We’re not very good are we?

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. As soon as last season ended Foyle got rid of the lame and the lightweight from his squad and brought in six new signings. These weren’t last-minute-root-through-the-rejects-bin either. Foyle had identified his quarry before the season had finished.

So, in came Miller and Lowe to sure up our nervous defence, in came Tudor, Rocastle and Edwards to give energy and drive to a ponderous and tentative midfield, in came Richards to join Rodgers and Sodje in attack.

The signs were good over the pre-season. We played entertaining football utilising two wingers, we commanded games in the centre of midfield and we were scoring goals. Lots of them too. Luke Rodgers looked like he’d score everytime he had the ball, Sodje was creating havoc with his strength and pace. Defensively we still looked a little fragile, but no matter, Vale had the intention of playing the game in our opponents half of the pitch. Defensive frailities would not be an issue.

Reality bites hard sometimes. Last Saturday was heartbreaking as we huffed and puffed to absolute no avail against a Bristol Rovers side who were well organised in defence and midfield. Where were the defence-splitting passes we had been fantasising about? Why aren’t we dominating the game? Why can’t we create just one decent chance? Our visitors could have taken home three points if their finishing was a little sharper, two gilt-edged chances went begging in the second half. Vale had not mustered anything close to that.

It got worse in midweek. The Carling Cup had been kind to us last season, we reached the fourth round for the first time in our history and were rewarded with an away tie at Spurs. A home tie against League.2 Wrexham should have seen us in the hat for round two, but that is hoping for way too much. Hapless defending cost us and out we went on penalties.

Yesterday was our first away game of the season. We were shocking in the first half. We had absolutely nothing to offer. All of last seasons problems were staring us in the face again. We can’t defend. We haven’t got a hint of creativity in the midfield. We are not using the wings.

Three games in and we are yet to score from open play. Two penalties are the sum total of our labours. Two golden chances fell to Marc Richards late on in the game yesterday but he couldn’t find the net with either. Two chances which last season would have been gobbled up by Leon Constantine. Defensively were no better than we were last season, in truth probably worse. Keith Lowe may well give us 40-odd games this term but he is not a patch on Michael Walsh.

Foyle needs to send out an attacking team next Saturday. He needs to get the fans back on his side and behind the players. He needs to ditch the overly cautious midfield line-up and play his attack minded lads. Whitaker in the middle with Hulbert. Tudor and Edwards on the wings. Next Saturday we need to see a performance like we put in against Oldham last season – 100% commitment, fighting for everything, driving forward in numbers. And get rid of Keith Lowe.




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