League Two Rovers v Cobblers

[ADD]

Merrie still injured.

Sam Taylor signs a new contract

Two years as well. Good for him and hopefully us.

 

[Boz]

Looking forward to seeing Sam Taylor start for the first time. Must be some belief in him, getting a 2 year deal rather than 1 with extension option. Although Mark Palios name-checks in the programme, Jolley still not deemed fit enough to risk on the bench, though he is on the pitch.

 

[Boz]

Down already decent finish from danger man Hoskins. Rovers need to try and keep the ball down more. Hemmings muscled out of a lot of the aerial stuff.

 

[MancunianWhite]

Loving the unbiased broadcasting 90% shots of the Northampton crowd all talk about them going up etc, no mention of Tranmeres new management team.

 

[bigmart]

A poor half, we have passed it sideways and backwards far too much especially Hendry and Hughes. The ref is poor and we should have had a pen for handball but no shots on target and very little threat.

 

[Ian]

Far too negative. We have spent most of the half passing back to Hewelt. Get the ball forward! We need a much more positive display is we are to get anything out of this. We have nothing to lose! Give the fans something to cheer about!

 

[Boz]

We started badly but got back into it. Hawkes has pulled up a couple of times when balls available to run onto, Bristow nearly gifted them a second with an underhit back-pass, Hemmings has been poor though offered no protection from an inept referee, who is one of the poorest I’ve seen this season and appears as partisan as Brakespear.

Think if they get a second it’s curtains, but while still 0-1 we have a chance.

 

[Higgy 2]

Hughes keeps showing for the ball, but gets bypassed. Albeit he needs to open his body more to make the pass more viable.

 

[Higgy 2]

Jenno gives Stockport a soft pen.

 

[Sparky]

Lots of huff and puff but no end quality. Sound familiar?

 

[Sparky]

Bristow having a nightmare today.

 

[ADD]

Bristow having a nightmare today.

Yes but at least some of them are putting in a shift. Taylor doing well. Hawkes also.

 

[Higgy 2]

Plenty of fight and some nice inter play at times. Encouraging.

 

[Ian]

Plenty of fight and some nice inter play at times. Encouraging.

Better second half but useless up front. Sums up the season.

 

[Sparky]

A spirited second half display wasn’t enough to get anything from the game and our lack of cutting edge cost us again.
The cobblers took the league when the leagues player of the year was given time outside the box from a headed corner to volley in.
Second half we huffed and puffed but with 10 shots in the game didn’t hit the target once which sums us up. Thought Bristow put in one great cross but gave the ball away numerous times.
MOM for me was hendry who got a good reception at the end .

Interestingly danns offered very little if nothing on the touchline although was involved in the warm up. Dawes was dressed for the occasion ditching his usual tracksuit

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I thought it was a spirited second half performance and we possibly deserved a draw in the end. However, our inability to put the ball in the net cost us once more. The problem in the final third is absolutely glaring and Hoskins demonstrated the value of a prolific goalscorer: one chance, which was not even really an opportunity, and he settled the game.

In the first half I thought there was too much pedestrian play in the middle third of the pitch. Hemmings was isolated in the front three and we just did not offer enough in the final third to trouble their defence. After half time there was a much better tempo and we did create genuine opportunities, but their keeper was barely tested.

Individually, I thought Hendry, Cogley and the two centre halves had good games. The performance of Sam Taylor was particularly encouraging and he does look much more promising than the other youngsters who have come through recently. Man of the match Tom Davies, who was immense again.

Irrespective of who the manager is, if the problem at centre forward is not addressed we will not challenge for the top seven next season, something Palios as much as admitted in his programme notes. We finish in twelfth position, which I think pretty much reflects the budget and the quality of the squad.

 

[dollar'sbloke]

Well watched it all, meant to turn off if poor but didn't and it was lol
The basic physics of football in general and this league especially, unless you play one up front you must have a target man for when you have to go long and you must go long at times.
Throughout this season bar Mumbungo's odd sideshows, he doesn't look like he doesn't knows where he is at times, Hemmings is the target man.. This is a problem duplicated, as Higgy in his own fashion was trying to string together, to explain to the clueless young commentator. Anything Hemmings cannot run back towards to flick on, is the defender's every time, which has been 90% of supply all winter. The fact is Hemmings is the only striker who can play off a target man at present, others may prove their worth in time and with lots of hoping.
Put simply you are playing your only No 2 as a No 1, which you haven't got one of and those unproven as No 2's have had no hope playing off an inept No1. Taylor and Hemmings had no relationship at all today.
So job number 1, sign two target men.
Midfield, baffles me, it hasn't worked much, but there must be ten fairly decent players signed up although some got grazed knees and haven't been seen for months.
There are four defenders, decent, on the books so fortunes could have been crisis levels with any injuries there.
Get an accomplished keeper
Italy for me again, hope you all find somewhere good

 

[bigmart]

Fairly unimpressive football from both sides, Hoskins was clinical for the goal but want really a lot between the teams.
A crucial off season ahead, there will be plenty of outgoings and incomings but we desperately need the recruitment to be a massive improvement than it has been for a few years now.

 

[bigmart]

Interestingly Dawes in his post match interview says the club went too young in the signings this season and need more experience this summer. Also he says we want to be challenging for promotion, though I doubt that is likely to happen

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Interestingly Dawes in his post match interview says the club went too young in the signings this season and need more experience this summer.

A penny for Mellon's thoughts reading that.......