By Deadly Submarine
November 26 2015
A place for fans of both Tranmere Rovers and Boreham Wood to discuss Saturday afternoon's upcoming match at Meadow Park......
Following Tuesday night's 4-1 defeat away at Woking in the National League, our match discussion thread returns once again as Rovers prepare to travel to Boreham Wood on Saturday for their third game in just over a week. Tranmere are going into the game looking to get back to winning ways after the defeat at Woking.
Whether you are unable to make the game for any reason, or even if you are attending, this is the place to discuss all the pre-match build up including team line-up and score predictions, events during the match itself as well as all the post match fall-out and analysis. The thread is open to fans of both sides to discuss the events surrounding the game so if you haven't got a Message Forum accounts yet then why not sign up now?
Rovers Fans travel to Boreham Wood for the very first time on Saturday
During the game, Total Tranmere will also be providing Live score updates from Meadow Park on our Facebook and Twitter accounts so if you don't already do so, why not follow us why not do it right now so you don't forget later! Just click on the two links above to go to our Social Media accounts.
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Quote:Gilbert's Fridge
Boreham Wood being the place where "On the Buses" sitcom was filmed, like buses that always seem to come in threes, I'm going for a 3-0 win for us. "I 'ate you Blakey!!"
Quote:bigmart
I would take a draw that's how far we have sunk now
Quote:AndyMase
2-1 win. Back to 442, better shape and more options. Mangan and Norwood up TOP with goal each
Quote:DevonExile
It is a game that should be won but we are not turning possession into goals and so results are difficult to call. The tem has not looked right since Dawson's injury. The signings since then have looked better on paper than they have on the field
Quote:Matt34Quote:bigmart
I would take a draw that's how far we have sunk now
Another way of looking at could be that that's how far you have sunk .
Admittedly a draw would not be a dreadful result, but if the team can even get a goal, the defense in general holds up. Third best defense I think before that Tuesday night p!ss up and even now the four conceded dropped Tranmere behind a couple of other teams I think, so still in general, the goals against form this season is evidential of decent defending in the main.
I appreciate your thinking about Brabin going, though for now I do not concur, but if the team were to win, would you call off the dogs, so to speak, for a week or two?
Quote:I didn't say' brabin out' in my post.ming05
Please dont say we want brabin out, you dont speak for majority of supporters .
Thank you
Quote:hong kong roverQuote:I didn't say' brabin out' in my post.ming05
Please dont say we want brabin out, you dont speak for majority of supporters .
Thank you
Quote:coltran
When we criticise team selections, this is done without any knowledge of what may be happening behind the scenes. Remember against Guiseley, the crowd were furious when Mekki was substituted only to find out later that it was due to cramp. There is probably a good reason while Kirby wasn't even on the bench today, (illness, injury or perhaps GB wants him to have more time with the squad first). Near the beginning of the season, the crowd couldn't understand why Margetts wasn't in the starting 11. When he eventually got his chance - did it work? No.
So when the manager picks team that the fans don't agree with, it doesn't mean that he doesn't know what he's doing.
After all, how many of Gary's critics have had football management experience? No manager would deliberately make bad selection decisions, because afer all, it is his career and reputation which is at stake.
We are all dissappointed that we are not at least in the top 5 at present, but with half the season still to go, it is acheivable. Let's get behind Gary and the players and help to make it happen. Football is all about ups and downs, that's the way it is.
Quote:dinamofookdarest
Been saying for months how poor of a manager Gary brabin is... People are now starting to realise and anyone who doesn't and would like to see our club fall lower and lower this season are a joke !!
Quote:dinamofookdarest
Matt34 😂😂😂 get a grip, pleased with the clean sheet, yea so is everyone else but we played 5th from bottom, nothing to be proud of !! Sick of supporters such as yourself making excuse after excuse for this embarrassment, I never thought one bit we would walk this league or win every game by 3 or 4 goals, how ever when 95% of the fan base have said we need a right back (he gets one after 22 games) when he had all of pre season so no excuse there, he plays Jennings week after week for God knows what reason, we've got no pace or power atall in this team, when we are playing in the conference and the skill levels are extremely low, the main winning factors are these 2 things, Tomlinson is a joke of a signing and this is extremely obvious after playing a few games at Grimsby (promotion rivals) and them not wanting to keep him... I could go on but sick of explaining why he should go !!
