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The Myth that is Tom Pope


philmpv

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I’m pretty much convinced that Vale fans dont realise how good some of the local players are that are right under their nose. They’re determined to completely murder them. It’s the same old same old until they’re gone.

 

Going back to crossing in to the box, having watched the ManU Chelsea game last night. The goal that pogba scored from Rashfords cross just highlighted how important it is to have players moving in to the box when a cross is coming in. Hit the right areas and hope someone is on the move. Invariably we’ve just got Pope in there with no one running in to meet the ball, that would make a huge difference too if we had midfielders or other forwards willing to make runs in to the box when we get it wide. Look at Montys last couple of goals where he’s made a run across the defender in to an area of the box and luckily the ball arrived there.

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Can we please stop this ' it should of been retaken ' rubbish.

I'm no statistician but i'd say maybe 10% or less are retaken.

 

I certainly wasn't screaming for a retake. Be interesting to see the Brown save at Morecambe in slow motion to see if he moved , or was he the ultimate gentleman and stood still ?

 

Complete excuse on our parts.

A poor penalty but even Messi missed one on Saturday , it happens.

 

Pope needs bodies around him and runners, something we sadly lack.

Only downfall for me is his petty fouls and arm flailing, he did an absolute ridiculous foul on Saturday with a couple of minutes left out of sheer petulance.

 

We need Pope or we are down, probably down even with him anyway.

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You’ve quoted an aspect of my post Owd which refers to him as one dimensional and then in your very reply indicate he’s one dimensional by suggesting he needs crosses to indicate what we all know, he’s exceptionally reliant on his team mates for chances or indeed penalties.

 

That would be fine Owd if we have various ways to play and create chances but sadly we don’t, you must watch the games and see we and he is one dimensional and Popeball is so easy to defend. We don’t have wingers so there is little or no point in moaning about it as a succession of managers don’t see fit to play to his strengths. I remember a number of posts by you Owd in early 2014 castigating JMW, the last class winger we had, I’d imagine even you and Pope would crawl over broken glass for someone like JMW now to get your boy going again.

 

When was the last time he produced a piece of wonderful individual skill to create and score from nothing, was it the Cheltenham game in the promotion season? He has to be fed as sadly he can’t go to Waitrose to feed himself, in the last two games he’s been fed the equivalent of two glorious M&S luxury meals and for some reason he’s gone all bulimic on us using your analogy.

 

You talk of monsters but watch him 10-15 seconds before he gets any long Popeball, he generally instigates contact and then moans his bonce off like a kid in a playground that he’s being fouled, it’s difficult for officials to justify the award of a free kick in favour of the player who initiates the physical aspect. And if he’s not using his hands and gob for that he’s constantly aggressively chastising teammates, with the notable exception of his mate Kay, easily the worst passer of the ball in the team which regularly includes Rawlinson.

 

It’s sad as all Vale fans want us to win league games and be successful but indirectly Pope and Popeball is a huge part of the problem at the moment as is yet another inexperienced manager at this level failing to use the huge squad options to change things.

You are right about JMW but at the time I found it infuriating that he usually played out on the right when he was more left footed than Long John Silver. I criticised him because he preferred to cut inside rather than cross the ball and though he scored a few screamers decent full backs soon realised to force him onto his right foot and he was scuppered. I must admit though that he was a prince compared to what we have today.
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You are right about JMW but at the time I found it infuriating that he usually played out on the right when he was more left footed than Long John Silver. I criticised him because he preferred to cut inside rather than cross the ball and though he scored a few screamers decent full backs soon realised to force him onto his right foot and he was scuppered. I must admit though that he was a prince compared to what we have today.

 

What we have today mate is eye wateringly abysmal.

 

Please as professionals Vale pull something out second half.

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  • 2 weeks later...

There's a lot of long ball in the Premiership never mind at Vale,our problem has been playing pope as a lone striker and expecting him to do all the donkey work and then to get in the box to score,ever likely he's suffering with injuries the bloke must be shattered.

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There's a lot of long ball in the Premiership never mind at Vale,our problem has been playing pope as a lone striker and expecting him to do all the donkey work and then to get in the box to score,ever likely he's suffering with injuries the bloke must be shattered.

 

Thought he could walk on water? Poor popey 🤣

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Skipping 8 pages as I don't have time to read everything right now. Only part I agree with really is the constantly moaning/shouting at others. It can't be good for morale or confidence, which is massively important in our current position.

 

He's admitted himself in interviews he can't help but get on others' backs & have a good moan, but given how we played without him Saturday (& I saw none of this from anyone, they all worked well together), it's something Askey really needs to address before thinking about putting him back in the side.

 

Will always love Popey & think he's constantly had stick for set ups under numerous managers which don't play to his strengths. Given our win against Mansfield though, I wouldn't even be thinking about the lineup Tuesday, even if he is fit. If he is, bench him. Got to be the same 11, no point changing a system that worked really well against a good side.

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The problem is, Tom is not capable of doing what Miller, Worall and Hannant did collectively on Saturday.

Pressing as a unit, as we did so superbly Saturday, means everyone has to be fit and everyone has to maintain the pace and commitment for 90 minutes, if they don't, if just one of those three slacken off the whole pressing intent and all the benefits received by doing so goes out of the window, and Tom at his age, even though still quite superb when balls are in the air, clearly, with his limited mobility and fitness can't do that.

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