Rob Fielding thinks the club is in deep trouble with at least ten issues to get right and soon. Here’s his list…
Rob Fielding writes…
These are worrying times for Vale fans. Here is my list of problems that the club has to resolve and fast.
1. A manager with a long contract but with serious doubts over his future
1. A manager with a long contract but with serious doubts over his futureThe key issue to address. Is Darren Moore the man to get Vale out of this mess? Judging by the views of many fans, the answer is a definite no. But thanks to the decision to bizarrely award him a five year contract before he’d even proved himself at the club, Vale could face a hefty bill, even if it was just to remove him. They may soon have no choice but to do so.
2. A huge squad of players
Here we go with things I’ve written before… three senior keepers, six strikers, seven central midfielders, seven wingbacks. Those are big numbers for a team that’s just got into League One. You end up with a situation where the likes of Marko Marosi and Ben Waine, who have hardly featured, are both on two year contracts.
3. Endless rotation of players
Port Vale football club of League One have played 17 League games so far this season. During those seventeen matches they have played 29 (TWENTY NINE) players. In a word that is – ludicrous. How can partnerships develop when the rotation is like it is?
During those seventeen matches they have played 29 (TWENTY NINE) players. In a word that is – ludicrous…
4. A lack of defensive cover and options
At the moment with just four players to pick from, Vale have sometimes had to pick Jesse Debrah or Connor Hall even if one (or both) have been off-form. On reflection, Vale should have held on to Nathan Smith, experienced at League One level and a squad player (note: I’m not suggesting he would have been a certain starter but he could have been a valuable squad member). In addition to Smith, some better quality left-footed cover and/or competition should also have been brought in. Vale are bloated in some positions but defence is not one of them – and it shows.
5. Poor quality summer additions
Rather than strengthen in the summer, Vale seem to have added quantity over quality. Regardless of the injury issues, did the Valiants really need to have seven players who could play left wingback? Or three senior keepers? Or seven forwards of which one, Ben Waine, has not played a minute since September? What was the point of signing Rico Richards – an impact player the previous season and one who may be able to do a similar job from the bench this season – and then loaning him out?
6. Lack of confidence in the youngsters
6. Lack of confidence in the youngstersWhat’s the message for the Vale youth team right now? Rhys Walters, one of the breakout stars of last season has to wait weeks to feature. James Plant is loaned out to Yeovil once again. Jack Shorrock, a future star, is sent to the National League North rather than being drafted in when others were injured, Ben Lomax isn’t even trusted with a place on the bench when the club has no other recognised right wingbacks. It doesn’t suggest there is a succession plan to convert youngsters into first-team regulars. Rather, they seem to be treated as not to be trusted and to be ferreted away, out of sight.
It doesn’t suggest there is a succession plan to convert youngsters into first-team regulars. Rather, they seem to be treated as not to be trusted and to be ferreted away, out of sight…
7. A bizarre selection policy
Funso Ojo, the stand-out star at the start of the season, goes missing for weeks. The afore-mentioned Rhys Walters, who finished last season in such good form, can’t make the squad for months. Ruari Paton, while still unproven to many, is left out after finding form with a brace in the FA Cup. On the flipside, George Hall is wasted being played out of position. For some time, George Byers appears undroppable despite mediocre form. With decisions like this is there any wonder there’s been sustained criticism of the manager?
8. A manager wedded to three at the back
Here’s a question – if you don’t have any fit wingbacks, why not play a formation that doesn’t need them? That’s just one of the problems when you rigidly stick to a system come what may. Another is the reliance on said wingbacks to provide ammunition for the forward line – something canny sides can counter. There’s no inclination to pick a formation that may hurt the opposition the most and this lack of tactical flexibility has played its part in Vale’s downfall.
