• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

Cards v Rovers

Cowshed Kid

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Bobby Hutchinson
Suppose it was ideal that Daggers game was off as well.
Still a bit miffed ours was called off.
Stourbridge played Marine (and won) today having had their pitch covered for a few days. They didn't have enough sheets and filled in the blanks with dog blankets. Great effort from them. Whip round for Woking maybe? :)
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
We are completely hopeless when it comes to playoffs. I would have zero confidence based on past performances. Let's hope Lincoln slip a bit.
We are all showing our age a bit here. Our last play-off was in the Little era then before that it was over 20 years ago in what is now the Championship. So no one in the club will remember our past performances. But although I agree they are a bit of a lottery, I'd fancy our chances against any of the top sides except Lincoln. The worst scenario is another side finishing top and us having to face the Imps over two legs, but that looks unlikely at the moment.
 
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I agree with BBTC. Past play-off disappointments will have no bearing on the performance of the current squad.
 

Cowshed Kid

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On more serious note, I think other team's results are gauranteeing us a play off place unless we implode which I don't think will happen with MM.
We need to make sure we are in good form at the end.... teams on bad runs up to play offs don't do well.
Last time for us against Hartlepool we'd been in comfort zone for a while. Crunch time, first leg away, awful.
But you never know, Lincoln might hit a blip.
What would you prefer - Champions or Wembley win?
I've suffered the agony and ecstasy of Wembley play offs.
Champions for me. Though winning at Wembley is special
 
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I think next week's game against Dagenham is massive now. Realistically, we are the only two teams that can catch Lincoln, The Daggers currently being in good form and with players returning from injury. However, depending on Lincoln's result on Tuesday, the team that loses next Saturday could effectively be out of the title race.
 
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Currently barrow 2 Lincoln 0. Great scoreline and gives us renewed hope.
 
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Boz

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Currently barrow 2 Lincoln 0. Great scoreline and gives us renewed hope.
Finished 3-0, despite the Imps fielding what looked like their normal line-up. It's always swings and roundabouts in this league, good that Lincoln haven't pulled away at the top, but a revitalised Barrow could pose problems of their own to us.

I see the trip to Woking has been re-scheduled for a week today. While I can understand we don't want to build up too big a backlog of fixtures, a little surprised by this for 2 reasons. Firstly, it would be better to have Ritchie Sutton banned for the Chelmsford game, rather than this one and it's not much notice for travelling fans to make arrangements
 
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We are still four points ahead of barrow with a game in hand, so tonights result was unequivocally a good one for us. Currently on my hols, but it was pleasing to hear that Lincoln were showing some signs of fatigue. I won't be able to get to Woking at such short notice, but I can understand why the club wanted to rearrange quickly. If we remain in the fa trophy there will be very few clear weeks available in march and April.
 

Ian

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Great result last night. Are Lincoln looking a bit jaded?
 
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Great result last night. Are Lincoln looking a bit jaded?
Can't assume that, Ian, after one defeat away against a side as good as Barrow. If they drop more points in successive games, then yes. However, it does show us and them that they are not invincible and therefore catchable.
 
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From what I have read Lincoln were showing signs of fatigue last night, which you would expect with the schedule they have had. It does not get any easier for them in the next couple of weeks and I believe we have the greater squad depth to cope in the second half of the season.
 

Boz

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Would agree we have greater squad depth than Lincoln in terms of midfield and forwards. Defensively a couple of bans or injuries could leave us very stretched.
 

Ian

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I saw no spark in their play at all last night. Hopefully a combination of a heavy schedule and a cup distraction.
 
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We try again at Kingfield..... After twisting a few arms I am going to this one and I am hoping for a big improvement on Saturday's showing.

From Micky's interview it seems that we will start with the diamond formation again, albeit without the injured Steve Jennings. That might be no bad thing as I think we need Maynard or Harris to play to give greater protection to the back four.

It is sod's law that having struggled all season Woking have come into some form, winning their last two, including an impressive victory at Eastleigh. Ugwu and Bonne (who scored the winner for Lincoln at Prenton Park) will certainly test our back four. However, our record against teams in the bottom half is very good, and this game will be a good gauge of how serious our current problems really are. To put things in perspective, our three recent defeats were all against good teams.

I think about 2-300 Rovers fans will be in attendance and this is a game we are certainly capable of winning. Victory would actually put us above Dagenham and within one point of FGR with a game in hand, a healthy position despite recent disappointments.
 

Sparky

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Fully expect Maynard to come in for Jenno but will be disappointed if we stick with the diamond for all the reasons I said post the Daggers match. Let's go 4-4-2, be positive and play to win. Get it wide and get crosses on cookies head.

Big questions for me are whether the likes of Mangan, Wallace and Kirby stay in the starting 11. Wallace looked exhausted after 20 minutes on Saturday and seemed to be carrying a few pounds. Kirby quite rightly was pulled off at half time but MM does like all that running he does away from home. Nors deserves a run of games so personally I would definately make some changes.
 

Boz

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I'm disappointed that we're sticking with the diamond and a bit puzzled about Micky's remarks about Saturday, which suggested the team were playing as he instructed. While Jennings S seemed a bit short of match-fitness, didn't think he was any worse than the rest.

If we're playing a diamond then Tollit for Kirby and Maynard for the absent Jennings for me. While I'd also replace Wallace with Harris, the manager isn't fond of too many changes, for the same reason Mangan will probably start.

Prediction: SWA numbers about 250. Think they'll go home disappointed a draw at best and losing wouldn't be a surprise.
 
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In fairness to Mellon he did not simply say 'same as usual' in the interview. He said the quality in the final third was not good enough on Saturday and we need to play with more imagination in attacking areas.

I have not got anything against Steve Jennings per se, I just think Maynard and Harris are more mobile and athletic and better suited to a defensive role when Hughes and Wallace are also in the team.

Mellon is clearly going to stick with the diamond, so we just have to hope the system becomes more effective with time, or at least that we get back to the performances of six weeks ago.
 

Ian

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Agree with Sparky. If we are to play Cook, we need to play to his strengths. Not sure the diamond is going to work. We need battlers in midfield to break up play, we need wingers getting crosses in and we need the forwards to be playing in an advanced position and not running back defending for half the game. Wallace would work in a 442 but not in a diamond. I'd bring back terriers like Harris (what's happened to him?).

Probably would start with Mangan with attacking options on the bench.
Enjoy the game RLC!
 
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