Drop Pope

[Boslem's Brazil]

Before yesterdays game I hoped we would play Pope and Hugill as I anticipated a battle against what was essentially a poor team. Last week against Brighton I hoped that we would play Pope and Hugill to give Brighton something to handle that is not common in the Championship, two big men.

 

Whoever the opposition I just hope we get an opportunity to see the above partnership in action, and also given a few games to gel.

 

If it doesn't happen I think we are going to lose one or both. One being the individual who essentially got us promoted feeling that he is being hounded out of the club he loves. Before people criticise me for that comment, who else would have scored so many goals last season, not forgetting who Vale could afford.

 

The other could leave because he is obviously busting a gut to be given an opportunity for a run in the team, please don't think other clubs have not noticed him.

 

in short I hope both play against Swindon, with Williamson on the bench to change things if necessary.

 

I really do think Hugill has got massive potential. He is good in the air, which you would expect for a lad his size, but what has surprised me most is his pace. He can get behind defenders, as well as win flick ons and hold the ball up, which makes him the complete package. And from his chances to goals ratio, I would also throw natural finisher in the mix.

 

I don't want to go overboard, but I really do think now is the time to give him a run of games. I would be willing to give the Pope- Hugill partnership a chance, but unfortunately from the games that its been tried (Crewe and Plymouth spring to mind) it doesn't seen to have worked.

 

I like Pope, but if they can't play together and it is a choice between Pope and Hugill, then at this moment in time, I would pick the latter.

[valiant_593]

Pope is getting worse every week, regardless of whether he gets chances or not, he isn't performing anywhere close to where he should be. Hugill seems to get chances and is only on the pitch for a short amount of time, next match has to be hugill and Tomlin for me.

[valiant_593]

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Port-Vale-Tom-Pope-formations-bashed-centre/story-20538954-detail/story.html

 

Interesting views from the man himself

 

That seems part or the problem to me, he's looking to blame others and he does this in games, constantly moaning when a pass dosent reach him or someone else makes a mistake. He says he hasn't had a shot in the last 3 games, well hugill has played a third of the time pope has and has managed o score 2, pope is doing something wrong.

[cheshirevaliant]

It amuses me that many who say "keep Pope, just play with wingers and feed him" are the often the same people who slate JMW, our best winger.

 

I thought Pope was better on Saturday, but he was a shadow of the player who was excellent in the corresponding fixture at Gills last season. Their number 4 looked to have improved their defence, he organised them much better than the home game.

[Gareths54]

I'm a big supporter of Tom he's expected to win the ball in the middle of the park lay it off and get on the end of some poor crosses as well as defend !! Let's be honest if some of the others put in a shift like Tom we would be a better side.

[stupers]

It amuses me that many who say "keep Pope, just play with wingers and feed him" are the often the same people who slate JMW, our best winger.

 

I thought Pope was better on Saturday, but he was a shadow of the player who was excellent in the corresponding fixture at Gills last season. Their number 4 looked to have improved their defence, he organised them much better than the home game.

 

Agree with the point about JMW. Still our best winger, but gets slated despite the fact he's sometimes double/triple marked when he's trying to get down the line.

 

Pope doesn't deserve the stick he's been getting for his forward play. He works hard for the team, probably too hard sometimes as he chases lost causes or gets the ball in the channel, out of position for when the ball goes into the box as he's had to go out wide to get the ball. He doesn't have an out-and-out strike partner, as Tomlin usually drifts out to one of the wings (Presumably he has been told to). Pope's marking against Akinfenwa was poor Saturday, although I wonder why someone like Robertson wasn't taking that role.

 

The problems with the team stem from other areas than Pope. But Vale fans love a sacrifical lamb / scapegoat don't they?!

[Bells_Biscuit_Tin]

I'm a big supporter of Tom he's expected to win the ball in the middle of the park lay it off and get on the end of some poor crosses as well as defend !! Let's be honest if some of the others put in a shift like Tom we would be a better side.

 

A side that will have "port vale 0" on the vidipriner every Saturday afternoon

[For Us All]

Agreed, Fred. Extract from Ed's report on PVO:

 

Vale are conceding far too many goals with only six clean sheets in 27 League games, despite various groupings in defence. I am going to have another rant about one way of stopping some goals. The first goal yesterday was easily preventable by having a man on the post to head the ball clear. The Akinfenwa header was not a rocket into the top corner. It annoys me intensely to see the ball drift into the net in these circumstances rather than when a goal has come from fine play. I recall Ron Atkinson saying some time ago that when he managed Man United he felt they were conceding too many goals like this and he decided that he would in future have men on each post and he said they never again conceded a goal like that. It seems stunningly obvious so can anyone with some coaching experience explain to me why Vale and other clubs do not routinely defend corners in this way? I can well understand that if by having men on the posts you actually concede more goals in a different way - and i ndeed even more goals than before - then you would not have men on the line. The goal is too big for the keeper to defend the whole line so why not give him help? Do keepers have a say in this and, in this case, does Neal say that men on the post get in the way? Older fans will recall the great Leeds side under Revie. He used to have full back Paul Reaney on the line in such situations. How many times did I hear the Match of the Day commentator shout 'Off the line by Reaney!' How about 'Off the line by Dickinson!'? I would be interested to hear what people think but I'll need some convincing on this one : get people on those posts, ready to come out quickly as soon as the ball has been cleared.

 

Do you have any stats for goals conceded this season from set-pieces,

We have conceded 4 goals from corners in our last two matches,so I would think that it's pretty high?