• 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.

Heed v Rovers

Ian

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I think we can still scrape a win here.
 

Boz

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Scrappy half, the through ball that Cole shot at their keeper the best chance for either side, but the Heed have had more opportunities and you fear will take advantage eventually.
 

bigmart

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sounds a poor game so far, most teams at the top of the table lead so we need to win to keep in touch
 

Sparky

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Chris Greenacre
Sounds like the home side are building some momentum.

Larnell Cole sounds tired , not a surprise. Maybe bring devarn green on for him
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
Just couldn't do it. A disappointing day in the end. Most teams above us gained points. We are now 5 points shy of the play-offs and 10 from the top. I just hope no more injuries. At least, we had no more bookings.
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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We did not deserve to lose but we did not get going all game. A poor performance. Enough experience on the pitch to have beaten a mediocre Gateshead side. Seems confidence may have taken a knock on Wednesday night.
 

Ian

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This is the problem with cup games. I hope we can bounce back because that in all truth is a poor result.
 
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We missed Harris and Hughes in midfield but that is no excuse. Seven or eight players just went through the motions today. Can't see us going up this season. Not enough consistency with this side.
 
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Saw palios outside the ground after the game - face like thunder. Apologised to the supporters in front for the performance.
 

Ian

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Can't see us going up this season. Not enough consistency with this side.
Exactly right. We’ve played enough games this season to gauge how the rest of the season will pan out and like you say we are horribly inconsistent. Mid table finish I think..

For some players to be going through the motions is unacceptable. MM won’t last much longer if this continues..
 

Cowshed Kid

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My reaction as soon as it went in! Horrible. But it was as though I was expecting it!
Will bow to those that were there but is it possible that it was as much fatigue than lethargy or disinterest?
Wednesday was a draining effort with 10 men - they worked their socks when they had the ball trying to get on the scoresheet and more so when they didn't and were chasing shadows.
Yes, they're pros and it's only two games a week. But I would bet that without Wednesday's farce against superior opposition we'd have won today.
If there's a bright side, it was all square when we conceded so we've only effectively lost a point!
Sounded like Banks did ok?i
Tuesday IS a pivotal game now. Two days rest, as have Silkmen. CJ back, hopefully Ollie N ok.
They do like playing us though
 
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Will bow to those that were there but is it possible that it was as much fatigue than lethargy or disinterest?
Possibly. But this time last season we went to Gateshead and played a side of a similar standard and did not play particularly well, but had the character and quality to grind out a result. We did not today and The Heed are exactly the kind of side you have to beat to mount a serious promotion challenge.

I think Banks did ok today: showed some nice touches but was clearly lacking match sharpness. However, the centre of midfield was a real problem for us. Without Hughes and Harris we did not rotate the ball enough, playing the simple ten yard passes that move players around and create space. Everything was hit long or was simply disjointed and Norburn did not look remotely fit to me.

Elsewhere, several other players were below par. Cook was well marshalled by Dominic Fyfield, the Heed's best player, and looked off the pace: Norwood worked hard but lacked quality on the number of occasions that he got into good areas; Ridehalgh's delivery was poor; DMH was out of sorts. As CK says, fatigue may have played a role in all of the poor individual performances. Gateshead were well organised defensively, but if our attacking play had been anywhere near the quality of recent games we would have opened them up far more than we did.

There were some positives. The back four were solid, with both centre backs and Buxton impressive. The goal was harsh on Sutton, as the real failings in the performance were higher up the pitch. If you fail to get control of the game and test the opposition, you always risk a sucker punch like we had today. I also thought Cole had a good game, looking a lot fitter than in previous matches and creating, before ultimately missing, our best chance of the match.

We are still only five points off the play-offs and all is not lost just yet, but we need a major response in the next two matches.
 

Sparky

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Thanks for the report RLC. A defeat to me wasn't a surprise. We've scored 5 away goals all season - the lowest in the division and whilst still a decent defence overall, we only need to let one in and we lose.

One problem I'd suggest with cook is he's never really got a good run in the side. Starts one game, sub the next, then starts again. Given the ways he's been treated this season and last by MM you do wonder how happy he is at the club.

DMH has done some good things but is still a youngest who'll be hit and miss at times. I'm not sure about Cole yet. Admittedly he's not played much and not been fit but is he what we need? A half fit player?

With only McDonough as a striker on the bench, you do wonder about the wisdom of sending both Alabi and mangan out, along with waring. If Nors or cook are having an off day, what options do we have to mix it up??

Palios apologised to some fans after the game and clearly wasn't happy. A defeat on Tuesday will see the vultures circling again.

The players though managed to have some pizzas delivered to the coach for the journey home believe it or not.
 
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Palios apologised to some fans after the game and clearly wasn't happy. A defeat on Tuesday will see the vultures circling again.
Thinking about it, I might have misconstrued it. He might just have been thanking them for travelling. But he did not look happy......

I think the biggest problem today was the absence of Hughes, Harris and Jennings and just a general malaise in the team. That said, we were still slightly the better of the two sides and should not have lost. Other than the goal, we had restricted Gateshead to shots from distance and actually looked the most likely side to win in the last ten minutes.
 
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With all the injuries the we always seem to have . You have to wonder if using the gps thing is working . Or putting to mutch pressure on the players to meet their target's . And not thinking abt the game . Didnt make it today as was doing daddy time for a change. Witch i must say when i see the score im happy i did . Have to say mm is not doing things easy for himself . And if not in the season . Reckon he wont be around in the summer and can se a few others going as well
 

drwhoman

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Are we being a bit harsh given the crucial players missing from midfield which included a player who had no previous involvement with the team? Disappointing result I know. And after playing with10 men for 70 mins on
Wed?
 

Sparky

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Yes drwhoman you are probably right - Micky is a victim of high expectations after last season and the injury situation remains ridiculous and so unlucky. Ridehalgh off injured today and I think the goal came from a cross from the right (I haven't seen it tho)

The Gateshead managed said pre match he had a fully fit squad. We probably have a dozen players either injured, suspended, or not in favour and out on loan
 

Cowshed Kid

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I hope a "MM Out" campaign doesn't start again on the back of today.
Good of RLC to re- post about Palios. I'd have been more concerned if he was smiling.
MM got us to the play offs albeit limping with all the injuries we had.
We've hit another bad patch selection wise.
Unbelievable luck.
MM didn't ask Jay to throw a misjudged tackle in or for CJ to get himself booked on Wednesday.
It's all fine margins.
 
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