League Two Rovers v Cobblers

[ADD]

Glatzel and Maynard for Nevitt and Feeney maybe?

 

[Sparky]

Maynard on but it’s too late. He should have come on at 1-0 as it clearly wasn’t working.

 

[bigmart]

It was bad enough that we created very little and their keeper didn't have a save to make but even more worrying we were carved open time and again and should have lost by 4 or 5.

That was the worst I've seen us play in many a year but full credit to them they outlasted and totally outplayed us.

 

[Sparky]

 

[Boz]

Second half was dismal, as bigmart suggests the score flatters Rovers. Will post more when back in Yorkshire and have calmed down a bit!

 

[Outoftowner]

View attachment 179

I couldn’t make it today but those stats tell me a lot !

62% possession , only 4 shots at goal, non of which were on target - time for a shakeup !

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A bad day at the office and a deserved defeat. However, knee jerk reactions to one terrible performance won't get us very far. We were unbeaten in the previous eight games and not a single player performed to their usual level in the second half today.

I thought the first half was ok. We had a fair amount of the ball, but Northampton created the better chances. However, from the first minute of the second half we seemed exceptionally flat, with Tuesday night's exertions perhaps taking more out of the players than we had realised. Northampton were causing us problems in the wide areas with their attacking full backs, and the first goal was not a surprise when it came. We did not seem to have the spark or energy to respond, and the whole performance fell apart after the second goal, with passes going astray and our defensive shape lost.

I thought we missed Hawkes driving runs and willingness to shoot from outside the box, but we can't put the defeat down to one player. It was a collectively awful performance, and we did not get to grips with the game.

It is probably good that we now have a week's rest, and it will be interesting to see what adjustments, if any, Mellon makes at Mansfield.

 

[frenchrover]

No matter how dressed up that performance was.....one word......dreadful! I'm afraid this is what happens when your strategy is to rely on not conceding rather than making sure you score more than the opposition, particularly at home. If we are to continue relying on a single, poorly supported striker then Nevitt is not the answer. I admire the guy for stepping up to the challenge but a great work ethic on its own is not sufficient when basic ability and experience is lacking. If we really mean to achieve promotion from this league then this has to change and change quickly otherwise we are headed for a Keith Hillesque season.
Absolutely no positives to take from that game I'm afraid.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

We have been scoring goals regularly in recent weeks. Our problems today were defensive as much as anything else.

 

[bigmart]

I would also say Micky has to share some of the blame as well, Duffy playing left midfield when Feeney went off was odd and subs could have been made earlier

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

We were definitely not up for this, from the kick off to full time, we didn't deserve nowt.
Clearly some fitness and stamina issues, with games coming fast, the age factor is telling today.
Of course when your striking options are very limited, you have to defend well. This didn't happen, midfield, had nothing, so it was no surprise that we lost.
This was bad, nearly as bad as some of the dross served up by Mr Hill.
I think if one or two players are out of form, this spreads through the team, despite our good result run, we had no confidence in the shape and attacking options, not one took a gamble.

Really disappointing and you can't polish a turd!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I would also say Micky has to share some of the blame as well, Duffy playing left midfield when Feeney went off was odd and subs could have been made earlier

I thought Duffy did quite well when he came on.

Maynard could have come on earlier, but the service to him was atrocious anyway.

 

[Sparky]

Agree with some of RLCs points. We mustn’t go overboard as only one result but it was really poor. First half they edged it and we were bang average but second half it was shockingly bad. It could easily have been 4 or 5 and their keeper was a spectator.
Agree with Mart about the subs. Even at 1-0 it felt like Micky was just hoping something would come off. Putting a 36 year old Duffy on the left didn’t work and Maynard should have come on at 1-0. Glatzel must be desperate to leave. Scored for his parent club last week and in a game we’re losing at home, he can’t even get on. Although there physical approach may have been too much for him.
Our lack of attacking threat was badly exposed and yes we missed hawkes but the likes of Morris, mcmanaman and foley had off days. The latter should have been subbed earlier and his bad pass led to their penalty
No need to overreact but questions need to be asked

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Hawkes has a hamstring injury, but should only be out for a couple of weeks, which is good news.

 

[Sparky]

Micky mentioning the ref saying he was terrible. He should have sent their left back off for a second yellow but I didn’t think he was that bad. The busy schedule mentioned and I guess is it too much for all our veterans to contribute every week? Foley has been great of late but poor today. Mcmanaman again flatters to deceive in my opinion and needs to contribute more in my view.
Nevitt again worked hard but couldn’t get on the end of a few crosses

 

[drwhoman]

Disappointing but the stats do not lie. 11 goals in 14 games. We cannot rely on the defence all of the time. 62% possession and four shots at goal. It must be very hard being a defender at Tranmere at present, knowing that if you concede it is going to be tough with the lack of threat up front. Maybe MM has to rethink his strategy but this must depend on the qualities of the players at his dsposal?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

We had scored nine goals in five league games prior to today. That is a perfectly acceptable goal return, particularly if you are as strong defensively as we are.

 

[Sparky]

I think Micky must realise our striker recruitment has been fairly poor. Glatzel, Mani D, Walker, Jolley - all knowhere near a starting position. It was never intended that Nevitt would be our number one striker this early in his professional career but despite hardly scoring he’s playing every minute of every game.
Too early to judge Maynard but overall we badly need striker reinforcements in January

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

The striker recruitment has been poor, although Maynard and Walker might yet make a contribution. However, there are goals in this squad from midfield and set plays, and if that is how we win games, then so be it. It is what we were doing for a couple of months prior to today's game.

 

[Sparky]

Micky went to watch Walker for middlesboro u23s but ironically it was his own son michael Mellon who scored for Burnley