Port Vale - Scouting Report

Port Vale head to Meadow Lane on the 28^th of February. Notts County will have to be steady within their approach against the Valiants, as the visiting side are in decent form and have the ability to punish any side within League One with their clever brand of football.

The visitors currently sit 12^th and are currently only 3 points away from the play-offs. They have won two of their last six games, drawing 1 and losing three. There is no doubt that they will be seeing this as a must win game.

Run down of their last six games.

Saturday 24^th January – Port Vale 0 Crewe Alexandra 1

Saturday 31^st January – Barnsley 2 Port Vale 1

Saturday 7^th February – Port Vale 2 Bradford 2

Tuesday 10^th February – Bristol City 3 Port Vale 1

Saturday 14^th February – Walsall 0 Port Vale 1

Saturday 21^st February – Port Vale 3 Doncaster Rovers 0

The Players – Fact Sheet

Highest Goal Scorers; Tom Pope 10, Ben Williamson 10, Mark Marshall 5 and Michael Brown 5.

Persistent Foulers; Chris Lines 1 Red Card and 2 Yellow Cards, Michael O'Connor 8 Yellow Cards, Carl Dickinson 8 Yellow Cards and Richard Duffy 6 Yellow Cards.

The Key Players.

Tom Pope, Ben Williamson, Michael Brown, Michael O'Connor and Richard Duffy.

Tom Pope is the traditional centre forward who likes to stay close to the defenders, he has the ability to draw away from play and put himself inside space, making himself available to tuck a shot into the back of the net.

His strike partner Ben Williamson offers Port Vale steady pace and a great eye for goal.

Where the two Michael's Brown and O'Connor are generally always behind the Vale's advancing play, both also have an eye for goal but also can pick out the right pass, as they push forward and into space. They're two players who require being marked as they are the creative force within the majority of their play going forward.

Richard Duffy is the player who's been there and done that, he gives Port Vale experience and leadership from the back.

He also shares the ability to score from set pieces or from distance.

Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses.

Port Vale look to defend within their own half, where they like to stay close to the advancing player. They will generally pull numbers behind them in both their attacks and defending. When it comes to attacking their opposition, they play safe and build slowly by passing closely until they see space opening up which allows for them to try something different.

They're well organized and like to break their opposition down by using the flanks, set pieces and by running into the centre of the park.

Their main strengths are the support which their squad offer to each other, they always have someone in support of advancing players and they use their set pieces very well. Another clear to see strength is confidence, nobody seems short of this.

Confidence seems to be a big part of the football that they play, nobody seems afraid to take on players or to try a shot. In their recent game against Doncaster Rovers this is clear to see.

With regards to weaknesses Port Vale's main concerns lie within aerial threats, they seem very open and vulnerable from both deep dropping crosses, long distance shots or free kicks. Concentration by more than one defender seems to switch off when they're under extensive pressure.

If teams put them under pressure throughout the game and not just brief spells (they cope with this), then they do make mistakes.

This will allow our better players such as Liam Noble, Garry Thompson and even perhaps Bálint Bajner to come into the game.