Port Vale manager Darren Moore says his players need to show more drive and take the game by the scruff of the neck after their last-gasp 1-1 draw with Cheltenham Town.
Vale were grateful to sub Ronan Curtis for a last-gasp equaliser as they snatched a point but the team were lack lustre for much of the preceding ninety minutes.
Moore’s comments to the media are below:
On Ronan Curtis’ goal
It was a fantastic strike by Ronan and it almost feels like a win. But it was a get out of jail card. I didn’t think we capitalised in the final areas of the pitch so it was a bit disappointing on that side of things. It took a bit of individual brilliance from Ronan to salvage a point from the game.
On the opposition
I take nothing away from Cheltenham, I think Flynny’s got them really working hard. You can see the work they are doing and this is always a difficult place to come.
On Cheltenham’s goal
We fell a goal behind from a set play and I am disappointed because they had four chances to have a stab at it before they scored. So, I am disappointed that we not only didn’t get the first contact, we didn’t get the second, third or fourth. That is a review we have to do as players and staff. We are not happy with that at all.
On the match tactics
I put the subs on and as many attacking players as I could get on the pitch. I felt the tide turned our way and we had a lot of goalmouth action. At that late stage you think it is never going to come but we have got players that can produce something like that from nothing.
On taking the initiative
I said to the boys in there, if you want to be successful in games like tonight, you have to go and get the initiative and go and take the game. You can’t sit back and wait, even though we had a lot of possession and a lot of control of the game in large parts. You have to go and take it. It is pushing the boys on more. If there is one thing we need to learn from that, we can’t just hope the goal is going to come. We have to make it come. I think tonight we had enough of the ball and got into enough threatening positions but we didn’t make it happen. That is what we have learned from tonight. When games are like this, we have to have more impetus and demand more from each other.
On the return of Kyle John
We brought Kyle back in. Brandon (Cover) has done superbly for us this season and has played a lot of football. We had the option tonight of leaving him out because I just thought he has had a lot of football. Everything is fine and he will be ready to train and be part of the squad at the weekend.
On Jesse Debrah’s absence
Jesse picked up his knock (against Wrexham) and this just gave him a bit of extra time. He is back in full training and is fine, but it was right for Nathan Smith to come back in and get some game time.
Scrappy game , where we only Deserved a draw .
The manager knows best- but wouldnt it help to start with wide players (2 from Curtis, Richards, BBB, Edwards) and get the best from Stockley by providing him with service from crosses. If only wed had Worrall at his best with Stockley. Paton really is due a run too.
Worrall would have been the perfect supplier for Stockley. We are such slow starters in most games but the manager still does not know is best lineup. Too many players on the books and why was Shorrock not even in the squad. Frustrating manager and tactics.
I’ve always said like Ken in North Wales the managers team selection and tactics are nothing short of bizarre. Why and how players are just left out of the squad for several games then expected to come straight back into the team and be up to speed I do not know. Smith came back into the team playing wide of a back three (it’s not his game), and i really don’t know where Tolaj was supposed to be playing, I thought he came to the club as a centre forward? I’ve never rated Moore, he’s been backed like no other Vale manager in donkey years, he’s had money to burn, and a budget to potential give him the best squad in the division. Yet we struggle or potentially end up hanging onto slim leads most weeks. We are not convincing at home and the 1-0 away wins will not always go our way. The squad we have scored over 100 league goals between them last season yet we struggle to score one a game. Moore signed Stockley, Paton, Tolaj and Curtis to boost Vales goal threat, yet only Stockley seems to be guaranteed a starting place with the other 3 bit players, then usually played out of position. Garrity when fit is being wasted and played out of position, Chislett until lately has been left on the bench. A good manager with this squad should walk through this league. As for fans who say we are top of the league, so many games could so easily have gone the other way especially when there’s only one goal in it. As for the 2 defeats in 13, figures can be moved about to suite any argument it’s now 1 win in 6 .