There’s no inclination to pick a formation that may hurt the opposition the most and this lack of tactical flexibility has played its part in Vale’s downfall
9. Six strikers but no cutting edge
9. Six strikers but no cutting edgeIs it that the strikers are no good, the formation too defensive or the service is no good? Perhaps it’s a bit of all three. The endless rotation upfront (Devante Cole has had six partners up front) won’t have helped with developing understanding but there also seems to be a lack of confidence and form upfront. Even the much vaulted Cole looks a shadow of the player he looked when he arrived. Furthermore, goals are not arriving from other areas of the pitch. For example, captain Ben Garrity, so often a reliable provider of goals – has none from 14 appearances this season.
10. A leaky defence
Probably the last thing you want if you aren’t scoring goals – is a defence that concedes too many of them. That’s the issue at the moment as avoidable errors at the back cause the side to concede – and that lack of cutting edge often means conceding is terminal. With little competition at the back, Moore has often had to persist with the likes of Debrah and Hall even though both have an error in them.
This is not an exhaustive list. If you agree, disagree or want to add some of your own… post a comment below.
Great read and spot on. Too many players who are probably not happy at mot getting game time. For me the issues up top Cole being switched to left, Brown scoring his first goal and then hardly getting a look in. I posted a month or two ago prior to signing Cole that all our other strikers combined wouldn’t score 10 between them! Take Paton not seemingly deemed good enough league 2 last year and yes scored in cup butl look at the chances he has missed this season.To sign Richards and then to loan him out a serious mistake in judgement by the clown in charge. At the back with the exception of Humphries the rest look like league 2/non league at best except injured Clark and Gabriel. Think you’ve covered midfield Bob on, play your inform players constantly and not keep chopping and changing. As for the owners who seem to be invisible and burying their head in sand LISTEN TO THE FANS SACK HIM NOWbefore it’s to late!
Spot on Rob & why did the owners ever listen to Flitcroft?.in their pursuit of hiring DM as manager (conspiracy theories abound) well done Rob for pinpointing the issus of 6 strikers 5 of who can’t strike 7 wingback 4 who can’t wing 7 midfielders 5 who can’t midfielder or field defenders only 3 can defend 3 keepers 2 will do (1 we need to sign pronto if at all possible)anyway UTV
Rob, would you take the job please when it comes up? Seems you can see how it is. It’s a worry when you can create 10, that’s 10 massively compelling issues that seem wrong. Take yesterdays final 15mins – there’s no framework or formation for success to get a goal, let’s just chuck on all available so called goal scorers and chop and change the personnel and the formation again through the game. We need a fix on the best starting 11, in The best formation for those players. These are league 1 players with limits to their powers and talent so keeping things more basic and consistent would give them a fighting chance.
All valid points, and well put. Comments about Moore’s mishandling of his younger squad players and the inexplicable loaning out of creative Rico Richards are important issues. The unbalanced and stockpiled squad lacks defensive full backs, a proper orthodox winger, and (above all) goal creativity from midfield. Richards could have been the answer to the latter. It all adds up to an intimidating in tray for any prospective manager. Priorities must be to shore up defensively, and establish creativity from midfield to score more goals. That said, an experienced manager with a proven League 1 track record could successfully resolve most issues within 25-30 league games. Having managed Sheffield Wednesday to promotion from League 1 to the Championship, Moore and the owners may still consider he’s the man for Vale. The club’s results, league position and supporter opinion all argue otherwise.
Great analysis Rob and that’s just the things we can see. How many y other issues are there, that we are not party to? All we can say, is that there have been a series of factors and poor decisions that have contributed to the situation that the club finds itself in and there is going to be no easy fix.
Rob,
Your observations make a great deal of sense. Maybe you should take the managers role? Can’t do any worse than Mr Moore can you?
So basically everythings wrong
I agree with all these comments which cements my consistent view that Darren Moore is totally out of his depth managing our club
Agree with every word.
