Match Thread : Barnet v Port Vale

[onestepatatime]

Is it OK to want Aspin to carry on as manager whilst accepting the past 11 games have been unequivocally diabolical, and in that time Aspo has made, at best, some questionable calls?

 

IMO yes. Questionable calls/tactics/selections - I agree with that, but somehow we are 7 points clear of the abyss. If there was in fact another madman(sorry, manager)out there anyway that would come to Vale do you honestly believe we would improve before the end of this season?

[PV1973]

I have to disagree with your view of the squad.

I think it is a poor one, even at this level.

As I've said many times before, we are stocked with old and young players; very few in their prime.

 

It strikes me that we are shopping in the bargain basement for two reasons at least.

1. Restricted budget

2. Anyone who is half decent wouldn't come to a club in such a mess with an obnoxious oaf of a chairman

Therefore, only 'mates', low standard players and untried loanees will come.

It really isn't rocket science.

The club is a toxic disaster area.

Some good points, although I do think we've got some very good and some very promising players. Its just that the squad balance is all wrong. Look at the majority of the defence since Christmas - Davis, Gibbons, Smith, Raglan, Howe, Boot, Howkins. All relatively inexperienced and young. All of those players are still learning the game and may make mistakes. Then add Hannant, Harness, Whitfield, Wilson and Forrester to that too. Its no wonder hes stuck with Pugh and Tonge to add some experience to side.

 

Definitely. I'm in that camp. I just hope next season sees a change in the way we play.

What was encouraging and refreshing was how he changed things formation wise. Wing backs. One up front. Two up front. Since Chrismtas hes been more reserved in that regard.

[Bradwell Exile]

I am 100% blaming Smurf for this shambles, but I struggle to absolve Aspo of literally any blame as others do on here.

 

We haven't won in 11 and have taken 2 points from the 2 worst sides in the league, one of them gifted.

 

I really like the bloke and I think he is a decent manager, just his handling of Whitfield's form (who's confidence seems in tatters), playing Hannant wide left, persevering with Tonge and Pugh, are all quite strange decisions.

 

I'm not forgetting what he did in December with a settled side, and I'm not calling for him to be sacked (I 100% want him to stay on), just that people blindly shouting "he's done no wrong" are being slightly black and white about it.

 

He clearly wasn't backed in the window but for only 1 of his 7 signings to feature regularly in the worst squad of Port Vale's history is slightly worrying.

 

I expect people to fire back with "short memory", "Luton", and "Smurf", as I have done many many times in the past. I'm just saying Aspo is making some strange decisions at the moment and we are on a truly abject run.

 

Still trust him and back him, but stop absolving him of some poor decisions. Hope he learns from this run and we rebuild in the summer. UTV

 

Absolutely spot on post! I feel exactly the same way, except when I've said it, not on here I might add, I get hammered for it.

[smithie]

I am 100% blaming Smurf for this shambles, but I struggle to absolve Aspo of literally any blame as others do on here.

 

We haven't won in 11 and have taken 2 points from the 2 worst sides in the league, one of them gifted.

 

I really like the bloke and I think he is a decent manager, just his handling of Whitfield's form (who's confidence seems in tatters), playing Hannant wide left, persevering with Tonge and Pugh, are all quite strange decisions.

 

I'm not forgetting what he did in December with a settled side, and I'm not calling for him to be sacked (I 100% want him to stay on), just that people blindly shouting "he's done no wrong" are being slightly black and white about it.

 

He clearly wasn't backed in the window but for only 1 of his 7 signings to feature regularly in the worst squad of Port Vale's history is slightly worrying.

 

I expect people to fire back with "short memory", "Luton", and "Smurf", as I have done many many times in the past. I'm just saying Aspo is making some strange decisions at the moment and we are on a truly abject run.

 

Still trust him and back him, but stop absolving him of some poor decisions. Hope he learns from this run and we rebuild in the summer. UTV

 

There's been a few come in who I've almost forgotten about.

 

Off the top of my head

 

Howe

Jules

Raglan

Dior

Wilson

 

I'm hoping these are considered signings rather than scattergun randoms.

 

Howe hasn't featured (didn't we pay something for him?).

[mickyferns]

Aspin is one of the reasons the squad is seriously lacking. A good manager would not have seen us flirting with the bottom two. We only got a point at ******* Barnet because their keeper ****** up. The squad that Aspin inherited, with a decent manager, was definitely not a million miles away from mid table or even the play offs. His win % is worse than Ribeiro's.

 

I never said that he would have succeeded by keeping us up as I think a good manager would have easily surpassed that. I think a good manager would have also used the resources at his command - existing players, the budget used for new and loan players in January - far better than Aspin has. BUT... I am hoping he's learning on the job and just wants to get to the end of the season before overhauling the squad (again).

Great post

[PV1993]

Hannant too. My biggest qualm at the minute is Hannant, to me, is better centrally, and is out on the left, where he works hard but is ineffective as he has to cut back onto his right.

 

I get that his workrate is important on that side as we have Montano at left back but surely Whitfield on the left (regardless of how out of form he is) and Hannant next to Pugh in the middle would be a better option.

 

Alterntive opinion but for me Whitfields form dipped when he was moved out onto the wing, as opposed to being centrally in behind the striker. Offensively he's a threat but defensively he doesn't help his full back out and with having to play Montano out of position there that's something we really can't afford.

 

I agree we need legs in the midddle and, come next year, I'd have Hannant in the centre of midfield. But for now his work rate out wide is very important.

