Midfielder says whoever is on the bench is backing the lads to do it
Chris Shuker has stressed the importance of the first goal ahead of Saturday’s game against York City as Vale look to get back to winning ways with just eight games left.
The Vale midfielder said: “We got done by two set pieces the other day at Bristol and we need to score the first goal and that is all it will take to start to get the confidence back – the first goal will be massive.
“York are in a worse position than us in all ways. They are down at the bottom of the league and they will be looking at the teams around us like we were.
“Whoever gets the first goal on Saturday, it will be absolutely massive. If we get the first goal, they will feel like we have been feeling recently and if they get the first goal, vice versa. The main aim is to not concede that first goal.
“The goals we have been conceding have been disappointing, they have come from mistakes, so if we don’t make the mistakes we will still be at nil-nil and that gives you the confidence to go on.
“If we could have nicked a goal against Bradford recently when we had a couple of chances near the end and that would have been the one to kick-start us I think.
“We have got to find courage within ourselves. Rather than sticking to the safety option, there needs to be courage for someone to stand up for someone to say ‘I’m going to do something different’ and if it doesn’t come off it doesn’t come off.
“Look at Fernando Torres, he was unstoppable at Liverpool then he goes to Chelsea for a big fee and has a dip I confidence and couldn’t hit a barn door.
“It just shows, you can’t just get it back, you need to build it and it has obviously been going the other way. We need to stem the tide and not give that first goal away and then we can build at that.
“The manager has been trying different things by using different personnel and that is fine by me and anybody else who finds themselves on the bench.
“We are all in this together and we have all played a part this season. We want to be playing League One next season and so we are all behind the lads, whoever is on the pitch.”