Quote:dinamofookdarest
I can't deal with some of the people that come on this forum... HIGGOSBOOTS- how can you say players at this level are no less skilled than premiership players 😳😳😳 so Adam mekki has the same skill level as Eden hazard but hazard has a better fitness level ?? Vincent kompany has the same skill level as Richie Sutton but he's not as athletic ??? Litterally the dumbest thing I've ever read !!!
Quote:Old Rover
Can someone tell me what GTF has brought to the team and is he any better than Mangan
Quote:Old Rover
Hoots do you think Mangan is cheesed off that GTF is starting ahead of him
Quote:Ingleboro08
I believe the manager has lost the fans!
But worse, I believe the players can't believe our so called supporters.
We have drawn away 0-0 in a game of football in a league that's turning out to be so competitive and hard in my opinion.
We lost on Tuesday badly as a result, ok, we didn't win but it was a decent away point and nearly won it at the end!
Couldn't believe the booing at the end, I was disgusted by our so called fans reaction.
Absolutely no need and undeserving for most of the lads on the park!
Quote:Hoots Mon
Most of them would have been more suited to spending their afternoon playing on the Meadow Park childrens play area just outside the ground.If that was supposed to be a response to the Woking debacle,then we really are in deep clag.
Grim from start to finish-honourable exceptions Vaughan[easily our best player] and Norwood who at least tried his best.
Quote:hong kong roverQuote:Hoots Mon
Most of them would have been more suited to spending their afternoon playing on the Meadow Park childrens play area just outside the ground.If that was supposed to be a response to the Woking debacle,then we really are in deep clag.
Grim from start to finish-honourable exceptions Vaughan[easily our best player] and Norwood who at least tried his best.
exactly right hoots, where was the reaction from the woking fiasco? its the fans, like yourself , that pay hard earned money and take time out for games, that I feel sorry for.if results and performances don't start improving very soon then surely it will start to affect attendances. will be interesting to see what the gate will be for the Braintree game. they are not a big draw [ without being too disrespectful to them ] also xmas is coming up and with our recent poor efforts on the pitch are we to see a sub 4000 gate?
I could only get updates on wirral radio yesterday, but got full commentary for the final 5 mins. one interesting point that the commentator mentioned..was that as soon as the final whistle went, palios gave a long hard stare to the tranmere dugout. how much longer will he put up with his? his patience must be running out now.
Quote:Old Rover
Coltran, can you explain to me why he keeps picking Jennings
Quote:mini_andy
I love people looking at the positives of keeping a clean sheet. They didn't have a shot on target! When we realised that they posed no striking threat, we should have subbed a defender and gone for the win.
Minus a lucky 2-1 win, our last 7 results have been dire, nobody can argue that.
Quote:Doogie'sGhostQuote:Old Rover
Coltran, can you explain to me why he keeps picking Jennings
I've said what I think elsewhere. I believe he is doing exactly what the manager is asking him to do, which is to sit in front of the defence, keep our shape and free up Harris and the wingers to get forward. Hence it appears that he doesn't do much - long balls out of defence bypass him and he's not getting forward to support attacks.
The game against Eastleigh at home when he came off the bench and scored we were chasing the game and he looked a completely different player.
Quote:Higgosboots
They don't get on its obvious and it's our problem
Quote:Hoots MonQuote:mini_andy
I love people looking at the positives of keeping a clean sheet. They didn't have a shot on target! When we realised that they posed no striking threat, we should have subbed a defender and gone for the win.
Minus a lucky 2-1 win, our last 7 results have been dire, nobody can argue that.
We had no subs left to use because of injury just after half time.
Quote:mini_andyQuote:Hoots MonQuote:mini_andy
I love people looking at the positives of keeping a clean sheet. They didn't have a shot on target! When we realised that they posed no striking threat, we should have subbed a defender and gone for the win.
Minus a lucky 2-1 win, our last 7 results have been dire, nobody can argue that.
We had no subs left to use because of injury just after half time.
