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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.
Pre season friendlies
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Boz
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How’s the midfield lining up with Walker on?
Sparky
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Jay spearing a few rows from me
Boz
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We’ve gone to a diamond without an apex? Sounds a bit weird with neither Hendry or Lewis bring a natural wide player.
Sparky
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Nice to be back at PP with Approx 1,600 of the SWA.
A draw probably a fair result. A few observations:
McGee - no chance with their goal and made a great save earlier in the second half.
Yarney - quite a unit. Not the most mobile but vocal and a typical lower league CB.
Leake - defensively had a hard time against their RW who set up their goal and had a lot of joy down the right. Got forward a bit in the second half
Norris/Dennis - neither the most mobile and looked a bit rusty which is to be expected.
Much will depend on what formation we play. I don’t see the point in signing two penalty box strikers who scored over 30 goals between them last season, to play a front three so one of them I.e Dennis ends up wide. I’d much prefer Norris and Dennis as a front two, in the box, with hawkes and Morris on the wings supplying them. Where Saunders and CJ fit into that remains to be seen.
Also something I’ve noticed a few times now and probably nothing in it but whilst Dawes and Parky are always talking, Danns seems a bit isolated and I wonder if it is a case of too many cooks or whether Dawes naturally goes to Parky instead of his new assistant manager.
A draw probably a fair result. A few observations:
McGee - no chance with their goal and made a great save earlier in the second half.
Yarney - quite a unit. Not the most mobile but vocal and a typical lower league CB.
Leake - defensively had a hard time against their RW who set up their goal and had a lot of joy down the right. Got forward a bit in the second half
Norris/Dennis - neither the most mobile and looked a bit rusty which is to be expected.
Much will depend on what formation we play. I don’t see the point in signing two penalty box strikers who scored over 30 goals between them last season, to play a front three so one of them I.e Dennis ends up wide. I’d much prefer Norris and Dennis as a front two, in the box, with hawkes and Morris on the wings supplying them. Where Saunders and CJ fit into that remains to be seen.
Also something I’ve noticed a few times now and probably nothing in it but whilst Dawes and Parky are always talking, Danns seems a bit isolated and I wonder if it is a case of too many cooks or whether Dawes naturally goes to Parky instead of his new assistant manager.
Rockford's Love Child
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I thought it was a good performance and a particularly enjoyable second half.
In the first half Wigan dominated the ball and we struggled to retain possession when it was turned over. However, we kept our shape well and, as Sparky says, looked threatening through Saunders on a couple of occasions, one chance following a flowing move started by Leake and Hendry.
In the second half we were much improved in possession. The introduction of Walker was key, as he helped to calm us and get us playing through midfield, and I thought the combination of him and Hendry looked very promising. I think they are both class acts at this level and I just hope the former can stay fit. Saunders was a livewire all evening and took his goal very well.
Norris was impressive in his brief cameo, despite his lack of minutes so far in pre-season: very strong and led the line extremely well, and seems much more natural in that role than Jennings. McGee was not tested a great deal, but made a superb save midway through the second half to earn us a deserved draw.
Man of the match Harvey Saunders. I think the competition for places we have got up front this season will lift the performances of the strikers.
In the first half Wigan dominated the ball and we struggled to retain possession when it was turned over. However, we kept our shape well and, as Sparky says, looked threatening through Saunders on a couple of occasions, one chance following a flowing move started by Leake and Hendry.
In the second half we were much improved in possession. The introduction of Walker was key, as he helped to calm us and get us playing through midfield, and I thought the combination of him and Hendry looked very promising. I think they are both class acts at this level and I just hope the former can stay fit. Saunders was a livewire all evening and took his goal very well.
Norris was impressive in his brief cameo, despite his lack of minutes so far in pre-season: very strong and led the line extremely well, and seems much more natural in that role than Jennings. McGee was not tested a great deal, but made a superb save midway through the second half to earn us a deserved draw.
Man of the match Harvey Saunders. I think the competition for places we have got up front this season will lift the performances of the strikers.
Rockford's Love Child
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Yes, I completely agree. We have never played 442 under Dawes and I don't think the current system will get the best out of those two.
Norris can cope as an isolated front man because of his physicality, but Dennis looks lost when he is asked to play out wide.
I am also concerned that Lewis has had so many minutes in pre-season. Morris went off early this evening, and I just hope Lewis does not start ahead of him next week.
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Yes it is a conundrum. If we play a 4-3-3 can we include all of Dennis, Norris, hawkes, Morris, Hendry etc? Especially away from home? I agree Saunders looked lively. Hawkes and Morris both need to be in our best eleven in my opinion so how Dawes does this with a 4-3-3 remains to be seen. I can see the merits of 4-3–3 as it can go to 4-5-1 if we need to protect a lead or are away from home but we now have goalscorers in the squad who rely on service into the box.
Interesting reports. Thanks.
Shaun Maloney in his post match presser suggested that this was pretty much their first team starting - he confirmed they didn't split their team as Blackpool did earlier in the week (they have a game at Morecambe tonight) so on that basis a good workout and a decent result.
Dawes seemed happy with the play and his squad (mentioned quality rather than quantity again) and after a slow start to pre-season with all the knocks at Vauxhall my view is that it has been a decent pre-season.
Did anyone else notice the slight hesitation after the question re the injured players? Said Hemmings was still recovering from his knock but suspect that is not the case and we are still hoping to offload him. Forgot to mention how Rhys Hughes injury was as well.
Shaun Maloney in his post match presser suggested that this was pretty much their first team starting - he confirmed they didn't split their team as Blackpool did earlier in the week (they have a game at Morecambe tonight) so on that basis a good workout and a decent result.
Dawes seemed happy with the play and his squad (mentioned quality rather than quantity again) and after a slow start to pre-season with all the knocks at Vauxhall my view is that it has been a decent pre-season.
Did anyone else notice the slight hesitation after the question re the injured players? Said Hemmings was still recovering from his knock but suspect that is not the case and we are still hoping to offload him. Forgot to mention how Rhys Hughes injury was as well.
Boz
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Dawes seemed to get his Rhys/Reeces mixed up, answered a question mentioning Hughes by reference to McAlear. Was Hughes injured? Didn’t pick up on the hesitation about Hemmings ADD raised, but given Norris/Dennis are recovering from injury, if Kane was fit you’d expect him to feature unless a deal imminent. A positive that we held our own against a full-strength Wigan side, though I find it hard to keep up, do they have financial stability again?