Yates says too early to judge back four
With all the disruptions to the back four in recent weeks, it has been difficult for the Vale defence to gel properly due to circumstances in the last few games.
Defender Adam Yates admits it has not been easy, but he and his team mates at the back are determined to show what they can do.
Adam said: “We struggled at Northampton when we were a man down - at Forest Green it was a difficult game in blustery conditions and then on Tuesday night we went down to ten men again.
“It is difficult to judge thoroughly how we have done as a back four – I think we have struggled in some games.
“That is only natural seeing we haven’t played together very much and we have been down to ten men in two of those games.”
Southend United at Roots Hall is never an easy game, but Yates believes Vale are more capable of getting a favourable result there this season, in spite of the squad being down to bare bones.
He said: “We face Southend on Saturday and we will be under a bit of pressure, but a game of football is only worth three points.
“If we go there and don’t lose, it is a bonus, if we go there and win, it is an even bigger bonus, but it is a long way to go and we a tough time to come over the Christmas period.
“Thankfully it looks like the takeover is going to go through and we will need numbers for then because we are looking threadbare at the moment.
“Last year Southend were perhaps a bigger side than they are this year. They were quite direct last year.
“They had Dickinson, who scored a lot of goals and caused a lot of problems throughout the year. I think that his injury cost them going up in the long run.
“This year, looking at what they have done so far, they play more narrow, which with our two wingers is a dangerous way to play against us.
“If you are not doubling up on our wingers then you are going to have problems. If they do double up, it is up to other players to produce the crosses or the goals, but every time we have been posed questions, we have come up with answers.”