Match Discussion: Game 26 - Super White Army (A)

[PON_News]

Game 26 - Super White Army (A)

Team: Tranmere Rovers

Date: 01/01/2024

Where: Prenton Park

What line-up should Luke Williams opt for? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

[Robbie]

Again, if injury free I would keep with the same side.

Key areas will be our defence. Keep the errors to a minimum. If in doubt kick it out. Be weary of being hit on the break when we are  upfield on set pieces/corners.

Move the ball quickly through the channels and get behind them. Jodi will be key for us again.

We are very capable of getting a win here. I'm going 2:1 to Notts.

[Robbie]

Yes, there's all to play for, starting against Tranmere at Prenton Park on the first day of the year.

Let's make it a great start to the year U PIES.

[Fozzy]

Agree with @Robbie__64, keep the same side if fit as they have nearly 2 weeks to recover for the next game. 
This will be a test as Tranmere’s form has picked up, but we will be better than them IF we continue like we have for the last 3 games. Just keep mistakes down to a minimum and we will be fine.

[Robbie]

I believe this slight change in formation where Macaulay has been given a free roll behind Didzy had worked well for us this last 3 games, Doncaster nor Morecambe could deal with it.

I agree @Fozzy that Tranmere's form has picked up as late and we need to cut out the mistakes at the back to a minimum. It will be interesting how Tranmere play the game, whether they will let us have the majority of possession, like most teams have done this season,.and hope to hit us on the break, or keep more of the ball themselves.

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by Robbie__64

[Fan of Big Tone]

Assuming they are all fit we need to keep an unchanged team, they have to be full of confidence going into this game and into the New Year.

[Robbie]

It's Matchday.

CMON U PIES

[Robbie]

 

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

Stone still celebrating new years before remembering to dive. 

 

1-0 tranny

[Dripsey3]

It was always going to be a difficult game. Tranmere are flying. The defending was poor. Stone could have done better for a couple of the goals but he did save a penalty. I think it's time to give Tiernan Brooks a chance. 

[Robbie]

As much as we are brilliant in attack we are woeful in defence.

If our defence had been anywhere decent we would be running away with this league.

Our defence is just not good enough at this level and it has been apparent for a long time. 

I love what Luke has done for us in 2023, but there needs to be movement in the transfer window for two defenders asap, otherwise if this continues we won't make the playoffs.

Very disappointed with the performance today.

[Morten Johansen]

Tranmere looked solid. Quick and technical players. Surprised about their league position, but they are climbing rapidly.

We looked tired today which is understandable. LW did the right thing picking the same starting eleven, but that just highlights the necessity for new signings. One is already done (Robertson), but we should aim for two more signings.

[Robbie]

I agree @Morten Johansen  Mark Stallard on match day has mentioned possibly changing the system for away matches. I'm sure we are capable of being more defensive minded and hitting on the break.

[Fozzy]

Our defence is garbage, but has been for a couple of seasons. Fans knew it needed strengthening in the summer, but all we got were two kids.

I also think that we can still play high possession football away from home but definitely need a shift in personnel by adding a proper CDM with pace, heading and tackling ability, a better back 3 who can actually mark and close down the opposition, and a competent goalkeeper who can marshal his back line and claim crosses. We also need either another striker or attacking midfielder as Morias is a sicknote and Randall is more like Lord Lucan than a footballer! Finally, I’d like to see a proper RWB in place of Nemane, someone who can actually defend as well as attack.

This won’t all come in January so needs to be sorted for next season. We are not good enough away from home because we are too lightweight and can’t cope when pressed. We are also not good enough because we only have around 6 or 7 players in the first XI capable of winning us promotion. 

I hope the owners, directors and management have now realised that you need a larger squad in the EFL to be competitive as ours is now threadbare because of its size and injury list. 
 

[Robbie]

I agree with your first point @Fozzy but I believe, while we are going through this bad patch, we have to tone the attacking intent down and be more defensive away from home. By all means go for it at home, but for me, not considering going to a plan B away from home is only helping the opposition, because they have worked us out and every team has the same plan against us now.

One of the Tranmere players talked about their plan in his post match interview.

[Piethagoram]

 

[Piethagoram]

 

[menzinho]

For me though the frustration is about not being able to just stay a bit more compact away from home. It's not great to concede early but it was a real blow to concede just before half-time especially having done so well to take the lead. Given we look to dominate we know we have to be switched on to deal with counter-attacks but it sounded like we really struggled with that in the second half.

I think given the same team started the last 4 games in the space of about 10 days the levels were always going to drop slightly but the squad is thread bare at the moment. Particularly worrying that we had no attacking options on the bench! But James Sanderson seems light a bit of bright spark, seems to have been fast-tracked into first team so maybe we’ll see a bit more of him before the season is over.

I think Tranmere have got a very good manager in Nigel Adkins too. Clearly improved them a lot since he’s come in, I’d expect them to push for the play-offs second half of the season now.

A bit of break now is actually very handy for us. It’ll give us a chance to get some injured players back, Robertson a bit of time to bed in and possibly another addition too!

[Robbie]

In reply to your post @menzinho I agree with the problem dealing with the counter attacking threat. We saw when we played Wrexham away in the NL we were under threat on the Counter attack by a good side. Now we have many good sides in League 2 & we are under threat every week but it seems nothing has been done to counter that threat. We need a plan B.