• 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 Pompey

ONIGP

Member
Joined
28 Feb 2018
Messages
1,447
Player
Eddie Bishop
it will not happen but davies needs binning apart from that we huffed & puffed but that was all, Portsmouth not as good as Coventry/Ipswich but still too good for us, no passion/urgency from anyone will we score before easter?
I hope so - it's a late Easter!
 

Cowshed Kid

Member
Joined
5 Dec 2015
Messages
882
Player
Bobby Hutchinson
These are tough times aren't they.
Sunderland, Doncaster and today - more than matched them for long periods of the games.
First half Doncaster there was some excellent football.
It must be infuriating the players themselves though that they're "losing" these games as opposed to the opposition "winning" them.
I'm not suggesting for one minute we've done enough to win any of them but our play deserved some return.
With Cookie to aim for I was disappointed to see Rides dropped today. Short of wingers, he can at least throw it in the mix.
Pleased to see a second, true centre half selected and fair do's to Ray, he did ok.
I've stood Scottie's corner. The comparisons with OFW recently though are understandable. He's probably equally short of confidence at the moment but there's nowhere to hide if you're a keeper. You can't lay the ball off like hot coal to someone else to mess up if you're in goal.
Got to hope Tuesday brings some confidence booster for them - they desperately it, as do we!
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
I didn’t think Davies had a great game today, but don’t think all the blame should be laid on him for the result. The BBC match report described our defending as statuesque for the first goal. As the free-kick was on our right side, Wilson or Ray ought to have been challenging Raggett for the ball. While he should have done better for the second, the scorer had got to the edge of our box unchallenged before that.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
I didn’t think Davies had a great game today, but don’t think all the blame should be laid on him for the result. The BBC match report described our defending as statuesque for the first goal. As the free-kick was on our right side, Wilson or Ray ought to have been challenging Raggett for the ball. While he should have done better for the second, the scorer had got to the edge of our box unchallenged before that.
I agree, but having watched the goals back I think Scott should have dealt with both of them. The shot for the second was a fairly tame effort and was quite close to his body.

We need Clarke back ASAP for his organisational skills. While Bristol Rovers are in terrible form, they have Clarke-Harris up front who is strong in the air and a threat from set plays, our defensive achilles heal.
 

Sparky

Member
Joined
8 Sep 2009
Messages
7,531
Player
Chris Greenacre
Davies should have done better but the marking for the first goal was unforgivable. Raggett was always a threat in his Lincoln days and someone like manny should have been picking him up but to not follow their runners was school boy defending and symptomatic of Monthes poor form of late
 

ONIGP

Member
Joined
28 Feb 2018
Messages
1,447
Player
Eddie Bishop
While I don't disagree about the defending or Manny's form, the keeper should have saved both. He, therefore, has to shoulder the majority of the blame for it finishing 0-2 rather than 0-0 (a draw in my opinion being more reflective of the overall game).
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,019
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
Some of our open play is fine and we are matching teams perfectly fine in this regard but there are some major downfalls with our play.

1. The final ball is terrible
2. Finishing is currently poor
3. Defending set pieces is still poor

These problems culminate in us not being able to score goals or defend set pieces.

Davies has always been a bit ropey coming off his line but he is being shown up at this level.

Ray had a good game on his return and the defence in general did OK. If we are going to play with CBT we need to use him. He had a couple of runs at their defence but was underused for most of the game and is the only player who can run and get behind a defence.

McCullough had another good game again but we are desperate for a goal. Our forward play usually breaks down and leaves little but scraps for the forwards. Not sure what to make of Vaughan. I thought he worked hard but was given little to work with. In short our attacking players are not good enough to break most of these stubborn defences down as we can see from our record of only 28 goals, the third lowest in the league.

Once we go behind, we really struggle to get back into the game.

