Rob Fielding is thrilled for Tolaj, waiting for Walters and overjoyed by Ojo – here are some of his thoughts on the Valiants following the home loss to Stevenage.
Rob Fielding writes…
Time for Walters to be included?
Time for Walters to be included?I thought BBC Radio Stoke’s Phil Bowers was prescient when he said in the pre-match radio programme that Vale’s subs bench lacked central midfield cover. I was bemused that Rhys Walters, such a star in the latter stages of last season, was omitted again. Yes, Ben Garrity is a central midfielder and was on the bench, but he was the only option and a) he’s not match fit after a long time out plus b) he’s not a holding midfielder as Walters is. It meant Vale struggled in the engine room when Ojo and Shipley went out. With George Byers suspended and doubts over Funso Ojo and Jordan Shipley’s fitness, it will be a major surprise if Walters doesn’t feature in the next matchday squad!
Ojo continues to confound the doubters
Ojo continues to confound the doubtersTime for a hands up here. I was one of those who thought Funso Ojo would not play for Vale again after his move to Shrewsbury Town. Not only did I think he wasn’t one of Darren Moore’s favoured choices but I had doubts over the player’s commitment to Vale. How wrong I was! Ojo has been a revelation this season with some barnstorming performances so far. He looks a different player not least because I’m sure he didn’t make those barnstorming runs in his earlier Vale career. I’m very happy to have been proved to be incorrect and long may Ojo’s form continue.
Worried but not panicking
Worried but not panickingSo Vale remain without a win. Is it time to be concerned? Well, yes, but it’s not time to panic yet. Vale matched one of the division’s fancied sides in Cardiff. They have also arguably been unlucky not to get more from both the Burton and Stevenage games and at least (in terms of their well-stocked squad) look reasonably well equipped to survive a long and arduous season. So, there’s worry but no panic at the moment (and a win on Saturday will do a lot to ease the nerves).
Tolaj looks the part but needs a partner
Tolaj looks the part but needs a partnerI was delighted to see Lorent Tolaj break his League One duck on Tuesday. He looked full of confidence afterwards and I think it will stand him in good stead for the season ahead. However, there’s a question mark over who should partner him upfront. Ronan Curtis, who cannot be faulted for his attitude, is not a natural central forward in my opinion and hasn’t looked the right fit to me. It’s unfortunate that Jayden Stockley is injured as he would be the natural choice. But if Stockley (and Ruari Paton) are out and Curtis isn’t the right fit – it means a choice between Mo Faal and Ben Waine. My intuition says that Tolaj would do best alongside a bigger, more physical player so perhaps it’s time to give the Wrexham loanee a start?
What do you think? Fair points or meaningless drivel. Share your thoughts and post a comment below.
Agree Tolaj would always be on my team sheet if he is fit. However he is still learning his trade and needs an older more experienced striker to guide him for least a year somebody like Tom Pope would be my choice. I think this season will be a learning experience for Tolaj I’m not expecting him to reach the heights of last season but I do expect him to be the prime source of goals. I think if Vale are to be competitive this season the defence and midfield will need to score more goals than they did last season. Hoping a win against Doncaster will steady the team.
I commented how happy I was with the majority of our performances, even the Stevenage performances was on the whole not that bad although the tempo of other games wasn’t there. We are lacking a goal scorer and Tolaj needs to be in the 18yd box to increase his goal ratio and not picking balls up on the halfway line. Darren Moore lost us that game against Stevenage by making those unnecessary substitutions and by changing the system we were playing. Vale were coasting to a 1-0 victory until Moore went back to his old ways. Moore states the substitutions were made due to injuries. Curtis seemed disappointed to be coming off, and Shipley decided he was injured only after Gerrity had been stood on the touch line waiting to come on for a couple of minutes. Fair enough Ojo definitely was struggling, but what are the chances that both Clark and Gordon were injured at exactly the same second. Moore chose to make 4 of those substitutions, and chose to make a change to the system. From going from coasting the game we looked all over the place. 3 players all jumped for the same cross which led to their first goal, and both goals were scored by players totally unmarked in the 6yd box. Although we’ve played reasonably well, Moores ridiculous team selection at Rotherham and his unnecessary substitutions and system changes against Stevenage have cost us 6points already. His inability to bring in an experienced striker in favour of umpteen wingbacks and 2 inexperienced forwards has left us looking desperately short of goals, and if he continues to make these on field poor decisions we will have little hope of staying up. The guys a clown !!
That would be my worry too ian performances are better but darren seems a tinkerer not sure he knows his best 11 again wants someone alongside tolaj who against stevenage was brilliant but needs some muscle up with him looked ok at the back till second half changes still a worry for me debrah not quite at this level
Only tolage and our Wrexham loanee look capable of getting a few goals this season but they need to be played together all the time to build a partnership. Stockley should be used off the bench in emergencies.if we are not relegated by Christmas due to lack of fire power we should look to find a goal scorer and let a couple of midfielders go.
Oh REG come on, RELEGATED, we were mugged tuesday,robbed of a perectly good goal v cardiff could have won at burton should have got a draw at rotherham,THATS FOOTY FOR YA, the Vale will come good, and come Christmas we will be fine, so lets start v donny sat eh!
For me at the moment Tolaj is out of his depth. A great deal of pointless running and very poor decision making as highlighted v Stevenage in the second half . Hopefully this will get coached into him.
Curtis for me is another one who runs and runs but achieving very little and is no real goal threat.
It says a lot when Connor Hall is shooting from the edge of the box but our attacking midfielders and strikers are reluctant to.
Waine and Shipley not convinced but it’s early day. I’ve kept the faith for 50 years so why stop now !!!!
Come on,! Relegation talk already?
Get them happy goggles on, we’ve had a tough start, robbed against one of the sides fancied to go straight back to the Championship, cheated out of it at Burton etc etc, but that’s how footy goes, you pick up your head and go again, like Rudgie used to say “we haven’t had the rub of the green, but you have to make your own luck sometimes” , let’s dig it out, we’ve got a decent squad if they stay fit and refs don’t send em off willy nilly, so reset on Satdee and get a result against Donnie