The hideousness that has been foisted upon us over the last few days with the departure of Micky Adams and the abject surrender at Gillingham was further compounded today with a five-none annihilation at the hands of a domineering Rotherham United. We have now lost three on the spin without scoring,  have failed to score in our last SIX away games, and have dropped out of the automatic promotion places. Soul destroying facts.

The gruesome events that unfolded today at The Don Valley stadium are far too unpleasant and unsettling for a thorough dissection, so, in brief: Rotherham had the ball in the net before I'd even finished my coffee - fortunately it was ruled offside - however, our respite was short-lived and, just as we were a few days ago at Gillingham, we found ourselves two down with twenty minutes played. Any chance of an unexpected comeback disappeared just after the half-hour when Stuart Tomlinson was red-carded after clattering into an opponent. Shortly after half-time Will Atkinson (remember him? Didn't we have him on loan during Sinnott's reign, or was it Foyle's?) put Rotherham three-up, a fourth came mid-way through the 2nd half, a spectacular fifth arrived with five minutes left. I took this as my cue to leave, the first time I have left a game early in over thirty years of watching Vale. Despondent and dispirited barely describes how I felt leaving Yorkshire.

Let's talk about our 'Iron Curtain' defence. This season Messrs Yates, McCombe, Owen and Collins have been together, composed and assured. The bedrock of our promotion challenge. The last two games they have been unrecognisable; hesitant, bewildered, self-destructive. Surely the situation with Micky Adams cannot have had this much of an unsettling influence on the players? They are, after all, grown men, not little kids whose Daddy has left them. They need to have a word with themselves.

Our distinct shortage of goals has - bar the 5-0 drubbing of Stockport - been a worry for some time, and we could desperately use some fresh blood up front. Although, to be fair to the Richards Twins, the service has been shoddy to say the least. Roberts hasn't been performing of late, and we lack any kind of cutting edge on the flanks. We are looking extremely ragged, and utterly devoid of idea's at present. 

So what is the answer to our current woes? A new Manager obviously, but we also need new blood in the squad if we are to maintain our promotion push, and for that to happen we need investment. Mike Newton and Mo Chaudry have made their bids, our Board has seen fit to reject these injections of much needed cash. Surely, if we miss out on promotion, Bratt and the Board will have to fall on their swords, surely?

On Monday we entertain Burton Albion in what is another massive game for us. We are in dire need of a moal-boosting three points...

Photo: Action Images

PVFC_78 added 13:18 - Jan 2 What has happened to us? I can see us dropping out of the play-offs by the end of this month. Yeah, I;m panicking!!!
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