Great comments Rob but Carol has her head stuck in the sand, we get rid of one Flitcroft and she brings one in even worse named Moore.I will put it straight YOU CAROL ARE TO BLAME AS MUCH AS Mr Moore for the position Vale are in.I would of thought with your so called business acumen you would of had a new manager waiting to sign his new 5 year contract. 5 year contract ridiculous yes it is, He could not throw a party at a brewery and does not know a striker from a goalkeeper, please don’t tell him that he may try the goalkeeper up front in his next game, hopefully not as the Vale manager, enough is enough, Goodbye Darren
I think you have hit the nail on the head. About your comments. Keep them coming
Why would any club gve a new Manager a 5 yr contact before a he as even took charge, it makes sense to put him on a shorter contract & extend it if he does what we expect of him. Moore is not a great tactical manager anyone can see that so if you want the Vale to stay in this division get rid now & learn from your mistakes.
Spot on rob. I said myself start of the season we need div 1 players at the back humphreys is the only one the rest div 2. He persists on wing backs who we have that can’t defend. Solid back four for me proper defenders. Midfield far to many again here who a lot of them don’t score, other teams Midfielders score. But he as no clue who to play, byers seems to be is first name on the sheet but he has not cut it. We need a better player maker. Up front we need goal scorers cole probably the only one, who else have we got who scores regularly none. Needs get rid of a lot bring some one in who is proven.
How many more games have we got to lose before they see he is not the right person for the job next 3 league games Lincoln away Bradford
At home Luton away on current form under this manager surely it’s 3 defeats plus making goal difference worse why wait until we are possibly 10 points behind act now
If the club insist on supporting Moore they need to come out and say on what basis they believe he can turn it round. What are they seeing or know that we don’t. If they don’t have a plan to change it and Moore doesn’t in my opinion then all they are doing is delaying the inevitable and wasting valuable fixtures and time. Relegation again will be very expensive and may be difficult to recover from it. Perhaps this may be another Strategic relegation!
Well it’s taken me until this morning to read what Mr Moore has to say about Saturday and it’s the same old waffle, if, if, if, if my auntie had a pair she would be my uncle, just answer this Mr Moore how does your best striker , score when he’s playing on the left flank
An excellent summary Rob. I have been thinking about the lack of progress and opportunity for our home grown young players. I know we have picked up decent fees for some of them, but how much money has it cost us to have our current youth set up? Is that money well spent? When we overlay that expenditure against our squad size and it is easy to see that a huge amount of money is being wasted, with no obvious benefits. Given our geographical location can we compete with the huge number of big clubs to sign youngsters? Would we be better picking up young players rejected by Premier League teams? Is that a better future for us? Is Carol’s obsession with building a whole community club that grows its own player too much too soon. A look at Colchester United will show that strategy has not really delivered and the owner who pursued it, and an owner that Carol has said she previously looked to as a mentor, now has the club up for sale. Would a better strategy be to look at how Brentford, Brighton and Bournemouth made the progress they have?
Signing players for the sake of it to add cover is not working. As you point out, why not try Plant, Lomax and Shorrock to cover gaps?
I believe we place too much reliance on the back room staff and coaches with their laptops, obsession with data and focus on minutes on the pitch. Those things have their place, I am no dinosaur, however, a player’s character, willingness to fight for a win, a leader to inspire others on the pitch, none of that shows up in data analysis, but a good manager sees it and knows it.
Darren is a decent honourable man, but I believe he has been caught up in the trend started by Pep at Manchester City. Darren shows no originality, his substitutions indicate that as a last resort he goes to lump it up hight and hope for a knockdown. Teams know how to play against us because we are so predictable and we cannot change it during a game. Darren has to take responsibility for that.
We need to re-think what we are, and what we are capable of being. Carol is a magnificent owner, I am so pleased we have her. However, she now needs to re-think what is possible. At the heart of any football club, is the first team that goes out every Saturday, that is what the fans come along for. All the other stuff is great, however, it cannot be a substitute for our core business, entertaining fans on the pitch and giving them some excitement. There is none of that now, and has not been for a while.
There is only one opinion that matters and that is the opinion of the public.
Note this PVFC management the quote comes from the English civil war and we all know how that ended.