Rovers 1-1 Huddersifled

[SonkORLY?]

1. 4-4-2 works. Because we tend to play quite direct, whoever plays up-front alongside Tiryaki will inherently have more of an effect on the game than an extra central midfielder. I'm not sure that Devaney is particularly well suited to that role however, especially considering that we otherwise had two (self-proclaimed) strikers on each wing. Welsh looked more comfortable in a 2 than he normally does in a 3.

2. James Wallace looks very good - who can remember the last time a single player played as well as he did today?

3. Buchanan looks back to his best, and Goodison and McChrystal are showing signs of settling as a partnership again. Holmes continues to look very solid at right-back. When OFW returns, things should continue to improve.

4. Akins might benefit from being dropped for a week or two, especially while we have LEA available/McGurk and Devaney fit at the same time (miracle). He's played a lot of games this year and works extremely hard, but isn't looking in form at the moment - a break may do him good.

Will Les be brave enough to stick with 4-4-2 next week? I'm pleasantly surprised by his willingness to adapt the old system/personell, and feeling a lot more at ease about how how things may progress after today.

 

[Ian]

Excellent game today. Really entertaining and I'd say we were much the better side. Going to sound like Les now, but we really did have a lot of chances. That ball just wouldn't go over the line again! Superb performances from them all, well, maybe not Akins, and Wallace was easily the MOTM. Great tackling, good passing, got himself about, he really made a difference. I thought we made them look fairly ordinary today considering their position.

I am feeling more positive after that, but the lads have to maintain that level of performance.

No complaints about today and the 'get parry out' brigade in the kop were pathetic. Couldn't even bring themselves to clap that performance. =;

 

[DIW]

Very good performance from the lads today. After being the better side in the first half it was a bit of a gut wrencher to go behind so early in the second. However a quick equaliser and from then on we should have taken our chances (as usual) and won.

Great performance from Wallace, and I though Welsh also had a great game. Tiryaki also worked his butt off. Was it 4-4-2? Top be honest I didn't really notice but would say that the turk did seem to be up- there on his own a lot. Whatever it was we were more creative and dangerous than we have been for a long time.

The Parry Out brigade are a joke with the shouts starting as soon as we conceded. I think it actually galvanised the team and the response on the pitch we great. More performance like this and we will be fine. Shame we couldn't get that winner.

 

[darrens8761]

great game today for a change. we battered them and should have been out of sight by half time. but if you fail to take your chances you will be punished like we were. however great strength of charecter from the whole team was pleasing.

akins frustrates at times and i think lateef is better on the wing. we made them look poor as we gave them no time on the ball. wallace was brilliant and the type of player we have been missing lately.

brunt looked ok i guess but surely its better to have stockton as back up and develop our own players rather than have an unproven 18yr old from another club coming on for last 10 min. not being negative towards brunt.

parry out brigade as people like to call them should wait until the final whistle before demonstrating as we should all be behind the team regardless of les etc.. im no les fan and believe he has done all he can but i will never boo him or chant for his head. i just do not have blind faith in him.

i just hope that todays performance is not just a one off game against a top side, we need to follow it up and beat wycombe or we will be in trouble. we need the same level of commitment against the lesser sides around us.

anyway can not fault anything today. lets hope our injured players return to full fitness soon as possible.

jordan rhodes- goody did a job on him but 1 shot 1 goal shows his class. if he was a tranmere player he would have been sold by now for 500k tops:lol: but cos huddersfield do not need the cash they can demand £5M for him.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Great performance from Wallace, and I though Welsh also had a great game. Tiryaki also worked his butt off. Was it 4-4-2? Top be honest I didn't really notice but would say that the turk did seem to be up- there on his own a lot. Whatever it was we were more creative and dangerous than we have been for a long time.

Devaney was markedly more advanced than Baxter or Robbo have been IMO. He never positioned himself goal-side (from a defensive perspective) of their central midfielders. Compared to a central midfield trio of Taylor, Weir and Welsh (vs Rochdale) the attacking shift is even more clear - and for this change of emphasis to come against one of the best sides in the league was very surprising given Les's general tendencies.

