Sat 7th & Mon 9th Oct Games

[SVH]

 

[K-Win]

We'll be lacking half the first team on Saturday due to a combination of injury and suspension. This is time for our supposed strength in depth to show itself.

Big game this to try and keep it going before the international break. Should have a few players returning afterwards.

 

[HoxxySoxxyOxxy]

Should be a very different test to the Shrews.
Current form sequence is, 1 loss, 4 wins, 1 loss, 4 wins... and we always struggle against Rovers.

We should still be confident however. When Exeter were 2nd we beat them, Stevenage 3rd we beat them. They've taken 2 points off of Portsmouth and Barnsley who you would expect to finish roughly where they currently are so this will be another real test.

Injury wise we've lost 2 left wingers, but we've played with 3 at the back and a box midfield in the last 2 games so who knows whether we'll stick with that or revert back to 4231. Excited, but wish it wasn't an early kick off.

 

[HoxxySoxxyOxxy]

We'll be lacking half the first team on Saturday due to a combination of injury and suspension. This is time for our supposed strength in depth to show itself.

Big game this to try and keep it going before the international break. Should have a few players returning afterwards.

Going by the other thread even if you win 6 - 0 Vale being good for 5minutes will still somehow make them the better team

 

[valefan16]

Tough game, riddled by injury, illness and suspension but at least able to cotton wool a few at half time yesterday which may help.

Should be a decent game but we need to spend the next two days practicing defending crosses!

With the injuries we are limited in the side we can select but would be tempted to go 2 up front to get more threat unless big Uche is fit to give us an hour.

We shouldn’t fear it, we’ve gone to Oxford and won and obviously ended Plymouths record last season and Derby’s home form so we have a track record but to get anything out of it we will need to be a lot better than recently in both boxes and find the defensive form from a few weeks ago.

Difficult though with the Yak out and a young back line and would take a point but a positive performance is the least I want to see after a couple of poor results.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Like K-Win said, this game is tricky because of the injuries and suspensions we have but it looks like Vale have got the same issues, so I'm hoping that gives us an edge although I do wonder how our lightweight midfield will cope in a physical battle.

If valefan16 is concerned about his team defending crosses then it could be a long afternoon for them as we love a cross into the box and we've got numerous players to get on the end of them.

If Vale fans want to be hopeful then they can take solace in the fact that Pompey haven't kept a clean sheet in their last 6 games, Vale have pulled off a result at Oxford and a woeful Cheltenham team came here and got a deserved draw. There's also that feeling that our run has to come to an end at some point and as great as this team have been when coming from behind, we can't keep conceding first and expect to get results.

On the other hand, we could also absolutely steamroller Vale if we score early and their young defence can't cope with the pressure we'll put them under. I'll take any kind of win, though. It'll be great to win 5 on the spin before the international break so we can get some first team players back.

 

[valefan16]

It just depends, we’ll generally try and keep the pressure off by having the ball and pressing high (we do have about 6 midfielders in our system).

We do have Smudge at the back and assume Balmer will come in but the Yak was our main aerial presence from a defensive POV so is a big miss and Debrah is obviously suspended so a lot of pressure on Smith.

Might try and stink the place out of course and set up to pack the midfield like at Blackpool but with our footballers it’s a bit of a waste and lends itself to asking for trouble.

If big Uche is fit enough to give us a half it would be a massive boost but unsure how fit he will be with no club until today.

Hopefully Mitch Clarke is back from tonsilitis and we can actually play full backs at full back.

 

[dwightyorke]

Just bet on Portsmouth to beat port vale 7 nil so watch it finish 8 nil. As for Bolton they should beat carlise but there big away support should jeer there players up to make them perform better can see another close game like the Stevenage match last night with Bolton just nicking it.

 

[leedsvaliant]

It's going to be a tough, tough game no doubt. However, Portsmouth's run can't go on forever.

We've got decent players in the middle of the park but it's just at either end. We concede so many off crosses it's a joke. If we had a focal point for some of our attacks I could see us causing all sorts of issues.

