• 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.

Tranmere 1 Colchester 1

TRFCJason

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John Aldridge
Its good news we finally have a point and it sounds from the report we could of won if Bains goal counted.....
 

SonkORLY?

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Eddy Sonko
He was only offside because he'd been dragged to the floor by their center-half though. Still, they probably deserved two penalties too, certainly Cresswell's rash challenge in the first half was about as clear cut as it gets...

Anyway, I've missed the past 2 home games but we look to have improved since the last time I went. We're certainly working harder and everyone looks a little bit more comfortable playing alongside each other. That said I don't think we were particulaly great either. Anyone who came away pleased with a home draw against a fairly average side would be setting their standards far too low. We created a few chances but they created more, certainly in the first half. Despite going 1-0 up we were pretty lucky to get in at 1-1 all things considered.

Daniels did well in goal, made one or two very good saves. The back 4 were okay for most of the game. Although Cresswell is better going forward than he is going back, he was tested defensivley today and I felt he did particulaly well against the experienced + pacey Lisbie. Broomes lost his head on more than one occasion and looked generally out of his league against Colchester's powerful forwards, both of whom were bigger and stronger than him.

In midfield, Carole offered absolutely nothing on the left while Shuker continued to frustrate (as ever) despite a few nice flicks and touches. His movement off the ball is bizarre at times, Mcateer was telling him to push up at one point and he was argueing back at him! Shukes, you're a ****ing winger, being told to push forward shoud be music to your ears mate. Mclaren and Welsh both put in a 6/10 performance as usual. Same old problems of being asked to play too deep and close together etc etc. Get Mahon and Barnett in the starting lineup ffs.

Ricketts looked very slow and at times, flat out lazy. But he did well with the ball at his feet and his interplay with others was pretty impressive. He should have been brought off about half an hour earlier than he was though. Would also confirm catagorically that the man quite simply cannot run.

Still got a long way to go.
 
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27 Oct 2008
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Johnny morrissey
A Good result considering both teams form going into the match, if we had pushed on more second half i think we could have got a win, but i think the players did not want to get caught out on the counter attack as they did in the walsall match and lose the game!!!!!
 
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Johnny morrissey
What, home team with 1 win in 8, away team with 1 win in 6?
No a team 2nd from bottom on 3 points who have shipped in 20 goals and there confidence is rock bottom, against a team in 5th place with 14 points who have had a good start to the season, that most on here where tipping for a win!!!
 

DIW

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19 Aug 2009
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Goodison
As far as the game goes, it was a bit of an improvement. After our goal I made the mistake of saying that 3 points were there for the taking as they hadn't really troubled us too much, cue Goodison cock-up. Draw was about fair really - I didn't have a great deal of belief that we were going to get a winner.
In the first half however at times we played some decent stuff. Ricketts is still a lard arse but does show good touches and anability to hold it up.

That new French winger is mint though. Cracking signing by Barnesy there.

Did anyone else discover that you can no longer walk past the main entrance after the game as it is blocked by a cordon of stewards?
 

NeverBeatDaveHiggins

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Ok so I made the game after all.

We started brightly, dominating most of the possession for the first 20 minutes without really having any end product. Then Colchester started cutting through us like we were nothing... for ten minutes I don't know how they didn't score a bagful, but was grateful that they didn't.

Goodison was beaten a few times for pace by their number 15, who was quick, but luckily for us had forgotten his shooting boots. Cresswell, McLaren and Welsh gave the ball away more times than I can count... and I can't believe the criticism levelled at Carole for not going forward enough... he did what no other player on our team seemed capable of doing, and that was making a pass to another Tranmere player!!

So half an hour gone, no score and we went to long ball football. It worked!! 5 minutes of ding-dong football, a couple of chances for them, a couple of chances for us.. We scored! Yeah it was a scrappy little scuffle in the area, but we got the ball in the net and that was what mattered.

But about 1 minute later - if as long as that - we'd let one in. Kick off, midfield and defence nowhere to be seen and they walked it into the net. Schoolboy stuff. Clearly something is fundamentally flawed with the Tranmere team, and anyone who says otherwise must have mental difficulties.

So for the next 10 minutes we're under the cosh again, almost all the play in and around our box, loads of free kicks and corners and crosses to deal with... and this is the most painful thing I take away from the game today, every single cross.. every one... no Tranmere player attacked the ball, no Tranmere player picked up their man, we were stood like statues time and time again. So anyway, I wasn't counting but I think Colchester missed about five or so FREE HEADERS. The reaction from our players was symptomatic of the problems in the dressing room, they started fighting with Colchester players at every opportunity, DISGRACEFUL. We should have been miles behind and I think everyone was grateful for half time when it came.

Second half was instantly forgettable. Started with us kicking it straight out of play, and that about summed it up for me. Lots of fouls by both sides, crap refereeing (but what's new there), Daniels made a few average stops but never once managed to catch the thing it's his job to catch, no goals thanks to their players shooting wide when clean through on goal, not thanks to any good defending by ourselves.

Oh the main talking point of the second half really for me was the very strange use of substitutes.. Carole who looked to be our most creative player going forward taken off for Mahon, then Thomas-Moore replaced by Curran, and lastly Bain for Ricketts. What's odd about it all is that Ricketts had looked shattered by the second half, yet stayed on until 85 minutes, while Moore who was much more involved in the game was take off after 65. Bain only gets 5 minutes.. which isn't long enough if he's going to make a difference... my assumption is that he's rubbish and won't anyway, but no way to tell yet, as 5 minutes isn't enough.