Hogan is a defender last time I checked, he got injured just before half time, at which point we could have reshuffled the side. No plan b from brabin
Quote:hong kong roverQuote:Higgosboots
They don't get on its obvious and it's our problem
interesting point. do we have disharmony within the ranks at tranmere and is this the major factor in our recent poor run of results? if this is the case, and I will reiterate, IF, then its ridiculous and its the kind of behavior one would expect in the school play yard. if certain players aren't getting along then brabin sure needs to sort it out and quick. does seem that mcnulty and GTF have upset the apple cart since their arrivals at the club.
Quote:Dupak
A few things here that no one has really mentioned. If Brabin is sacked, I would imagine he has to be paid off. If we then take on a new manager, then he has to be paid as well. MP might be a wealthy man compared to probably everyone on this thread, but he is not a bottomless pit. He has invested heavily in the club in many departments already. I think everyone who wants GB to go might look at things differently if all the money was coming out of their pocket to fund all the changes. As much as we are all in despair, imagine how MP feels.
I always wait a while before getting my bit in, but even after 24 hours, I still think that was the worst game I have ever seen. Borehamwood were woeful. Scott Davis could have just folded his kit up after that match ready for Braintree. It's easy to look on the positives (clean sheet, point gained etc). It's just as easy to look at the negatives (2 points lost, no goals scored, potential disharmony etc). There is one thing we all have in common and that is we want our team to do well. We had more supporters at Borehamwood than they did, so we still have huge support in this league. We can't moan at the Player's not giving their all and then us not doing the same by stop going to support them. At least we can be proud that we are still there giving our support. Incidentally, do the guys shouting "you're not fit to wear the shirt"" at the end of the Borehamwood match seriously think that they are helping morale?
I'm as upset as everyone else here. I never thought we'd get this bad. However, there are a lot of decent footballing sides in this league. As bad as we were after 20 minutes at Woking, nobody has mentioned how good their number 20 was (I think his name was Holman). Equally, there are some real clogger's around. Let's just hope that over the winter, our players gel a bit more and our (supposed) fitness levels favour us.
Finally, I'm sure I'll get shouted down by a few with this post, but don't get personal like some on here. I want us to be promoted, or at least play decent football, as much as anyone else. That's why we all go isn't it?
Quote:Higgosboots
We all agree we need to score goals and BRABIN knows it too. For me his style knocks players confidence and is confusing:
Take our top scorers as examples: Mangan 7 goals hasn't started every game, As top scorer you would expect to start and should be brimming with confidence and pride as a CF. He has pace and an eye for goal two things defenders hate. But instead he is relegated to the bench in favour of a guy who's scored 1 goal in 7 or 8 games and is a big unit who can't run, 2 things defenders are happy to play against. (I appreciate he has a touch of class and was a good signing I felt, but as a game changer to come on with 30 minutes to go).If I was in Mangans shoes I'd wonder what on earth I need to do in order to start, see my rear and be tapping up clubs for a January move. Consequences to his confidence: Low.
Norwood 7 goals scored, joint top scorer, used as a wide man. Another big unit but a bit more mobile has 10 yards of pace and eyes for goal, defenders aren't going to be overjoyed playing him. We're do we play him, outside, why? He's a striker, he won't be happy, but is in the starting 11. If I was Norwood wonder what I need to do to get the CF berth, I have played league football feel I can still play it, it's the reason I came here, Could be tempted away to play CF by a promo chasing side in January with a guarantee of playing up front. Consequence on confidence, satisfied.
Maynard, 3 goals, next best in terms of beating the custodian. Big powerful, quick, determined, tough, eye for goal. Opposite number and defenders will loathe playing against this. Halifax player of the year last season, called upto a "big" team pre season, 3 goals early on, called upto National side, riding a crest of a wave: reward from GB, dropped to bench then recalled to right back. If I was Maynard, wouldn't be happy Old has been of a big unit in Jennings preferred to me in CM. Should I be club captain? I would now be looking to cement my place in the National side however I will need regular football in my position, feel I could be playing league football and may consider a move away to cheltenham, Grimbsy, FG in January, I would probably be tapping them up. Consequence on confidence, indifferent, boosted by national call up but feeling outed at my league club.
I realise I can not speak for those 3 players, and these are fictional feelings before I'm told off, they may be very content at Rovers, it's just my take on how I might feel in their shoes and why performance may be effected.
