54 minutes ago, werstayinup said:

I cant see where Jones and Grant will fit in now,they are also 2 players that DM hasn't mentioned at all in his interviews when giving updates on players

I don't mind Gran he could do a job for us but Corporal Jones don't get me started that guy is a waste of snapping 🙄 

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by Nippy Naylor

2 hours ago, JoeB2 said:

The maths of it all is making my head hurt.

ST - Stockley, Paton, Tolaj, Dipepa

W/AM - Curtis, Benicio, Edwards, Garrity, Chislett

CM - Byers, Croasdale, Ojo, Lowe

WB/FB - Sang, Hart, Plant, Shorrock, Grant

CB - Hall, Heneghan, Smith, Debrah, Jones

I'm treating Plant and Shorrock as wingback cover as opposed to playing in the wide attacking roles.

Those 9 players competing for what can be, at most, 4 attacking spots is standing out as unsustainable. There's no way you can keep all 9 of them happy. Stockley, Paton, Tolaj, Curtis, Garrity, and Chislett will probably expect to play most games, and Benicio, Dipepa, and Edwards aren't here to sit around without minutes as they could have ended up elsewhere this summer.

I know there's injuries, form, fixture congestion etc but gut instinct is that one of those 9 goes. 

Regardless, there's depth to the squad.

If you do that a different way and look at formations we are likely to play 343, 4231/442 with 2 players in each position I don’t think we are  as overstocked as you suggest bearing in mind 7 subs. Shorrock, Plant and Dipepa will be young squad players who drop in and out of the matchday squads and possibly loaned out which is the level of both currently. 
 

 

I can see Ojo, Grant & Jones moving on pending fitness  and bringing in 1 player to replace them as cheaper squad players plus I think we’ll sign the CB who’s still with us on trial from Huddersfield. I will be surprised to see Chizzy leave without a ridiculous offer.  
 

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by MBE

43 minutes ago, Rockape99 said:

There another school of thought  every squad member we had could stay and play there part . We usually get bus loads of injuries and this squad size might be being prepaired to account for this , unlikely but its a possibility 

Interesting theory, but we should be asking why we are getting all these injuries. We've got great training pitches supposedly good coaches ,so why so many?????😭

1 hour ago, PVFC FAN said:

Controversial opinion but in the games I've seen Lowe play in I don't think he is bad as a back up. He has lots of knowledge he can pass on to younger players to.

Not controversial to me. On tight pitches in L2 he will be fine, he could cover CB and RB, a good professional for the dressing room.
 

Noticeable he was captain last night.

2 minutes ago, geoff1 said:

Interesting theory, but we should be asking why we are getting all these injuries. We've got great training pitches supposedly good coaches ,so why so many?????😭

Well mostly we get fatigue injuries like hamstrings etc , which suggest that either they are being worked to hard , warming up we are not doing it properly or simply we sign players with a history of fatigue injuries. Take willow for instance after he did his ACL when he was at Derby he’s hardly had a good season with out strain .fatigue injury so he’s in sign when predisposed to fatigue injuries. Mitch has had 2 freak injuries. But I believe the bulk are down to playing Saturday/Tuesday /Saturday for extended periods during the season 

4 hours ago, Splodger said:

Welcome to the mighty Vale Diamond 💎...may you be the jewel in the crown that is Port Vale football club 😁.  UTV VTID 

Luv it Splodge - you been reading poetry while youv been away 😁😁

Interesting for me listening to several recent signing interviews is the new players dropping comments in about how long the recruitment process has taken. Why is it taking so long? Did it cost us players last season? Why do vale need to over complicate something. 

8 minutes ago, chickensteve said:

Interesting for me listening to several recent signing interviews is the new players dropping comments in about how long the recruitment process has taken. Why is it taking so long? Did it cost us players last season? Why do vale need to over complicate something. 

As Micky Adams wrote in his book 

There's always a drama at the Vale 

But he also said , He will always 

a soft spot for the Vale 

Micky you'll always be a legend, mate 👍 

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by Nippy Naylor

3 hours ago, MBE said:

If you do that a different way and look at formations we are likely to play 343, 4231/442 with 2 players in each position I don’t think we are  as overstocked as you suggest bearing in mind 7 subs. Shorrock, Plant and Dipepa will be young squad players who drop in and out of the matchday squads and possibly loaned out which is the level of both currently. 
 

 

I can see Ojo, Grant & Jones moving on pending fitness  and bringing in 1 player to replace them as cheaper squad players plus I think we’ll sign the CB who’s still with us on trial from Huddersfield. I will be surprised to see Chizzy leave without a ridiculous offer.  
 

If we go very attack minded at home,  this could be a tasty line up.

                  Ripley

Sang    Heneghan   Hall   Hart

             Byers   Garrity

Edwards     Chislett     Benicio

                   Stockley

11 minutes ago, Boslem's Brazil said:

If we go very attack minded at home,  this could be a tasty line up.

                  Ripley

Sang    Heneghan   Hall   Hart

             Byers   Garrity

Edwards     Chislett     Benicio

                   Stockley

No Paton?  Madness. 

17 minutes ago, Boslem's Brazil said:

If we go very attack minded at home,  this could be a tasty line up.

                  Ripley

Sang    Heneghan   Hall   Hart

             Byers   Garrity

Edwards     Chislett     Benicio

                   Stockley

If Curtis is fit he’s one of the first names on the team sheet for me and would get the nod over Benicio, plus I don’t think Edward’s will be a starter just yet.

18 minutes ago, Jacko51 said:

No Paton?  Madness. 

Fair point, I was just illustrating this at an option with two wingers supplying a big man. 

Is chizzy on his way ?

What a squad of players we have. Christ. I've never seen a better squad. Almost embarrassing. Gotta be winning this league and the next. Some serious coin been spent on this. Thank you Carol and Kevin. Over too you Daz lad.

When was the last time we had this much depth ? 

I imagine a few players will leave. But having a big squad will be needed especially when the winter injuries starting backing up. 

Credit to Carol she's backed the manager a hundred percent and more already. Without jinxing it I can't see how we won't go up with this squad 

 

Edited August 14, 20241 yr by boslemportvale91