Adams’ comments offer formation hints
Micky Adams has hinted at changes after Vale’s second 3-2 loss in succession and his post-match comments offer some clues as to his thinking for the Colchester game.
1. Robertson out?
The defence would appear to be an obvious place to start after shipping six goals in two games. Micky Adams’ post-match comments about the “criminal” defending including this line – “The first goal, if you are marking Nile Ranger you should know where he is on the pitch. If the ball goes over your head and he is behind you, you’ve got yourself in the wrong position as a defender, so we are disappointed with that and we are on the back foot straight away.”
It was Chris Robertson who lost Ranger for that first goal so it would appear that Adams’ criticism is aimed at him. The Sentinel newspaper also claims on Monday that “Jack Grimmer looks certain to be moved from right-back to central defence, which could mean a recall for Adam Yates at right-back.” That move could potentially see a back-four of Yates, Grimmer, Davis and Dickinson.
2. Myrie-Williams out?
Again, criticism by Micky Adams suggests that Myrie-Williams’ defensive showing was not up to scratch with the manager saying: “The left-back scores the third goal, so if I am a right winger playing against a left-back who scores then I am going to be disappointed.”
If Myrie-Williams does drop out then like-for-like replacements could include Chris Birchall, Louis Dodds or, fitness permitting, Chris Shuker. Or perhaps Adams could opt to field three in midfield and move to an attacking 4-3-3 formation?
3. Recalls for squad players?
Adams also mentioned that Vale “have got other people there that have probably sat on the bench or have not been a part of it who have been struggling with their own games and the little break has given them a little taste for it again…”
Who could that entail? Well, Jordan Hugill is an obvious candidate for a starting spot as is Adam Yates who could well come back into the side after being an unused sub. Yates would also appear to fit the above description after being ommitted from the side over the last couple of weeks.
Chris Shuker wasn’t in the squad and is struggling with a knee problem but could he be brought back into the reckoning? Or perhaps Chris Birchall and Dan Jones, who have both “struggled” to make the starting eleven recently, could feature?
4. And your guesswork starting eleven?
Our starting eleven doesn’t come from plucking names out of a hat, but there’s certainly no science to it either. We’re not football managers so this is purely our gut instinct about how the Vale could line-up on Tuesday…
GK: Neal
RB: Yates
CB: Davis
CB: Grimmer
LB: Dickinson
CM: Loft
CM: Lines
CM: Knott
FW: Williamson
FW: Pope
FW: Hugill
Disagree with these views? Think the starting eleven is nonsense? Feel free to post a comment below with your thoughts.