Why is Tom Pope undroppable?

[Bucknall Rob]

For me Pope of 3 or 4 seasons ago would have scored 4 or 5 goals by now. The chance he missed against Crewe, he would have buried, against Notts County when he was clear, while never being blessed with much pace, remember those games against Rotherham and Cheltenham in the promotion season where he was set clear and did not get caught and produced wonderful finishes. Last night there must have been 4 or really good balls into the box mostly from Worrall that he never looked like getting on the end of, last time he would have been there scoring.

 

If Pope was not a Vale fan and had not got the record he has with us, people would have been on his back a lot more than they have. I did not expect to see the Pope from 2012/2013 but never expected to see him like this.

[llcoolj]

Said at the start of the season he won't score a goal from open play this season.

[valiant steve]

We need to play one big and one quick up front. Pope has played almost all the games on his own up top and now two 60 minutes with Barnett. Anyone with half a brain can see the issue is with the team that MB plays.

Pope has been undropable for most of the season as the only fit senior striker. Time now to start Barnett with Turner or Pike on Saturday. Bring Pope on when Barnett tires.

Even if he starts with Pope, him and Barnett up front will not work unless our wingers start playing like wingers, beating their man and delivering crosses. This won't happen as the team is unbalanced with no proper full backs. By mid September we should have a settled side 4 4 2. Partnerships should be developing all over the pitch. Sadly, due to a minimum of three changes minimum for every game this hasn't happened. Pope hasn't been on form (along with most of the other players) but I hold MB responsible for this. New manager needed asap to develop a team out of the players we have got.

[Hagrid]

Can't be bothered to read the thread but I bet money on the usual suspects repeating "Feed the Pope and he will score", something about poor service, and spouting a cliche about bylines.

 

I've seen most of our games this year. Pope is unfit. Barnett has won more headers in the past 2 games, in which he has been subbed after 60 and clearly lacking match fitness, than Pope has all season. His hold up play is poor. Our game plan is literally focused around him; high balls in the air, an abundance of fast wingers, cross after cross lobbed into the box, a clear focus on set pieces.

 

Despite all this, Pope has probably been our worst player this year. He's a passenger. His decision makings poor, he barely challenges for aerial balls and spends most of his time remonstrating with the ref or his teammates. I could understand his lack of goals if he was bringing others into the game, or if he was getting in dangerous positions. But he isn't. There's no signs that, if one goal goes in, he'll bag loads. I aren't blaming the shambolic form on Pope, but he's part of the problem at the moment. His lack of effectiveness in every department bar the air forces us to play rudimentary, direct football, which simply isn't working.

 

We all love Pope, and he's a good squad player due to his workrate, love of the club and clear aerial attributes. But to start every game without being subbed, regardless of form, when Turner deserves a start, is silly.

 

In my view Barnett and Turner need a go, with Pyke 3rd choice. Nothing's going right for Pope right now, and running him into the ground as we watch his confidence evaporate in front of us will do us no good. Let him sit out, give the other lads a go, and then allow Pope to ease himself back into the games, fully fit.

 

I'll admit I'm slightly biased as the most frustrating thing on this planet is seeing Pope tumble to the ground under the slightest contact, as Vale fans explode with rage. He's soft under challenges. Deal with it. I don't buy the conspiracy theory that League 2 referee, John Smith from Halifax, has a personal vendetta against Pope.

[Warren]

Can't be bothered to read the thread but I bet money on the usual suspects repeating "Feed the Pope and he will score", something about poor service, and spouting a cliche about bylines.

 

I've seen most of our games this year. Pope is unfit. Barnett has won more headers in the past 2 games, in which he has been subbed after 60 and clearly lacking match fitness, than Pope has all season. His hold up play is poor. Our game plan is literally focused around him; high balls in the air, an abundance of fast wingers, cross after cross lobbed into the box, a clear focus on set pieces.

 

Despite all this, Pope has probably been our worst player this year. He's a passenger. His decision makings poor, he barely challenges for aerial balls and spends most of his time remonstrating with the ref or his teammates. I could understand his lack of goals if he was bringing others into the game, or if he was getting in dangerous positions. But he isn't. There's no signs that, if one goal goes in, he'll bag loads. I aren't blaming the shambolic form on Pope, but he's part of the problem at the moment. His lack of effectiveness in every department bar the air forces us to play rudimentary, direct football, which simply isn't working.

 

We all love Pope, and he's a good squad player due to his workrate, love of the club and clear aerial attributes. But to start every game without being subbed, regardless of form, when Turner deserves a start, is silly.

 

It pains me to say what I have just said, because i like Pope and respect his historic significance to the club and acknowledge he is a supporter, perhaps even future coach / manager. But there is no hiding place in professional sport. It has to be said as it is.

 

In my view Barnett and Turner need a go, with Pyke 3rd choice. Nothing's going right for Pope right now, and running him into the ground as we watch his confidence evaporate in front of us will do us no good. Let him sit out, give the other lads a go, and then allow Pope to ease himself back into the games, fully fit.

 

I'll admit I'm slightly biased as the most frustrating thing on this planet is seeing Pope tumble to the ground under the slightest contact, as Vale fans explode with rage. He's soft under challenges. Deal with it. I don't buy the conspiracy theory that League 2 referee, John Smith from Halifax, has a personal vendetta against Pope.

 

I think Pope has some technical skill as a target man holding the ball up. Yes, he can also score from headers with good service. I take most of the rest of what you say, I think he should be used as an impact player, indeed either defensively if we ever get ahead and need to survive an endgame surge, or offensively when we are chasing the game or to relieve tired forwards.

 

But there is a more fundamental problem here. It was one very costly incident against Notts County when Pope given a significant head start could not get from the half way line into the box and shoot before getting tackled by a pursuing defender that dramatically showed this up. Very poor pace.

 

He left for Bury after injury and for once I thought Smurf was right to call time on the player and his salary. So, no doubt it lifted my spirits to see him return, but clearly Brown (presumably) has made a serious mistake. I don't think he is unfit as such and he has shown he can chug around for 90 mins. But he is so wanting for acceleration and pace it is a major limitation in our attacking and particularly counter attacking. Retaining and developing Reggie was an alternative, no greater luxury. There were other players available to sign no doubt.

 

Now I regard it as another example of Brown having a lack of sensibility in team selection. He cannot play Barnett and Pope together, they are alternatives. Turner or Pyke or both need a run in the team as second strikers and Barnett must be first choice target man type striker given what I have seen to date. I hope for the return of Forrester because if we ever get him fully and consistently fit I think he would be a major asset.

 

I appreciate Pope is a player that will have an enduring historical respect at Port Vale as a prolific goal scorer in a promotion side. He is also a supporter as well as a player and maybe one day a coach or manager at Port Vale. So it pains me to say stuff, but sport has no hiding place, its a results business.