Pope an idiot?

[geosname]

How can you not get popeball? It’s all we have done all season. It certainly ain’t a lack of confidence. As soon as the defenders get the ball they look up and aim for pope.

 

Take him off so it's not an option?

[Bycarsbill]

Seen Popes article in The Sentinel? Notts County have 6 great players and could win 7 matches on the trot! What a load of tosh and probably defeatist talk by one who is supposed to be one of our saviours. Notts probably worse than us and they haven’t won 7 matches all season. He is a complete **** on that score. Said before current players shouldn’t be writing in the Sentinel he should try and concentrate on himself and getting the best out of the players around him. He has too much say in what happens at Vale. Stop him writing, get him playing and give Brown the captaincy! Appreciate what he has done over the years but Pope ball isn’t working anymore and hasn’t done for awhile, what’s more it’s boring to see and counter productive.

 

A touch of reverse psychology--always works!

[Valiant!]

A touch of reverse psychology--always works!

 

Pope in my opinion!! is a spent force, best days behind him,less and less of an influence on games

[Paul6754]

How can you not get popeball? It’s all we have done all season. It certainly ain’t a lack of confidence. As soon as the defenders get the ball they look up and aim for pope.

 

I said I don't buy the Popeball stuff, because many of the balls punted forward don't go anywhere near Pope. I can only repeat what I posted above. Confidence is a big factor.

[old sage]

Tom Pope led the Vale attack once again almost single handedly and had another goal ruled out. being on 99 goals is clearly affecting his confidence in front of goal but he will score and when he does hopefully sooner than later he will be our saviour up front once again.

I noticed that Hilton at Luton has gone 16 games without a goal before yesterday but his manager has kept faith in him.

Very short memories and a massive lack of faith from many of you on here.

 

By the way Notts do have several players with excellent pedigrees but clearly they aren't gelling. Thank goodness.

[whotobeakiller]

Tom Pope led the Vale attack once again almost single handedly and had another goal ruled out. being on 99 goals is clearly affecting his confidence in front of goal

 

That is the most ridiculous excuse you could have come out with. Given he has scored 99 goals should actually give him confidence. If he is short of confidence then god help the rest of us

 

Very short memories and a massive lack of faith from many of you on here.

 

Lack of faith in the playing style it just isn't working and not what the average Vale fan wants to see. We have seen better in the 80s 90s era

 

I think if I was looking for an excuse for Pope I would offer constructive criticism. He isn't a real effective leader and the captaincy is a chain around his neck. The sooner he loses it the better then he can concentrate on his main job.

 

Many people whom work in jobs for years and perform well at their jobs would lose their jobs if later they consistently underperform...no different for Pope and other pro footballers.

[Upfromnowhere]

Sounds like (as was always likely) Tom will be leading the line again today, but especially with his 'alleged' influence, what I find the interesting bit could be (particularly if this allegation holds water) is which player(s) will he be 'advising' Askey he wants playing next to him!

 

Go on skipper, take your pick, one (or two) from either, Miller, Whitfield or Harris. If it was about the team I think I will have the first two, but if I am going to continue being the saviour, then sod it, it's only NC, I'll play up front on my own!

 

 

Was only joking!!!

 

Interesting point Old Sage and others have mentioned though about Tom wanting to score his 100th goal so badly it's clearly affecting his confidence, even as a non player I genuinely question that.

 

Whilst I concede, like any forward Tom will go out on the pitch wanting to score in every game, does anyone genuinely feel he is going out on the pitch thinking, right I must score my 100th goal today and when believing that, such a mind set then affects his confidence and ability to do so?

 

In a split second it takes to score a goal, does anyone think he says to himself, "here it is my 100th goal" and by virtue of that flashing through his mind then makes him miss?

 

I would contest of course he doesn't and no it wouldn't. As a professional football, whether he is on nine or ninety nine and whether he scores or not, is surely and invariably down to levels of confidence generally, and his, I do admit, must be seriously affected more by the fact that he is simply not scoring full stop.

I further agree, that this fact must bring added pressure, which then will surely affect confidence further, but more so when clearly he is not as fit as he would like, as mobile as he once was and with age catching up on him, as it does us all, he just can't do what he once could.

 

Like everyone, I pray his 100th goal will come very shortly, but logically, every game that passes when it doesn't, presumably brings him nearer the game when it will, but at what cost to the team?

 

Yesterday, for the umpteenth time this season, Tom was the only forward on the pitch, and that surely is because managers feel, 'for whatever reasons' he is un-droppable, and nothing to do with a "he's on 99 goals so lets help him get it" mindset.

 

The line up was advertised pre kick off as 4-3-3, but to me it was more 4-5-1 or at best, with Conlon invariably being the closest player to him, 4-4-1-1, and playing without any other forwards especially against such feeble opposition, is just as likely, more probable in fact why we didn't score and why Tom is still stuck on 99?

[whotobeakiller]

 

Like everyone, I pray his 100th goal will come very shortly, but logically, every game that passes when it doesn't, presumably brings him nearer the game when it will, but at what cost to the team?

 

 

 

Continue to play Pope ball and we will soon be visiting Telford

 

Don't worry though...he will get his 10Oth goal

[valiant_593]

Tom Pope led the Vale attack once again almost single handedly and had another goal ruled out. being on 99 goals is clearly affecting his confidence in front of goal but he will score and when he does hopefully sooner than later he will be our saviour up front once again.

I noticed that Hilton at Luton has gone 16 games without a goal before yesterday but his manager has kept faith in him.

Very short memories and a massive lack of faith from many of you on here.

 

By the way Notts do have several players with excellent pedigrees but clearly they aren't gelling. Thank goodness.