You could call it a 4-4-1-1 if you like but the important thing was that Tiryaki was supported by runs beyond him and players to lay the ball off to within a reasonable distance. McGurk scored a header, Akins had a chance from a cross, Devaney was ready for a cross from Tiryaki in the first half, while the big man himself had 2 good chances from inside the 18 yard box. These are the types of chances that we have been struggling to create all season.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Great performance, but like DIW I am not really sure it was 4-4-2, more just a case of Devaney giving the support to Tiryaki that other players in the forward midfield role have failed to do recently.

Agree about Wallace, who looks to have the technical ability of Baxter, but is far more industrious without the ball, and a good tackler.

Gutted really that we did not win the game, as I thought we controlled the midfield throughout, and had by far the better chances.

A lot of good individual performances, and surely if we perform like this in the weeks ahead we can beat the Wycombes and Rochdales of the division and comfortably reach safety.

 

[Ian]

They were obviously up for the big game, let's hope they can show the same level of desire against the 'lesser' teams. It was really refreshing to see them play the ball on the floor, it's great to watch and is far more effective than the aimless hoof.

SonkORLY's right. It brings everyone into play and it's great to see Tiryaki given support, something we've been crying out for for months. As RLC mentioned too, the midfield were superb and really controlled the game.

Still not sure why Lateef wasn't playing from the start.. We know what Lateef's capable off and is a far better player than Akins for example.

brunt looked ok i guess but surely its better to have stockton as back up and develop our own players rather than have an unproven 18yr old from another club coming on for last 10 min. not being negative towards brunt.

I'd agree with that.

 

[Boz]

Bit surprised at the starting line-up; also thought LEA would be in from the off. Certainly an encouraging performance. I'd agree that it was the midfielders supporting Tiryaki more, rather than a definite change in formation until Brunt came on near the end. Also the full-backs got forward, Buchanan particularly noteably.

The first half was fairly even, our best effort a Tiryaki pull-back for Devaney. There was some hoof-ball though, Goodi being a prime culprit though he was immense after the break. Second half, we went to sleep a bit for their goal, but a quick response and well taken headed equaliser from Adam (his first goal @PP?)who was otherwise fairly quiet. Thereafter Rovers had the better chances, with a bit more luck or a finisher of Rhodes' calibre in our side we'd have won.

Two negatives; Welsh's dreadful set pieces and the crowd was 600 fewer than the corresponding fixture last season; it looked like the shortfall was in home support. Higgy was spot on with his crowd prediction btw.

I would have agreed with darrens8761 about Cole Stockton before today's game, but thought that Brunt was physically strong and laid the ball off well, so can see why Les went with him.

Travelled back on the train with a number of Udders fans, who weren't impressed with their team's display today, or in some cases their manager. To what extent was their below-par showing a result of how we set about them, I wonder? On this showing, they would do well to make the play-offs.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I would agree that Lateef should have started ahead of Akins. There have been a few curious team selections in recent weeks which may be a sign (perhaps understandably) of the pressure getting to Les a bit ?

I actually thought we dominated the first half, creating three clear chances for Tiryaki, Akins and Devaney, whereas the best Hudders could muster was a loopy header over the bar from Rhodes. I think the hoof ball we played at times today did make some sense given the quality of the opposition, as it broke up the game and prevented a superior passing side from getting into their rhythm.

I agree that Rhodes pretty much single-handedly won them a point today. From what I remember they had only one genuine shot on target in the whole game, which resulted in a goal: I don't think any other striker in the division would have punished us for just a single lapse in concentration at the back.

 

[DIW]

Not saying I agree with this but I suspect Les went with Akins today as he has more of a physical presence than Lateef.

 

[Tartantranmere64]

Udders were the biggest team I have ever seen at PP. Bloody enormous. Akins had to play ahead of Pan. Id rather we were able to play McGurk and Pan, but they are just not the physical presence we require against a team of giant monsters.

Played really well yesterday best of the season. The formration was sort of 4411 but with Daveney having something of a free role it looked more like 442. A brave decision to bring Brunt on with 10 to go - you would have thought Les would have brought on Ash and play for a point but no, the extra striker made it 442, indeed sometimes 433 when Akins joined in. We looked like the team going for promotion in the last 10.

We done to Les and the players. Just hope we can keep that level of performance going. Really enjoyed the game - with the exception of the infantile "Parry out" chanting which I disagree with on every level.

Also, it's a sad day for TRFC when you see "Parry out" graffiti on a shop wall on Borough Road.

