Let's talk about the Tranmere Rovers game

[selby]

  After a somewhat lucky point ( has our luck changed at last?) according to reports, we play Tranmere Rovers in a game that seems no less important, a win needed to settle nerves and hopefully improve confidence of the players.
  I will take getting a point when we play poorly, we were the best side at Bradford just days earlier, got kicked off the park in a poorly officiated game and Bradford are still bathing in the glory of getting to a semi final whatever way they needed to do to get there, it is a cruel game when things don't go for you, especially when the supporters get on the teams and players backs.
   We have no right to go to places like Sutton and expect the points presented on a platter, or to play like Real Madrid, we are a club and team in transition, and a fairly young side who  are under tremendous pressure and  are now in the spotlight of a battle for the club to retain EFL status and their own careers in many cases.
  So it started yesterday a battle one we rescued and on to the next. Wood is pivotal in this situation  and Anderson should be part of it whether out of favour or not to me, Olowu looking more and more like a cat on hot bricks.
  Ironside is our most important player, and we need at least one player to get up and around him during games and to contribute to our goal tally.
  The mid field is and has been all season our achilleas heal, even with all the players fit only Westwood has shown anything like the consistency and mobility with a bit of class in that department, all the others having glaring weaknesses especially in the stop the other side playing department giving our own back line a torrid time in most games with players running through and at them, we have to be better at keeping player between our goal and the ball, and the use of the tactical foul further up the pitch.
  To me we have done ok up front, waters needs to come on board with a few goals and not just look busy, but overall they have done well with little service.
 Tranmere meanwhile have picked up under Adkins an old adversary and are now a solid not spectacular outfit who are set up well, a lesson for us to learn.
  We need the points as simple as that, need to do whatever is needed to win the game, and get an identity to our game that has been missing all season when we have not got the best out of the players at our disposal.
  Tranmere's mid field with players like Apter and Morris is the area we  could be disadvantaged in, and we need to improve quickly, in my mind Flint could be a big player if given the chance in that area.
  The one thing needed now is the club pulling together supporters and staff, we have all had a gripe including myself, the manager and owner coming under uncalled for pressure as well as the CEO. and even supporters thinking we do not do statistical analysis when we actually do, at least we do now.
  So lots to discuss, the main thing giving everything to get a result however we need to do it, and the only place we can get the club up and at it again is on the pitch, things off it are nowhere near the position some are making out.
  Things to mull over big style, have we yesterday taken a big step pinching a result, I think so, lots to discuss please have your say.
 
       
 

[mushRTID]

With Salford and Matt Smith to follow, this has to be another not lose game. Almost must win.

[Lesonthewest]

Tranmere have really improved lately, beating some of the better sides in this league, & score goals. Unless Grant can find a formula in midfield I can only see a defeat coming. Really hope I'm wrong.

[steve@dcfd]

Goals win games and apart from Ironside and Faal when he was here we don’t have anybody else above 4 goals.
In the 6 forwards Ironside 14 Molyneux 2 both have played nearly all our games. None of the others have scored yet.
Therefore we need Waters Adelakun Molyneux Hurst and Taylor to score when selected.
From Midfield we have had 13 goals scored yet Close Westbrook are injured.

[ncRover]

Tranmere have only had 5 shots on target in their last 4 games

They had picked up since Adkins took over but they look to have stagnated a bit

[Chris Black come back]

They are terrible away from home.

[selby]

  Tranmere are not going to lay down, but we need to concentrate on our own game and sort out our weakness's and create our own identity, something we have not had for some time, our most regular supporters not having a clue what way we will play or even who will play, and none of our players have shown consistency of form even week to week, s**t or sugar the phrase to describe us for the last few years.
  First thing we need is just basic uncomplicated defending keeping defenders between our goal and the ball, something we have been poor at for a long time, and make the game difficult for the other side, something we do now and again instead of every game.
  The real battle of the season started last Saturday trying to keep out of real doo doo, I will take a lucky point over the season we earnt it being unlucky in other games, we nead to battle and build all the way to the end of the season now. 

[Arsenal Of The North]

We need to learn how to control a game. That means using a midfield, Bailey in my opinion isn’t a CM, or at least not what we need just now.

I’d be tempted to flood the midfield and go 5 in there, the more bodies the better and more likely we have a chance of carving out more chances.

Team for me would be

New lad in net

Sterry
Woods
McGrath
Maxwell (offers more of an attacking output than senior)

Molly
Biggins
Broadbent
Craig
Waters

Ironside

[roversdude]

Is Biggins injured ?

[Lesonthewest]

Get Nixon in midfield, he would give more resistance than anyone currently in there.

[philsky]

I’m  up again for this one after Bradford and Sutton.

Wouldn’t mind 3 points.

At least the McDonalds on my way up will be decent.

[Chris Black come back]

You will rarely see an improvement in form as stark as Tranmere this season. 30 league games so far. First 15 they managed 10 points, losing 11 games. Last 15 managed 27 points, losing 4 games.

[BigH]

Entirely down to Adkins working with the existing squad of players after they sacked Dawes seven games in.

Also no signings in January other than renewing Apters loan.

Another example of what can be done at this level with minimal resources.

