Let's talk about the Port Vale EFL cup game

[selby]

  Can we extend our run in this cup competition until after Christmas?  Will Our old manager and player Darren Moore look on the game as important? and after a somewhat disappointing weekend for both teams, which one will be the happier at the end of the game? And how strong a sides will the managers feel fit to pick with a final not that far away for the winning Side?
  All valid questions and basically comes down to how important the relative managers see the game and competition
  So added interest in second v third in the division and two clubs rising again after slumbering along for quite a while but at a time of the year it is easy to give a game a miss and watch on TV in relative comfort and warmth. So what will you do ?
  Despite having 60% of the possession v Walsall the Vale lost 1-0 a thing we had to get used to when led by Moore  and all though we are finding it difficult to put teams away at home I will be surprised of we don't make the running in this game and Vale try to hit us on the break, which was Moore's master tactic here with non scoring loan centre forwards.
  Vale have a good away record winning six league games on their travels but unusually have no player in the top twenty division 2 scorers list so a lot of players have shared their 26 league goals and spreads the danger wider although v Walsall they didn't record a shot on target, lets hope they carry that form forward in this game.
  So what do we offer, a team that has disappointed at home lately, a leaky defence especially when attacked directly down the centre, and even in games blow hot and cold very rarely putting a quality full game together, and have been on the end of some shocking refereeing decisions especially in the oppositions penalty area.
  What we do have are players that score goals, a never say die attitude, and players who can change a game in a flash, and are slowly coming to terms with teams that employ the dark arts of slowing games down and the tactical foul.
  How the teams are made up usually reflects the importance the manager holds the competition in, and with the heavy grounds we have played on the recovery of certain players, so guessing the make up of the teams is a complete guess, fortunately Grant has gone strong in previous rounds, and has had its rewards getting this far.
  I expect Port Vale will also want to do well, and expect a hard game, hard to predict a result but am hoping for the best.
  Lots to discuss, and a very hard game facing us next weekend against another top division 2 side in AFC Wimbledon, so a week that could point our way forward although early in the season, but would give us a good idea of where we are at relative to the teams around us.
  Lots to talk about, lots to look forward to, please have your say.
 

[scawsby steve]

Many of our senior players will be shattered after 3 difficult games in 6 days, all played in lousy conditions.

A lot of players to be rested on Tuesday IMO.

[graingrover]

I can’t find how much the prize money is for this match ..anybody know.

[Usher wide.]

I can’t find how much the prize money is for this match ..anybody know.

3rd winners £10,000
4th rd winners £15,000
Quarter final winners £25,000
Semi final winners £25,000
Losing finalists £50,000
Winners £100,000

Not mega bucks.

[Move DRFC]

All the fringe players should (and will) start. Main crop can do with a rest.

[ncRover]

Something like…

Lawlor

Bailey
Anderson
Senior

Emmanuel
Westbrooke
Clifton
Kelly
Fleming

Ironside
Molyneux

?

[McCammon egg n chips]

Plenty of years I've looked at this cup as an annoying irrelevance. Especially when we had a threadbare squad crippled with injuries. Not this year. This cup is a good way of keeping the whole squad match fit, and truth be told I want to win it.

We have nothing to be scared of from Port Vale.

I'd expect to see us make a fair few changes but even our second team should be competitive.

[selby]

  If we continue to have to score two three or four goals to win a game of football it will not end well.
  We need to start defending better to progress.

[steve@dcfd]

D

Something like…

Lawlor

Bailey
Anderson
Senior

Emmanuel
Westbrooke
Clifton
Kelly
Fleming

Ironside
Molyneux

?

Do we want to win this game that side will be over powered and Lawlor in goal is not the right answer the midfield is powered puff. Let’s see what GM comes up with. That a below average side with with 4/5 players above average

[bobbymax]

Plenty of years I've looked at this cup as an annoying irrelevance. Especially when we had a threadbare squad crippled with injuries. Not this year. This cup is a good way of keeping the whole squad match fit, and truth be told I want to win it.

