Where to start after the diabolical performance against Exeter City? Well, Rob Fielding has a go at covering at least some of the issues…
Off the pitch things are rosy
So, I’ll start with a rare positive. A number of OVF viewers based in the South West sponsored the ball for this game. As luck would have it, the game was designated as the 150th anniversary game so we had a ringside seat. The event was very well organised as was the sponsorship itself (thanks to match host Dean Martin). It was a pleasure to see the former players and catch up with a few (obviously I had to have a chat and selfie with my hero Andy Jones). Edit: and how can I not mention the terrific Audley bass band playing the pre-match warm-up songs. Can we have them every week?
However, even such a well orchestrated event raises a few questions. OVF reader Ian Mountford asked via the comments on another article – if 2026 is the foundation year why specifically did the event have to take place during the season and was it not a distraction? I tend to agree. Vale have been clearly struggling for some months and this could have been held off till the off-season. My second gripe (and I hate to say it as it may be doing people out of wages) is the sheer number of staff. I suspect commercial activity is a real winner for the Valiants but could they maybe cut the staffing numbers a bit? There were people opening doors and multiple servers. Perhaps I am doing the club a dis-service but it did look a bit excessive to me.
Anyhow, in general I did think the club did a good job of marking their official anniversary and for anyone not in the Legends Lounge here’s a superb poem by Nick Degg which was read out:
On the pitch things are dire
So, that’s the positives out of the way. Time to batten the hatches… That was an embarrassment to watch. I don’t think anyone would argue that not a single player in that Vale side would get into another League One side’s starting eleven.
I think Vale fans can tolerate it a bit if players put in the effort but lack the talent to compete at this level. 100% effort is kind of a bare minimum to accept. However, to have neither the talent or put in the effort meant that the majority of that team (perhaps excepting loanee Ethon Archer at this point) deserved the “not fit to wear the shirt” chant.
Where were the leaders? Where were the players at least shouting and urging their team mates on? This side was quiet and timid. I expect more of seasoned performers like Ben Heneghan and Connor Hall – why were the centre-halves not vocal?
Perhaps Vale thought the 150th celebrations would lift this side but they were wrong. The performances were dire and the Valiants would probably have been better off to play some of the former players, despite their advancing years, instead. You could at least expect the likes of Andy Porter, Robin van der Laan and Leon Legge to respect the shirt and put in a shift.
A return to ‘Mooreball’?
If the players deserve their share of the blame then, despite being new to the position, so does manager Jon Brady. I thought his selection policy and in-game tactics took us back to the Darren Moore days. Firstly, there was the chopping and changing of players so once again Vale lined up with a near completely different line-up. This “rotation” doesn’t give any players the chance to build up partnerships.
There’s the selections themselves – should Jordan Shipley really be starting the game ahead of say Rhys Walters? Then there’s the formation with Devante Cole upfront alone – would partnering him with Stockley to feed off Archer’s and Hall’s crosses have been better?
There’s also leadership. Connor Hall and Ben Heneghan have their critics but surely they would be natural choices for captain rather than the withdrawn and quiet Devante Cole. He’s a proven striker but not a proven captain.
Then there’s the in-game Moore-esque tactics. Subs were late and echoed Moore’s idea of throwing on multiple forwards (Stockley, Brown and finally Waine) in the hope that sheer numbers upfront would work.
I think Jon Brady still has time before judgement can be passed and I hope this was just a blip as if he continues with the same selection tactics as Darren Moore we are going to be no better off. Brady can help himself by selecting a starting eleven of the best players in the best positions and the best formation and (injuries aside) stick with it.
The terrible summer window is an albatross around Vale’s neck
In recent days Jon Brady has rightly said that he doesn’t need three senior keepers. He’s right. Judging on the performance on Saturday, there would be few complaints if he decided several more players should be shown the door.
However, unless the club issues costly pay-offs, it’s tricky to see how he can do this. The much maligned Shipley has another year left on his contract, as does Marko Marosi, as does out of favour Ruari Paton. So, there’s every incentive for those players to stay – even more so when there’s probably no clubs coming in for them anyway.
