Championship Ready.

[Bycarsbill]

11 hours ago, Guitar Ray said:

You could argue having one less central defender in a 4 means that the 2 have to be better defenders to compensate.  It’s not straightforward, formations should be fluid and usually are.  You could play 4 at the back and the fullbacks sit in or alternatively constantly try to overlap beyond the wingers/wide midfielders.  Often the numbers mean little, 532 could be 5212, 5221, 541, 3223, 3412, 343 etc. etc. during the game depending on the opposition and how the game is panning out.  If we’re on top in a game we won’t have a bank of 5 lined up at the back all game that’s for sure.

Regarding Hall, he was dropped for Jones who came in and did well until he got injured at Shrews and I think most were happy with Jones apart from the odd silly pass.  Whatever Hall offered last season he wasn’t showing consistently this and unfortunately we didn’t get chance to see if he’d significantly improve with more games at this level.  Both players were preferable to Donnelly, if only because of their greater experience.

I was disappointed when Hall went, as I too thought he definitely added something to our back line.  However, I don't think we had much choice in the matter as it appeared to be a case of him being unsettled domestically and wanting out for that reason.

[JoeB2]

I'm not a fan of little aphorisms - they rarely go well and are used against us. Want. Need. Expect. 'Championship Ready' over-simplified the very difficult process of building the club's revenue streams to the point where we could compete in the top 6 of this division whilst simultaneously not getting relegated.

However, I think 'Championship Ready' can be re-used in a broader sense to communicate to the fans that, in order to increase revenue over the next 5 years, the playing budget is going to be fairly tight and we may have some fairly unexciting seasons to come.

If a 5 year plan is laid out, demonstrating what revenue streams need to be built up, what infrastructure work is needed, what level the fanbase needs to be at etc., with the accompanying understanding that we're going to have to be crafty on the playing budget, then most will be fairly happy. Vale fans put up with Bratt, Smurthwaite, Ryder, and 2 administrations.

I think what went wrong in January was that the club decided to cut back but didn't really explain why, and all the fans saw (understandably) was the blowing up of a fairly promising and exciting season at the same time the assistant manager talks of going back to back.

A 'Port Vale 2030' campaign (in coordination with the SC to assist fundraising) which outlines the wider goals at the club, including the work done to the ground, pitch, training facilities, the 'campus' idea, the hospitality, and revenue streams will give the mid-table seasons and the cheaper signings a purpose and a common goal to work towards as a club, including the fanbase.

Some work, for example, needs to be done on the atmosphere at VP. I know the Hamil switch is happening but it's not the silver bullet some are picturing - it's still the same people sat in the same stadium watching similar football. Lincoln fans have made a massive effort of boosting the atmosphere at Sincil Bank and now have one of the best home records in the league.

Take the fans on the journey, imo, instead of some daft 3 word platitude. There needs to be more engagement as to where we're going.

 

[TJHValiant]

On 12/04/2023 at 21:45, JoeB2 said:

The team that started the playoff final is miles better than our best 11 from this season. 

Hard to say. I mean I think the standard is actually much higher. I mean bad a Massey has been, I still find it hard to imagine Ojo and Massey in league 2 doing worse for example. 

[vale victory]

I can’t agree that we were lucky at Wembley
easiest game of the season

I do agree with the boring football tag though this season has been difficult to watch

[smithie]

2 hours ago, JoeB2 said:

I'm not a fan of little aphorisms - they rarely go well and are used against us. Want. Need. Expect. 'Championship Ready' over-simplified the very difficult process of building the club's revenue streams to the point where we could compete in the top 6 of this division whilst simultaneously not getting relegated.

However, I think 'Championship Ready' can be re-used in a broader sense to communicate to the fans that, in order to increase revenue over the next 5 years, the playing budget is going to be fairly tight and we may have some fairly unexciting seasons to come.

If a 5 year plan is laid out, demonstrating what revenue streams need to be built up, what infrastructure work is needed, what level the fanbase needs to be at etc., with the accompanying understanding that we're going to have to be crafty on the playing budget, then most will be fairly happy. Vale fans put up with Bratt, Smurthwaite, Ryder, and 2 administrations.

I think what went wrong in January was that the club decided to cut back but didn't really explain why, and all the fans saw (understandably) was the blowing up of a fairly promising and exciting season at the same time the assistant manager talks of going back to back.

A 'Port Vale 2030' campaign (in coordination with the SC to assist fundraising) which outlines the wider goals at the club, including the work done to the ground, pitch, training facilities, the 'campus' idea, the hospitality, and revenue streams will give the mid-table seasons and the cheaper signings a purpose and a common goal to work towards as a club, including the fanbase.

Some work, for example, needs to be done on the atmosphere at VP. I know the Hamil switch is happening but it's not the silver bullet some are picturing - it's still the same people sat in the same stadium watching similar football. Lincoln fans have made a massive effort of boosting the atmosphere at Sincil Bank and now have one of the best home records in the league.

Take the fans on the journey, imo, instead of some daft 3 word platitude. There needs to be more engagement as to where we're going.

 

It's a sad state of affairs if the assistant manager has to be so careful with what he says, for fear of it becoming a stick with which to beat him a few weeks later. I suspect his words were more of a challenge to the players, to encourage them to make the best of the rest of the season.

Not for the first time, Vale staff are damned if they speak and damned if they don't!

 

[Fosse69]

10 minutes ago, smithie said:

It's a sad state of affairs if the assistant manager has to be so careful with what he says, for fear of it becoming a stick with which to beat him a few weeks later. I suspect his words were more of a challenge to the players, to encourage them to make the best of the rest of the season.

Not for the first time, Vale staff are damned if they speak and damned if they don't!

 

Based on the earlier months of the season and with a couple of good away wins, it seemed reasonable to be edging close to the top 6 not the bottom 4. It would have been strange for AC not to take that attitude.