We have nothing to be scared of from Port Vale.

I'd expect to see us make a fair few changes but even our second team should be competitive.

It's still an irrevalence. Rest as many of the regulars as possible.

[scawsby steve]

D

Something like…

Lawlor

Bailey
Anderson
Senior

Emmanuel
Westbrooke
Clifton
Kelly
Fleming

Ironside
Molyneux

?

Do we want to win this game that side will be over powered and Lawlor in goal is not the right answer the midfield is powered puff. Let’s see what GM comes up with. That a below average side with with 4/5 players above average

Steve, what's the point in having a big squad if some of them can't get any game time, even in an inferior competition?

You sound as though you've no confidence in many of GM's squad.

[steve@dcfd]

Steve you are right I do not have confidence in 6 of those players in that squad above.The back three and two up front are ok .  If we want to progress in this competition I believe that team against Port Vale will not progress

[scawsby steve]

Steve you are right I do not have confidence in 6 of those players in that squad above.The back three and two up front are ok .  If we want to progress in this competition I believe that team against Port Vale will not progress

It would be nice to progress in this competition, but in terms of importance, it's light years away from the need to get promoted this year.

If we played our best 11 for this match and some of them got injured, when we have such a large squad, it would be criminal IMO.

[Butchers Red]

Ticket sales don't look good - are they doing walk ups?

[McCammon egg n chips]

Plenty of years I've looked at this cup as an annoying irrelevance. Especially when we had a threadbare squad crippled with injuries. Not this year. This cup is a good way of keeping the whole squad match fit, and truth be told I want to win it.

We have nothing to be scared of from Port Vale.

I'd expect to see us make a fair few changes but even our second team should be competitive.

It's still an irrevalence. Rest as many of the regulars as possible.

Whilst we're organising midweek friendlies to keep our squad fit, this isn't an irrelevance. It's an opportunity to achieve something whilst keeping our whole team involved.

Make lots of changes, yes. Stay in the competition, also yes.

[sedwardsdrfc]

The drop in quality between 11s isn’t as big as it would have been in previous seasons. So we can make changes and still put out a proper team. They are all pro players so expect every game to be taken seriously!

[Donnywolf]

Plenty of years I've looked at this cup as an annoying irrelevance. Especially when we had a threadbare squad crippled with injuries. Not this year. This cup is a good way of keeping the whole squad match fit, and truth be told I want to win it.

We have nothing to be scared of from Port Vale.

I'd expect to see us make a fair few changes but even our second team should be competitive.

I like you want to win it. I remember how good it was to beat Bristol Rovers at Cardiff and how sick I was when we lost at Grimsby " defending " that Trophy

I see no reason why the Clubs hierarchy are not hounding GM to contest each Round with winning it in mind

[Usher wide.]

Plenty of years I've looked at this cup as an annoying irrelevance. Especially when we had a threadbare squad crippled with injuries. Not this year. This cup is a good way of keeping the whole squad match fit, and truth be told I want to win it.

We have nothing to be scared of from Port Vale.

I'd expect to see us make a fair few changes but even our second team should be competitive.

I like you want to win it. I remember how good it was to beat Bristol Rovers at Cardiff and how sick I was when we lost at Grimsby " defending " that Trophy

I see no reason why the Clubs hierarchy are not hounding GM to contest each Round with winning it in mind

That’s a bit ‘Politburo’sounding hound!

“The clubs hierarchy”?

Easy tiger, I mean bear!

Of course at home against a side in the same division with the same ‘desires as us’ i.e., promotion out of this god damned division we would hope to see this tie as winnable at this stage so yes,let’s push on but please, no firing squad come dawn!

[drfchound]

Plenty of years I've looked at this cup as an annoying irrelevance. Especially when we had a threadbare squad crippled with injuries. Not this year. This cup is a good way of keeping the whole squad match fit, and truth be told I want to win it.

We have nothing to be scared of from Port Vale.

