1 hour ago, Biddulph_PV said:

I’ll say this…..

There’s a feeling of déjà vu here.

We’ve had no meaningful no manager bounce; we’re basically as good as down with a third of the season left; we’re watching even worse football than under the previous manager.

So the question I ask myself, as a fan wondering whether I should renew my season ticket, is this….

Have I seen anything in this manager to make me think that he’s going to deliver a decent squad capable of producing positive, attacking football next season?

Or will it be another largely boring, negative, Moore-style hoof-ball snorefest?

Based on the evidence so far, I’d say the latter is most likely.

Today was entertaining. But let’s get it right, they were better than us. Another side with players prepared to run at the opposition and playing in triangles with players moving into space. Imagine if we ever did that. 

What does he seen in Brown? What does the see in Gauci’s kicking? G Hall at RWB? C Hall starting? Where’s the creativity/pace in midfield? Why did we never have any control in the game? Why did we, ludicrously, decide that a point was sufficient and make those utterly bewildering subs removing arguably our 3 best players? Just poor, in every single aspect on & off the pitch. 

He can go tonight for me.

 

 

That’s spot on mate apart from he can go. Brady needs to just see it out until we are mathematically relegated while the club actually figure out the structure and recruitment.

 

Honestly, I don’t really get some of the Brady hate. We’re only seven games in. It hasn’t been revolutionary, but I genuinely think we’ve looked better since he came in.

He’s walked into a right mess. The squad was built for one system, a back three and not a lot else, and he’s already lost two proper League One standard players in Cole and Curtis who both wanted out. The midfield is paper thin right now with Byers and Garrity out injured. If anyone was expecting instant fireworks from that setup, they were always going to be disappointed.

Archer is the only new guy who’s had a proper run so far and, to be fair, he’s looked decent. Hopefully Gray and Sherif can bring something different when they’re fit because we badly need it.

For me, Brady is trying to fix what was a Darren Moore disaster. We were a disjointed squad with no real identity. That takes time. I want to see what he can do once he has a bit more balance and a few of his own players to work with.

39 minutes ago, MBE said:

 

Can’t help but think the football industry takes us a soft touch. Nice club, nice Carol, like to do things different.

 

Absolutely. I just hope she's disabused herself of the "football family" nonsense that she was so keen to espouse.

1 hour ago, leedsvaliant said:

 

 

I'm not sure everyone was saying that were they? After the first 6 to 8 games I thought we had a decent squad with a poor manager but the reality is, we've got a poor squad apart from 4 or 5. We never learn that league 1 is much tougher than league 2 and requires a serious upgrade.

In terms of Croasdale. I agree he was decent last year but in a league where hard work is more important than ability on the ball. It's honestly painful watching him this season...there's a reason why Stockport released him before coming into this division.

I agree with you on Ojo, but what choice does the manager have? He's got to play 2 of the 3 available and he went with experience. It's a terrible midfield two but that's what he's been left with.

It's way too early to have any critique on the manager yet. He still doesn't really know the full capabilities of the players. It's fine to criticise decisions but to say the manager is useless at this stage is absolutely ridiculous in my opinion. You may well be proved right but give the guy at least a few months before judging him FFS.

 

I’m judging a football manager on his past, his present and his future. 
 

Now. Apart from the waffle he speaks, tell me what he has done at league one level, tell me what you have seen to think he takes us straight back up next season, and tell me what his identity is a Port Vale manager.

I don’t want a manager/coach to waffle on about an 8 or a 6 or I see him as a 10….. Get <ovf censored> with that over coaching football manager crap.

It stems from the top! 

If Carol is that ill that she has delegated these positions for the running of the club then we are doomed.

Jon Brady is another politician. Explains his coaching philosophies. I’ve seen sky sports links. I’ve seen podcasts. 
What has he ever done to be in such limelight? 

Him and Hancock are the perfect marriage.

Tired of it all to be fair.

As a football club on the pitch we are an utter mess.

I remember Michel Brown going into a pub to tell fans it’s all good before the season after we went down. 
Brady reminds me of him. 
And here’s the sad thing……

The club reminds me of that under Smurthwaite. 
He was the crook of the highest order. Granted. And we sunk and sunk. No leadership. Employees robbing a living with no direction.