[DonnyOsmond]

Ironside
Maxwell Molyneux Adelakun
Bailey Biggins
Senior McGrath Wood Sterry
Lo-Tutala

Jones
Nixon
Olowu
Flint
Broadbent
Taylor
Waters

[Chris Black come back]

Lo-Tutala

Maxwell
Wood
McGrath
Sterry

Bailey
Close / either Biggins or Broadbent

Molyneux
Waters
Adelakun

Ironside

[ncRover]

I feel like the full backs either have to be

Nixon and Maxwell

Or

Sterry and Senior

For the sake of balance. Then Bailey or whoever is in midfield can defensively cover the more attacking full back’s side.

[Sammy Chung was King]

We need a settled side, especially at the back. Players need to start taking charge of things, make things happen. Ironside needs service, give him that and he will score goals. Waters has a few in him as well.

[Lesonthewest]

You will rarely see an improvement in form as stark as Tranmere this season. 30 league games so far. First 15 they managed 10 points, losing 11 games. Last 15 managed 27 points, losing 4 games.

Absolutely, recently away from home they've won at Harrogate, thumped Salford 1-5,  & won at Grimsby. Recently at home they've stuck 4 past Notts County .

[In the box]

Ironside
Maxwell Molyneux Adelakun
Bailey Biggins
Senior McGrath Wood Sterry
Lo-Tutala

Jones
Nixon
Olowu
Flint
Broadbent
Taylor
Waters

play three at the back fill the midfield to support a front two . McGrath is left sided and looks effective going forward .

[ncRover]

Lo-Tutala

Sterry
Bailey
Wood
Senior

Craig
Broadbent

Adelakun
Waters
Molyneux

Ironside


Senior to stay back more and cover Wood’s lack of pace. Sterry pushing forward.

That front 3 behind Ironside could be fluid and change positions throughout the game while offering him better support.

Broadbent improved us by all accounts when he came on for Rowe and is more defensively sound than Biggins.

Bailey’s best position is CB. That’s where he played when we got the good results vs Mansfield and MK.

[Alan Southstand]

Scrap 4-3-3 and go 4-4-2 or even 4-5-1.

[GazLaz]

I will start worrying if we don’t put up a show today. I think we could/ should win. Couple that with Sutton having every chance of getting a result at Morecambe.

This feels like our most winnable game left in the season. We still have FGR to play at home but there will probably be a different dynamic to that game, especially if they are <6 points behind us at the time.


Just win Donny FFS!!

[Chris Black come back]

Since Adkins was appointed on 2 November, they have scored in 5 of their 7 away league games, including scoring 2 at Mansfield and Harrogate and 5 at Salford.

The problem we have is that if the other side score first, we generally then lose.

[Colin C No.3]

A scoreline that will have the ‘stay always’ scratching their heads as Rovers run out 3-1 winners with two goals from Joe Ironside, one from the penalty spot,  which will take his total league goals for the season to 14 (yet only 8 from open play so don’t count the other 6) & one for Billy Waters.

[Chris Black come back]

I will start worrying if we don’t put up a show today. I think we could/ should win. Couple that with Sutton having every chance of getting a result at Morecambe.

This feels like our most winnable game left in the season. We still have FGR to play at home but there will probably be a different dynamic to that game, especially if they are &lt;6 points behind us at the time.


Just win Donny FFS!!

Tom Biltcliffe reckons that Tranmere have won just 2 of their 35 away league games against us (D12 L21).

[ncRover]

Richard Wood will score his first Rovers goal today. I can feel it down in my plums.

[Padge_DRFC]

I will start worrying if we don’t put up a show today. I think we could/ should win. Couple that with Sutton having every chance of getting a result at Morecambe.

This feels like our most winnable game left in the season. We still have FGR to play at home but there will probably be a different dynamic to that game, especially if they are &amp;lt;6 points behind us at the time.


Just win Donny FFS!!

Tom Biltcliffe reckons that Tranmere have won just 2 of their 35 away league games against us (D12 L21).

Don't forget we are Christmas when it comes to this sort of thing. On a losing streak? End it by playing Doncaster Rovers.

We absolutely outplayed them at their place but we had Westbrook and Close in midfield. The option we have today are pretty useless. Bailey is better at CB. Then again he's not being utilised sat in front of the back 4 like I thought he would where I think he'd be okayish

[drfcsteve]

This one worries me because for me McCann has been tactically naive at times this season. I reckon Adkins will have worked out how to nullify our attacking threat, which is basically nonexistent anyway. Can we stop them scoring? I doubt it.

[GazLaz]

This one worries me because for me McCann has been tactically naive at times this season. I reckon Adkins will have worked out how to nullify our attacking threat, which is basically nonexistent anyway. Can we stop them scoring? I doubt it.

If Adkins out tactics you it’s time to give up.

[drfcsteve]

This one worries me because for me McCann has been tactically naive at times this season. I reckon Adkins will have worked out how to nullify our attacking threat, which is basically nonexistent anyway. Can we stop them scoring? I doubt it.

If Adkins out tactics you it’s time to give up.

Tbf though it won’t be that hard. If they stick two big lads on Ironside we’re stuffed.