• 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 the gas

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24 Jul 2017
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aldo
sounds dire . its hard not being able to watch my loved team . but it makes it easy when they are playing sh%t . what does the training consist of surley they can see the mf need to be more up the field . does he talk to the players or what some thing is not wright and over 9 hrs no goals we are screwed
 

Sparky

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8 Sep 2009
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Chris Greenacre
Not sure I totally agree with mickys post match views. He talks about the conditions and the pitch which aren’t ideal as we know, but at times bristol played some decent football especially second half and had 3 great chances (hitting the bar, the one on one and Rides great block).

our set pieces are very poor. So predictable. Just lump it in and see what happens. No imagination at all
 
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15 Mar 2010
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
Not sure I totally agree with mickys post match views. He talks about the conditions and the pitch which aren’t ideal as we know, but at times bristol played some decent football especially second half and had 3 great chances (hitting the bar, the one on one and Rides great block).

our set pieces are very poor. So predictable. Just lump it in and see what happens. No imagination at all
I did not think their football was any better than ours to be honest, although they had the better chances.

Mullin was not good enough; Cook and Vaughan are both better strikers. The issue is service and the general lack of confidence in the side.
 

Higgy

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1 Jul 2010
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Dave Higgins
While a point is better than none, not really enough against a struggling opponent, who sounded more likely to grab the win.

Was Ray really that bad? Suggestion elsewhere that he was doing quite well until his injury and I’m no great admirer.

It sounded like Vaughan was more involved than previous games, so a bit surprised he was taken off. Maybe an argument for replacing with a similar type of player; Jennings being closest from the subs. When we’ve got two deep-sitting midfielders in Woodyard and McCullough, should Micky have looked at using his final sub by bringing on a more attacking midfielder Gilmour/Jennings to try and win the game?
I'd been waiting for McCulloch to come back fit to enable a centre midfield three that won't feet overrun and enable some creativity through the middle via Gilmour - maybe with Woodyard or Perkins getting a foot in around the pitch. Just playing two in there means they will have to be worker/defensive types otherwise they'd be overrun.
I also think Cookie and Vaughn/ Ferrier is a bit blunt. Centre backs are only going to keep them in front of them and deal with it. Mix it up with CBT in there and they will have to drop off a bit and have to think about someone knocking it past them and doing them for pace or latching on to a killer 15 yard pass from Gilmour. And can also still get on any flick ons from Cookie.
Width can come from wing backs....if injuries allow.
 
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24 Jul 2017
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aldo
there is some things going on at the club that are quite worrying . with the pitch being neglected . and we had a chap asking for use of our function rooms today . who use the Tranmere ones at the moment . but he was saying how bad the management is and how bad run it is . we are looking at around £12k loss a year from losing guys like these . it makes for bad reading . i love what mp and np have done and still trying to do but questions need asking have they run out of cash or is it some thin else . one way or another its not good
 

drwhoman

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30 Jun 2008
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Anyone who went really has my sympathy. It must have been really hard work even for the most dedicated supporter and with the weather as well! As has been said we need a goal from somewhere even if it is an opposition defender!
 

Ian

Super White!
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Aldo
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Kingy
Going to have to be blunt here but when you look at the attacking play it falls down in lots of areas. The players are simply not good enough. I am not saying they do not try, I think the effort is there, they just do not have the quality when it matters.

1. Morris - Dances around a lot, shows good skills and touch but provides no service to front men. No killer pass.
2. Caprice - Only has one foot and his crossing is woeful. No service.
3. Ridehalgh - Crossing dreadful and provides no service to front two.
4. CBT - Usually manages a few mazy runs but not enough substance to it and is not in the game enough.
5. Woodyard - Retains the ball well and is neat and tidy but is not great going forward. No killer passes, no service to attackers.

I really feel for Vaughan and Cook. They are living off scraps for the reasons mentioned above and is also the reason we have not scored in six games. We are doing well if we manage a decent save or two out of the opposition keeper all game.
 

Boz

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30 Sep 2005
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Iain Hume
While I agree service to the front players is patchy, it’s not the whole picture. In the first half of the Portsmouth game there were 3 decent crosses into the box and our forwards didn’t make anything of them. None of the current strikers seem able to create their own chances in the style of a Norwood. Micky does need to look at trying different options for the supply lines.
 
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5 Jul 2019
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Ian Goodison
The situation we are in is we have a manager who is no longer loyal, a manager who has been openly applying for other jobs (Swansea,Sunderland,Doncaster) one that was offered but compensation payments could not be agreed at the time which tells me he wants a new challenge..

He has fallen out with a third of the squad who he ignores on a daily basis (Mullin & Sid examples).

