January transfer window

[vale@rocks]

5 hours ago, Paul6754 said:

As much as I'd love to see Jake Taylor back at Vale I can't see it happening especially with JA/DK gone.

The way things stand if we dont get our skates on we may end up signing absolutely no one if we remain without a new permanent manager with purpose and the keys to the clubs coffers.

[jeffers]

Jordan Archer signed for Middlesborough

sorry different Jordan Archer 😷

[TylerB]

11 hours ago, Paul6754 said:

Tom Pope going to a team below us with Vale in the current situation would be sheer madness. His performance in the 2nd half vs Mansfield is testimony to what he can do and what he brings to the team even though he didn't score.

As much as I'd love to see Jake Taylor back at Vale I can't see it happening especially with JA/DK gone.

He's still our best forward by far.

[philmpv]

On what basis? It's certainly not goals, nor assists, nor contribution to the games. Intrigued.....

He's still our best forward by far.

[TylerB]

17 minutes ago, philmpv said:

On what basis? It's certainly not goals, nor assists, nor contribution to the games. Intrigued.....

On the basis that Cullen isn't good enough to play up top on his own and that Rodney is still a raw prospect. Robinson is Robinson. 

Give Pope decent service and he'll score goals this season and beyond. That's not to say he should be starting every week ideally, far from it.

[Andyregs]

On 04/01/2021 at 15:32, Fosse69 said:

Scunthorpe interested in Pope? Would we consider it?

I said a bit ago that this was on the cards in the summer. Askey would have let him go. I would think it depends on who we get in to replace askey and whether they are will to offer at least 18 months. 

[MBE]

Interesting to see Luke Norris has signed for Stevenage. A player who I thought would have been just the type we needed to replace Pope playing in JA's system. Not prolific but a good mobile presence.

[Sam Kelly's Left Boot]

Offloading Pope would be madness.

[Sam Kelly's Left Boot]

2 hours ago, TylerB said:

He's still our best forward by far.

100%

[TheSage]

Stevenage have done ok lately. The two they've signed makes them stronger until the end of the season and is something we need to consider as a matter of urgency. The trouble is with no manager in place we are in no position yet to sign the players he may rate and want.

[Rampant Zebra]

We are going to find it hard to recruit good new players when it has become obvious that the club is unsettled, we will only get the desperate ones which no-one else wants. 

[Joe B]

Players to build the squad around moving forward:

Smith, Gibbons, Montano, Conlon, Rodney, Worrall.

Players which I wouldn't mind sticking around, but largely as squad players/last year veterans:

Amoo, Hurst, Brown, Burgess, Brisley, Joyce

The rest can probably go, in my view. Switch the recruitment strategy to identify 2-3 young 'gambles' per year from Category 1 academies. Widen the scouting net and get some form of data analytics service signed up. Forest Green have just flogged some lad for big stacks whose previous experience had been on loan at Harrogate. The talent, and potential reward, is out there, if you're willing to do the leg work and be patient.

[Joe B]

Oh, also; a genuine number 10, please. A player who's primary job is to receive between lines, turn, and create. 

Our reliance on the flanks is getting tedious. Myrie Williams and Vincent thrived largely due to the movement and aggression of Pope, but also because Dodds was able to link things in the final third and drag defenders around. 

Bar McKirdy/Manny (on his way/injured), we don't have a proper creative midfielder. Jake Taylor got goals but I would not consider him a creator.

[PV1973]

Take Gibbo, Monty and an out of form Clark  out of the side then it’s no wonder our one main way of attacking died a death this season. 

[Bald Eagle]

2 hours ago, philmpv said:

On what basis? It's certainly not goals, nor assists, nor contribution to the games. Intrigued.....

As you know Phil this line will still be trotted out by some in 10 years time.

if we just get the service right......more than a head on a stick.......we all know what he can do......

He is certainly not the 2013 version, and indeed a pale version of the 2017 version who saved us from relegation.

struggled to score last season when we were doing well, and negligible contribution this season. Every rare goal results in the entire back catalogue being trotted out as ‘evidence’ that he’s still got it.

Devante has scored more and created more, but don’t let’s the stats get in the way of misplaced sentiment eh!

We are bemoaning the lack of goals on one hand, but a hardened band are happy with a No9 who rarely looks like scoring, and is dominated by younger / fitter centre halves.

still, let’s keep the faith!