JRC

Done

The gulf between the haves and have nots in league 1 is enormous now. The standard is also way higher. As is the level of unrealistic expectation (begging) of money they expect an owner to spend from their own pockets on the club. The Shanahans have invested way more than the sum of all owners in the clubs history.

As you say although he was at the club on trial before Moore said they'd decided to let 3 trialists leave. Could be there were 4 trialists at the club and they were trying to keep it quiet; although someone had posted his picture on here weeks ago. It could be linked to him getting a British passport. I believe he was born in South Africa and has a New Zealand passport. In theory he is young enough to apply for a youth mobility visa but there is an exemption that prohibits Australian and New Zealanders from working as professional sportsmen.

That was him.

He's been with the team for quite a few weeks, so it's not like Moore hasn't had a decent look at him. He's played in a couple of friendlies. Slightly worrying omen ... we signed a New Zealand International once before and I think we got relegated. Can't remember his name but he took a mean corner. There are a significant number of Vale fans who certainly look on the darker side.

According to The Valiant at bit of both. He's played quite a lot in the MLS so isn't a complete mug. Mainly a LB or LWB but he has played centrehalf, RB and on the Left Wing.

Biggest game of the season so far and a must win game. A lot depends on Ojo's fitness. I suspect Debrah has also had some kind of injury as I'd always start him over Lowe. The other question is does Wynne come in. My guess is at least on the bench. Sang was ill, so I suspect he'll play. I'm also guessing Ojo will be patched up and start. Ripley Debrah Smith Lacovitti Plant Sang Ojo Wynne Garrity Chislett Loft Maybe Sang rightback and Plant alongside Ojo.

I suspect Moore doesn't rate Grant having worked with him for a few weeks. Otherwise the timing doesn't make sense as we could have signed Wynne weeks ago. Wynne probably wasn't signed in time for his registration to go through.

If you were manager with a 3 day turn around would you prioritise Peterborough away or Exeter at home?

He actually has a point. This season comes down to how we perform in the 3 home games. Bolton and Peterborough were/ are free hits. Lose Saturday I'll be despondent. Never expected much last night, just as well as we delivered little. Bigger issue than the result was Ojo going off. If he's out for the season we will go down.

Plenty more twists and turns to come. Any kind of result tonight very welcome. The big 3 games are at home; win all 3 and we are almost certainly safe. Looking at the fixture list some massive games to come.

Sneak a win somehow and the league table will start to look in our favour.

If Peterborough are at their best we'll lose. Let's hope they have an off day and any luck falls our way.

He's made 21 league starts 6 league sub, 1 start league cup, 3 sub appearances in the JPT. Minutes on the pitch maybe about 18 games. How is 31 appearances incorrect 🤔

Firstly this season he's played 31 times. That's way above his career average. Injury has undoubtedly taken a toll, he was once allegedly the fastest player at United. The sad truth this season is he hasn't been very effective. 4 goals and no assists in 31 games isn't that great. There have been odd moments of magic. Sadly too few and far between. He's not an instinctive penalty area striker, no a physical hold up type of player. He's no longer quick enough to play on the shoulder of the last defender. I still think he could do a job as one of 2 10s but I think he's no longer capable of playing as a 9.

Yes but only with the company approval it's not a public company.

These are just estimates with no data to back them up.

I don't but we'll see when the accounts come out. Bottom 10.

Was it? We allegedly bid decent money for Luke Armstrong in the summer and Jake Young in January. There were many times during the Rudge years when he was criticised for not spending windfalls quickly, ultimately it contributed to his sacking. The genius of Rudge was holding out to get value for money; the genius of Bell was trusting him to do so. Outside of league 2 we don't have the buying power to just buy success.

Saturday put pressure on Cheltenham. Before they only had to win as many and draw one games more than us. Now they have to win one more. Not sure if Taylor is out for the season; if he is they are heavily reliant on Liam Sercombe for goals. Cambridge will struggle to score now Lyle Taylor is out; he was instrumental in their improvement. Shrewsbury are very much in the mix as they struggle for goals. I only bet at the races but I still think we are most likely to fill the 4th slot. However, with 5 to play I'd say our odds of staying up are slightly better than even. Maybe 5/9 on us staying up.

Mighton did pick up a foot injury and will probably play for us again this season I suspect. Gore didn't limp off against Portsmouth so no idea what's really happened there.

It is and I understand why. However if we were failing to get a striker there were midfield players who could do what Garrity currently does and were available; which would have allowed Garrity to play further forward. Garrity is solid enough as a defensive midfielder but his real value is when playing further forward. Playing 352 we've sacrificed our 3 main goal threats. If we'd got a central midfield player to allow us to play 3421 Garrity and Chislett could have got forward more. Maybe Gore was the man but I suspect we'll never know. Maybe Mighton and Chislett could have filled the 2 ten roles but Mighton has become invisible.

We had a couple of runs early in the season of clean sheets. I think it was 6 in 8 at one point just after Barnsley and I think we did 3 in 4 a little later. It's just hard playing in defence if the forwards can't score. The mystery of the defence has been the form of Lacovitti. At the start and end of the season he's looked a solid defensive player at this level. There was a period after his injury when he looked anything but. Maybe it's having the right players around him. Maybe like Uche as a naturally heavily built player he needs a little longer to get up to speed. Smith might be the Captain of the team but when he's playing well vocally Lacovitti is the leader of the defence. Really most of the recent defensive improvements has really been down to how he has played. I think him shouldering some of the leadership responsibility also takes pressure off Smith and allows him to focus more on his own game.

My thoughts on yesterday: Wigan clearly had more quality than us, you just needed to look at the way their players controlled the ball. We just out worked them and probably did enough to justify a win. The failure to land a striker, or a midfield player to allow Garrity to play further forward, has left us woefully short of goals. I think Loft or Uche, with Chislett and Garrity would be more potent. Garrity and Chislett in a 3 is proving industrious without either getting into the box enough. Sang may have found a position he is suited to. I thought it was his best game in a Vale shirt. He does some good things in central midfield and RWB but he lacks something in both positions. Thought the 2 young players acquitted themselves well against 2 very good wide players. Personally I don't think Plant will make it as a winger at this level, his distribution isn't great under pressure, he hasn't got a lightening burst of pace and he doesn't turn players inside out. I do think he's turning into a decent right wingback and he's also improved on the left over the course of the season. It will cause a problem playing Wednesday Saturday. The short bank holiday turnaround left a couple of players who put in shifts in the Friday struggling at Northampton. Particularly Plant and Chislett seemed to lack energy. Do we go all out at Peterborough or is the focus Saturday at home?

No the keeper got the ball.