Four thoughts after Port Vale’s loss to Salford
Is the manager’s selection policy working? Rob Fielding shares his thoughts after yet another defeat for the Valiants.
Agree or disagree? Post a comment with your thoughts at the end of the article.
Is the manager’s selection policy working?
I feel somewhat for Darrell Clarke as his plans are thwarted. Injuries to the likes of Luke Joyce have hampered him at times but nevertheless I do wonder if his formations are somewhat… scattergun. We’ve had starts for both loanees – Will Swan and Mustapha Olagunji – yet several games later neither are even in the squad. Meanwhile, Danny Whitehead and Theo Robinson are both brought back from the cold. I can understand that the manager has, to come extent, got to experiment with his inherited squad but could those experiments be done on the training pitches?
Vale are devoid of confidence right now, but with big changes in personnel every game is it understandable why? Look at Tom Conlon, in the last three games, he’d had four teammates fill the two positions alongside him and has himself played in both the attacking and deep-lying positions. Upfront, it’s even more scattergun – poor Devante Rodney has had Kurtis Guthrie, Will Swan and now Theo Robinson to try and form partnerships with.
I understand one cannot legislate for injuries and Clarke has my sympathies in that regard but playing the back three, while not yielding amazing results, has at least made Vale more resiliant at the back. I wonder if more consistent selections further up the field could do the same?
The manager needs more time
Having criticised his selection policy, I would add that I’m not joining the “Clarke out” brigade although that hasn’t stopped some other fans from doing so. He’s just four games into his Port Vale career so it’s far too early for that. For me, I think you need to be fair and give someone a reasonable amount of time to prove themselves. In terms of managers then that means allowing them at least one transfer window to show what they bring to the club. The summer moves are going to be crucial and I think we have keep faith with the new man until then. Yes, I’ve just criticised some elements of his team selection above but that’s hardly grounds to go. All managers make some mistakes but clearly the measurement of success for Clarke will be keeping the side up this season and then rebuilding the squad stronger next season. There’s still fourteen games of this campaign to play and the transfer window is months away.
Fullback losses could be so costly
It seems like Vale have been on tenterhooks about the fitness of their most attacking fullback combination, Gibbons and Montano, all season. Both have suffered injuries and been out of the side for spells. It was therefore a real blow to see both forced off early in the first-half. Arguably, it will be an even greater blow if Darrell Clarke persists with the 3-5-2 formation. Gibbons and Montano are the two players best suited to the wingback role. Gibbons’ replacement Zak Mills, despite a worthy effort against Cambridge, is not a wingback while Montano’s replacement, Alex Hurst is still a rookie. With Football League safety firmly on the agenda, Vale could do without losing not one but both wingbacks!
No new manager bounce means Vale are looking down, anxiously
Darrell Clarke is still seeking his first win after four games in charge. There’s certainly been no new manager bounce at Port Vale. Whether that’s the current man’s fault, the transfer policy of the previous incumbent or the failure of the club to appoint a new man before the window closed is perhaps an argument for another day. What I want as a Vale fan and I am sure I speak for everyone who has the good of the club at heart is – a win – I don’t care if it comes from a fluke, a poor refereeing decision or a moment of genius, Vale are now sailing ever close to the relegation abyss. This season’s recriminations and summer rebuilding efforts are for another day. The immediate priority right now is League safety.
Agree or disagree? Post a comment with your thoughts at the end of the article.
Mogger
3rd March 2021 @ 10:27 am
Worst team ever to wear a vale shirt even when we have being relegated before at least we had teams that had a go this lot is a total mess and shambles can’t even hit the target now perhaps they ought to play spot the goal
The Knapster
3rd March 2021 @ 11:07 am
These 4 points just dance around the problem… I have never seen a collection of more inept so-called “footballers”. I see more talent in the mid-staffs junior league… it’s embarrassing. It takes this lot 2 touches to control and another to distribute (usually to the opposition). I don’t have a solution…the whole academy system has probably failed football… but who really wants to watch this quality of football… my 3 boys don’t… very disheartening : (
James
3rd March 2021 @ 11:20 am
I agree the most important process is to stay in the league however we achieve.
Next season will be a time to review Darrel’s achievements.
lets stay focused support the Manager and the squad .
UTV
Vic Kegan
3rd March 2021 @ 11:45 am
This man as not got a clue, how the decision to ‘purchase’ this man from Walsall is unbelievable.
