Pope up there with the best

Tom Pope believes Sam Morsy must curb the way he plays, but also says he didn’t think the midfielder made contact in the incident which led to the midfielder’s sending off.

“You don’t want him standing there just running alongside somebody, you want him winning his challenges, but I think that’s something he’s going to have to look at.” said Pope 

“I think it is going to be the way he goes in, it’s as simple as that. Being suspended twice in a few weeks, it has obviously not registered you can’t challenge like that anymore.

“You used to be able to tackle like that but referees are clamping down on it. He has got all the ability in the world to have a great career, it’s just something that he is going to have to curb.

“I was right behind the incident and I don’t think Sam actually caught him. I think he was aware that it looked bad and obviously he made the best of it.2

The Vale striker now has 17 goals from the season and is level with Messi in the scoring stakes and one behind Ronaldo. Only Burnley’s Charlie Austin can better the trio in terms of goals this season, with twenty to his name.

Pope said: “It is something I have always believed I have got the ability to do. As I have always said, I need balls into the box.

“I am not one of those players like a Messi or a Ronaldo that go and score forty yarders or take three players on and bury one.

“I am a forward that relies heavily on what other players do and as I have said before, if people keep putting balls in the box then I’ll get chances and I will put them away.

“I think last season was difficult because we didn’t really have any out and out wingers. We had phases where Rob Taylor played out there, and Riggy, but they were injured quite a bit and it was difficult to get ball into the box.”