bookies have it tight and think it will either way.

Ideally need Stockley for this one, he dominated their centre halves when he came on at their place and that link up with Tolaj is really bearing fruit since New Year so would be a blow to lose him. I do think though we have to unwrap George Byers from cotton wool now as well, changed the game at the weekend and this is a big game and you need your big game players and he is certainly one of them.

If Stockley is fit probably go the same as Swindon apart from Byers in for Harper, if Stockley is out probably stick with Curtis as he is the experienced option and Umolu doesn't look ready.

Smith v Jatta could be "interesting"

Certainly the games you want to be involved in. Looks tight on paper (league table, form , odds) the good news for both set for fans is the form has been so impressive recently both clubs that a defeat for either shouldn't result in a meltdown or panic.

Will be interesting to see who misses out and who's back for this one following Saturday.

Jatta's goal on Saturday where he spins and brushes aside the big centre half and then let's another defender bounce off him before rounding the keeper let's everyone know what the Gambian Prince can do if a defender is gets too tight and doesn't have necessary backup.

 

[valefan16]

Certainly the games you want to be involved in. Looks tight on paper (league table, form , odds) the good news for both set for fans is the form has been so impressive recently both clubs that a defeat for either shouldn't result in a meltdown or panic.

Will be interesting to see who misses out and who's back for this one following Saturday.

Jatta's goal on Saturday where he spins and brushes aside the big centre half and then let's another defender bounce off him before rounding the keeper let's everyone know what the Gambian Prince can do if a defender is gets too tight and doesn't have necessary backup.

Smith will probably be tight... very tight with his scorpion claws, be a good battle that and one Smith generally relishes like Saturday so be interesting to see how it develops as Smudge didn't play the first game.

If we lose there will be meltdown and panic... on OVF anyway. We could be 25 points clear at the top, lose Saturday and Moore out, doom mongers be out. We have you and Salford at home, then a run of kinder fixtures on paper for a while so if we can get through these two with say 4 points then we will be well placed but as said I am not totally sure if, despite the quality we are top 3 material this season, we just have those little lapses that cost us like at Chesterfield and Saturday that top 2-3 sides don't, despite averaging 2 points a game again since New Year I just feel we are slightly short after recent weeks, not as well oiled as some clubs with more settled squads.