Vale v Shrews

[leedsvaliant]

Make or break time.

Lose this and we're almost certainly down as the games are running out and Shrewsbury will pull out of the reckoning for relegation. Win and Oldham lose and we're basically back to where we were last Saturday, 2 points off safety with 3 games in hand.

We've still got to however go on a really good run of form to stand any chance, and after 1 win in 10, this looks unlikely. I think we need like 5 wins out of 11 to stand any chance, so we'll have to win 1 or 2 away from home at least - considering that we've won once on the road all season, again this doesn't look likely.

Coventry is the game after the Shrews and even though they have been abject, we have a habit of giving teams like that an easy 3 points. We need 6 points from the next 2 in an ideal world, which would give us a slightly less overwhelming target of 3 wins in 9 games.

I don't know much about Shrewsbury apart from the fact that they have some of our former players in the form of Louis '1 game in 8' Dodds and Ryan 'Calamity' McGivern, plus AJLS of course. I'm not certain how many games these have played but they were all either on the bench or not in the squad for Shrewsbury's last game.

Shrewsbury seem to have been poor up until Christmas, since when they have improved but they don't score many. We've scored in all of the last 5 games, but can't keep a clean sheet to save our lives. We have to believe that Shrewsbury are capable of throwing in poor performances as they were bottom for a while and are still inconsistent.

These games with Shrewsbury used to be good when we were both good and battling at the top of the league below - perhaps they will come again one day. In some ways, I'd rather us be a big fish in the league below than a mid-table/struggling team in this. Until we sort ourselves out, we'll never challenge for the Championship.

I'll go for a nervy 2-1 to us.

 

[valefan16]

Huge game again as important and last weekend.

If we win then we know a win at Coventry will take us out the bottom four (over Shrewsbury minimum).

Apparently making two experienced signings before I see so could be interesting (Bikey ex Reading has been training with us hasn't he?)

Fancy Mehmet to start for Fasan also and looks as though Streete will be back which is a huge boost.

We have in almost all our decent seasons since 2008 taken four points off them (promotion season for Shrews the one exception).

Keeping that record is a must to stay up.

2-1

 

[T.A]

#TeamShrews

 

[Andy Proctor]

Make or break time.

Lose this and we're almost certainly down as the games are running out and Shrewsbury will pull out of the reckoning for relegation. Win and Oldham lose and we're basically back to where we were last Saturday, 2 points off safety with 3 games in hand.

We've still got to however go on a really good run of form to stand any chance, and after 1 win in 10, this looks unlikely. I think we need like 5 wins out of 11 to stand any chance, so we'll have to win 1 or 2 away from home at least - considering that we've won once on the road all season, again this doesn't look likely.

Coventry is the game after the Shrews and even though they have been abject, we have a habit of giving teams like that an easy 3 points. We need 6 points from the next 2 in an ideal world, which would give us a slightly less overwhelming target of 3 wins in 9 games.

I don't know much about Shrewsbury apart from the fact that they have some of our former players in the form of Louis '1 game in 8' Dodds and Ryan 'Calamity' McGivern, plus AJLS of course. I'm not certain how many games these have played but they were all either on the bench or not in the squad for Shrewsbury's last game.

Shrewsbury seem to have been poor up until Christmas, since when they have improved but they don't score many. We've scored in all of the last 5 games, but can't keep a clean sheet to save our lives. We have to believe that Shrewsbury are capable of throwing in poor performances as they were bottom for a while and are still inconsistent.

These games with Shrewsbury used to be good when we were both good and battling at the top of the league below - perhaps they will come again one day. In some ways, I'd rather us be a big fish in the league below than a mid-table/struggling team in this. Until we sort ourselves out, we'll never challenge for the Championship.

I'll go for a nervy 2-1 to us.

Shrewsbury have a striker upfront who was garbage at oldham for half a season then signs for shrewsbury and scored about 5 goals already for them.

 

[Junior's Lips]

Would like to think Shrews could get something from this one, 2-1 Roberts and Whalley would do nicely

 

[dannylad01]

Make or break time.

Lose this and we're almost certainly down as the games are running out and Shrewsbury will pull out of the reckoning for relegation. Win and Oldham lose and we're basically back to where we were last Saturday, 2 points off safety with 3 games in hand.

We've still got to however go on a really good run of form to stand any chance, and after 1 win in 10, this looks unlikely. I think we need like 5 wins out of 11 to stand any chance, so we'll have to win 1 or 2 away from home at least - considering that we've won once on the road all season, again this doesn't look likely.

