Disregarding fitness/injuries, same starting 11 to keep the shirt. We didn’t do too badly against them at the start of the season so with our squad looking much healthier now than it was back then I’m hoping for a positive result.
Apart from a question mark over Clarke, it’s as it was against Oldham. 4/4/2, you never know…Loft might ever turn in a dominant, targetman masterclass.
Yeah Rowe in for Clarke for me as the only change. Get another 70 mins out of Kev and see if we can get something but I wouldn’t be risking Clarke sat/tue after nearly a year out.
As BLT said the cup loss against them was one of our less disgraceful losses. No reason we shouldn’t get another 3 points.
I think Kev can now be considered fully match fit.
Clearly wanted to see it to the end on Saturday.
I would not go that far yet, the body takes time to build up to full strength and it would be easy to push it too hard and see him suffer a muscle injury. I would not want to see him play a full 90 minutes yet, especially on the back of 80+ on Saturday, he’s too important for this team.
Agree with Ferrite, we don’t need more long term injuries due to “too much too soon”. We have to make use of this inflated squad without weakening the team too much. I don’t think Tues/Sat/Tues/Sat is feasible even for fully fit pro footballers. (Keepers aside maybe) KVV on the bench ready for 20 minutes if we have a chance of getting something from the game and ready to start on Saturday.
More positive surely to play your best team from the start and try to carry on from Saturday’s match. Subs can be used later depending on the state of the game.
Wouldn’t disagree with that Heath, aside from the fact that we have to hope the management will listen to the physio team if they flag up concerns over anyone’s fitness.
It would be better to have Kev start. Coming off the bench on a cold night after being sat down for 65 minutes and no proper warm-up seems more of a recipe for injury.
What was it you said in the Oldham match thread Les? Clearest pen of the season? Might have to revise that one!
Arguably the most incompetent 45 minutes of refereeing I’ve seen.
What a strike from Eisa though. Well behind in possession but defended well and limited their chances.
Refs got it out for Loft. Getting fouled all over, being given nothing but free kicks against when the Vale defenders are flopping about. Literally got thrown to the ground a yard from the ref in his full view and completely ignored.
Apart from the Eisa wonder goal this is pretty horrendous. We can’t put more than one pass together and just hoof it back to Vale at every opportunity.
Massive win, huge credit to the team for the shift put in tonight.
Back 4 were outstanding. Mcghaey MOTM.
Jai Rowe did well considering Vale were relentlessly pinging balls towards the left winger all night- clearly targeting him. Rowe looks a suitable understudy to Clarke.
A fit Van Veen and we may have shown more attacking intent ( didn’t think he looked fit at all tonight), but for a team shipping 3/4/5 games every week to bring home 6 points and 2 clean sheets since returning, is a fantastic result.
In our predicament I’ll take the three points. Back to back away wins – when did that last happen? Or back to back clean sheets for that matter.
We haven’t got a reputation for seeing out a 1-0, nor have we a reputation for winning games in hand so a couple of positives to take home from Burslem.
Negatives are the second half tactics and Kev going off injured. Too much too soon. He should have started on the bench tonight.
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