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Is it time to try without Pope?


philmpv

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I think, regardless of how our talisman plays, and though understandable as he's clearly carrying an injury, currently we have to be honest, he is by is standards playing poorly, Aspin refuses to ever drop him, as if he did, it would force him to completely rethink his tactics and I for one am afraid he doesn't possess the nous to do so!

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On more measured reflection, I would never drop him, simply change the way we utilise his strengths. Apart from scoring, he is great in the air, and great at holding the ball up, but he can only show that if he gets it into his feet which simply isn't happening.

Even if he wins an aerial duel and he flicks the ball on, which he does many times, Miller or Whitfield then has to try and win that against another 6'3" CH, which is never going to happen and the ball comes straight back at us. We can see that, NA obviously can't!

Why not let Brown throw it out to the FB's and let them bring the ball out with them, if we are to continue lumping it, instead of doing so to Popey, let them hit it long down the channels and put the full backs instead of the CH's under a bit of pressure, something both Whitfield and particularly Miller are good at, what have we to lose.

To leave him out of the team full stop is almost unthinkable, but I do kind of get the jist of the opening post, but would only work if the midfield suddenly out of nowhere, get used to playing balls in between the opposition back four, something else that simply hasn't happened thus far this season.

11 goals in twelve games, and of those, four came direct from free kicks or pens, another, a Popey header from a corner, and Legges goal at Crewe from another free kick out on the right, leaving five goals from open play which is a staggering stat.

With Manny out injured as well, I doubt if we even have a player capable of making those goal scoring opportunities, and if we do, God he's been very well hidden.

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I think, regardless of how our talisman plays, and though understandable as he's clearly carrying an injury, currently we have to be honest, he is by is standards playing poorly, Aspin refuses to ever drop him, as if he did, it would force him to completely rethink his tactics and I for one am afraid he doesn't possess the nous to do so!

Without pope or a similar style player our tactics go out of the window as we have no one else as good as him as a target man. You’re right as Aspin doesn’t have another way of playing.

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But that's my point. By playing pope were dictating what we have to create and we don't have the players to create in this way. By playing different types of players up top, that would mean we would approach the creativity issue in a different way perhaps more suited to the types of creative players that we have

 

I have to say that I've been thinking along similar lines for the last couple of games. It seems that a 'one size fits-all' approach isn't working. Therefore, some more innovative ideas are needed and more midfield creativity is certainly an absolute must!

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Most of Pope's goals come but don't actually contribute to anything. Many goals from Pope have been consolations or goals that have scraped draws

 

The nemesis is definite the style of play suiting Pope. The only way Pope will ever get goals that contribute anything is if he is constantly served to feet in the six yard box. This is why many don't want to come anymore...the play of directness is too predictable and boring. And for £22?

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When your options include only Miller, Kanu and Turner, I don't blame Aspin for playing Pope just as long as he can actually stand.

 

But our biggest issue is lack of creativity and lack of any decent wide player. Even an inconsistent Jennison Myrie-Williams type would make a huge difference to our side.

 

Turner isn't an option as yet. He's still struggling with his hamstring and can't play anyway until January

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I thought the thread title read 'is it time to try without Pops?' Bit harsh on Ray I thought, and wasn't Phil Sproson commenting for RS yesterday? :smile:

 

No one leaves their best striker out of the side - they just bring someone else in to assist. Might it be an idea to bring Kanu in for the meaningless Checkatrade game against Burton to see how it worked?

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IMHO The lack of goals problem comes more from a lack of quality through balls, quality crosses, quality delivery at set pieces than anything to do with Tom Pope, I'd always start him at the moment. Saw yesterday in the first half Vale played some great stuff on the ground with Pope on the pitch.

 

Lge 2 football is fast becoming the land of the giants and unless a team can compete physically it gets over run, Vale are a smallish team comparatively and Tom Pope helps out in the physical stakes as well as much more.

 

Try the likes of Kanu/Miller/Quigley/Whitfield etc up front in the Carabo Cup, games that don't mean as much.

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Aspin plays Pope come what may because, apart from his other attributes, is the only one who scores on a relatively regular basis !

 

We don’t score bundles anyway, but will score even less without his presence.

 

Whilst I agree that he should not play if not fit, it would be sheer lunacy to leave him out but for any other reason.

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IMHO The lack of goals problem comes more from a lack of quality through balls, quality crosses, quality delivery at set pieces than anything to do with Tom Pope, I'd always start him at the moment. Saw yesterday in the first half Vale played some great stuff on the ground with Pope on the pitch.

 

Lge 2 football is fast becoming the land of the giants and unless a team can compete physically it gets over run, Vale are a smallish team comparatively and Tom Pope helps out in the physical stakes as well as much more.

 

Try the likes of Kanu/Miller/Quigley/Whitfield etc up front in the Carabo Cup, games that don't mean as much.

 

Pope is more than a target man.

He often ends up wide on the edge of the box and ' dinks ' a lovely cross into the box

Does hannant,worrall,whitfield, any full back do this as good - No

He often lays off a simple ball to a runner, very rare we have a runner by the way, like the ball to Manny to set up his goal and he rarely messes up.

He knows what pass to make and when to make it.

He is a footballer !!!

 

Montano,Manny and Conlon look capable of ' playing ' a good ball to others but the rest really struggle to me.

 

Pope has to play. He also has passion, commitment and the desire to win. Yes he misses a chance or two but you dont leave him out, you support him.

 

 

You are also correct about land of the giants and yet we never seem to look for taller more physical players.

This is why Rawlinson keeps his place in the team at full back

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Oh dear, here I go again. Sorry! Is Barnett available after his loan spell?

If not I would play Dodds and Millar up top on Tuesday and give the Popester another day off. The man must be black and blue ( his wife must think he’s got the dirtiest bit on the side ever, with the bruises and scratches he comes off the pitch with) he gives his all! Never has he been substituted because of an injury.

Does anybody remember the FA cup match at home to Oxford last season? The man went down just before halftime in front of the oppositions dugout and I thought that was the end of him, only for him to return in the second half and consolidate our 2-0 win. Then later in the season the man needs an operation. He has it done then comes back and helps book our place in the football league.

Nobody puts Popey on the bench!!!

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Pope is more than a target man.

He often ends up wide on the edge of the box and ' dinks ' a lovely cross into the box

Does hannant,worrall,whitfield, any full back do this as good - No

He often lays off a simple ball to a runner, very rare we have a runner by the way, like the ball to Manny to set up his goal and he rarely messes up.

He knows what pass to make and when to make it.

He is a footballer !!!

 

Montano,Manny and Conlon look capable of ' playing ' a good ball to others but the rest really struggle to me.

 

Pope has to play. He also has passion, commitment and the desire to win. Yes he misses a chance or two but you dont leave him out, you support him.

 

 

You are also correct about land of the giants and yet we never seem to look for taller more physical players.

This is why Rawlinson keeps his place in the team at full back

 

I agree SL and have posted the same tons of times on the forum. We got derailed yesterday by the early goal and although it's early days this season it's starting to look like we are a mid-table..ish team. However, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if Vale beat Lincoln, especially as Aspin knows what to expect and the Popey/Ricky Miller combo has to come good again.

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