1 minute ago, JoeB2 said:

Moore said that Walters just didn’t make the squad and there was no fitness issue?

Christ. That is concerning.

Moore will work out what he’s doing, hopefully earlier than later, took him quite a bit last season and we still went up. 

The red card was a good thing, not sure why we’re discussing it. Immediately started playing better.

2 minutes ago, philpvfc said:

Moore will work out what he’s doing, hopefully earlier than later, took him quite a bit last season and we still went up. 

As others have said I’m not sure why he needs to work out things he’s already worked out. I can understand him figuring out how to use Waine, what Shipley brings etc. 

It’s been established Tolaj is best centrally, Croasdale is quite good, and Walters is excellent. Did he have a bump on the head over the summer and forget? 

I think it’s completely fair to have valid criticisms. Some of the decisions yesterday are absolutely mind-boggling. Classic example of over-analysis when keeping it simple would have been significantly better.

Walters not being in the 18 is absolutely crackers. I can’t be convinced otherwise.

Edited August 3, 2025Aug 3 by JoeB2

2 minutes ago, JoeB2 said:

As others have said I’m not sure why he needs to work out things he’s already worked out. I can understand him figuring out how to use Waine, what Shipley brings etc. 

It’s been established Tolaj is best centrally, Croasdale is quite good, and Walters is excellent. Did he have a bump on the head over the summer and forget? 

I think it’s completely fair to have valid criticisms. Some of the decisions yesterday are absolutely mind-boggling. Classic example of over-analysis when keeping it simple would have been significantly better.

Walters not being in the 18 is absolutely crackers. I can’t be convinced otherwise.

I agree with you and agreed with what Vale fans were crying out last season by playing 2 up front, just took quite a while for Moore to realise but he got there in the end. In Moore we trust. 

17 minutes ago, JoeB2 said:

As others have said I’m not sure why he needs to work out things he’s already worked out. I can understand him figuring out how to use Waine, what Shipley brings etc. 

It’s been established Tolaj is best centrally, Croasdale is quite good, and Walters is excellent. Did he have a bump on the head over the summer and forget? 

I think it’s completely fair to have valid criticisms. Some of the decisions yesterday are absolutely mind-boggling. Classic example of over-analysis when keeping it simple would have been significantly better.

Walters not being in the 18 is absolutely crackers. I can’t be convinced otherwise.

If Walters was available and Moore chose not to start with him on the pitch then it is totally criminal. Yesterday reminded me of Grimsby at home last season when Moore started a baffling 11 & left Walters on the bench. One of my biggest criticisms of DM is this sort of thing happens consistently. Starts the wrong 11 then we find ourselves chasing the game and have to alter things to get back into it. 

3 hours ago, dantheman said:

We are all entitled to opinion and I think everyone would agree that Croasdale is no Pele but neither do any of expect him to be. You seem to be judging him by a metric that’s not achievable. I thought he showed he could compete in league one to be honest and he 100% deserves his chance. Moores decision to not play him cost us the game imo. He is the first name on the team sheet in that midfield. He was excellent when he came on at what he does best. Getting about people, breaking play and giving us that guts and drive to allow others to get on the ball and play. It’s a team game and Croasdale personifies TEAM. 
 

I’m no fan of Ojo but actually thought he helped us with a bit of calmness on the ball.  I don’t think is was ever really a question of ability but his obvious attitude issues. But if he wants to play  and is in the right headspace then that midfield 3 of him Byers and Croasdale looked promising in that second 45 and deserves another run out imo. 

Agree with all of this

How you can consider not starting your Player of the Season puzzled me

I have no idea how Ojo has suddenly got ahead of Walters. He holds on to the ball for too long IMO and if he had been quicker to respond,he would have managed a shot on goal when the ball fell to him near the end.

On another note,why has Byers been given the captaincy? I hope this adds more to his game-he looks fit and kept making himself available for the ball. He and Croasdale linked up well,especially down the right.

Had the ball fallen for Vale in the second half,we would have got a point. The reason we didn't is Moores starting line up leaving us 2 goals down. I don't think he started that line up in any of the pre season games which I couldn't understand 

2 minutes ago, davehartshill said:

If Walters was available and Moore chose not to start with him on the pitch then it is totally criminal. Yesterday reminded me of Grimsby at home last season when Moore started a baffling 11 & left Walters on the bench. One of my biggest criticisms of DM is this sort of thing happens consistently. Starts the wrong 11 then we find ourselves chasing the game and have to alter things to get back into it. 

Yeah it’s in the Valiant newsletter this morning.

Phil Bowers asked about the duo who were perhaps the most notable absences from the squad.

Were they injuries?

