Walsall vs Port Vale

[saddler78]

Hear Vale are bringing a big following on saturday they are in great form and overall so are we since december i fancy a 1-1 draw.

 

[kieran_vale]

Looking forward to it. We owe Walsall one after they are the only visiting team to come away from VP with the three points this season. It's also the kind of game all season we haven't really capitalized on after beating the top teams in the division so that will be a challenge in itself.

Probably be unchanged from the last game which tends to be the Askey way. Personally I'd bring in Gibbons at right back for Smith as I just prefer players in their natural position where possible but understand why that likely won't happen. Our subs bench should be pretty impressive though with the like of Oyeleke, Pope and also Taylor and Amoo back from injury.

 

[valefan16]

Lowest placed opponent in a weeks

Vale looking for a 4th straight win and 5th in 6.

On the back of the most complete performance in the last few years

2400 Vale fans behind them

Likely to have the strongest bench we’ve named in years with injuries and suspensions finally clearing up.

Club the most positive it’s been for decades

What could possibly go wrong??

Will we get the typical let down of Vale past or is this time finally different?

Big game for us, it’s one we need to be looking to win if we want to make that top 7 and if we match the levels of last week we will have a great chance. Few difficult choices, stick with Cullen after his lethal performance or bring back Pope? Smith who pocketed Nouble so well get dropped for the returning Gibbons who is a natural right back?

Can we drop anyone from last weeks stunning performance to accommodate returning big players like Jake Taylor, Amoo and Manny Oyeleke? Great choices to have!

Draw would be ok looking at the other sides around us ties but a win would really push us on so hoping we hit the heights of last week and give the huge away following something to cheer.

2-1 Vale Cullen and Worrall.

 

[Pennywise]

Hate these type of games. Especially with a huge away following.

All set up for a frustrating, narrow defeat. 0-1.

 

[leedsvaliant]

It's generally the sort of game that we freeze in when backed by a good following. Walsall haven't got anything to play for, but that makes them more dangerous in a way.

We have a strong bench to change things if necessary but if we match the performance levels of last week, we'll beat anyone in this league. Fall below that and it becomes a bit of a slog fest where we don't usually fair as well.

I don't think Walsall are as physically strong or tall as Colchester, so we may want to try and exploit that with a greater aerial presence. The last 2 performances I've seen from Cullen have been excellent though, so he gets the nod for me. He's a good footballer.

My fear is that we occasionally throw in a stinker of a performance, but with the form we are in at the moment we've got to hope for at least a draw.

 

[Pennywise]

Our record at Walsall is exceptional though recently so something positive.

 

[valefan16]

Lads should be absolutely buzzing with confidence but the worry is complacency as you do that you get punished, the hope is with so many key players back on the bench the fighting to keep places will keep them on it.

Crazy our bench could well be Madison, Bennett, Pope, Amoo, Taylor, Oyeleke and Gibbons!

30 of our goals this season on that bench, our stand out right back and arguably our best midfielder last season!

No strength in depth though

 

[valefan16]

Our record at Walsall is exceptional though recently so something positive.

1 win in 114 years or something then in 2013- 2014 that all changed. Won 4 lost 1 since

 

[saddler78]

If it helps our home form is pretty poor this season overall but our away form is top 6 from what i know so you should start as favourites in this one some of our fans are still dreaming of making a late play off charge but i cant see it myself and from what ive seen of this side they are miles away from a league one outfit so another season down here at least looks likely.

 

[valefan16]

If it helps our home form is pretty poor this season overall but our away form is top 6 from what i know so you should start as favourites in this one some of our fans are still dreaming of making a late play off charge but i cant see it myself and from what ive seen of this side they are miles away from a league one outfit so another season down here at least looks likely.

Can take time as we can testify to stop the rot from relegation, we nearly lost our league place the first year down and only just floated above the relegation battle last season after a terrible Jan-Feb time.

Decent manager so I’m sure you’ll improve again next year and at least you stopped the rot mid season when it looked a bit bleak at one point for you.

 

[Dave-Vale]

Went to get my tickets yesterday. Could be a sell out if the next few hours is busy but I think we might just fall short of that. Should be a good, noisy crowd!

Sort of game we go and lose usually but I’m hoping we can carry on our up turn in good form and get the 3 points. I would take a point, though, especially if results elsewhere go in our favour.

 

[darren gregory]

A point away from home is never to be sniffed at , I'll go 1-1.
9-07 train to Brum New street. Few sherbets before and hopefully a noisy away following .
As others have said I think it'll be the same team but I'd also like to see Gibbons for Smith purely because he is a RB whereas Smith was just to make do

 

[Dave-Vale]

2177 tickets sold.

 

[saddler78]

2177 tickets sold.

very good mate at last a decent away following coming here this season.