Once Clarke returns we might tighten up at the back but we will still be left with the problem of scoring goals. We haven't scored a goal since the Watford replay!
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Against Bolton and Doncaster we created nothing all game, but today with the 442 we did at least create half-chances against a stubborn defence. I think if CBT, Morris, Cook and Vaughan stay in the side and continue to develop an understanding, our goal threat will improve.
 

ONIGP

Member
Joined
28 Feb 2018
Messages
1,447
Player
Eddie Bishop
Some of our open play is fine and we are matching teams perfectly fine in this regard but there are some major downfalls with our play.

1. The final ball is terrible
2. Finishing is currently poor
3. Defending set pieces is still poor

These problems culminate in us not being able to score goals or defend set pieces.

Davies has always been a bit ropey coming off his line but he is being shown up at this level.

Ray had a good game on his return and the defence in general did OK. If we are going to play with CBT we need to use him. He had a couple of runs at their defence but was underused for most of the game and is the only player who can run and get behind a defence.

McCullough had another good game again but we are desperate for a goal. Our forward play usually breaks down and leaves little but scraps for the forwards. Not sure what to make of Vaughan. I thought he worked hard but was given little to work with. In short our attacking players are not good enough to break most of these stubborn defences down as we can see from our record of only 28 goals, the third lowest in the league.

Once we go behind, we really struggle to get back into the game.

Once Clarke returns we might tighten up at the back but we will still be left with the problem of scoring goals. We haven't scored a goal since the Watford replay!
Fair comments, Ian. Pretty much sums it up.
 

ADD

Member
Joined
2 Jun 2018
Messages
1,495
Player
Norwood
Well another poor poor performance. I agree with others that it was better than the last game but that is saying absolutely nothing as that was terrible and I am pretty sure that their keeper (21 so younger than Pilling) did not have a save to make in the second half. , Not sure where we can go from here - seems that if we do not win Tuesday then that will be that.
I agree that MM will not be replaced this season (rightly or wrongly) and no way he will resign but from his press conference tonight he clearly is completely at a loss as to what to do. Interestingly he also completely disagreed that the players were lacking confidence which I found extraordinary. Very negative about the defending absolutely correctly but also about the attitude of the players. He needs IMO to bite the bullet, drop Davies and play Pilling, play Walker Rice and go for attacking set pieces which have been our achilles heel all season.
Naturally however I do not for one moment think this will happen..
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
He is hardly going to say, 'Yes, the confidence is low in the camp and the players have thrown in the towel', is he ?

I think there is still plenty of spirit in the performances, but a long winless run obviously affects decision making when playing a final ball or finishing chances.
 

Sparky

Member
Joined
8 Sep 2009
Messages
7,531
Player
Chris Greenacre
from his press conference tonight he clearly is completely at a loss as to what to do. Interestingly he also completely disagreed that the players were lacking confidence which I found extraordinary.

What was interesting ADD was mccullogh post match said the opposite in that of course confidence is low. I think Micky has realised that he can’t do much more with this squad. He’s has all season to try and improve our defence but overall it’s been poor. Clarke has shored it up but signing a 38 year old was a risk and he’s picked up an injury. The same for woods - decent player but injury prone and went off again today.

I don’t think he should be sacked but if we go down and have to rebuild, palios must be wondering can he trust Micky to rebuild the squad? If you take away all the unsuccessful loanees like Maddox, ponticelli, RHM to a degree, the poor signings like Payne and Ray plus injury prone players like woods, I can’t think of many successfully Micky signings amongst the plenty he has made
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
[QUOTE="ADD, post: 59158,
from his press conference tonight he clearly is completely at a loss as to what to do. Interestingly he also completely disagreed that the players were lacking confidence which I found extraordinary.

What was interesting ADD was mccullogh post match said the opposite in that of course confidence is low. I think Micky has realised that he can’t do much more with this squad. He’s has all season to try and improve our defence but overall it’s been poor. Clarke has shored it up but signing a 38 year old was a risk and he’s picked up an injury. The same for woods - decent player but injury prone and went off again today.