Quote:Hoots MonQuote:Higgosboots
We all agree we need to score goals and BRABIN knows it too. For me his style knocks players confidence and is confusing:
Take our top scorers as examples: Mangan 7 goals hasn't started every game, As top scorer you would expect to start and should be brimming with confidence and pride as a CF. He has pace and an eye for goal two things defenders hate. But instead he is relegated to the bench in favour of a guy who's scored 1 goal in 7 or 8 games and is a big unit who can't run, 2 things defenders are happy to play against. (I appreciate he has a touch of class and was a good signing I felt, but as a game changer to come on with 30 minutes to go).If I was in Mangans shoes I'd wonder what on earth I need to do in order to start, see my rear and be tapping up clubs for a January move. Consequences to his confidence: Low.
Norwood 7 goals scored, joint top scorer, used as a wide man. Another big unit but a bit more mobile has 10 yards of pace and eyes for goal, defenders aren't going to be overjoyed playing him. We're do we play him, outside, why? He's a striker, he won't be happy, but is in the starting 11. If I was Norwood wonder what I need to do to get the CF berth, I have played league football feel I can still play it, it's the reason I came here, Could be tempted away to play CF by a promo chasing side in January with a guarantee of playing up front. Consequence on confidence, satisfied.
Maynard, 3 goals, next best in terms of beating the custodian. Big powerful, quick, determined, tough, eye for goal. Opposite number and defenders will loathe playing against this. Halifax player of the year last season, called upto a "big" team pre season, 3 goals early on, called upto National side, riding a crest of a wave: reward from GB, dropped to bench then recalled to right back. If I was Maynard, wouldn't be happy Old has been of a big unit in Jennings preferred to me in CM. Should I be club captain? I would now be looking to cement my place in the National side however I will need regular football in my position, feel I could be playing league football and may consider a move away to cheltenham, Grimbsy, FG in January, I would probably be tapping them up. Consequence on confidence, indifferent, boosted by national call up but feeling outed at my league club.
I realise I can not speak for those 3 players, and these are fictional feelings before I'm told off, they may be very content at Rovers, it's just my take on how I might feel in their shoes and why performance may be effected.
Fictional feelings indeed. The last two of them AFAIK are in the first year of two year contracts so why would they be tempted away. Mangan was poor against Guiseley and didn't look up for it yesterday. Why? Ask him.
Quote:Because he's sat on the bench watching GTF do nothing in his position.Hoots MonQuote:Higgosboots
We all agree we need to score goals and BRABIN knows it too. For me his style knocks players confidence and is confusing:
Take our top scorers as examples: Mangan 7 goals hasn't started every game, As top scorer you would expect to start and should be brimming with confidence and pride as a CF. He has pace and an eye for goal two things defenders hate. But instead he is relegated to the bench in favour of a guy who's scored 1 goal in 7 or 8 games and is a big unit who can't run, 2 things defenders are happy to play against. (I appreciate he has a touch of class and was a good signing I felt, but as a game changer to come on with 30 minutes to go).If I was in Mangans shoes I'd wonder what on earth I need to do in order to start, see my rear and be tapping up clubs for a January move. Consequences to his confidence: Low.
Norwood 7 goals scored, joint top scorer, used as a wide man. Another big unit but a bit more mobile has 10 yards of pace and eyes for goal, defenders aren't going to be overjoyed playing him. We're do we play him, outside, why? He's a striker, he won't be happy, but is in the starting 11. If I was Norwood wonder what I need to do to get the CF berth, I have played league football feel I can still play it, it's the reason I came here, Could be tempted away to play CF by a promo chasing side in January with a guarantee of playing up front. Consequence on confidence, satisfied.
Maynard, 3 goals, next best in terms of beating the custodian. Big powerful, quick, determined, tough, eye for goal. Opposite number and defenders will loathe playing against this. Halifax player of the year last season, called upto a "big" team pre season, 3 goals early on, called upto National side, riding a crest of a wave: reward from GB, dropped to bench then recalled to right back. If I was Maynard, wouldn't be happy Old has been of a big unit in Jennings preferred to me in CM. Should I be club captain? I would now be looking to cement my place in the National side however I will need regular football in my position, feel I could be playing league football and may consider a move away to cheltenham, Grimbsy, FG in January, I would probably be tapping them up. Consequence on confidence, indifferent, boosted by national call up but feeling outed at my league club.
