Michael O'Connor

[bar1]

O'Connor can give more than he's currently doing, in my opinion, especially at set pieces. I don't know why he's off corners. The only effective corners that Marshall has taken recently have been the short ones and other teams have sussed that one now.

 

This.

 

Although without Pope and Robertson in the team, we never look like scoring from a set-piece. We've coped well without Popey but I have to admit, im now counting down the days til he's back.

[JAMO-IN-MEXICO]

The rot set in when we let Bob blood go to west brom in 1920.

[IanW]

Keeps the ball moving, always looking to come short and receive the ball off the defenders to get things going, rarely gives it away, has the ability to glide past a player when needed, and has an excellent set piece. About the only thing I can probably criticise him for in the games I've seen, is he can be a bit flat footed when an apposing player goes past him.

 

Head and shoulders above what we've had in previous years imo.

[Fosse69]

The rot set in when we let Bob blood go to west brom in 1920.

I don`t remember that, Ronnie Allen moving to WBA was a disaster too, but we needed the money as usual.

[Tenement Funster]

Harsh. Extremely harsh.

 

I'm not sure what some people expect but O'Connor has rarely dipped below a 6 in any performance I've seen from him this season and I include Saturday in that. He is not, and has never been a box to box midfielder so don't expect him to start getting around the edge of the box one minute and then defending in his own box the next. It's not his game. Under Page we've seen him gradually slot into something I can only describe as proper centre midfielder. Brown is used to cover the back four, Dodds is used in the advanced (almost number 10) role and O'Connor sits between the two. He helps to break play up in there but most of all he's a go through man. A playmaker perhaps? He always shows for the ball, has easily the best passing range at the club and rarely makes a bad one. I thought at Chesterfield the all action midfield they had made it difficult for us as none of our three in there are really the engine type player, that's where we still miss Doug Loft and to say O'Connor should be doing that is expecting too much of an already finished article.

[CAVALIER]

Moan ****ing moan. O'Connor this week, Dodds last , who next?

[valeblue]

Lines , if he doesn't pull his effing socks up!!!!

[Yukon]

Moan ****ing moan. O'Connor this week, Dodds last , who next?

 

Sad but true

[The French Connection]

I don`t remember that, Ronnie Allen moving to WBA was a disaster too, but we needed the money as usual.

 

Think it was when we gifted Brian Horton to Brighton.

[PortVale4Life]

Moan ****ing moan. O'Connor this week, Dodds last , who next?

 

Super louis dodds again hopefully. **** he is.

[Mcphee4Scotland]

Be careful what you wish for.

 

Year on year, we are bringing in a better calibre of midfielders that what we had previously, during the drab and grim League 2 era. I'm glad that we have what I would call half-decent midfielders at the club who can actually play a bit of football and pass the ball around in O'Connor, Lines and Michael Brown.

 

Scott Brown, Exodus Geohagon, Neil Mackenzie, Anthony Griffith, David Howland etc? The list could go on.

[onestepatatime]

Believe O'Connor maybe carrying an injury most games and Vale do best to get the most out of him when others alongside are having off days far too often. Agree with most that our midfield , in general, is now way over and above anything we've seen these past few years. We need him there, fully fit and able to hold matters together. What Page has in mind for future though will be interesting to see who he pairs up there. We are not doing too badly and yes there are many other Clubs worse than us in this division so slow progress by Vale is acceptable.

[cheshirevaliant]

Harsh. Extremely harsh.

 

I'm not sure what some people expect but O'Connor has rarely dipped below a 6 in any performance I've seen from him this season and I include Saturday in that. He is not, and has never been a box to box midfielder so don't expect him to start getting around the edge of the box one minute and then defending in his own box the next. It's not his game. Under Page we've seen him gradually slot into something I can only describe as proper centre midfielder. Brown is used to cover the back four, Dodds is used in the advanced (almost number 10) role and O'Connor sits between the two. He helps to break play up in there but most of all he's a go through man. A playmaker perhaps? He always shows for the ball, has easily the best passing range at the club and rarely makes a bad one. I thought at Chesterfield the all action midfield they had made it difficult for us as none of our three in there are really the engine type player, that's where we still miss Doug Loft and to say O'Connor should be doing that is expecting too much of an already finished article.

 

All fair points TF, though I'd argue how many games has O'Connor been above 6/7 out of 10? I have always been a fan of his whenever he has come and played against us, hence why I think he should be giving us more than we are currently getting.

[IanW]

Be careful what you wish for.

 

Year on year, we are bringing in a better calibre of midfielders that what we had previously, during the drab and grim League 2 era. I'm glad that we have what I would call half-decent midfielders at the club who can actually play a bit of football and pass the ball around in O'Connor, Lines and Michael Brown.

 

Scott Brown, Exodus Geohagon, Neil Mackenzie, Anthony Griffith, David Howland etc? The list could go on.

 

They make our current midfield look like Barca in their pomp!

 

I remember a few on here rated the likes of Howland as well, what dross we used to watch!

[Trampilot]

Be careful what you wish for.

 

Year on year, we are bringing in a better calibre of midfielders that what we had previously, during the drab and grim League 2 era. I'm glad that we have what I would call half-decent midfielders at the club who can actually play a bit of football and pass the ball around in O'Connor, Lines and Michael Brown.

 

Scott Brown, Exodus Geohagon, Neil Mackenzie, Anthony Griffith, David Howland etc? The list could go on.

 

 

I'd forgotten about Scott Brown. On purpose.