I don’t think he should be sacked but if we go down and have to rebuild, palios must be wondering can he trust Micky to rebuild the squad? If you take away all the unsuccessful loanees like Maddox, ponticelli, RHM to a degree, the poor signings like Payne and Ray plus injury prone players like woods, I can’t think of many successfully Micky signings amongst the plenty he has made
Norburn
Buxton (in the Conference)
Ginnelly
Cole
Banks (in League 2 and Conference)
Monthe
Ellis
McCullough
Nelson (in League Two)
Perkins (in League Two)
Pringle (in League Two)
Morris
Gilmour (in League Two)
Wilson
Woodyard
Cook
Clarke

All good players brought in by Mellon, at the level they were recruited for.

The problem this season (or last summer) was that we had to bring in players with some degree of League One experience, which due to the budget was generally the dross and cast-offs which other League One clubs did not want. At the same time, a number of the players that have served us well at lower levels have struggled to adapt to League One and lost form and confidence (Jennings, Caprice, Nelson, Davies to an extent).

That leaves us with a squad which is not necessarily fit for purpose in League Two next season, assuming we go down, and a big rebuilding job to be completed.
 
Last edited:
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Mellon's recruitment last season was fine.

We brought in Monthe, Nelson, Ellis, Caprice and Gilmour in the summer, all of whom had decent seasons. We then added Perkins, Pringle, Morris and Nelson in January, which gave us fresh impetus and secured the promotion.

The recruitment last summer was a failure, but I think that largely reflects our financial position and our inability to compete in the League One transfer market. When money became available in January - earned through the cup ties - the quality of the players we signed improved: Clarke, Woodyard, Cook, Vaughan. We no doubt knew who those players were last summer, but did not have the resources to sign them. However, we needed signings of the quality of Cook and co. last summer to give us a realistic chance of survival.
 
Last edited:

ADD

Member
Joined
2 Jun 2018
Messages
1,495
Player
Norwood
He is hardly going to say, 'Yes, the confidence is low in the camp and the players have thrown in the towel', is he ?

I think there is still plenty of spirit in the performances, but a long winless run obviously affects decision making when playing a final ball or finishing chances.
Agreed he isn't no but when the questioner says we are lacking confidence he argues and disagrees emphatically ... all very well but when your own players immediately say the exact opposite it isn't a good look...
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Agreed he isn't no but when the questioner says we are lacking confidence he argues and disagrees emphatically ... all very well but when your own players immediately say the exact opposite it isn't a good look...
He is surely just trying to maintain morale, which is what anybody in a leadership position would do.
 

bigmart

bigmart
Member
Joined
29 Jul 2009
Messages
7,108
Player
Ian Muir
When we got the ball out wide we looked threatening but too often we limped it up for their centre halves to win headers, again we rarely looked like scoring I just can't see were the next goal is coming from. Portsmouth wernt that good but didn't need to be to beat us.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
I don’t think he should be sacked but if we go down and have to rebuild, palios must be wondering can he trust Micky to rebuild the squad? If you take away all the unsuccessful loanees like Maddox, ponticelli, RHM to a degree, the poor signings like Payne and Ray plus injury prone players like woods, I can’t think of many successfully Micky signings amongst the plenty he has made
You made a post a few weeks ago which eloquently explained why we had to make those signings, but now seem to be letting frustration get the better of you and are blaming Mellon for the situation. Disappointing really. You claim that few of Mellon's signings have been a success, but I have listed a whole series that were - at a level we could compete at financially.
 
Last edited:
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Just to put things in perspective, I have read elsewhere (from a reliable source) that Cook, Vaughan and Woodyard are our three highest paid players. Two of those players were recruited from the division below, and they are all earning more than any of our summer recruits

Those three players are only here because of the cup money. We simply did not have the resources in the summer to put a competitive, League One quality squad together.
 
Top