 

That’s no excuse for costing us a fair few points over the last few games! It’s time for a change before it’s too late. For his own sake let him have a rest and come on as an impact sub and give someone else a chance. There is no way that Harris / miller would have missed all the chances he’s missed over the last 4/5 matches.

[bycars rob]

Pope was excellent yesterday but did miss that chance and he is right that when you look at their side it does look good on paper. Encouraging that we bossed them and with support like the team had at Notts we should get safe again.

[Wrex]

That’s no excuse for costing us a fair few points over the last few games! It’s time for a change before it’s too late. For his own sake let him have a rest and come on as an impact sub and give someone else a chance. There is no way that Harris / miller would have missed all the chances he’s missed over the last 4/5 matches.

 

A combined six goals in 71 Football League games Harris and Miller. I think there's every chance they'd have missed those chances.

[valiant_593]

A combined six goals in 71 Football League games Harris and Miller. I think there's every chance they'd have missed those chances.

I think there’s every chance they would have st least scored one of them.

[Upfromnowhere]

A combined six goals in 71 Football League games Harris and Miller. I think there's every chance they'd have missed those chances.

 

I disagree. Harris has started, what four league games for us and yes okay, hasn't scored, but did play half decently. But in accepting that,we have to similarly accept that he and others always play in both the shadow of Tom and what Tom wants, and why?

Because our whole game plan revolves around the skipper. A tactic, that unarguably has rendered us totally impotent in front of goal this season. I would also ask you Wrex, how many has Tom scored in his last 4,8,12 league matches despite playing every minute and have the whole game played to his strengths?

 

Miller has started probably 16/17 games, but like Whitfield when he started matches (and tho guessing, he has probably started what 20 games maybe?) in most of those games, because things weren't working and more because Tom never gets subbed, they were both taken off, and yet both I think have scored four.

 

Not great I grant you, but taking out pens (because if any of the above two of Monty or even Hannant had taken them) chances are they would be joint top goalscorers, I think, albeit on a guess, that both would have a better goals for minutes ratio than Tom who must have started and finished 38/39 games, something like that?

On reflection, the same minutes per goal ration could even be applied to Monty who has five I think!

 

Also remember, that when Whitfield and Miller were starting (and to a lesser degree Harris) lets be honest, we were creating next to nothing, and as a consequence, unlike the last few matches where we have missed numerous and some glorious opportunities to win the points, then 'few' sitters, 'few' real chances were missed, certainly not that I can remember.

 

All three of the above are small players, which rather suggests that to get the best out of them they need to get the ball not only in the right areas, but to feet or to run on to, but that rarely happened, and that's my season long issue. Even with them in the side we still continued to pump the ball up to the skipper, negating the strengths of anyone else, and game after game it doesn't - hasn't worked. People say we have to find a partner for Tom, yet all season, and I ask now, if it is a coincidence that the only common denominator in these failed partnerships has been........................?

 

In fairness, yesterday was the first time time we got a lot of balls into the middle from out wide, yet it still didn't work, so what do we do now?

 

We are three positions off the conference, a league in which Miller is the all time record scorer I believe, but if, God forbid we do get relegated, and were to continue with the same sort of tactics, am guessing even Miller would struggle to get into double figures!

 

Of course I have no idea if bringing them in would work, but will argue 'til the cows come home, that what we have been doing all season, and to a large degree still doing now, most certainly hasn't worked, so what have we got to lose?

The longer the game went on yesterday, the more obvious it was watching, that it was crying out for a player(s) to come on who could provide something different, something extra for NC to contend with, but it didn't happen and therein lies the problem about relying as we do, on one man.

[onestepatatime]

Upfromnowhere, your post numbered 28 says exactly what more and more Valiants believe is the correct position regarding talisman of old, Tom.

 

At games recently there have been a considerable growing number of fans expressing concerns over the set up, Tom's value and the obvious tactic of hoof ball. Even hardened fans who have adored what Tom has given to this Club are , quite rightly now wanting a different approach to squads. It is evident, even to those who have been quiet and reticent in criticism of Tom, that we have to devise a mixed set up and pattern of play throughout a season. Every Division 2 Club has now sussed Tom out and it's embarrassing to see the demise of one of our great scorers. It's not all his fault, but every manager we have seems to put Tom's name on a sheet and then works out 10 others.

 

We are perilously close to oblivion now and some will argue it's not the right time for change. When is? It could be too late if we don't attempt occasionally to have a team without Tom from the kick off. Believe it or not most Leagur teams now attempt to play without a recognised centre forward EACH and EVERY GAME!!

 

We need goals to survive, and playing the way we do has NOT worked now for the past 3 seasons. Grow a pair Askey and ensure we at least give it a go.

[WalterJ]

Upfromnowhere, your post numbered 28 says exactly what more and more Valiants believe is the correct position regarding talisman of old, Tom.

 

At games recently there have been a considerable growing number of fans expressing concerns over the set up, Tom's value and the obvious tactic of hoof ball. Even hardened fans who have adored what Tom has given to this Club are , quite rightly now wanting a different approach to squads. It is evident, even to those who have been quiet and reticent in criticism of Tom, that we have to devise a mixed set up and pattern of play throughout a season. Every Division 2 Club has now sussed Tom out and it's embarrassing to see the demise of one of our great scorers. It's not all his fault, but every manager we have seems to put Tom's name on a sheet and then works out 10 others.

 

We are perilously close to oblivion now and some will argue it's not the right time for change. When is? It could be too late if we don't attempt occasionally to have a team without Tom from the kick off. Believe it or not most Leagur teams now attempt to play without a recognised centre forward EACH and EVERY GAME!!

 

We need goals to survive, and playing the way we do has NOT worked now for the past 3 seasons. Grow a pair Askey and ensure we at least give it a go.

 

Agree totally