• 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.

League Two Rovers v Salford

Match result

  • Rovers

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Draw

    Votes: 2 40.0%
  • Salford

    Votes: 3 60.0%

  • Total voters
    5
  • Poll closed .
Rovers v Salford
Posted by Ian
Prenton Park
Saturday, April 17, 2021 - 12:30 PM
Until: Saturday, April 17, 2021 - 02:30 PM
(Adjusted for timezone: Europe/London)
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Sparky

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Well the clock is well and truly ticking as its now only 5 league games left for rovers to try and cement their position at least in the play offs. Automatic promotion now looks highly unlikely unless Bolton implode and we somehow get a run going. My £20 bet at 20/1 for rovers to win the league is looking highly unlikely.

Our visitors Salford have had an inconsistent season resulting in a change in manager and despite losing at home to Bolton midweek (their first home defeat of the season), they will see this as a must win game as they sit 4 points outside the play offs but know they are playing an out of form rovers side. This could make for an entertaining game with Salford having to go for it. The visitors have no stand out names although the evergreen Ian Henderson who Keith will know from his Rochdale days continues to be a goal poacher at this level and has 20 goals in all competitions this season.

Assuming Hill is still in charge then who knows what the plan is now to try and win games. Spearing will be suspended so assume O’Connor will come in. The back 4 will probably be the same so the big question as ever is who will fill the boots of Vaughan. I say that because I assume he won’t be starting. Bringing him on during Tuesdays game was understandable given the circumstances, but he looked very rusty. Since then he may have had a couple of days training but my guess is he’ll start on the bench again. Therefore it’ll either be Nugent again sadly or Lewis is given another go, or even Woolery or Lloyd through the middle although Kane in particular looks shot of confidence, as do a number of players. I would bring Morris back in if available but apart from that I’m at a loss as to how to turn things around.

Prediction: a draw for me which won’t do either side much good. We currently sit 5 points above 8th place Exeter albeit they have a game in hand. They host Southend on Saturday and with Bolton (away at Grimsby), both have winnable games. Some interesting fixtures though with Newport just below us hosting Cambridge. Morecambe one place above us host Oldham.

Surely the tide will turn at some point…..
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
A good analysis, Sparky. My only disagreement is that I think a draw is the least likely option. Neither side can afford to drop two more points and so both should be going all out until the final whistle. Keith may not agree and would be happy with a draw, but we need wins to protect our position and to turn the tide.
 
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I am not sure Hill would be happy with a draw. The game that follows at Bradford is even more difficult on paper, and if we fail to win either of those matches we could be out of the play off zone, or clinging by a thread, and still in very poor form with only three matches remaining.
 
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bigmart

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Thus really is a must win if we are to make the play offs or we will be in danger of missing out, no idea of the team but think we will nick it 1 0
 
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I agree with most of Sparky's opening post.

I am struggling to rouse much enthusiasm for this game. I think we need a fundamentally different approach tactically if we are going to arrest the slide, with the players injected with some new belief, but that is unlikely based on current trends. I agree that Morris should come back into the side for Crawford, and Nugent certainly should not start, but making a couple of personnel changes seems like shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic at the moment.

I don't think Vaughan should be risked for more than twenty minutes, as he clearly was not fit on Tuesday.

Here's hoping Tranmere give us some reason to look forward to the remaining four games.
 

Ian

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Quite a good pre-match interview with Keith Hill and it seems clear he will be here for the rest of the season.

Time for manager and players to deliver now.
 

Boz

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I didn't find Keith Hill's pre-match interview that inspiring tbh, apart from the snippet about needing to change tactics and personnel. Recent performances have cast doubt for me at least that Otis Khan's future is at right-back, though he'll play there Saturday as we have no other option. The fact that Joe Murphy was put up for the pre-match interview was a positive in that there he would seem to be over the niggle which caused some concern late on in the Walsall game.

Don't know much about the Salford players, aside from proven scorer, veteran Ian Henderson. Looking at their biographies, there seems to be a lot of talent there, but on this season's showing doing much less than the sum of their parts. Bowyer is their third manager of the season, surprised that they ditched Wellens after such a short time, you'd think that after his own dismal attempt at management Gary Neville would be more patient. Hasn't been a great new manager bounce, I'm not sure, even if they beat us, that they'll make the play-offs, though they do have one of the easier run-ins.