 

[Tartantranmere64]

I don't normally look at opposing fans websites but I enjoyed this: Imagine the stick their manager would be getting if Udders were 17th in L1? And as for that monster Ian Goodison....

http://downatthemac.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=64525

 

[bigmart]

I thought we played 4-2-3-1 and for a change passed the ball around really well, we worked our socks off and really should have had a deserved 3 points being clearly the better side.

Wallace & Welsh were outstanding in midfield Wallace certainly looks a talent on that showing i thought Brunt did ok when he came on. The reason Brunt will be used ahead of Stockton is that Stockton is not ready for first team football at the moment, i know a few people who saw him play when he was out on loan and they think he is not yet ready.

 

[Boz]

I was also expecting Akins to start, partly for his physical presence, also he's their ex-player and apparently was very good at the Galpharm this season. Thought Les might have put LEA in ahead of McGurk or Devaney, but it turned out he called it right.

Agree in the 1st half we had the bulk of the chances, but there was a tendency to lose the ball in the defence/midfield area, which reduced in the 2nd half. For the first few minutes of the game, we hardly touched the ball. Aside from their goal, Rachubka was only really tested by a succession of corners and long throws into a crowded penalty area late on.

Personally, I thought we played better against Sheffield United, but that may be because they provided tougher opposition.

Agree Huddersfield were big lads, though we've been up against a couple of teams of giants this season. It's amusing to read their message board TT has linked. Certainly, their fans on the train home weren't happy about the level of support given to Rhodes up front and I suspect they'll be after a new manager if they don't go up this season.

Concur with what's been said about the Parry out protests; totally wrong place and time. It was fairly feeble anyway. However we do need to win at least one of our next two games at Wycombe or home to Preston and ease the pressure. Play like this again and I'd be hopeful of that result.

 

[DIW]

I don't normally look at opposing fans websites but I enjoyed this: Imagine the stick their manager would be getting if Udders were 17th in L1? And as for that monster Ian Goodison....

http://downatthemac.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=64525

Na na na na na na na na na
Ian Goodison, Goodison, Ian Goodison!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

That website makes The Cowsheds look like an Oxbridge debating society !

 

[Sparky]

Agree with most about the performance on Saturday. A fantastic performance from the lads who must be gutted we didnt get the win we deserved but surely must take heart from the performance.

Les must take credit too - he picked the side, chose the tactics and whilst he has arguably deserved some criticism recently, he must take the plaudits when things go well.

But - it was only a point gained and a much more important game looms this weekend. I just about agreed with the MOM choice of Wallace, looked a great addition. Not just a holding midfielder but someone who can spot a pass too. Although he was ably supported by Welsh who could have got MOM, as could Buchanan, but all played well. How we didnt score a 2nd I dont know, oh yes I do, we havent got a goalscorer !! But well done lads.

As for the muppets at the back of the Kop, it seemed they were just waiting for any moment to have a go at Parry. Obviously they couldnt from the start because we started well and I thought were the better side 1st half. Rhodes then scores and its the perfect excuse for them. But I was one of many that when we equalised, turned and looked up to them to give them something back on behalf of Les.

Like someone else has said, protest at the end of the match if you need to - not when the game is being played and the lads are in with a chance.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

A good post, Sparky. This was probably our best performance of the season. If it wasn't, it was certainly our most important. Previously, having dominated and then gone behind, we would have huffed and puffed without success. As you say, Les must take a lot of the credit for this. His attacking line-up and offensive tactics right up to the final whistle must have given his team confidence. I hope we can carry this new spirit through to the "easier" matches ahead. We do need some more points!

I believe confidence and the taking goalscoring chances are two sides of the same coin. Earlier in the season, one has led to the other (or vice versa). But the need for an experienced striker remains. There was an interesting interview with Les on the Rovers page of the BBC website about this. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16745627.stm

 

[Tartantranmere64]

Interesting indeed. And by the way, where do Boremouth get £800k from to sign Matt Tubbs from moneybags Crawley???? There's a few Championship clubs who couldn't afford him.

 

[bigmart]

Interesting indeed. And by the way, where do Boremouth get £800k from to sign Matt Tubbs from moneybags Crawley???? There's a few Championship clubs who couldn't afford him.

There russian owner/owners.