Vale v Oldham

[leedsvaliant]

Well this has the makings of an end to end thriller. Two teams who struggle to score and are both in poor form playing each other on the back of defeats!

We've got Thomas out (our best creative player) along with Foley (one of our more attacking midfielders) and Grant (probably our best midfielder), so expect us to rain in chance after chance. The only saving grace is that we somehow have the best home record in the football league! We manage to scrape wins somehow (often from the jaws of defeat) at home, which is the only reason we are top half. We might as well not bother traveling away from home.

We've been utter shite for about 8 games now, look devoid of ideas and continue to persist with one up front for god only knows why. We'll be relying more on 'Bruno's unknown foreigners' tonight, most of whom are nowhere near the standard required.

Play two up front! We always look more threatening when we are forced to revert to this tactic having usually fallen to a really soft goal behind.

From the start of the season, when we outplayed teams like Scunthorpe and Milwall at home, we've completely regressed to the point where a couple of poor results could see us slide alarmingly to the foot of the table. We've got a friendly set of fixtures (on paper) in the next ten and so we really need to get a run going.

I think we'll lose and the crowd will be about 3,000, 0-1 the score.

 

[valefan16]

Need to get a minimum 4 points from this and Shrews or alarm bells will ring out loud.

Oldham seem decent at the back but somehow have scored a fraction of the goals even our poor attack have managed so promises to be a cracker!

Loads of key players out, no Grant, Thomas, Foley, Purkiss all crucial to us and seemingly missing for weeks is a worry.

Forrester back is a huge plus and hopefully he starts alongside Jones in a 2 man forward line... do that and we might nick a result 1-0.

Possibly our first league crowd below 3000 since 2008 (when adrift from safety!) tonight.

 

[hold'um Oldham]

No chance. We are God awful and have scored 9 all season. To simply see us score is a miracle never mind win.

We don't conceded many though and have the best keeper in the division.

0-0

 

[markpvfc]

This has 0-0 written all over it. Both teams should see it as a game they can win so hopefully will throw caution to the wind and go all out attacking and we have a goalfest, not holding my breath though.

 

[leedsvaliant]

No chance. We are God awful and have scored 9 all season. To simply see us score is a miracle never mind win.

We don't conceded many though and have the best keeper in the division.

0-0

We're really selling this game to neutrals!

We'd have scored very few had it not been for Alex Jones. I can't recall any of our midfielders scoring?? The fact that you don't concede many does not bode well for us as we don't really pose much of a threat.

It's strange really, as a win would have us back in the play off mix, but it seems like everyone has zero confidence in us staying there as people seem to be losing interest rapidly - our crowds have been dreadful this season.

Unless Forrester and Jones play together, I honestly can't see where the creativity and goal threat is going to come from.

 

[valefan16]

We're really selling this game to neutrals!

We'd have scored very few had it not been for Alex Jones. I can't recall any of our midfielders scoring?? The fact that you don't concede many does not bode well for us as we don't really pose much of a threat.

It's strange really, as a win would have us back in the play off mix, but it seems like everyone has zero confidence in us staying there as people seem to be losing interest rapidly - our crowds have been dreadful this season.

Unless Forrester and Jones play together, I honestly can't see where the creativity and goal threat is going to come from.

Big Reg!

"Ohhh Cicilia! You've broken their hearts!"
"You've shaken their confidence weekly!"

 

[darren gregory]

i said on the Charlton thread about goals from midfield, Grant 1, Thomas 0, Kelly 0, Tavares 0, Pereira 0, Amoros 0, Foley 0.
Basically unless Jones scores we are stuffed, horrific stats considering , at least Thomas has a few assists but cannot recall him having one effort where he nearly scored, Tavares .... well where do i start.
0-1 as we seem incapable of keeping a clean sheet with a sub 3000 gate, 270 from Oldham.

This week could be pivotal or Smurfs famous plan B may be instigated sooner than predicted ?

 

[valefan16]

i said on the Charlton thread about goals from midfield, Grant 1, Thomas 0, Kelly 0, Tavares 0, Pereira 0, Amoros 0, Foley 0.
Basically unless Jones scores we are stuffed, horrific stats considering , at least Thomas has a few assists but cannot recall him having one effort where he nearly scored, Tavares .... well where do i start.
0-1 as we seem incapable of keeping a clean sheet with a sub 3000 gate, 270 from Oldham.

This week could be pivotal or Smurfs famous plan B may be instigated sooner than predicted ?