So, Vale may be stuck with this unbalanced and bloated squad till the summer. It will certainly be interesting to see Brady’s retained list then – the likes of Ben Amos, Connor Hall, Ryan Croasdale, Mitch Clark, Jayden Stockley, Funso Ojo and Ben Heneghan are all out of contract.
Remember the two letters after the club name
Finally, a brief reminder for the Port Vale hierarchy. This isn’t “Port Vale” this is “Port Vale FC.” It’s a football club and getting it right on the pitch should always be the number one priority. Get it correct football-wise and all the rest, off the pitch, can follow (and will probably be even more welcomed). But they need to not fall into the trap of seeing Port Vale as a community venture/asset first of all. The football club can certainly help the community but it should never prioritise being part of the community ahead of being a football club.
I may have missed some points I wanted to make but I’m pretty miffed with Port Vale FC right now. These views may be harsh but I’m not alone in putting in a lot of effort to support this club (this game involved a six hour round trip from Somerset in bad weather wheras some of my fellow match sponsors travelled from further afield). We didn’t come all that way for an anniversary event (nice as it was) but to see our team put in some effort on the pitch and it didn’t happen.
What do you think? Too harsh? Not harsh enough? Good points? Missing the point? Post a comment below.
100% , we r Lucky 2 c 50 !
Copy, paste that’s all I need do Rob 🙁
Oh no managers team & subs selections mysterious. Hope we ain’t got another dude in know it’s early days but very worrying. People raving about Stockley who is so obviously finished all though he might do well if we finish in non league with this squad , massive clearuot needed but who could we attract who knows whst what that round thing is for anyway UTV
Sydney Lawton – I don’t think anyone is “raving” about Stockley. Like most of the squad he’s not been great this season. But when you line-up with two wingers at the start of the game it may be wise to play your only targetman upfront from the start too. Not only may he get his head on some of them but Cole gets some support and may get on the end of a knock-down etc. Stockley’s no world beater but for me he’s the best of a bad bunch and at least has extensive experience at this level.
Totally agree. None of the out of contract players above should be kept. I think we should have a whip round to pay off Shipley NOW! There was a clamour a short while ago to start ojo but he’s now resorted back to ono ! This will be his 3rd consecutive relegation season from league 1, surely that tellsa story. To many players not putting the effort in and sadly no new manager bounce as yet. Only Archer on his debut over 6 out if 10, the rest well no words needed. I expect another round of Moore style changes for Tuesday especially in midfield!
Bang on Rob total disgrace from a woeful bunch of utter rubbish and worryingly they clearly can’t be bothered to even try for the new manager which doesn’t say much for him. On a positive note you’ve cheered me up with that out of contract list barring Clark (who I gather is on his way anyway) it will be wonderful to offload that lot not a one who should be playing professional football, good riddance.
What I don’t understand is that in these trying times who are all these supporters who turn up, waste their money on watching second rate footballers and come back week after week, I am not a Stoke supporter but marvel at the support the people of Stoke give to a failing club. Mrs Shanahan do you care?
Some very good points, so very very disappointing to witness that shocking spectacle and feeble effort from players who are well paid and looked after by Port Vale FC almost unbelievable really
Mrs Shanahan does not care about the team only the nice pretty ground,We waste money every week for the crap they throw at us and laugh,if she does not back the team we will end up like Rochdale and York, I have watched better player in the none league, than Vale have got, these players will not play for a new manager, so what does it say about him, it’s early days but I don’t see this man doing it for Vale, Personally I can’t wait for the season to end, I can keep watching this crap Carol.It feels like the club is being demolished from inside.
