• 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.

League Two Mariners v Rovers

Match result

  • Grimsby

    Votes: 1 12.5%
  • Draw

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Tranmere

    Votes: 7 87.5%

  • Total voters
    8
  • Poll closed .
Mariners v Rovers
Posted by Ian
Blundell Park
Wednesday, March 17, 2021 - 07:00 PM
Until: Wednesday, March 17, 2021 - 09:00 PM
(Adjusted for timezone: Europe/London)
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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It is a massive match for Rovers on Wednesday night, as we play a game in hand on our rivals at bottom of the table Grimsby. The majority of the other promotion chasing sides do not have a midweek fixture, and a victory will leave us within one point of the automatic promotion places.

It appears that Grimsby's performances have improved slightly since the appointment of Paul Hurst and the addition of some experienced players in January, but that has not been reflected in results. They seem to be better organised and more resilient under Hurst, but are still struggling badly for goals and look doomed to relegation at this moment in time.

I think our attitude in the opening minutes of the game will be key: if we start brightly and score early, as at Southend, it should be a relatively comfortable night. At Southend the players were jockeying for a starting place at Wembley, whereas there might be a slight hangover from Sunday this time around. However, I think the defeat to Sunderland has probably only helped to refocus minds on the main target of promotion.

I think we will line up with the same starting eleven as yesterday, although Hill may have to use the bench effectively in the second half. There are bound to be some tired minds and bodies and we have another massive game against Exeter three days later. It will be interesting to see whether the penny has finally dropped with CBT (and his agent) that he has to deliver consistently in league games if he wants a big move in the summer, not just for thirty minutes in a televised game at Wembley.

Prediction: Rovers victory.
 
Last edited:

Boz

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Iain Hume
I don't think we will be given as much time and space as Southend allowed us in the first half. Could have been 4 or 5 up at h/t in that game, but things got harder in the second half as the hosts tightened up. I'd expect Grimsby to be like that from the off. so will need to be more clinical with those chances coming our way.

Interesting selection issue for KH, does he stick with Lewis as the false no 9 or look at Woolery in that role? I don't think Nugent will start in the away games for now. It would be a surprise if CBT starts, but potential for a cameo off the bench. While Khan will start at right-back after an impressive return, if O'Connor is available (?) we need him on the bench as cover for Otis and Jay Spearing. I don't think there's that much wriggle room elsewhere in the line-up. Ex-Rover Stefan Payne hasn't been starting recently, but coming off the bench and there's always the risk of a goal against his old club, true to type would be a defection off his backside.

We need to win this.
 
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I generally agree, but I am not sure Southend tightened up in the second half. It was more a case that we took our foot off the gas.
 
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aldo
we need to win this comfy or ugly just any type of win will do the same team but with Woolery moved into the centre or Lloyd
 

Ian

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Grimsby will be scrapping but really we should have the quality to put them to the sword. Like RLC says, a nice early goal would do nicely. I’m not going to say must win as we still have 14 games left but a win would keep the pressure on those around us and quickly shake off the final defeat.

However, I have a gut feeling this is going to be a bit laboured after Sun and we’ll probably end up making it harder then it needs to be.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
I agree that this is not a must win game, but anything other than three points would be a massive disappointment after the way we played on Sunday. No game is easy, but most of the remaining fixtures will surely be harder. I’m predicting 2-0 or 3-1.
 

Sparky

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Any win will do on Wednesday especially given the gruelling schedule of late and tougher games ahead not least the visit of Exeter on Saturday.
Payne started a few games initially but despite a goal on his debut I think he has fallen behind Lenell John-Lewis in the starting eleven and ex Bradford target man James Hanson. They have a lot of experience with others like Matt Green, Filip Morais and ex rovers youngster and Lincoln’s captain Luke Waterfall. So this will be no pushover but given the clear gap in quality and league placings, surely it is an away banker.

Agree that an early goal will settle us down but a lot will depend on the fitness levels (both physical and mental), after yesterday’s efforts.

