Match Thread: Colchester U v Port Vale

[Rampant Zebra]

It would be good if he could get himself back into contention for us, he could be a useful player if he put his mind to it. 

[TheSage]

I think we've got his position covered now. If we kept him who would not get used? We can't play them all. I'd let him go and if he needs replacing look at a strong midfielder or defender. For me we've got enough forwards now. Only XI can play. But on his day he is not without ability and I'm surprised he hasn't yet found a club.

[Iron Curtain]

16 minutes ago, Rampant Zebra said:

It would be good if he could get himself back into contention for us, he could be a useful player if he put his mind to it. 

It’s a mystery isn’t it... I would love him to come back and really make a difference.

however, his stats say he doesn’t make a difference. He scored 4 goals (1 being a penalty) and if you took them away we would have the exact same number of points.

1 was in a 2-0 win, and the rest were all consolidation goals.

We have already seen the stats that he has Zero impact off the bench.

we have already seen the stats that we perform better without him than with him.

3 vale managers and now the Cheltenham manager haven’t rated him a locked in first teamer.

the only people that have rated him are Smurthwaite, and us the fans through hope rather than anything else.

 

[TheSage]

The problem was he got himself into a bit of bother last season and was subsequently transfer listed and told that he could go. Once that happens it's hard to get back in the manager's plans, regardless of his footballing ability, and in the meantime we've brought in Cullen, Browne, Amoo who can all do a similar job, so he's out in the cold.

I hope he finds a club.

[Rampant Zebra]

We should probably have let him go when his agent was messing us around. Shame that he obviously has some ability but, unlike Rawlinson, hasn't shown enough commitment in pre season. Can he afford to tread water and take our money for the season though from a career perspective? 

[Heatwave]

We know Whitfield can do a job, but more often or not he doesn't.  He really needs to think hard about whether a career in football is for him.

[PV1973]

10 hours ago, Tomo said:

Imagine our line up is roughly:

 

Brown
Gibbons
Legge
Smith
Crookes
Conlon
Manny
Worrall
Amoo
Pope

Then either Cullen or Joyce in there depending on formation etc. Looks as though most are pretty confident pointing out 9/10 of our starters, which is a big positive, as we all seem to know our best side before the season has even started this time around. Situation is a lot different from the last 4 seasons.

 

Getting excited now, 48 hour countdown!

It doesn’t take a tactical genius to see we've only got 2 formations at the moment that see either Cullen in there or an extra midfielder instead. 

Maybe Whitfield has burnt his bridges now with Askey, supposedly he came back fit and ready but it seems it was too little too late. It’s a pity because he could probably do a job for us if he applied himself. It must be hard now to get fixed up from here unless he drops down a league maybe?

[gavcradd]

I rate Whitfield highly. His stats don't show much but he's not really been given a run in the team, it's hard to influence much coming off the bench for 10 minutes. He reminds me a lot of McPhee, small and quick with skilful feet. If in some parallel universe I became Vale manager tomorrow, I'd start him alongside Pope for 10 games. However, I'm not, and I have no idea about his attitude or how much money has on - he may lack the attitude and be on a massive wage, in which case I can see why Arthur wants him gone. That must be the case, because I can't see why he would fall behind others based just on footballing ability.  

In Arthur we trust.

[davehartshill]

I’ve always liked Whitfield. Feel he’s wasted out wide and is more of a number 10, playing just behind the striker or just off a big number 9. I hope he stays and shows what he can do because there’s certainly a talented footballer in there somewhere.

 

It seems like he was part of the naughty boys club last season but apparently Gibbons and Rawlinson were too and they’ve managed to get back into Askeys good books so maybe there is hope for Whitfield. 

[valiant_593]

8 hours ago, Iron Curtain said:

It’s a mystery isn’t it... I would love him to come back and really make a difference.

however, his stats say he doesn’t make a difference. He scored 4 goals (1 being a penalty) and if you took them away we would have the exact same number of points.

1 was in a 2-0 win, and the rest were all consolidation goals.

We have already seen the stats that he has Zero impact off the bench.

we have already seen the stats that we perform better without him than with him.

3 vale managers and now the Cheltenham manager haven’t rated him a locked in first teamer.

the only people that have rated him are Smurthwaite, and us the fans through hope rather than anything else.

 

2-1 against chesterfield?

His goal against chesterfield from off the bench certainly wasn’t  a consolation. It kept us in the football league. Aspin certainly rated him. As did a lot of sides who were interested before he stayed with us. I’d give him another go hes got the talent but needs to be way more consistent but surely good enough for a place on the bench

[PV1973]

6 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

Aspin certainly rated him. 

He rated him in that first spell up to the January. But not after that. He wasn’t even Aspins signing last year. 

[Iron Curtain]

8 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

2-1 against chesterfield?

His goal against chesterfield from off the bench certainly wasn’t  a consolation. It kept us in the football league. Aspin certainly rated him. As did a lot of sides who were interested before he stayed with us. I’d give him another go hes got the talent but needs to be way more consistent but surely good enough for a place on the bench

That wasn’t last season.

One game against Luton and 1 points earning goals against Chesterfield... in two seasons.

If Aspin rated him so highly why was he on the bench so much... and we already know he made no impact off it.

I would love him to be a consistent performer in this league... he unfortunately isn’t. 

If we were building a squad that had room for a flare player then Whitfield would be worth a shot. I think he will be successful somewhere that doesn’t require all 11 players to be restrained, consistent, able to run hard for 90 mins and play to certain patterns ... unfortunately that’s what we need and Ben isn’t that player.

 

[Fosse69]

21 minutes ago, Iron Curtain said:

That wasn’t last season.

One game against Luton and 1 points earning goals against Chesterfield... in two seasons.

If Aspin rated him so highly why was he on the bench so much... and we already know he made no impact off it.

I would love him to be a consistent performer in this league... he unfortunately isn’t. 

If we were building a squad that had room for a flare player then Whitfield would be worth a shot. I think he will be successful somewhere that doesn’t require all 11 players to be restrained, consistent, able to run hard for 90 mins and play to certain patterns ... unfortunately that’s what we need and Ben isn’t that player.

 

Pity, but we may never know, something changed in the transfer window after the Luton game. The only sure thing is he will not be playing for the Vale at Colchester..

[valiant_593]

33 minutes ago, Iron Curtain said:

That wasn’t last season.

One game against Luton and 1 points earning goals against Chesterfield... in two seasons.

If Aspin rated him so highly why was he on the bench so much... and we already know he made no impact off it.

I would love him to be a consistent performer in this league... he unfortunately isn’t. 

If we were building a squad that had room for a flare player then Whitfield would be worth a shot. I think he will be successful somewhere that doesn’t require all 11 players to be restrained, consistent, able to run hard for 90 mins and play to certain patterns ... unfortunately that’s what we need and Ben isn’t that player.

 

That’s a shame for me. You always need those kind of players in the squad. 

[Iron Curtain]

41 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

That’s a shame for me. You always need those kind of players in the squad. 

I agree... but by “those types of players” we usually mean doesn’t defend much, bit of a maverick but it’s worth sacrificing the system and hard work as they pull some magic out of the hat on a consistent basis.

Ben unfortunately hasn’t done that enough to warrant a place. He isn’t good enough to be let off the other work required.