Team V Port Vale

[Bristol Boy]

OK.

Partridge, according to GJ, is about another week away and Brown has a mystery ankle injury, so probably won't figure.

Skuse is about three weeks away.

Wilkshire either has a nerve or hamstring injury and must be doubtful.

Stewart's suspended for one game, which just goes to show how thin on the ground we are for strikers with Bridges & Gillespie out on loan.

It sounds as if Joseph will be fit again so I reckon we could see:

4-4-2

..............................................................BASSO...................................................................................

ORR.....................................CAREY...................................HEYWOOD.............................WOODMAN........

MURRAY...............................RUSSELL................................NOBLE...................................SMITH G...........

...........................................BROOKER..............................COTTERILL....................................................

SUBS

PHILLIPS

SAVAGE

KEOGH

GOLBOURNE

HARLEY

My main hope is that we don't see the dreaded 4-5-1 or "4-3-3, when we're attacking," ploy that's failed so miserably in the past.

[B-Rizzle]

OK.

Partridge, according to GJ, is about another week away and Brown has a mystery ankle injury, so probably won't figure.

Skuse is about three weeks away.

Wilkshire either has a nerve or hamstring injury and must be doubtful.

Stewart's suspended for one game, which just goes to show how thin on the ground we are for strikers with Bridges & Gillespie out on loan.

It sounds as if Joseph will be fit again so I reckon we could see:

4-4-2

..............................................................BASSO...................................................................................

ORR.....................................CAREY...................................HEYWOOD.............................WOODMAN........

MURRAY...............................RUSSELL................................NOBLE...................................SMITH G...........

...........................................BROOKER..............................COTTERILL....................................................

SUBS

PHILLIPS

SAVAGE

KEOGH

GOLBOURNE

HARLEY

My main hope is that we don't see the dreaded 4-5-1 or "4-3-3, when we're attacking," ploy that's failed so miserably in the past.

I think we should play Savage up front with Brooks, although i don't rate the fella i think that we shouldnt change the midfield, also as its an away game the extra height may help and brooks has enough pace to play off Bas!

I'd go unchanged apart from Savage in for Stewart

[fRed]

I'd like to see Gillespie brought back to start in place of Marcus, he's been there at Cheltenham over month now so I assume we can recall him.

How come you have Harley and Keogh in your squad BB?

[Robbored]

I would change the side as little as possible.

If Wilkshire is fit I'd play him on the left of midfield and with Stewart suspened move Cotterill alongside Brooker.No other changes unless forced by injury.

[Bristol Boy]

I'd like to see Gillespie brought back to start in place of Marcus, he's been there at Cheltenham over month now so I assume we can recall him.

I think the deal was until Xmas

How come you have Harley and Keogh in your squad BB?

Both back from loan

[tin]

If it ain't broken don't fix it! If Stewart is banned then play Savage, providing we can't recall Gillespie. I agree with Robbored, the less disruption to the side the better.

[Bristol Boy]

I would change the side as little as possible.

Agreed

If Wilkshire is fit I'd play him on the left of midfield and with Stewart suspened move Cotterill alongside Brooker.No other changes unless forced by injury.

I've assumed LW won't make it, probably for two reasons:

1.He missed out Saturday.

2.I think he'll leave in the window if a sensible bid comes in.If not then he'll be gone in May/June as he won't sign another contract.

If he is available, I think you'll be right although I can't remember seeing LW play well, wide left away from home and I wouldn't mind seeing LW & Noble together in central midfield.

Grant Smith would be OK wide left away, as he's a slightly better defensive player, better in the air and could support Woodman-His left foot gives us natural width and is handy with set pieces.

If it ain't broken don't fix it! If Stewart is banned then play Savage, providing we can't recall Gillespie. I agree with Robbored, the less disruption to the side the better.

Stewart is banned for one game and Savage and Brooker will see us hoofing it.

Play the football with a balanced team against an out of form Vale and go for the three points we are away from safety.

Three points from the next two away, will do just fine

[Guest Ivan_is_a_legend]

does anyone else think now would be a good time to try elliot beyoun (think thats how you spell it)

he got a fantastic record in the reserve. although its a big game cus we need to build on saturday and put a run together, maybe its a chance worth taking?

[Bristol Boy]

does anyone else think now would be a good time to try elliot beyoun (think thats how you spell it)

he got a fantastic record in the reserve. although its a big game cus we need to build on saturday and put a run together, maybe its a chance worth taking?

