Rovers 2 Portsmouth 2

[Rockford's Love Child]

A deeply disappointing result, with lapses in concentration defensively and a failure to convert chances costing Rovers.

I thought we should have been at least two up at half time today, but did not necessarily think the missed opportunities would cost us as Portsmouth had been so dire in the attacking third. Portsmouth's equaliser changed the complexion of the game and we huffed and puffed for the next 25 minutes, but having scored the second we should have put the game to bed: their second equaliser was atrocious defensively, as we completely switched off from the re-start.

Somehow we remain at the top of the table, but our home form has to improve if we are to sustain a promotion challenge.

I thought there were several good individual displays from Palmer (my MOTM), Zoum, McGurk in particular, but we clearly missed Wallace's ability to hold the ball and keep a grip in midfield: I thought Danny Harrison had a very poor game and I would still prefer to start with Power.

It was great to see O'Halloran score his first goal, but I thought he struggled with the physical side today and did not hold the ball as well as he needed to at times.

Despite all the fuss about their keeper, over the ninety minutes he actually kept them in the game with three or four good saves. Thanks to Jake Jervis for producing a touch of brilliance for their second goal which was sadly lacking in his inept displays for us.

As a footnote, what an obnoxious bunch their supporters were, hurling unprovoked abuse at us all afternoon, including the tired old Merseyside cliches. I know a place I would like to stick their instruments. A few chips on shoulders there I think.......

 

[DIW]

Agree with all of that. Another game we could and should have won. Bloody bloody annoying.

 

[Tartantranmere64]

Yep, another two points chucked away. Still, top of the league.

More importantly, to celebrate Big Mickey's first goal for Tranmere - a quiz question with a prize of a pint of beer to whoever can answer correctly first (or a cup of warm milk and honey for Amplesou):

Name the last Scots-born player to score for Rovers (not an own goal)?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Yep, another two points chucked away. Still, top of the league.

More importantly, to celebrate Big Mickey's first goal for Tranmere - a quiz question with a prize of a pint of beer to whoever can answer correctly first (or a cup of warm milk and honey for Amplesou):

Name the last Scots-born player to score for Rovers (not an own goal)?

Micky Mellon ?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Micky Mellon ?

Second attempt (if I am allowed one): Iain Hume ?

 

[Tartantranmere64]

Well done on the second attempt. Answer Iain Hume.

 

[amplesou]

Yep, another two points chucked away. Still, top of the league.

More importantly, to celebrate Big Mickey's first goal for Tranmere - a quiz question with a prize of a pint of beer to whoever can answer correctly first (or a cup of warm milk and honey for Amplesou):

Name the last Scots-born player to score for Rovers (not an own goal)?

tell you what,,,, RM still sticking to the tried and tested ...yet his team have,nt performed for the last 2 months at pp....TR worst team in div 1 and stlll top..jeeze

thats momentum for ya....no need for a reply from the die hards here.... even if they are off the squirrel (peninsular)

 

[amplesou]

Well done on the second attempt. Answer Iain Hume.

he,s Canadian no ?....sorry, easy mistake to make..!

 

[amplesou]

Yep, another two points chucked away. Still, top of the league.

More importantly, to celebrate Big Mickey's first goal for Tranmere - a quiz question with a prize of a pint of beer to whoever can answer correctly first (or a cup of warm milk and honey for Amplesou):

Name the last Scots-born player to score for Rovers (not an own goal)?

sorry i get it...re being too cold to go to matches etc....forgot about that...sorry

your right though ...but i don,t go in for any of those perocual remadies ...just on the basis there preocual...
:cold::cold:

 

[Ian]

These draws at home are becoming quite frustrating. We really should have won that game. I thought the lads had a really good first half and were enterprising and lively.

I thought we struggled more in the second and Portsmouth shared more of the play. Going ahead twice and ending up with the draw is disappointing but like Ronnie says, the defending was not good enough. Dreadful defending for the second.

However we still pushed on and should have scored late on with two great chances. I think possibly Palmer missing both.

However, the fact is we are STILL top of the league after another week. Really cannot complain too much. I know we have two difficult away games coming up but I think we'll fair well in them, our away form is a lot more consistent.

 

[Sparky]

What are you prattling on about amplesou!? Lets get back to the match.

We would have won that I think if Wallace had played, Harrison simply isn't up to it and never has been. Thought palmer did well tho and Zoom.

