Tom Pope & Next Season

[old sage]

I think last night showed us just how vital a part of Port Vale's team Tom Pope is. Let's face it we were toothless in the first half but when he was introduced in the second period it was a game changer. I'm not trying to say that he turned the game on his own but he was the catalyst to enable the midfield to gain a foothold in the middle of the park. The two employed up front in the first half were incapable of holding the ball up which mean't that our defence were constantly stretched to breaking point.

It was very evident last night that Preston feared Popey which resulted in them conceding the first penalty.

 

What Tom needs is a sharp mobile striker alongside him to profit from his flicks and knock downs another Steve McPhee. If this were to happen then next season could, with a few decent other additions be a good one. Yes like the Catholics Port Vale need the Pope.

 

Before folks start talking about the cost then just stop and look at Bristol City they have built a promotion winning team with a squad of 18 players which they have no doubt supplemented with a couple of loan signings when the need as arisen I presume. We currently have a squad of thirty players which is ridiculous because at least 8-10 of them wont see the first team. Wouldn't it be better to have 18 to 20 which would enable us to pay a little extra to get good quality signings in instead of the cast off 'journey men' we have to settle on.

 

All I believe is that by allowing the likes of Pope and O'Connor leave us then our prospects for next term seem extremely bleak. It's okay saying that we must work within our means but cutting the budget will only result in lower attendances meaning even lower budgets in the future. All I do know is that if you excite people they will come and watch.

[bookworm]

I think last night showed us just how vital a part of Port Vale's team Tom Pope is. Let's face it we were toothless in the first half but when he was introduced in the second period it was a game changer. I'm not trying to say that he turned the game on his own but he was the catalyst to enable the midfield to gain a foothold in the middle of the park. The two employed up front in the first half were incapable of holding the ball up which mean't that our defence were constantly stretched to breaking point.

It was very evident last night that Preston feared Popey which resulted in them conceding the first penalty.

 

What Tom needs is a sharp mobile striker alongside him to profit from his flicks and knock downs another Steve McPhee. If this were to happen then next season could, with a few decent other additions be a good one. Yes like the Catholics Port Vale need the Pope.

 

Before folks start talking about the cost then just stop and look at Bristol City they have built a promotion winning team with a squad of 18 players which they have no doubt supplemented with a couple of loan signings when the need as arisen I presume. We currently have a squad of thirty players which is ridiculous because at least 8-10 of them wont see the first team. Wouldn't it be better to have 18 to 20 which would enable us to pay a little extra to get good quality signings in instead of the cast off 'journey men' we have to settle on.

 

All I believe is that by allowing the likes of Pope and O'Connor leave us then our prospects for next term seem extremely bleak. It's okay saying that we must work within our means but cutting the budget will only result in lower attendances meaning even lower budgets in the future. All I do know is that if you excite people they will come and watch.

good game and a good atmosphere.

[TheSage]

You are absolutely right about the Pope.

 

I think what we should do next season is to actively pursue the loan market. Virtually every team we play has 2-3 QUALITY loan players in their side (not youngsters here for the experience) and it makes a big difference. PNE had 2-3 last night. MK Dons, Crewe,etc,. They all do it to very great effect.

 

If we had a slightly smaller squad of better quality, topped up by 3 really good long term loan players - I think that's the way to go.

[StaffordValeFan]

Yes, smaller squad and ensure we keep Pope, Marshall, O'Connor. Supplement the squad with season long loans eg Innis - players who are good enough to get into the team and we will have all season. Some premier teams will be happy to do a season long loan if the player is going to be involved, it's good for everyone.

[Jinkin John Jeffers]

Yes, smaller squad and ensure we keep Pope, Marshall, O'Connor. Supplement the squad with season long loans eg Innis - players who are good enough to get into the team and we will have all season. Some premier teams will be happy to do a season long loan if the player is going to be involved, it's good for everyone.

 

Marshall and o'connor won't be here next season, they will get better offers

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Our best spell this season was without him. For me if we can save on his wage and bring in two goal hungry strikers to replace him, Williamson and Dodds then we would potentially be served better.

