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[elav trop 1876]

Fair enough... I will hold my hands up to that one!!

 

I was just amazed at the clear over reaction and boarderline hatred thrown towards a Vale player.

 

I will admit to being a bit bored last night and it’s always fun to argue with someone with such a daft, weird and over the top dramatic stance that makes no sense and watch them refuse to back down!

 

Apologies to all for filling the thread up.

 

Time to move on and I will stop now and be good!

 

😁

 

 

Iron your points are valid and well shared by the majority, people don't want a squad player getting 5-6 goals in a season , they must have thought last season was a breeze and most enjoyable with all the goals scored by those other than pope, especially tongue n pugh n barnet for all their minutes on the pitch.

 

Welcome back Doddsie and welcome Miller (whom I know nowt about) +new signings , the squad is a massive improvement on last year and the year before this can only be welcomed surely.

 

I expect around midtable finish this year however if all the new guys click and stay fit we could be looking higher ,most welcome if either happens after massive 1 pt advantage that helped keep us up then next year as other pcs in the jigsaw are added then I would expect a top 6 finish which will be entirely Aspins squad.....whats to complain about

[Iron Curtain]

Iron your points are valid and well shared by the majority, people don't want a squad player getting 5-6 goals in a season , they must have thought last season was a breeze and most enjoyable with all the goals scored by those other than pope, especially tongue n pugh n barnet for all their minutes on the pitch.

 

Welcome back Doddsie and welcome Miller (whom I know nowt about) +new signings , the squad is a massive improvement on last year and the year before this can only be welcomed surely.

 

I expect around midtable finish this year however if all the new guys click and stay fit we could be looking higher ,most welcome if either happens after massive 1 pt advantage that helped keep us up then next year as other pcs in the jigsaw are added then I would expect a top 6 finish which will be entirely Aspins squad.....whats to complain about

 

I agree with your predictions. I’m hoping this is year 1 of the Aspo rebuilding era. Look at Ainsworth at Wycombe... it took him some time to build what he has now. And I think he is now the longest serving league manager?

 

It’s hard in the lower league because of the high turnover of players every year which is prevalent in the division. But Alex Ferguson used to map his team out for 5 years and target players to improve the weakest links each year.

 

Football at our level is more about mistakes than the top leagues. Replacing the 3 or 4 worst players each year with better quality should erradicate the errors and improve the results.

 

We have certainly done that this year through the spine of the team!

[bookworm]

we have a competitive squad as it is with a strong bench so we should have a better season than last I don't expect miracles so I'm not having high hopes but you never know we might just might wipe the floor with the rest of this league purple strip notwithstanding, UP THE VALE.

[Jacob_123]

Nope I will boo Dodds without any issue whatsoever, can’t stand him, wastes the clubs money and my time watching someone who can only be bothered when he feels like it (often against a team that isn’t very good or equally lacks motivation).The very fact you seem to think Dodds scoring 4-6 goals would be an absolute result really does show the low level we have sunk to and the acceptance happy clappers like you have of mediocrity.

 

Are you this annoying on the United forum?

[Mattholl]

Are you this annoying on the United forum?

 

Nah Utd fans don’t welcome back poor players with a festival of fanfare and pink specs memories of goalscoring that never happened.

[PVTony]

Nope I will boo Dodds without any issue whatsoever, can’t stand him, wastes the clubs money and my time watching someone who can only be bothered when he feels like it (often against a team that isn’t very good or equally lacks motivation).The very fact you seem to think Dodds scoring 4-6 goals would be an absolute result really does show the low level we have sunk to and the acceptance happy clappers like you have of mediocrity.

 

Shame on you to boo any footballer, let alone one of our own team.

I hope that this is not a true reflection of your character.

[valeparklife]

I can't see how we can fit Dodds, Pope and Miller into the team.

 

Pope will be a guaranteed starter so if we had two up top then Miller would partner him. But then Dodds best position is at 'number 10' so there no room there. He is NOT a winger either.

