Tom Pope

[Bert Llewellyn]

You don't let things drop do you?

 

Pope was poor at county and at Walsall but got a goal there. He was 100% better yesterday than in those two games. In every way possible his game was better, it's the first time for weeks he's won his headers and chased every lost cause down. Yesterday was far above Walsall and county.

 

I think that it is a bit strong to say he was poor. For what it is worth, I thought that he was better than ok in both these games.

[valiant_593]

I think that it is a bit strong to say he was poor. For what it is worth, I thought that he was better than ok in both these games.

 

Fair enough. I personally thought he looked unfit and off the pace, certainly not the threat that he usually is. And yesterday was such an improvement, and hopefully he keeps that up

[Bert Llewellyn]

There is no doubt in my mind that he has been working his way back to match fitness - and he has a way to go yet. He was played too soon after a lengthy lay off but maybe Page thought he needed him. In other words, a not yet fit Pope is better than no Pope.

[old sage]

Is Campion a similar type of player to Tom Pope?

If so may be that Page wants some other type with speed like Willow, or an assist player such as Dodds.

May be that Campion is being saved to replace Tom who is likely to go at the seasons end.

Tom is onto a loser either way. He has to take a cut in pay, but he has a chance, if he can get fully fit and regain his form, that he may be noticed by another club and get a suitable transfer. But I don't think that Page will play Pope and Campion together this or next season.

Campion from what I have seen of him is not a target man and maybe he would be able to get on the end of Tom's knock ons. One thing is for sure Williamson can't read them.

[P.E. ST6]

Williamson is better though surely.....where is pe st6 with his stats

I'm right here you little freak, Tom Pope has one good game and gets all the plaudits, sounds about right don't you think. How much is Popey on a week? 3k?4k?5k

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

In an ideal world I would agree but the problem is we haven't got any other player who can lead the line like he does. For my money I would like to see Campion tried out alongside Popey because Pope and Williamson doesn't work.

 

That's the strange thing, we were doing fine without him so surely we would have been better letting him get fit gradually unless he said he was which he clearly doesn't look yet (Saturday aside as I haven't seen the game and the general concencus is he's back to somewhere near his best).

[P.E. ST6]

That's the strange thing' date=' we were doing fine without him so surely we would have been better letting him get fit gradually unless he said he was which he clearly doesn't look yet (Saturday aside as I haven't seen the game and the general concencus is he's back to somewhere near his best).[/quote']

It's strange how no one sees how well we coped without Pope, selective memories I think.

[P.E. ST6]

Really! Wow!

I think for a player who earns probably a quarter of Popes wage he's done more than fine!

[Guppy 4 England]

I'm right here you little freak, Tom Pope has one good game and gets all the plaudits, sounds about right don't you think. How much is Popey on a week? 3k?4k?5k

It's a shame Williamson doesn't have a good game to match him then

[old sage]

That's the strange thing' date=' we were doing fine without him so surely we would have been better letting him get fit gradually unless he said he was which he clearly doesn't look yet (Saturday aside as I haven't seen the game and the general concencus is he's back to somewhere near his best).[/quote'] There were many reasons why we did OK in Tom Pope's absence the main one being the effort that the team put in after Micky Adams departure. Which made it abundantly clear that several players weren't big fans of him.

After that we tended to grind out wins rather than play dynamically but this is a results game. Play well but lose and the team gets slated but win scruffily and the world is great.

One thing Rob Page obviously thinks is that Pope is a better option than Slew or N'guessan who is now many miles away as both were quite rightly sent packing. The only problem that we have now for the rest of the season at least is who partners Popey as for me Williamson isn't the answer. For my money Louis Dodds compliments Popey best as he provides the passes and flick ons for Tom to score from.

I know I will get slaughtered once again for my last comment but if the statos on here were to check then I'm sure that the figures would back up my claims about Louis and Tom as a partnership.

[Bert Llewellyn]

I think for a player who earns probably a quarter of Popes wage he's done more than fine!

 

Nothing to do with how much he earns or doesn't. I'm talking about how he plays, how hard he works and what he brings to the team. Nothing else matters after they walk on to the pitch.

[valiant_593]

I'm not dodds's biggest fan but I'd certainly start him on Saturday, very useful against sides who pack the midfield.

[Bert Llewellyn]

I'm not dodds's biggest fan but I'd certainly start him on Saturday, very useful against sides who pack the midfield.

 

We certainly agree on this.

[cheshirevaliant]

Page doesn't tend to make changes out of choice, so I suspect the only change will be Inness out and probably McGivern in. I thought Williamson did fine on Saturday anyway.

[tisdeano]

willo covered well in popes absence, its just a pity that with his pace he does not pick better runs, we discussed this on saturday en-route, when was his last one on one with a keeper ?