 

His wages as part of the budget would be better served on keeping O'Connor and Marshall which if possible should be the first priorities.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Marshall and o'connor won't be here next season, they will get better offers

 

Quite possibly so but they should be the priority over all the others with consideration then for Veseli and Brown.

[melv]

What could work to Our advantage of keeping Pope is that he hasn't yet seemed to have fully recovered to the same fitness level he was at before his operation.Some of this may well be down to new injuries.This just might put other teams going for him.But on the other other hand Page / Smurf might think the same and use that as a bargaining tool to negotiate.

[CAVALIER]

Crying out for anyone really. An Akpo, Leon, Rico etc. bet their back 5 shat it last night when they saw our strikers

[carl]

Sorry but Pope gets paid to score goals and ultimately he should be judged on that and that alone. He hasn't scored many and we need at least a 15 goal striker in League One to reach the top five or six. Is Pope capable of 15 goals in this league?

 

Two penalties got Vale out of jail last night. But without a sufficient supply of goals it has left Vale struggling. The injury lay off is being used as an excuse for Pope's lack of form yet it should have actually energised his form and he should be fully refreshed. You would think by some of his performances that he has actually played a long season and with injury-it just isn't good enough.

 

Williamson, when he scores, he takes his goals really well and that of a true striker. He needs to find the right partner to play off and one that compliments his style and not the other way round as Old sage is saying. O'Connor, Marshall, Veseli all three are promotion form players who are more or less consistent. Birchall should be given another season at least. Campion should be signed he has potential.

 

Vale need a midfield playmaker who can run from box to box- something Vale has lacked for a while. Vale need another striker who can offer more than just holding the ball up and can turn a zilch chance into a goal. Can Pope do that?

 

Vale shopping list actually is not as long as people think...perhaps a good job. Seeing as we don't have much money...which is why I think we should benefit and promote the development youngsters who won the reserve league and get a man who has a proven track record of youth success. That man is Neil Adams, who actually started his Norwich managerial career quite well. He would flourish in the lower leagues and he is a local.

[valiant_593]

He was very good last night but that's the first time in months we've said that and now people are raving about him again; after one performance. The facts don't lie for me he's hardly scored and barely got any assists all season, for me over the course of the season he hasn't been anywhere near good enough and I've said that many times on here. Very good last night but that's the first time in an age where he's looked decent and bullied the defenders. When did he last score or get an assist? The facts are that our strikers failed again and did very little and have struggled for months, there is better out there and we should move on. I do feel that if this wasn't pope but someone else then people would want him out.

[valiantsireno]

Marshall and o'connor won't be here next season, they will get better offers

 

The o connor deal is a difficult one, smurf has said that himself. It's not necessarily a monetary factor that is the deciding note on his chances of signing on at the end of the season, more so the geographical distance of his family home from Vale Park. I'm staying positive that smurf can wangle a deal for marshy. All in all I agree with what's being said and think a smaller squad with more quality is the way forward next season, god willing in league 1.

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

...we need at least a 15 goal striker in League One to reach the top five or six.

 

Williamson, when he scores, he takes his goals really well and that of a true striker.

 

!

 

0 goals in his last 16 games.

6 goals in 41 League games this season.

For all his running, 'workrate' and 'mobility' he provides no goal threat whatsoever to the opposition.

 

And some people are surprised that we have ended up struggling when certain players are being selected week after week.

 

An absolute must to be released if we want to seriously challenge in this league, but you can bet that Page will not only retain him, but have him as a regular starter again next season.

[valiant_593]

!

 

0 goals in his last 16 games.

6 goals in 41 League games this season.

For all his running, 'workrate' and 'mobility' he provides no goal threat whatsoever to the opposition.

 

And some people are surprised that we have ended up struggling when certain players are being selected week after week.

 

An absolute must to be released if we want to seriously challenge in this league, but you can bet that Page will not only retain him, but have him as a regular starter again next season.

 

Popes record won't be much better than that

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

Popes record won't be much better than that

 

0 in his last 8.

7 in 32 League games.

9 in 17 before his injury. (although 4 of those were in Cup games, so 5 in 14 League games before the injury)

 

Not great either, but I know who offers more of a threat to defences, when fit, out of the two of them.