• 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.

Tranmere v Forest Green (play off-final)

Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,693
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
Just fell short on the day. They took their chances, we didn't. We missed our regular midfield. FGR are a good side but spent the whole of the second half blatantly timewasting.
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,854
Player
Iain Hume
Baffled at why, having spurned the chance to pair Cook and Stockton together for months Micky tries it today and takes off one of our better players in Connor Jennings to do so.

I thought Forest Green had the stronger squad and were more clinical. Barely tested their keeper second half.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,873
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Just fell short on the day. They took their chances, we didn't. We missed our regular midfield. FGR are a good side but spent the whole of the second half blatantly timewasting.
Agree completely. Without the protection of a three man midfield McNulty was exposed to their pace and we defended poorly. That said, we missed chances at key moments and a mistake from ridehalgh killed us. At 2-1 down we still would have had a chance. The tactical changes did not work but the game had effectively gone by then. It has been a great effort by mm and the players. We go again next season.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,873
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Baffled at why, having spurned the chance to pair Cook and Stockton together for months Micky tries it today and takes off one of our better players in Connor Jennings to do so.

I thought Forest Green had the stronger squad and were more clinical. Barely tested their keeper second half.
They had a stronger squad today because of our shed load of injuries. The loss of wallace was an injury too far for us.
 

Stickman

Member
Joined
12 Dec 2015
Messages
70
Player
Aldo
A great effort this season but disappointment in the end. Good luck to Forest Green, the better team on the day. A bit of timewasting, etc but doubt we'd have been much different in the same situation.
Overall, we've had a poor record against the other teams in the top 5 and done well against the rest. To go one better next season Mickey needs to address the lack of pace and fitness in the squad. I'm sure he knows what to do.
 
Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,693
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
For my 2000th WR post, I was hoping this would be in celebration. It's not to be. Good luck to FGR for what the club has achieved.

I thought the teams were evenly matched. Had Nors scored his one-on-one or Jennings ball across the goalmouth been met by Mangan, it might have been a different story. Against a very good side, I felt everyone was just a little below par today. Jennings hit a great goal but faded later on and I expected he would be replaced by Cook. The defence was put under too much pressure and suffered from the lack of protection that a Harris or Steve Jennings could have provided. And I wonder what Wallace might have been like on the Wembley pitch.

Looking at the positives, I'd rather see FGR promoted than any of the other teams, as we must be clear favourites for next year's title unless another one of our rivals suddenly gets bankrolled. If the playing budget is maintained and we can keep the likes of Stockton and the out-of-contract defenders, we can do it.
 
Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,693
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
And next season there will be six teams in the playoffs with second and third automatically in the semi finals.
This is just crazy. It means nearly half the teams will be promoted, relegated or involved in the play-offs. On the positive side, we must be a shoo-in for the play-offs, but they will be even more of a lottery than they are now. We need to target top spot.
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,021
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
Well that was a bit of an anti climax !
We just weren't at the races today. Poor defending, poor finishing and the game was effectively over at half time.

Had a lot of the ball in the second half, did nothing with it.

Roll on next season :rolleyes:
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,873
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
As BBTC says, at least FGR are out of the way for next season now.

I thought for a ten or fifteen minute spell after we equalised we played some decent football and were the better team. However, the defending for their second and third goals killed us. You can't concede in that manner and hope to win a big game.

For the second, they walked the ball through our midfield and McNulty was left exposed. He then allowed Doidge to turn inside on to his right foot, when he should have showed him down the line. For their third, Ridehalgh had a nightmare.

The starting line up and tactics were as I expected. However, i thought we should have brought Cook on for Stockton in a straight swap, leaving Jennings on. Cole had a poor game, failing to hold the ball and getting bullied by their centre halves. As it was, the switch to 442 did not work at all. There was no movement from the strikers and Norwood disappeared out of the game. On the other side Dunn had a lot of the ball, but his decision making and crossing was dreadful.
 
Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,693
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
Yes, RLC, those last two goals were painful to watch. I agree that, Jennings apart, our forwards had a poor game. However, after the first half hour, in which he scored a great goal and caused FGR some problems, he faded badly and needed to come off. Dunn was very disappointing and seemed to shoot at any opportunity. In retrospect, Collins night have been more useful.

BTW, an interesting article in the Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...mere-back-whatever-happens-innational-league/
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,854
Player
Iain Hume
I agree that it could have been very different with a full strength side, we'll never know. Can't argue that Forest Green were the better side on the day. However, there were a number of players who were well below par today and I felt a bit short-changed by our second half performance. Only had 3 real chances after the break, Stockton's well-saved header, Dunn's deflected long-ranger and the shot Stockton couldn't keep down when lifting over the defender at an open goal. Even though he may have been tiring(didn't notice he was much worse than the others), Connor Jennings was our best player on the park and it was an error of judgement by Micky taking him off in my view.

