42 minutes ago, JRC said:

As Ripley stands so far out of his goal its not that different to passing back to a centrehalf.  Generally Ripley's distribution is better than Smith's. It allows you to keep a higher line if the ball comes straight back.

Did Whitfield play as a striker alongside Proctor?

Spot on mate. I was about to make the same point to LS that it gives you the advantage to push higher ip the pitch. 
 

Yes. Proc battled 50/50’s but didn’t do much. It was interesting to see he wasn’t hanging out wide which he did so often for us. Clearly a DC tactic.

Whitfield played and I thought he had a dreadful game. Looked very poor player.

Edited January 23, 20242 yr by MBE

2 hours ago, andy jones said:

Strangely Tony I regularly watch football. In addition to Vale (ST holder) Leek Town (ST holder), Kidsgrove Athletic, Hanley Town and even Abbey Hulton United I do.

All the above enable me to watch a football match without VAR taking the piss out of the spectators who have turned up to watch a football match.

Only at the Vale do I see the player taking the kick off passing it directly back to the goal keeper.

I have no desire to see other aspects of modern football such as deliberate outright cheating by players to 'win' penalties, get opponents sent off by simulating / exaggerating injury. Etc etc

The fact that a player can commit over 200 betting offences and managing to be back playing the game within 8 months instead of being banned 'sine die' from professional football within the jurisdiction of the FA is an indictment of how low the professional game has sunk.

Modern day football is, in many cases, corrupt and a total embarrassment in educating children. It is the antithesis of the definition of what sport used to stand for.

So my friend I do watch football, but at a level where the match is a sporting occasion to entertain and excite by scoring more goals than the opposition. Back passing to the keeper from the kick off followed by passing across the back line, followed by passing back to the keeper again, does nor meet any of the above criteria of a football match. IMHO.

Tell me, Tony, do you actually watch football or just a sad parody of ... the once beautiful game?

 

 

Toney shouldn't have been banned at all in my opinion.

4 minutes ago, johnjeffersfanclub said:

Toney shouldn't have been banned at all in my opinion.

Given the obscene money pumped into football by gambling companies, it does seem the height of hypocrisy to ban a player for betting, doesn't it? 

10 minutes ago, The French Connection said:

Given the obscene money pumped into football by gambling companies, it does seem the height of hypocrisy to ban a player for betting, doesn't it? 

Toney should be banned. The rules are clear and absolute. Otherwise the football authorities would have to police every bet placed by every player to evaluate it's impact on a game and competition. That is clearly impossible. 

It's easy to go bet if a player wishes. Retire from football. Simples. 

The 'investment' by betting companies in advertising related to football does not threaten the integrity of play in games. There is a discussion to be had about overall desirability in the sport. But that doesn't go to integrity of play which is fundamental. 

Edited January 23, 20242 yr by Warren

9 minutes ago, The French Connection said:

Given the obscene money pumped into football by gambling companies, it does seem the height of hypocrisy to ban a player for betting, doesn't it? 

Exactly. The ads are relentless and the sponsorship is appalling. I love betting, but it's just everywhere. The PL have made it synonymous with the sport. Hypocrisy is the word.

Just now, johnjeffersfanclub said:

Exactly. The ads are relentless and the sponsorship is appalling. I love betting, but it's just everywhere. The PL have made it synonymous with the sport. Hypocrisy is the word.

Betting is an addiction equivalent to drinking and smoking. It's important to keep it in it's place. 

10 minutes ago, The French Connection said:

Given the obscene money pumped into football by gambling companies, it does seem the height of hypocrisy to ban a player for betting, doesn't it? 

I think the big bans are for betting on matches a player could influence,  or was playing in. You could argue that is to support the gambling companies.  

I'm sure I read somewhere  that Clark got a limited punishment because he was betting on overseas football. I think it was treated as more of a technical breach; as he probably couldn't influence Real Madrid vs Barcelona. 

I'm doing Dry January. I view the FA'S stance on the Toney case in the same way I view the people trying to convince me to drink when I've driven the pub. 

3 minutes ago, JRC said:

I think the big bans are for betting on matches a player could influence,  or was playing in. You could argue that is to support the gambling companies.  

I'm sure I read somewhere  that Clark got a limited punishment because he was betting on overseas football. I think it was treated as more of a technical breach; as he probably couldn't influence Real Madrid vs Barcelona. 

Maybe Ryan Lowe should start betting on Vale games. He'd get off on the argument that he couldn't influence them!

This gives a good idea about what kind of a midfielder Gore is. It is just clips of him during one game. Apologies if already posted.

7 minutes ago, johnjeffersfanclub said:

Maybe Ryan Lowe should start betting on Vale games. He'd get off on the argument that he couldn't influence them!

The Preston manager ? 

In the short term we could become a conveyor belt of young, talented prospects from the Premiership. Give them plenty of game time in League 1 for then to be recalled back and train with their parent clubs (Blaster) or moved up a league (Devine).

Obviously, we won't do this with every loanee but we must becoming more attractive to Premiership clubs who want to give their decent talented young uns some game time. Benefits us and them.

 

11 minutes ago, Diego Maradona said:

This gives a good idea about what kind of a midfielder Gore is. It is just clips of him during one game. Apologies if already posted.

Oh dear. He passes back and sideways.

Won't please the faithful!

10 minutes ago, Diego Maradona said:

This gives a good idea about what kind of a midfielder Gore is. It is just clips of him during one game. Apologies if already posted.

Very promising. Another thing that struck me watching this clip is how important the improvement to the PV pitch has been. A player like Gore and Blaster etc. want to come, play and develop on a pitch that is credible if not quite equal to a Premier League pitch. 

1 minute ago, SFBT said:

Oh dear. He passes back and sideways.

Won't please the faithful!

He plays the best pass in the situation.