Former Shrimps Thread

[Little Shrimp]

Mixed bag for me, some very strong abilities but also some very weak ones.

Had one of the best aerial duel win percentages in the league. I think that when he was partnered up with somebody, as he was more often for the latter stages of last season, he helped contribute far more. He wins balls, occupies defenders and I think he's actually a half decent passer. So when he's got players to play off him, making use of the space he opens up, I think he can be quite effective.

Where he is completely ineffective, however, is as a lone striker - a role in which he was used far too much. For me, he lacked the ability to really trap a ball (something which I think Stockton does well) and hold it up to bring others into play. He won aerial duels etc and flick ons, but he wasn't able to keep the ball while our players got forward. To make the most of him, we really needed more players around him.

And obviously, as a lone striker his lack of goals was something very prominent. For me, he lacks the anticipation/nose for a chance needed by goalscorers. Obviously, it's not as much as an issue (a striker's job isn't necessarily always to score goals, eg Giroud) when he's partnering Collins etc and helping him score a few, but when he's spearheading a side on his own with no other obvious goal threat, then it feels like a big problem.

Looks like Northampton might be making a go of it this season, so will presumably have more numbers forward and not being using Oliver as a lone striker. This considered, wouldn't surprise me if he did relatively well.

[CityShrimp]

Vadaine flatters to deceive, for me.

Yes he’s a big lad who will occupy defenders, and there’s no doubt he’s a strong physical presence who wins balls in the air. Some might say that’s reason enough for having him in the team.

But there’s no end product. He doesn’t score goals, he’s played loads of minutes and I can think of lots of chances he’s fluffed so I don’t accept that his poor goal return is because of how he’s been used.

A poor goal return wouldn’t be a problem if he was putting chances on a plate for a strike partner and getting loads of assists, but his assist tally isn’t good either. Of all his impressive aerial challenges and flick ons, how many of them resulted in a useful attack being developed or a chance created?

If you’re a striker that doesn’t score or create goals, you’re of very limited use I’m afraid.

I’m a bit disappointed that Jim offered him a new contract and it’s probably for the best that he’s gone to Northampton; I will be shocked if he scores more than 6-7 goals for them.

[BerlinWaller]

My in depth analysis of Big V is this....the lad is a cart horse.

[Redalert1970]

Dawid Szezpaniek was on bench for Wrexham against Fleetwood last night

[Keith]

I would actually have liked to see Vadaine as a central defender. Seriously. He has a big physical presence and wins most headers. He'd probably score just as many goals by going up for corners as he did anyway.

I don't think anyone was too upset that he left, so turning up at Northampton is a surprise. But I think he worked hard for us, so I wish him well.

[Castaway]

Of all his impressive aerial challenges and flick ons, how many of them resulted in a useful attack being developed or a chance created?

Well exactly. Stats can sometimes be misleading. He may have been winning headers, but if they end up in the wrong direction than intended then they are usually not so useful!

[redrobo]

Maybe if we'd been a bit more attack minded with 2 up top playing together we would have got more out of Oliver.

Will be interesting to see how Curle sets up his strike force....

[Gone_Shrimping]

Hat-trick for Vadaine Oliver today in his debut. Header , Overhead kick and a shot.

[Keith]

Hat-trick for Vadaine Oliver today in his debut. Header , Overhead kick and a shot.

v Sileby Rangers F.C.of the United Counties League Division One.

Would it be too harsh to suggest, 'found his level'?

[black morse]

Hat-trick for Vadaine Oliver today in his debut. Header , Overhead kick and a shot.

v Sileby Rangers F.C.of the United Counties League Division One.

Would it be too harsh to suggest, 'found his level'?

Possibly

[BerlinWaller]

Hat-trick for Vadaine Oliver today in his debut. Header , Overhead kick and a shot.

v Sileby Rangers F.C.of the United Counties League Division One.

Would it be too harsh to suggest, 'found his level'?

Possibly

It's a shame for Northampton that V had his one good game a season in a friendly against a pub team.

[black morse]

Oh I'm worried now that he is going to play a blinder against us after all these comments

[jbc.shrimp]

Listened to the interview he gave at Northampton. First thing he seemed to suggest was that he'd 'turned down' another year with us. ! ?

[Westgate Wanderer]

Listened to the interview he gave at Northampton. First thing he seemed to suggest was that he'd 'turned down' another year with us. ! ?

