Norwich 2-0 Rovers

[Ian]

Sounded harsh on the lads. They were doing well up until that dodgy penalty decision.

However, the problems we have compounded the defeat today. The inability to score goals. Had we players that can take a chance when presented, we probably should have been 2-0 up well before they got handed a penalty.

Les and the players might be wondering what they have to do to get a win, and it's fair to say they have certainly improved since Barnes' departure, but they need to address the obvious.

If you can't score goals, you can't win matches. Still only 3 goals in all away games this season. :-k

 

[Boz]

It's like that thing Napoleon had about needing lucky generals. The only game we've had any luck since Les was in charge was the win over Brighton. Our fortune's got to turn eventually, but will it be too late??

 

[Ian]

Having looked at the highlights on TV, I think it was the right decision to give the penalty. Welsh put his arms up to stop the shot then turned his back as it hit him.

Good report by the way Coops =D>

 

[SonkORLY?]

We've got the same strikers as last year, plus more. Problems are more deep rooted. Shame we couldn't score in the first half yesterday. We can still stay up with the right managerial appointment, I'm sure of it.

 

[roverstillidie]

The problem is the midfield can't tackle. That's it. If you can't get the ball back before the goalkeeper or one of the back four has to intervene you're not going to win many football matches. The strikers are pretty crap, but their permanently isolated after the first 20 mins.

 

[SCooperSomersaults]

The luck really doesn't go with you when you're at the bottom. I agree in that I don't think it was a penalty. The bloke belted it and Welsh seemed to turn his back and ok it may well have hit his upper arm but hardly intentionally.

We missed chances though that should have been put away. When confidence is low, they don't go in and we need someone to come in and instil that kind of confidence in the players.

 

[Ian]

We've got the same strikers as last year, plus more.

Last seasons strikers were fortunately put in the shade by Kay who clocked up 12 goals, more than any of the strikers. Add another nine from Savage who we haven't seen at all this season and six from Shotton. 27 goals in total..

That goals supply has been taken away from us and that leaves our current strikers hopelessly exposed. They got lucky last year with the squad around them. They need to step up to the plate as we are relying on them to get the goals. Sadly, I don't think the ability is there.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Yeah, fair enough. Whatever people might say about Shuker, he gets goals. Might be worth keeping him in the starting XI for a bit.

 

[The Bootle Rover]

If there was a success....

Against Norwich if anyone could be judged an overall success it was Ash Taylor and most definitely not Shuker. Maybe playing the kids could be the way forward after all, and getting shocking Shuker and the rest of the past it squad members out is the best way forward - long term, no matter what happens in the interim.

 

[Boz]

I can only assume that Chris Shuker is Peter Johnson's love-child, given the unmerited venom directed at him by BootleRover:-k.

To my mind, Shukes has done fairly well in the last few games. He started his career as a striker and one of his best games last season was playing just behind the front man.

I think that John Welsh is going to be worth about 7/8 goals a season. Given that is more than double what we can expect from McLaren, he should be the first option for an attacking midfielder. Can't help wondering how well he and Allot would have done as a midfield pairing before Dumb and dumber decided they knew better.

 

[Ian]

Shuker has moments, but that's about it. His finishing is quite poor most of the time and he seems a 45-minute player. He frustrates himself as well as the supporters because he has ability but we only see it in glimpses. He doesn't have the stamina to last a full 90 and it's these reasons why he's playing in division one.

He's playing OK at the moment, but he'll soon slip into his old ways.. Shame.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Regardless, he's got some sort of goalscoring record. He's our second top scorer this season, lol. Barnett scores goals too, but for some utterly absurd reason isn't deemed good enough for a starting place in the second worst team in the league. Cresswell is an excellent free kick taker and would chip in with a few over the course of a season were he not on the bench.

 

[Boz]

I thought Barnett should have been given a chance during the Barnes era. However he's apparently been poor for the reserves and made no positive impact in the games Les introduced him as sub. I don't understand why Cresswell has been frozen out by Les, he was one of the better players under Barnes and is a threat with free-kicks.

 

[roverstillidie]

Is it possible for this Barnett is a great player myth to be put to bed once and for all?! He scored a great goal against Oldham and that's about it. He disappears during games and gets shrugged off the ball, don't fall into the trap of thinking he played for Liverpool's youth team therefore he is good, Godwin Antwi anyone?

Barnett has a major attitude problem which is another reason why he isn't been picked - the Dumb and Dumber slogan was made by him. Barnett hasn't done anything great for Tranmere so far, I don't remember any man of the match performances and where was he at Scunthorpe on the last day of the season? According to the team sheet he was playing but I didn't notice him until he was taken off.

He's arrogant, overrated and peripheral - if Barnett is our great hope then lets get the satnav out for all these new grounds next season.

 

[roverstillidie]

I don't understand why Cresswell has been frozen out by Les, he was one of the better players under Barnes and is a threat with free-kicks.

I think he's just been taken out of the firing line for a bit, having four players running at him every game was starting to affect his confidence a little.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Is it possible for this Barnett is a great player myth to be put to bed once and for all?! He scored a great goal against Oldham and that's about it. He disappears during games and gets shrugged off the ball, don't fall into the trap of thinking he played for Liverpool's youth team therefore he is good, Godwin Antwi anyone?

Barnett has a major attitude problem which is another reason why he isn't been picked - the Dumb and Dumber slogan was made by him. Barnett hasn't done anything great for Tranmere so far, I don't remember any man of the match performances and where was he at Scunthorpe on the last day of the season? According to the team sheet he was playing but I didn't notice him until he was taken off.

He's arrogant, overrated and peripheral - if Barnett is our great hope then lets get the satnav out for all these new grounds next season.

He was one of our best players for the a lot of last season, played out of position on the left.

According to The Sun's football gossip column an unnamed Tranmere player referred to Barnes & Macca as Dumb and Dumber. I don't know how much you know about journalism but it's a 100% fabricated story. The fans dubbed the phrase, the Sun decided to make it "newsworthy" (lol) by claiming it was a player.

I assume you don't know the lad and I assume you've never worked with him so it perhaps isn't your place to be making such accusations.

 

[roverstillidie]

He was one of our best players for the a lot of last season, played out of position on the left.

I'll assume you never saw him play last season if you think he was one of our best players. Occasional glimpes of quality amongst general poor play.