• 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 Ravens

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
Bromley next up at PP, the visitors on a decent run of 5 wins in the last 7 games, occupy a comfortable mid-table slot. Ex-Rover Ben Chorley is in their ranks, along with former Millwall defender Alan Dunne, while Blair Turgot seems to be a steady goalscorer. Their first visit to Birkenhead saw a 4-0 demise, probably our best home performance last season, which typically I missed.

South Park apart, it's a while since Rovers have had a comfortable win at home, in contrast to some comfortable victories on our travels The Chelmsford game has thrown up a few options for Micky to consider and if Wednesday's line-up was a surprise, it's really hard to guess how the manager will encorporate the positives into the line-up this weekend. I like the idea that RLC suggested of possibly using Kirby as almost the second striker, playing behind Cook. Personally, I would prefer to keep James Wallace out of the starting line up, for fitness reasons. Will be interesting to see what Saturday brings...

Predictions: With no novelty factor for the visitors now,expecting a turnout of about 70-80. Due to the lacklustre home form, coupled with possible wintry weather, expecting a crowd around the 4.8k mark. Expecting a Rovers win, but by no means as comfortable as last time round.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,871
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
As has been said, Micky has plenty of thinking to do before this game. Harris, Kirby, Buxton and Mangan in particular seem to have played well last night and could get a starting place, and it is impossible to guess which formation Micky will go with: 352, 442 or the diamond ? I think Kirby deserves to start and, as Boz suggests, I would like to see him giving a chance up front.

We have outclassed Bromley in our three previous meetings but they seem a more solid outfit under Neil Smith. All the suggestions are that it will be another tight, tense affair, as I doubt The Ravens will come to PP and play an expansive game. With Dagenham, Lincoln and FGR all having very winnable matches, it is vital we pick up three points.

Prediction: while the weather forecast is not great there is no suggestion that the game is in doubt. I think we will win narrowly in front of a gate of around 5,000.
 

Sparky

Member
Joined
8 Sep 2009
Messages
7,532
Player
Chris Greenacre
No chance of the game being off. I'm playing in Leasowe at 9:30 and that'll be on no probs. Very cold but not frozen.

As RLC says, who knows what the formation will be and what changes MM will make from Wednesday's team. Whilst not a massive fan of Kirby, I agree he deserves a start and a more attacking role may suit him. I remember Nors saying Jake was the best finisher at the club and when chances come along, he does stay cool. Some goals at home for him in a big league game could do him the world of good. Lets just hope the fans stay off his back if things don't go well early on. Here is my team with a sort of 4-1-3-1-1

Davies
Vaughan Sutton Ihikwe Buxton
Harris
Tollit Hughes Dunn
Kirby
Cook

Mangan did well midweek but he needs to start banging them in and I still think Nors can score from nothing so is the better option off the bench. Subs would be Norwood, Wallace, Stockton, Maynard, Turner.

Controversial but no spots for the scouse trio of Big Mac, Big Wallace or not so big Mangan.

Not going to happen of course but my thoughts.
 
Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,691
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
Who knows what side Micky will pick? But I expect it will look more like the Woking XI than the Trophy line-up.

This is the sort of "home banker" that caused Brabin's side problems last season, but I'm predicting a semi-comfortable 2-0 win.
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
I forget how mild it is on Wirral, as snowdrifts are forecast for Yorksha, putting my attendance in the balance.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,871
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Judging by Micky's comments today, I don't think there will be many changes to the line up tomorrow, despite Wednesday's win.
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
If that's true, a bit disappointing.
 

Cowshed Kid

Member
Joined
5 Dec 2015
Messages
882
Player
Bobby Hutchinson
Sparky......... dont yield. A couple of goals against little Chelmsford doesn't make Kirby a starter!
 

Cowshed Kid

Member
Joined
5 Dec 2015
Messages
882
Player
Bobby Hutchinson
Think Macca, Hughes, Tollitt and Cookie will return.
Would love to see a place somewhere for Harris but unlikely.
A trojan.
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,019
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
Whatever team trots out, they have to play better than they have been recently as we've been well below par at home.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,871
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Buxton in for Vaughan, norwood and cook up front. Hughes and Wallace in midfield, tollitt and dunn wide. 442 by the look of it.
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
Not the side I'd have gone for, let's hope Norwood can come good again and Wallace has been working on his fitness. Usual attacking bench, only Maynard as defensive cover. With twenty minutes to go, PP looking fairly empty
 
Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,691
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
Another interesting selection. Micky would probably say it's the best team and formation to win the match.
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,019
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
Still experimenting by the looks of it. Fingers crossed, hope Nors gets a goal.
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,019
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
Excellent first half. Cook has been immense and should had had a hattrick. Norwoods worked hard but missed another one-on-one. Passing and movement excellent. Bromley very poor.
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
Created a lot of chances and should be further in front with Norwood fluffing a one on one again and what looked like an error in the disallowed goal. However we came close to conceding after the first and over-elaborate in defence. McNulty injured and replaced by Maynard.
 
Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,691
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
Buxton sent off on his home debut. I hope our missed chances in the first half don't come back to haunt us.
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,019
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
They certainly did BBTC! Extremely frustrating second half. Can't be too down on the team as the idiot ref changed the game. However, sitting back for 30 minutes is not the answer. We lost all shape after the sending off and couldn't keep the ball.

Now seven points behind Lincoln and we were the only team in the top four that didn't win.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,871
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
If ever there was undeserving result it was today's. We were light years ahead of Bromley before the red card and it was only the intervention of the cretinous officials that changed that. We were also very unfortunate with the Wallace injury, which meant we ended up with Norwood and Kirby playing centre midfield. Some will argue we should have had more defensive cover on the bench, but it was difficult to foresee that set of circumstances. Even with ten men, if we had two orthodox midfielders in those positions in the second half I think we would have held out, but as Ian says, we could not retain the ball and sat far too deep and eventually allowed a mediocre and cynical Bromley team to get an undeserved point. So frustrating.

On the positive side, the first half performance was probably the best we have played at home since we have been at this level. Sharp passing and movement, pace, width and chances created. Cook was awesome, Tollitt unplayable at times and Cookie and Norwood linked up well. Dunn and Buxton also gave us a different dimension with their ability on the ball and the quality of our play was very high indeed. So disappointing that all of the good play counted for little in the end.

The red card 'offence' was ten feet in front of me and my view was that it was a firm challenge and a genuine attempt to win the ball meriting a booking, if that. Buxton did not go in two-footed and kept two feet on the ground. The referee's decision was probably also swayed by four or five Bromley players surrounding him, a trick they had tried ten minutes earlier when Cook went in for a perfectly fair challenge.

The red card was not the referee's only indiscretion. He also disallowed Cook's perfectly good goal, and denied us a blatant penalty for a foul on Tollitt. If either of those decisons had been correct we would have had an unassailable lead. Still, I suppose the jumped up little berk is delighted at ending our title challenge. It is play-offs at best for us now I am afraid.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ian
Top