Retained list

[Guitar Ray]

56 minutes ago, Warren said:

Want a change of formation. 442, 4411, 433. Anything except what we played last season. 

There’s no need to change formation.  We just need to recruit better players, whatever formation is decided upon.  That said we do need to have more flexibility in the squad to allow us to change formations as desired, rather than when forced upon by lack of depth in the squad.  Hopefully we’ll see genuine competition for places in the majority, if not all, positions.

[Sam Kelly's Left Boot]

1 hour ago, Vale 1971 said:

Garrity is a good one I'm glad he has signed .
A worker someone who may not be blessed with natural ability but is work rate alone will have fans respecting his performances .
I for one think he along with Jones and Harrison are the spine of the team just need 8 others now .
UTV

Sent from my SM-A202F using onevalefan mobile app
 

Frightening to think Jones is classed as the spine of the team. Well overrated.

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

14 minutes ago, Sam Kelly's Left Boot said:

Frightening to think Jones is classed as the spine of the team. Well overrated.

Massively bang on.

If he's part of the spine then we're Richard III !

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

2 hours ago, JoeB2 said:

Good.

New GK.

Forrester Smith Big LCB

RWB Ojo Garrity New CM LWB

Harrison ST

Exactly the same team as IMO.

Flitcroft just needs to find 6 new players good enough to start most matches - and with names to match the above initials ! (plus a few more to fill the bench)

[philmpv]

Want a change of formation. 442, 4411, 433. Anything except what we played last season. 

"Players lose you games, not tactics. There's so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes”

Brian Clough

[Warren]

3 hours ago, philmpv said:

"Players lose you games, not tactics. There's so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes”

Brian Clough

I don't agree. Last season we had in the second half of the season a major problem with fit and capable centre halves. Response let's keep playing three of them and weaken midfield. Also weaken left defence where we didn't have a proper left wing back.

It was just suicide, nearly got us relegated and got the manager sacked. Complete idiocy. 

But I guess if the round pegs are found to fit round holes it can work better. 

[JRC]

The problem second half of the season was selling Hall; Garrity, Proctor, Jones, Harrison, Cass (to a lesser extent, as he was not as important as a player last season) and Wilson all being unfit. First half of the season we had enough strength in depth to cover Proctor, Ojo and Pett missing significant game time. Second half of the season showed we just didn't have 18 players capable of playing in league 1. We had one of the smallest league 1 squads (I believe the smallest) ; in itself not a big issue as you can only register 22 (outfield?) players. However the depth just wasn't there whatever formation we played. Morecombe and Accrington had the same problem,  when they got their best 11 players on the pitch both were competitive in the league; which was why both had runs of good results. Sheffield Wednesday had a lot of injuries BUT had the strength in depth to finish 3rd. Plymouth had some injury problems as well, only 3 of their players managed over 30 league starts. Tactics play a part in individual games but they are irrelevant when injuries kick in if players aren't good enough at the level.

[1]

12 hours ago, JoeB2 said:

Good.

New GK.

Forrester Smith Big LCB

RWB Ojo Garrity New CM LWB

Harrison ST

 

Don't balls it up.

I don't think playing Tom Hanks in defence is a good idea, apart from that it looks ok.

[Paul6754]

I'm more concerned about Wozza leaving than Garrity signing. Garrity is just not good enough with the ball at his feet for Lge 1 and it showed last season hence why he played "further forward" as he did in Lge 2  at the start of the season and then  "moved back" in the latter part. 

I like Garrity's attitude, his commitment to Vale, his energy and he gets stuck in but these are the requirements of any (central) midfield player in professional football these days. He's good to have as a squad player, I hope he proves me wrong.

[JRC]

40 minutes ago, Paul6754 said:

I'm more concerned about Wozza leaving than Garrity signing. Garrity is just not good enough with the ball at his feet for Lge 1 and it showed last season hence why he played "further forward" as he did in Lge 2  at the start of the season and then  "moved back" in the latter part. 

I like Garrity's attitude, his commitment to Vale, his energy and he gets stuck in but these are the requirements of any (central) midfield player in professional football these days. He's good to have as a squad player, I hope he proves me wrong.

I agree Garrity isn't a 10 at this level. He did a good job on a front 2 at Burton to be fair but that is a different role. He surprised me with how much he improved in a more conventional midfield 2. He's never going to be Ray Walker but from October onwards his distribution was pretty decent.  He wins headers, tackles well and covers a lot of ground. Not sure which clubs he turned down to stay; although I expect bigger than Barrow.

Worrall is a loss but he's also 33 in 2 weeks. We offered him something,  he turned it down. Fairly likely we offered 12 months and probably told him we were planning to recruit in his position. I'm fairly sure he'd have stayed if we'd offered 2 years. For me the club were right to offer 12 months as there is no guarantees he has 2 years left and he was right to go to secure his family financially.  It's generally easier to recruit on the right side and there are quite a few available as good. Bigger loss is possibly his connection with the fans, professionalism and enthusiasm than his undoubted ability. Big shoes to fill but there are no lifetime marriages only love affairs in football. 

 

[LancyTony]

On 20/05/2023 at 20:03, Warren said:

Ojo spent much of the season in a sick bed...

Ojo was in the matchday squad on 31 occasions, and played in 29 games - so, more than half of our games...which isn't what you've used for your argument!

[LancyTony]

On 25/05/2023 at 16:37, Guppys left peg said:

Garrity is one of them players who you know is good but it’s only when he wasn’t in the team that you realise just how important he is.  From the moment he picked up that injury the teams performances fell off a cliff.

Agree - something his detractors never seemed to consider!

[Warren]

13 minutes ago, LancyTony said:

Oho was in the matchday squad on 31 occasions, and played in 29 games - so, more than half of our games...which isn't what you've used for your argument!

Yes, you're correct. I think he was injured for what seemed several weeks in mid season. But hey that happens. I think my opinion of him and others went down at Accrington. Watching on iplayer I felt he deliberately got sent off there. I'm struggling to step down to his unwise actions got him sent off. So I'm afraid I'm letting my perceptions run a bit ahead of the facts.

[LancyTony]

On 25/05/2023 at 19:32, Sam Kelly's Left Boot said:

Frightening to think Jones is classed as the spine of the team. Well overrated.

ummm...one man can't be the spine of the team! 😂

[LancyTony]

23 hours ago, Warren said:

I don't agree. Last season we had in the second half of the season a major problem with fit and capable centre halves. Response let's keep playing three of them and weaken midfield. Also weaken left defence where we didn't have a proper left wing back.

It was just suicide, nearly got us relegated and got the manager sacked. Complete idiocy. 

But I guess if the round pegs are found to fit round holes it can work better. 

I think I'd trust Cloughie's observations more than yours?