Match Thread: Morecambe v Port Vale

[Howjy04]

We started playing when the subs were made.The ball was passed around and we nearly nicked a point.Until then we were garbage.Pope can’t play 2 games in the space of 4 days.Hopefully that will now sink in.

[Rampant Zebra]

But what is the alternative to Pope, no-one else apart from Taylor scores consistently.

[sunny boslem]

Looking back prob not a good decision to play the same team as Saturday 

2nd half we deserved a point in my eyes there were no better but the damage was already done 

[Howjy04]

6 minutes ago, Rampant Zebra said:

But what is the alternative to Pope, no-one else apart from Taylor scores consistently.

Pope has scored in 3 league games?Any money that was being allocated towards signing Taylor should now be used to buy a striker.

[Woakesy]

7 hours ago, Jacko51 said:

Well I’ve seen a freeze frame of the moment the ball was played and he is offside. It may have looked offside because it was!

I’ve just watched the highlights & it was 100% onside. 

 When the ball is played, both their players are clearly on the penalty box line. 

Oh & the Joyce one later in the game was offside. He tried to step onside but wasn’t quick enough.

 Thought the liner had a really good game.

 

[PV1973]

In the end we arguably had enough chances in that second half to nick something, but we’d given ourselves a big uphill battle going 2 down. They adapted to the conditions a lot better than us, first half we were playing into the wind and instead of launching it we tried to keep it on the deck. But a lack of movement  and options for players on the ball meant that possession was meaningless. We keep doing the same things that weren’t working at all and it was frustrating to watch. I think I said I’m another thread than Conlon does the same job as Joyce and last night it was evident especially first half that IMO when they play together we become too predictable. It wasn’t too bad when we went for it but when it’s 4-3-3 you end up with 2 players sitting deeper trying to dictate play. Second half we were better, I thought Conlons chance before we actually scored was a good one that maybe he could have done better with. The decision to bring Pope off was the right one and I thought Cullen did well. But when you want someone to come on and inject some urgency and to rattle their centre halves then Bennett isn’t your man, again he was too easily beaten in the air and when he received it with his back to goal. I liked Morecambes Bennet song by the way.  Amoo was similar at times, didn’t look like he wanted to get at his man and spent a lot of time looking for fouls. He also gave Gibbons very little in the way of forward options.  Worrall had another quiet game, and maybe the fact he’s had 2 quiet games is a factor in us not firing on all cylinders? Monty was hot and cold, he’s too rash and gives away too many free kicks at times and also has a tendency to get too tight and is then rolled easily, if he’s to continues at left back then he needs to learn that side of the game. Legge had a poor first half, getting on the ball is not his game and we should have down something differently first half because that played in to Morecambes hands. Smith had another steady game and kept on battling. But my MOM was Gibbo, defended well, kept going down that right hand side, scored a fantastic goal and looked like he wanted to be there too, like it meant something. It’s a pity that our fringe players aren’t doing enough to force their way in because I think that we need to freshen it up a touch and some possibly players need a rocket up their arse to go out and do it more.

[Santa]

I can't really put two soft goals in the first ten minutes down to tiredness.

We turned up, ponced about on the ball for about 70 minutes and got what we deserved.

We can't keep playing the 'it's better than last season' / 'at least we've still got a club' card every time we turn in a poor performance. 

[valefan16]

I thought maybe tiredness then we vastly improve last thirty! 

Not sure what the answer is, we crush the top sides consistently but equally are poor against the dross of the division. We looked half arsed last night... is it attitude? Conditions?

Its a huge missed opportunity, maybe we need to try two up front when playing the poor sides and go horses for courses more? Weaker sides just slap two centre halves on Pope and we have no outlet then, whereas with another striker you occupy one of the two and have someone to pick up the loose balls.

I have generally been proud of their efforts this season but last night I was furious watching that... if its a one off and we beat Orient I guess we can move on from it but needs to be better as after Orient we have a horrific run of fixtures on paper (all be it games we've tended to do well in)

Swindon A

Exeter H

Salford H (they are going to be a different animal by then)

Northampton A

FGR A

Colchester H

Tough old run that.

