Rovers 2 (woeful) Chairboys 0

[Rockford's Love Child]

A competent performance today, but I don't think I will be buying the DVD of this one.

Defensively we were much improved from Tuesday night, with Ash having a solid game, although I thought we actually played better attacking football against Carlisle. Depending on your perspective, we were either fortunate we were playing a Wycombe side that was so poor it looks like they are relegation certainties already, or our standard of play descended to their level.

It was good to see the set pieces come off for both goals, aided by some dreadful defending, and some of our football was decent in the first half, particularly before Donaldson went off. Terrible luck for us that yet another player has pulled a hamstring, as he looked skilful and mobile from the twenty minutes he was on the pitch.

In the second half we made our usual mistake of sitting far too deep and almost giving Wycombe an invitation to get back into the game, which they weren't good enough to take.

Regarding individual performances, Labadie was woeful again, both in terms of performance and discipline, Enoch was slightly improved and will hopefully be boosted by his goal, but still doesn't look right to me, and Akins was again probably our best player.

This was the kind of victory we weren't able to grind out last season, and leaves in a very healthy position. Hopefully we will be able to raise our level for Preston next week.

Postscript: alarmingly low attendance today of 4,300, barely any higher than Tuesday night, despite our decent start to the season. I think this could be a result of the pricing structure: I am not sure how the club can justify making a game against Wycombe Category B.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I'm more relieved than deliriously happy about this result. Before the match, Wycombe's manager was amazingly downbeat about his team's chances - something like "the only way we have a chance is if one of our players gets his toe onto a cross". Thankfully, that did not happen. I look forward to more reports. It sounds like Donaldson was good value, but is likely to have played his last game for Rovers. Nice to hear about Ash's performance. He's now joint top scorer with Robbie and Joss, which does not say a lot for our "strikers"!

 

[Boz]

A competent performance today, but I don't think I will be buying the DVD of this one.

Me neither.

You can only beat what's in front of you and Wycombe were very poor today, some of their travelling support was having a go at their management. However, Rovers lost their way having gone 2 up, when they really should have been improving our goal difference. While we didn't resort as much as last season to long ball, our inability to play decent passing movements and keep hold of the ball was frustrating.

On the crowd, my pre-match prediction was about right. However it looked like there were fewer than that and my rule of thumb guide to guessing the crowd is to multiply the equaliser prize by 10, which suggested a sub 4k figure. As to the reason for the poor numbers, throw tightened belts, poor weather, bluenoses home game and our poor football last season into the mix.

Thoughts on players;

OFW. Not really tested, needs to practice kicking to the left.

Buchanan, had a sound game, did some mopping up and putting a couple of good balls into the box.

Goodi. At his imperious best today, everything he did came off.

Ash Taylor. I didn't hear it, but apparently some neanderthals booed him at the start. Played well, vocal in organising the defence and well-taken goal.

Raven. Steady, but rarely ventured out of his own half.

Donaldson. Fairly quiet, then made one great run, sadly resulting in hamstring injury. Doubt we'll see him again for a while.

Welsh. Set pieces aside, one of his better performances, put in some decent tackles.

Weir. Quiet, passing radar malfunctioning, harshly booked.

McGurk. Felt sorry for Adam, nobody seemed to be passing/goalkicking to him today, so he was moving out of position to try and get into the game.

Enoch. Finally scored, had a header on target, but fluffed a few other chances and was amazed the sponsors made him MoM.

Akins. Saw a lot of the ball, played quite well.

Subs. Joss flickers rather than shines these days. Had he really lost it that much he was in danger of being sent off? I'm not so sure. Zoum and Tiryaki made minimal impact in their time on the pitch.

MoM I'd have given it to Goodison, but could see an argument for Ash, Welsh or Akins.

 

[SonkORLY?]

I would have given it to Goodison too, but I think Buchanan deserves a mention at this point, just because he's not put one foot wrong this season.

Subs. Joss flickers rather than shines these days. Had he really lost it that much he was in danger of being sent off?

He's proved in the past that we can't trust him in those kind of situations. The game was won at that point, felt a bit sorry for him being brought off after coming on as a sub, not sure whether to read anything into his early departure down the tunnel.

Whatever he said to their player must have been well out of order because he was ignoring Joss then suddenly became absolutely incensed. Joss looks constantly frustrated these days and he can't channel it positively; frustrated with playing in League One, frustration with not even being in the Tranmere first team, frustration with his own under-performance and declining reputation; whatever it is, he needs to sort his head out.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I would have given it to Goodison too, but I think Buchanan deserves a mention at this point, just because he's not put one foot wrong this season.

I would put Raven in the same category, even though I was not too keen when we signed him. We have had five clean sheets from nine league games now, which reflects well on all the additions at the back, Fon Williams included.

 

[Boz]

The incident which led to Joss being booked took place on the opposite side of the pitch to me. Those of you in the Johnny King will have a much better idea of what exactly went on.

 

[DIW]

Yawn...

Most uninspiring win I've seen in years. Wycombe were inept in just about every way but at least we took the points - last year we were screwing up against this sort of rubbish. Difficult to say anyone played well, glad to see Ash score after a rough night on Tuesday for him. Shame for the new lad to get an early injury as well.

Oh and to the match sponsors who choose the MOTM. Were you actually watching the game? Yes Enoch scored but aside from that he was dreadful.

