Northampton had a strong side last season, but invested heavily and strengthened further in the summer by signing players like Danny Hylton. They will obviously be strong favourites and a draw would be a very good result.
I don't think we will start with five at the back. I doubt Micky will want both Byrne and Jameson in the centre of defence, and the former actually looked more effective in a back four in the last league game than in his outings earlier in the season. Davies is as good as the players he replaces in my view and hopefully Byrne's recent improvement was not just a flash in the pan.
As Sparky says, Mellon might play Lewis just off Hemmings to give us a bit more solidity in midfield. I don't think anyone expects much from this game but we have to get a result some time.
There is a depressing undercurrent to watching Tranmere nowadays, for whatever reason they start each season completely undercooked. This year they lost for reasons maybe beyond their control, players they wanted to keep, Clarke, MacDonald and Foley.
They replaced them with a 30 year old who has barely played in the league and a player who couldn't get into a doomed Oldham side. It was remarkable that they decided to play three centre backs. In midfield Merrie after two wasted seasons, due to a fatal flaw in the club's make up-they have no reserve team, is the only option to play with the outstanding O'Connor. Other recruits in midfield are either young or just rusty- how can they improve not playing any proper matches?
Having had two excellent fullbacks, Cogley will probably leave soon, the new fantastic specimen on the left thrills as he attacks. Problem is, albeit unexposed most weeks, he is clueless defending, let's men get goalside of him repeatedly and when rarely attacked has no idea how to repel a one on one attack. Balls from the left have resulted in several goals, he doesn't even recognise the danger and fails to try a block that may put pressure on the player crossing.
I-follow commentators approve of our players if the results go well and vice versa, as do most fans. Up front Hemmings does everything a solid pro should do and is easily our best/only natural finisher, the fact he gets crosses behind him is the reason he scores few- it is a role that depends on chances at all levels. Nevitt has something but after the loss of Glatzel, the cupboard is bare and Lewis is no striker as his missing of the entire goal with only a defender to beat aptly proved.
The keeper maybe young but he is glued to his line, inconsistent and his defenders have no confidence in him. Hawkes still wants to break the net from 30 yards is much improved, but has to learn to side foot the ball home which the Merrie pass gives some hope about.
In august/july actually, they fielded players well below league level, now they have a bench offering nothing. Foley was the man to play behind the strikers or shore up the midfield to see a game out- now nothing to change or protect a match.
This week they look more like the August outfit and are surely doomed. Now I would get Joe back in goals and start with Hemmings alone. In August I would have left places empty, used our youngsters on the bench as sending them into non-league past 19 is ludicrous and waited to sign capable players. Byrne, Jamieson and Hockenhull were just in appropriate and that list isn't complete. Burton and Jolley are too old to even be employed by the club, historically. After years of coaching Hayde ended up in the bowels of non-league where he was described at first as 'not looking as if he had ever played football before'
As Mr King would say 'Just sign players who improve the team, if you can't find any don't sign them and work with what you have'
Under Mellon it is very clear players are signed, exposed as near useless very quickly and spend most of their contract waiting to be moved on. That is unhealthy but I don't know the real cause. Consistently players become too good for us and leave but no kid is sold on as per the Palios plan which is a dud.