With our lack of strikers and injury list, we may well have to!

[Nibor]

does anyone else think now would be a good time to try elliot beyoun (think thats how you spell it)

he got a fantastic record in the reserve. although its a big game cus we need to build on saturday and put a run together, maybe its a chance worth taking?

Actually yes I agree, because it would be the least disruption to the team and gives us a look at other options before the transfer window.

Nibor

[Tunley Legend]

Actually yes I agree, because it would be the least disruption to the team and gives us a look at other options before the transfer window.

Nibor

Has this Benyon kid got any pace? Because if he has I would stick him in and if he is a bag of nerves and the occasion gets to him then you can always stick the lamp-post up front in the second half. That way the other 10 stay exactly as they are.

[Guest citycooper]

same as saturday but bridges for stewart

[Bristol Boy]

same as saturday but bridges for stewart

Bridges is on loan at Carlisle and has scored two in their last two games.

[Bristol Boy]

same as saturday but bridges for stewart

Bridges is on loan at Carlisle and has scored two in their last two games.

[Guest Grandad48]

I would change the side as little as possible.

If Wilkshire is fit I'd play him on the left of midfield and with Stewart suspened move Cotterill alongside Brooker.No other changes unless forced by injury.

Totaly Correct Robbored, that is possibly the only that could be made, perhaps bring back Gilly to be used as a sub.

[samo]

Play the football with a balanced team against an out of form Vale and go for the three points we are away from safety.

my thoughts exactly. i haven't seen Savage play yet, so can't comment on his ability, but i'm not sure we should try a taller front line after the last two good performances when we really need the points in this fixture. any alterations could prove costly at this stage.

does anyone else think now would be a good time to try elliot beyoun (think thats how you spell it)

it would be the PERFECT time in my own opinion. maybe if not this fella, one of the other academy boys should be given a crack. if i remember rightly (and i might not) didn't a certain Leroy Lita scored his first goal against port vale away in a 3-2 win..?

But he can be recalled, and is on record as saying he expects that to happen.

BBC.co.uk has carlisle's gaffer talking about keeping Bridges for longer, not letting him go. as much as i personally would like a revitalised Bridges back at the gate, i think that ship has sailed unfortunatly.

[Guest DrFaustus]

Don't fret. Our lot will kick a few of them for you tonight in our cup reply.

Incidentally, there seems to be a marked lack of threads wishing us good luck for tonight, you disrespectful heathen hordes.

[robins72]

Don't fret. Our lot will kick a few of them for you tonight in our cup reply.

Incidentally, there seems to be a marked lack of threads wishing us good luck for tonight, you disrespectful heathen hordes.

Good luck you sad old sag head is that ok Dr??

[Guest DrFaustus]

Good luck you sad old sag head is that ok Dr??

That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me since I was 16 and my dear old ma said, 'there's the door son'.

[robins72]

That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me since I was 16 and my dear old ma said, 'there's the door son'.

Now give me that tenner :@

[Guest DrFaustus]

Now give me that tenner :@

You're always saying that.

[robins72]

You're always saying that.

thats cos you owe me a tenner for the last time

[Guest DrFaustus]

thats cos you owe me a tenner for the last time

I thought it was buy one get one free?

[robins72]

I thought it was buy one get one free?

You telling me to bogoff??

[Port Said Red]

Don't fret. Our lot will kick a few of them for you tonight in our cup reply.

Incidentally, there seems to be a marked lack of threads wishing us good luck for tonight, you disrespectful heathen hordes.

Well I'D like to wish you good luck Doc! Partly as a Bristolian and partly on a purely selfish note. I would like your cloggers to get to work and reduce half their team to walking wounded, I would like this to happen over an energy sapping 120+ minutes and I would like you to win in a morale sapping 9-8 penalty shoot out!

Good luck Dr F!

[southy354]

Go to 4-5-1 sorry but i think thats our only hope if we want to have cotterill at his best, put Grant Smith in the centre of midfield

[samo]

got a question; do bookings in cup games (such as the gas-vale match tonight) count toward suspentions in the league? for example, vale's danny sonner is on 4 league yellows. does this mean if he gets booked tonight he will he miss the game against us?

just a thought, because we could do with port vale missing both their experienced holding midfield players on the weekend!

