League one relegation watch

[Doha]

Ultimately it would the club's fault for failing to make adequate Jan signings.

Every bugger else managed it. Cambridge have 9 strikers. Just beat Barnsley and Wigan away over 3 days to move clear. Our dysfunctional relationship with strikers failed to be rectified and the ramifications are imminent.

Trying to spin it in summer 23 when we ballsed up that window too with "we'll get goals from midfield instead" was a load of utter <ovf censored> <ovf censored>.

Edited April 2 by Doha

[PV1973]

13 minutes ago, Doha said:

Ultimately it would the club's fault for failing to make adequate Jan signings.

Every bugger else managed it. Cambridge have 9 strikers. Just beat Barnsley and Wigan away over 3 days to move clear. Our dysfunctional relationship with strikers failed to be rectified and the ramifications are imminent.

Trying to spin it in summer 23 when we ballsed up that window too with "we'll get goals from midfield instead" was a load of utter <ovf censored> <ovf censored>.

Players were out there, we just didn’t get them in. Cambridge also went and signed a full back in Gibbo who by the looks of it played left wing back for them this last few games. Another position we needed strengthening in.

[Shropshire_Valiant]

I'm not gutted for the owners if we go down, it's a harsh lesson in how not to run a football club(on the pitch).  The warning signs were there from the 2nd half of last season and weren't heeded and more poor decisions were made.  This coupled with not listening to the supporters until it's too late I don't have too much sympathy, it's 75% at least self inflicted.  Yes they've done a lot of great work at the club on a crumbling infrastructure(off the pitch) but the 2 facets need to run side by side.

I don't blame getting rid of Clarke(that's an unfortunate one where a number of things have conspired against him and the club but sadly at the time I think he had to go, if what I've heard is true). However we then appoint a manager with links to a squad/system that had started to struggle/fail already and coupled with our dum cluck DOF the rest we all know!

As others have said it's the hope that kills you, we still have a chance but like Darren on the previous page I'll be honest I can't wait until it's over and relegation most likely confirmed.

We can do all the conotations to death I'd be surprised if we get above 2 sides, Burton maybe but I think Cheltenham will pip us to it(oh the irony). Otherwise unless there is an almighty collapse and/or point deductions for 1 of Shrewsbury, Cambridge or Reading I think we are roundly buggered!

[Killersrevenge44]

3 minutes ago, Shropshire_Valiant said:

I'm not gutted for the owners if we go down, it's a harsh lesson in how not to run a football club(on the pitch).  The warning signs were there from the 2nd half of last season and weren't heeded and more poor decisions were made.  This coupled with not listening to the supporters until it's too late I don't have too much sympathy, it's 75% at least self inflicted.  Yes they've done a lot of great work at the club on a crumbling infrastructure(off the pitch) but the 2 facets need to run side by side.

I don't blame getting rid of Clarke(that's an unfortunate one where a number of things have conspired against him and the club but sadly at the time I think he had to go, if what I've heard is true). However we then appoint a manager with links to a squad/system that had started to struggle/fail already and coupled with our dum cluck DOF the rest we all know!

As others have said it's the hope that kills you, we still have a chance but like Darren on the previous page I'll be honest I can't wait until it's over and relegation most likely confirmed.

We can do all the conotations to death I'd be surprised if we get above 2 sides, Burton maybe but I think Cheltenham will pip us to it(oh the irony). Otherwise unless there is an almighty collapse and/or point deductions for 1 of Shrewsbury, Cambridge or Reading I think we are roundly buggered!

Come on tell us... What did you hear about Clarke?! 

[Shropshire_Valiant]

2 minutes ago, Killersrevenge44 said:

Come on tell us... What did you hear about Clarke?! 

Why do you need to know? What's done is done. A very sad situation allround and in another time or place he may still have been our manager but it is what it is!  The reason I mentioned it is because I see people blaming the roots of Vale's current plight on sacking him. All I'm saying is I can see why they made the decision, it's what's happened(or hasn't in terms of signings!) since that is more to blame imho.

[matmat]

While technically it's in our own hands in reality I think we are relying on Burton continuing their recent form & probably more importantly Cheltenham not going on a run. If it is going to require 50pts, I don't see us getting there. Cheltnham's next 4 games are massive. Orient (A), Carlisle(H), Bristol R (H), Burton (A). They are all very winnable games, but they are down there for a reason. They have injury issues and a congested fixture list. If they pick up 9pts from those games then I don't see us staying up, but they could just as easily pick up 4 or 5 points and then we have a real chance.

[ValeForever.]

I think the final nail will prove to be the Fleetwood & Shrews home games. 1 point from both games will ultimately come back & kill us. I know there's games left & we're still in with a shot, I just cannot see us getting out of it & I'll be genuinely amazed if we do.

Cheltenham will pick up more points than us.

