No more loan players from Stoke. That was an aberration under that fraudulent man we will not name.

I’m not for developing footballers who then go back to Stoke better than when they arrived. 

13 hours ago, MBE said:

We would have no chance for start Stoke loaning us a player but from a football point of view….

Lowe is too small to play as a partner with Tolaj or on his own in a front 3. We need to keep playing Tolaj and develop him.

Personally feel we need a player with genuine pace up top to give us a different option which Lowe does not have. I think we also need Stockley  esq bigger man who can do the holdup play with more mobility. A player like Dalby at Wrexham or Sam Cosgrove at Barnsley although he didn’t have a particular good season last year.

I personally think a back-up/competition for Stockley is the most important thing to get upfront. Stockley does get injuries and he's such an important link up top. 

I think the partner for Stockley is less of a pressing issue. At the moment in terms of partners for Stockley then if Tolaj is fit he plays. I also think Paton may come back and be a decent bench option for Tolaj. Moore may argue that Curtis is a third option (though I don't really see him as a central forward). So, we're reasonably well stocked there (although I'm sure we'd have no problem with another face being brought in).

But while there's three players for one of the forward slots, there's no like-for-like replacement for Stockley and I think we really struggled in games when he was missing. If he picks up injuries next season and there is no cover I think we could really struggle upfront.

1 hour ago, robf said:

I personally think a back-up/competition for Stockley is the most important thing to get upfront. Stockley does get injuries and he's such an important link up top. 

I think the partner for Stockley is less of a pressing issue. At the moment in terms of partners for Stockley then if Tolaj is fit he plays. I also think Paton may come back and be a decent bench option for Tolaj. Moore may argue that Curtis is a third option (though I don't really see him as a central forward). So, we're reasonably well stocked there (although I'm sure we'd have no problem with another face being brought in).

But while there's three players for one of the forward slots, there's no like-for-like replacement for Stockley and I think we really struggled in games when he was missing. If he picks up injuries next season and there is no cover I think we could really struggle upfront.

Agree with this. Also, re:Paton, we're not necessarily going to know what we've signed with him until (for me) he plays off Stockley (or a Stockley type). He seems like an old school 'poacher' type to me who needs others around him. Not the main focal point of the attack. One other thought about Paton was how much 'arsing about' him, Curtis and Chissy were doing when together. 
Depends if DM sees Paton and Curtis 'together' not helping each other being focused and maybe being slightly disruptive?????

For me the thing with Paton was one of the reasons he struggled as he wasn't played as part of a front two for the first part of the season. Even so, he looked sharp on occasions and chipped in with a few goals. 

Both Paton and Tolaj struggled initially and then Lorent kicked on when he was played as part of a front two and gained confidence. 

I'm not saying it would definitely be the same with Paton but I wonder how different his Vale career so far would have been if he'd been played in a front two?

For that reason (and the fact he's on a long-term contract) I'd love to see him come back refreshed and determined and compete with Tolaj for the right to partner Stockley upfront.

16 hours ago, Raymond Green said:

Why oh why would you not want Lowe? Would be a great move.

Not really convinced by Lowe.... he had a golden run with Walsall in League 2, strikers sometimes have these type of seasons (I remember Pope having one) but League 2 is barely above non league.

He isnt physical  enough to play up front as a Stockley type forward and with Tolaj, Paton and Curtis as second striker options, would we want to spend our budget  on a 4th option ? Unless we are planning to move one of them on.

I've no doubt we will learn more if he gets a move to a league 1 team but he s looked miles off the required standard for the championship when I ve seen him play for Stoke on the TV.

A Stockley type forward for me would be priority number 1 and then defensive improvements.

UTV

 

I fear for our goals tally this season. Paton was a bit of a headless chicken. I don't think he's the answer, as likeable as he is.

 

2 hours ago, robf said:

I personally think a back-up/competition for Stockley is the most important thing to get upfront. Stockley does get injuries and he's such an important link up top. 

