• 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 Sunderland

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Alan King, Barry Dyson
Looks like the selection for a 5-3-1-1. I can only assume Clarke, Danns, RHM and CBT are injured. Also looks like Nelson and Gilmour are well down the pecking order at the moment. I wonder how Vaughan will be fitted in and who will make way.
 

Ian

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Aldo
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Pretty poor game of football so far. Lots of niggly fouls, breaking up play etc.. yet again we need more upfront as Ferrier is getting battered out there.
 
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Mungy's Hairdresser
Couldn’t make it tonight so looking at the twitter feed dreading every refresh from team line up & pre-match injuries to in-play injuries & a red card for Manny! Is this all bad luck?
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
Worrying times. I couldn’t make either, but was puzzled by the absentees and it seemed like we set up to defend. When Sunderland went ahead, we didn’t have any answers and Monthe’s sending-off will create defensive problems given Clarke’s injury.
 
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A familiar story really. We were the better side in the first half, getting into some decent areas, but could not find a moment of quality in the final third when we needed it.

Sunderland predictably upped their game after the break and controlled the majority of the half, and we were simply not good enough to respond. That said, the visitors created virtually nothing in open play over the ninety minutes and it was frustrating to be done by a set piece yet again, the absence of Clarke probably contributing. Rovers were also denied a stonewall penalty for a foul on Gilmour, and I thought it was a very harsh second yellow card for Manny.

Sunderland were no great shakes tonight, but the lack of quality in our side, particularly in the attacking areas, was telling. I thought the performance of Wilson was one positive, and defensively we were pretty solid considering the number of enforced changes there were at the back. I also thought Gilmour should have come on earlier, as there was absolutely no creativity in midfield after half time.

With Ferrier and Ridehalgh both off injured, and Monthe suspended, Saturday's game looks very tough already and we simply have to win it.
 
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Worrying times. I couldn’t make either, but was puzzled by the absentees and it seemed like we set up to defend. When Sunderland went ahead, we didn’t have any answers and Monthe’s sending-off will create defensive problems given Clarke’s injury.
The majority, if not all, of the absentees were injured.
 
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Mungy's Hairdresser
Thanks RLC! Continuing with my injury obsession, it seems crazy that a few days ago only Ellis, Gumbs & Banks were sidelined then suddenly we’re almost decimated again! How we attract anyone on loan is beyond me with our track record!
 

Ian

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That table makes grim reading. Six points adrift and tonight’s game has not filled me with any great confidence. I agree with RLC although I thought the first half was pretty much even. How the referee did not give a penalty. He bottled it sadly, but those are the breaks when your down there fighting for survival.

I thought we were too defensive also. Persisting with Ferrier up top simply will not get us what we need. There were attacking options on the bench and should have been used sooner. We huffed and puffed as the game wore on but the damage was done and we could not recover.
 

Boz

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CBT either injured or rested, likewise Clarke and Danns. Hepburn Murphy has hardly featured for weeks anyway.
It’s not known if either were injured then. RHM had been injured but was fit enough to come off the bench v Man Utd.
 
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It’s not known if either were injured then. RHM had been injured but was fit enough to come off the bench v Man Utd.
Either injured or deemed too fatigued to play, which is the point I was making. We had to freshen things up after such a heavy schedule.

RHM has been in and out of the side all season, so his absence was hardly a surprise.
 

Higgy

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Dave Higgins
Much huffing and puffing and lack of attacking quality on the pitch and bench. Hope Vaughn can show a something.
Until then we seem to be a blunt sword - that albeit does look a tad sharper of late when Gilmour gets on.....eventually.
 

Sparky

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Toothless. Lost count of the amount of games this season where I’ve said we could play all night and not score. Sunderland weren’t much better to be honest and it was always going to be a set piece that made the difference. They had a proper target man in wyke whereas Ferrier as usual was feeding off scraps and ran himself into the ground coming off injured again. This 1 up front has to stop now - we’re doomed if we carry on as we’ve played it all season and only won 5 games. Hopefully Vaughan will partner Ferrier if Morgan can stay fit. Crowd starting to turn a little tonight as think people realise the seriousness of the position we’re in. Monthes second yellow looked a decent tackle from the kop but was some distant away. Let’s just hope CBT and RHM plus Clarke and Danns are only short term absences as without them we are down. I did hear rumours RHM was going back and joining Coventry on loan but may not be true.
 
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aldo
oh dear its not looking great . i love what mm has done . but his time must be running out sorry to say think he has lost it a little
 

Sparky

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I still don’t think removing Micky is the answer. Yes I don’t agree with 1 up front, especially at home, plus his recruitment is questionable, but he has been shopping in the football equivalent of B+M Bargains and when u have injuries to key players like Clarke, Danns and CBT then it is telling. Even if we go down I would still keep him.
 

Ian

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Not sure I agree with Micky when he said we were the better side. Pinning the loss down to the referee is probably clutching at straws a little. Agree Sparky, we would be moving backwards if we got rid of MM although he's not helping himself persisting on playing one up front at present. Let's hope Vaughan brings us the quality we are desperate for.
 
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