Match Thread - Port Vale v Tranmere

[Paul6754]

Can’t believe miller took the shot on at the near post towards the end when firing it across the box looked the better option.

 

Same here, he brilliantly turned his man to get in the box, both Pope and Montano made runs but Miller chose the wrong option, it would have been little more than a tap in for both and both rightly let Miller know their feelings.

 

IMHO if Miller could chose the right option just 50% of the time he would be one hell of a player, trouble is a player is born with good awareness and decision making viz football, these skills can't be or are hard to coach.

[Paul6754]

Vale's play could improve and possible our fortunes if the players would press more, show some urgency and close down space particularly in our last third of the field.

 

Last night for their first goal there were 3 Vale players around the guy who took the shot, all of them were 3-5 yds away giving him time and space to do what he wanted, similar was true for the deflected Cambridge shot/deflected goal and the Morecambe player had tons of time to deliver the cross for their goal.

 

I understood a defender should be in touching distance of the attacker to prevent/hamper the cross/shot.

[1]

Surely the cost of triggering a contract will be far less than relegation out of the football league?

[jeffers]

If last night doesn’t spell the end of the 5-3-2, then I give up. People say Worrall is not the player he was, but as soon as him and Monty gave us width it was a different game. Shame we had already conceded.

I would also add that Norwood showed what a striker is really about, when did we last see finishing like that in a Vale shirt. Ironic cheers when Popey finally got his head to the ball says it all.

The situation looks dire, but we have 13 games left. Carry on with 5-3-2 and defensive midfielders and we might as well surrender now. Show some desire to attack the opposition and we might as well go down fighting.

[tommytunstall]

Thought we were on par with York and Leamington now.

Enjoy what is left of our league status because if we do go down NS will cut even deeper and faster and we'll be rubbing shoulders with York City and Leamington in two years time. And no, I'm not kidding!

[PV1973]

If last night doesn’t spell the end of the 5-3-2, then I give up. People say Worrall is not the player he was, but as soon as him and Monty gave us width it was a different game. Shame we had already conceded.

I would also add that Norwood showed what a striker is really about, when did we last see finishing like that in a Vale shirt. Ironic cheers when Popey finally got his head to the ball says it all.

The situation looks dire, but we have 13 games left. Carry on with 5-3-2 and defensive midfielders and we might as well surrender now. Show some desire to attack the opposition and we might as well go down fighting.

For the first 50 minutes it’s about understanding why the wingbacks didn’t work and then changing the system to try and make something work. I thought their wingers worked hard, at times they kept them high which meant our wingbacks had to stay in because if they went and the ball broke down then it was 3 on 3. Other times they dropped in front of their full backs to deny Clark and gibbons space. So once they had no space or couldn’t push on then what was our plan b? Lump it to Pope it seemed. This was where we needed people to get on the ball and try to work openings, that didn’t happen, so to make it happen we had to change shape and make a couple of subs.

 

We shouldnt be putting all our attacking onus on 2 young wing backs or the hope we can pick up the second ball from Pope. We need more than that and I think once we changed to it to a 4-4-2 we became much better. It gave us the opportunity to push wingers on to their full backs and it allowed our fullbacks to have some support and link with someone. Worrall and Monty got on the ball more and we finally saw players in the final third being able to pass to each other rather than just hitting it long to Popey or hope the wing backs got some space. Plus with the full backs joining in too it gave us more bodies in their half too. The goal highlighted perfectly how we should better play off Popey, quick and into feet and with a 1-2 we were in. But in addition to that Monty, Worrall, gibbons and crooks were all getting on the ball and trying to play in their half. Even Kay too was getting on the it and trying to spread play.

 

Hopefully now Worrall, Monty and Whitfield can get their season going and help us get out of the ****.

[fraggle]

What a daft post. People asked for change because we were going to get relegated. We didn’t ask for more of the same. It was pointless sacking aspin (especially once the transfer window was closed) if this is what we get, but don’t go on about ‘getting what we asked for’ as though we weren’t on a downward spiral beforehand anyway. No one asked for this shambles.

 

Yes we asked for Aspin to be removed... as far back as December.... then we asked for an experienced manager, I think we got 0.5 out of 2... Aspin removal was long overdue.

 

You get what you deserve and that is square root of nothing!