Darren Moore said: “Not so much Rhys, he just didn’t make the squad today.

The only explanation I can think of is that there’s transfer interest/bids. If he’s just looked at his squad and decided Ojo over Walters then he’s really had a very poor day yesterday. 

12 minutes ago, JoeB2 said:

Yeah it’s in the Valiant newsletter this morning.

 

Phil Bowers asked about the duo who were perhaps the most notable absences from the squad.

Were they injuries?

Darren Moore said: “Not so much Rhys, he just didn’t make the squad today.

The only explanation I can think of is that there’s transfer interest/bids. If he’s just looked at his squad and decided Ojo over Walters then he’s really had a very poor day yesterday. 

That would be my thought process,surely it can only be that they have had a decent bid in but want more so they didn't risk him getting injured..... well I hope that's it because although in fairness Ojo did well when he came on you would pick Walters over him 101 times out of 100

3 points dropped against a poor side.

Not that they were too bad yesterday but Waine and (to a larger extent) Shipley jumping ahead of the lads who got us promoted is disrespectful and backfired yesterday. As others have said, Croasdale benched and Walters left out completely is baffling and a poor reflection on the manager.

First half very poor. Too many hoofed balls to no one and Tolaj was out of it stuck out wide. Thought Waine looked sharp. Debrah poor and ball watching, nee keeper didn't inspire confidence at all. 

Second half much better, Ojo a definite upgrade (but where was Walters?), Debrah settled down. Keeper still playing the clown 🤡.  

Moore has his lucky dip selection bag out again maybe and has gone back to the 3 up front that didn't work last season. Cardiff is make or break, not for the result but for the lineup - if he learns and goes back to 2 up top with Tolaj central, hopefully with Walters or at least Ojo/Croasdale then fair enough. If he sticks with what he did today or throws the dice again I think Moore will quickly get on the wrong side of Vale fans. 

One last post about yesterday, thank you Vale fans for joining in the applause for our cult hero Ronnie Moore in support of his fight against blood cancer, that showed class & was much appreciated by is all.

Something absolutely bananas with people’s expectations if we are going to turn after two games. 

No doubt the ones that do will demand league 2 players who played well against us last year or the season before and think we can kick on.

Meanwhile any player with a bad incident or patch in our squad over the last few years are persona non grata because some people can’t get over seasons well and done with.  
 

Not really time to be panicking even if we don’t beat Cardiff Thursday. Calm down 😄 

1 hour ago, JoeB2 said:

As others have said I’m not sure why he needs to work out things he’s already worked out. I can understand him figuring out how to use Waine, what Shipley brings etc. 

It’s been established Tolaj is best centrally, Croasdale is quite good, and Walters is excellent. Did he have a bump on the head over the summer and forget? 

I think it’s completely fair to have valid criticisms. Some of the decisions yesterday are absolutely mind-boggling. Classic example of over-analysis when keeping it simple would have been significantly better.

Walters not being in the 18 is absolutely crackers. I can’t be convinced otherwise.

As crazy as the line up was, it wasnt surprising. We only played 3-5-2 last season when we were at risk of not getting in the play offs. It’s been clear in pre season that all our prep has been for 3-4-3. Last season we got a lot of luck, and benefited from having better players in a poor league. We cant rely on that this season in what is one of the strongest leagues 1’s we’ve been in, and if he insists on these crazy line ups this year we will be in trouble. 

I wouldnt blame Walter’s if he asks for a move because to not be in the squad was mind boggling. 

5 minutes ago, NW9Valiant said:

Something absolutely bananas with people’s expectations if we are going to turn after two games. 

No doubt the ones that do will demand league 2 players who played well against us last year or the season before and think we can kick on.

Meanwhile any player with a bad incident or patch in our squad over the last few years are persona non grata because some people can’t get over seasons well and done with.  
 

Not really time to be panicking even if we don’t beat Cardiff Thursday. Calm down 😄 

Yeah I think there's a line to tread between 'very justified criticism on a forum of the manager who quite obviously made a series of bizarre mistakes yesterday' and 'he's getting questioned after game 2'.

Moore has lots of credit in the bank and managers make mistakes just as much as players do or we all do in our jobs.

8 minutes ago, NW9Valiant said:

Something absolutely bananas with people’s expectations if we are going to turn after two games. 

No doubt the ones that do will demand league 2 players who played well against us last year or the season before and think we can kick on.

Meanwhile any player with a bad incident or patch in our squad over the last few years are persona non grata because some people can’t get over seasons well and done with.  
 

Not really time to be panicking even if we don’t beat Cardiff Thursday. Calm down 😄 

It's not after just two games, though, is it?  It happened on a number of occasions last season as well.