Rob Fielding says a change to a more consistent starting eleven has paid dividends for under pressure Port Vale manager Darren Moore.
Rob Fielding writes…
It’s been a roller coaster season for the Valiants so far. A slow start was followed by a run of great form, which then dropped off alarmingly. This spell was then followed by a pick up in form in the New Year. While the Vale’s recent form hasn’t exactly been thrilling, it has been solid and has bore results. So, what has Darren Moore done to turn Vale around. One answer is – simply picking a settled team.
Looking back at that poor run – it was full of chopping and changing
- Four players started at left wingback – Conor Grant, Sam Hart, Jack Shorrock and an out of position Tom Sang
- It was confusion in the back three – Sang, Connor Hall, Jesse Debrah, Ben Heneghan all played but there was little gametime for Nathan Smith
- In the central midfield, there were problems – Moore had to rely on veteran Jason Lowe and newcomer Rakeem Harper at time
- Upfront it was also muddled – Jayden Stockley, Antwoine Hackford, Rico Richards, Ethan Chislett, Ruari Paton and Ronan Curtis all played, but there was little gametime for Lorent Tolaj
So, what has happened since…
The return of Nathan Smith to the back three has been instrumental, in my view. Seen as the best pure defender in the squad, Smith has only played twelve times this season but four of them have seen Vale record a clean sheet. Smith’s return along with less game-to-game chopping and changing at the back has helped Vale’s defensive solidity.
Meanwhile, Jaheim Headley, until his injury, has come in as first-choice at left wingback and Mitch Clark, once he returns from suspension/injury will surely be the same on the right.
There’s also been a formation change. The pairing of Jayden Stockley and Lorent Tolaj has been a success. The Swiss striker has four goals in 2025 and that, combined with Stockley’s contribution of three goals has given Vale a cutting edge.
Ben Amos has also come in between the sticks and cuts a more dependable figure than Connor Ripley. Ripley was certainly capable of brilliance but also lapses in concentration. Amos has, touch wood, barely put a foot wrong.
However, perhaps the biggest change has been in midfield. Captain Ben Garrity, so influential, has returned and is now playing, in many people’s minds, in his best position as the most advanced of a central three. Behind him have sat the dependable Ryan Croasdale and until recently Rakeem Harper. However, the return of George Byers could see Harper supplanted and give Vale more chance creation from deep.
This consistency has seen fall guys. It’s difficult to see the likes of Ethan Chislett returning, unless Garrity picks up a knock. Hackford has reverted to a role of coming on as a late sub to test tired legs (perhaps the best role for him), Lowe has reverted to a squad player, Ruari Paton departed on loan to Scotland while any gametime for young loanee Finn Ashworth seems unlikely.
However, with such a big squad, players not playing was inevitable. Vale’s priority must be points on the board. It’s not been that pretty but unbeaten in the League this year and with fifteen points banked, it seems that stability and consistent selection could be the way forward for this Vale team.
I echo the The above comments, but 4 me with over 350 apps to his name , y oh y wasn’t Nathan ( rock-Vale -man ) playing……………….. Sang is also better as a left-sided holding midfielder, but with Garrity , Byers etc. He can’t really get in there. Depending on formation that is .
It really isn’t rocket science, Rob, is it? Some of us have been crying out for a settled first 15 or a. All the great managers, from our own Sir John, to the likes of Revie, Shankly, Klopp, Guardiola, have worked with a first team squad, with tinkering kept to a minimum.
Can we make sure Sam Hart doesnt man to man mark on set pieces please .
More consistent team selection has resulted in 4 wins and 3 draws in the last 7 games, so yes it seems to be paying off.
If the club can remain relatively free of injury & suspension, there’s still a high chance to regain a top three automatic promotion position. I would go 442 with; Amos; Clark, Smith, Hall, Headley; Byers, Croasdale, Garrity, Curtis or Chislett; Stockley,Tolaj:
Fans should remember the first half of the season, the 4or5 changes every week, players out of position, no forwards on the pitch, the constant tinkering and mass substitutions every week, is how Darren Moore wanted to play. It’s his way of playing, his style his vision of how the game should be played. It wasn’t until fans turned on him at Grimsby after a poor run of results, that changes then came about. Ripley got dropped, Smith and Tolaj were given their chance in a settled team, 2 forwards were also being played, and the end to this senseless playing out from the back. All this is totally against the way Moore wants his teams to play the game. Should Moore be congratulated for at last seeing what the fans had been seeing all season and changing his style, or should he be criticised for being weak and spineless for bowing to fans criticism and going against everything he stands for and beliefs in. If the rumours are true about Headley being out for the season and Garrity being out for several weeks then more changes could be on the way.