Agree that despite his goal, ohalloran didn't impress and I though Thompson might have replaced him near the end. McGurk did ok but a bit too predictable coming in on his left all the time, but never hitting the target. He set up the first goal tho.

Lets be positive as Ian says. Ronnies comments very negative but still top and playing well away from home.

 

[Tartantranmere64]

he,s Canadian no ?....sorry, easy mistake to make..!

Read the question. Iain Hume was born in Edinburgh. Easy mistake to make, eh?

Thanks for calling me a twat.

 

[bigmart]

A very disappointing result against a team who are likely to be relegated this season. 5 games without a win at home in the league and we havent played really well since the Doncaster game.

After a decent first half Palmer was poor in the 2nd and missed 2 glorious chances to win the game for us. Harrison is a poor league 2 player and doesnt contribute much at all, Power should be given a go before he ends up trying his luck else were. Robbo was fairly poor and keeps throwing himself on the floor. Mcgurk was the best of our midfield today although Zoom was overall our best player.

Although we are sumhow still top i cannot see us staying there after next week, our squad cannot keep with the injuries to key players. Looks like Gibson is going to have an operation on his hernia so will be out for a while.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

In fairness, it was a fantastic run by Palmer to set up one of the two chances you mention. I thought he was very good today.

Don't really disagree about Harrison, who is fine doing a man-to-man marking job but doesn't have enough variety or imagination in his passing when he has time on the ball.

I also would not necessarily think Portsmouth will be relegated once the ownership issue is settled, although they looked a pretty mediocre side today.

 

[Ian]

Although we are sumhow still top i cannot see us staying there after next week, our squad cannot keep with the injuries to key players.

I keep telling myself this every week, but still we remain top. SWA \\/
Don't forget, there's no-one running away with this, it's very tight at the top. Teams just below us are dropping points too.

 

[bigmart]

RLC, dnt forget portsmouth have ten points to be deducted which would leave them along way from safety.

 

[Boz]

First half, Portsmouth had the bulk of possession, without threatening to do much. Rovers had a purple patch around the half hour, which included Ash's goal. Second half, the visitors equalised early; unchallenged header from a set-piece and then looked the more likely winners. O'Hallorhan put us back in front, only for Danny Holmes to switch off, allowing Jervis to score an out of character equaliser. His gloating in front of the Paddock was provocative and uncalled for. While Palmer could have won it for us, the visitors were breaking frequently and we could have left pointless.

Good performances from Zoum, McGurk, Goodi and in the 2nd half Taylor, though the central defenders didn't work together well initially. Palmer put some great cross-field passes in, but was sitting too deep at times, while Harrison didn't do well what he is best at; simple passing and breaking up play. There were times in the second half where we surrendered the middle third of the pitch, so that Pompey could move the ball from their half to the edge of our area, unchallenged. I would say that this was one of Ronnie's worst performances as manager, doing nothing to change that. In only making one change in personnel; Stockton for McGurk and not really altering the formation, he was reminiscent of Les Parry.

While I was irritated with the visiting support(which show's they were doing a job), almost all travelling fans churn out the scouse cliches. Unsure why RLC was so strong in his criticism?

 

[DIW]

Stats showed we had far more possession in the first half.

 

[SonkORLY?]

First half, Portsmouth had the bulk of possession

Not sure about that.

Good performances from Zoum, McGurk, Goodi and in the 2nd half Taylor, though the central defenders didn't work together well initially.

Noticed a few times that Ash would be shouting his head off trying to control the position of our backline and Goodi was quite blatantly ignoring him.

Our general play wasn't awful yesterday but we were wasteful; Portsmouth were the exact opposite on both counts. Power should come in for Harrison who, regrettably, is not very good at playing football.

Actually, I noticed some Scottish bloke shouting positive things towards our players in the JK while everyone was moaning about Harrison; wondered if it was TT64, being as positivity and Scottishness are the two things I associate with him most. Half-way line, 3/4 of the way up?

 

[roverstillidie]

2 Wins in our last 10 league games says it all really. Unfortunately our lack of squad depth has been shown up in the last month or so. We need 3 more players to bolster the squad - a striker, a winger and a midfielder. As it stands we don't have the strength in depth to cope with loss of form (when did Robinson last play well?) or injuries.

With our first eleven we can beat anyone in this league, when we start losing 3,4,5 of those players we become a much more average side. We need PJ to push the boat out in January to bolster the squad in order to get the team over the line at the end of season, if we don't increase our strength in depth I can see us finishing around 7/8th.