[robins72]

got a question; do bookings in cup games (such as the gas-vale match tonight) count toward suspentions in the league? for example, vale's danny sonner is on 4 league yellows. does this mean if he gets booked tonight he will he miss the game against us?

just a thought, because we could do with port vale missing both their experienced holding midfield players on the weekend!

it will apply to the match a week after so if its 5 yellows tonight wont apply until boxing day. If it was a straight red however it would be an automatic ban for the next match.

[samo]

it will apply to the match a week after so if its 5 yellows tonight wont apply until boxing day. If it was a straight red however it would be an automatic ban for the next match.

let us pray that the good Dr Faustus and his gashead chums manage to wind up port vale!

PS states on the match report that Steve Rowland was one game off suspention at gilli. don't know if that means he misses todays game or us.

[Bristol Boy]

Go to 4-5-1 sorry but i think thats our only hope if we want to have cotterill at his best, put Grant Smith in the centre of midfield

Funny that the last three times we've played it we've lost, scored one goal-a twice taken penalty and conceeded SEVEN.

Yep, makes sense all right.......IF YOU'RE EVERTON

[southy354]

Funny that the last three times we've played it we've lost, scored one goal-a twice taken penalty and conceeded SEVEN.

Yep, makes sense all right.......IF YOU'RE EVERTON

I don't look at stats but i think we got a better midfield and who wants Bas Savage upfront ? I didnt think so, oh yeah Everton havn't been playing that bad.

I don't see cotterill as a forward he takes players on too much

[PhatWill]

Funny that the last three times we've played it we've lost, scored one goal-a twice taken penalty and conceeded SEVEN.

Our away form this season has been dire whatever formation we've played.

[Guest Harry Dolman]

Our away form this season has been dire whatever formation we've played.

Absolutely. Some people said we couldn't possibly play well with 4-4-2 - the last 2 performances have disproved that.

Personally I don't think the formation is that important - its how well the players perform & react to situations. For 45 mins away to C'field 4-5-1/4-3-3 worked fine, but we conceded & then fell apart. If you're going to do that the formation is relatively irrelevant.

[Bristol Boy]

Our away form this season has been dire whatever formation we've played.

Not strictly true as 4-4-2 worked well at Brentford and GJ won't even try 3-5-2, despite having a pile of central defenders, central midfield players AND trying to recruit another on deadline day.

Absolutely. Some people said we couldn't possibly play well with 4-4-2 - the last 2 performances have disproved that.

Personally I don't think the formation is that important - its how well the players perform & react to situations. For 45 mins away to C'field 4-5-1/4-3-3 worked fine, but we conceded & then fell apart. If you're going to do that the formation is relatively irrelevant.

Clearly form, effort and ability have as major an impact.

Whatever the formation, Bath City probably wouldn't do Arsenal, however, if you believe in playing to your strengths, as I do, it helps to have a left sided wide midfielder in a 4-4-2 and, on the back of 9 consequestive defeats, it's a bit churlish to say, "there you are, told you it would work!!" on the basis of one win.

[PhatWill]

Not strictly true as 4-4-2 worked well at Brentford and GJ won't even try 3-5-2, despite having a pile of central defenders, central midfield players AND trying to recruit another on deadline day.

Clearly form, effort and ability have as major an impact.

Whatever the formation, Bath City probably wouldn't do Arsenal, however, if you believe in playing to your strengths, as I do, it helps to have a left sided wide midfielder in a 4-4-2 and, on the back of 9 consequestive defeats, it's a bit churlish to say, "there you are, told you it would work!!" on the basis of one win.

Most teams will play 4-4-2 and 3-5-2 in a game of football anyway, formations are always flexible.

I'm certainly not a fan of playing one up front, I think we should of course stick with 4-4-2 on Saturday bearing in mind the last 2 displays we've witnessed.

[Guest alex1089]

If we play savage then we play hoof football.

Basso

Orr Carey heywood Woodman

Murray Noble Russell Golbourne

Cotterill Brooker.

Golbourne has the pace nessasary and can certainly play left midfield from what I have seen of him. Cotterill could do some damage against a very poor port vale defence. Fortune can't play and from what I know he has played in every game since joining them so they do have obvious problems in that department.

[Guest Harry Dolman]

If we play savage then we play hoof football.

Basso

Orr Carey heywood Woodman

Murray Noble Russell Golbourne

Cotterill Brooker.

