Normally the first point in a season when we start to see things taking shape thoughts so far?
A squad in there. Capable of results, goals and good bits of play with a much better character of player compared to last two seasons. Completely hamstrung by their football club’s approach to not recruiting effectively enough. A factor that may well be mitigated with forthcoming recruitment and players returning from injury. If not. Largely inconsistent basement league mid table mediocrity awaits, although with a better league position than current standings.
The easiest SWOT analysis in the world.
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One word … Disappointing.
Plenty of hope back in July, but then we get to the start of a season with a half built squad. We are so reliant on loan players and I shudder to think what will happen if we fail to hold on to Miller and Rushworth. We should have been looking to sign players like Miller permanently back in the summer and then at least if we lose them we are getting paid.
And whats doubly worse about the imbalanced squad building is that on paper we should be hard to score against. Yet we have dropped a bollock far too many times in the last 10 mins of games, despite having plenty of experience defensive players. Considering the height we have in the squad to keep conceding from set pieces and crosses is unforgivable
I do like Taylor though and I think there is the makings of a great manager in there, he obviously has the backing of the chairman, and despite results the fans are still onboard during match days. I also know we have been very unlucky with injuries to key players meaning we are yet to see our strongest 11 on the pitch but can we potentially wait until after Christmas for our form to turn around.
Hope things pick up but I really cannot see us getting a sniff of the play offs and realistically we are going to be scratching around in this league for the foreseeable future. Like I said … all very disappointing
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In the words of the great Gattuso “sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe ****”
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Spot on .
All the general optimism and palpable excitement from our new DoF, Mgr., signings, pitch, training ground, ST sales and videos; soon evaporated due to the lack of transfer activity from early July and the debacles off the pitch, as well as those on it at the first home game of the season.
Ten games in: 20% won, 30% drawn & 50% lost, 11 goals scored and 15 conceded. Is disappointing at best, worrying at worst. Similar or worse over the next ten games and we are in big trouble.
Main concern is our lopsided squad, lack of fitness, injury list, number of loanees and our inability to get the basics of fourth division football right.
That said I like Taylor and want to give him time. As for Fullerton, the jury is still out, needs two more windows for me and frankly some cash.
But the club needs change badly and it hasn’t had it. Board are the same, decline the same, the rent the same. The Pomlett revolution has been baby steps at best and we need big leaps if we are to stay a league club.
Grade: D+
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We haven’t improved, which I genuinely believed was impossible 
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In 3 words Jekyll and Hyde
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Not very good…season looked up and running after a very good battling point at Bradford and then turning over Mansfield currently but big step back last few weeks even if Saturday was a decent point.
I do think like James there’s a decent team bubbling when everyone is fit but question is when as I doubt Holden will be seen before December so that’s a big chunk of the season to wait.
And yes bar the keeper the defensive players and structure has been a big disappointment. Mazza said he believed it was genuinely impossible not to improve on last season, I have the same thoughts on how backline is even worse at defending set pieces than last two years when you look at how many big units there are in the team, can only be bad organising on the training ground I’m afraid.
Do think team will go on a good run at some stage of the season but it will be one of those only good enough to drag team from 18th up to 11th so another frustrating nothing season in store by looks of it.
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Need to win 3or4 on the trot to even get near the top 7 . Can’t see that happening any time soon . My only hope is that we are mid table January. Then everybody Is fit and a couple of good additions in January for a push for the playoffs.
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We are where we deserve to be due to the last 10 years, not the lsst 10 games!
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Fair comment mate.
Team has potential but let in too many soft goals. Here’s my assessment of the players.
Rushworth. Class. Won’t be hear next season
Ash Taylor. Rubbish. Slow ponderous and not good enough. Terrible mistake for the Hartlepool goal
Monthe. Quite like him. Can pick a long range pass also. About the level of Scarr and Clarke. Just…
Menayese. Fast. Decent but always a couple of mistakes in him per game. No better than clarke or Scarr.
Ward. Decent but his legs have gone. Naive of the club to be totally reliant on him
White. When he’s good he’s very very good. But he’s not good often enough. 1 in 4 games man.
Leak. Not let anyone down.
Kinsella. Mr Walsall. Great player. Probably one of v v v v few who could command a decent fee. Hopefully we’ve got a replacement lined up
Perry. Gone backwards. Not good enough. On this form could be released at the end of the season.
Bates. Not seen enough.
Labadie. V v v important for the Team and when he’s in the midfield we look so much stronger
Kiernan. One me over. Very underrated. A solid 7 out of 10 most weeks. Rarely let’s the team down. Crossing is of much higher quality than Mcdonald
Shade. Not good enough for this level
Philipps. Great pressing and harrying. Developing very well. Missed a few gilt edged chances though. We need to try and sign him. We won’t…
Miller. V v v good and always a threat when the balls played over the top
Wilkinson. Need to see more of him but clearly has some Class
Holden. Fit by December or the club releases him in close season. Too expensive to carry his wages
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That’s not worth much judging by the last two 
Bloody hell that’s made me depressed
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A very disappointing haul of points from the first 10 games but when we can put out our first eleven there is clearly a decent team available to the Coach. I have seen some signs that we could yet have a decent season.
As I have posted many times I was disappointed we did not sign another forward as Wilkinson has been a big loss. When he is match fit it will make a big difference. Labadie must also play every game he can especially in the absence of Kinsella. If everyone is fit in the second half of the season I think a top 10 finish is well within reach. This league is very close and pretty poor.
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We are currently 6 points off the play-offs with another 108 points to play for.
I agree that the imbalance of the squad is a worry, but I think it’s far too early to write off the season as many are doing.
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Much worse than expected but injuries and discipline have been a major factor.
With everyone fit this is a top half team atleast.
What’s mostly disappointing they have a similar thread on the Port Vale forum and are saying they’ve got a squad now that their reserve’s would beat last seasons first team . It’s mad how everywhere Daryll Clarke has been he’s been a huge success apart from Walsall we seriously need to start asking questions if they go up automatically and we can’t get a Play off place we will have the same budget as them and they’ve had a total rebuild.
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With vale new owners I very much doubt that. Their wage budget will be a lot bigger than ours