Needs a transfer window... from what i gather from OVF a lot of the foreign lads were signed with a six month clause in it so some will be farmed out and replaced with experienced English pro's if not top six at Xmas... If this plan includes Bruno or not is anyone's guess though! Assume we will go for players like Thomas and Taylor... quality but injury prone or something.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Big Reg!

"Ohhh Cicilia! You've broken their hearts!"
"You've shaken their confidence weekly!"

He's scored the last two times he's come on at home I think and yet he doesn't get a look in. He may look awkward but I actually think defenders don't know how to cope with him.

 

[darren gregory]

Mbamba, Ferguson, Shalaj ,Kiko, Macintosh, Pereira all disasterous signings, amazed if they would relocate to England on the possibility of being dumped after 6 months.( apart from Ferguson )
Is this information concrete or the usual OVF ' chinese whispers ' ?
Out of them all Knopps is decent considering we yet to see him in his correct position, i felt Tavares was okay ( ish ) , but as someone else said he has not one assist or goal to his name and is a poor mans O'Connor.
The rest are truly abysmal bar De Freitas who has shown in glimpses and despite his knockers Cecilia has looked better than other options limited as they are.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Needs a transfer window... from what i gather from OVF a lot of the foreign lads were signed with a six month clause in it so some will be farmed out and replaced with experienced English pro's if not top six at Xmas... If this plan includes Bruno or not is anyone's guess though! Assume we will go for players like Thomas and Taylor... quality but injury prone or something.

I suspect that this will be Plan B. I'd imagine that we might ship out a few of the foreign lads and send a number of others on loan and then replace with 3-4 experienced pros - which is kind of what we should have done in the first place!

 

[leedsvaliant]

Mbamba, Ferguson, Shalaj ,Kiko, Macintosh, Pereira all disasterous signings, amazed if they would relocate to England on the possibility of being dumped after 6 months.( apart from Ferguson )
Is this information concrete or the usual OVF ' chinese whispers ' ?
Out of them all Knopps is decent considering we yet to see him in his correct position, i felt Tavares was okay ( ish ) , but as someone else said he has not one assist or goal to his name and is a poor mans O'Connor.
The rest are truly abysmal bar De Freitas who has shown in glimpses and despite his knockers Cecilia has looked better than other options limited as they are.

I agree, I think De Freitas and Cecilia need more opportunities and Knopps has been OK - the rest can go. The others have not really relocated and many are just lodging or in hotels, they may have agreed to a 6 month clause because it enabled them to play in the English leagues and put themselves in the shop window.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

Well this game is now guaranteed to be a goal fest as I have a wager on there being less than 3 goals in the game.

Enjoy everyone and you can thank me later.

 

[valefan16]

I'm not totally against Tavares as he clearly is talented but has no options to play a pass... no one moves ahead of him!

Amoros looks good but seems to be in and out, Perreira needs game time, Kiko looked ok v Fleetwood but without a run in the side we wont know what they can offer us.

 

[darren gregory]

VF16, i think Kiko looks overweight, looks a little pudding, Pereira as you say has not featured barely, Amoros looks okay ( ish ) , i really don,t think there is a plan or strategy in place, Michael Brown needs to open his mouth a bit with his knowledge of the game.
Bruno now saying he wants a winger and striker !!!
The squad is insane, we need a proven scorer as do most teams to be fair, but instead of 4 chancers i'd like to see the money pooled for one stand out marquee signing.
Hindsight a great thing but we definitely missed the boat on Omar Bogle, he looks well decent, League 2 not much different than ourselves so he may of been the answer.
Unless we get a striker capable of 10 plus goals from January onwards then it is all samey samey as per Page.

 

[darren gregory]

anyway back to tonight , this game recently been drawn a lot at our place. Oldham seem perennial strugglers but always stay up.
We need to avoid defeat at the least to keep a 9 point gap, lose and we will be getting pulled into the scrap at the bottom.

 

[valefan16]

VF16, i think Kiko looks overweight, looks a little pudding, Pereira as you say has not featured barely, Amoros looks okay ( ish ) , i really don,t think there is a plan or strategy in place, Michael Brown needs to open his mouth a bit with his knowledge of the game.
Bruno now saying he wants a winger and striker !!!
The squad is insane, we need a proven scorer as do most teams to be fair, but instead of 4 chancers i'd like to see the money pooled for one stand out marquee signing.
Hindsight a great thing but we definitely missed the boat on Omar Bogle, he looks well decent, League 2 not much different than ourselves so he may of been the answer.
Unless we get a striker capable of 10 plus goals from January onwards then it is all samey samey as per Page.

