Rob Fielding thinks there are worrying parallels between this season and the awful 2023-24 relegation campaign – and the club don’t seem to have learnt their lessons.
Rob Fielding writes…
Remember the 2023-24 season? Let’s go through some things that happened and see if anyone can spot any similarities between that League One season and this one…
- There was a decent cup run. In 23-24 it saw Vale reach the quarter-finals of the League Cup. This season, we’ve been distracted at times by an away win at Birmingham City and a glamour tie against Arsenal.
- We have the poor summer transfer business. In 23-24 the likes of Conor Grant, Kofi Balmer and Jason Lowe arrived. This season we’ve had Marko Marosi, Ben Waine and Jordan Shipley.
- There’s the unbalanced squad. This season, bizarrely, we have seven players who can play left wingback. In 23-24 Vale started it with one, injury-prone Conor Grant and had to play James Plant out of position for a spell.
- There’s the loss of a key player. In 23-24 Ollie Arblaster departed. This season, it was the turn of Lorent Tolaj, who returned on Saturday to down the Valiants playing for his new club.
- There’s the lack of goals. In 23-24 we have Ikpeazu, Wilson and Loft with seven goals between them. This season we have the likes of Ben Waine, Dejaune Brown and Mo Faal with one League goal between them.
- We have the underfire manager (Andy Crosby in 23-24) and Darren Moore this season, who the club kept faith in even as the crucial January window approached.
- The club were relegated in 23-24. Right now, we’re bottom of the table.
Does all that sound familiar? It does to me.
One of the concerns about 23-24 was the timing of manager Andy Crosby’s dismissal. It came on the 5th February after the transfer window had closed. It meant that successor Darren Moore had zero opportunity to reshape the squad in the window and relegation was inevitable. It was ridiculous timing. Crosby should really have gone in early December during an eleven match winless streak.
I fear this pattern is repeating itself. Moore (like Crosby) seems a decent chap but right now a revival looks beyond his control. With that in mind, this isn’t the time for the likes of CEO Matt Hancock to be defending the manager, it’s rather time for decisive action.
The club have made it clear that Moore will be in charge for the forthcoming days. So, if it’s not now, then it needs to be pretty soon. If Moore doesn’t perform a miracle in the next couple of weeks then the club should not make the same mistake as they did in 2023-24.
If Moore is dismissed, they need to act quickly and a get a new man in before the new year. This allows the replacement time to make changes in the transfer window. Those January moves may not ultimately work and relegation may still occur. Nevertheless, the club have to at least give a replacement the chance to do so and not expect them to work miracles with someone else’s squad like they did in 2023-24. If they do delay the inevitable and leave an underperforming manager in place beyond January, then they will repeating their mistakes and potentially sleepwalking their way to relegation.
All really valid points but judging by Matt Hancocks comments,the club will be sticking with the current manager come what may.
Who would back Port Vale to win at Lincoln on Saturday? IMO nobody. It will be three more points lost and further behind other possible relegation clubs who are fighting to avoid the drop. We could be even more points behind and more loss of confidence that the team would have. Hope fully the owners are searching at this moment to find a manager who might save us. As thing remain at present Vale are looking like certs for relegation.
The hierarchy are all deluded. This will be a case of groundhog day and relegation to league 2….if nothing changes NOW, not next week. Next month, NOW. New manager needed with new ideas cos it ain’t working for Mr Moore.
It’ll be a case of “we told you so” not a case of maybe but a certainty with his managerial processes. None so blind who will not see. The clock is on one minute to midnight and ticking down each day.
ANOTHER KEEPER?oh come on,i cant remember the last time we scored in the league,,,,,(thats telling me what and who we need)and yet another keeper adding to the collection,you just could not make this up
We are destined for league two Peterborough have changed manager and are now winning games Blackpool are doing the same wake up carol and do the right thing get rid of Moore
Having just received the “dreaded vote of confidence”, Moore’s days are probably numbered. Meanwhile a prudent owner would be doing background work on a potential replacement. One positive is that there’s still 29 league games left. The situation looks grim, but if there is a manager change there’s plenty of time for an experienced replacement to drag the club clear of the bottom four. My view is that the squad is good enough to secure safety. It’s a question of establishing a settled best team, and using consistent tactics preferably with a tight back four.
You honestly can’t compare this season to two years ago under Crosby. Crosby started the season with NO fit forwards, then at best had to limp on with 2unfit ones. DM has 7. Crosby usually had to regularly play 3or4 teenagers due to Flitcroft’s push towards youth, DM has used over 30 players so far none of which are teenagers. Vale were I think 17th or 18th when Crosby was dismissed, DM is BOTTOM!! Crosby was a scapegoat for Flitcroft’s penny pinching attempt to retain League One survival.
Great points Ian… I would also add to David’s point about its not all over… The standard in League 1 isnt all that high this season (which is another reason for disappointment at where we are), we are not far off in most games, turning this around should be possible. Rigidly sticking to the same formation putting square pegs in round holes to make it fit the formation is maddening. The frustrations are fully justified.
No body will give vale a chance at Lincoln. But nothing is certain in this league, when we play we do create chances but never seem to take, so there is a chance we could get a result, which will give him more games. But the big picture is he does not know is best team now, and saturday will probably be different faces again, I think he has had is chance and failed big time. Get a new manager in so we don’t make the same mistake, if it does not work out at least we have tried.
The definition of madness is : Doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different result . Please change the manager now. I feel this squad of players ( although not ideal) are capable of cementing a place in League One under better leadership.
Big Darren got to go not man for the job to negative don’t thinck he has got a clue he killing the club when we going lern don’t sit on it just get rid before to late
I have been a supporter snce 1948. So our current position in the league is unfortunately not a new experience. But the present incubant has a very bad record of relegating teams to a lower leagues under his control.
Very disappointed that he is still with us, and on Saturday, we take on Lincoln, who just happen to be top of our league, , who just a few years ago, were not In League Football..
We need to get rid of both Moore and Hancock , and quickly acquire people who are able tchange things. Stoke City have managed to achieve that, why can’t we.
In my 77 years, we have sadly become in my mind, a Yo Yo club, up and down. Next year will be our 150th birthday, it would be great to be able to experience a majot memorable achievement.
Time for change unfortunately and it has to be before Christmas. Lincoln may be his last game.
What moore needs to do is put thebest players on the pitch and play them in their right positions .
Every game is the same and i do not think it will end soon .
For instance Garrity has always centre played midfield not at right bacjk or right of the midfield .
I can not understand why everytime i look at the team sheet and look at the team sheet i frown and shudder.
Moore is defending his descisions but always puts out a disjointred team who most are playing out of their chosen positions .
I admire Carol for the wonderful work she has done for local people and we must not forget she bought our club at a terrible time for the club .
Do not blame carol for our posituon .
Hancock is totally wortless to the club and everytime he makes an opinion about matters concerning our club he frustratees me and does not convince me at all about his position in the club .
Just pick a team with players in their right and best position and .
We have good strikers but we play cole on the wing when he should be central as he is a fantastic goal poacher and that is his trait. Stockley is good in the aair and adds a different dimention and the 2 togetheer are a good combination . But most times stockley is only biought on late in games when the game has already been lost .
I think we dio need to sign another striker who is a proven league ione goalscorer
The rumour of bringing in another goalkeeper is a strange one unless our new zealand loan player is leaving .
It’s a shame but vale is reverting back to crap times, stop slacking and being to comfortable, loosing games in the last 3 mins is a joke