Panic or no panic at Port Vale following opening day thumping?
For every football fan, the opening day of the season is always a potent mix of trepidation, optimism, and concern.
However, the curtain raiser to the 2023/24 League One season could not have gone any worse for Andy Crosby’s side.
Losing to one of the promotion favourites Barnsley, away from home at Oakwell, certainly doesn’t being about cause for concern however, it was the manner of the 7-0 defeat that will get tongues wagging in the board room at Vale Park.
In addition, plenty of betting sites UK and across the world have made Vale one of the favourites to drop down into League Two, off the strength of just one result.
Inevitably, as with any stand out result in football, it is all about how a side moves on from it and thankfully for Port Vale, they have 45 more games this season to put things right.
There are however some things to consider for the Valiants off the back of their thumping in South Yorkshire and perhaps more questions than answers at the early stage of the campaign:
Staying afloat
Finishing just three points and three places above the League One drop zone last season was seen as both a positive and a negative for Port Vale.
Another tumultuous season on and off the pitch, the key for Vale was to not drop back down to League Two again and to their credit, they managed to do it.
Yet, with so many missed opportunities in matches and an underlying feeling of unfulfilled potential, those who visit Vale Park every week felt that Vale could have pushed for a mid-table finish at least, had things gone their way more often in key moments.
Survival does remain the priority for Port Vale fans once again in the 2023/24 League One season but settling for just that for the duration of the campaign is not the most exciting prospect for Port Vale fans.
Big response needed
Losing 7-0, in any standard of football is a chastening experience and for Port Vale and all of their travelling fans, the loss at Oakwell will burn long in the memory.
The Tykes ran riot at home, with Devante Cole bagging a hat-trick and Barnsley’s clinical finishing was simply too much for Port Vale to handle.
However, it doesn’t tell the whole story, with Vale matching Barnsley in the possession and shots count, something they can certainly take heart from as the season pans out.
Dwelling on the poor result at Oakwell will be the last thing Andy Crosby and his side want to do and they will know all too well that a response is needed over the next few games.
Reading, Charlton, and Blackpool await in the next three League One fixtures, as well as Fleetwood in the EFL Cup and everyone at Vale Park will be keen to see a response both on and off the field in the coming weeks.