[Boslem's Brazil]

10 hours ago, SuperHuman said:

There’s been too much reliance on the same starting 11 because the squad overall is lacking in depth. Sometimes it needs freshening up and Askey is reluctant to do so.

In my opinion our attacking options are very limited and we don’t score enough goals or create nearly enough. Pope is past his best days and is just too immobile these days. Yes, there is no one better at attacking crosses, but bar Man City, how many times a game are we giving him the opportunity to get on the end of a decent cross? It isn’t working with him up top. However, the problem is that our alternative options are also not working. Bennett looks way off it recently and can’t hold the ball up to save his life. He is more mobile though so is it worth giving him another go? As for Cullen, I do think there’s something about him but he won’t get enough opportunities under Askey. Again, should he be having his chance now?

Now onto the wide men... Worrall is clearly one of our better players and is having a great season, though I do think his lack of pace lets him down at times. As for Amoo, on his day he can look a very decent winger at this level but he just doesn’t look interested. Half the time he goes missing and doesn’t have the confidence to attack the full back with purpose. However, Askey can only persist with these two on bad days because we have no wide player to come on and change the game or add something different.

Its hard to be critical as we are playing a lot better football this season in comparison to previous seasons. It’s just frustrating as a win tonight would put us in a very good position. I hope the season just doesn’t fall flat and peter out now.

 

Pretty much sums up my thoughts. I think we all know we haven’t got the firepower required and collectively as a team we aren’t good enough on the ball.

However, as frustrating as it is, the project will take time. When we get to the level required to gain promotion from this league, there will be few players left from the team that played last night.
 
In the short term, Askey does need to freshen it up in this window, starting with a striker and a winger. He acknowledged that in his interview, so let’s see what the next few weeks bring.

Its games like these that make the good times sweeter. Keep the faith. UTV. 

[valefan16]

The squad lacks depth to a degree but he could freshen up one or two players... could have rested Amoo at some point for Browne or Atkinson could of played to rest Burgess or something over this spell of games... would Browne have been worse than Amoo? or Bennett worse than Pope last night? Morecambe had a few fresh faces in and looked far more energetic.

[darren1810]

Surprised to wake up this morning and not see a list of maybe 5 Morecambe players who we should sign !! 

[SFBT]

I reckon they're a very tired bunch of players after a very intense few weeks and a run of away games.
I have no doubt that the excitement, intensity and physical efforts of the cup game will have been very draining and it's probably cost us a few points in the league.
There are also two Tuesday games in the next four weeks, so not much respite.
Staying with the same eleven will also have cost, exposing lack of squad depth and fitness of fringe players.
Fundamentally, we're just not strong enough yet.
So tenth it will be 🙂

[Santa]

Can anyone let me know if the players will still be tired on Saturday so I can plan ahead.

[Bycarsbill]

24 minutes ago, SFBT said:

I reckon they're a very tired bunch of players after a very intense few weeks and a run of away games.
I have no doubt that the excitement, intensity and physical efforts of the cup game will have been very draining and it's probably cost us a few points in the league.
There are also two Tuesday games in the next four weeks, so not much respite.
Staying with the same eleven will also have cost, exposing lack of squad depth and fitness of fringe players.
Fundamentally, we're just not strong enough yet.
So tenth it will be 🙂

A fair summary.  we're a half decent side--the emphasis unfortunately on the 'half' and as you say we will end up around the 10th-12th position by season's end.  There will be of course the usual doom-mongers calling for the manager's head, but we all need to be realistic and remember just how bad things were during the previous two seasons.  Let's enjoy what we've got, ride with the ups & downs and hope that by next season's campaign we really will be promotion contenders.  But I for one, would have snapped your hand off if, at the beginning of the season you had offered me a solid mid-table prediction!

[Santa]

Another thing - did we choose this date for the rearranged fixture or were we forced to accept it?