12 hours ago, Guitar Ray said:

Folk are saying this was all on the manager, not true, a huge slice is on the players.  An absolute shameful performance first half, totally outplayed and out worked by a Barrow side who have little to play for except pride.  Fair play to them.  The bare minimum is to run around and compete for the ball, beyond that pass to a teammate. I’d like to know what the excuse is for that chalk and cheese display.  Not one player left the pitch at half time with any credit.  Connor Hall for example, garbage first half, totally different player second, and he wasn’t alone.  All of them found an extra 20% from somewhere, so where was it first half when we were a goal down and strolling around like all we had to do was turn up?

The biggest criticism of Moore would be why not start with your strongest side with a view to having a better start and more chance of scoring first, rather than bringing the better players on when they have less time to impact the game, or, worse still, when we’re chasing the game.

If DM had started the 11 from the beginning that started the 2nd half them I most probably think we would of got a draw or win, that is 100% down to Moore's team selection and nobody else.  Why oh why didnt he play his best 11 from the start in which was arguably our most important game of the season so far ?

12 hours ago, TonyD said:

Moores biggest crime tonight was taking 75 minutes to realise they had deployed 2 players whose only job was to occupy our wingbacks space.  They didn't shuffle over, the stuck to it rigidly and it meant neither Sang nor John could get at them.  75 minutes before he changes the shape to combat that...

I aren't sure how much of his football I can put myself through.

1 minute ago, Nippy Naylor said:

12 hours ago, TonyD said:

Moores biggest crime tonight was taking 75 minutes to realise they had deployed 2 players whose only job was to occupy our wingbacks space.  They didn't shuffle over, the stuck to it rigidly and it meant neither Sang nor John could get at them.  75 minutes before he changes the shape to combat that...

I aren't sure how much of his football I can put myself through.

Expand  

Watching The Vale is more painful 

than having my fillings ballsed up at the dentist 

Edited March 26, 20251 yr by Nippy Naylor

1 hour ago, Walter said:

I'm sure they would love to trade places. But I don't think carlisle and Morecambe are a good yard stick for us. 

With what Moore has I.e. a very capable and large squad, stable and supportive owners, good facilities at the level, his own backroom staff etc. the lottery of playoffs will be an underachievement. I believe this under achievement is a lot down to his decisions and his tactics thought out the course of the season. 

The cards he was handed at the start of the season should result in top 3. Anything else is on him and the way he has played the cards. 

As Zelensky said to Trump, "we are not playing cards". 

I know that I will be outlining the thoughts of many PV fans, but what a frustrating, enigmatic season we are experiencing.  I suspect, if we're honest, most of us at the season's start would have taken 4th place slot with 8 matches to go and, in purely staistical terms, 64 points garnered and the least number of defeats in the division, looks a reasonable place to be. However, as we all know again, our performances in the main throughout, have been unexciting, insipid and uninspired.  We have hobbled through many games while snatching ourselves some unlikely  victories or lucky draws!

Is Darren Moore a good manager? To say not, is somewhat harsh if we take into account our 4th slot. To say yes, is to forgive the turgid, timid and uninspiring football we've had to watch week after week! For me, therefore, the jury's still out.  However, IMO it's just blatantly obvious that he must seriously reconsider his selections/formations for final 8 matches.  We need to throw caution to the winds and aim to win at least 5 or 6 of those games. And even then, we'll have to hope that results in other key fixtures go our way if we are to make the top three.  I dread the thought of the lottery of the play-offs given our recent style of play. Will he set us up to play for extra-time and penalties?  Historical evidence strongly suggests he hasn't got the stomach (or aptitude) for an out & out attack formula.

Sorry to drone on, but I am one BIG FRUSTRATED (as I'm sure are many on here) life-long Vale supporter. Come on DM, prove that you do have what it takes to get us promoted and let's have a really good go at achieving an automatic slot. UTV!

10 minutes ago, Bycarsbill said:

I know that I will be outlining the thoughts of many PV fans, but what a frustrating, enigmatic season we are experiencing.  I suspect, if we're honest, most of us at the season's start would have taken 4th place slot with 8 matches to go and, in purely staistical terms, 64 points garnered and the least number of defeats in the division, looks a reasonable place to be. However, as we all know again, our performances in the main throughout, have been unexciting, insipid and uninspired.  We have hobbled through many games while snatching ourselves some unlikely  victories or lucky draws!

