Crosby is Out NOW !!!

[Aguar61]

On 10/01/2024 at 09:20, Row L said:

I would by no means suggest that I am Crosbys biggest fan, indeed recently I have decided that I think that he should go. But, he is clearly a good man manager and obviously learning the ropes of full management -  we have seen what this team can do from time to time when he motivates them and gets the tactics right. So, playing devils advocate to the “get him out now” lobby, is there a case that given more time (like we say about several of our younger players) and possibly more experienced tactical support,  we could have a good manager on our hands? Perhaps Carol really is playing the long game with the management, squad and re-building the infrastructure?

Or perhaps she hasn't got a clue but is trusting Flitcroft does have a clue...jury out on that one....

[TJHValiant]

I think the weakest link is Flitcroft. I don’t mind Crosby, I think he is doing better than many with far stronger squads. I do think Flitcroft’s recruitment strategy is completely flawed however. It is clear that this prem loans strategy is something he owns and if it fails, he should walk. 

[Powerline]

34 minutes ago, TJHValiant said:

I think the weakest link is Flitcroft. I don’t mind Crosby, I think he is doing better than many with far stronger squads. I do think Flitcroft’s recruitment strategy is completely flawed however. It is clear that this prem loans strategy is something he owns and if it fails, he should walk. 

Who is Crosby doing better than with many stronger squads? We are 5th from bottom. That’s total rubbish imo.

[darren1810]

40 minutes ago, Powerline said:

Who is Crosby doing better than with many stronger squads? We are 5th from bottom. That’s total rubbish imo.

Spot on. I know Reading deduction is real. But they would be above us.

So we have Cheltenham ( relegation favourites at start of season), Carlisle ( relegation favs at start of season), and Fleetwood ( relegation favs at start of season). They are the teams below us. 

I'd say we are definitely underachieving. 

What worries me more than anything is our start of 5-1-1 gave us 16 points from 7 games.

Since then we have a truly abysmal 14 points from our last 19 games.

Won 3 drew 5 lost 11.

Absolutely shocking form. We are deep in the mire with a squad pushed to its limits with kids on the bench. Then laughably our new star loanee defender isn't match fit.

You can't make it up. 

 

 

[TJHValiant]

48 minutes ago, Powerline said:

Who is Crosby doing better than with many stronger squads? We are 5th from bottom. That’s total rubbish imo.

Well I actually think there are arguably are fair few league 2 clubs with better squads. I would also say Charlton have a squad far far stronger than ours and they have played 3 games more for a mere 1 point better off. Even Reading, despite their owner pulling out, still have a squad of players I’d love at Vale.

Only perhaps Cambridge United, do I look at their squad and think that is weaker than ours, in respect of a club doing better with less.  
 

 

[Walka003]

I don't think there's much point talking about Crosby or Flickers getting the sack. Doesn't seem to matter what they do, they've got the two safest jobs in the EFL.

[MelbourneValiant]

Well, we have won 3 out of the last 19 games, two of those against teams in very poor form. I still feel that we had a lot of luck in the first few games so we were in a false position to start.

If anybody still thinks Crosby is the future, then I applaud your positivity. This current set up would struggle to finish in the top half of League Two. That is being very generous. We are five points worse if than this time last season, so we have some catching up to do just to survive by the skin our teeth. 

Reading have earnt more points than us, Cheltenham will overtake us, I can't see how we will perform better than two other teams outside the bottom two between now and the end of the season. 

[PVFC764]

8 minutes ago, MelbourneValiant said:

Well, we have won 3 out of the last 19 games, two of those against teams in very poor form. I still feel that we had a lot of luck in the first few games so we were in a false position to start.

If anybody still thinks Crosby is the future, then I applaud your positivity. This current set up would struggle to finish in the top half of League Two. That is being very generous. We are five points worse if than this time last season, so we have some catching up to do just to survive by the skin our teeth. 

Reading have earnt more points than us, Cheltenham will overtake us, I can't see how we will perform better than two other teams outside the bottom two between now and the end of the season. 

Quite a few managers have been sacked for less of a bad run this season.  Yet he keeps his place.  Wonder what he has on the board and owners.

