• 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.

Rovers v Latics

Boz

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After the Coventry performance, I was fairly optimistic. Hopes have been dampened by the Bluescum taking back Kennedy and Pennington and John Mac hasn't been able to persuade anyone to loan us replacements. Baggie is also injured for 6-8 weeks, so it will be a side devoid of any pace. Holmes is a fairly straightforward replacement for Pennington. Kirby, I presume will come in for Kennedy unless the manager changes formation. Lowe and Cassidy are reported to have shaken off knocks and are available.

The visitors are fairly inconsistent and novice manager Lee Johnson isn't entirely bedded in. Ronnie had the knack of beating this lot, would like that to continue this in his absence.

Prediction; gone are the days when the visitors brought near 1000, half that number is more likely and should see another gate topping 5k. I think we'll get something from this game-we need to-but a draw the most likely outcome.
 
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We are still to record back-to-back wins this season, so how ironic it would be if John Mac achieved that in his first two games! We should be optimistic at home against a side in mid-table with not a lot to play for. The loss of Kennedy and Pennington should not affect us too much. Loanees have come and gone all season. I'm predicting an odd-goal win.
 

bigmart

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Im confident for this game I think we will win 2 1
 
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I am also feeling confident about this one, which could be dangerous. Kennedy is a loss, but with the players we have available there is no reason at all why we can't win. I would expect Holmes and Kirby to replace the Everton duo.

Oldham have apparently played some decent football this season under Johnson and did look a lively attacking side in the reverse fixture. However, they are very inconsistent and I would be disappointed with anything less than three points. A real opportunity to finally put some distance between ourselves and the bottom four.
 

drwhoman

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Regarding the two Everton loanees. Is it just co-incidence that they have been taken back as the Under 21s do not tend to play many games in December and January, and hence game time with us would be valuable, or is there any suggestion that it might be related to the fact that Ronnie has been suspended? Probably no one knows but you do wonder.
 
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Probably a fair scoreline, but disappointing, as if it had not been for another awful opening twenty minutes we definitely could have won today. Doubly disappointing as other results went against us.

Yet again at home we started the game extremely slowly and poorly, allowing Oldham to dominate the opening stages. Their goal was predictable and resulted from poor defending down our right hand side where Holmes looked rusty early on, but improved thereafter. Midway through the first half our midfield gradually got into the game, we got Koumas on the ball more and it was Jason's shot that resulted in a slightly fortuitous equaliser after a decent move. Oldham were the better side before the break, but I thought we controlled the second half without creating that many chances until the closing stages. Oldham's flukey second resulted from their first real attack of the half and came against the run of play, but full marks to John McMahon for making the tactical switch to 4-4-2 which contributed to the equaliser, even if I would have taken off Wallace rather than Koumas. Cracking ball from Cassidy for our second equaliser and great centre forward play from Lowey, as we have come to expect.

Generally, I thought we controlled midfield for long periods, but missed the outlet of Kennedy's pace out wide where we struggled to create for the majority of the game. That said, Robbo did better than I had expected given his fitness issues. Defensively, I thought Ash had his poorest game for a while, beaten to too many headers and caught under the ball on occasions. Fortunately Stephen Arthurworrey compensated for his off day with his best performance for us so far: I thought he was our man of the match.

Finally, the referee was diabolical and his assistants were little better. Three Oldham players were only spoken to when committing clear yellow card offences in the first half, yet Ash was booked for a one-footed challenge where he clearly won the ball. And what was that offside decision about ?

It is frustrating that we are only one point outside the bottom four once again. We really need a win at Stevenage next week, which won't be at all easy given their recent upturn in form.
 
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agree with SA as the MOM thought he was awesome

Wallace was poor, an then ripped fellow team members if they made a mistake.

Robbo never beat there right back.

Holmes put in some great last ditch tackles.

Sad to see Koumas go off.

Cassidy's pass for the goal was top draw. (Lowe didn even have to jump)
 

Boz

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I couldn't see why everyone was so confident before this game. Even if their replacements are of similar calibre, it will take the team a bit of adjustment to adapt to those coming in for Pennington and Kennedy. Plus Andy Robinson is no Mark Kennedy, was amazed McMahon started him, even more so that he stayed on the pitch for almost the full game, despite a few attempts by Michelin man to secure an early bath. Hope this isn't an old pals act by the assistant manager.

We didn't start anything like the Coventry game. Would like to see their first goal again, unsure whether OFW could have done better, Rovers defended better or it was just a really good strike? We didn't look like getting back into the game and our goal was against the run of play, a streaky deflection from a Koumas shot. Lucky to go in at h/t level as the visitors had been much the better side. We started the second half brighter, only to concede another freak goal, the ball wellied against Ridehalgh think by one of our defenders and in the back of the net. Didn't seem to get back into the game and McMahon opted to take off Koumas to a chorus of jeers. While Jason's set pieces hadn't been the best, he'd still looked pretty fit and when Wallace was indifferent and Robinson totally ineffective it seemed that either of them could do with replacing instead. However with no help from the last-named, we got level with a great run and cross by Cassidy, well finished by Lowe earned us a deserved (on the second half showing, anyway)point.