Is Darren Moore a good manager? To say not, is somewhat harsh if we take into account our 4th slot. To say yes, is to forgive the turgid, timid and uninspiring football we've had to watch week after week! For me, therefore, the jury's still out.  However, IMO it's just blatantly obvious that he must seriously reconsider his selections/formations for final 8 matches.  We need to throw caution to the winds and aim to win at least 5 or 6 of those games. And even then, we'll have to hope that results in other key fixtures go our way if we are to make the top three.  I dread the thought of the lottery of the play-offs given our recent style of play. Will he set us up to play for extra-time and penalties?  Historical evidence strongly suggests he hasn't got the stomach (or aptitude) for an out & out attack formula.

Sorry to drone on, but I am one BIG FRUSTRATED (as I'm sure are many on here) life-long Vale supporter. Come on DM, prove that you do have what it takes to get us promoted and let's have a really good go at achieving an automatic slot. UTV!

Well said, I totally agree with your comments.

 

How we miss Headley. 😢. 

Whilst John has done very well indeed you can't escape the fact that he's right footed.

John or Clark RWB fight, Headley nailed on LWB. 

Don't know why I've brought it up really as he's out till August. 

36 minutes ago, Dol Boy said:

As Zelensky said to Trump, "we are not playing cards". 

No we're playing Barrow at home. Play your best team, get at them and win the game. 

For me, the worst first half of football i have seen us play in a while, I think we created one half decent move in the last bit of injury time. - too slow on the ball not enough movement. 

Second half much better with our two most consistent players on the pitch (crosser and Tolaj).

Frustrating night all in all, we have to step it up in these next couple of games else we can start looking at the play offs.

1 hour ago, Bycarsbill said:

I know that I will be outlining the thoughts of many PV fans, but what a frustrating, enigmatic season we are experiencing.  I suspect, if we're honest, most of us at the season's start would have taken 4th place slot with 8 matches to go and, in purely staistical terms, 64 points garnered and the least number of defeats in the division, looks a reasonable place to be. However, as we all know again, our performances in the main throughout, have been unexciting, insipid and uninspired.  We have hobbled through many games while snatching ourselves some unlikely  victories or lucky draws!

Is Darren Moore a good manager? To say not, is somewhat harsh if we take into account our 4th slot. To say yes, is to forgive the turgid, timid and uninspiring football we've had to watch week after week! For me, therefore, the jury's still out.  However, IMO it's just blatantly obvious that he must seriously reconsider his selections/formations for final 8 matches.  We need to throw caution to the winds and aim to win at least 5 or 6 of those games. And even then, we'll have to hope that results in other key fixtures go our way if we are to make the top three.  I dread the thought of the lottery of the play-offs given our recent style of play. Will he set us up to play for extra-time and penalties?  Historical evidence strongly suggests he hasn't got the stomach (or aptitude) for an out & out attack formula.

Sorry to drone on, but I am one BIG FRUSTRATED (as I'm sure are many on here) life-long Vale supporter. Come on DM, prove that you do have what it takes to get us promoted and let's have a really good go at achieving an automatic slot. UTV!

I commer see Darren changing his

rinse wash and repeat policy , mate 

 

1 hour ago, Dol Boy said:

As Zelensky said to Trump, "we are not playing cards". 

Darren is probably more of a chess fan 👍

1 hour ago, PVP said:

If DM had started the 11 from the beginning that started the 2nd half them I most probably think we would of got a draw or win, that is 100% down to Moore's team selection and nobody else.  Why oh why didnt he play his best 11 from the start in which was arguably our most important game of the season so far ?

Totally agree, I know that one game was not season defining as we all do, but psychologically a win would have been so good for the moral of the club/team/supporters alike and would have put us within 3 points of top spot, a clear message to others we mean business. But instead he makes 4 changes and well the less said about the 1st half performance the better. Surely you start with your best 11 then stamp your authority on the game hopefully taking a lead, then make changes when the opposition has been worn out.  That loss was totally down to DM & his team for the starting 11 they put out.

I'm convinced, if we got to the playoffs (which I hope we don't and go up automatically) DM would rest some of his best 11 for the start of the following season  🙂 

3 hours ago, barny61 said:

I would hope DM is man enough to know and admit that he got it massively wrong last night with his starting lineup. I understand what he was trying to do, save his best players energy for the Crewe game, But....... Isn't it DM who always says "we just need to concentrate on winning the next game" so he blows his own theory straight out of the water. 

I think you're clutching at straws but good effort, Barn 

5 minutes ago, Nippy Naylor said:

I think you're clutching at straws but good effort, Barn 

Sadly, yes - he doesn't seem like a Manager who responds to events on the pitch in that way...

13 minutes ago, Nippy Naylor said:

I commer see Darren changing his

rinse wash and repeat policy , mate 

 

Well sticking isn't exactly cutting it is it? So, IMO he'll be daft if he doesn't alter his timid approach!