Right it may be early but it’s time to see what this manager is made of players need to be shaken up and those who can’t hack it thrown aside now anymore performances like that is not acceptable if the manager can’t get a better performance on Tuesday then he should do the right thing and leave
A blog with many valid points to digest. Focusing on yesterday’s disjointed team selection, tactics and performance, I totally support the common sense opinion of putting the best players in their best positions in a consistent formation. Against Exeter, starting both full/wingbacks Gabriel and Gordon so soon after long term injuries was a gamble. On form I rate them, but are under cooked. Walters and Paton were strangely missing, perhaps an explanation will be given. Moving forward this season, 442 is likely the best formation with one winger and two strikers. The squad clear out has started with Johnson, Faal, and Curtis departing, and will be completed this summer probably with all the out of contract players and perhaps 2-3 more. That leaves Brady scope to significantly streamline and refresh his bloated current squad. That all said the prospect of League 2 football isn’t appealing, more a feeling of “here we go again”.
Perhaps more effort would come from some of the younger players such as Shorrock, Walters, Plant and Richards etc. who will be wanting to prove themselves worthy of wearing the shirt?
Get Carol Out. I’ve been saying it for a while now and I’ll say it again. And that Matt Hancock
Nothing to do with our problems at the moment but Good luck to Phil Sproson in hospital at the moment,get well soon Vale hero.
Well written Rob, unfortunately for us it’s the last straw, we aren’t prepared to travel from Stamford East Anglia and longer, the season ticket remaining (2) will be sacrificed until such that all this nightmare as been turned around. I’ll miss me oatcakes supplies each time but it’ll now be watched from afar. At least we can turn off the torture when things get bad, as you say early days for Brady and he has a mountain to climb, so unless he gets the monies and full support from PVFC he’s in a bad place. Just hope as we all do something good comes to turn this around soon.
I’m mostly in agreement with your comments, Rob, and those of many other fans. I never rated Shipley and cannot unerstand how he has found his way into the team – 1 good shot v Fleetwood does not make up for his woeful passing, weak tackles and poor shooting. Walters should be in there – he tackles well and is so difficult to shake off the ball. And why is Paton nowhere to be seen? I can’t believe that he doesn’t give 100 percent in training because he always does on the pitch – if Stockley is playing, surely we need Paton’s crosses from corners and free kicks, especially now Curtis has gone. And we need to put the basics right – marking men tightly, cutting out crosses into our box, and finding space in midfield when we go forward, which means players moving to support the player with the ball.
We need to find answers quickly, otherwise this season is gone.
When you sit down and try to put some logic behind Saturdays team selection and disappointing performance alls I can up with is, The managers mass changes came about because of the dreadful second half at Mansfield, and the need for a immediate improvement. Playing Hall/Cole/Archer was in desperation of winning the game. Then by playing 3 none defensive players, this left the midfield and back four exposed. Possibly no excuse for what came about, but I think heads went down and everything just snowballed after that.
Get the academy lads in !! Moore ignored the academy lads , they will show fight , desire and maybe the old seats might learn a thing or two !!!
Your comments about, how over staffed the club is, I’ve been saying this for years. I think at one point we had over 230 employees, not counting match day staff, doing what? How on earth does a league 1/2 club on 7000/8000 gates once a fortnight finance this. Anything up to 6 people stand at the turnstiles for the Railway Paddock/Stand every game. The club disposed of the services of Steve Speed, Colin Garlick, Andy from the shop and Janet the ticket manager. Then brought in a new Stadium Manager, who allowed the Railway toilets to deteriorate so much they were condemned, leaving 1000s to trudge to the car park to pee in basically bucket in the dark. A new groundsman who asked for more staff, and the invisible Hancock. A man who is now overseeing his 3rd relegation and staggering losses almost every season. We have fitness coaches, warmup coaches, recovery coaches. We have a goalkeeping coach yet have the 3 worst keepers in the league, attacking coaches, defensive coaches, set piece coaches. I’ve just got to the point where I think, these are just jobs for the boys, because the club is loosing money hand over fist and the playing side is almost as bad as I’ve seen it. Once everyone had 2-3 jobs each, now there are 2-3 people to each job. I just don’t understand football anymore!
Team playing with fear. Start with confidence but that gone at first sign of adversity. How about playing youngsters who want to do well to try to break through as first team regulars. A big gamble but I suggest trying the following.
Gauci
Lomax John Hennegan Clark
Humphreys
Plant George Hall Shorrocck or Archer
Cole Waine