[Shropshire_Valiant]

1 hour ago, ValeForever. said:

I think the final nail will prove to be the Fleetwood & Shrews home games. 1 point from both games will ultimately come back & kill us. I know there's games left & we're still in with a shot, I just cannot see us getting out of it & I'll be genuinely amazed if we do.

Cheltenham will pick up more points than us.

Agree I've said for a while to lose twice to Shrewsbury and Cheltenham and only get 1 point off Fleetwood we basically deserve to go down. 46 games won't lie as they say.  I know Shrewsbury fans who are surprised they aren't down there with us as they think they are rubbish, you could say their 2 wins over us are what's going to keep them out of any last minute dog fight.

[1]

Another season in L1 with 75% of this squad can only result in a circa 18th finish anyway. Using them to consolidate in mid-table in L2 and then rebrand and rebuild in the 2nd season with all the deadwood chopped wouldn’t be the worst - it’s just a long plan than Moore would have to commit to.

[PV1973]

4 hours ago, Shropshire_Valiant said:

I'm not gutted for the owners if we go down, it's a harsh lesson in how not to run a football club(on the pitch).  The warning signs were there from the 2nd half of last season and weren't heeded and more poor decisions were made.  This coupled with not listening to the supporters until it's too late I don't have too much sympathy, it's 75% at least self inflicted.  Yes they've done a lot of great work at the club on a crumbling infrastructure(off the pitch) but the 2 facets need to run side by side.

Sad but true. They’ve lost sight of what’s important. 

[Coyney Valiant]

Just seen Cheltenhams next 2 fixtures fancy them get 6 points from orient away and Carlisle home taking we won’t get anything at posh as we will be beaten before we have kicked off if we don’t win at Wigan we’re down Thank you Carol 

[JS Valiant]

12 minutes ago, Coyney Valiant said:

Just seen Cheltenhams next 2 fixtures fancy them get 6 points from orient away and Carlisle home taking we won’t get anything at posh as we will be beaten before we have kicked off if we don’t win at Wigan we’re down Thank you Carol 

Carlisle won their Last Away Match 3-1 at Peterborough 

Cheltenham are similar to us, struggle to score goals.

If we win our 3 Home Games, We will stay up.

[Playa Amodores]

18 hours ago, ValeForever. said:

I think the final nail will prove to be the Fleetwood & Shrews home games. 1 point from both games will ultimately come back & kill us. I know there's games left & we're still in with a shot, I just cannot see us getting out of it & I'll be genuinely amazed if we do.

Cheltenham will pick up more points than us.

VF, whist I agree with you I don’t believe we can actually pinpoint the home games Fleetwood & Shrewsbury, we’ve just been absolutely shocking since before Christmas. We could have tried to rescue the season in the January transfer window. As you look at the table we’d have only needed to sign a player/players to have got us an extra 9 points and we’d be safe.

[Tamworth]

21 hours ago, Shropshire_Valiant said:

I'm not gutted for the owners if we go down, it's a harsh lesson in how not to run a football club(on the pitch).  The warning signs were there from the 2nd half of last season and weren't heeded and more poor decisions were made.  This coupled with not listening to the supporters until it's too late I don't have too much sympathy, it's 75% at least self inflicted.  Yes they've done a lot of great work at the club on a crumbling infrastructure(off the pitch) but the 2 facets need to run side by side.

 

What gets me is the issue of not listening to the Supporters. I realise they don't have a footballing background and that their business experience is completely unrelated but people with their obvious ability and intelligence should have been able to identify the vast wealth of knowledge and experience available to tap into from the Supporters. It's a near unique situation not available to other businesses and yet they didn't just ignore it, they sneered at it. That went well didn't it...

Edited April 3 by Tamworth

[valiant steve]

Relegation isn't the end of the world. It's what happens next to rebuild that is important.

The "style of play" that's currently fashionable (playing out from the back) is only any good for teams with technically gifted players throughout the team.

Several of our excellent chances on Saturday came from Northampton trying to play out from the back and our hard-working players closing them down and robbing them of possession. 

We all know that we rarely actually punish teams because we lack quality, but we gift teams marginally better than us with chance after chance after chance when we try and play that way.

I'd like to see a squad capable of playing 442 with wingers, 433 with a high press, 532 with wingbacks and 541 to frustrate opponents (especially away from home) I'll be honest, I don't really understand all theses other formations (3412, etc... and, more worryingly, neither do our players! 😂) 

Most importantly, I'd like to see a manager who can bring his own players in so he has a balanced squad of our own players (NOT loans) and who has the tactical nous to employ these different formations and tactics throughout the season and within games.

The quality and character of the players is vital. They can't continue be be selected off a database of stats. 

It's probably obvious that I think we're heading down this season but, like us all, I'm still hoping and praying for a miracle! 

UTV!