MotM - Port Vale (a)

[Stevie_J]

.

[jsslatic]

Kusunga for me. Petrasso was probably our best player once he came on but not on for long enough to claim my vote.

[youngen]

Oxley, his penalty save stopped it from being worse than it was. The rest were :censored:

[deyres42]

I'll have to spoil my ballot paper for this one.

[rudemedic]

Oxley- he was a contender before his penalty save, so afterwards...

[opinions4u]

Ox

[LaticsChris]

In the first half Dayton looked threatening when running forwards. Despite his wayward crossing this was enough for my vote that half. In the second half no-one got it, though Oxley saved a pen and did nothing wrong he wasn't tested enough to be man of the match.

[youngen]

In the first half Dayton looked threatening when running forwards. Despite his wayward crossing this was enough for my vote that half. In the second half no-one got it, though Oxley saved a pen and did nothing wrong he wasn't tested enough to be man of the match.

 

Dayton had one of the worst performances Ive ever seen from a Latics player. If he'd had Rooney on his shirt, he'd have been attacked by the away support

[jsslatic]

 

Dayton had one of the worst performances Ive ever seen from a Latics player.

 

Really?!

[LaticsChris]

 

Dayton had one of the worst performances Ive ever seen from a Latics player. If he'd had Rooney on his shirt, he'd have been attacked by the away support

 

I disagree. But those that were to agree I would assume would base it on his poor final ball throughout the match. A final ball that was not bettered by anyone else. I wasn't voting for who had played well, just the best of a bad bunch.

 

On a side not, why can nothing ever be just bad or poor? Nothing and no one on Saturday was the worst of anything Latics related. I've only been watching Latics for fifteen years but I've seen much worse individual performances, much worse finishing, much worse passing and much worse lack of invention than on Saturday. It was a bobbins result. But a 0-1 at Vale Park - where we've only won five times in thirty-odd attempts - is nowhere near the worst of anything. There's no hope for reasoned debate with such overreactions.

 

(This isn't aimed at you youngen, it's all over this particular corner of the internet)

Edited January 20, 2014 by LaticsChris

[Bristolatic]

Dayton worked his nuts off first half, but his delivery into the box was atrocious. Smith and Wes buzzed around, Petrasso had their full back on toast when he came on (wonder what would have happened if he'd started) but I'll go for Oxley. He looked very confident and assured and the penalty save was breathtaking. He'd actually dived too far and stuck up a big left paw to get it away. Brilliant.

[iamjonesyyoafc]

Thought Dayton was good first half, to be fair they were all 'good' first half.

[deyres42]

Thought Dayton was good first half, to be fair they were all 'good' first half.

Wouldn't like to see your 'very good' then...

[iamjonesyyoafc]

Wouldn't like to see your 'very good' then...

We contained Vale and had them frustrated first half. Carved out a couple of decent openings and looked dangerous on the break.

[jsslatic]

We contained Vale and had them frustrated first half. Carved out a couple of decent openings and looked dangerous on the break.

Agreed. First half was very even. If we'd pushed on and won it would have no doubt on here been a great first half performance that gave us the platform to win the game.

[iamjonesyyoafc]

Agreed. First half was very even. If we'd pushed on and won it would have no doubt on here been a great first half performance that gave us the platform to win the game.

Exactly. At half time I thought we'd go on to win the game. We had them riled.

[mrs synic]

Dayton worked his nuts off first half, but his delivery into the box was atrocious. Smith and Wes buzzed around, Petrasso had their full back on toast when he came on (wonder what would have happened if he'd started) but I'll go for Oxley. He looked very confident and assured and the penalty save was breathtaking. He'd actually dived too far and stuck up a big left paw to get it away. Brilliant.

his delivery into the box is 80% of what he,s paid for , to assist and score goals, so he.s only 80% crap,

[underdog]

I like Dayton, but.....he's too light weight and gets push off the ball a lot....bulk up man

 

So it goes to the Ox for me

Edited January 20, 2014 by underdog

[mikejh45]

Oxley for me too........Dayton saw lots of the ball but did nothing with it....as his job as a "winger" is to get the ball into the box for our forwards to make a mess of score then he is failing dismally.

[Lee Sinnott]

Oxley by a mile.

 

Special mention to Harkins for being absolutely useless...

[youngen]

 

I disagree. But those that were to agree I would assume would base it on his poor final ball throughout the match. A final ball that was not bettered by anyone else. I wasn't voting for who had played well, just the best of a bad bunch.

 

On a side not, why can nothing ever be just bad or poor? Nothing and no one on Saturday was the worst of anything Latics related. I've only been watching Latics for fifteen years but I've seen much worse individual performances, much worse finishing, much worse passing and much worse lack of invention than on Saturday. It was a bobbins result. But a 0-1 at Vale Park - where we've only won five times in thirty-odd attempts - is nowhere near the worst of anything. There's no hope for reasoned debate with such overreactions.

 

(This isn't aimed at you youngen, it's all over this particular corner of the internet)

 

It wasnt an over reaction, Im basing this on the fact Dayton is actually a quality player and on Saturday was IMO the worst player on the pitch. He wasted so many opportunities, needlessly gave away the penalty and was far too weak up against that Grimmer at RB who was laughably bad. Petrasso made him look a fool a couple of times when brought on.

 

The rest were very poor, posibly Wes was ok, but he gave away too many fouls even for him and was lucky not to receive a card.

 

Smith needs to step up as captain and lead forward, so many times he gets in behind their midfield only to play it wide to a full back, rather than drive forward and having a pop. He needs to becoming more attacking minded.

[deyres42]

MacDonald was so bad he had me pining for Rooney.

[LaticsChris]

 

It wasnt an over reaction, Im basing this on the fact Dayton is actually a quality player and on Saturday was IMO the worst player on the pitch. He wasted so many opportunities, needlessly gave away the penalty and was far too weak up against that Grimmer at RB who was laughably bad. Petrasso made him look a fool a couple of times when brought on.

 

The rest were very poor, posibly Wes was ok, but he gave away too many fouls even for him and was lucky not to receive a card.

 

Smith needs to step up as captain and lead forward, so many times he gets in behind their midfield only to play it wide to a full back, rather than drive forward and having a pop. He needs to becoming more attacking minded.

 

I'll agree he was nowhere near his usual standards but he was also nowhere near the worst player on the pitch.

 

Smith's trouble is he's trying to make things happen at the minute in a team that's on a bad run. For players like him - and with the responsibility he no doubt feels as captain - this often results in dropping deeper and deeper for the ball, which no matter how good you are makes it harder to really influence things in the final third. I suppose he needs Johnson to tell him to leave the dropping deep to Wes, who can then get the ball to Smith further up the pitch or play it wide, allowing Smith to break from midfield to get on the end of a good cross. Easier said than done though I guess.

Edited January 21, 2014 by LaticsChris