Is the defence the problem?

[forevervale]

Before I get shot down I realise that the defence most definitely needs some urgent attention, however having been to the game today I don't think it's our biggest problem. I think our biggest problem is Page's obivious lack of tactical nous, closley followed our forwards - Willo is totally out of his depth and looks disinterested, Pope is struggling since his injury or has one eye on the exit, or maybe both, Dodds runs hot and cold although today was the best of a bad lot and Campion has clearly eaten the legs of Page's favourite amphibian and can get no further than the bench. I genuinely believe that we will still be L1 next season but we definitely need to get rid of the dead wood asap.

[pensioner]

The big problem is a lack of moral fibre. Once the opposition scores a goal the house of cards collapses. Those who are capeable of playing at a higher level are not demonstrating it, those who are average are under performing and then there are those that think they will just walk away from Vale and get called into Mick Adams old school club - maybe in the conference !

Campion - does he have a work permit ? Has he lost a leg ? Is it because he is foreign - what is the reason he is not good enough to be let off the lead but Williamson is ?

[old sage]

The tactical set up and bad selection of the team is the problem not just the defence. This is all down to the manager. Management isn't just about team selection it is also and perhaps more importantly about individual man management. Some players respond to the 'big stick' while others need to be loved and an arm put around them. At our level it is imperative that you get 100% commitment from the players and I haven't seen much of that since Page's 'honey moon' period at the club when we ground out wins often against the actual run of play Rochdale stands out as one of those occasions.

 

We need a boss who can achieve this scenario on a regular basis. As they say it's a sign of a good side when they can win when playing badly. We certainly haven't seen any of this of late have we?

[Jinkin John Jeffers]

The tactical set up and bad selection of the team is the problem not just the defence. This is all down to the manager. Management isn't just about team selection it is also and perhaps more importantly about individual man management. Some players respond to the 'big stick' while others need to be loved and an arm put around them. At our level it is imperative that you get 100% commitment from the players and I haven't seen much of that since Page's 'honey moon' period at the club when we ground out wins often against the actual run of play Rochdale stands out as one of those occasions.

 

We need a boss who can achieve this scenario on a regular basis. As they say it's a sign of a good side when they can win when playing badly. We certainly haven't seen any of this of late have we?

 

Got to agree with this OS.

[Valiant62]

Pope's not right at present, whether that's physical or mental focus, I don't know. Williamson isn't this level but there's not a lot to choose between him and Pope at the moment, scoring records this season are comparable. Doods for all his faults and lack of consistency - if he decides he's going to shoot tends to get it on target, hasn't scored many but hasn't had a consistent run as a striker.

I agree that forwards are looking nearly as much of a problem as defence in the last few games I've seen.

[Ron Futchers combover]

The core of the team needs attention. It's simply not good enough. Straight through the middle we need replacements, apart from o conner. Our strike force looks totally toothless and to control a game for 45 mins and not score at least 1goal shows this. We never change our formation, teams don't need to scout us as we are so predictable, we feed Marshall and without him teams defences would look even more comfortable than they do. I honestly think that a , apart from the aforementioned players any of the other 28 need to take a hard long look at themselves or else all will be offered reduced contracts as they will be league 2 players. Mind you I would take their wage and job over mine any day of the week, they need to take a good hard look at themselves.

[Jinkin John Jeffers]

Pope's not right at present, whether that's physical or mental focus, I don't know. Williamson isn't this level but there's not a lot to choose between him and Pope at the moment, scoring records this season are comparable. Doods for all his faults and lack of consistency - if he decides he's going to shoot tends to get it on target, hasn't scored many but hasn't had a consistent run as a striker.

I agree that forwards are looking nearly as much of a problem as defence in the last few games I've seen.

 

He should go with Campion. The lad deserves a chance

[Rampant Zebra]

Do you think Page is having some kind of power struggle with Norman and therefore won't play his signings? I think some people must think like that. Page wants the job and to win football matches, he would play any one of the players at his disposal if he thought they could help him win games. Unfortunately he has been saddled with a lot of new signings that aren't ready for the first team yet.

[onestepatatime]

Manager, defence, lack of quality midfielders, forwards.........there you have it! that's what is wrong at present!

[soothsayer]

I really think we should play three centre halves as our full backs are useless. If we played 3-5-2 we could put Marshall, Daniel, Moore or the Bournemouth lad as wing backs. If Pope is injured or is not in the right frame of mind then we'd have to play Willo put for Gods sake put Campion up there with him. I'd play Sullivan, Brown and O'Connor in the middle. Oh and Neal must come back too - Johnson should have done much better with Colchesters second.

[smithie]

Do you think Page is having some kind of power struggle with Norman and therefore won't play his signings? I think some people must think like that. Page wants the job and to win football matches, he would play any one of the players at his disposal if he thought they could help him win games. Unfortunately he has been saddled with a lot of new signings that aren't ready for the first team yet.

 

If so, it suggests that NS not only brought in Campion but actually gave him a contract. I find it inconceivable that Page would have had no input on that decision.

 

Which begs the question - why sign him if you don't rate him?

[Rampant Zebra]

Maybe I put it wrongly, I don't think Page is trying to make a point by not signing Normans signings, it is just that they aren't good enough to play now. Page wanted the job and would probably not want to argue too much with the man who pays his wages, it is his money to waste after all.

[geosname]

Its not just the defence its the whole team, from players to manager.... including smurf if he is dictating/deciding which players are signed.

Pages outlook and tactics seem to be... dont lose.... but with a team of one legged asthma sufferers with brain damage its not easy... sadly he seems to think they are olympic hopefuls.

If glover goes "back" to the academy what does the future hold?

4,400 will soon become 3,300.

 

If supporters pay to watch motorcycle racing they wont be happy if what you offer is segway wobbling

 

Its simply not good enough

[onestepatatime]

Its not just the defence its the whole team, from players to manager.... including smurf if he is dictating/deciding which players are signed.

Pages outlook and tactics seem to be... dont lose.... but with a team of one legged asthma sufferers with brain damage its not easy... sadly he seems to think they are olympic hopefuls.

If glover goes "back" to the academy what does the future hold?

4,400 will soon become 3,300.

 

If supporters pay to watch motorcycle racing they wont be happy if what you offer is segway wobbling

 

Its simply not good enough

 

 

 

Love it!

[valiant_593]

Id love us to revert to an old 442 or a 433 and start attacking sides. It's clear we are weakest when attacked so why not put some pressure on the opposition. Campion has to be given a go, if he had another striker i would argue that they deserve a chance as the two starting instead just aren't up to it. Everyone has seen since Williamson joined he wasn't good enough so why he still gets picked is beyond me. Pope isn't fit and dosent look it either, someone else deserves a chance instead, our only other forward is campion.

We also need to start passing with a bit more intent, when we have the ball we pass sideways often and then lump it forward. For me it's simple get it wide to Marshall, Moore or coulibaly and get crosses into the box.

 

A mass change is needed as everything is wrong, don't think I can put myself through another 90 minutes of rob pages 'football'