WANDERERS are under orders to adopt a Scrooge mentatlity at Port Vale on Boxing Day.

After three straight league defeats the Reebok men's first priority is to break their losing sequence.

And if that means spoiling the holiday crowd's festive fun then so be it.

Manager Sam Allardyce declared: "We must do the ugly side of the job first.

"It is important we go to Port Vale and come away with a result. If we do that then that's the job done.

"The onus is not on us to attack or entertain but to go there and make sure we dont't lose the game.

"If we get the oportunity to score, which we always do, we can very easily come away with all three points. But we must stop them from playing first."

His gameplan could mean a first league start for French midfielder Franck Passi who has signed a month long extension to his short-term contract.

Allardyce was delighted with the effectiveness of the 33-year-old former Monaco, Marseilles and Montpellier midfielder in his full debut against Cardiff City on Tuesday night. And he believes Passi could do a professional job away from home.

Other options

"He showed me he could be somebody who can give me another option, particularly away from home.

"In him I have a sitting midfield player who breaks things up and uses the ball economically and that is something we are sometimes quite lacking in.

"We are good footballers but not sometimes very clever at taking the ball off people."

Passi's emergence threatens the places of Claus Jensen and Gareth Farrelly and Allardyce has more selection dilemmas to consider ahead of the first of his side's Christmas double header which is followed 48 hours later by the visit to the Reebok Stadium of West Bromwich Albion.

Steve Banks is challenging Jussi Jaaskelainen for the No 1 shirt after an impressive return from injury on Tuesday night, John O'Kane - who signed a permanent contract on Wednesday - is ready to resume his place in defence after missing the last four games with an ankle problem, on-loan Darren Holloway is available again after being cup-tied on Tuesday night and Hearts defender Paul Ritchie starts his three month loan spell.

"It will be nice to have a few selection dilemmas for once," added Allardyce. "It seems that recently the team has been decided by who has been available."

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