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[Wereskintandweknowweare]

We absolutely need another player up front to complement Pope. A goalscoring, alert, nippy player. Where from and how much he'd cost is the burning question.

Does Aspin know how to play such a formation or attacking style of play ?

[Iron Curtain]

Does Aspin know how to play such a formation or attacking style of play ?

 

No one was complaining in december

[For Us All]

Rudge was notorious for the amount of football he watched and over all his time at the club I can only think of the following who came through from non league:

Jones

Jepson

Taylor

Talbot

Stokes

Griffiths

Yes they are out there, but not in the quantity people think.

 

John Ritchie and Ray Williams were both good signings from non-league as well.

[SourceOfTheTrent]

Think Brian Horton was recruited from non-league too (Hednesford, if my memory is right) though not by Rudgie of course.

Correct. For me Horton was the second best player I've seen in a Vale shirt after Robbie Earle (I only saw Roy Sproson as an old man when I was a small boy).

[SourceOfTheTrent]

Does Aspin know how to play such a formation or attacking style of play ?

Yes but he needs to recruit a squad able to do it, he inherited a mess of a squad which he's had to shape into a side able to preserve our league status. At Harrogate Town and Halifax Aspo's multiple promotion sides played attacking football with plenty of goals.

[LancyTony]

Does Aspin know how to play such a formation or attacking style of play ?

 

Why not ask Luton when we stuffed them 4-0??? Getting a bit miffed at people on here suggesting he is boring and defensive-minded...he's played horses for courses, given the squad he inherited! Have to judge him next season, to be fair?

[LancyTony]

Correct. For me Horton was the second best player I've seen in a Vale shirt after Robbie Earle (I only saw Roy Sproson as an old man when I was a small boy).

 

Mark Chamberlain / Robin Van Der Laan anybody? Mark Goodlad?

[SourceOfTheTrent]

Mark Chamberlain / Robin Van Der Laan anybody? Mark Goodlad?

Great players but it's all personal opinions and preference, I thought Earle was the complete player who was that rarest of people who was good anywhere, defence, midfield or attack. Probably useless as a keeper though?

[LancyTony]

Just been reading about George Green at Nuneaton Town - ex-Everton, still only 22, and has had personal problems but now seems to be getting his act together...could be worth a punt?

[The_godfather]

In order to get out of this league, you need to have a bit of everything, which is not an easy thing to achieve over a single summer, so Aspo has got his work cut out.

 

It doesn't really matter where the players come from at the end of the day, although personally I think you mainly need experienced pros, with a few young loanees/youngsters to complement them - they have to be able to fit into Aspin's idea of how he intends to play. We're unlikely to get many of our first choices due to budget constraints, so we will have to hope that Rudge, Aspin and the team have got some aces up their sleeve somewhere. The types of player we need

 

A solid goalkeeper

At least 1 big nasty centre back that will bully people

Another goalscoring striker (Pope will be a year older and 1 is not enough to get out of the league)

Pace out wide

A goalscoring midfielder

Someone that can put their foot on the ball, and control the flow of the game.

 

I think you can gamble on 2-3 non league players in the squad, as the difference in quality is not much. But you can't gamble wholesale and re-create a non-league team in the hope of getting out of League 2. It's a tough, competitive league where no game can be taken for granted, and is a slog.

[Erniemossrules]

We need to ensure the ones we want to keep are signed up for next year.To be honest there aren’t many out of contract I would want to keep. Barnet,Lainton and Davis need to be shown the door to make way for better players.Hannant needs a longer contract.

Give some of the kids a chance instead of keeping Barnet and Forrester and Davis on the bench.Look to the future.

[TJHValiant]

When you say ‘play at a higher level’, you must mean ‘on the books’ of a team at a higher level’, because only Calvin is really playing in that league. I would not want the other two back. And it can’t be said they were integral to our success. Id have a player like hannant over any of them.

 

Colin Daniel is a regular in the Blackpool first team. He also went on to score a fair few goals for us in league 1.

 

Most of these non league signings bolstering are squad are just to that standard. Non league.

[smithie]

Colin Daniel is a regular in the Blackpool first team. He also went on to score a fair few goals for us in league 1.

 

Most of these non league signings bolstering are squad are just to that standard. Non league.

 

Yes, and they've come to us at minimal cost with a view to exploiting their potential.

[darren1810]

I think it'll be interesting the left back situation. Does Aspo still sign one or go Montano, Gibbons/Kelly when injured or suspended.

If he signs one where does it leave Montano as he was less than impressive on the wing .

Or alternatively has he now new found confidence and can be an asset in both positions ?

[PV1973]

I think it'll be interesting the left back situation. Does Aspo still sign one or go Montano, Gibbons/Kelly when injured or suspended.

If he signs one where does it leave Montano as he was less than impressive on the wing .

Or alternatively has he now new found confidence and can be an asset in both positions ?

I think Montano has done enough to warrant us developing him and using him as first choice left back. Gibbons has also done enough so far to show he can cover there too if needed. I only saw Kelly pre-season so can't really comment on what he has to offer.

 

Montano has missed a few games through injury this season hasn't he? So if those injury problems persisted then that would present a problem in the right back area if we were to swap Gibbons over as I would imagine Gibbons will be first choice there. So ideally we need cover for left back (if Aspin feels Kelly isn't ready or is released) and we'd also need cover at right back too.

 

I know he comes much maligned, and seeing as he still has a year left, it really wouldn't surprise me if Davis was used to cover positiions like right back and centre half in an emergency. I'm not saying he should be first choice, because we've had better options than him all season and I think he will only be used as an option after injuries and suspensions.

 

Its a bonus really for Aspin in that if forced to hes got players in the squad than can cover different positions if needed.

 

Gibbons - right back and left back

Montano - left back and left wing

Davis - centre half and right back squad player

Worrall - right wing and left wing

Turner - right wing or up front

Pugh - midfield and left back

Kay - holding midfield and centre half