w/e Saturday 30th November

[Alfie]

 

[Alfie]

 

[Alfie]

 

[Crewelad87]

Simple week, beat Vale, beat Carlisle, top of the league.

In all seriousness like with Walsall and Notts games another 4 points from these two games will keep us in a very healthy position.

Vale tommorow is going to be a good occasion and a great atmosphere under the lights. Over 2k from South Cheshire making the short journey. Just hope the game lives up to the occasion. I can see a tight game to be honest, both teams seem to pride themselves on being solid and organised. I think our main objective will be to keep Vale to nil. Sounds negative but defensively weve been so solid this season bar one game vs Chesterfield, weve got the best defence in the league anyway. Then we will lopk to.nick something on the break, which weve got the quality to do with Traceys pace and Bogles hold up play.

I'd expect we will probably just make the one change from the Notts game with Knight-Lebel returning after making his Canada debut last week, he will likely replace Connolly.

Marschall

Knight-Lebel Demetriou Williams

Conway Sanders Tabiner Holicek Cooney

Bogle Tracey

Port Vale 1-1 Crewe (Stockley, Tracey) 8500 (2100 away)

 

[JJ1990]

Agree with all of the above. Think the crowd will be much bigger than that though. Can't see Vale only having 6,400 in the home ends. I'd love to beat them, especially as it'd be our first win over them since 2017. But I'd take a point to be honest.

My worry is what we do if we fall behind, we've seen mixed reactions to that on the road. Came back to get a result against Bromley, didn't against Barrow and Newport. Hopefully we execute the same game plan which saw us get draws at Donny and Walsall. Sit deep, stay solid, nick a goal and then hold on to it. 1-1 draw is my bet as well.

Not happy with who we've got as ref though, Thomas bloody Kirk. The idiot from Salford away last season. Hope we're not talking about his performance at FT.

 

[leedsvaliant]

We need to be at our best tomorrow night. With our first choice midfield I'd be confident, but we're having to play people who are not naturally midfielders, which makes us less effective.

We're at home, so I expect us to be on the front foot, but we haven't been at our best the last couple of games and Crewe will be full of beans.

That being said, there's a reason that we are where we are, and the incentive to go 8 points clear of 4th and 6 points at the top is very appealing. I'm sure the players will be up for it.

Shame it isn't on a Saturday as I reckon we could have had 10k in there. I think there'll only be around 8.5k personally.

 

[kieran_vale]

Be nice if we can get Byers back for this though think Walsall will be the most likely. Hopefully Kyle John and Mitch Clark will be in contention though. We do tend to be a bit more free scoring at home than away and I feel if we win a large part will be down to our bench strength as has often happened so far this season.

Ripley
Sang Debrah Hall
Cover Croasdale Chislett John
Richards Curtis
Stockley

 

[valefan16]

Be nice if we can get Byers back for this though think Walsall will be the most likely. Hopefully Kyle John and Mitch Clark will be in contention though. We do tend to be a bit more free scoring at home than away and I feel if we win a large part will be down to our bench strength as has often happened so far this season.

Ripley
Sang Debrah Hall
Cover Croasdale Chislett John
Richards Curtis
Stockley

Byers and Garrity on the training video… seems strange with BG but would love Byers even if just for 60 mins with his quality.

Huge incentive to go 8 clear of fourth, can see a cagey draw though, especially if Crewe do sit in and do some dark arts.

Think Moore will go with experience with that in mind.

 

[Wootball]

I'd bite your hand off for a draw right now. I'm not sure we realistically compete with Port Vale on any level this season, as much as that pains me to say. They're a League One squad stuck in League Two, and what worries me is that after our recent battles at some point our defense is going to get tired.

 

[Dan Phillips]

I'd bite your hand off for a draw right now. I'm not sure we realistically compete with Port Vale on any level this season, as much as that pains me to say. They're a League One squad stuck in League Two, and what worries me is that after our recent battles at some point our defense is going to get tired.

Or, on the other hand, we put in an absolute stinker, and you take the piss.

Both as likely as one another at this point.

 

[lordofthepies]

I'd bite your hand off for a draw right now. I'm not sure we realistically compete with Port Vale on any level this season, as much as that pains me to say. They're a League One squad stuck in League Two, and what worries me is that after our recent battles at some point our defense is going to get tired.

I'd happily take a draw right now. However, I think you're overplaying it a bit. Vale are clearly a good team and rightly favourites, but just look at the results we got away to the top 3 last year - 7 points and it should have been 9. I'm not convinced that Vale are any better than Wrexham, Stockport and Mansfield and we competed with them for the whole of last season.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Don't get the defeatism about "not being able to compete" with Vale. Gillingham are paying daft wages compared to most yet I think our squad and management are well ahead of theirs in quality. Vale are a very good side but are they as strong as Wrexham and Stockport last season? I'm not so sure, especially when it comes to depth! I also don't see them running away with the league even if they were to win tonight.