We've yet to put a complete performance together and it's going to have to be good. Having said that, we're not playing Man City...it's just another 3rd division team who happen to be on a good run. We should go there with a bit of a point to prove after a bit of a wobble.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Just forward to next week please

 

[EricSabin]

Shrewsbury away. They’re in a rotten run of form and we’ve righted the ship with 2 really good performances and 6 points. I fancy us to get something out of this, praying Guthrie is fit after going off on Tuesday night but not confident.

Should imagine 800 or will travel, got a glut of away games coming up (Shrews, Rovers, Bolton, Derby) all in October so will be some picking and choosing going on I’d imagine.

 

[Luke Imp]

Away at Posh, which will be a toughie. Just hoping they can gift us one or two goals!

Sorenson went off injured at Orient, which gives us a headache because he's actually more of an attacking outlet at RWB, which has been even more important playing with no strikers. Jackson surprisingly played in midweek with Mitchell missing and I'd be amazed if we risked him with three games in a week, although of the three games, it's this one we'll need him for.

Mandroiu has to start this one to get some semblance of creativity and goal scoring in the side.

 

[Guernica]

Away at Posh, which will be a toughie. Just hoping they can gift us one or two goals!

Sorenson went off injured at Orient, which gives us a headache because he's actually more of an attacking outlet at RWB, which has been even more important playing with no strikers. Jackson surprisingly played in midweek with Mitchell missing and I'd be amazed if we risked him with three games in a week, although of the three games, it's this one we'll need him for.

Mandroiu has to start this one to get some semblance of creativity and goal scoring in the side.

I always travel to Peterborough in the hope of another Ryan Amoo show. Should Sorensen miss out, it's going to be a struggle. This will be another game where missing Ben House will be a particular issue, he's so important in our attacking press and gives us structure up top which we don't have with Hakeeb.

 

[Floreat Salopia]

Northampton at home.

This is a game we really, really should be looking at picking up all 3 points from. If we don’t win this, I can see things turning nasty come full time at the Meadow with anger directed at not just Taylor, but Roland and Moore too.

As much as I’m pissed off with the situation at hand currently, I can for the first time in weeks actually see us winning this one. Law of averages suggests there’s only so many games you can go with creating numerous chances (Oxford on Tuesday aside) and not score a goal. He’s certainly always been a good talker, but judging by Taylor’s pre match talk the players are up for this and he’s confident we’ll get a result here.

Salop 2-0 Cobblers (Udoh, Dunkley)

 

[LordJord]

Surprised to see Shrewsbury so low down the table, thought they would be mid table or above. That being said Matty Taylor was terrible at Walsall so not sure what merited getting a better job after that. Apparently our captain and general rock Jon Guthrie is out for 6 weeks which is a massive blow.
It means Manny Monthe is likely to start, he goes from the sublime to the ridiculous and is just no where as consistent as Guthrie.

We have picked up big wins in back to back games, one more would be very much put as in among the mid table pack which would be huge as survival is all i am looking for. Going to go with a 1-1 draw here.

 

[EricSabin]

Northampton at home.

This is a game we really, really should be looking at picking up all 3 points from. If we don’t win this, I can see things turning nasty come full time at the Meadow with anger directed at not just Taylor, but Roland and Moore too.

As much as I’m pissed off with the situation at hand currently, I can for the first time in weeks actually see us winning this one. Law of averages suggests there’s only so many games you can go with creating numerous chances (Oxford on Tuesday aside) and not score a goal. He’s certainly always been a good talker, but judging by Taylor’s pre match talk the players are up for this and he’s confident we’ll get a result here.

Salop 2-0 Cobblers (Udoh, Dunkley)

Listened to the NTT20 podcast and they mentioned that only Cheltenham have a worse open play expected goals tally in the league so are you creating that many decent chances?

(Bookmark this for when we get drubbed 4-0)

 

[Throbber_for_Dunk]

Another who knows for us, but then we all said that Tuesday and look how that panned out.

Bet the viewing figures will be through the roof for Sky, if nothing else.

 

[Floreat Salopia]

Listened to the NTT20 podcast and they mentioned that only Cheltenham have a worse open play expected goals tally in the league so are you creating that many decent chances?