Prediction. A rovers win
 
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It is interesting that Grimsby do have a lot of experience, but few of their players seem to be rated by the Grimsby fans. Green seems to be unpopular, Payne has not been featuring after a reasonable start, and John Lewis could not get in their side on a regular basis when they were in the National League, when he was upstaged by Amond and Bogle.

John Lewis is probably nailed on to score the winner now......
 

bigmart

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Ian Muir
We just need to pass it around like yesterday be clinical with our chances and we will win 2 0
 

frenchrover

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aldo
Yesterday's result was a disappointment, yes without a doubt but the effort and performance displayed by the team was tremendous and I'm convinced that had Vaughan played that was a game we would have won, And won against a very good League 1 squad rightly figuring in a race for the Championship. I think our lads should be buoyed up with their Wembley performance and hopefully, notwithstanding any minor injury niggles and given the now normal 2 days rest and recuperation period, they should be ready to take the game to Grimsby tomorrow evening. My main concern is the reduced R&R period between this game and the following one on Saturday, down from the usual 3 to 2 days, exacerbated by the fact we will be facing potential promotion rivals Exeter City, who I thought were unlucky to lose on Saturday to a very late goal from League leaders Cheltenham Town. It is also an added concern that Exeter do not have a midweek game this week so have the relative luxury of a weeks break. With this in mind, whilst accepting that we are not yet quite in the "must win every game" scenario, a win on Wednesday is essential. If we are to avoid the lottery of play-off games, which should be our aim, then we must secure, and retain, an automatic promotion place and 3 points at Grimsby is the first step. Tomorrow, promotion rivals, Cheltenham Town and Newport County, have relatively winnable games so we must avoid the points gap opening up. We are getting to that stage of the season were games in hand are all well and good, ask Carlisle United, but nothing replaces points on the board, and that is why I feel we need to win Wednesday.
 

Ian

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Yeah, games in hand are only good if you win them! I do think we will but we could do with a bit more bite up front. I still think Nugent has a part to play this season.
 
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Too many of them after over 50 years!
I haven't seen Nugent play for his prior teams. What is expected of him at Tranmere other than the obvious. Is it to be a Cook type player in which case he needs service ( I assume Khan and Feeney)? I don't think he can be a Vaughan replacement in which case the team would need adapting to make best use of him. Anyone have an opinion on that?

Ascot Grimsby , I think Tranmere should have too much for them unless they are tired after Sunday.
 
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I don't think Nugent was signed as a replacement for Vaughan. In fact, I doubt we expected him to ever have to play ninety minutes.

I think he was brought in to give us a bit of nous from the bench for twenty or thirty minutes of games. In fairness, we have already seen glimpses of that, yesterday and in the victory against Carlisle.
 
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With regard to strikers, it is interesting that Paddy Madden has just gone from Fleetwood to Stockport. I don't know whether he was available in January but I think he would have offered more than Nugent.
 

bigmart

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With regard to strikers, it is interesting that Paddy Madden has just gone from Fleetwood to Stockport. I don't know whether he was available in January but I think he would have offered more than Nugent.
Good player.

I dont think our recruitment in January was that good this time
 
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Good player.

I dont think our recruitment in January was that good this time
I agree, although I don't think we had much money to spend this time. In the previous two seasons the signings were funded by the Spurs and United cup ties.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
I dont think our recruitment in January was that good this time
Yes, the Barnsley tie will have given us some cash but probably not as much - and we had the two Watford games in 2020. However, I think the squad was improved and we got rid of players surplus to requirements.

in fairness, the really good business was done last summer. I am still amazed we signed the likes of Vaughan, Spearing, Feeney and Woolley, not to mention McDonald and O’Connor. All the summer signings have featured prominently this season and unlike other transfer windows there were no duds.
 
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aldo
have to agree with you that it was slow to start with but the players we got have been great and this with the move from mp to bring his Scout mate into work with long may it continue, if that's the calibre of players we can get, just hope we can get Feeney n the summer and tie one or two of the others down
 
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I think it is debatable whether the squad was actually improved by the January dealings, particularly in the centre forward position, although the quality we already have elsewhere will hopefully be enough to see us through until Vaughan returns.
 
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