Match Thread: Stevenage v Port Vale

[Santa]

47 minutes ago, Joe B said:

Yeah, bit concerning that Askey thought we 'rallied' in the second half and the players 'responded' after words were said at half time.

Maybe he was hoping everybody had stopped watching and turned over to the Champions League at half time.

If that was us rallying and if "hopefully" we play like that on Saturday, then I'm afraid to say we are bang in trouble.

[PV1973]

What’s more concerning than the points tally is our level of performance, we may be one point better off than this time last season but we are playing nowhere near as well. Think of the good attacking play we were showing last season and look at this seasons games, we arent near those levels. Players don’t look like they’re busting a gut to make runs and find space, we’re not moving it quickly enough in possession, we’re not seeing fullbacks bomb on to get around or inside opposition fullbacks, we’re  not seeing midfielders breaking the lines to get up to our strikers and we’re not pressing enough. It’s predictable, slow and boring and I’m willing to bet that the players stats in terms of ground covered and the intensity of their sprints is not as it should be either. 

[Joe B]

24 minutes ago, Santa said:

Maybe he was hoping everybody had stopped watching and turned over to the Champions League at half time.

If that was us rallying and if "hopefully" we play like that on Saturday, then I'm afraid to say we are bang in trouble.

There didn't seem to be any adjustment. Stevenage nailed us by constricting the middle with a diamond, a fairly basic press, and then launching it to their two mobile strikers who had Smith and Brisley on toast all night.

We didn't adapt at all. Maybe there was a bit of shouting and Football Manager style 'Where's the passion lads?' but we came out, and for 7 minutes did the exact same, before subbing McKirdy for Cullen and going 442. Why not do this at half time? 

This concerned me even more as, in my view, managers lobbing strikers on to the detriment of system is a sign that they're panicking. Our issue isn't finishing chances, it's creating them, and as poor as McKirdy was, he had a better chance of creating something than Cullen did. We went from 4231 to 442 and prayed. Our entire approach is 'get it to the wings, whip it in, see ball get cleared as the forward isn't good in the air'.

We've seen time and time again that teams have figured out the formula for Askey's style of play, and when you're so obstinate in your approach, you run the risk that sides who now employ a team of scouts/data analysts/video scouts will figure you out with nearly 2 years of film/data to analyse. And we simply don't have the individual qualities to overcome this.

[geoff1]

what pathetic comments from our defunct manager! "we didnt look up for it" mr askey, its your job to make them up for it. the first half smith looked as if he was on walkabout, mckirdy not on this planet, burgess none existent, robinson useless and on and on. clarke had no  impetous going forward. the i follow camera angles were pretty crap but i didnt see the vale management shouting, reorganising or even moving! the diamond formation is the way to beat vale , he hasnt a clue how to deal with it (its no use asking the players they seemed in a world of their owm for half the match. But beside that they were at least on time for the bus!🥵

[sheffieldclayhead]

Simply not good enough whether that is down to the management, players or both (more likely).  Do your job, your getting paid for the club and fans have backed you to perform well above this level of performance in these very hard times. No excuses now  buck up and start winning games.

[jimbo57]

If we lose on Saturday there must be changes at the top. It's a shame after last season  but it must be done.

Whether he's lost the dressing room or what, there is a huge problem at the club and it must be corrected.

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

10 hours ago, Santa said:

Whether or not we write the season off.

I suppose it all depends what the club's hierarchy wants/needs/expects

That's it......we can't get rid of Askey as his motto is literally on every shirt for the season! 😂

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

10 hours ago, toyahw said:

I'm a bit worried he is getting a bit detached from reality.

I thought the same last week when, after the home defeats, he claimed that we'd played well.

He seems to be in the deluded and clueless stage of a manager's typical downward spiral.

The next (and usually final) stage is to make 3, 4, 5 changes to the starting XI each game, in a desperate attempt to find something, anything, that will get a result.

[Walter]

I didnt want to be in the Askey out camp and do hope he can turn it around. But last night was very bad. We didnt look like we had any clue or any plan against a poor side. We were better in the second half, but it was literally impossible to be any worse. We need to hoping for a lot more than that second half performance as it was still far below what we should expect.