Coventry is the game after the Shrews and even though they have been abject, we have a habit of giving teams like that an easy 3 points. We need 6 points from the next 2 in an ideal world, which would give us a slightly less overwhelming target of 3 wins in 9 games.

I don't know much about Shrewsbury apart from the fact that they have some of our former players in the form of Louis '1 game in 8' Dodds and Ryan 'Calamity' McGivern, plus AJLS of course. I'm not certain how many games these have played but they were all either on the bench or not in the squad for Shrewsbury's last game.

Shrewsbury seem to have been poor up until Christmas, since when they have improved but they don't score many. We've scored in all of the last 5 games, but can't keep a clean sheet to save our lives. We have to believe that Shrewsbury are capable of throwing in poor performances as they were bottom for a while and are still inconsistent.

These games with Shrewsbury used to be good when we were both good and battling at the top of the league below - perhaps they will come again one day. In some ways, I'd rather us be a big fish in the league below than a mid-table/struggling team in this. Until we sort ourselves out, we'll never challenge for the Championship.

I'll go for a nervy 2-1 to us.

Dodds is currently our top scorer with 9. Probably slightly better than a 1 in 8 performer for us. Probably 1 in 4. Did well when he came on at Chesterfield last week.

AJLS has barely done anything but has had a few injuries. Runs round a lot but never really looks like scoring when he plays. Doubt he'll feature tonight.

McGivern is awful. Played in our reserves/youth team Shropshire senior cup final defeat against Telford on Tuesday. Can't see him being here next year. Would be amazed if he gets on tonight, doubtful he'll make the squad.

Draws against Coventry and Chesterfield in the last 2 games haven't been great. I think we may nick a 2-1 tonight, although I've never seen us win at Vale Park. Hopefully that changes later.

 

[valefan16]

Hoping we've just kept the two signings under wraps to surprise Shrews rather than not gone through in time.

We've been playing well without getting the points we've probably deserved.

Really is a must win, that would change the whole dynamic as then we know a win at Coventry would haul us out the bottom four with two games still in hand and we'd then probably be 7 or 8 points off safety maximum.

Huge huge game and as big as the Swindon test which we passed.

Looks like some of our players may return from injury in Big Reg and Streete which is a boost. Hopefully Pugh and Thomas can make it too.

 

[darren gregory]

Nothing but a win will do, fair play to Shrews on their revival.
Apart from ourselves they are the worst team i have seen, truly woeful in the dismal 0-0 back in November.
Credit to Hurst who seems to of got the ball rolling unlike our Mr Brown.

 

[valefan16]

Nothing but a win will do, fair play to Shrews on their revival.
Apart from ourselves they are the worst team i have seen, truly woeful in the dismal 0-0 back in November.
Credit to Hurst who seems to of got the ball rolling unlike our Mr Brown.

Harsh on Brown he hasn't exactly had it easy. Performances are miles better (not hard mind!) and he has us working hard. Injuries have been ridiculous lately yet a win tonight and it's 7 points from 12 which will do.

Smurf hasn't exactly made it easy for anyone at PV of late.

 

[darren gregory]

Neither did Sheridan, inherited a side which had scored 13 up to New years day, and look at Oldham now.
Brown has not galvanised anything, he had 36 days from Alex Jones leaving to get a striker in, and came up with Tanser and Prohouly.
Smurf has caused most of it but the answer isn't Brown.
After finally getting a win he pretty much went Northampton for a point, 43 minutes for a goal attempt....dire

 

[valefan16]

He tried to get one in, he got Walker... unfortunate he got a bad injury, tried to get Proctor who turned down a lot of league one clubs to play in league two. Easy to say he should of got this or that but if not backed financially to compete then he is going to struggle.

I think Brown is pretty blameless in all this and wouldn't be against him having a clean slate to try next season regardless of the division we are in.

 

[mozzavale]

He tried to get one in, he got Walker... unfortunate he got a bad injury, tried to get Proctor who turned down a lot of league one clubs to play in league two. Easy to say he should of got this or that but if not backed financially to compete then he is going to struggle.

I think Brown is pretty blameless in all this and wouldn't be against him having a clean slate to try next season regardless of the division we are in.