[Erniemossrules]

For the first 50 minutes it’s about understanding why the wingbacks didn’t work and then changing the system to try and make something work. I thought their wingers worked hard, at times they kept them high which meant our wingbacks had to stay in because if they went and the ball broke down then it was 3 on 3. Other times they dropped in front of their full backs to deny Clark and gibbons space. So once they had no space or couldn’t push on then what was our plan b? Lump it to Pope it seemed. This was where we needed people to get on the ball and try to work openings, that didn’t happen, so to make it happen we had to change shape and make a couple of subs.

 

We shouldnt be putting all our attacking onus on 2 young wing backs or the hope we can pick up the second ball from Pope. We need more than that and I think once we changed to it to a 4-4-2 we became much better. It gave us the opportunity to push wingers on to their full backs and it allowed our fullbacks to have some support and link with someone. Worrall and Monty got on the ball more and we finally saw players in the final third being able to pass to each other rather than just hitting it long to Popey or hope the wing backs got some space. Plus with the full backs joining in too it gave us more bodies in their half too. The goal highlighted perfectly how we should better play off Popey, quick and into feet and with a 1-2 we were in. But in addition to that Monty, Worrall, gibbons and crooks were all getting on the ball and trying to play in their half. Even Kay too was getting on the it and trying to spread play.

 

Hopefully now Worrall, Monty and Whitfield can get their season going and help us get out of the ****.

 

Should have given you the job instead of Askey .

[Warren]

Couldn't go to this game. But I see we still played with 6 defenders including 4 centre halves. Even with this massed defence, they still can't defend and we haven't got enough players to score goals. I have had enough of this wing back nonsense and the three centre halves nonsense and the Kay in midfield nonsense. This is utterly stupid tactics and been going on for the whole of the season. If we keep doing the same, we will get the same results, and relegated.

[PV1973]

It’s not stupid seeing as it worked in some games, especially away. The problems been not changing to something else and adapting quickly enough or making the subs early enough.

[PV1993]

It’s not stupid seeing as it worked in some games, especially away. The problems been not changing to something else and adapting quickly enough or making the subs early enough.

 

Agreed, but we still need to be going with a more attacking line-up at home, especially against teams like Morecambe.

 

Nothings ever black and white, and we lost the game on Tuesday (and as has been the case for a couple of seasons) because:

 

- The majority of players aren't good enough - A* for effort, but there's no quality. Pope relies on people making chances, he won't tend to fashion them himself. So we need more width, crosses in the box and people running to the byline. Instead we have crosses from deep because there's only one player in a wing back position, and when the crosses come in they are looped and easy to defend. If we only have one player with a proven goalscoring record, play to his strengths. Funnily enough, he can play football - we don;t have to hoof it too him from deep all the time.

 

- Tactical decisions from the manager - previously Aspin cared more about fight than quality, hence the squad. I believe Askey has more about him than that, but he left it until Morecambe scored to change it against on Saturday (too late) and then when we were 2 down against Tranmere (again, too late). He needs to learn quickly if we are to survive.

 

- Lack of ambition from the chairman - he doesn't care. He's the reason we haven't assembled a good squad for 3 years. Fair enough if we have a top 10 budget and aren't at least tenth that's down to the manager and players, but in this league and with our recent windfall and [potential] fanbase top 10 isn't good enough, so excuse me if I don't get too excited by that.

[jeffers]

Agreed, but we still need to be going with a more attacking line-up at home, especially against teams like Morecambe.

 

Nothings ever black and white, and we lost the game on Tuesday (and as has been the case for a couple of seasons) because:

 

- The majority of players aren't good enough - A* for effort, but there's no quality. Pope relies on people making chances, he won't tend to fashion them himself. So we need more width, crosses in the box and people running to the byline. Instead we have crosses from deep because there's only one player in a wing back position, and when the crosses come in they are looped and easy to defend. If we only have one player with a proven goalscoring record, play to his strengths. Funnily enough, he can play football - we don;t have to hoof it too him from deep all the time.

 

- Tactical decisions from the manager - previously Aspin cared more about fight than quality, hence the squad. I believe Askey has more about him than that, but he left it until Morecambe scored to change it against on Saturday (too late) and then when we were 2 down against Tranmere (again, too late). He needs to learn quickly if we are to survive.

 

- Lack of ambition from the chairman - he doesn't care. He's the reason we haven't assembled a good squad for 3 years. Fair enough if we have a top 10 budget and aren't at least tenth that's down to the manager and players, but in this league and with our recent windfall and [potential] fanbase top 10 isn't good enough, so excuse me if I don't get too excited by that.

 

With Askey I think its called being pro-active rather than re-active.