Matchday Thread: Port Vale v Grimsby Town

[Guest TommyMac]

Is it his fault we've signed players like Kay who were not wanted by their club even when under contract?

 

Not forgetting that Pope wasn't wanted by his club when under contract either.

[Alan Baker]

I really enjoyed the build-up to the game and it's great to have some feel-good back at the Club.

 

It's a big job for the Bald Boys but I'm up for it.

[Jacko51]

Makes me laugh, cos brown got abused and slaughtered for playing one upfront, aspins played one upfront, so what's changed? Nothing, we've had half a performance, then the second half was like brown was still there, appointing aspin as just brainwashed people into hailing and loving smurf, shambles.

 

Aspin's one up front had two other guys playing off him. Brown's one up front had no one with thirty yards of him.

[Sandyford_Lion]

Our defence has problems

Our forwards have problems

But the whole midfield and wide men are shocking. Wouldn't pick any of them

[Sandyford_Lion]

Some posters have an irrational dislike of Tom Pope and make factless, evidenceless sweeping statements to try and justify their view. I saw a player today who won most of the balls in the air, most 50:50's, played some excellent passes/lay offs, ran and fought for the team, was the only real threat Vale had and scored a goal.

 

I'll wait to see the highlights to get a good view of their goals but if Denton did shy away from a tackle it won't be the first time 'cause it happened for Stevenage's 2nd goal last week. I like Denton as a player but inexperience can cost.

 

Denton and Smith also at fault for accy first goal , intact as good as Denton has looked going forward he has been involved in many of our goals conceded

[PV1993]

nothing was really going to be that much different in this game, with Aspin only have 2 training sessions. However I was pleased with the first half. We got it down and played some nice football. Second half we did what we've done all season, it was awful defensively, and there's certainly no creativity in the side.

 

Gibbons and Denton did well going forward first half. Grimsby stopped us from continuing with that second half and we had no answer.

 

The squad as a whole is poor. We have a few decent players but that's as far as it goes. The only thing we can do is dip into the free agent market. I'm not sure who's out there but we need another left back, a striker, and a creative midfielder.

 

Some of the loan lads need to go. Roos did okay today but he's on;y here for another few weeks I think? Might as well give Hornby or Boot a go. Stobbs and Pyke might as well go back if we're not using them - waste of wages. Anderson has looked okay but we have enough centre halves surely? I would keep Whitfield, Denton and maybe Harness but that's it.

 

Brown promised us quality over quantity and he royally ****** up. We barely have a starting eleven. The fact that two of our better players this season have been Gibbons and Turner speaks volumes. They've done very well and I'm pleased for them but they're still young and learning their trade. We might as well have kept the foreign lot because this current squad are even worse!

 

I hate singling players out, but Anthony Kay has to be one of the worst signings we've ever made. Too small to be a commanding centre half, and too slow to make up for it. He must be laughing at getting a 2 year contract, he's 34 for christ's sake! I don't think I've seen him win a header yet? Awful signing.

 

We can't change a lot but we can at least trim the dross and add three or four free agents, give them a contract until January and see how they do? It will be interesting to see where Aspin goes from here. I hope he can do it.

[Sandyford_Lion]

You only have a good team with strength and experience of good players down the middle

 

We have no decent goalie out of 6 I think

Smurf - must sign Chris Neal in Jan

 

Center backs are shocking

Smurf - must sign an ' aspo ' type player in Jan

 

Midfield is non existent and absolutely garbage

Smurf - must sign experienced players X 2

 

Forwards. Pope is on his own

Smurf - must sign a goalscorer

 

I say Smurf has to do this because Smurf has to make the money available

Without money we will be relegated

 

We have to back Aspin 100% but until Jan I cannot see too many wins and we will remain in bottom 2. bottom 4 if we are lucky

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

You only have a good team with strength and experience of good players down the middle

 

We have no decent goalie out of 6 I think

Smurf - must sign Chris Neal in Jan

 

Center backs are shocking

Smurf - must sign an ' aspo ' type player in Jan

 

Midfield is non existent and absolutely garbage

Smurf - must sign experienced players X 2

 

Forwards. Pope is on his own

Smurf - must sign a goalscorer

 

I say Smurf has to do this because Smurf has to make the money available

Without money we will be relegated

 

We have to back Aspin 100% but until Jan I cannot see too many wins and we will remain in bottom 2. bottom 4 if we are lucky

 

We said as much today about the spine of the side which is full of experience but simply letting us down. Kay, Pugh, Tonge and Pope are simply past it and it’s painful to watch.

 

The keeper wasn’t bad today and pulled off one brilliant save but that doesn’t atone for all his failings.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Best Lidl buy must be De Freitas who, for all his energy, hasn't scored once nor even has one assist to his credit. Incredible given the number of times he's played. I was surprised to see him subbed on rather than Worrall. This is going to take a long time to put right.

 

Worrall was already on.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Also notice that Pope was beaten in the air for their first goal.

We have 3 centre halves, so why is Pope marking their striker?

 

He’d marked him through the game.

 

To be honest he needs to stop defending set pieces, he’s proving a bit of a liability at it.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

I don't disagree with you but criticising Pope for not winning headers when he won most of his duels and scored a goal is unfair in my opinion. Is it Pope's fault our midfield today was geriatric? Is it his fault we've signed players like Kay who were not wanted by their club even when under contract? There is a lot wrong with our squad but I simply think that criticising Pope's performance today was unfair.

 

To be fair Pope recommended Kay!

[Woakesy]

Best Lidl buy must be De Freitas who, for all his energy, hasn't scored once nor even has one assist to his credit. Incredible given the number of times he's played. I was surprised to see him subbed on rather than Worrall. This is going to take a long time to put right.

 

REP, the fountain of football knowledge reckons he'll get 8 goals this season! The lad wouldn't get 8 goals for Newcastle Town. Shocking quality but actually better than some Brown recruited which shows why we're in a mess.

 

I wish Aspo all the best but I fear he has no chance. Can't bring players in till January and by then it'll likely be too late

[Sandyford_Lion]

He’d marked him through the game.

 

To be honest he needs to stop defending set pieces, he’s proving a bit of a liability at it.

 

That's true but so too are Smith and Denton

Both have been at fault for quite a few goals this season

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

REP, the fountain of football knowledge reckons he'll get 8 goals this season! The lad wouldn't get 8 goals for Newcastle Town. Shocking quality but actually better than some Brown recruited which shows why we're in a mess.

 

I wish Aspo all the best but I fear he has no chance. Can't bring players in till January and by then it'll likely be too late

 

There you go again quoting crap 😂

[Guest TommyMac]

There were plenty on here who were very quick to ridicule those who were concerned that Brown wasn't signing players in June. "Be patient", "players are still under contract", "players are on holiday". Guess what, Brown ended up signing the dross no-one else wanted and we are suffering the consequences.