Port Vale are winning in one key area - but Darren Moore must fix major issue | OneFootball

Darren Moore's Port Vale have been big on chance creation, but have been wasteful so far in League One this season

Port Vale's results to start the season didn't truly match their performances, especially given their attacking output.

Darren Moore's side had a lot to learn this season following a one-year stop in League Two, and are desperate to make their third-tier stay last as long as possible.

The Valiants were in the bottom five League One sides for expected goals and big chances created the last time they played in the division the season before last, but so far this season, they have been an entertaining side to watch going forward.

In the past, at Sheffield Wednesday, Moore was able to craft free-flowing attacking League One sides capable of scoring five or six in a match, which ultimately led him to promotion through the play-offs in the dramatic 2022/23 campaign.

Whilst talks of promotion at Vale Park are non-existent, the main goal is to avoid the drop, and if Vale continue to create goal-scoring chances, they'll be well on their way to achieving that. However, that will only come if they begin to take these opportunities.

Port Vale have been among the most wasteful sides in League One this season

According to Fotmob, Port Vale have created the most big chances in League One this season through nine games.

Their 24 is one more than both league leaders, Bradford City and Wigan Athletic, who have shown attacking improvements under Ryan Lowe this season.

The season Vale went down in 2023/24; the Valiants created just 36 big chances. So Moore's side have 37 more games to create 13 more big chances to overtake that number. They also have 37 more games to start taking those chances at a healthier rate.

Unfortunately, creating so many chances leads you liable to missing them, too, and Vale's 16 big chances missed places them second in the division, behind Wigan's 17.

Port Vale scored just two goals in their opening six games, which ultimately isn't good enough for a side that many expect to be battling the drop once more this season. This was made worse with the departure of line leader Lorent Tolaj to Plymouth Argyle, who had scored 14 in their promotion campaign out of League Two.

With their main striker out of the door, there was a real worry about Vale's lack of potency up at the top end of the pitch. But good things come to those who wait, and as the season's gone on, Darren Moore's side are beginning to find the back of the net a little more often.

Port Vale are starting to hit their groove in front of goal - they need to continue this form

Despite Tolaj's departure, someone who was a big factor in Port Vale's chance creation numbers from both a scoring and assisting perspective, Darren Moore's side has still been able to create decent scoring opportunities at will with him out of the side.

In September so far, the Valiants created four big chances against Leyton Orient, two against Exeter City and five against Mansfield Town. Clearly, it has been a case of sticking to the game plan, even if results hadn't been going their way, because sooner rather than later, the tide would turn.

And so it has, with Vale picking up two wins in those three games, and the loss against Leyton Orient was a harsh one, losing to a 95th-minute Charlie Wellens strike.

Tolaj's departure has been swiftly forgotten due to the emergence of Devante Cole, who has scored a goal in each of his three Vale games since he was let go by West Brom to sign for them. The 30-year-old has been potent at this level in the past for Barnsley, and he seems to be finding that form once more at Vale Park.

Patience has been key for Moore through the opening stages of the league campaign. Now, with the goals finally flying in, it's all about pulling away and ensuring that they avoid a relegation scrap come April.