Agree with RLC about the defensive failings. On forwards, I'm less sure. There were a couple of occasions when Cole was pulled around by their defence and the referee gave him nothing, but when he stood his ground it was a foul by him. Cook did little of note when he was brought on.

Ihiekwe and Stockton are rumoured to be moving to FL clubs, Cook said to be after a transfer, while on this showing there are questions to be asked about basing a defence around McNulty. A major re-building exercise is going to hamper our chances of going up next season and the only way I can see Rovers ever getting out of this league is by winning the title.
 

Cowshed Kid

Member
Joined
5 Dec 2015
Messages
882
Player
Bobby Hutchinson
I'm sure the players will wake up tomorrow wishing they could have a second chance to make amends.
They didn't really turn up today.
It proved a game too many for our awfully depleted squad.
What a shame for them and us as fans given the season we've had.
Some antics aside, FGR proved they can play a bit and fully deserved the win. Pity they didn't have many fans there to witness it.
Our first visit to the new Wembley. Terrific stadium.
Great pre-match atmosphere at the Green Man. Good to see Higgy, Mungy and Alex Hay mingling. So sad that it went downhill thereafter.
At least we had our brief moment of joy with CJ's equaliser.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,873
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
To go one better next season Mickey needs to address the lack of pace and fitness in the squad. I'm sure he knows what to do.

In fairness, our two quickest players (Vaughan and Tollitt) were not available today, and we were also missing the energy of Harris in midfield.
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,021
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
We were serverly hampered by our injuries and I'm sure if would have been a closer game had we had a full strength squad to choose from although our defending and finishing was poor.

Extremely frustrating and disappointing to be 90 mins away.

Agree with Boz. Our best hope is to finish as champions. Hope the momentum continues next season.
 

Brightonian

Member
Joined
20 Mar 2012
Messages
138
Player
Ian Goodison, James Norwood
Trying to be positive we have had a very good season with much more enjoyable football and a real feeling of unity returning at all levels. However waking up this morning realising that yesterday's match was not a bad dream after all with the realisation of another year in the National League at least, is not an enticing prospect.

As said the threadbare squad was just a game too far and the lack of midfield led to a disjointed performance on the day. However agree with BBTC that had Nors taken the one on one and Mangsn taken the back post chance when we had the momentum after equalising, the match may have panned out differently and this was the pivotal point of the game.

No lack of effort by the lads to get back into the game and no complaints on that score but somehow it just was not to be our day.
 

Sparky

Member
Joined
8 Sep 2009
Messages
7,537
Player
Chris Greenacre
Best team on the day won sadly. Thought first 5 mins we looked bright with Cole and mangan getting in decent positions but putting in poor crosses. FGR then started to pass the ball well and scored a good goal, although woolery had no one pressing him and closing him down until it was too late.

Our equaliser will long live in the memory but difference was the finishing. Nors missing another one on one. Should have gone across the keeper with a nice side foot finish but instead hit it straight at him. Mangan then stretching for a harder chance. Would have put us 2-1 up. Doidges eyes then lit up when he was one on one with McNulty and despite Big Mac wrongly showing him inside, it was a tremendous finish, much harder than Nors chance.

After Liam's gift it was game over although what disappointed me second half was we had a lot of play around their box but poor decision making and delivery left us frustrated. Agree I would have kept on Connor as he could have created something or scored from nothing.

Nice statement from MP on the website. The immediate priority is contracts. If Cole leaves I wouldn't be too sad as I still think Cook is our best striker. But if he leaves too we're in a bit of trouble. Also the likes of Buxton
, ridhelagh and Harris need to stay. Although all will be on hols now so suspect it'll be quiet for a while
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,021
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
To be fair to FGR, their finishing was excellent.
Should be interesting to see what happens pre-season with all the contracts.
 

drwhoman

Member
Joined
30 Jun 2008
Messages
2,658
What a shame. The promotion system is unfair. What will a village club with small gates add to the Football League? A wealthy man's plaything. Still this sounds like sour grapes. Best of luck to them. Norwood has a real problem with one on ones. He should study Sturridge's finish for Liverpool yesterday. As others have said, it will be interesting to see what happens with the squad this summer. With MM there next season I am hopeful although I believe we will lose 400k in football league funding after failing to be promoted.
 
Top