• 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.

Rovers v Cobblers

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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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Didn’t dare say what RLC quoted about 14/15 but I feel that vibe too! Despite Stockton’s poor goal return we only lost one game in which he started this season? I’m not saying it’s directly relatable but maybe we are over complicating things & should have stuck with more of the consolidation squad that got us to this point? Signing vets & young smarts is all well & good but do they embed with our Vanarsma heroes? Tough job which I’d like MM to respond to
I deleted that comment, because I don't actually believe the club is remotely in the same position as 14-15. For a start, we won't be going down.

It was depressing watching the second half tonight, but the players who have left needed to leave and had to be replaced. We will only know in a few months' time how effective the replacements are, and whether they can form a cohesive team. We have to give the players and manager time.
 

Ian

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I think we were dealt a bad hand when Miller got injured. I think he would have been the perfect partner for Norwood and MM's plan went out the window a little as we don't have anyone in that mould to step in. We are crying out for some help up front and that would have helped to balance the side a little. The midfielders were too similar today all doing the same thing. Little passes, sideways, backwards not creating anything. We miss Banks in this regard.

The final ball was also missing tonight. Countless crosses, plenty of corners, set pieces all pretty poor to be honest.
 
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Mungy's Hairdresser
Looking forward to MM’s media comments as this always gives a good idea of how the vibe is going.....
 
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I think we were dealt a bad hand when Miller got injured. I think he would have been the perfect partner for Norwood and MM's plan went out the window a little as we don't have anyone in that mould to step in. We are crying out for some help up front and that would have helped to balance the side a little. The midfielders were too similar today all doing the same thing. Little passes, sideways, backwards not creating anything. We miss Banks in this regard.

The final ball was also missing tonight. Countless crosses, plenty of corners, set pieces all pretty poor to be honest.
Yes, I agree with most of that. Norwood and Jennings does not really work as a strike partnership as Connor does not have the physical presence and tends to drop into deeper areas, leaving us overloaded n midfield and light up front. I think Smith should have started and made a difference when he came on, with his ability to beat players. On the other flank, Pringle does not beat players but keeps the ball well and is always passing and probing. I am surprised so many people have been critical of him tonight.
 

Ian

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On the other flank, Pringle does not beat players but keeps the ball well and is always passing and probing. I am surprised so many people have been critical of him tonight.
You can see he has quality and once the side beds in a bit, I'm sure we'll see more from him. It was an unfortunate home debut as the general opinion post match has been pretty negative and he's been sucked right into it. I still worry about the wide areas. Caprice really isn't a winger and Ridehalgh doesn't have the quality we need defensively and offensively IMO. I'm surprised we have not seen more of Smith who at least is a creator that will make things happen.
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
Sounds like being unable to finish work in time to make this game wasn't such a bad thing. Losing 3 games on the trot is worrying, especially since we’d expect to get something out of the two home games. Think it’s true parallels can be drawn with 2014/5, but there are also differences in that our core squad is much stronger now. Thanks to the transfer window changes, MM will be unable to bring more loans in and will have to work with what he’s got. I do share the concerns at Micky’s decision to pitch the new players straight in, whereas the likes of Smith, Gilmour and Mullin, already familiar with how the team operates we’re given little or in Mullin’s case no chance at all. Smith sounded like he made a difference straight away and hopefully he might be considered for a start next game.

The player who looked like a really good addition before the match, was Nelson, who seems to have had a mare of a debut. Monthe’s apparent struggle to perform without McNulty didn’t help. Mixed reports re Pringle, while it sounded like Morris failed to impress and Dagnall, one close header aside was barely involved.
 
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Months was actually worse than Nelson. Nelson started nervously but did settle and improve in the second half. I think he will be fine after a few games. Dagnall's movement was OK and he had one good header past the post, but I thought we needed more physical presence up front at that stage of the game.
 
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aldo
well im looking forward to tonight . . very concerned with the whites at the mo 1 win in 6 . and losing to teams that get hammerd quite a lot is annoying . yes we have just come up . but you have to think is it to much tinkering in jan or not enough recruitment in the summer . norwood needs help up front and we have all said it . as i said b4 mullin must be wondering why be came to us as he never gets a run . . oh well roll on the match tonight . im well happy i missed last nights dross and im still in spain on sat so wont be there again .
 

Ian

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We are going to win 6-0 on Sat AM!
 
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aldo
haha i missed the 9-0 as was working . i always seem to miss the big scores . cant wait for tonight . and MESSI might not play gutted if he dont . seen the stadium amazing . oh well a few more beers today to forget the crap from last night. and my wife wont stop shopping . bless her lol
 
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ian goodison
nelson to be fair will be having nightmares after last night monthe 1st half was a disaster nobody in midfield tackles all they do is run along side the opposing player 1st half caprice was flying down the wing 2nd half it petered out, what worries me is there ,s no plan b all the subs are like for like, still mellons here for the long haul good/bad thing?
 

Ian

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Agreed. We can't start doubting MM after a couple of bad games. I think we have to remember back to the National League when a lot of people were calling for MM head during our 2nd tenure and look were we are now. We are going to have good and bad games. The new players will settle in and we'll go through a good patch again. Is a mid table finish this season such a bad thing?
 

drwhoman

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Mid table was the general view at the start of the season. Maybe we became a little greedy? I realise this observation might be viewed as rationalisation by some. That said, the team have to do better if we are not to end down the table. Let us hope that the new players bed in with a view to a renewed promotion challenge next season.
 
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I won,t be upset with a mid-table finish but the displays we showed against Lincoln & Exeter seem light years ago, I think 4 at the back is the way forward but wonder why no ellis or zoom even on the bench, hoping the new guys can bed in soon and with bank,s returning can turn the situation round.
 

Sparky

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The lack of a physical presence up front was really evident, especially when ash taylor was as big as ever. Second half we put some decent balls into the box but no one got on the end of them.

That’s why I’m surprised we went for Dagnall when we had Mullin whose impact as a sub this season has been good. I bet he was a bit miffed last night when Dagnall, who has done nothing all season and was released by bury, came on ahead of him. Micky said finding a target man wasn’t easy which is fair enough - but u feel like he brought Dagnall in just to make the numbers up. I’d rather Stockton had played than daggers

I’m also disappointed Johnny smith didn’t start. He’s been very good this season overall with a few goals and assists. Yes he was dropped when we went to 5-3-2 but in a 4-4-2 he should be playing. Him on the right and Pringle on the left. Morris didn’t impress at all

Also hindsight is great but part of me still thinks it was worth keeping Sutton when u think how we defended last night
 
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Agree with Sparky about Smith. A very good player and one of the few we have with the ability to beat players.
 
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Just reflecting further on last night, one of the positives was that Liam Ridehalgh had a better game. He seemed to have an understanding with the newcomers and linked up quite well with Pringy and Perky on the left hand side. Caprice was good in the first half as well.
 
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Mungy's Hairdresser
We seem to be stuck between a rock & a hard place with Macca & formation. Steve is obviously a great organiser but I don’t get the conversation about his pace or lack of. It’s irrelevant but reaction time & positional sense are very relevant. Goodi maintained these qualities to the end so let’s see whether Macca is being deposed or merely rested to fully recover from injury.
 
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yes we have just come up . but you have to think is it to much tinkering in jan or not enough recruitment in the summer
I think it is well documented that we could not get our first choice targets in the summer because of financial problems, so we have had to do a lot of business now. It is quite disruptive, but it is just one of those things.
 
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