All those Oatcakes letting Kiko down!

Our squad is massive and no consistency to it... need to get a settled XI and give it chance to develop but Bruno is like Ranieri at Chelsea on Steriods! Tinker Man.... more like throw everything out and start again man!

Bogle we should of signed when had the chance!

 

[codaplenty]

Nailed on 0-0

 

[valefan16]

anyway back to tonight , this game recently been drawn a lot at our place. Oldham seem perennial strugglers but always stay up.
We need to avoid defeat at the least to keep a 9 point gap, lose and we will be getting pulled into the scrap at the bottom.

Always seem to draw or win/lose 1-0 and don't expect any different tonight judging on the two teams attacking prowess.

Recall a 1-0 win when Grimmer scored on his debut and Dicko was like a man possessed as we rallied around him following the death of his mum.

1-0 loss on a Tuesday night when they kicked us off the park and scored a pearler from a free kick IIRC

1-1 last year... dreadful game but Uche popped up as a sub to score.

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

I've got to echo the above views, it won't be a thriller.
Despite oldhams problems they'll get something.
0-0 or 0-1.

 

[darren gregory]

they had a guy called Harkins i believe from Scottish Prem ? who looked quite a decent player think he scored in the 1-0 loss, might be totally wrong.
Can,t say i,ve heard of this Ripley who Oldham fans are professing to be the best keeper in the division.
All i will add is that it is October 18th since Oldham last scored in the League, do i need to add any more ? Sure Vale fans know the script by now

 

[valefan16]

Positive line up, great news in Forrester starting, and two up front!!!!!! Woo! Paterson has the chance to show he can perform with support. Jones plays out wide in Jerome Thomas absence and De Freitas in the centre with Tavares.

Well 4-4-2 that we've yearned for.

 

[valefan16]

Another shit performance. Forrester off injured. No height. Long few weeks with all our key men out judging on tonight.

 

[Hurrikeen]

Absolutely peppered Vale just like we did to Scunthorpe at the weekend.

Shots: 1 - 10
Corners: 1 - 7
Poss: 44% - 56%

Nailed on Vale victory.

If only we had a fucking goalscorer or two!

 

[valefan16]

Bruno needs to go! Disgraceful and relegation is the way it's heading.

 

[Hurrikeen]

No less than what we deserved.

 

[valefan16]

We are an embarrassment at the moment. 17 shots we have conceded against a side who have scored nine before tonight.

Need all our big players back fast but isn't happening. We are getting outplayed by the even the dross in the division which points to us heading one way.

 

[Hurrikeen]

We are an embarrassment at the moment. 17 shots we have conceded against a side who have scored nine before tonight.

Need all our big players back fast but isn't happening. We are getting outplayed by the even the dross in the division which points to us heading one way.

Tbf we had 14 shots away at Scunthorpe on Saturday. That's not really our problem - its scoring that is.

 

[markpvfc]

A point was the least Oldham deserved from tonight. They could've been 3 or 4 up in the first half apart from a great save from Jak and several last ditch blocks. Once they did score we started to play a bit and thanks to super sub Reg looked to have stole an undeserved win, why he was an unused sub on Saturday only Bruno knows.

 

[valefan16]

A point was the least Oldham deserved from tonight. They could've been 3 or 4 up in the first half apart from a great save from Jak and several last ditch blocks. Once they did score we started to play a bit and thanks to super sub Reg looked to have stole an undeserved win, why he was an unused sub on Saturday only Bruno knows.

Crap until they scored... upped it, got level straight away then Big Reg came on, Tavares went off and we were much better and once faster paced we caused them big problems.

Reg was fucking quality tonight but you can bet Saturday Pato will start again.

Oldham looked decent on the ball.. oddly time wasted when on top first half slowing the tempo they'd built up. Poor up front though and took a huge deflection and a driven cross literally hitting their bloke to score.

After Fleetwood, Charlton, Oldham have come and has about 7000 shots between them we are clearly very clinical so if we can just play the open tempo we did last thirty we'd probably out score teams!

Massively need to either change it asap off the field or Bruno get his act together though because we are making the same balls ups time and time again. Take five or six big players out of any team (Thomas, Purkiss, Foley, Grant, Hart) missing and Forrester lasted half hour again oddly playing as a winger!!?!? And no team in the league would find it easy but no one else is stepping up to the plate. We could do with a couple of postponements to get some players back!