Golbourne has the pace nessasary and can certainly play left midfield from what I have seen of him. Cotterill could do some damage against a very poor port vale defence. Fortune can't play and from what I know he has played in every game since joining them so they do have obvious problems in that department.

Its a connundrum....... am sure Johnson wants minimal changes from Sat. Cotts has never done it for me as a striker, but maybe with the confidence from his goal it may be a good chance to try him.

One of the things we did well on Sat was defend from the front (footballing cliche' no 437), wheras both Cotts & Golbourne are a bit lightwieght. Maybe Grant Smith will get a go at left midfield - but it wouldn't shock me if Savage starts.

[Bristol Boy]

Most teams will play 4-4-2 and 3-5-2 in a game of football anyway, formations are always flexible.

I'm certainly not a fan of playing one up front, I think we should of course stick with 4-4-2 on Saturday bearing in mind the last 2 displays we've witnessed.

I agree and posted that originally making a slight change due to MS's suspension.

One up front just doesn't work at this level and our players need two forward to aim at with an out ball.All 4-5-1 does is invite pressure that, frankly, we can't deal with!

If we play savage then we play hoof football.

Basso

Orr Carey heywood Woodman

Murray Noble Russell Golbourne

Cotterill Brooker.

Golbourne has the pace nessasary and can certainly play left midfield from what I have seen of him. Cotterill could do some damage against a very poor port vale defence. Fortune can't play and from what I know he has played in every game since joining them so they do have obvious problems in that department.

I'd agree with that team which is balanced and I wonder if GJ even knows that Golbourne can play LW? You'd think Millen would tell him

Cotterill needs a target man like Brooker to play off and playing Savage, as we've said, will inevitably lead to us hoofing it.

I hope I'm wrong but I can see 4-5-1 with GJ trying to link Cotterill with Murray from wide positions with Brooker along up front.

That'll lead to a defeat and GJ'll get a right slating from me after succeeding with 4-4-2 against a far better team away at Brentford and at home against Huddfld. :@ :@

Its a connundrum....... am sure Johnson wants minimal changes from Sat. Cotts has never done it for me as a striker, but maybe with the confidence from his goal it may be a good chance to try him.

As far as I'm aware he has never partnered SB and that's the kind of foil he needs.Bit like Bob Taylor with Robbie Turner.

One of the things we did well on Sat was defend from the front (footballing cliche' no 437), wheras both Cotts & Golbourne are a bit lightwieght. Maybe Grant Smith will get a go at left midfield - but it wouldn't shock me if Savage starts.

Grant Smith could do a decent job in that role away and gives us natural width.I've campaigned for his inclusion on the left of a three man central midfield as, like Wilkshire, he can score goals.

[Port Said Red]

Well I'D like to wish you good luck Doc! Partly as a Bristolian and partly on a purely selfish note. I would like your cloggers to get to work and reduce half their team to walking wounded, I would like this to happen over an energy sapping 120+ minutes and I would like you to win in a morale sapping 9-8 penalty shoot out!

Good luck Dr F!

I didn't get any of my 3 wishes, Christmas? Bah humbug.......

[Guest xxvaliantxx]

hi everyone! I'm really worried about saturday, Dinning is suspended, and Fortune cant play so we are short on defenders, we'll have to play either Luke Prosser(a youth teamer, never played in the 1st team before) or another player who has never played in defence before!

Our team will probably be:

-------------------------------Goodlad------------------------------

Rowland-----------Prosser----------Pilkington-------------James

Birchall------------Sonner-----------Innes-----------------Bell

--------------------Lowndes----------Constantine

[Guest REDCIDERARMY]

Never change a winning side a golden rule

Basso

Orr Carey Heywood Woodman

Murray Noble Russell G.Smith/Wilkshire

Brooker Cotterill

[Bristol Boy]

Never change a winning side a golden rule

Basso

Orr Carey Heywood Woodman

Murray Noble Russell G.Smith/Wilkshire

Brooker Cotterill

You've just changed it

Let's hope Wilkshire's fit soon, although he's never that good away.

[samo]

hi everyone! I'm really worried about saturday, Dinning is suspended, and Fortune cant play so we are short on defenders, we'll have to play either Luke Prosser(a youth teamer, never played in the 1st team before) or another player who has never played in defence before!

whats Birchall's fitness like i know he scored early against the gas, but isn't he only just back from some significant time out? do you vale boys think he will be risked for two games in a week?