(Bookmark this for when we get drubbed 4-0)

I’ll give the team a bit of credit, we are creating numerous good opportunities most games and come 5pm we really should have stuck two or three of them away they have been far from just half chances. Unfortunately the chances are down to lack of confidence/composure and just falling to the wrong player. Dan Udoh is the clubs best striker and barely hasn’t had any chances fall to him as he tends to be the one setting the chances up.

We’re getting closer and closer each week and I do fancy us to score two or three this weekend. We’ll see come 5pm tomorrow though I guess. You score first and I think we’ll be in for a struggle though.

 

[Si Robin]

I'm really in two minds on this weekend. I feel like I've had a blinding bit of luck in booking my wife's and my anniversary trip to Blackpool for a weekend when we're at home to Derby and likely to get our ass spanked to Kingdom come.

But on the other hand, you just know that it's going to be one of those games where we're imperious and put a much, much bigger team to the sword and finally get our first goal of the season.*



*Definitely not going to happen

 

[masi51]

I'm really in two minds on this weekend. I feel like I've had a blinding bit of luck in booking my wife's and my anniversary trip to Blackpool for a weekend when we're at home to Derby and likely to get our ass spanked to Kingdom come.

But on the other hand, you just know that it's going to be one of those games where we're imperious and put a much, much bigger team to the sword and finally get our first goal of the season.*



*Definitely not going to happen

Blackpool"

Dear me

 

[nelsonpfc]

Our biggest issue will be that we are missing 2 from our strongest back four and 2 from midfield, however.. Sparkes last 2 matches has been really good at LB and even though Poole is out we have Raggett who'd probably be in most league one teams first 11. Midfield is more of an issue for me as we'll either be replacing Pack and Robertson with Ben Stevenson not having played any league mins this season and not played since 29th August in the cup. Tino Anjorin started his first match in a year on tuesday, but only lasted an hour and took a knock to the ankle, and Terry Devlin came over from North Ireland and he's 19 and has come off the bench a few matches, but not sure he's ready to start a league match yet

 

[Si Robin]

Blackpool"

Dear me

It's the first time we've had two whole nights away from kids since getting married 10 years ago.

I'd have gone to Kiev if it meant getting away from my little shits!!!

 

[Luke Imp]

I always travel to Peterborough in the hope of another Ryan Amoo show. Should Sorensen miss out, it's going to be a struggle. This will be another game where missing Ben House will be a particular issue, he's so important in our attacking press and gives us structure up top which we don't have with Hakeeb.

I think that was the last time we won at Posh, which was 2006!

 

[Laker]

It's the first time we've had two whole nights away from kids since getting married 10 years ago.

I'd have gone to Kiev if it meant getting away from my little shits!!!

I think out of all the lovely places in the country to pick, Blackpool is a curious choice….!

 

[Si Robin]

Dirty Dancing the Musical is on at the Winter Gardens. The wife loves the film, so it made sense to be honest.

 

[YEO YEO YEO]

Blackpool"

Dear me

Hahah, potentially the first time i've sided with Masi!

 

[valefan16]

Hopefully after today's sad news, the lads put in a performance for George, RIP George Andrews, the voice of Port Vale during the great times of the 90's.

 

[The Terminator]

Will be a sad occasion tomorrow after what happened on Tuesday night.

In terms of the team, we generally played well once we took the lead and calmed down, we defended well apart from one occasion I can think of, but accept that Lincoln didn’t have a single natural striker on the pitch.

We’ll likely play the same side which started Tuesday.

First time in 30 around years we’re playing Reading in a league game.

Their team consists mainly of youngsters and older pros, I can’t see David Button being in goal for them after he had a Nightmare of a game on Tuesday against Northampton.

 

[hellogregory]

Being optimistic we’ll make a decent game of it in front of a big away following, score a goal and only lose 2-1.

The realistic take is we’ll get our first real battering of the season 3 or 4-0.

 

[GEORGE]

If our game is not on TV -- Why are we having to play at 12.30?