Another thing that's annoyed me, while I'm in rant mode, is that in the last 19 years I've watched Tranmere, they've been one of the few teams that always displayed sportsmanship.. taking free kicks and throw ins, in the correct place, giving the ball back to the opposition if it's their ball etc etc. I don't know if it's a specific instruction that Barnes has given in desperation to steal every inch you can and act like assholes on the pitch, but I very very much doubt he has enough respect from or control over the players to lead them in that direction.. much more likely is that he has lost all control over them. It makes me SICK.

We could have stolen it in the last five minutes, but I think on balance it would have been utterly undeserved, especially as we could also have lost this game by quite a margin. Draw a fair result... gives us a point towards survival.
 

bigmart

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Ian Muir
well at least its a start and a point but we are now firmly cast adrift of the rest in the league we are 5 points from safety and the next two games are away.
Somehow we have to get a win to bring the others closer to us or we will be totally doomed.
 
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Johnny Morrissey
I thought we did ok today. It was always going to be a tricky match today because lets be honest they are a HUGE side, with that Odejayi and Platt up front we knew what kind of game we'd be in for, but on the whole I thought we dealt ok, bar their goal and couple of other poor mistakes.

Going forward, we didn't create too many clear openings which was slightly disappointing, but we worked really hard and a point is better than none.

Seb Carole I thought was good. He worked hard, passed the ball very well and ok never really got forward too much but he linked well with Cresswell and I think the balance there was much better as he helped Aaron a lot down the flank.

We have something to build on, and hopefully it will give the players a bit of confidence to go and try and win a few games in the near future. Come on you white boys!
 

SonkORLY?

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Eddy Sonko
Carole did absolutely nothing IMO. Ran around a bit. Had one scuffed shot that went miles wide? He's a left winger and he contributes f all going forward. Brilliant.
 

Ian

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I'm a little bit more upbeat after today's game. Yes, there is still a huge mountain to climb but it was an improvement ableit a small one.

It would be unfair to dismiss Colchester. They are a strong side and are in the top six for a reason so in this sense, we did well.

The squad played a lot better in this game. A lot better than I've seen in the last few weeks.

I thought the balance was a lot better within the side. Carole helped on the wing and Ricketts played a good game holding up the ball proving tricky at times. He tired a lot in the second half and still think he's a way off fitness. Some players are naturally fitter than others. He certainly brings quality to the side IMO.

And there wasn't as much faffing around the back, passing it around aimlessly. It was more direct football but it worked.

I was so relieved when we scored and then the reality hit home when they equalised soon after. Our defence is so frail and needs a huge amount of work if we are going to compete this season.

But with what's gone on in the last few weeks and all the negativity surrounding the club, I think it's time to look at some positives.

Yeah, we didnt win and that's still a huge problem, but considering we lost 7 in a row, getting a point is definately an improvement. However all this will be wasted if they dont build on it. Two away games is going to be a real test.

If the players and management want to prove themselves, they have to start from this game forward.

It should be an interesting week..
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
To be honest, I was just relieved we got something from the game. Colchester weren't as good as expected, but still better than us. They were niggly and seemed to use their physical presence to cower the ref, who as a shortarse ought to have been on our side! Thought Shuker was more involved today, though neither he nor Carole played as orthodox wingers. Goodison seemed riled by one of their players and had a really good second half. Cresswell played some good cross-field balls, but his shooting leaves a lot to be desired. As mentioned, the subs were odd. Mahon was poor and why ITM rather than Ricketts was replaced is a puzzle. Still a lot of work to do...
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
Right now, anything but a defeat is a positive. After conceding an equaliser so soon, we might have lost heart, but we didn't. As JB said after the match, we haven't turned the corner. Tuesday's match at Wycombe will be a pointer. They are just above us in the table, so they must also be low on confidence. I'll be disappointed if we can't get at least a point from this. If we lose, I can't see how we can pick ourselves up again.
 

tea for two

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johnny morrissey
i thought tranmere played ok.there was plenty of effort and it was a shame bain goal was disalowed near the end.colchester had quite a few chances themselves.

daniels did ok in goal he made some good saves and the defence seem to cope ok.

mahon tried his best when he came on but i still think charlie barnett should be getting games a lot of our fans carnt understand why hes not playing.

looking at the table tranmere are 5 points away from safety at the moment there still a lot of work for barnes and mcateer to sort out.
 

Sparky

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Chris Greenacre
Here's my take on Saturday...

Like a few others, I thought we did okay, esp considering our form coming into the match. Before the game Barnes asked for the crowd to not get on the players backs and I thought overall they were supportive. The only grumbles I heard were when he took Moore off - other than that, I felt the crowd did their part.
Goodison to me doesnt want to play for Barnes - whether there is some history there with Jamaica I don't know but he got beat too easily for Walsalls winner a few wks back and got beat again by Odejayi for the cross for their goal - he just doesn't seem to be the same player that we have seen over the last few seasons. Whether that is just confidence or the Barnes effect I don't know.
Midfield I felt worked hard but didn't create much - Carole didn't really inspire me, Bain looks like more of an impact player but may add more when fitness improves. Ricketts does exactly what he says on the tin - not very mobile or pacy but wins a few headers and will I think score goals if the service is right.

So all in all not a bad result - the losing sequence stopped (at least for a few days) so overall I was reasonably positive after the game.

Although if we lose at Wycombe tomorrow (which will be a very bad result considering they came up from league 2 and are one place above us - altho Exeter were the same!)....the good work from Saturday will be undone and that will leave us with a trip to Millwall next Saturday.....

Already 5 points from safety - if we lose the next 2.....I fear we will be cast away.....but at the moment, feeling better than recent weeks.
 
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