[SFBT]

Some good points, although I do think we've got some very good and some very promising players. Its just that the squad balance is all wrong. Look at the majority of the defence since Christmas - Davis, Gibbons, Smith, Raglan, Howe, Boot, Howkins. All relatively inexperienced and young. All of those players are still learning the game and may make mistakes. Then add Hannant, Harness, Whitfield, Wilson and Forrester to that too. Its no wonder hes stuck with Pugh and Tonge to add some experience to side.

 

I agree. My post was broad brush and I swept away the talent that does exist in the squad.

Overall, we are too inexperienced.

In the light of that, playing Tonge and Pugh makes sense.

It's an attempt to balance the extremes.

The spread needs to be much narrower and populated with 22 to 29 year olds, with a small number of younger and older players, who should really be fringe players, rather than regulars.

It's just wrong at the moment and we have to put up with it.

[Heatwave]

Is the yardstick to judge Aspin when hes had a preseason, if we play free flowing football or not? Thats what turned a lot of people against Page and yet he had us comfortably mid-table in the league above. This league isn't about being pretty all of the time, its a real battle. I'm not ashamed to admit I want to see us winning over fancy football.

 

I predict a Gordon Lee style side that grinds out a succession of 1-0 wins. As long as it gets us back up to L1 I don't care how it's done.

[PV1973]

Am I the only one who thinks that first half last night was terrible? Reading through the match reports and the online Sentinel stuff they must have watched a different game to me. Poor first halfs have become a worrying trend this year.

[valiant_593]

When Aspo was recruited to a man on this Forum we all said that if he performed the ‘miracle’ and kept us in the Football League we would say he’s done a great job. At present he’s on course to do that but lo and behold we have pseudo Sjoke fans on here castigating him. What with this squad and lack of resources Aspo has had do you want? To be up there with Accrington and Luton? Wake up and smell the coffee it was never going to happen. Be realists for god sake. In Aspo I trust.

 

I'm being a realist. We shouldn't be in the middle of march and still not won a bloody match! It's not too much to ask! But as I said earlier he's a vale legend so that will excuse him for negative tactics and selections and and not to mention we havnt won this year!

 

The bit I love the most is that if you criticise him your a peado stoke fan... amazing.

 

He's been dealt **** we no that, awful squad poor backing but we should be doing much more than we currently are. There is no excuse for some of the **** that's been turning up. If it was brown the pitchforks would be out.

[valiant_593]

I am 100% blaming Smurf for this shambles, but I struggle to absolve Aspo of literally any blame as others do on here.

 

We haven't won in 11 and have taken 2 points from the 2 worst sides in the league, one of them gifted.

 

I really like the bloke and I think he is a decent manager, just his handling of Whitfield's form (who's confidence seems in tatters), playing Hannant wide left, persevering with Tonge and Pugh, are all quite strange decisions.

 

I'm not forgetting what he did in December with a settled side, and I'm not calling for him to be sacked (I 100% want him to stay on), just that people blindly shouting "he's done no wrong" are being slightly black and white about it.

 

He clearly wasn't backed in the window but for only 1 of his 7 signings to feature regularly in the worst squad of Port Vale's history is slightly worrying.

 

I expect people to fire back with "short memory", "Luton", and "Smurf", as I have done many many times in the past. I'm just saying Aspo is making some strange decisions at the moment and we are on a truly abject run.

 

Still trust him and back him, but stop absolving him of some poor decisions. Hope he learns from this run and we rebuild in the summer. UTV

 

Completely agree.

[valiant_593]

He's learning how to churn out points that we desperately need.

 

Not really

[SourceOfTheTrent]

Am I the only one who thinks that first half last night was terrible? Reading through the match reports and the online Sentinel stuff they must have watched a different game to me. Poor first halfs have become a worrying trend this year.

 

You're not the only one to think that, I was there and the first half was dire, proper basement stuff. However, apart from conceding a goal when Davis lost a challenge, a shot was blocked by, I think, Pugh and Tonge then allowed a second shot to hit the bar by making a challenge Julian Clary would have been embarrassed by, resulting in a tap in from the rebound, we looked comfortable and most of the first half was played up towards their end. Boot had little to do but, yet again, his kicking was awful. After one particularly rubbish effort sailed out for a throw to Barnet I noticed Boot turn toward a critical Vale fan and shout 'F... off'. Not good, If he keeps wellying it here, there and everywhere whilst under no pressure whatsoever what does he expect? It wasn't like it was the first time he'd done it, it was probably the third or fourth. He should be doing extra training every day to sort that problem, I just hope he is.

Second half was much better but to keep that in perspective it was still pretty dire from two poor teams even if we did have by far the better of the play. I was hoping we'd get that second killer goal but we just don't have enough up guile front. I had the feeling if Popey (a fit Popey) had been on we'd have won that game.

[bookworm]

I knew he was interviewed had no idea he was offered that. Can't say I'm surprised though.

 

Me neither just shows what a tightwad norman is, that's his proud boast never lost a deal,always out on top but it will happen that he loses big time and that will deflate him because when that happens he will be in free fall.

[jjvale_03]

Awful first half in which we were outfought in all departments.

 

Second half Pugh and Tonge got them going a bit (they must've been pretty decent for me to give them any credit because the bain of my life is paying money to watch two OAP's lost midfield battles every week) and we looked more up for it and pretty much dominated. Hannant was superb throughout, not only providing the legs in midfield but also the creativity going forward. Worrall and Harness were also a threat and Anton stuck to the task despite being isolated against two Barnet brutes for the majority. Smith and Davis battled hard against Akinde (who was eventually substituted after getting little joy) but I felt Raglan looked a bit shaky. Monty grew into the game and looks a threat running forward from that left sided position.

 

In all, we deserved at least a point and were the likelier of the two teams to take a the win, with Barnet producing just one shot on target throughout. The only negative would be the poor atmosphere - it's no fun without the hooligan element.