I realise I can not speak for those 3 players, and these are fictional feelings before I'm told off, they may be very content at Rovers, it's just my take on how I might feel in their shoes and why performance may be effected.
Fictional feelings indeed. The last two of them AFAIK are in the first year of two year contracts so why would they be tempted away. Mangan was poor against Guiseley and didn't look up for it yesterday. Why? Ask him.
Quote:Phil65
Going back to the days of relegation under Aldridge the expectation has been that we will bounce straight back up. As we have dropped down the divisions we have becom more and more the big club (in our minds!); this has increased the expectation with each drop. Probably time for a reality check and to understand that success and promotion are earned and not a right. We are currently not good enough and maybe, at least for now, we have found our level. This is painful to accept as the quality of the football we are watching is not what we want to accept; certainly no comparisons with premier league players PLEASE!!! I guess we should be grateful we look to have stopped the rot of further relegation and at least have a platform, even if a bit rickety, to build from. I guess I'm in between those who have blind faith (foolish in my opinion) and those who have lost the faith; have had time to reflect and calm down since Boreham result though! I agree with MalkinsNobblyKnees and Norwood would be my first choice centre forward.
Quote:MalkinsNobblyKnees
The thing is that from the middle of league one to the middle of the conference there's so little difference that it's difficult to say where anyone's level is! Once you get sucked down you find yourself in a situation where the advantage that you have over other clubs in the same division in terms of income due to crowds is cancelled out by general running costs (stadium maintenance, staff etc.)
I have a friend who's getting £300 per week part time (one training session + match) in the UNIBOND!!! (or whatever it's called now) so we aren't necessarily capable of paying wages in excess of what other clubs are paying, despite having attendances that are many times theirs.
Imagine a club that charges £20 (would have to be in the south!) per match and gets 1000 fans per match. It they have a more or less skeleton operation they could be paying their players a grand at every home game which is more or less £500 per week. That's probably the same as what we are able to pay in wages with attendances of 4,000 after all the running costs of the club have been deducted!
Quote:Higgosboots
Personally I feel our players are probably too good for this league. Ultimatley it goes back to what GB said early on (ish) teams are trying to park the bus. In some senses they are, the league is all about hustle and bustle and we are trying to play football against teams that have no interest in that. For example Boreham Wood, they had some big lads and there whole game plan was hoof it and kick us, to the point that at one stage there managment were yelling boot it higher! This is something that Brabin has to address and fast, we can't out football these sides so we need to get tough. Hence IMO why we put in good performances at top of the table sides, they want to play. I think the addition of McNulty is an attempt at toughening us up, however my feelings are that the likes of him and GTF have probably had enough of being booted about all ready and may well be off to pastures new in January or back to Luton, hopefully not. The challange for the manager is to turn us into a team that compete with the hustle and bustle and win the battle. We have to earn the right to win games and we just aren't at the moment and it's not good enough to keep coming up with the excuses.
Quote:MalkinsNobblyKnees
The thing is that from the middle of league one to the middle of the conference there's so little difference that it's difficult to say where anyone's level is! Once you get sucked down you find yourself in a situation where the advantage that you have over other clubs in the same division in terms of income due to crowds is cancelled out by general running costs (stadium maintenance, staff etc.)
I have a friend who's getting £300 per week part time (one training session + match) in the UNIBOND!!! (or whatever it's called now) so we aren't necessarily capable of paying wages in excess of what other clubs are paying, despite having attendances that are many times theirs.
Imagine a club that charges £20 (would have to be in the south!) per match and gets 1000 fans per match. It they have a more or less skeleton operation they could be paying their players a grand at every home game which is more or less £500 per week. That's probably the same as what we are able to pay in wages with attendances of 4,000 after all the running costs of the club have been deducted!
Quote:Old Rover
I'm getting really fed up of reading posts saying we're only 6 points off this, we're only 6 points off that( I dont mean any disrespect too the people posting the comments). I've been reading post like that for over two seasons now and look where we are.I long for posts saying what a great season we're having, Is'nt the manager brilliant, No one will catch us now.I've got a bottle of champers to celebrate our promotion(any promotion) I'm taking it to the antique road show next week. Sorry for the rant.
Quote:MalkinsNobblyKnees
It they have a more or less skeleton operation they could be paying their players a grand at every home game which is more or less £500 per week.