The squad

[Ian]

I see Cole Stockton scored again tonight in the league cup against premier league Bournmouth. He grabbed a goal in Morecambe's last cup game against Rotherham as well. That's sure to do his confidence the world of good! He is someone who frustrates me as he has all the ability to be a good league striker, he just never seems to have kicked on.

I know what you mean. He's horribly inconsistent though. Looks great when he's having a good game and can score goals but then he's anonymous for the next ten games.

 

[Boz]

Not seen Cole's goal yet, but it sounded a good effort from the description.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Reading about all these EFL matches makes me realise how much we are missing stuck in the NL. I notice the gate at Morecambe was only 2,542 for the visit of an EPL side. We'd surely have got at least three times that many.

 

[Ian]

Reading about all these EFL matches makes me realise how much we are missing stuck in the NL.

Disaster really that a club our size is playing non-league football. Hopefully we can bounce back very soon!

 

[Mal]

I see Cole Stockton scored again tonight in the league cup against premier league Bournmouth. He grabbed a goal in Morecambe's last cup game against Rotherham as well. That's sure to do his confidence the world of good! He is someone who frustrates me as he has all the ability to be a good league striker, he just never seems to have kicked on.

when your role is a striker, you have to score at some point. He just isn't a prolific enough striker and I don't think ever will be.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

In fairness, Stockton does have a reasonable strike rate for a striker. However, it is all the other things he does not do - leading the line, working for the team, contributing in general play. As I have said previously, he does not seem to have the character to make it as a professional player. I think it would be best for him and us if he found pastures new.

 

[Colin K]

Well Stockton has bagged another two today...must be time to recall him!! Jokes...but strange the way things work out.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Well Stockton has bagged another two today...must be time to recall him!! Jokes...but strange the way things work out.

.. and Jonny Margetts has hit five for Lincoln!

 

[Cowshed Kid]

Scored two today at Accrington! As did Kevin Ellison!
You couldn't write it.
Good on Cole, wouldn't swap him for any of ours though, including Stephenson who we've hardly seen.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

Think my Internet was a bit slow there!

 

[Sparky]

I'm hoping we'll see a bit of Stephenson soon. He picked us over other clubs and at this rate he'll be wanting to go out on loan somewhere.

 

[Boz]

I didn't see any of the pre-season games, but those who did weren't totally convinced. As we saw with Maynard last season, it's quite a jump moving from a part-time to full-time pro. I'd agree that perhaps he might have been worth bringing on at Southport because of his pace, but one for gradual introduction in my view. More worrying is that we haven't seen Connor Jennings in his preferred central role yet...

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I agree with Boz. Stephenson did not impress me in pre-season and if we make changes, I would reintroduce Mekki before him. I think he is some way behind the other strikers at the moment.

I actually think we just need to tweak things a bit tactically rather than making personnel changes.

 

[Sparky]

A slight surprise in that Ethan Jones joins on a youth loan from Shrewsbury. An 18 year old striker seemingly without a career goal and a handful of sub appearances for the Shrews. Does this mean Connor Jennings has a bad injury or GB has fallen out with Nors?

Perhaps I'm reading too much into it. He could have recalled Stockton presumably but I'm guessing Jones has pace & movement and GB sees him suitable for one of our wide attacking positions in the front 3. Clearly though GB perhaps doesn't think Kirby, Mekki or Stephenson can do a job there - all of which may be disappointed with this signing......

 

[Mal]

I agree with RLC. To be honest, I have defended GB but if he is blind to changing tactics to suit the players, then the only real option is to find a manager who can use them effectively. Maybe wait for Sam A to become available long term lol

 

[Cowshed Kid]

It seems C Jennings is out for a month with knee injury.
Suspect this signing may indeed spark off some disharmony in the ranks.

 

[Boz]

Baffling. We have enough forward options without Connor Jennings or could recall Omotola for bench duties. Surely even Brabin couldn't be mad enough to pick an inexperienced youngster ahead of Norwood or Cook? If there are funds for loans, why haven't options of bringing in a creative midfielder and left-back been explored?

Good luck to Ethan, fear he's going to need it.

 

[Ian]

Cannot see the point.


From Twitter:


Sapper Perry Rutter‏ @PerryRutter
@tranmererovers look forward to seeing him at left back Tuesday then!

That made me laugh.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A bizarre signing. Even without Jennings - a player we could ill-afford to lose as he gives us our only real creativity - we have Cook and Norwood, with the improving Stephenson as back-up. Why Brabin believes our failure to score goals is solely down to the strikers is beyond me, and is really limited tactical thinking. The problem has been a lack of supply to the strikers. You could not find better forwards at this level than the ones we already have, but we don't utilise them properly.

He may turnout out to be a decent player, but this just smacks of another despairing Blissett / Tomlinson / Fenwick signing. Back to the old failed ways of last season........

 

[Ian]

Has GB learnt anything from last season?