Yes we have injuries and suspensions but this was always going to happen. He had a summer to bring in the players to accommodate that. But he hasn't fixed the same concerns we all had last season. Which striker replaces pope? What do we do if Joyce doesnt play? The signings overall haven't been good enough and that's now coming back to bite him.

We move the ball so slowly and the midfield are now pretty much non existent. We look a million miles from a top 7 side and I am losing faith that he can turn it around. If we stick are we just writing this season off? Changing doesn't guarantee success I know but it really isnt working with Askey currently.

[CAVALIER]

55 minutes ago, Walter said:

I didnt want to be in the Askey out camp and do hope he can turn it around. But last night was very bad. We didnt look like we had any clue or any plan against a poor side. We were better in the second half, but it was literally impossible to be any worse. We need to hoping for a lot more than that second half performance as it was still far below what we should expect.

Yes we have injuries and suspensions but this was always going to happen. He had a summer to bring in the players to accommodate that. But he hasn't fixed the same concerns we all had last season. Which striker replaces pope? What do we do if Joyce doesnt play? The signings overall haven't been good enough and that's now coming back to bite him.

We move the ball so slowly and the midfield are now pretty much non existent. We look a million miles from a top 7 side and I am losing faith that he can turn it around. If we stick are we just writing this season off? Changing doesn't guarantee success I know but it really isnt working with Askey currently.

That’s because the players we need haven’t played for Macclesfield. The links to their ex players are embarrassing. Do we have scouts? Do people put the miles in watching players like Rudge did? What do all these coaches do? 

[pete vale]

1 hour ago, The Kalamazoo Kid said:

I thought the same last week when, after the home defeats, he claimed that we'd played well.

He seems to be in the deluded and clueless stage of a manager's typical downward spiral.

The next (and usually final) stage is to make 3, 4, 5 changes to the starting XI each game, in a desperate attempt to find something, anything, that will get a result.

There does seem to be a lot of chopping and changing to be fair.

There should be enough there to challenge in this league.

Brown, Legge, Smith, Worrall, Joyce and Pope good enough for most sides.

No excuses for the negativity, lack of creativity, effort a given to me.

The owners and fans have backed Askey, he has assembled a squad of his own choice.

We don't even look solid anymore, there are issues. who knows what they are?

I'm sure Carol, Kevin and the board will do what's right for the club, they are professional and have invested both a lot of time and money in Port Vale.

It's not good enough, not by a long way. They know that

[Jacob_123]

That’s because the players we need haven’t played for Macclesfield. The links to their ex players are embarrassing. Do we have scouts? Do people put the miles in watching players like Rudge did? What do all these coaches do? 

What is peoples issue with the coaches in the academy? Very strange that people keep having digs at it.

[CambridgeDon]

12 hours ago, MBE said:

Paul its about the general play. We are just toothless, lacking creativity or plan b. Team react badly to going a goal down lacking character. We have not scored a goal from an open goal in the last 4 league games. I'm not even going to reference the King Lynn debacle. This is a big reason why some including myself are saying he needs to go.

Shots on target - :

Stevenage  (bottom 2 at the time of playing)- 3

Newport - 3

Scunthorpe - 2 (bottom 2 at the time of playing)

Tranmere - 4

Damning statistics about how we are set-up.

Yes, when you recruit and pack your midfield with players who have so few goals in them, it's no wonder we get so few shots on or off target. Only Amoo, Worrall, Montano and - dare I say it - McKirdy have any serious record of scoring. Something has to change or it will be our undoing.

[TylerB]

 

Only at Port Vale football club can a manager lose 5 games on the trot in the league and also be knocked out of the FA Cup against a none league team and still be in a job. Performances are abysmal, some of the worst there's been in donkeys years which is some achievement when you consider we've had the likes of Glover, Gannon and Aspin.

We have to remember that if Askey is sacked ultimately he loses his job for the time being, and that's unfortunate and not someone you would wish upon anyone. But for the sake of the club and this season not just quickly becoming a write off, something needs to be done now. Not in a few weeks time. 

[Joe B]

The question boils down to this; does Carol feel John Askey is going to get us into the top 7? 

If the answer is no, is she content to abandon any pretence of success this season (despite promising we "aren't doing 8th again"), let it play out, and go again in the summer?

Financial pressures will dictate things. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest the answer to the first question is 'no'.

I'm well and truly bored of being a bad football club, having been that way for the vast majority of my life.