Just been reading some thoughts from Walsall fans on upthesaddlers.com and they date back to Christmas 2019 where a majority expressed he was not good enough and could not field a settled side regardless of results.
I feel we’ll be looking for a newbie for next season!
Raveninblack
3rd March 2021 @ 2:48 pm
The continuing injury scenario at the club really worries my from my professional background… a retired podiatrist, as hamstring problems are a continuing theme at the club: Amoo, Montano, Gibbons and Oyeleke.
Montano has a clear biomechanical problem, identified by his low profile in his posture when he runs which puts extra torsion on his lower spine, increasing rotation through the part of his spine, just above his pelvis and thus increasing the extension of his hamstrings and exerting extra pressure on his mechanics.
It disappoints me that this has not been rectified by extra strengthening and increased flexibility and a review as to whether he needs appropriate analysis of further needs, maybe in other areas which I won’t specify here.
Certain types of pitches, such as the sand pit at Leyton Orient… where I was surprised one of the substitutes didn’t come on with a bucket and spade?
I am saddened to say that these medical issues at the club need a reviews? As for other things, it’s a very difficult time for the club with players lacking in confidence and luck as well as other injuries to Joyce with Conlon moving out of position and not being able to play his normal distributor role and players like Hurst who is definitely ‘a ‘work in progress’.
Otherwise I think your article is completely accurate and whilst I am a forever Vale fan, we are definitely ‘looking over our shoulders’ but I am confident we will get through this and move on and upwards.
Marilyn Smith
3rd March 2021 @ 4:01 pm
Hi Rob . I do agree with everything you say. It’s just so upsetting at the moment. For Fans, the Manager and Carol and the staff. All we can do is just support our Team and the Manager. May be next season I do hope we can get some quality. That’s all we can ask . (( Come on the Vale.. ))
Deco
3rd March 2021 @ 6:35 pm
Good bit of business for Walsall
John
3rd March 2021 @ 8:27 pm
This is the worst Vale side in history, and we are going down . I know that few want to talk about it , but the dramatic turn of form after Kings Lynn was hard to believe . Askey had playing well up to that point in the season. Why the sudden change ? I believe it was certain players getting together with a member of staff , and stabbing Askey in the back . They downed tools , went out sulking onto Vale Park , and then had the gall to speak to Carol Shanahan, apologizing for not playing well / not trying. She should have turfed them out there and then. They are a disgrace to the game and more importantly, Port Vale. I’m not saying Askey would have got us promoted , but we wouldn’t be far off.
These players took it upon themselves to bite the hand that feeds. Shame on them all. You know who you are. THAT’S when the trouble started. This isn’t Chelsea or Arsenal, it’s the Vale . So now , all of a sudden , it’s Darrel Clarke’s fault? After 4 matches with this lot? If he keeps us up , I’ll buy him 5 pints of whatever he wants , but I know in my heart and soul that we’re going down.
Some even blame the saviour herself for all this . You couldn’t make it up.
I’ve followed the Vale for 50 years , and I’ve never seen a team as bad as this , all because of a group of 5 players who can’t be bothered. Any of Stanley Matthews kids would be far better.
It’s a sad situation , and I feel for Carol and Kevin , but I’m not holding out hope of staying up. Sorry for the long rant , but it needs to be said.
Alan Jackson
4th March 2021 @ 9:40 am
A point a game will see us safe. That means if we lose two we must win the next one. We have to stay positive. We have had some poor teams in the past – I have watched the Vale since 1956 and have been embarassed before by some very poor sides. We must not go out of the league, it is so hard to get back – look at the likes of Wrexham, York, Stockport, Grimsby and the many other sides in the next few leagues down. We must support our fabulous owners. We are not getting hammered each game – defeats by one goal are too regular, but losses by just one goal must give us hope if only we can score a few.
Smudger
4th March 2021 @ 12:58 pm
Cut the losses. Can’t handle it. Let’s start again why do any of the managers not play our forwards cullen needs a10game run not 10minutes
PJ
4th March 2021 @ 4:22 pm
I agree that it’s far to early to be talking about the manager’s future but I’m surprised that Clarke hasn’t been able to form a pretty good view of his players’ ability and thus the backbone for the best team selection through watching their performances in this and last season’s games on video. Experimenting with wholesale changes for every game to “give everyone a chance” is a real high risk strategy when you are on the edge of the relegation zone. Its almost like a pre-season approach. I accept that injuries are making it more difficult to pick a settled core of players but I’m at a loss to see some players who have consistently failed to impress being reintroduced.