‘I did fear the worst after the Bolton game, but our revival has been absolutely remarkable’

System needed to be changed to alter course of Birmingham clash

IWAS in the press box at St Andrew’s last weekend willing Michael O’neill to make a change. I think it is fair enough when you go a goal down just before half-time to try to give the team time to get it back. But once we had gone 2-0 down after 53 minutes, I saw frustration when I wanted to see action.

The personnel was changed in the end, but I wanted to see a change in the system because Birmingham were matching us up and were too comfortable – to the point that one of their centrebacks even did a pirouette on the ball at one point.

From 3-4-1-2 we could have gone to a 4-4-1-1 with two wide players to stretch the opposition wing-backs. You can still play Nick Powell behind Steven Fletcher but now you’d have width to overload the home side.

But if you want to keep three centre-backs, you can still go four in midfield with full-backs in the wide roles and push Jacob Brown on to the right wing and Nick Powell, and this is important, into the channel just off the line between the right centreback and ahead of their right wing-back.

You want him in that pocket between those two players and with Rhys Norrington-davies behind it gives them a problem. The centre-back doesn’t know whether to come and mark Powell if Fletcher is playing off one of the others. It also gives the wing-back a dilemma. Does he come back and mark Powell or stick with Norrington-davies?

You’d got more options, but instead we were frantic.

Birmingham were keen to get the ball away from their back line every time they got the chance. It wasn’t subtle but they were seeing if Stoke could deal with it.

When we won possession we gave it straight back. I could count on one hand the number of times when we had moves of more than three passes. We weren’t passing with any purpose or intent. Where did our game go?

We were so rushed on the ball. Only John Obi Mikel was giving teammates any chance to get into positions or work angles. At one point we had a throw in and kicked it straight out to give Birmingham a throw.

It was a frustrating watch and at one point on the radio you might have heard me say that the cardboard cut outs in the stand were getting more excited.

The first goal was going to be very important. It is very rare in the Championship that a team which is leading at half-time goes on to lose the game.

And for the third defeat in a row – Middlesbrough, Millwall and now Birmingham, either side of clean sheets against Cardiff, Derby and Bristol City – we conceded that crucial goal from a set-play.

Against Middlesbrough and Millwall it was a corner, against Birmingham it was a throw; not a long one but short, catching Stoke off guard to get a cross in.

I don’t know why we played Danny Batth as left centre-half and James Chester on the right when I think they both look more comfortable on the opposite side.

When a team uses a long throw, you have to approach it the same as corners. You have time to get set up and get players in positions and that’s where you’ve done your work in the week. It takes time to do that but you do your homework.

Your players then still have to take responsibility and be switched on like they would at any dead ball, when it can only take one or two passes to concede a goal. You have to be alert for whether they are going to take a short or long throw.

If you are not, you pay the price – and Stoke have had three chances to learn that in recent weeks.

PORT Vale are aiming for a seventh successive win this afternoon when they pay a visit to Carlisle United.

Will the remarkable winning run continue? Having their say are this week’s fans’ panel of ANDREW BLAKEMORE, from Denford; CHRIS BENTLEY, from Norton Heights; and AARON RIGBY, a Vale fan from Perth, Australia...

WHAT’S YOUR TEAM? Andrew Blakemore: It will be interesting to see who replaces Manny Oyeleke in midfield.

Maybe Jake Taylor could come in to take his place, or Alex Hurst and revert to a 4-4-2 using him and David Worrall as wingers, with Devante Rodney and Theo Robinson up front.

However, after his performance last week, Kurtis Guthrie has to be in consideration as well.

Chris Bentley: Brown; Gibbons, Smith, Legge, Brisley; Joyce, Conlon, Taylor; Worrall, Robinson, Rodney.

Aaron Rigby: We have kept a relatively settled line-up these last six games, although we will have at least one enforced change due to selling Oyeleke.

I would bring Montano back in at left-back, as long as he is fit, as I think he offers more of an attacking threat and Taylor in place of Manny.

My team: Brown, Gibbons, Smith, Legge, Montano, Joyce, Taylor, Conlon, Worrall, Rodney, Robinson.

WHAT’S YOUR PREDICTION? Andrew Blakemore:

Another tough game, against a team that are second in the home form table.

But we did it at Crawley, who were in good home form at the time. We’ve not got the greatest record in Cumbria, but the confidence that this team has, I can’t see why we can’t continue this run.

I’m going for 2-1 to the Vale. Chris Bentley: This is always a tough away trip and as much as I’d like to see us notch our seventh win on the bounce, I’d settle for a point.

I’ll go 2-2 with Worrall and Rodney to score.

Aaron Rigby: Carlisle are tough opposition, but we are more resolute nowadays. 1-0 to Vale with Rodney to score.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS? Andrew Blakemore: So now that we are mathematically safe, all eyes turn towards contract discussions and who we can keep and who we would want to.

I think prior to the Newport game everyone wanted an overhaul in the summer, but as time has gone on, we again saw that these players showed us just how good they can be.

It was good news to see Alex Hurst sign a two-year deal this week, he’s young and has plenty of time to learn and add more to his game.

On the other side with the departure of Manny Oyeleke, it was the most sensible option, getting money for a player out of contract and sadly, had a long injury record in his three years at Vale Park.

I hope that the one player we can retain is David Worrall.

It was a surprise at the time and a great signing. For me, you have to ensure his services are retained for next season at least, as we look to press towards the play-offs for the 2021/22 season.

It will certainly be an interesting summer.

Chris Bentley: Well, what a rollercoaster of a season it has been, but at least now we’re looking up the table instead of over our shoulders for the last five games.

The transformation in recent weeks has been phenomenal and credit must go to Darrell Clarke and his backroom team as well as the players.

After the Bolton home defeat in March I feared the worst but hopefully we can now take this momentum into a new season and let’s hope we can be there to see it this time at Vale Park.

I’ve got mixed views on Manny Oyeleke, pictured above, leaving for Chesterfield this week.

He was undoubtedly a good player for us when fit but that wasn’t very often.

I’m sure that David Flitcroft is looking at a high calibre of players who will take us forward and already has players lined up so Manny is replaceable.

I’m sure it’s going to be an exciting and interesting summer of transfer activity.

Aaron Rigby: What a shame our run of wins didn’t start five games earlier.

Mathematically we still have an outside chance of finishing seventh but with most of the teams above us having a couple of games in hand it would a minor miracle if we gatecrash them this season.

That said I don’t believe we should just chop and change the team to give people a chance to impress.

I’d love Pope to earn a new deal but it is getting less likely each week that passes especially if we have to trim over 21 players in our squad to just 20.

Everything is geared up for a strong campaign next year and it is clear that Clarke is instilling a winning mentality into the club.

We just need the fans allowed back into the ground now, they are the final piece of the puzzle.