We dodged a bullet there! In that one friendly against low non-league opponents he scored almost threequarters of his average goals per year! If i were Curle i woldn't pick him now til about February

[Keith]

Oh I'm worried now that he is going to play a blinder against us after all these comments

Oh, it is guaranteed!

Quite incredible that after the extended faith that Jim showed in him, he turned us down for another season? Even those of us who thought he had *something* to give, weren't too upset when he left.

[CityShrimp]

In fairness to Vadaine, he took a lot of stick from some fans for his goal scoring record, which probably wore him down a bit. Can’t blame him for taking the opportunity of a fresh start (and probably more money).

[redrobo]

In fairness to Vadaine, he took a lot of stick from some fans for his goal scoring record, which probably wore him down a bit. Can’t blame him for taking the opportunity of a fresh start (and probably more money).

He was brought in as a striker who failed miserably to fulfill that role.

Also he said he wanted to be near his family hence why he decided to leave. Considering that he moved to Leyland to be nearer to the club when he signed i don't accept his reason for leaving especially as he has now signed for Northampton which is still a trek from his former base at Shefield which I assume he has moved back to to be nearer his family.

If he moved to secure a better contract, fair enough but at least be honest about it.

As for the reaction of the fans, as a non striking striker he was given a lot of encouragement initially but he simply failed to deliver.

[Little Shrimp]

In fairness to Vadaine, he took a lot of stick from some fans for his goal scoring record, which probably wore him down a bit. Can’t blame him for taking the opportunity of a fresh start (and probably more money).

He was brought in as a striker who failed miserably to fulfill that role.

Also he said he wanted to be near his family hence why he decided to leave. Considering that he moved to Leyland to be nearer to the club when he signed i don't accept his reason for leaving especially as he has now signed for Northampton which is still a trek from his former base at Shefield which I assume he has moved back to to be nearer his family.

If he moved to secure a better contract, fair enough but at least be honest about it.

As for the reaction of the fans, as a non striking striker he was given a lot of encouragement initially but he simply failed to deliver.

If the only way you measure the quality of a striker is by number of goals scored then you're a lost cause.

I reckon if Northampton do go for it and get lots of players up around him, he'll be a handy player for them. If it ends up being the hoofball to just him up front (the lack of success of his flicks more came from the fact that he generally had no team mates within 20 yards of him) like we played in spells then he'll struggle again.

[Redalert1970]

Kieran O'Hara has signed for Burton Albion on 1 year loan deal

[The Marksman]

I can't help but feel like we didn't see the best of Oliver. He played his best football and scored the most goals at York when playing on the right of a front three

I can’t help feeling this is nonsense. Oliver’s most prolific spell at York, according to my York supporting friend, was in a front two alongside Jon Parkin in the Conference. He said he never played in a front
three.

This is what the York Press made of Vadaine in the Football League;

Vadaine Oliver

Of initial value to the team under Wilcox when the team’s approach was more direct and he showed a desire to flick on regular aerial balls forward. Once that passion seemingly disappeared, though, he cut a lethargic figure up front. A return of one goal from his last 22 games of the season saw fans boo his second-half introduction on the final day at Morecambe.

Appearances: 36 (6); Goals: 10. Rating:2/10

His record didn’t improve with us and it was fractionally better in Conference North.

If he does well at Northampton it’ll eat my proverbial hat.

Ha, I got my info from a York supporting friend too. Guess their opinions differ!

[Seasider9601]

"Wake up call" for Crewe, David Artell following pre season defeat at Nantwich

http://nonleaguedaily.com/nantwich-prov ... we-artell/

[HALMA 1983]

"Wake up call" for Crewe, David Artell following pre season defeat at Nantwich

http://nonleaguedaily.com/nantwich-prov ... we-artell/

They'll get another wake up call on August the tenth

[redrobo]

"Wake up call" for Crewe, David Artell following pre season defeat at Nantwich

http://nonleaguedaily.com/nantwich-prov ... we-artell/

Always nice to win but pre season games are all about fitness and not about results.

I've seen too many successful pre season games followed by a miserable season to read much into results.....but of course winning can become a habit....just as loosing can.

[John L]

Barky signs up for another 3 seasons with PNE...

https://www.pnefc.net/news/2019/july/tom-barkhuizen-signs-new-contract/

[Seasider9601]

Steven Yawson has re-signed for Prescot Cables

https://prescotcablesafc.com/2019/07/08 ... or-cables/