It really was as bad as the games under B&rnes.
Wycombe came with a game plan. We just failed to turn up.
They flooded the midfield in the first half and our only response to that was to hoof it up over the top, notionally aiming for Bas, but mostly just aimlessly punting it.
I cannot blame Les, yes I know he's the manager and if the players aren't motivated ultimately the blame goes to him... but these players simply are not good enough and Les wasn't the one who signed them.
McLaren is on a two year contract (thanks B&rnes), supposedly an experienced professional setting an example for the others, but last night he was a passenger. We aren't good enough to carry anyone, let alone a centre mid. Broomes (thanks B&rnes) is a joke, a complete liability at centre back and although the damage caused is less at right back, contributes nothing.
Goodison also has yet another year left on his contract (you know who), and simply hasn't the pace he had a few years ago. A degree in sports physiotherapy isn't needed to tell Goodi is carrying a knock and if we had anyone capable of deputising shouldn't be playing.
And this brings us to the real problem under cutting any attempt to move things forward. Our squad, as well as not really being good enough, is too small. Savage isn't match fit but had to play last night as Gornell was suspended, and Curran had an injury didn't train all week but was picked. You or I may not have picked Curran, but Les probably felt he didn't have much choice.
Mahon and his THREE year contract (f**ks sake B&rnes) didn't even make it onto the pitch again.
The Les Parry band-aid for the club is starting to come unstuck. The sticking plaster has only covered up the gushing wound caused by B&rnes. We're bleeding and need mending fast.
5 games to go. It was a miracle we climbed from rock bottom to be in with a shout of staying up... but whether the team have enough left in the tank to go the distance is now in doubt.
We need to learn the lesson quickly, take heart from Wycombe's example. They've learnt on the pitch to hunt in packs, by working together even lesser players can get results. Tranmere have lesser players, there can be no doubting it anymore.. so to win enough of our last games what's needed is to stop playing as individuals and start working their socks off for each other. Our off the ball movement was shocking last night, a player would get into a wide position, nobody would move for them, they'd be trying to do it on their own, or they'd pass it back and stand still so that the person they offloaded it to would have to do it on their own. BAD bad bad, and i hope that Les picks up on that rather than glossing over it. I hope that the performance and result gives enough ammunition to fire at players who think they're it, to give them a kick up the backside and get them playing as a team.