I think the partner for Stockley is less of a pressing issue. At the moment in terms of partners for Stockley then if Tolaj is fit he plays. I also think Paton may come back and be a decent bench option for Tolaj. Moore may argue that Curtis is a third option (though I don't really see him as a central forward). So, we're reasonably well stocked there (although I'm sure we'd have no problem with another face being brought in).

But while there's three players for one of the forward slots, there's no like-for-like replacement for Stockley and I think we really struggled in games when he was missing. If he picks up injuries next season and there is no cover I think we could really struggle upfront.

Agreed

24 minutes ago, robf said:

For me the thing with Paton was one of the reasons he struggled as he wasn't played as part of a front two for the first part of the season. Even so, he looked sharp on occasions and chipped in with a few goals. 

Both Paton and Tolaj struggled initially and then Lorent kicked on when he was played as part of a front two and gained confidence. 

I'm not saying it would definitely be the same with Paton but I wonder how different his Vale career so far would have been if he'd been played in a front two?

For that reason (and the fact he's on a long-term contract) I'd love to see him come back refreshed and determined and compete with Tolaj for the right to partner Stockley upfront.

Because of the length of his contract the management team has to invest time and effort into improving Paton.

I think Tolaj looked the better of the two even during the early part of the season when in fairness to both players DM was reluctant to play them regularly as he build up their fitness levels to the required standard. Sometimes you have to play well in a less favoured position to earn a chance in your preferred position and that's what Tolaj did as he built up his fitness and gained the managers trust. 

When the chance came in his more favoured position he took it.

Hopefully Paton finds a way to succeed but he's had an awful first season and couldn't really force his way in Dundee's team (who do play two up front) either so the early signs aren't good. 

9 minutes ago, hillmanhunter said:

I fear for our goals tally this season. Paton was a bit of a headless chicken. I don't think he's the answer, as likeable as he is.

 

He's under contract though so we either sell him at a loss which is unsustainable for a club like ours unless the owner is willing to lose even more money or improve him enough to be a real asset to either sell without a loss or contribute to the team.

 

Paton's young. I still think he has all the attributes to do well... first touch and link up play are very tidy. Didn't miss many chances. Sometimes you've got to stick with a striker for a year or two. Most only have a couple of prolific seasons in a career.

19 minutes ago, hillmanhunter said:

I fear for our goals tally this season. Paton was a bit of a headless chicken. I don't think he's the answer, as likeable as he is.

 

Tolaj will better his tally in League 1 than in League 2. Stockley is good for another 8-10. Scoring goals doesn’t concern me.

3 minutes ago, JoeB2 said:

Tolaj will better his tally in League 1 than in League 2. Stockley is good for another 8-10. Scoring goals doesn’t concern me.

I’m sure they will but we weren’t exactly awash with goals last season. We do need more of a goal threat in the side as opposition gets harder. Will be interesting how the team steps up. But it’s more how we play than anything with individual players IMO - you could make a case there’s more goals in this team if we play more positively. Weren’t too many times last season we did that. 

1 minute ago, NW9Valiant said:

I’m sure they will but we weren’t exactly awash with goals last season. We do need more of a goal threat in the side as opposition gets harder. Will be interesting how the team steps up. But it’s more how we play than anything with individual players IMO - you could make a case there’s more goals in this team if we play more positively. Weren’t too many times last season we did that. 

Same formula of defensively resolute, set-pieces, lots of narrow wins, and a combative midfield will do me.

We can slowly move towards more proactivity but I can withstand another season or two of Darren Moore trench-digging if it consolidates us in League 1.

26 minutes ago, johnjeffersfanclub said:

Paton's young. I still think he has all the attributes to do well... first touch and link up play are very tidy. Didn't miss many chances. Sometimes you've got to stick with a striker for a year or two. Most only have a couple of prolific seasons in a career.

I'd love him to do well. He really needs to work on his positional sense. He was all over the place.

26 minutes ago, JoeB2 said:

Tolaj will better his tally in League 1 than in League 2. Stockley is good for another 8-10. Scoring goals doesn’t concern me.

We need cover for those two. I'll remain a bit nervous until I see who that will be.