If we sack Mickey who has been nothing less than a miracle worker at times we have to pay him 180k in a severance payment which we cant afford.

I don`t know the answer
 
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5 May 2018
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Ryan Taylor
First game watched on I-follow in a while and not a classic to come back to.

A game where by and large I thought Rovers were the better team but were very lucky not to lose in the end, with Brizzle enjoying the best chance of the game at the death. This was an opposition also absolutely bereft of confidence who we never truly looked like scoring against.

Overall, I think the team set-up was about right, with the 4-4-2 working well and giving enough defensive cover. This was at the expense of having any form of midfield creativity though - both McCullough and Woodyard had very good games, but neither have an incisive pass or clearly the mandate to break forwards and support the front two until possession is established in the opposition half. That said, we only settled down after Nelson came on for Ray (who was poor, sparing Scotty's blushes on the line aside).

With two solid midfielders clearly there to screen, all our play had to come from wide and it's clearly where we're short of quality. Morris is technically very sound (probably our best technical player) but completely lacks the pace to beat a man or play out wide. CBT huffed and puffed but too often the final ball was a little wayward or he was too closely marshalled to get a good run on his man. Caprice manfully overlapped and ran all day but if he could cross, he'd probably have been playing at a higher level than Non-League up to this point.

Strikers had very little to feed off in truth, Cook largely restricted to half chances and Vaughan having one decent opportunity where he couldn't quite get a connection on a ball drilled into the box. Cook was not helped by being consistently fouled all game but got zero help from the referee (who had a shocker throughout).

I can't help but feel the state of the pitch is now incredibly detrimental to our survival attempts - whilst you could argue that we have more playing time to get used to it than other sides, it just doesn't lend itself to playing any other style than direct due to the inability to pass or dribble consistently on the surface; and direct doesn't always suit us due to the lack of quality from wide areas - good wingers and full backs are at a real premium at this level. This leaves us badly restricted with no Plan B if the opposition can shut down the flanks or get good command of their penalty box for when balls are pumped in.

Easier opposition to come than the past few games, but we're going to have to aim at a lot of 1-0 wins; I just don't think with the players and pitch at our disposal we're going to have a consistent goal threat at all.

Last night, Man of the Match for me was Ridehalgh, with a goal saving block, tenacious defending throughout and one of the few players who seemed to consistently understand the state of the pitch. Woodyard, McCullough and Nelson also get played well.
 

ADD

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2 Jun 2018
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Norwood
Was pretty obvious would be an awful game with that pitch and the wind so saved myself a tenner and watched the game this morning. We showed some spirit that is true but against a poor side we created so so little. In the end we were lucky to get a point based on the number of clear cut chances they had though we matched them in midfield and possession and the desire (Manny apart) I felt was certainly there. What Davies was doing wafting at a cross he should have gathered any day of the week I have no idea and Ray saved him on the line. The ball that hit the post/crossbar Davies was nowhere near (why he fell to his knees when the ball is heading to the top corner baffled me), Rides with a great block to save a certain goal and then they should have scored at the end when once again Manny was miles behind his man.
That said we didn't lose and I have to say that Caprice (who I would have nowhere near the team if we had anyone else fit did well last night as did Rides. Manny was poor again and seems disinterested - must have been some truth in these Portsmouth rumours. Woodyard also gave it his all and McCullough is solid. I also would have brought Danns on as at least he can spot a pass....
Question really is where do we go from here - confidence is non existent and I simply can't believe that the way Davis is playing at the minute Pilling is not a better option but I do not see MM making any changes as we drift toward relegation.
 
Joined
18 May 2012
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ian goodison
3 dire games in a week is taking its toll, last night was nat. league stuff there doesn't seem to be any desire from the bench I would have taken cook off for Jennings just to stop davies punting long balls aimlessly up field only to come straight back, not a fan of caprice also but thought he was very good to me the only 2 players up for it were rides & nelson,but coming up towards the end of the game micky could have gambled with Jennings/danns instead of hoping for a miracle of a goal, has mellon lost hope? the team don't seem to be responding to him, the only bright spot were the kop who never stopped singing
 

ONIGP

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28 Feb 2018
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Eddie Bishop
I'm not sure exactly what I expected last night, probably a scrappy/lucky 1-0 win. Anyway I came away disappointed; it was pretty scrappy and we probably had a bit more luck than they did to escape unbeaten. Yes, there were some decent individual performances as there usually are, but as a team we are just not good enough at this level. While the condition of the pitch and swirling wind didn't help anybody, make no mistake Bristol were one of the poorest teams we've played this season. Our inability to take 3 points from this match really does make we wonder where our next win is. We are always likely to concede a daft goal, and were fortunate not to do so last night several times, and despite our huffing and puffing don't look like we've got a goal in us. Catching 7 points up on AFC Wimbledon in 12 matches looks impossible; indeed, on current form, it is difficult to see how we will amass a further 7 points before the end of the season.