 

[DIW]

Joss looks constantly frustrated these days and he can't channel it positively; frustrated with playing in League One, frustration with not even being in the Tranmere first team, frustration with his own under-performance and declining reputation; whatever it is, he needs to sort his head out.

He strikes me as a cocky bighead. At the moment he's doing nothing to suggest he should get a start.

 

[bigmart]

yep fairly dull game but one in previous season we would not have won so that a positive for me.

I thought the defence was sound today but i would give welsh mom mcgurk and weir had off games today but overall a usefull start to the season

 

[Mal]

The phrase ' we even whingewhen we are winning ' comes to mind. For the money we have , it was a good performance and ash demonstrated he'd learned from the Tuesday mess up. Improvements can be made but credit for beating a lower team, unlike last season.

 

[Ian]

Let's say is was a 'professional performance'. They did what they had to do. Awful game to watch though. Ash had a much better game, but he was hardly tested. Wycombe were woeful. Absolutely no attacking threat at all and really, we should have pushed on more in the second half just to improve our goal difference.

Uninspiring, but glad we got the three points.

 

[Sparky]

I agree about the MOM - Welsh or Goodi to me - probably Welshy.

As for Joss, i think the booking was the culmination of a few fouls. He really is a marked man as some of the opposition were winding him up & he has a reputation now amongst the refs (in part unfounded). I felt sorry for him being taken off though.

Yeah a few muppets at the back of the Kop booed Ash when the team was read out before k.off but fair play to the lad albeit against a dreaduful Wycombe side, he didnt put a foot wrong and scored a good goal. A real test next week though against Hume & Mellor.

Just a footnote on Tiriyaki - to me although its still difficult to judge on a handful of substitute appearances, but I thought he was dreadful and unless Enoch bucks his ideas up....we'll very rarely pose a threat down the middle. Chicken reminded me of a poor mans Gary Jones

 

[Higgy]

I agree about the MOM - Welsh or Goodi to me - probably Welshy.

A real test next week though against Hume & Mellor.

Just a footnote on Tiriyaki - to me although its still difficult to judge on a handful of substitute appearances, but I thought he was dreadful and unless Enoch bucks his ideas up....we'll very rarely pose a threat down the middle. Chicken reminded me of a poor mans Gary Jones

Take your point re Hume and Mellor - I would perhaps bring Raven in from the right for this. However, hen you read Hume and Mellor for them - likewise it should also read Chichen or Enoch AND McGurk or Robbo or somebody for us. I fear either Chicken or Enoch are too isolated and just have to chase lost causes at times. It might be no coincidence Enoch needs to "buck his ideas up".....I think the common denominator is we don't get good touch players near either one of them...whoever LP plays. For me I think Chicken has decent football brain and could yet come good.

 

[TheBunnyBellEnd]

3 points, clean sheet, a striker scored! \\/

The game itself is best forgotten. Not a spectacle for L1 football and unlikely to get the punters rushing in. Pretty much everything that I thought about saturday has been already commented on. I do think making a game against Wycombe a cat B game is stupid and is probably one of the reasons the attendence was so low.
Shame about Donaldson he looked decent.
Big game coming up against Preston and at a tenner to get in I would hope we may actually manage a decent away following. I would be happy with a point right now.
On a foot note 14 points from 9 games IF we continue like this we will finish the season on 71 points, enough for the playoffs?:shock:

 

[bigmart]

personally i reckon the top 6 will be Huddersfield Preston MK Dons Charlton and both Sheffield teams although not in that order we be around tenth as our squad not big enough or good enough to be higher

 

[roverstillidie]

I think (injury permitting to Robinson, Devaney and Goodison) were going to finish comfortably in mid table - I think the lack of goals means even a fully fit squad probably wouldn't challenge for the play offs. However if we continue to have much of our creative force injured and the likes of Labadie offering nothing we may be looking over our shoulders once more. If we had another winger, a creative midfielder, a striker and a centre back I would expect us to be challenging for top 10 with an outside chance of play offs - unfortunately we don't have the finances for this at the moment.

 

[Boz]

The phrase ' we even whingewhen we are winning ' comes to mind. For the money we have , it was a good performance and ash demonstrated he'd learned from the Tuesday mess up. Improvements can be made but credit for beating a lower team, unlike last season.

Do you include Les in this category? He made some astute comments on the o/s about it being a poor performance, though preferable to playing well and losing at Huddersfield.

Interesting also that he said had considered getting someone in for Ash Taylor. This was a bit surprising suggesting that he has little confidence in either Kay at right-back or Raven in the centre of defence.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Just a footnote on Tiriyaki - to me although its still difficult to judge on a handful of substitute appearances, but I thought he was dreadful

What? He did absolutely nothing wrong. I mean he didn't do a lot, he wasn't on for long.

 

[Boz]

Dreadful is a bit harsh. However in the games I've seen him play so far can't recall Tiryaki seriously troubling the opposing keeper or getting into position to miss a sitter. While it's too early to write him off, he seems like the next Kithson Bain on recent showings

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I think Boz's judgement on Tiryaki is a little harsh. His better performances have probably come away from home, notably at Brentford, although I would agree there is little sign that he will score goals at this level. However, with his back to goal linking the play he is certainly no Kithson Bain.

Regarding the perceived whingeing about Saturday's performance, I don't think being supportive of Les means you have to pretend day is night and white is black: it was a crap game on Saturday.