Match Thread - Port Vale v Grimsby Town

[Warren]

Facts are we had 17 shots but only 4 on target. Given the ball was directly in front of the Grimsby goal many times that is disappointing.

 

We played well in the back four and they scored with an exceptional shot from outside the box.

 

Midfielders and front men don't understand what closing down is. They think it is run towards and stand near an opponent. Having watched Liverpool a few times this year, the masters at this, I can say closing down is a drilled regime of teamwork that always ends with a challenge.

 

But first half I was very dissatisfied with a mentality of just put the ball in the sky torwards Pope etc. That wasted the whole first half when we are at home and the better team.

 

At the end of the game I saw some abuse of Aspin in Lorne Street. He is trying to solve our goal scoring problem and find resilience and consistency.

 

It is not easy and there are no alternative managers out there who will deliver miracles. If he is to play say Whitfield every game he needs to be consistently good on the ball. He hasn't been, that is the issue with many players at this level. Can't find consistency. So Aspin bets on resilience and simple tactics.

 

What a difference another regular goal scorer could make.

[fraggle]

 

What a difference another regular goal scorer could make.

 

Sadly, I can’t see that happening at all.... another non league hopeful.... no thanks!

[vale victory]

Well that was appalling, quite possibly the worst football I have seen ever. There was a period in the first half where the ball was lumped constantly for around 15 minutes.

 

I take it you didn’t go to Macclesfield then ???

[George]

“Ignoring the EFL Trophy games, Aspin has won 9 out of 47 league and cup games in 2018 with one game left. A win ratio of just over 19%.”

 

Wow. Is it really that poor?? I knew it wasn’t great but I had no idea it was that bad. Based on this, he has to go. And that is really sad as he’s a true Vale legend.

[Howjy04]

These are the only 2 parts of your post I disagree with.

 

Re Manny it was abundantly clear that this was his instruction as we'd gone for 2 up top. Most if the few good moves that we tried today (I. E those played along the ground) started with him either picking the ball up or winning the ball and actually looking for a pass.

 

Re Pope he seems immune from criticism on here. He was shocking today. Leaving aside the service to him or quigley, every header than he won today pinged off his head like it was a sherrifs badge. No direction or skill at all. I've said it before and I'll say it again - so long as we keep trying to build a team around an, at best, league 2 striker with no pace or movement we will not achieve anything. That is, at least, with the only tactical thinking being to lump the ball aimlessly in his direction.

 

How very dare you phil.You can not,I repeat,can not criticise the legend that is Tom Pope.What have you got against him?Didnt he sign your programme for you or something?For your punishment you must sell your house and car and pay for a gold statue of him.

[old sage]

I do wonder why some people blame our style of play on our captain, Tom Pope? Come on folks do you really believe that he enjoys having the ball bashed up to him for him to knock it down to nobody? Of course he doesn't and if we are to play to his strengths he needs another striker with him and more effective service from the flanks then we would be far more of a goal threat and not only him but the team as a whole would benefit from his aerial ability.

 

So come on lads get off his back he already has more than enough defenders climbing all over him as it is.

 

Really boys Tom isn't the problem but if employed properly could certainly be the solution.

[sunny boslem]

Wingers need get to the byline then cross it where pope can attack the ball that’s where he is dangerous and very good

Yesterday’s service was poor

[Upfromnowhere]

I do wonder why some people blame our style of play on our captain, Tom Pope? Come on folks do you really believe that he enjoys having the ball bashed up to him for him to knock it down to nobody? Of course he doesn't and if we are to play to his strengths he needs another striker with him and more effective service from the flanks then we would be far more of a goal threat and not only him but the team as a whole would benefit from his aerial ability.

 

So come on lads get off his back he already has more than enough defenders climbing all over him as it is.

 

Really boys Tom isn't the problem but if employed properly could certainly be the solution.

 

For fear of sounding like a broken record, though in truth he's had some stinkers this season, and to be fair, missed many headers that he would normally put away, I can't see how anyone can blame Popey for our continuing malaise.

But he has had several strike partners already, none of whom Aspin has deemed worthy of the supporting role he forces them to take, and I fear that will forever remain the case unless we get service into him (or them) from the wings and or we stop continually humping the ball.

