page out now

[Rampant Zebra]

Some footballers are dim but no-one is that dim.

 

Marking is an art though, positioning, movement etc. while reading play. "Your" player will keep moving... Clever forwards will try and lead you astray (!)

[bookworm]

Marking is an art though, positioning, movement etc. while reading play. "Your" player will keep moving... Clever forwards will try and lead you astray (!)

 

the opposition wont have that worry though will they because we haven't got a clever forward on the books'

[melv]

When football is your only income and you are out of contract in the summer I can understand that playing with pride and giving 100% is not the only issue. There are many stories of players getting an injury that puts them out for a few months and who would sign an injured player (although Rudge did it) especially when you only have a definite budget to play with. I might not like it but I can understand a player not going into a possible match winning tackle if he could get injured in the process and then end up on the player scrap heap. Anyone who thinks different is being naive, in my opinion.

 

While the game is being played they should be concentrating 100% on winning the game.Putting themselves in the shop window for another contract at Vale or anywhere else.If they are thinking about their contracts during the game then they are d ay dreaming / NOT concentrating on the game and will make mistakes.Which will NOT help them to get a contract.

[kevin_struggles]

Marking is an art though, positioning, movement etc. while reading play. "Your" player will keep moving... Clever forwards will try and lead you astray (!)

 

Goober was briliant at man marking but its only useful when the opposition have a player who is likley to pull the strings in midfield. Stop him and you stop them kind of thing. Not sure man marking forwards is a good idea, as you say they will just move and take you with them, which will leave a gap for someone else to exploit

[rayzer]

While the game is being played they should be concentrating 100% on winning the game.Putting themselves in the shop window for another contract at Vale or anywhere else.If they are thinking about their contracts during the game then they are d ay dreaming / NOT concentrating on the game and will make mistakes.Which will NOT help them to get a contract.

 

What if their agents have told them that they have already sorted them a new club for next season as long as they are fit. Our own club might already have offered new players a deal for next season on the same proviso. I am not saying it is right or that it is definitely going on but my mind is not closed to what could happen.

[bookworm]

the wrong time to be calling for pages head,unless you want glover back in charge de ja vue or what.

[George is here]

In my opinion, Smurf will stick with Page for next year unless we were relegated or come very close to it. Despite a run of 5 defeats in 6, we are still 5 points ahead of 4th bottom and still have a reasonable goal difference. Add in that there are games between each other for sides at the lower half of the table, the chances of us really struggling to stay up or even don't, is still very slim. This in Smurfs eyes should be even less given he has allowed Page to bring in 3 players on loan to assist us winning only probably the 2 games we need to win to be certain of safety.

 

That said, tomorrow is pivotal in my eyes. Why? because another defeat could have devastating consequences for our chances of not getting involved in a relegation dog fight. Win tomorrow we are on 51 points. Therefore we have reached the "50 point" mark with 6 games to go and with games at inconsistent Rochdale, struggling Scunthorpe and rock bottom Yeovil, we should have the confidence to get another win somewhere to be absoloutely safe. However lose tomorrow and the knives will be out for the players and particularly management. Confidence would be rock bottom having lost 4 home games of which 3 were to the mighty Oldham, Crawley and Colchester where away we took 7 points from 9! With 6 defeats from 7 the pressure to get a result at Rochdale would be immense because the following Saturday v MK Dons, we really would struggle to get anything. Then if the worst comes to the worst there would be arealistic chance of us being back in the bottom 4.

 

Of course the above is being negative and pessamistic. The chances are we will be ok. But I listened to Page this week state how important tomorrow is because I think he knows with games against MK and Preston likely to yield little in points, going to Rochdale to try to get a result after another devastating home defeat is going to be a struggle. He would then face 2 pivotal games to come in Scunthorpe and Yeovil which would be a real scrap when confidence is very low.

 

Tomorrow's game will be very interesting as Colchester really have to win. They have little to lose if they want to drag us in it and a point really is not enough to close the gap on the teams 5th from bottom or above. Again that said, it is all really down to our players and management bacause as Page also said this week, no disrespect but we should beat a team 2nd from bottom at home. The consequences if we lose could be dire and might well lead to Smurf re-thinking about Page being in charge next season and I think Page knows this.

[melv]

What if their agents have told them that they have already sorted them a new club for next season as long as they are fit. Our own club might already have offered new players a deal for next season on the same proviso. I am not saying it is right or that it is definitely going on but my mind is not closed to what could happen.

 

You make a fair and interesting point.

 

I would be interested in what clubs ( if any) have offered contracts to some of the players based on their recent performances.Can the even offer contracts yet?

[old sage]

The whole emerging scenario at the Vale is very embarrassing. As I see it there is no forward planning and very shortly our better players will be waving us goodbye. Anyone who thinks that under the current regime and with a reduced budget next season that we will be able to replace these players with even equal quality never mind superior ones needs their heads testing.

I hate to say it but unless a different path is taken we are 'nailed on' for relegation in 2015/16. That is if we don't achieve the feat this term.

[Regal Beagle]

The whole emerging scenario at the Vale is very embarrassing. As I see it there is no forward planning and very shortly our better players will be waving us goodbye. Anyone who thinks that under the current regime and with a reduced budget next season that we will be able to replace these players with even equal quality never mind superior ones needs their heads testing.

I hate to say it but unless a different path is taken we are 'nailed on' for relegation in 2015/16. That is if we don't achieve the feat this term.

 

The problem as I see it is too many high earners not playing to form.

 

I'm not particularly worried about reducing the budget as I fear it is too high as it is.

[Yukon]

The problem as I see it is too many high earners not playing to form.

 

I'm not particularly worried about reducing the budget as I fear it is too high as it is.

 

Agreed- Vale Park is like a jolly for middle of the road footballers who feel like taking it easy

[melv]

The problem as I see it is too many high earners not playing to form.

 

I'm not particularly worried about reducing the budget as I fear it is too high as it is.

 

Which begs the question why are they NOT playing to form?

(A) The manager?

(B) Tactics?

© Unrest within the club?

(D) Lost interest?

[Rampant Zebra]

The whole emerging scenario at the Vale is very embarrassing. As I see it there is no forward planning and very shortly our better players will be waving us goodbye. Anyone who thinks that under the current regime and with a reduced budget next season that we will be able to replace these players with even equal quality never mind superior ones needs their heads testing.

I hate to say it but unless a different path is taken we are 'nailed on' for relegation in 2015/16. That is if we don't achieve the feat this term.

 

At least we got rid of those V2001 lot who didn't know how to run a football team.....

[smithie]

The whole emerging scenario at the Vale is very embarrassing. As I see it there is no forward planning and very shortly our better players will be waving us goodbye. Anyone who thinks that under the current regime and with a reduced budget next season that we will be able to replace these players with even equal quality never mind superior ones needs their heads testing.

I hate to say it but unless a different path is taken we are 'nailed on' for relegation in 2015/16. That is if we don't achieve the feat this term.

 

What "emerging scenario" is this - and how do you know there is no forward planning? We're not privvy to everything going on at the club.

[Bald Eagle]

The problem as I see it is too many high earners not playing to form.

 

I'm not particularly worried about reducing the budget as I fear it is too high as it is.

 

I think many are playing to form - they're not good enough. Micky saddled us with these journeymen on money that could be better spent elsewhere. A mix of better quality solid pros plus some more youthful shooting stars, who are likely to be cheaper and hungry to progress is a better path, just like in Sir John Rudges days.