@Ian Mountford
I don’t think anyone can say for certain that the fans did (or did not) cause the changes but what we can say for definite is that Moore (for whatever reason) made them. I think he deserves credit for that just as he deserves criticism for chopping and changing.
I think it’s only fair enough to praise for consistent selection and I don’t think criticising someone for doing the right thing because of some perceived idea that he was “forced” into it is fair.
One final point – I’m not sure of the point about injured players. If players are injured then that’s hardly the manager’s fault that he’s got to make changes is it?
We can also say Moore has cost the Vale in double figures at least 11/15 points with his daft antics of changing the team every game, not to mention the cash.I still do not trust him, he’s the longest apprentice manager in football history, just imagine him and Flitcroft together, thanks for small mercies.
Cannot agree with Marco Polo must have been on his travels for both seasons Smith had been a regular in the two latest relegation sides. If he cannot grab the forward without getting punished he is ok but found out ball watching too many times and is a sending off waiting to happen. He of course was a regular in those relegation sides with numerous goals against. Short memory perhaps?
Rob, no one can be certain about anything, but you ask fans for their views, thoughts and input and those are mine. Something changed Moores total out look on how his team should play the game and it’s one hell of a coincidence it should come after the abuse levelled at Moore and the players at Grimsby. Also at no point do I say, it’s the managers fault for having to make changes for injured players, I was just pointing out if rumours are true about Headley and Garrity more changes will be coming. My disapproval of Moores management style has been consistent from the minute he walked through the door, and I make no apologies for not liking him. However a lot of supporters including yourself seemed to be happy with Moore when we were top of the league, then became highly critical of him as we fell away, yet during both periods we were playing exactly the same way, the chopping and changing every week was there, as was the using of the maximum amount of substitutions each game. Because of this your comment “Looking back on that poor run-it was full of chopping and changing”, seems strange to me. While we are playing a more settled team, and it is more entertaining purely because we are getting more players forward, we still don’t look a good team as our league position shows.
We’ll have to disagree Ian. I certainly can’t see why being top of the table isn’t a cause for celebration and that a manager who has found a different approach should not be praised. Nor for feeling alarm after a bad run. I feel that is a balanced approach rather than continually attacking Moore even when his team are doing well.
However, I suspect that when, inevitably Vale next lose the critics will jump on the opportunity.
Rob, I criticised Moore when we were winning and top of the league, because of his constant team changes and the atrocious negative football we were playing. ( And not just jumped on the back of some poor results). It was only a matter of time before our luck ran out, and our single goal victories ceased and results started to go against us, which inevitably they did. He chose to start the season with one experience forward in Stockley who is known for having injury problems, he chose to spend a fortune ( at this level ) on Tolaj and Paton who basically have no football league experience, then chooses not to play them in favour of young loanees. The point I am making about you highlighting his constant changes, no experienced forward cover, players out of position, and mass substitutions, lengths of contacts etc etc, they were all there from day one. However you only chose to pick up on these as our luck ran out and results changed. The money he’s been given and the size of this squad he’s been allowed to put together should have walked out of this division if managed correctly.
Actually @Ian Mountford I pointed them out before this article.
You miss my point. I am in effect saying, finally, Moore has decided to pick a consistent starting XI and look what’s happened to the form. And after all – isn’t that exactly what has happened.
It doesn’t excuse his earlier chopping and changing. It doesn’t excuse the earlier poor run and it also doesn’t discount the good run when Vale were changing regularly. I’s just pointing out a possible reason for the recent upturn in form.
I said he should stop rotation before this article –
Dec 30th – https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2024/12/opinion-the-pressure-is-building-on-darren-moore-after-awful-port-vale-slump/
The first point I say is he should pick a consistent starting XI
Dec 9th – https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2024/12/opinion-would-less-squad-rotation-stop-port-vales-slump/
The article headline is “Would less squad rotation help address Vale’s slump”
Rob, I’m not missing your point, what I am saying is, we were top of the league with all his rotating. Was it the rotating in the early part of the season that got us there. If so people were accepting it because we were winning games and top of the league, I was constantly being told, “how can you complain when we are top” ? So personally I’m not one to jump on a bandwagon. I watch games and comment on what I see, regardless of others people’s opinion. The football he was dishing up was atrocious whether we were winning or not. So I criticised him. I see you were not criticising Moore in August, September, October or November when the rotation was going on during that period. Without a different of opinion things would be very boring and people wouldn’t have anything to think about. I’ll leave it there as we are going in circles. You put a huge amount of time and hard work into onevalefan.co.uk. and you need congratulating. Well done.