Now Carol has taken a back seat and we have Hancock. 
 

God help this football club.

Those who can’t see it are blinded.

You simply don’t employ people to run your football club, who are totally unqualified, and expect success in the areas of what matters.

Matt Hancock needs to be found a job in the club away from being the front person of this club and making decisions. 
I don’t want him sacked. Just move him to another department. Maybe the foundation and the foundation only.

No way, on no planet, should a local community guy, who is Wolstanton Utds finest, should have the main say, apart from the owners, in footballing matters at a club in its 150th year on this planet. 

What an absolute shambles we are. 

 

I’m judging a football manager on his past, his present and his future. 
 
Now. Apart from the waffle he speaks, tell me what he has done at league one level, tell me what you have seen to think he takes us straight back up next season, and tell me what his identity is a Port Vale manager.
I don’t want a manager/coach to waffle on about an 8 or a 6 or I see him as a 10….. Get with that over coaching football manager crap.
It stems from the top! 

If Carol is that ill that she has delegated these positions for the running of the club then we are doomed.
Jon Brady is another politician. Explains his coaching philosophies. I’ve seen sky sports links. I’ve seen podcasts. 
What has he ever done to be in such limelight? 
Him and Hancock are the perfect marriage.
Tired of it all to be fair.
As a football club on the pitch we are an utter mess.
I remember Michel Brown going into a pub to tell fans it’s all good before the season after we went down. 
Brady reminds me of him. 
And here’s the sad thing……
The club reminds me of that under Smurthwaite. 
He was the crook of the highest order. Granted. And we sunk and sunk. No leadership. Employees robbing a living with no direction.
Now Carol has taken a back seat and we have Hancock. 
 
God help this football club.
Those who can’t see it are blinded.
You simply don’t employ people to run your football club, who are totally unqualified, and expect success in the areas of what matters.
Matt Hancock needs to be found a job in the club away from being the front person of this club and making decisions. 
I don’t want him sacked. Just move him to another department. Maybe the foundation and the foundation only.
No way, on no planet, should a local community guy, who is Wolstanton Utds finest, should have the main say, apart from the owners, in footballing matters at a club in its 150th year on this planet. 
What an absolute shambles we are. 
 

Whilst I agree with a lot of what you say about Hancock and the general malaise of the club, I just think you have to cut Brady a bit of slack at the moment. It may turn out that he's full of hot air but at least give him more than 6 or 7 games and don't judge him on press conferences or bits of self publicity.

He's just trying to patch up as best he can at the moment with a pretty poor set of players. I defy any manager of any standard to get some high quality play out of our midfield 2 today.

You may well be proved correct but sweeping judgements based on what as far as I can gather is more a personality clash more than anything is way too early.

Darren Moore has left us in this mess, aided and abetted by Hancock and also ultimately Carol. They certainly deserve criticism as I've given them in other threads, but the manager is the least of our problems at the moment....it's really unfair and way too soon to make any judgements.

Brady has 500 games in management, even if the majority were in non-League. He took over Northampton when they were in the relegation zone halfway through a League One season, albeit their situation wasn't as hopeless as ours was/is. Failed to keep them up, rebuilt in League Two and had a failed playoffs campaign, then automatic promotion, then midtable in League One.

Moan about the present and worry about the future, but his past is exactly what we need.

What has Brady achieved to think he’d get us back up?

Two x 80 points finishes with Northampton to get them promotion.

14th in their first season back.

Vale are bigger than Northampton and Brady will likely have a significantly bigger budget to work with than he did there.

To get out of the mess this season with us as far rooted as we are it needed a manager to perform a miracle… he isn’t a miracle worker but that’s fine as 99% aren’t.

What we do need to to see signs of improvement (which we are to a degree 7 points in 6 games in the league plus 2 cup wins) and see the work started to attack League Two next year which we are seeing.

The damage was done well before Brady arrived, he’s essentially trying to stop a jugular would with a sticky plaster at this point let’s see what happens with his own squad in the summer and being able to then build that squad for the system he wants.

