Name your preferred Vale defence

[robf]

Here's an OVF exercise for a Wednesday morning - who would you pick in the Vale defence?

 

For a starter, what formation would you pick at the back and who would you pick in there?

 

As Vale haven't kept a clean sheet since November, I think it's well worth the debate and I look forward to your replies.

 

To kick it off, here's my thoughts...

 

1. Using current players - I would keep the back four, bring back Yates and partner McGivern with Veseli at the back. If we are safe in mid-table with a few games to go, I would also consider blooding Nathan Smith and Dean-Conteh to assess their potential.

 

2. Bringing in a loan - if possible then that's a no-brainer. If there are any decent defenders we could bring in with an eye to a permanent deal, then I'd welcome that too. After all, that's the route that led to Freddie Veseli joining the Vale

[cheshirevaliant]

Yates, Robertson (although would Smith do any worse than Robertson or Duffy?), Veseli, McGivern.

 

If I could use players who don't play for us, then I would choose Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta. :)

[Ben]

I am afraid the personnel we have at present I have no preference as which ever you perm are not good enough.:(

[valiant_593]

I would certainly bring in one or two loans (and actually play them) with the current squad it has to be;

 

Yates veseli Robertson mcgivern

[Jay606]

Don't rate Robertson but he needs to play as we have no other tall defenders who can win headers. Duffy should definitely not be starting and Veseli should be moved back to CB.

[robf]

I am afraid the personnel we have at present I have no preference as which ever you perm are not good enough.:(

 

I think that's the most succinct and honest answer. A record of no clean sheets since November doesn't disagree with you either.

 

I would add that I personally wouldn't lump the blame at Rob Page on this. He has a defence with three presumably high-earning defenders (Duffy, Dickinson and McGivern) all on contracts beyond the end of the season so he's stuck with players he didn't sign and on contracts he didn't agree to.

 

When it's his players and his choices then he's open to criticism but I would like to see what he does in the summer as presumably he may want to move on some of these contracted players?

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

I am afraid the personnel we have at present I have no preference as which ever you perm are not good enough.:(

 

Leave me out of this! ;)

 

To be honest you are quite right in your assesment. I think aside from Veseli at centre back and McGivern at left back you could stick any of the other poor players in alongside and get the same performances sadly.

[pattismith]

Mills, Aspin, Glover, Tankard

[tisdeano]

five at the back, veselli as sweeper

 

mcgivern dicko robertson yates

[Yukon]

Yates Veselli Robbo McGivern

 

I've always sort of stuck up for Dicko but on Saturday I gave up when he was lumping the ball up without looking then moaning at the midfielders for not being on the end of them. That's just ridiculous

 

As mentioned above, we're desperately short in defence

[fairportnick]

Yates , Vesselli, McGivern and, applying the principle that a stopped clock is right twice a day, my fourth choice would be a wooden post.

[OakhillDave]

Probably do better if Rob Page goes player/manager. He'd do a way better job at the back.

[Caesar99]

Neal

Yates, Veseli, Robertson, McGivern

 

We're crying out for a centre half and a right back!

[TheSage]

Neal

Yates, Veseli, Robertson, McGivern

 

We're crying out for a centre half and a right back!

 

Tend to agree.

 

The worrying thing is that we've been awful at the back for over 18 months and no-one has done anything about it.

[PV1993]

Away from home I'd be tempted to go 5 at the back, it worked for Crewe and even the top teams like Bristol City: So then I'd play McGivern, Robbo and Veseli in the centre with any 2 of Yates, Daniel and even Marshall on the wing

 

At home however I'd like to see us go with a back 4, but a tight one so that the full backs don't push up - effectively making 4 centre halves. The full backs attacking (even when, like Dicko, they are poor at it) is what leaves us most of exposed in my opinion. Let the wingers push up the pitch and let the defenders defend. Too often the wingers drop back, which means balls up to the front men are pointless. Therefore, in this way, I'd go: Veseli, Robbo, McGivern, Dicko