I agree 100%. We never should have got rid of Page in my opinion. Shocking gamble by Smurf that has massively backfired. Typical Smurf though, we're now the only club that lost their Manager around xmas that still hasn't appointed anyone. I think Brown should get the job and be given a fair crack of the whip, but I'd have accepted it if Smurf had simply appointed someone to see through the January transfer window. Having a caretaker manager in charge throughout that period was pathetic, so to blame Brown for not bringing in the players we need is massively short sighted. The uncertainty surrounding the club, and the reputation we now have amongst players and potential managers alike must be shocking, given Smurfs treatment of Page and top players over the last few years. Any player we were after in January would have been conscious of the fact that we were potentially a few defeats away from getting rid of the Manager trying to bring them to the club. That's the situation Smurf created in January, and we're now paying the consequences, never mind the absolute farce of pre season which was also all his doing. Whilst he's at the club making big decisions, we're knackered.

Brown and Morgan are a good pairing that will make the team work hard, which given our limited ability, is exactly what we need given the mess we're in. Regardless of what division we're in next season, I'd give Brown a 2 and bit year contract, back him in the way he backed Bruno, and then if I was Smurf I'd keep my mouth shut and let him get on with it. He's a decent professional, ambitious Manager with a good team behind him, and plenty of contacts in the game. If we emphasise the need for quality over quantity during the inevitable pre season overhaul, I'm confident Brown could put a decent squad together.

 

[valefan16]

Ryan Taylor signs and plays. Mehmet makes his debut after Fasan gifted Cobblers three points. Streete starts! Big big boosts there.

 

[valefan16]

Is N'Sala the guy who was at Hartlepool earlier in the season? He got destroyed in the cup at Vale by Kiko and Kelly in November.

 

[Buxton Vale]

I'm hoping we might sneak a win, maybe 2-1.

Hooper to continue his scoring run.

 

[Crewelad87]

Come on Salop!

 

[valefan16]

Should of been 2 up inside 15 minutes. Been a complete non event since then with neither side doing anything.

 

[kieran_vale]

Get in Foley!! Nice time get his first of the season.

By the sounds of it the game has been an abomination but will take it. Need a second though to give a cushion about the obligatory last minute goal we will concede.

Edit - And Taylor adds the second. Now for once Vale don't fuck things up!!

 

[Buxton Vale]

2-1 holding on grimly again with 5 mins to go

 

[kieran_vale]

4 minutes stoppage time, danger time for Vale now. Wish for once if we can just do what most normal teams do and kill the clock by taking it into the corner etc?

 

[markpvfc]

Phew, we held on, not quite dead yet.

 

[Buxton Vale]

Brilliant. 2 home wins on the bounce and we are in with a chance.

 

[valefan16]

Massive massive win and well deserved! Win on Tuesday and we are out the drop zone with games in hand!

 

[T.A]

About 6 teams involved now. Plenty of twist and turns.

 

[Vale on Trent]

Big win. There's not a great deal of quality in this team but they are showing a bit of fight so fair play.

Shrewsbury were dreadful, set up for a point and then suddenly decided to attack at 2 down.

Home games are massive for us now. I can't see us picking up many points away from home as we don't create enough chances.

 

[kieran_vale]

Big win. There's not a great deal of quality in this team but they are showing a bit of fight so fair play.

Shrewsbury were dreadful, set up for a point and then suddenly decided to attack at 2 down.

Home games are massive for us now. I can't see us picking up many points away from home as we don't create enough chances.

I agree completely with that. In terms of talent there's no getting away from the fact with maybe two or three exceptions this is a very poor team but since January I don't think anyone can say they haven't given their all and I respect the team and coaching staff for that at least.

Still don't see us getting out of it, if we are to do it we really need to have it as good as sealed by the last three games as that's a horrible list for us to contend with.

 

[valefan16]

Got a great chance in my opinion. Shrewsbury looked awful and no reason we can't overhaul them come the end of the season. They lacked quality as much if not more than we did with Eagles now looking a superb catch and Taylor has that extra quality needed.

In our own hands, beat Coventry then we are out of the bottom four and things look much better for us.

 

[Agombar stool]

Well done Vale. You have done all
You can against the two STFCs. No
Idea why but I hope we drag Shrewsbury into the black hole with us to enjoy league 2 next season. Port vale can enjoy league 1 next season.

 

[Junior's Lips]

Awful game until the Vale goals. We were never out of it at all, but now we are now very much in the mix. Very disappointing last few matches, 0-0 Cov, 1-1 Chesterfield and now 1-2 Port Vale. With the bottom three surely doomed its now looking like 1 team from a possible 6 all the way up to Gillingham. We've certainly picked the wrong time to hit a bit of bad form, and some tough looking fixtures ahead. I will be viewing the results at 5pm tomorrow from behind the sofa...

 

[darren gregory]

Loving the post from the Crewe clown...unlucky son