 

[Pennywise]

Most sides at this level dream of taking that many away from home.

Crewe can't even bring that to Vale.

 

[saddler78]

Most sides at this level dream of taking that many away from home.

Crewe can't even bring that to Vale.

Crewe bought about 800 to us a few weeks ago pretty poor considering there league position i thought we took 1400 there earlier in the season same with Northampton around 8-900 we took 1500 there.

 

[valefan16]

Same XI unsurprisingly but four big players back and on the bench. That is one immense bench!

Come on the SVA

 

[kieran_vale]

Don’t think Askey was ever going do anything else. It’s just his way of doing things and as far as I’m concerned he’s earned the right to do it as he pleases.

Just imagine though round 70 minutes the nervous glances from them when they see Manny and Jake warming up. Been a while since we had genuine game changers coming off the bench.

 

[valefan16]

2-1 up at half time, making it hard for ourselves though with a horrendous error from keeper Brown to gift Walsall and equaliser but a bit of fortune for our second.

Need to get the ball down though as Cullen is having to try and deal with long balls on his own, doing that might as well chuck Pope on!

 

[leedsvaliant]

We've not been great but ahead, so we'll take it. I think the conditions are difficult and it's another shite pitch but let's at least try and play it on the floor a bit second half.

 

[valefan16]

Two points dropped there with some woeful defending, frustrating and we nearly threw it away in a mad 20 minute spell. Should of won it late on but a point is a point.

 

[kieran_vale]

That second half they battered us for a large part of it so am ok with a point. Having led twice it’s disappointing not to come away with the three points but even so keeps the unbeaten run going.

 

[valefan16]

That second half they battered us for a large part of it so am ok with a point. Having led twice it’s disappointing not to come away with the three points but even so keeps the unbeaten run going.

We ran out of steam for 20 odd minutes and that save from Brown was world class I thought that’s in!

Then had all the play late on and their keeper makes a great save from Woz. Fair result the game swung like a pendulum but when you look at the quality of the goals we conceded we will be kicking ourselves. Brown error for the first then Legge Couldn’t sort himself out for the second. Pitch was crap maybe didn’t help but we most of their chances were from us mis kicking clearances.

Referee was useless, saw it at Vale Park that they go down easy as they are strong at set pieces yet didn’t give the same decisions our way at all.

 

[valefan16]

Not magic for the first goal but he was magic for this!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1231262784777867264

 

[Vale on Trent]

Happy to take a point as we got battered for around 25/30 minutes of that second half. We never really got hold of the game and put our stamp on it although we went ahead twice. I can’t say that I ever thought we’d win.

Fair play to Walsall though, they looked a decent side in that second half.

 

[kieran_vale]

Aye they looked pretty handy to be honest. Got some good technical players. Thought Adebayo for them was proving difficult to handle all game for us.

Not the greatest performance all round from us. Thought Rhys Browne was not quite as involved as would like him to be going forward. The midfield worked hard and Burgess had some nice touches (he’s developing into a very decent player) but overall it was a fair result.

 

[Dave-Vale]

Thought we were very lucky to get a point as we were very poor second half. Didn’t think we were that good first half, either.

Special mention to yet another referee that seems to think he is the main attraction. Gave one of the most bizarre decisions I have ever seen and one which I’m very unsure is even something they can do; he penalised a player for taking too long to take a throw by giving the throw to the opposing team rather than booking the player. Is that a rule? Can refs do that? Thought we should have had a penalty when Pope was bundled to the ground yet the ref has given Walsall a free kick, and their keeper was lucky not to be penalised for handling a good yard outside the area.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Vale edged a pretty poor first half but then Walsall were completely dominant for a good 35 minutes second half, during which they really should have scored. We came back into it last 10 and could have nicked it.

Thought Walsall looked decent with some mobile forward players and a couple of good full backs (particularly the left back ).

The ref was one of those that deems any physical contact to be a foul (with no clear understanding of the game)but then missed handling outside the area by their keeper and a wrestle Pope to the ground.

Always take a point away from home, especially when we were pretty poor on the day.

What a save by Brown by the way. One of the best that I've seen this season. Incredible!

 

[valefan16]

Think Askey will make the changes next week, he wasn’t happy with some players.

Reece Brown is a funny one, he looks decent at times but others he is terrible and today was one of those.

Imagine the “big guns” that returned today will be thrown in next week...

Manny Joyce and Taylor potentially with Amoo and Woz wide would be pretty useful. Got a feeling Gibbons will come back in.

Would start Cullen with that line up at home but today shows he isn’t the answer away from home with the system we play. Pope away if one up top or it just doesn’t stick.

 

[saddler78]

Good game to watch today and one of our better home performances felt we edged it overall and where a little unlucky not to take the 3 points in the end this team is starting to show signs that with a few additions they could do something similar to what Vale have this season next.