Nothing new above from anything posted already. It was interesting to hear the supportive chant of "Micky Mellon's SWA" last night - something rarely personalised these days. This certainly gave a different perspective than some of the stuff posted on social media/forums which tend to be dominated by the "anti" (anything) brigade. Last night really showed up how one footed both Monthe and Caprice are; Manny preferring to take a ball on his right side with his left foot with completely unpredictable results and Jake at one point doing a 720 degree double turn to remain on his right foot! This is in stark contrast to CBT who happily dribbles with his left foot (which I guess he favours) but takes corners with his right.

Cook disappointed me last night and I think (fitness allowing) I would have taken him off before Vaughan. Vaughan won a lot more in the air than Cookie in the first half and seemed to have more control on where he was laying the ball off to. Cook seemed to struggle terribly with his timing and jumped far too early on several occasions, although this may have been due to the conditions. I was hoping that he would be having a greater impact than he is, even with limited service.

Anyway, I'm sure that the "Miracle at Spotland" awaits ...
 

Ian

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Aldo
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Kingy
It's annoying me reading elsewhere about the players not trying hard enough. I don't think lack of effort is the problem, it's the ability or lack of it that is the problem. Confidence is clearly down too as there have been uncharacteristic mistakes by some of our better players.
 
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ONIGP

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Eddie Bishop
It's annoying me reading elsewhere about the players not trying hard enough. I don't think lack of effort is the problem, it's the ability or lack of it that is the problem. Confidence is clearly down too as there have been uncharacteristic mistakes by some of our better players.
I agree, and our "never say die attitude" was being widely lauded until a couple of weeks ago! I'm tempted to start limiting some of the fan reaction I read, which is difficult when my natural inclination is to absorb all things Tranmere. The truth is that there are plenty of folk out there hiding behind keyboards trying to be provocative to a captive audience. Naturally, they breed when times are tough.
 

Sparky

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8 Sep 2009
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Chris Greenacre
Wonder if Mellon would be interested in the Blackpool job, Simon Grayson sacked today.

micky will always be a hero to me. But some of his decisions are downright baffling. Last night we needed to get someone like Danns on coz Woodward and McCullough couldn’t create anything. We need wins and need to start taking a few risks and go for it. These rumours about falling out with the squad are just that - rumours. Apparently Mullins dad was spouting stuff in the tent after Saturday. Lots of players won’t like the manager if they aren’t playing but you can imagine Micky being very stubborn

but he won’t want a relegation on his CV. That’s probably one reason why he left Shrewsbury and maybe thought he’d taken them as far as he could, without a massive investment. He may think the same about Us...
 

bigmart

bigmart
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29 Jul 2009
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Ian Muir
It is rather predictable and depressing watching rovers at the moment, we have very little creativity not great movement up front and rarely look like scoring, and this is from someone who has been watching us for over forty years
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
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13,871
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
Going to have to be blunt here but when you look at the attacking play it falls down in lots of areas. The players are simply not good enough. I am not saying they do not try, I think the effort is there, they just do not have the quality when it matters.

1. Morris - Dances around a lot, shows good skills and touch but provides no service to front men. No killer pass.
2. Caprice - Only has one foot and his crossing is woeful. No service.
3. Ridehalgh - Crossing dreadful and provides no service to front two.
4. CBT - Usually manages a few mazy runs but not enough substance to it and is not in the game enough.
5. Woodyard - Retains the ball well and is neat and tidy but is not great going forward. No killer passes, no service to attackers.

I really feel for Vaughan and Cook. They are living off scraps for the reasons mentioned above and is also the reason we have not scored in six games. We are doing well if we manage a decent save or two out of the opposition keeper all game.
I think it is difficult to judge individual players when confidence in the squad is very, very low. We are suffering a chronic lack of confidence at the moment, which is at least partly why we are creating so little.

Morris certainly can assist and score goals, but is going through a tough patch at the moment, not helped by our pitch, which is useless for a player like him. CBT is as inconsistent as you would expect a youngster to be, but has created chances in previous games which we have failed to capitalise on, as Boz points out.

Woodyard and McCullough are not in the side to create and, for all of his faults, we miss that bit of unpredictability that Banks brings, and his ability to play a killer pass.

However, he is not a silver bullet and nor is any other player. This was always going to be an incredibly tough season.
 
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