Tom Pope

[P.E. ST6]

OS, surely you have to admit that Tom's recent performances have been way below what we expect from him? I believe his head has gone and he's "not at all there" during matches. Can't argue with his record for us but players need to be judged on performance now not past glories and expectations that they can revive that period.

 

Vale's one- dimentional, lethargic, predictable pattern of play is geared up to lumping the ball forward to anywhere near where Tom might be. If Tom is not winning balls in the air, or turning defenders, or is simply out of form then we must look at differing our play, surely? Teams are wise to what we have been doing for years now and Vale are so easy to defend against.

 

I will not knock Tom, but time has come for us to realise that Norman has made his stance and quite frankly he's dead right in asking Tom to drop his wage demands as we as a Club need to sustain itself in the League whilst being sensible with the budget. It is common fact that you are Tom's biggest campaigner but if Vale have to set limits with pay then so be it and we'll have to find treasures to assist our progress. Some, and I believe this to be an ever growing number, would argue now that without Tom Vale will still survive and maybe, just maybe revert to a more footballing attitude and change in style. Perhaps it's time anyway for this to come about with Page's anticipated clear out at season's end? Still love your passion for our talisman though so this is not meant as a criticism of your fervour. Trust you can sit yourself down in a darkened room and visualise our great Team without your loved one.

If it's me you're referring to I never said he should be dropped for Campion or Nimely, just no other striker gets a look in.

 

So it's comes down to this argument again when Pope doesn't score it's the wingers fault, maybe we need a striker who doesn't rely on crosses in the box all the time. And with the money Pope is on surely we could afford a striker who can make things happen for himself.

Then when he scores on Saturday you will all be singing his praises !!

 

And of course we have the snide innuendos that he is drinking and smoking etc etc yet even if he was and scored you would be saying how great it is to have a striker who is one of the lads.

 

He was rated one of our best players in the three games we won. Even our best defender as well as attacker.

 

Even saw a comment saying he should be dropped so Campion or Homely could get a game. Try asking Managers and players who they would prefer to face.

 

If the wingers would do their job and put decent crosses in from the by line after beating their fullback Pope would do the rest. You all go on about how we just lump the ball up to Pope when he's playing. Do you think Pope, or any other striker, welcomes service like that? Of course not. The reason Pope looked poor last night is because the wingers were s hite and didn't do their job.

[Mario]

Then when he scores on Saturday you will all be singing his praises !!

 

And of course we have the snide innuendos that he is drinking and smoking etc etc yet even if he was and scored you would be saying how great it is to have a striker who is one of the lads.

 

He was rated one of our best players in the three games we won. Even our best defender as well as attacker.

 

Even saw a comment saying he should be dropped so Campion or Homely could get a game. Try asking Managers and players who they would prefer to face.

 

If the wingers would do their job and put decent crosses in from the by line after beating their fullback Pope would do the rest. You all go on about how we just lump the ball up to Pope when he's playing. Do you think Pope, or any other striker, welcomes service like that? Of course not. The reason Pope looked poor last night is because the wingers were s hite and didn't do their job.

 

Strikers should not have to rely on crosses,some make a run off the shoulder and get behind the opposing defence,as Steve Davis said it was all to predictable playing against the Vale especially when all we do is launch high balls into the box and hope something drops.

[old sage]

He was the worst player though. It's only you who disagrees

And if his header which was cleared off the line had gone in there wouldn't have been a single complaint about him. Football is a funny old game just like Jimmy Greaves said.

[valiant_593]

And if his header which was cleared off the line had gone in there wouldn't have been a single complaint about him. Football is a funny old game just like Jimmy Greaves said.

 

Yes there would. He had a very poor game in general not just because a header didn't go in.

[old sage]

That's ******** OS, Rudgie never made an unforced sub before 65-70 mins

Oh if Rudgie never brought a sub on then it must be right. Sorry mate but if a player is struggling or playing badly he should be removed to improve the team's chances of turning the game. Chelsea's Jose does so does he trump Rudge?

[old sage]

I would like to say in TP's defence that during our 3 wins on the bounce he was our best forward, contributing far more than Willo. As an example, his wonderful vision and pass to release Marshall to score against Doncaster. Last night was the worst game I have seen him play for us. That said, he is our best forward by far,

 

I do think that he is not in the shape of his life - and that may be something to do with coming back too early after his injury. Folks on here saying that he is back on the 'pop' etc please make sure that you are accurate before you make such statements. By all means say if you think he is playing rubbish (which he did last night) but he does need to get back to his best condition sooner rather than later.

