Jones out of Bury match and doubtful for Saturday
Manager Micky Adams said on Saturday he intends to make changes for the visit of Bury on Tuesday night, when the two clubs meet in the Johntone’s Paint Trophy, but only one will be an enforced change.
Under the rules of the competition, Vale have to field six of the players that started in their previous game – in other words they can make up to five changes.
Whether Vale make that many changes is doubtful as they would very much like to progress in the competition, but defender Daniel Jones will not be in the side and is also doubtful for the weekend’s trip to Carlisle.
Assistant boss Mark Grew explained: “He has done his groin – to what extent we are not certain yet but he’s not going to play tomorrow night and he is a doubt for Saturday.
“We are not looking to bring anybody in at the moment, but we’ve got people who can come in. Carl Dickinson can play at left back, Adam Yates played there when we switched him over on Saturday.
“We have got a few options, but obviously it is a disappointment for ‘DJ’ because we are going to miss him.
“It is a big blow for us, he’s a good defender and likes to get forward. He’s a threat when going forward and puts in some good crosses so it will be a loss to us.”
Straight after the home defeat to Wolves on Saturday the manager and his staff sat down and analysed the match and the players were taken through the DVD this morning.
Grew said: “We have got them in and sat them down and you can’t hide when the DVD is running and it shows people not breaking their neck to get back and defend as well as they can do.
“That’s the biggest disappointment for us at the moment, they are fit enough but seem to lack the desire to get back in there as quickly as they can.
“It is not a lack of effort, because they are an honest bunch of lads, but whereas last year they could get back at three-quarters pace and get away with it, now they can’t.
“We have got to push forward, especially at home because we want to win the game, but we have got to learn that on the counter-attack, we have got to get back in ASAP.”