That said, I'll take a draw away from home right now. 5 points against what was the Top 3 before Walsall is a good run and sets us up nicely for Carlisle on Saturday.

 

[Crewelad87]

Our record against good teams at this level away from is excellent. Last season wins at Stockport, Mansfield, Barrow, Notts, Crawley, Doncaster and got a point at Wrexham and this season already got points away at Donacaster and Walsall. The old stereo typical Crewe of being abit soft is well and truly gone. These big games seem to bring the best out I us.

Vale certainly have the quality to beat us and will no doubt be favourites, but any talk about us not being able to compete is rubbish. This will be Vales toughest test so far and likely one of the toughest they get all season.

 

[valefan16]

Its 11 v 11 at the end of the day, yes we've got the depth and the better players on paper but football isn't played on paper and some teams are better as the sum of their parts.

We will have to be at our best to beat Crewe tonight as we do have to be most weeks and despite increased player availability we are likely without two of our key midfielders in Garrity and Byers, our best wing back in John (although could be back for this).

Moore has us very functional rather than spectacular despite the quality he had at his disposal so we do give teams a chance by not being that ruthless to be honest. 9 times out of 10 its worked but like at Gillingham playing the fine margins can bite you in the backside.

Crewe are very experienced, been at this level a few seasons now and built themselves up well so will be a big test and we need another performance like MK/Notts/Chesterfield to get a result.

Win would be massive, keeps top spot, but importantly 8 points clear of 4th, lose and that becomes 4 points from 4th, keep the status quo with a draw so plenty at stake, if we lose we will likely be off top by tomorrow night all be it key is the gap to 4th at this point.

Should be a decent encounter but think Wootball is doing reverse psychology to suggest they can't compete on the night.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Our record against good teams at this level away from is excellent. Last season wins at Stockport, Mansfield, Barrow, Notts, Crawley, Doncaster and got a point at Wrexham and this season already got points away at Donacaster and Walsall. The old stereo typical Crewe of being abit soft is well and truly gone. These big games seem to bring the best out I us.

Vale certainly have the quality to beat us and will no doubt be favourites, but any talk about us not being able to compete is rubbish. This will be Vales toughest test so far and likely one of the toughest they get all season.

I totally agree, it will be our toughest test of the season. Crewe are rightly on a high, so will be full of confidence and expecting to get points. They seem to have a good mix for once of experience and youngsters, with a bit of strength and pace mixed in. Earlier in the season though they were pretty poor, particularly the mauling to Chesterfield, so there's definitely vulnerability there.

I hope we start well. We can be a bit slow out of the blocks but I feel if we can get ourselves in front early, it might change Crewe's tactics and mindset.

Just worry about our midfield....it doesn't look the strongest without our 2 injured players. I also think Moore will go with the experience of Curtis and Chislett, whereas I would play Richards in place of one of them as he's direct and has a bit of pace. It's all a bit slow otherwise.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

It's actually mental we've conceded more goals in the league in August than we have in September, October and November combined so far so I'm not sure calling our defence vulnerable is accurate. You'll struggle to find a better defence in this league statistically. They had a mad opening 10 minutes vs Chesterfield and that was pretty much that.

 

[valefan16]

I totally agree, it will be our toughest test of the season. Crewe are rightly on a high, so will be full of confidence and expecting to get points. They seem to have a good mix for once of experience and youngsters, with a bit of strength and pace mixed in. Earlier in the season though they were pretty poor, particularly the mauling to Chesterfield, so there's definitely vulnerability there.

I hope we start well. We can be a bit slow out of the blocks but I feel if we can get ourselves in front early, it might change Crewe's tactics and mindset.

Just worry about our midfield....it doesn't look the strongest without our 2 injured players. I also think Moore will go with the experience of Curtis and Chislett, whereas I would play Richards in place of one of them as he's direct and has a bit of pace. It's all a bit slow otherwise.

I think it will be similar to AFC Wimbledon myself, they actually have a good defence, similar on the road to AFCW (who we did put 3 past so are certainly capable against top defensive sides).

Crewe don't score many away so its critical we take chances, if we go 1 down and they sit in deep then it could be a tough break down.

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

First time in a long time that I’m actually excited for a game at vale.
We’re not the team of last season, we’re so much better, so although my head says early Crewe goal and a huff and puff performance, I fancy a tub thumbing 3-2 win.
I can’t see more than 6500 vale there, of the 8 that I usually go with only 2 of us are going make it.
8 on a Monday is crap.

 

[Soz]

Crewe are 15th in the league for expected goals against. Are they getting a bit lucky defensively or are their opponents letting them off in relation to the quality of chances they're conceding?


