January window

[Rampant Zebra]

I bet Norman is rubbing his hands together thinking of the profit if there is an offer on the table.

[PV1973]

Does Aspin wants him to stay badly enough?

 

Colchester at the moment is a better proposition than us and if he wanted to go then there’s a good chance it could go through. After all there’s No point keeping someone who doesn’t want to be here or isn’t wanted by the manager.

 

Obviously it’s all speculation though right now.

[CambridgeDon]

I reckon whitfield will be off if this Colchester bid is true.

 

Colchester are in serious problems with attacking players. It's likely that Szmodics, their leading scorer (from midfield, at that) and one other player will go this window and Aaron Collins their loan striker from Wolves has gone back. Plus, Norris, their second leading scorer, is injured leaving them with one senior striker and a one inexperienced former youth player. Unless they recruit, they can see their hard-earned promotion push going down the tubes.

 

So we are ideal candidates for an approach - even though we are in deperate shape ourselves. An approach for Whitfield would be unsurprising, and if he goes, then it will be the same old story with our transfer window - our best player leaves and we recruit on the cheap. This has Norman's fingerprints all over it, reckless penny-pinching in the hope we can somehow scrape by. With this mentality, it doesn't really matter if Aspo goes or not (and my goodness, he needs to go) because no manager of any calibre is going to put up with this.

 

Smurthwaite needs to go - and the sooner the better.

[Santa]

Does Aspin wants him to stay badly enough?

 

I never got the impression that Aspin was massively keen on having him back.

 

If I was Ben I'd be delighted if a club like Col U came in for me. The whole atmosphere at the club is poison right now, he's behind Elliott in the pecking order and for the sake of his career it's a decent move.

[Upfromnowhere]

Colchester are in serious problems with attacking players. It's likely that Szmodics, their leading scorer (from midfield, at that) and one other player will go this window and Aaron Collins their loan striker from Wolves has gone back. Plus, Norris, their second leading scorer, is injured leaving them with one senior striker and a one inexperienced former youth player. Unless they recruit, they can see their hard-earned promotion push going down the tubes.

 

So we are ideal candidates for an approach - even though we are in deperate shape ourselves. An approach for Whitfield would be unsurprising, and if he goes, then it will be the same old story with our transfer window - our best player leaves and we recruit on the cheap. This has Norman's fingerprints all over it, reckless penny-pinching in the hope we can somehow scrape by. With this mentality, it doesn't really matter if Aspo goes or not (and my goodness, he needs to go) because no manager of any calibre is going to put up with this.

 

Smurthwaite needs to go - and the sooner the better.

 

I have no idea if it carries any weight, but if they wanted a forward, for reasons cited, why on earth would they want young Ben? He is a winger, a tricky, skilful give his all winger I grant you, and who most certainly could play in a front three, or wing back role, but a centre forward he is not.

If however they are interested, though few would be happy to see him go, if I was him, I'd already be in car!

 

Angus,out on loan, Miller said somewhere Aspin wanted him out loan but he refused, and now the possibility of Whitfield going as well, what has the man got against people with pace and guile, and worse then bring someone else in on loan to replace him.

In the case of Whits and Miller both of whom he said he really wanted to come, why bother, if you are then going to behave and or treat them (and others) like this...............very strange indeed, and notice I say strange, not surprising, because as we all know,nothing surprises us any more.

[smithie]

[quote=Santa;848576

 

The whole atmosphere at the club is poison

 

It didn't look too poisonous after the Crawley game. What's that opinion based on?

[CambridgeDon]

I have no idea if it carries any weight, but if they wanted a forward, for reasons cited, why on earth would they want young Ben? He is a winger, a tricky, skilful give his all winger I grant you, and who most certainly could play in a front three, or wing back role, but a centre forward he is not.

If however they are interested, though few would be happy to see him go, if I was him, I'd already be in car!

 

Angus,out on loan, Miller said somewhere Aspin wanted him out loan but he refused, and now the possibility of Whitfield going as well, what has the man got against people with pace and guile, and worse then bring someone else in on loan to replace him.