 

7 hours ago, Nippy Naylor said:

The Guy is a  professional footballer at the end of the day and if they conner handle booing then they are in the wrong trade 

Be better off being a bog attendant then  He wouldn't get any stick then just have to put up with a load of shyte 

This typifies the tripe you spout day in day out on this site, if you truly believe booing your own player when entering the pitch is correct & justified then I assume you joined the minority of morons today? As I stated I'm no Brown fan but that was a new low for me today.

For any stats / data nerds out there, here's some maps from the game: 

 

Gauchi's pass map, as ever, very funny. 

Edited February 8Feb 8 by NW9Valiant

There was a time when we would never say this but we are really missing Byers in midfield,he is just the type we need in there right and one who we know could supply the wide players and he would certainly be controlling it and getting it forward far quicker than Ojo

11 hours ago, Spunk Trumpet said:

I’m quite happy with Walters over Ojo today and going forward.

I ain’t gonna argue with you Packmoor but if you think that Ojo should start over Walters then no wonder we “are where we are”.

 

100% I would be starting Walters over Ojo(obviously Walters will start on Tuesday),the only problem I have is that for me Walters flatters to deceive as well,yes he has the close control and fancy clever turns BUT he doesn't really drive us forward or assist/score goals(yet),if he did then he would very much be worth the millions talked about,he is also another midfielder who has no real burst of pace. This isn't me having a dig at Walters because he is a player i want to do well regularly as i do all our younger players

Next season there has to be a massive review of our midfield

3 hours ago, NW9Valiant said:

For any stats / data nerds out there, here's some maps from the game: 

 

Gauchi's pass map, as ever, very funny. 

A load of guff.

11 hours ago, Spunk Trumpet said:

I wouldn’t even mind a mobile Humphries in the middle of the park. I mean the bloke can’t defend and looks ok in the middle.

Anyone but Ojo who should NEVER have worn the shirt again after two years ago!!

Relegated with Vale. 
Relgated with Shrews. 
Relegated with Vale this season again.

Look, I’m open to someone who can tell me what he brings?

He is so <ovf censored> slow on the ball and off it he treads through treacle!!

We play with ten men every week when he’s on the pitch.

Christ knows what his wage is but I’m sure it’s a good one and one he won’t get anywhere if he left.

To even pick the bloke is a scandal for any manager coming in.

Id rather have Boomer in the middle.

The only plus point for us now is that this will be the last season we see Ojo playing for us,this is why like you say i would give Humphreys a run in the middle now as he is likely to be here next season

3 hours ago, NW9Valiant said:

For any stats / data nerds out there, here's some maps from the game: 

 

Gauchi's pass map, as ever, very funny. 

I don’t really go for all this kind of stuff, that said, I have said for a few weeks that George hall isn’t effective enough. Looking at that it proves it for this particular game. For all his promise he just doesn’t deliver enough. We need to get that right. No point having Stockley in the box if you don’t have both wingers peppering the box with crosses.

10 hours ago, Portvale4 said:

Honestly, I don’t really get some of the Brady hate. We’re only seven games in. It hasn’t been revolutionary, but I genuinely think we’ve looked better since he came in.

He’s walked into a right mess. The squad was built for one system, a back three and not a lot else, and he’s already lost two proper League One standard players in Cole and Curtis who both wanted out. The midfield is paper thin right now with Byers and Garrity out injured. If anyone was expecting instant fireworks from that setup, they were always going to be disappointed.

Archer is the only new guy who’s had a proper run so far and, to be fair, he’s looked decent. Hopefully Gray and Sherif can bring something different when they’re fit because we badly need it.

For me, Brady is trying to fix what was a Darren Moore disaster. We were a disjointed squad with no real identity. That takes time. I want to see what he can do once he has a bit more balance and a few of his own players to work with.

I am nowhere near saying sack him that's just plain silly and i do think going forward we have started to look better in some games(not all) but defensively we have been a shambles since he has come in. Hopefully that will/can improve,we will see on that.

What the club will have to do is decide whether they back him big next season or not ( as it will take some major investment again to rebuild)if he is going to be taking us forward into next season