• 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 Stevenage v Rovers

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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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It is struggling Stevenage up next, assuming the game goes ahead. Our host's form has picked up a bit in recent weeks, but this is surely a game we should be aiming to win, even with the current disruption to the squad.

I won't hazard a guess at the starting line up, although it sounds from Hill's interview that we will be selecting from largely the same group of players as last night, with only a couple of bodies returning. It seems we will have problems in the full back positions, and if necessary I would guess we will play with wing backs, rather than repeating last night's experiment with Khan and Morris.

I think the last couple of matches have been encouraging, irrespective of the results and quality of the opposition. There was more focus and purpose to the displays, and it seems the players are finally starting to understand what Hill wants from them. However, we have to start winning games very soon if we are to stand a realistic chance of promotion.
 

bigmart

bigmart
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We are really in a position in the league were our season could go either way, keep failing to win & we could get dragged down towards the bottom but start a winning run and the top 7 beckons.

As RLC says no idea about the team but really this is a game we can and should win, I'm going for a win 2 1 Vaughan & Woolery with the goals.
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
I agree with bigmart that we are at a pivotal stage of the season. While it's not as simple as winning makes us a promotion contender or losing puts us in a fight for our FL status, the result of this game against an improving Stevenage side is certainly going to be a pointer.

I'm of the same view as RLC regarding avoiding makeshift full-backs. If Clarke is back, as expected, could we move Monthe to left back or try Ray at right-back? Otherwise a fairly similar side to against Leicester kids, though I wouldn't start Banks. Was anything said about Ferrier's availability?

Our history at Stevenage has mostly been draws. I went to one where the home side equalised in the 89th minute, while George Young's greed prevented a win which might have halted our plummet out of the FL and a Norwood brace and another false dawn for Ben Tollitt heralded our first game back in L2. Wouldn't bet against another draw.
 

Sparky

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A defeat here would be a real disappointment, despite the number of absentees. Hill was a bit prickly when 1 win in 5 was mentioned to him in the pre match interview but he’ll know that returning from Stevenage with nothing to show won’t go down well.

prediction: rovers to do enough to bring 3 points home.
 

Ian

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Win or lose, what we are looking for is desire and commitment, the three points would be most welcome of course but it will tell us if these players are up for the fight or not this season. We need consistent performances from now on in. Hill has been here long enough to know his team now and there should be no excuses. We have the talent but do we have the desire? I'm still not convinced with this group of players.
 
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I’m still finding this season difficult to predict, particularly Rovers. You just don’t know who will be available and what their mood will be. This match is a definite “should win” if we are to start moving up the table, but if we have to field a makeshift defence like Wednesday’s, it will be quite a challenge against a team of men.
 
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aldo
if Daws and Parky can get this lot playing the way they did, why can Hill not do the same, just asking not saying he can,t, for me, sat is a must-win if we want to break into the top 6, if we lose it's more than likely a mid-table finish and MP won't be looking at that we all know what he wants and we all want the same
 

Ian

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trouble is ian the desire was there before KH came plus the words desire & monthe seem a long way off at present
That's exactly why I have my doubts. It seems like a fickle bunch of players in my view who can play people off the park one week and look like a team of strangers the next. We need to start seeing consistently good performances as that's what gets you promotion. Granted MJ was pretty hopeless at management but I'm not really looking at the managers. It's the players who need to knuckle down and fight for the shirt. I'll be furious if we don't get 100% commitment on Sat after the really good shift they put in against Barnsley.
 
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ian goodison
seems easier to pick the lottery numbers at present never mind the team/line up which team will turn up? on paper we have an excellent squad of players & a manager with a good pedigree, still ever the optimist going for a 2-1 win
 

Higgy

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3-2 win for us. Hope Lloyd plays and is on score sheet. It's great to have three players like Lloyd, Kahn and Morris who are comfy on the ball in the squad. Should try and fit two of them in .
 

Sparky

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Kahn still at right back, Clarke partners Manny in central defence. Morris, CBT, Feeney all on the bench, strange that none of them start (particularly Feeney). Perhaps they have not trained much this week.
 
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Clarke back for Ray, Khan still at right-back. Could be 4-3-3 or 4-1-2-1-3 with Woolery at the tip of the diamond. In any case, an attacking formation.
 

Sparky

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Looks like Khan right back even though Ray is available on the bench. Clarke back, CBT on the bench with Morris and Lloyd. Quite a positive team selection with the two up front but to be fair it looked decent against Barnsley
 

Sparky

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Disappointed CBT not starting as his goal and performance mid week would have upped his confidence. May be because Hill wanted Vaughan and Ferrier starting and didn’t think CBT had the defensive discipline to work back whereas Woolery did that quite well at Barnsley and Lewis will work hard
 

Ian

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Khan at right back. If I was the opposition, I would be hammering that wing. Let's see how Banks performs with the big boys. Come on Rovers!!
 
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Disappointed CBT not starting as his goal and performance mid week would have upped his confidence. May be because Hill wanted Vaughan and Ferrier starting and didn’t think CBT had the defensive discipline to work back whereas Woolery did that quite well at Barnsley and Lewis will work hard
Yes, looks like a 433 with Woolery and Ferrier either side of Vaughan, and (on paper) a solid midfield trio.
 

Boz

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That is a downright weird selection at the back from Keith Hill. Morris looked more assured at left-back than Khan did on the right, so why not move Macdonald over to the right and play Morris on the left? Elsewhere, while arguably Banks deserved a start after his good showing in midweek, need to hope it's a game where he doesn't go awol or get sent off for silly challenges
 
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