KH had the chance to be innovative with team selection in the last couple of games, but chose not to. It would be understandable for him to be more cautious in this game, but because of those results, only a win will do. My inclination would be to rest Feeney who has had two successive poor games and both Macdonald and Lloyd are competent at set pieces. Nugent shouldn't be starting either and there is an argument for retaining Crawford, as O'Connor will offer less going forward than Spearing. So O'Connor for the banned Spearing, Morris for Feeney and Lloyd for Nugent.

If there was a poll for this match, afraid I'd vote Salford win
 
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What you say makes sense to me, Boz. But ever the optimist I think we will win this one. I admit it’s more faith than logic.
 
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I didn't find Keith Hill's pre-match interview that inspiring tbh, apart from the snippet about needing to change tactics and personnel. Recent performances have cast doubt for me at least that Otis Khan's future is at right-back, though he'll play there Saturday as we have no other option. The fact that Joe Murphy was put up for the pre-match interview was a positive in that there he would seem to be over the niggle which caused some concern late on in the Walsall game.

Don't know much about the Salford players, aside from proven scorer, veteran Ian Henderson. Looking at their biographies, there seems to be a lot of talent there, but on this season's showing doing much less than the sum of their parts. Bowyer is their third manager of the season, surprised that they ditched Wellens after such a short time, you'd think that after his own dismal attempt at management Gary Neville would be more patient. Hasn't been a great new manager bounce, I'm not sure, even if they beat us, that they'll make the play-offs, though they do have one of the easier run-ins.

KH had the chance to be innovative with team selection in the last couple of games, but chose not to. It would be understandable for him to be more cautious in this game, but because of those results, only a win will do. My inclination would be to rest Feeney who has had two successive poor games and both Macdonald and Lloyd are competent at set pieces. Nugent shouldn't be starting either and there is an argument for retaining Crawford, as O'Connor will offer less going forward than Spearing. So O'Connor for the banned Spearing, Morris for Feeney and Lloyd for Nugent.

If there was a poll for this match, afraid I'd vote Salford win
One of the many things Hill could have tried during this poor run is playing Khan further forward again. In a side that is struggling to create and score goals, it is strange to use one of your most creative players (and a reasonable goal threat) at full back, even if he has adapted to that position.

At least Hill acknowledged that tactical change is needed. We will see the extent of that change on Saturday.
 
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Out of interest, Hill's record of eleven points from the last ten games is remarkably similar to Jackson's return of nine points from ten matches, for which he was fired by Palios earlier in the season.

A drastic improvement on the pitch is required, not just soundbites.
 
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ADD

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The good news is that the Imola Grand Prix qualifying now clashes with the game due to kick off being moved for Prince Philip's funeral so I won't be tempted to waste a tenner.
No idea about what personnel changes he will/ might make but likely too little too late even if he does.
I have in the back of my mind that this might be akin to the Harrogate game when Jackson was given one more game when many thought he should have gone already, lost again and that was that. However we need a win desperately so let's hope I am wrong.
 
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Out of interest, Hill's record of eleven points from the last ten games is remarkably similar to Jackson's return of nine points from ten matches, for which he was fired by Palios earlier in the season.

A drastic improvement on the pitch is required, not just soundbites.
The big difference is that Hill has shown the team can perform under his leadership and even reach a cup final. That’s why he is still in the job. But it’s alarming that such a talented squad can also play so ineffectively. Yes, a drastic improvement is required and there is a good chance we will get it. The question is when and will it be too late.

When the season is over, that will be the time for inquests and a review of the management structure.
 
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The big difference is that Hill has shown the team can perform under his leadership and even reach a cup final. That’s why he is still in the job. But it’s alarming that such a talented squad can also play so ineffectively. Yes, a drastic improvement is required and there is a good chance we will get it. The question is when and will it be too late.

When the season is over, that will be the time for inquests and a review of the management structure.
There is no guarantee that form will turn around while Hill is in charge, as that is not how football works. This poor form could continue into next season if the situation is left unchecked, as we have seen under previous failing managers.

My point was that it is remarkable that our recent form is as poor as it was under a complete rookie who was completely unsuited to the job, and was fired.
 

Ian

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It's no coincidence that our form dipped drastically after Vaughan was injured. We will only improve again when we have a goalscorer in the first XI. Confidence is also low as we have not won for six games. We desperately need to grind out a win to get us going again. I think it will be very difficult against a team looking to climb into the playoffs and they have had some good wins lately.
 
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it is hard trying to be positive, who is going to score the goals morris needs to start Lloyd I would put him up front he has plenty of energy and a good eye for goal, but I will prob be Lewis again, with 1 goal in 5 games something has to change, do they go 442 or 4132 it is going to be interesting he could do with being more direct at times mix it up not all about possession if you don't know how to use it
 
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