Port Vale 23-24 season squad preview – the defenders
Have Port Vale strengthened the back line? Rob Fielding reviews the club’s summer transfer moves in the defensive department.
Transfers
Outs:
Derek Agyakwa (released), Sammy Robinson (released), Aaron Donnelly (end of loan), Will Forrester (Bolton Wanderers)
Ins:
Alex Iacovitti (Ross County), Kofi Balmer (Crystal Palace, loan)
Note: we’ll be reviewing wingbacks separately
Analysis
On paper, Vale’s defence looks to be strengthened but there’s enough unknown factors for doubts to remain…
If there was one fan request that was asked of the Vale management regarding the defence it would surely have been – replace Connor Hall please! The Valiants struggled to replace the tall left-sided defender when he departed in January, a move compounded by injury to natural replacement Dan Jones.
It seems that question was on the lips of the Vale recruitment team too as strapping left-sided defender Alex Iacovitti became the club’s second summer signing. On paper, the former Ross County man ticks all the boxes in terms of being a like-for-like replacement for Hall.
Vale then responded to the loss of Will Forrester to Bolton by bringing in promising Palace youngster Kofi Balmer. The loanee has earned good reviews from pre-season and could be in contention for a regular place.
Having said all that, it’s not all good news. An awful lot now lands at the feet of Nathan Smith, the constant presence at the back, the new club captain and experienced old hand at the back. Smith has some 350 Football League appearances, Dan Jones has 144, the other three back three contenders – Cass, Balmer and Iacovitti have 92 between them. On paper, Vale’s defence looks to be strengthened but there’s enough unknown factors for doubts to remain although the addition of solid goalkeeper Connor Ripley will no doubt help the goals conceded column too.
Viewing the defence from left to right…
Dan Jones looks like a strong contender to start on the left. However, the popular defender has struggled with injuries and if he is missing again Iacovitti remains an unknown quality. The Yak possesses the physical attributes to win aerial battles and comes with good reports from Scottish fans but how will he fare in League One? Will he be found out by pacier strikers?
In the centre. it’s a no brainer unless anything happens to skipper Nathan Smith. The lynchpin of the defence, the absence of the local lad would be keenly felt as Vale have no obvious replacement for him.
It’s also a big season for Lewis Cass on the right of the back three. He has yet to nail down a position in either the back three or as wingback and is in danger of being seen as a versatile back-up rather than a regular starter. He missed out on several occasions last season to Will Forrester and with the latter now left, it’s time for Cass to press his claims. It looks like being a straight fight between Cass and Balmer for the right-side of a back three.
So, in summary, there are still plenty of questions for the Vale backline to answer but I think if you’d have told Vale fans that by the end of the summer the club had found a strapping, physical, left-sided replacement for Connor Hall then they would be pretty pleased.
Rating
C+