IT’S GREAT TO SEE ASKEY REWARDED FOR FINE WORK
CONGRATULATIONS to John Askey for being nominated for the League Two manager of the month award for September. It’s good to see him recognised, especially early on in the season.
You do all your pre-season work and might think and hope you are in better shape, but you never really know until the competitive action begins.
Look at Sheffield United who had a great season last year, but have lost their first four games.
So, you never know, even in a normal season, but we’ve never had a pre-season like this with no fans, social distancing and protocols. It is the first time for everybody in this scenario.
It’s great for John individually, and also his staff, but it’s also a good measurement of the club. It’s not just Vale fans who are noticing the club is getting back on steady ground.
Mind you, while it’s nice for John to be nominated for the manager award now, it would be even better for April because that would mean the Vale would be up there in the promotion reckoning.
The news of James Gibbons’ injury shows, however well you plan, there are going to be problems to deal with along the way.
The first sympathy has to be with the players, but the Vale are very unlucky that both Gibbons, pictured, and Zak Mills are out with hamstring injuries. So, there isn’t a recognised right-back for Saturday’s home game against Carlisle and Nathan Smith, who can cover there, won’t be available until next week.
The Vale have strength in depth, but two injuries to right-backs means they are looking at the possibility of a new signing for the weekend.
They will be looking to build on that 3-1 win at Wigan in the Trophy on Tuesday and, although both teams made changes, that result is still a lift after Vale had struggled to create chances in that 1-0 defeat at Morecambe and goalless draw at home to Harrogate.
It’s worth saying though that Morecambe’s winner was the first time Vale had conceded in the league.
The old adage is if you can’t win, don’t lose. If your defence is regularly keeping clean sheets then it gives the whole team confidence that you aren’t going to get beaten. If your back four is reliable then you know you always have a chance.
With two wins, a draw and just one defeat from their four league games, Vale have enjoyed a successful first month. Long may it continue.
If I’m drawing up lists of winners and losers from the first month in the Premier League then I’d have to put Everton in the former.
Their early success shows the value of a good manager. Carlo Ancelotti has gone in and changed the whole attitude and culture of players. Signings have slotted in well and there is a whole new energy about the club, and consistency.
On the other list, Manchester United look among the losers at the moment. They had a high-profile attempt to get Jadon Sancho that didn’t come off. Now they’ve got Edinson Cavani who has been a great goalscorer but at 33 and six months out of a contract, isn’t quite the signing he would have been five or six years ago.
United have played three league games this season and haven’t really put in a performance. They beat Brighton, but were outplayed, they got beaten by Crystal Palace and got hammered by Spurs.
United weren’t the only side to get hammered at the weekend. I don’t think many people would have seen Liverpool’s 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa coming.
There have been a few surprise results. I don’t know if those are because teams are more attacking now, or better set up to break down defences….or it’s just something in the water. But for us covering it on TV the unpredictability is certainly entertaining.
Maybe it could even be a season like when Leicester City won the title. All the ‘big clubs’ weren’t quite at it then.
That said, Liverpool’s defeat is more of a blip than a long-term problem for them. I can’t say the same of Manchester United because I can’t quite see what they are trying to do or how they are trying to do it.