 

Similarly, to start Dodds as a #10 with Pope as the lone striker, there's no room for Miller (and it seems he's come here to play, not sit on the bench!)

 

I'm intrigued to see how we're going to line up!

[Class personified]

This is now starting to look as though we have replaced some of the dross with decent players. Because of contractual restraints we still have garbage taking up places in the Squad. I think we will have a competitive first eleven but a soft underbelly if we have any injuries. When Aspo came in this was always going to be a three year project to right the wrongs of our past misdemeanours. In Aspo we trust.

[Iron Curtain]

This is now starting to look as though we have replaced some of the dross with decent players. Because of contractual restraints we still have garbage taking up places in the Squad. I think we will have a competitive first eleven but a soft underbelly if we have any injuries. When Aspo came in this was always going to be a three year project to right the wrongs of our past misdemeanours. In Aspo we trust.

 

Agree with that... consolidate this year and hope for mid table... then another summer like this one where we can rid ourselves of some bad contracts and continue to build!

[valiant_593]

I can’t see dodds starting personally. Miller will be starting for sure. Him and pope up top. Dodds will be on the bench which is fine imo.

[TJHValiant]

I can't see how we can fit Dodds, Pope and Miller into the team.

 

We don’t have to. Dodds will possibly fill his traditional Vale role of coming off the bench, which he did even in league 2 last time round.

 

The only era where he always started was in the early League 2 era under Sinnott/Adams and the Page later on.

 

Dodds should not be starting in an attacking role. His best ever performances in my view were as an attacking midfielder supporting a lone striker, traditionally just behind Pope.

 

He was a good player in that role but as an out and out striker he was poor and memories of him on the wing are worse. There was one Brentford away game when he lost the ball 10 consecutive times trying to bomb down the wing. That was dreadful to watch. I think it was the same one Robbie Williams turned up to if memory serves?

[SFBT]

Miller has to be a risky signing, but a welcome one.

This is the way with 'rough diamonds'.

I believe the risk is offset by the presence of Pope, in particular and a squad largely comprising proven performers.

To get the best out of risky signings, there has to be a solid base.

Something totally lacking for the last two seasons and clearly being established as we speak.

Stability is needed to allow creative flair to flourish.

[Howjy04]

Mattholl is going to boo one of our players, aren’t you Matthew???

 

I’m assured that someone booing a Home player has not happened at a footie match.Well not since last season.Can’t see the point myself.The player will still be crap if you boo or encourage him.

[darren1810]

Only when you see how the squad is shaping up do you realise the improvements being made and that includes Mr Dodds.

 

Think this will prove that point

 

Mansfield 21.4.2018

 

In the starting X1

 

Raglan

Tonge

Pugh

 

Options from the bench , I use the word options loosely

 

Howe

Davis

Barnett

Forrester

Turner

Boot

 

We have made great strides

Our bench could include far more decent propositions depending on status of the game and starting line up

 

Daniels, Hannant, Dodds, Miller, Rawlinson, Kay .

All will be on the bench at times, Kay still will have a part to play once his suspension is over.

 

More signings to come too I reckon.

Not getting carried away but things look a lot rosier.

Bring it on and we have the opportunity to have a decent start which builds confidence and a buzz.

[PV1973]

I can't see how we can fit Dodds, Pope and Miller into the team.

 

Pope will be a guaranteed starter so if we had two up top then Miller would partner him. But then Dodds best position is at 'number 10' so there no room there. He is NOT a winger either.

 

Similarly, to start Dodds as a #10 with Pope as the lone striker, there's no room for Miller (and it seems he's come here to play, not sit on the bench!)

 

I'm intrigued to see how we're going to line up!

It’s not about squeezing everyone into the starting 11. It’s about having different options. I agree that Pope will probably be a guaranteed starter and it’s the system we then play around him. We can start with a number ten or switch it up from the bench and go 2 up top if need be or vice versa and the players we’ve brought in are giving Aspin other options. Something we didn’t have last season.

 

Reading all the opinions of Dodds no one has an issue with players like Rawlinson or Daniels being potential squad players but they do with Dodds.