I disagree with RLC that Ash had a poor game, although he and Holmes had a nervy opening period, maybe to do with Danny's lack of match action and the fact that he operates closer to the touchline than Pennington did. However things settled down. I would agree that Arthurworrey had one of his better games in a white shirt as well as steady defending, he offered support to the attack. I didn't feel the referee was especially poor.

Due to wins for Stevenage, Crawley and Bristol City, our position in L1 becomes more tenuous. I hope McMahon realises that we cannot be carrying passengers in our away trip to Herts, which is up next.
 

bigmart

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Robinson is finished he offers virtually nothing now but the odd short cameo role, Kirby should play ahead of him. A draw was the right result as neither side deserved to lose in what was a decent game.

The relegation battles is going to go down to the wire and is going to b nerve wracking for rovers fans.
 

Ian

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Consistency is a huge problem for us. Not taking anything away from Oldham because they caused us problems in the first half but there was a huge difference between this week and last. We weren't terrible and did well to come back twice but it took us 25 minutes to wake up from the kick off and the energy levels just weren't there. Wallace was poor for most of the game and should have went off instead of Koumas. Koumas and Jennings were doing enough in midfield whilst Robinson struggled to create anything.

Best moment was the Lowe goal. Fantastic setup from Cassidy (who in truth didn't do much all game) pin point to Lowe's head, bang.. 18 goals, incredible really.

If only we could win 2/3 games in a row, it would spring us into mid-table. Look at Sheff Utd. They've been struggling with us down at the bottom for most of the season then they win a few on the bounce, now sitting 12th in the table.

I still think we'll be OK this season but we don't make it easy.
 
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I thought it was noticeable in both games against Oldham this season that they have more energy and better movement in attacking areas than us. Man for man, I think we have better players, but the lack of pace and energy in the side is a problem for us at the moment, as several people have commented above.

All of which makes the decision to play Robbo ahead of Kirby very strange, as he is the only young, energetic player we really have at present.
 

Ian

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I was very surprised Robbo was picked from the start. Maybe they are opting for experience over youth at this stage of the season.
 

Boz

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I agree with the points Ian makes about consistency and bigmart raises about our survival in L1 going to the wire. It's unlikely that we'll win any of the away games coming up this month,so little prospect of consecutive wins. We've just got to keep battling away, garnering points where we can.
 

Sparky

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I still think we'll be ok but will feel a lot better if we win one of the next two games.

Thought we started the game poorly. Very flat which was a surprise given the positive vibes following the Coventry game (but that is our season). No suprise when Oldham went in front and although the ball may have moved, from sitting in the Kop and seeing it on telly, Fonners should have done better.
We did well to get back into it albeit with a bit of forture with the deflection but defended poorly for their 2nd as although unlucky with the own goal, they got in down our left too easily.
Good character shown though to get back to 2-2 and any more probably would have been undeserved.

Was pleased to see Robbo given an opportunity but clearly not up to it. Agree about the points made on energy. No real pace at all in our side and Wallace to me looked like he was already thinking of leaving on a free at the end of the season and probably already has options lined up (perhaps I am being unfair).

As for the booing when Jason went off, clearly we needed to go 4-4-2 and I agree Wallace should have gone off instead. Accommodating Jason, Wallace and Jenno in the middle is a challenge if 4-5-1 doesnt work.

Credit to Jake's assist for the goal but for me, Lowe has to play up front when we're at home, not out wide. He is the divisions top scorer and Jake has not really looked like scoring since his return.

I supposed 4 points out of 6 from 2 home games of late is a good return given the clubs issues. Next 2 games though Stevenage and Notts County we cannot afford to lose.
 
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It's unlikely that we'll win any of the away games coming up this month.

A bit over the top this. Stevenage's form has improved recently but our away form is decent and we are certainly capable of winning at the second bottom team.
 

Boz

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A bit over the top this. Stevenage's form has improved recently but our away form is decent and we are certainly capable of winning at the second bottom team.
Hardly. The word I used was unlikely. Don't believe we've won away at a team beneath us when we played them yet. The games that we've won away this season tend to be against mid-table opponents, which would suggest of our three away-days this month, the trip to Port Vale is most promising.
 
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The games that we've won away this season tend to be against mid-table opponents

Exactly. Which would suggest that away games at a mid table side and a bottom of the table side are definitely winnable.

All I was really saying is that we have been better away from home than at Prenton Park all season, so if we are frightened of those fixtures we really are fooked: a bit too pessimistic I think.
 

bigmart

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Stevenage currently winning, we simply have to et something out of the game or we are in big trouble.
 

Boz

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But Colchester drew 0-0 with Rotherham and go above us in the table :(
 
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