In the case of Whits and Miller both of whom he said he really wanted to come, why bother, if you are then going to behave and or treat them (and others) like this...............very strange indeed, and notice I say strange, not surprising, because as we all know,nothing surprises us any more.

 

I think they would be in for Ben as a direct replacement for Szmodics, playing behind the main striker(s) in a no.10 role. The late approach makes sense too if Szmodics is leaving as they need to be sure he's going before they move in. It's all speculation but one thing we know is that they are short of firepower and there's not many options around in January. If they sign him, I'd expect him to do well because a) they would play him and b)he's quite capable of getting goals from that position. But who knows?

 

I agree with you about Aspo's selection - utterly bizarre at times. It's a pity as I thought that both Miller and Whitfield signing would mean the goals that would keep us out of the drop zone this season. If you ask me, Aspo just hasn't got what it takes to select and play a consistently winning side and he's had more than enough time to prove it.

[TheSage]

I suspect that Whitfield, like a few others including Dodds, was foisted on Aspin by the chairman who saw them as cheap options and within our limited budget. However, neither has ever been given an extended chance in the team, despite one having pace to burn and a decent shot, while the other is perhaps the cleverest player at the Club in terms of finding space in the hole, seeing a pass, and even finishing.

But neither have been used well.

Aspin prefers his non league lads like Hannant (who has done ok to be fair) and Oyeleke (who flatters to deceive) and Joyce who I don't think has scored a single goal for us has he?

 

He does prefer players he has signed like Quigley and Clark (who has gone backwards) to lads who were here before like Gibbons and Worrall (another player with league one experience who we have never utilised to the full).

 

It's no wonder we've sunk like a stone. We're fielding about 5 lads who were in non league 12 months ago, a 19 year old from Villa's youth team, a 36 year old converted from a centre back to a midfield player in Kay, and our three best players are arguably the silver surfers Brown, Pope and Legge. Never in a million years will this lot get us to the top of this league.

[onestepatatime]

If there is anything in this Whitfield rumour then to me it's another nail in Aspin's coffin. He has treated Ben badly. Majority of ,Valiants recognise Ben was at least a threat to opponents. Maybe not the most gifted in scoring but he sure as hell gave us a bit of hope going forward. In a very, very poor squad Ben is one of our better ones. Because he didn't run his knackers off defensively or stick to Aspin's boring, unfathomable tactics meant he was certainly not on Aspin's first sheet when selecting teams. Unbelievable this Club. Be predictable and tow the manager's crazy instructions, or go on loan/ sale. Mad!

[valeparklife]

The only player in the squad with a bit of trickery and skill, exactly the type of player needed to unlock defences and create chances.

 

We must not sell him or relegation is a certainty.

[jeffers]

Apparently he refused to play centre half.

[ELDERBEZZA]

I'm at the end of my tether with all at the Vale. It's got to stop as we're really looking in grave danger of going out of business at the moment. We need to keep players like Worrall and Whitfield. Something serious is going on behind the scenes ,as they don't become poor players overnight. Get a grip Smurthwaite and Aspin! !

[elav trop 1876]

I'm at the end of my tether with all at the Vale. It's got to stop as we're really looking in grave danger of going out of business at the moment. We need to keep players like Worrall and Whitfield. Something serious is going on behind the scenes ,as they don't become poor players overnight. Get a grip Smurthwaite and Aspin! !

 

 

I agree it is getting tiresome, we need good news , statement of intent followed by action not just empty words from the top united down to the bottom is needed--get a few players who are better than what we have and can make a difference then add improvements in the summer early and we can have something to believe in ....if this does happen it will be another jan window where we are worse off experience wise and no doubt a much reduced wage bill.

 

The cycle has to stop somewhere if there is ever to be a turn around.

[valiant_593]

I bet Norman is rubbing his hands together thinking of the profit if there is an offer on the table.

 

Norman is the only reason Whitfield is still at the club. He wants him to stay. Aspin wants rid. As usual too creative for aspin. Wish he would just **** off now.

[valiant_593]

Aspin has said he is happy for whitfield to go. Blatantly obvious he never wanted a decent player like him. Would prefer another ‘versatile’ player that’s **** in every position and then stick him at centre half.