Quite a bit of long ball last night

[blackdog]

Embarrassed ?.......Thats a bit harsh first half yes/maybe, not second half,tell your stoke mates the upside was at least away from home we had a go, forced the game and got something out of it,something your friends at the Brit have been complaining about their team not doing for the last few seasons.

[Santa]

We pumped a lot of high balls in the box once Calvin Andrew came on.

 

He looks like a target man and we fall into the trap of playing it long and aimlessly when he's on the pitch. And he cramps the style of our other forwards. He seems to get in the way.

 

I've not quite worked out what he offers us yet but arguable our two worst performances this season (Chesterfield at home, Fleetwood at home) have been the two games he started.

[carpetman123]

Not knocking it as you need to do what you need to do to get promotion.

 

Everytime the keeper had it he launched it to Pope in the hope he could flick it on wheras against Oxford you never played those tactics and looked for the wingers.

 

Has Adams changed it ?

 

Think Adams admires the way Stoke play and wants to emulate our illustrious neighbours although Chilvers needs to work on his holding a bit more...his sessions down at the Brit with Huth and Shawcross need a bit more work

 

Seriously we now have the personnel to mix our game up a bit now and adapt to the pitch dimensions and conditions to suit us and the business about the penalty decision you see that every week in the premier league and all the refs bottle the decision to give them

[valiant_593]

I was abit embarrassed by our game last night, admittedly we both kept hoofing the ball up to the strikers, Wimbledon doing it a lot more, but its the first time I have seen us just doing that.... Just makes us look like that's all we do, but iv seen games at VP where we are playing on the ground nearly all match, I was embarrassed about this talking to my stoke mates that I have ripped for the past few seasons for non stop hoof ball

I'm embarrassed by your post completely ridiculous

[Tosh]

The ball looked the same standard size to me..

[philpvfc]

Naff pitch might have something to do with the style of play

[Tosh]

Thing is this was Wimbledon, there was always going to be a few long range volleys with a bit of set play, a few faults with their goals but we hit the net twice too which served them right for sitting back and they got court out, thought Popey's goal was Ace and we should have gone on to take the advantage but I was happy with the point. Not many Vale fans there but they did make a racket!

[Incogneeto]

Game, set and match to Tosh, without dropping a game too.

 

Love - Vale, Love - Vale, Love - Vale.

[PV1993]

Not knocking it as you need to do what you need to do to get promotion.

 

Everytime the keeper had it he launched it to Pope in the hope he could flick it on wheras against Oxford you never played those tactics and looked for the wingers.

 

Has Adams changed it ?

 

My answer to that: Hughes

 

Hughes is a quality striker. But ever since he was linked I feared the 'long ball' tactic. Him and Pope, for me, don't work. It's like last year with Rico and Pope. One was prolific and the other was virtually non-existent.

 

It's not all about the quality of the striker, but how they work together. Pope and Williamson is a good partnership because Pope flicks it on to Williamson who runs in behind the defence. Similarly, Dodds and Pope is a good partnership (and in my opinion the best) because Dodds links the attack and midfield - thus bolstering the midfield - so we don't get overrun - whilst still acting as a a second striker.

 

Now, please don't knock me because I so think that Hughes is a great striker - a prolific goalscorer. But to me he can't play with Pope. In the Gillingham game he wasn't particularly effective (even though he scored - and that was hugely debatable) and against Wimbledon with those two upfront it meant that we had to play long balls (as there was no pace). There were so many times when Hughes would go for a flick on (which is Pope's job really) and Pope would have to do a bit of running, which really isn't his game. Not only did the long ball not work that great, but it was also so ****ing ugly to watch

 

Like Werrington said: the football against Oxford was so much better. I do think we need some cover on the wings. There is no competition and for me Vincent has become complacent. Lloyd will be a fantastic player in a couple of years time but at the moment he is not pushing Vincent. I reckon he would benefit from a loan to a conference side (league below: no more)

 

Asfor Hughes I will hold out full judgement until a few more games - but as of the two games he has played he has not suceeded in convincing me that he is a better option to partner Pope as opposed to either Dodds or Williamson

 

On a lighter not can I just add that it is rather nice to be arguing about footballing matters again. Although I have my opinions of the current squad every single member could do a very decent job for us :) Long may this continue. UP THE VALE

[PV1993]

Thing is this was Wimbledon, there was always going to be a few long range volleys with a bit of set play, a few faults with their goals but we hit the net twice too which served them right for sitting back and they got court out, thought Popey's goal was Ace and we should have gone on to take the advantage but I was happy with the point. Not many Vale fans there but they did make a racket!

 

completely agreed. 100%. Possibly one of the best goals I have seen him score. It shows not only his desire and hunger to scorer but his composure and technical ability. What a striker we have - for me just needs the right partner

[Lornelounger]

Good post PV1993 - and couldn't agree more with the last paragraph.

[Spunk Trumpet]

Not knocking it as you need to do what you need to do to get promotion.

 

Everytime the keeper had it he launched it to Pope in the hope he could flick it on wheras against Oxford you never played those tactics and looked for the wingers.

 

Has Adams changed it ?

 

I am still waiting for the "Quite a bit of exceptional football" thread from when we were last on against Oxford!

 

I have this sneaky feeling Wezza that the more our success happens, and i truly believe it will, the more sly threads like this we will get from you.

 

You dont care about us, well, thats all i hear anyway!

[Bernieseven]

I think Hughes and Pope looked great up front and the Dons difference were scared stiff during the first 20 mins wondering which one to mark. Hughes can still get around the pitch for someone of his age and will score loads when we play at home. It's Calvin Andrew I'm worried about. What does he offer?

[Conrad]

Thing is WEZZA, when we have to change to the long ball tactic to suit the pitch or conditions, it has an end product, ie, goals[in the right end] maybe tony could take in a game at vp, he just might learn something.

[nightmare in a damaged bra]

Wasnt too long ball at all, we pumped it up at the end when chasing a goal. I remember neal rolling the ball to jones on numerous occasions. It is hard to pass the ball on a small pitch even more so when their manager gets 11 men behind the ball.

 

Nightmare in a damaged brain - bell end

 

Coming frim a thick **** that sucks ****