 

It is also why I just don't buy into this rationale that suggests a new forward will on it's own magically resolve matters as chances are it won't. Especially when Aspin has on more than one occasion publicly declared if he can get our skipper on the pitch at any cost he will.

 

From that, and the clear absence of any playing alternative, one can only assume we will continue to keep pumping it aimlessly in his direction, and logically, the only way that will change, certainly worse way, the quickest way that will change, is to acquire a new manager.

 

The introduction of Whitfield alone, showed what can happen if we at least try and use the grass, and if he starts Saturday which with Aspin being so fickle he probably should, it sort of begs the question, why he hasn't started the last 5 or 6. As one has to ask, what did he do yesterday that Aspin hadn't seen him do previously. The answer is nothing, that's how the lad plays. It was exactly the same with Miller before him, who brought similar energy and closing down attributes yet he too was bombed.

Kanu has never been given a real opportunity to show us what he may be capable of yet many of us would like to find out. Quigley similarly, though yesterday, in fairness without any service as is now customary, suggested he won't be the answer either, and even Monty when payed up front, though delivering some much needed goals, provided little, if not nothing else to the side, and Dodds, perhaps a tad unfairly, is clearly not held in high enough regard by Aspin to warrant a continued run in the side.

 

The only constant denominator throughout, has been the skipper, who like others, is deemed instrumental to the boss's chosen mode operandi, and as such, regardless of performance or circumstances, is never dropped and never even taken off, leaving the question, is it actually his fault or the tactics we use?

 

I know where all of us would put the blame and it's certainly not in the skippers direction.

[Rampant Zebra]

They scored after Whitfield came on though........

[Upfromnowhere]

So it's his fault then?

[Rampant Zebra]

I wasn't saying that but the change to a more attacking set up leaves a team more vulnerable at the back. We didn't take our chances and they did. Until Norman realises that the whole point of the game is to score goals and pays the going rate for some players capable of doing it regularly we are always going to struggle.

[hamilboy]

“Ignoring the EFL Trophy games, Aspin has won 9 out of 47 league and cup games in 2018 with one game left. A win ratio of just over 19%.”

 

Wow. Is it really that poor?? I knew it wasn’t great but I had no idea it was that bad. Based on this, he has to go. And that is really sad as he’s a true Vale legend.

 

Being a vale legend counts for nothing in the managers stakes Sproson,Glover Foyle were all legends of the vale all got the sack with better records than Aspin.I'm sorry to say this about him but he is totally inept with his tactics we have some good players but they are either played out of position or told to do something that they cannot do or not even selected.The man himself is out of his depth as a manager just like the owner of our club mistake after mistake is being made to the detriment of our wonderful loyal fans which i can never forgive them for all i can ask is give us something to be proud off instead of the dross that is being served up by both at the head of the club.

[Hagrid]

Can't be bothered anymore.

 

Someone told me off for booing at the end of the game.

 

We are where we are.

[Hagrid]

Whole club is infested with tinpottery.

 

The subs play a bit of keepy up at half time to 'warm up'. The PA system doesn't work in half the ground (despite the big song and dance post Stoke). Complete and utter silence for the 90.

 

Was politely (aggressively) told 'not to come again' if I was going to boo yesterday's performance (after witnessing Macc, Cheltenham etc).

 

Aspin is a symptom of much bigger problems at the club; the cheap, out of his depth option (extend that to coaches, players). He can go but what do we have to look forward to then? Norm's 5th managerial appointment.

 

Just struggling to really care anymore. I want what is best for the Vale but if I'm going to be confronted for booing then the fans deserve the club its getting, passively observing and accepting the tripe we've been served up for the past 2.5 years.

 

We've won 30 of our last 116 league games. One in four. 25%.

 

We're a non-league club with a League 1 keeper. Polite applause at the end lads.

[Salmonchantedevening!]

Can we play you every week?

As i saw it there was one team at least trying to play football and not doing it as well as they have. And there was one team hoofing it up to Pope and not doing it particuarly well either. Vale are absolutely reminiscent of Gateshead when Aspin was in charge and i use to hate going there knowing his tactics. With an average age of 23 and 5 key injuries in our side i know we can get and play better as our current form suggests. After seeing Vale 4 times in two seasons i dont think you can until something radically changes.