Current Slide

[sapperclarke]

After taking in the Rochdale game yesterday I'm genuinely concerned about our plight.

 

I thought the defence actually played very well and never really looked like conceding.

 

For me, we lack any fluidity between defence and midfield and between midfield and attack. The Rochdale side looked better organised and were using a system they all looked comfortable with. The point I'm making is that with a squad costing significantly less than ours an experienced coach in Keith Hill is getting the best out of them. I'm sure Keith would love to have some of our players to work with.

 

We missed O'Connor in the middle yesterday and the decision to release Lines and offer no opportunity to Ryan Lloyd leaves me scratching my head.

 

Pope won a good share of headers in the first half but we are devoid of players with the anticipation required to take advantage.

 

For all the improvement seen in Ben Williamson's game he just doesn't have a footballing brain or the composure to consistently finish opportunities.

 

If I were Achile Campion I'd be banging on Rob Page's door - clearly we've not seen the lad train but as we currently can't hit a cows ass with a banjo his record in the reserves warrants a chance.

 

This has come down to a far closer scrape than it should have been but surely with positive team selections we have enough to get the 4 points required for survival.

 

Everything crossed!!!!

[davo80]

I am interested to see what you think Ryan Lloyd could bring to the team ? A player who has averaged 3 appearances a season since 2011

[old sage]

I am interested to see what you think Ryan Lloyd could bring to the team ? A player who has averaged 3 appearances a season since 2011

That's the point though he has never been given a real chance has he? I do though feel that the present time isn't the ideal time to try out gambles.

[sapperclarke]

We played O'Sullivan who we've plucked out of Cardiff's reserve team ahead of him and I'm not sure the lad is any better.

 

If we really were down to the bare bones then I feel it was time for his chance - I don't believe he's been given that yet and he's performed consistently well in the reserves and whilst out on loan

[TheSage]

The more interesting point is allowing Lines to leave.

 

He was completely out of sorts but Page used to talk of him and 'Oaksy' as the best two midfielders in the League. Maybe he'd had a few tablets before he spoke but with O'Connor on the bench we might have used Lines yesterday.

 

I'm not one for conspiracy theories but the way some players have been treated from afar puzzles me (Pope & O'Connor, to name but two.)

[Guppy 4 England]

Linesy family lives in Bristol, two young kids too , he wanted to move closer to home

[mr.hobblesworth]

Only Veselli seemed to want to play the ball out of defence yesterday, the other would just lump it forward and lose possession. In the brief spells when we did play it on the ground, we produced our threatening football.

[vallyunt]

I actually think Veseli would be much better suited in midfield. He looks comfortable on the ball. Whilst I may be wrong I know for sure he certainly isn't a centre back.

[valiant_593]

I actually think Veseli would be much better suited in midfield. He looks comfortable on the ball. Whilst I may be wrong I know for sure he certainly isn't a centre back.

 

He's been excellent at centre back this season

[TheSage]

I wonder if he might be capable of playing the defensive midfield role, in front of the back four.

He reads the game well and brings the ball forward as comfortably as anyone in the team. He also scored a cracking shot against DR from 35 yards.

 

I like the lad, though he's made mistakes like the rest of them. My concern if he's a central defender is that he might not be tall/strong enough but he's certainly a player I like, a footballer who might well shine in a better team. You can see his pedigree.

[valiant_593]

On the point of Lloyd he may not be good enough but we will never know because the lad has never had a chance. It's a real shame that our youngsters that we produce don't even get a go but young lads such as luer come straight in and get that chance. As I say Ryan may not be up to league 1 but the lad deserves a go more than most the usuals. However it's probably too late now we need our strongest 11 out every week.

[onestepatatime]

The current slide appears to have gone over the top of Page's head as he has consistently failed to amend his attitude or tactics. I have been prepared to hope that he knew better and there was a master plan behind some of his bizarre selections and unwillingness to play certain others and as a Vale fan did not want to be seen to be too negative in posting similar remarks. I still will back the Team but it's now reached the stage that our slide is suicidal and unrelenting and I am absolutely convinced there is an agenda behind the scenes that is completely destroying what could have been a consolidation season for us.

 

Some have expressed an opinion that maybe even Page has a desire for Vale to fail? He may have an agenda of his own in wanting out without actually walking of his own violition? Seems crazy, I know but I'm totally flummoxed at his lack of flair/leadership/tactics. I sit in Lorne Street and his match experience is played out with folded arms walking up and down without seemingly a care in the world. He never rouses the players or gives encouragement other than to clap his hands a few times(presumably to warm them , his hands, up!)

 

Negativity at this crucial point in the season is usually unwanted so I am not going to go on and on about the manager but surely Smurf and the players detect and sense the defeatism Page exudes? If we fans are concerned week in week out about his input(or lack of) to correct matters then the squad members are now showing us that they too are bemused and baffled at what is being allowed to happen to Vale.

 

The slide will not correct itself. Every single one of us fans and players need to assist each other in helping Vale to survive. A united fan base is vital when a club nose dives like we are doing. If Page and his favourites are unable to rouse themselves from their current coma then we have no chance at all. Paying customers can do what we can by supporting the lads even if we don't agree we have the correct personnel either in Management or the playing side. We can keep our heads held high if we continue our support. Let's pray the Management and squad wake up and see what it means to us Valiants.

[Sinbad]

When our chairman came out with the statement that" he couldn't wait for may to arrive to see the back of some of our overpaid players" or words similar to that,wasn't one of the wisest things to say.if my employer implied that to me i wouldnt be giving 100% for the remainder of my employment with him.i think there are a lot of m8stakes been made along the way that have contributed to our demise.

[bookworm]

do you think that is part of the grand plan so as those underperformers know that they would get a contract if in league two and a half decent home form would bring the crowds back,surely not ?????????????.

[onestepatatime]

Sorry mate but that's just mental.

 

It was not my opinion, I was stating that I have heard quite a few comments surrounding that accusation in the past few weeks. I did say it was crazy but how else can one explain Page's apparent inability in seeing what is happening around him and his "mental" selections/non tactics? Do you offer an opinion then that he really has lost the plot and is living in a cloud at the moment? I am convinced that something unbeknown to us mere fans has gone on/going on behind the scenes to allow several players every game to be performing totally below par.