I'd expect to see us make a fair few changes but even our second team should be competitive.

I like you want to win it. I remember how good it was to beat Bristol Rovers at Cardiff and how sick I was when we lost at Grimsby " defending " that Trophy

I see no reason why the Clubs hierarchy are not hounding GM to contest each Round with winning it in mind

That’s a bit ‘Politburo’sounding hound!

“The clubs hierarchy”?

Easy tiger, I mean bear!

Of course at home against a side in the same division with the same ‘desires as us’ i.e., promotion out of this god damned division we would hope to see this tie as winnable at this stage so yes,let’s push on but please, no firing squad come dawn!

Not sure where I come into it Usher.

[Bessie Red]

Something like…

Lawlor

Bailey
Anderson
Senior

Emmanuel
Westbrooke
Clifton
Kelly
Fleming

Ironside
Molyneux

?

Yeboah?

[Fal]

Something like…

Lawlor

Bailey
Anderson
Senior

Emmanuel
Westbrooke
Clifton
Kelly
Fleming

Ironside
Molyneux

?

Yeboah?

No thanks

[Usher wide.]

Plenty of years I've looked at this cup as an annoying irrelevance. Especially when we had a threadbare squad crippled with injuries. Not this year. This cup is a good way of keeping the whole squad match fit, and truth be told I want to win it.

We have nothing to be scared of from Port Vale.

I'd expect to see us make a fair few changes but even our second team should be competitive.

I like you want to win it. I remember how good it was to beat Bristol Rovers at Cardiff and how sick I was when we lost at Grimsby " defending " that Trophy

I see no reason why the Clubs hierarchy are not hounding GM to contest each Round with winning it in mind

That’s a bit ‘Politburo’sounding hound!

“The clubs hierarchy”?

Easy tiger, I mean bear!

Of course at home against a side in the same division with the same ‘desires as us’ i.e., promotion out of this god damned division we would hope to see this tie as winnable at this stage so yes,let’s push on but please, no firing squad come dawn!

Not sure where I come into it Usher.

'I see no reason why the Clubs hierarchy are not hounding GM to contest each Round with winning it in mind'.

That bit I was referring to hound. Seemed like a 'crack the whip' comment aimed at Grant. I could well have misinterpreted it of course after a bottle of red?

[Donnywolf]

The Manager GM will surely be influenced by those who underwrite the Club ?

In the past not just Rovers but many other Clubs have played weakened sides to get out of this Comp and FL Cup and for Champ and Prem Clubs even the FA Cup

Surely those in charge "allow" the Manager to go weak , but just as surely they might demand " let's go as far as we can " and they may have done that this time round ?

[welloffside]

Reading Usher's comment about the prize fund

 A)  I've no idea what it costs in staff & overheads to stage a match, is it worth it?

 B)  If there is, what I perceive to be a general apathy from supporters, and (possibly) from within the  club, are we obliged to enter the competition?

 C)  The furore that greeted Man U when they went on their Asian money tour, would we the
       supporters care?.  I think not.

[scawsby steve]

The Manager GM will surely be influenced by those who underwrite the Club ?

In the past not just Rovers but many other Clubs have played weakened sides to get out of this Comp and FL Cup and for Champ and Prem Clubs even the FA Cup

Surely those in charge "allow" the Manager to go weak , but just as surely they might demand " let's go as far as we can " and they may have done that this time round ?

Totally disagree, Wolfie, and I'll tell you why. Terry's gone out on a limb this season to ensure that GM has the squad he wants, and one big enough to cover all bases.

He also will be aware that a balancing act is needed by GM to protect senior players, but also to try and progress in cup competitions.

I think Terry will trust GM to make those decisions, and so should we.

[Bessie Red]

Decent line up & bench tonight.

[Nudga]

Ben close needs to put himsen in the shop window for January

[ncRover]

Yeboah done a Faal?

[RoverinLincs]

What does Westbrook need to do to get a game?

[drfchound]

Yeboah done a Faal?

He was training at the Eco yesterday.