 

Please feel free to disagree - as I'm sure that you will - if you have taken the trouble to attend the games and not sat at home and watched snippets on TV!

How eloquent and correct. Bert the voice of sensible reason.

[old sage]

Strikers should not have to rely on crosses,some make a run off the shoulder and get behind the opposing defence,as Steve Davis said it was all to predictable playing against the Vale especially when all we do is launch high balls into the box and hope something drops.

Tom Pope even when in his pomp in the promotion season said he needed service to score his goals and please tell me of a striker who's main ability is an aerial one who doesn't. I would love to see a striker who provides his own crosses.

Yes I would love us to replace Tom with Aguero but doubt we will get him on our budget.

Remember the song 'Feed the Pope and he will score'. The ration he has been on with decent quality crosses of late the lad would have starved to death!

[tisdeano]

I thought you liked dealing in facts,I said big not obese you idiot.

 

im going with obese my fat friend, until i can judge otherwise

[tisdeano]

Yes there would. He had a very poor game in general not just because a header didn't go in.

 

i agree, he did, just like marshall for example

 

i would have bought marshall and pope off at half time [ in fact along with a fair few others ]

[Hagrid]

How eloquent and correct. Bert the voice of sensible reason.

 

You're winding me up now.

 

You blatantly have an obsession, a fairly creepy one at that, with Pope.

 

Since Tuesday you've been scurrying round this forum trying to fight fires, desperately spouting **** in an attempt to protect your golden boy. Accept it, he was the worst player for us on Tuesday, and has been no more than average these past 2 seasons.

 

Start looking at it objectively instead of refusing to back down from your 'Pope should have a statue with Sproson' () viewpoint.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

And if his header which was cleared off the line had gone in there wouldn't have been a single complaint about him. Football is a funny old game just like Jimmy Greaves said.

 

I'd trust Greaves about as much as I could spit him!

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

And you base that opinion on what? TV highlights??

 

No????? ;)

 

I base it on a variety of mediums including Radio Stoke, watching the games, this forum, friends analysis etc :)

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Oh if Rudgie never brought a sub on then it must be right. Sorry mate but if a player is struggling or playing badly he should be removed to improve the team's chances of turning the game. Chelsea's Jose does so does he trump Rudge?

 

So are you saying Pope should have been subbed?

[onestepatatime]

You're winding me up now.

 

You blatantly have an obsession, a fairly creepy one at that, with Pope.

 

Since Tuesday you've been scurrying round this forum trying to fight fires, desperately spouting **** in an attempt to protect your golden boy. Accept it, he was the worst player for us on Tuesday, and has been no more than average these past 2 seasons.

 

Start looking at it objectively instead of refusing to back down from your 'Pope should have a statue with Sproson' () viewpoint.

 

Wow! Sock it to OS.

 

Previously I had tried to suggest politely to OS what I and many others felt about Tom and he had the decency then to confirm I was offering a good debate on his love child. You have now put it bluntly since OS doesn't appear to want to even consider Tom being removed from the Team, however badly he performs or if it prevents Vale from trying something different. Tin hat on mate because as sure as night follows day OS will respond.....again with platitudes of Tom's past heroics for us(which we all appreciate and acknowledge but we want to progress).

[tisdeano]

I don’t get Vale fans at times

 

Where was this clamber to drop Pope following our win at Notts County ?

 

Without doubt Pope had an off game Tuesday, I would have subbed him at half time, thankfully that doesn’t happen often. We in my opinion have looked a better team since his return from injury, he is a good target man, holds the ball up well and does a role that we currently have no other centre forward that is capable of doing it. He can also bring others into play.

 

The team has just gone and got 9 points from 12, without conceding from open play, one poor team display and the knives are out with some people not able to control their emotions.

 

We have gone from heaping praise on the team that won 3 on the bounce playing some pretty good football to making out that we play long balls when Pope is on! The same Pope who was on when we were playing decent football using the wingers and holding the ball across the team pretty good.

 

Pope is the best option we have at the moment, that may change in the summer, but god forbid if we end up with the likes of Stead or Hanson as a replacement.