Championship - no I mean Div 2 ready here we come - however, we are not even ready for that league and will plumet down it to going out of the league.

Yes injuries have not helped, however, he has lost us points with his subs/team selections and formations.  

Is he actually been told to play that way by Flickers - even though AC knows his players are not capable.  If so - Flickers - you pick the team and see how hard it is.

[valiant_593]

Said if so many times but Crosby and Flitcroft need to go. I can’t believe he’s managed to pull the wool over some peoples eyes with a few loan signings. I’m not buying the rubbish he’s spouting. Out of interest did anyone notice the quality of Pompeys new loan player?  

Our record is utterly shocking. 3 wins in 19 games. Take out the start of the season we would be rock bottom. Somehow I feel we have managed to get worse from last season. The clubs answer….. more loans! Ridiculous and like last season asking to be relegated. I’m more Flitcroft out than Crosby but his record speaks for itself. Lose on Saturday I think chance has to happen and if it Dosent then I genuinely think Carol is trying to make the club league 2 ready. 

[Brian Johnson]

1 hour ago, MelbourneValiant said:

Well, we have won 3 out of the last 19 games, two of those against teams in very poor form. I still feel that we had a lot of luck in the first few games so we were in a false position to start.

 

Is it also something like 5 wins out off 22?

[ValeForever.]

At Xmas I said I'd re-evaluate at the end of January as our fixtures on paper seemed to ease up a little. I expected results to improve in line with the fixture list. I'd had us to be sat comfortably in mid-table by the beginning of Feb. Instead we are 3 points off the drop zone, albeit with a couple of games in hand on most sides around us, which does make things look a little more grim than they could be.

However, despite the games in hand, I have to admit that I am now a little concerned. There's been winnable games in January that we have not won. We've been beaten at Carlisle & we nabbed a point from a really poor Charlton side. Our home form is astonishingly bad. We're not grinding out results & I'm sick of us losing by the odd goal. Our last 7 losses in the league have all been via a 1 x goal margin. We just seem a bit powderpuff.

When you factor in the injuries to key players in Garrity & Ojo & the loss of Alfie & Ollie, we really are in a spot of bother. We're probably 1 or 2 injuries away from almost certain relegation. Imagine if you will that Ripley picks up a knock & Wilson gets another niggle (which we know is likely). We'd be down with games to spare.

I really hope the club can get some quality in over the next 24 hours & that they understand the importance of the situation we now find ourselves in. With a fully fit squad I think we'd be absolutely fine, the injuries to both Ojo & Garrity really do threaten our League 1 future IMO. Both absolutely key to us.

Happy to admit I am worried for the first time this season. We could very easily find ourselves in a really bad place. The squad we have available to us at the moment would struggle to be top 6 in League 2.

[valiant_593]

28 minutes ago, Brian Johnson said:

Is it also something like 5 wins out off 22?

It’s crazy with that form that he has lasted this long. Many vale managers have been sacked for much less. 

[Howjy04]

Welcome to the Fun Palace.🙄

[ollyandpatch]

I pray that we beat Fleetwood and Crosby proves me wrong but my biggest fear is we lose and Saturday becomes a Jim Gannon moment at Accrington !!

We are close on selling out and a defeat may turn the away end very toxic.

 

[Warren]

On 29/01/2024 at 10:42, ollyandpatch said:

I pray that we beat Fleetwood and Crosby proves me wrong but my biggest fear is we lose and Saturday becomes a Jim Gannon moment at Accrington !!

We are close on selling out and a defeat may turn the away end very toxic.

 

Jim Gannon was an off the scale ....... correct number of dots, guess the swearword. Crosby certainly needs a win preferably at Fleetwood. 

Where we are now is with games in hand amongst a tightly packed lower half of L1. Get good results with our games in hand - fine. Carry on losing, especially if the manager is the root cause of the loss with selection and ingame decision making, then surely a change would be needed to bring in experience before crisis is reached. 

The difference an experienced manager can make is illustrated at Tranmere. A few months ago in the bottom 2 of L2. Manager sacked. Nigel Adkins, who was DofF, now has them up at 17th, 15 points above Sutton who are second bottom in a relegation place. He failed at Charlton Athletic before, so no one however experienced is infallible. There is always risk with stick or change.