It's set up to be a tight game, Think we'll see Moore's classic approach, keep it relatively tight and hit them in the face with the subs after about 65 minutes. If we're not behind after 60 odd minutes it's going to be tough for them to handle Benicio/Richards et al coming off the bench.

Interesting to see who is possibly returning from injury for us, there's 2-3 in the frame although really it's Byers who is the game changer there and I'm not convinced he'll make it. The wing backs would be nice to haves but really we've coped without them.

I'll go for a frustrating 2-2 draw with crewe equalising late.

 

[valefan16]

Crewe are 15th in the league for expected goals against. Are they getting a bit lucky defensively or are their opponents letting them off in relation to the quality of chances they're conceding?


It's set up to be a tight game, Think we'll see Moore's classic approach, keep it relatively tight and hit them in the face with the subs after about 65 minutes. If we're not behind after 60 odd minutes it's going to be tough for them to handle Benicio/Richards et al coming off the bench.

Interesting to see who is possibly returning from injury for us, there's 2-3 in the frame although really it's Byers who is the game changer there and I'm not convinced he'll make it. The wing backs would be nice to haves but really we've coped without them.

I'll go for a frustrating 2-2 draw with crewe equalising late.

Although in training I think Byers will probably be left until Doncaster to get minutes in the Pizza SM Virtue Vans Paint Trophy, although ideally if we could get him 30 mins even today then build him up for Cheltenham/Walsall it would be great.

Mitch Clarke and Kyle John played in the friendly last week so must have a chance? Be almost full strength bar Byers and Garrity if so, unless anyone else has picked up a knock.

 

[lordofthepies]

Crewe are 15th in the league for expected goals against.

Where are you getting that from? Opta have us second.

 

[Crewelad87]

Rumours going around that Shilow Tracey is out injured tonight. Be a massive blow, he's playing with great confidence at the moment, his pace on the break would be key tonight.

 

[valefan16]

Less than 100 tickets left in the Lorne Street stand as it stands so looking healthy, issue is because we do actual people in stadium than tickets sold attendance will depend how many ST holders show up but looks like being fairly healthy.

 

[Soz]

Where are you getting that from? Opta have us second.

ah that makes more sense, looks like some of these daft stats sites use different sources.

carry on.

 

[leedsvaliant]

It's actually mental we've conceded more goals in the league in August than we have in September, October and November combined so far so I'm not sure calling our defence vulnerable is accurate. You'll struggle to find a better defence in this league statistically. They had a mad opening 10 minutes vs Chesterfield and that was pretty much that.

I agree, very strong defensively but that result shows that they're capable of a brain fart every now and then.

Similar to our result against Barrow, which is the anomaly rather than the norm.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Rumours going around that Shilow Tracey is out injured tonight. Be a massive blow, he's playing with great confidence at the moment, his pace on the break would be key tonight.

I never pay much mind to these sorts of rumours, usually kids messing about. I guess we'll see come 7pm.

 

[Jimmy Anderson]

Vale don't tend to do well in night games or games that are on sky either. We were crap in the recent losses against Barnsley in the cup and Gillingham and weren't much better at Morecambe either but managed get the win there. I think this is our wobble in the season. I will go for a 1 1 draw. Crowd around 8500 would have been 10000 on a Saturday.

 

[valefan16]

Vale don't tend to do well in night games or games that are on sky either. We were crap in the recent losses against Barnsley in the cup and Gillingham and weren't much better at Morecambe either but managed get the win there. I think this is our wobble in the season. I will go for a 1 1 draw. Crowd around 8500 would have been 10000 on a Saturday.

Don't think we were too bad against Barnsley, referee decisions went against us on two big calls and matched them for 60 minutes but they are a top L1 side.

Gillingham from all accounts was no different to the 1-0 wins we have had but just fell the wrong side of the sword in that one (coupled with a big decision).

Morecambe we deservedly won against a side that have been a thorn for a few sides despite their lowly standing.

So think we've done ok, especially with the injuries we have had (6 wins in 7 without our stellar signing from the summer).

We are not a side that will steamroller teams good or bad really as that's not how Moore does it, if we go up it wont be from devastating attacking performances like under Micky Adams in 12/13 for example but solid but unspectacular wins. Does make it hard to enjoy late on in games though when defending a 1 goal lead though!

 

[GTFCfish]

A week off from getting beat at home, lovely stuff.

 

[valefan16]

Very strange team, left back Sam Hart and RWB Tom Sang in a back three with only one recognised centre half.

Shorrock and Cover is ok at wing back, Harper and Croasdale is a natural midfield at least and Richards and Chislett behind Stockley is dynamic.

I’d have gone with at least two of the three at the back being centre halves.