⚽Match thread v Tranmere Rovers 01.01.24 [EFL L2]

[uysapie]

Expected a loss with our defence so not surprised. We need to recruit GK, defender and midfield battler.

[magpie_mania]

Because players aren’t the only variable. The opposition have now won 5 in a row at home. Playing at home is hugely different to playing away.
When people questioned LW’s plan B, it was dismissed on the back of 2 home wins against 2 poor sides. Personally we play the same way at home and away, not many managers in football do that. Not sure why LW does it, our away form is dire.

If one of those poor teams was Doncaster, since we beat them they have drawn with Mansfield and beat MKD 3 - 0.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

We came away with nothing and didn't deserve anything from the game based on the second half performance. The thing is when we have the ball and control the games we can be truly exceptional such as at home against Doncaster and Morecambe.

I do think Tranmere were a much tougher test particularly in the form they are in and being at home there is more of an emphasis on the home team to take the game to the opposition. This is our weakness as when we do come under attack or can't control the game it all breaks down and are vulnerable to conceding goals especially baring in mind that the opposition do not have that much time on the ball if we have 60-75% possession. It's not just defence though collectively we have to defend better as a team.

I didn't feel we had the energy, aggression, concentration and intensity when out of possession to win the ball back quickly as we did in the past two games. That was our fourth game in ten days so perhaps fatigue set in and errors crept in as mentally and physically we might have been getting tired as we are reliant upon a small core of players? Or is that an excuse?

It was disappointing to shoot ourselves in the foot and panic and switch off and give away two penalties and concede again in the second half. Stone was the hero for making the first penalty save to keep us in the game, but then he goes and brings down a player and all the hard work was undone. We lose the ball in midfield and then are punished.

We can't think about the top three when you have lost five away games in a row and have conceded 4 at Wimbledon, 3 at Harrogate, 2 against Stockport and 4 today at Tranmere. If we want to be top 3 we should have had four points from those games. That's the difference between us and the likes of Mansfield, they scrape draws but we lose. We've lost 10 now they have lost 1 and are conceding too many goals.

It's clear to anyone and obvious away from home is where we need to improve.

[magpie_mania]

We came away with nothing and didn't deserve anything from the game based on the second half performance. The thing is when we have the ball and control the games we can be truly exceptional such as at home against Doncaster and Morecambe.

I do think Tranmere were a much tougher test particularly in the form they are in and being at home there is more of an emphasis on the home team to take the game to the opposition. This is our weakness as when we do come under attack or can't control the game it all breaks down and are vulnerable to conceding goals especially baring in mind that the opposition do not have that much time on the ball if we have 60-75% possession. It's not just defence though collectively we have to defend better from the front.

I didn't feel we had the energy, aggression, concentration and intensity when out of possession to win the ball back quickly as we did in the past two games. That was our fourth game in ten days so perhaps fatigue set in and errors crept in as mentally and physically we might have been getting tired as we are reliant upon a small core of players? Or is that an excuse?

It was disappointing to shoot ourselves in the foot and panic and switch off and give away two penalties and concede again in the second half. Stone was the hero for making the first penalty save to keep us in the game, but then he goes and brings down a player and all the hard work was undone. We lose the ball in midfield and then are punished.

We can't think about the top three when you have lost five away games in a row and have conceded 4 at Wimbledon, 3 at Harrogate, 2 against Stockport and 4 today at Tranmere. If we want to be top 3 we should have had four points from those games. That's the difference between us and the likes of Mansfield, they scrape draws but we lose. We've lost 10 now they have lost 1 and are conceding too many goals.

It's clear to anyone and obvious away from home is where we need to improve.

Even if we had another 4 points we would still be 3 behind Mansfield having played 2 games more. If we lose at their place, we will probably be 10 points behind them, plus an extra 2 games.

[Notts78]

If one of those poor teams was Doncaster, since we beat them they have drawn with Mansfield and beat MKD 3 - 0.

Which also shows that everyone will drop points in games against the worst sides in the division.
Look who ended Stockports winning run…
Mansfield look set for a proper tilt at the title, along with Wrexham and Stockport. It’s futile to think we will keep pace. If we can get in to the playoffs, it’s literally anyone’s. All the teams vying for those playoffs, with the exception of Barrow (so far), are showing inconsistency in results.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

Even if we had another 4 points we would still be 3 behind Mansfield having played 2 games more. If we lose at their place, we will probably be 10 points behind them, plus an extra 2 games.

The point I was making is that we have lost too many games away from home when we need to be picking up points on the road and scraping draws if we want to be top three. Mansfields away form is the best in the league.

Our home form is top three, but away from home it's 15th.

Having said this Nigel Clough has had double the time Luke Williams as had at Notts to get Mansfield where they are so we are behind them but not too far. Especially considering it's our first season back in the football league. Playoffs are achievable due to the inconsistency.

[nw6pie]

We’ve talked before about the Moniz style of “you score 3, we’d score 4,” but this is more reminiscent of the Mick Walker team in 1993-94 when we were generally excellent at home and quite poor away - wasn’t it 29 games we went without winning away around that time (I was in the Crystal Palace end when we finally did win)?

We’ve now conceded 28 goals in 13 away games; only two teams (Swindon, Sutton) have conceded more. Can we continue being so cavalier away from home?

[maddogslater]

Why can't I put this result to bed but keep scrolling, it's like self torture 😫

[MagpieInExile]

How the worm turns after just one more game.

A few days ago it was all starting to look rosy again. Now after a poor performance and results elsewhere going against us we are suddenly 3 results away from automatic promotion (having played a game more) and only 1 result away from dropping out of the play-off spots.

Watching Mansfield become favourites for top spot in the process.

Today we played like we had been out on the razz all night. What disappointed me most about today was our reaction after Tranmere's first penalty miss - more often than not that can galvanise a team yet we remained pretty flat.

[legs77]

Which also shows that everyone will drop points in games against the worst sides in the division.
Look who ended Stockports winning run…
Mansfield look set for a proper tilt at the title, along with Wrexham and Stockport. It’s futile to think we will keep pace. If we can get in to the playoffs, it’s literally anyone’s. All the teams vying for those playoffs, with the exception of Barrow (so far), are showing inconsistency in results.

That is always the case as nobody if they have an off day in this league is good enough to get away with it.

The top 3 imo and I have said it for a while are the best 3 in the league and we need them all out the way too.

As for LW tactics he had changed it slightly over last few weeks but ultimately it comes down to your players.

Most teams play the same way as you do repeat drills in training to get used to a way of playing that applies from Man City to Walsall.

We have a 12 day break now and lots can happen in that time we may have a few more new players in the squad.