17 minutes ago, MBE said:

Carlisle has been a disaster really. I remember looking at the transfer activity in L1 and thinking they were preparing a squad to be ultra competitive in L2. I think they underestimated the difficulty in changing a losing mentality in a squad  and made a huge mistake in managerial appointments. 

Doesn't help that each window they sign about 10-12 players and overhaul, did it last January in L1, then in the summer and then again this Winter. Similar to us with the Bruno then Brown season when we kept overhauling every window (just with more money)

10 hours ago, valiant_593 said:

He did. But based off this season do you think he’s a league 1 starting keeper? He’s fine for this level but remember he was signed as a back up league 2 keeper. He’s not a starting keeper for league 1 and I’m certain Moore will sign someone if we go up 

Of the two keepers we've had this season, he has been the better one.

2 hours ago, Jacko51 said:

Of the two keepers we've had this season, he has been the better one.

I assumed he was signed as competition for Ripley, now aged 35 his first season in L2, couple of more seasons left. A year left on his contract, confidence is all for a goalkeeper.

We all love to speculate about comings and goings although I agree with a previous post that it would be more respectful to the current squad to hold on a few weeks until they have got us over the line. Having said that I am sure many players hopefully don’t read much of our gossip anyway. Knowing fans of many clubs as I am sure we all do, there isn’t a club in the world that doesn’t want better players and there even can’t be many top class players exempt from criticism and comments about not being good enough for their club. 
Success in most leagues comes from a balance of players performing well, which doesn’t always mean superstars (look at Liverpool for example whose fans wouldn’t put the likes of Gravenberch in their best ever squad but he does a job). So what we need is that successful blend of players who work together and a combination of a solid defence that make less errors than peer clubs in the league we are in, midfielders who most often control the middle of the park and strikers who take more chances than they miss.We are not far off that for league two, clearly needs another gear for any higher league. My personal wish is a player or two who can run at defenders, carry the ball rather than over pass which at this level can come undone and possession lost. Myrie Williams did that for a season as an example. I think it is not just bad referee decisions costing us penalty opportunities but the fact we rarely seem to have players running into the box. Let’s celebrate promotion with a good current squad and build on it with a few players to add that dynamic and a few more adapted to league one if all goes to plan. Darren Moore will hopefully be able to attract a calibre higher so looking forward to the next window but keeping our feet on the ground and closing out a title opportunity should be the main focus for us all today.

 

Love the transfer speculation thread, even more so when it’s during a good season (few and far between I know). But not everyone will be happy with every transfer we do, that’s just how it is. Take a look back at the debate in these pages, offering Mitch Clark a deal for example jumps out at me. I know most fans seem to think that every player should be like Nathan smith - always available and hitting 50 appearances a season, thats not realistic for everyone when you  factor in rotation, injury and suspension. Given all that I think players should be hitting 30+ appearances a season. Mitch hasn’t hit that in each of his 2 seasons back with us. I know I’m contradicting myself  in saying this, but if he was rotated with John for example (or even another player we bring in) at full back or wing back it may be worth offering him a deal. You could argue he’s been unlucky, but we know what he can offer and clubs also know what these players (even with a bit of injury record) can still bring when used wisely with other players. After all that’s why these players keep getting deal and why we have such large squads these days. 

Edited April 12, 20251 yr by PV1973

At times it’s difficult to speculate who will be good enough in a higher division, especially when they haven’t played there before. Take Conlon as an example, player of the season the year we last went up, then struggled in a higher division. 

Edited April 12, 20251 yr by philpvfc

Love how people believe that this website is gospel 

Oh I don't...just like to drop things in that are out there... [emoji6]

6 hours ago, philpvfc said:

At times it’s difficult to speculate who will be good enough in a higher division, especially when they haven’t played there before. Take Conlon as an example, player of the season the year we last went up, then struggled in a higher division. 

He did, although he also had some awful injuries.  I think everyone in our squad has some experience of playing in League 1. With some of the younger players it's have they progressed enough to be better prepared next time. Debrah, Shorrock and Walters are far better players than 12 months ago. Some is down to confidence,  some progress. 

Our best 12 players fit all season and I don't think we'd have gone down. Crosby then Moore didn't choose to play Plant, Walters, Lomax, Dipepa and Shorrock so often, it was forced by necessity.  I'm also pretty sure that when they played he also would have liked to manage their minutes on the pitch. A couple of them did pick up injuries late in games. Moore has had the luxury of not having to play his young players Saturday, Tuesday. They come off at 60 minutes because he can bring on Byers and Hart. He's also been able to send Plant and Lomax out on extended loans to build experience which we couldn't do last season.  Of course we need some better players and I'd imagine there will be 4 or 5 new faces. But Amos, Heneghan,  Byers, Stockley, Clark and Headley are all experienced at that level. Garrity is fine, Smith struggled at times last year but did well in his other 2 seasons in league 1; if he stays. Personally I think Tolaj and John will do well. It's a far more solid core than we've had at league 1 level for a long long time. It will be interesting to see what positions he strengthens. Provided Mitch stays I think he'll stick at wingback. For sure a keeper, at least one centrehalf and a forward.  

I would certainly be looking at maybe trying to get a loan deal with Crystal Palace for Imray .... he would be cracking in this team imo

A strong core is the key, a strong end of season to prove we are well above the rest of the league. 3 better players, and hopefully keep hold of Tolaj. Wheeler deal as necessary, move players on and take on useful loan players for sub duties. 

Just got home. <ovf censored> journey but still absolutely elated. 

Sweet dreams Valiants. Goals on EFL in the morning 👍

14 hours ago, werstayinup said:

I would certainly be looking at maybe trying to get a loan deal with Crystal Palace for Imray .... he would be cracking in this team imo

He didn’t track Shorrock for our first goal. Lazy git!

Can we give tolaj the keys to vale park. I think he deserves it. I never want him to leave. I just pray hes still here next season stuff the money wed make on him i prefer to have the swiss king than any amount of money. If gibbs white is worth a 100m tolaj is worth 20

1 minute ago, Vale1995 said:

Can we give tolaj the keys to vale park. I think he deserves it. I never want him to leave. I just pray hes still here next season stuff the money wed make on him i prefer to have the swiss king than any amount of money. If gibbs white is worth a 100m tolaj is worth 20

He won’t be going anywhere this summer. I’m sure the lad has ambition and hes only 23. Will be interesting to see how he gets on in L1 next season where the standard of defender is better than what he’s up against at the moment. 

3 minutes ago, Jgpvfc said:

He won’t be going anywhere this summer. I’m sure the lad has ambition and hes only 23. Will be interesting to see how he gets on in L1 next season where the standard of defender is better than what he’s up against at the moment. 

The lads mustard mate for me hes only going to get better and better . The complete striker . For me going vale for the last 24 years or so. Ive always been envious of clubs when they have a player like tolaj and you watch them be levels above anyone else and i always used to think why do we never have one of them. Until now. Fans of other clubs creaming over him aswell. Hes the best player in the league for me. The swiss forlan 🇨🇭 

Edited April 13, 20251 yr by Vale1995