Tranmere (A)

[behind the goals]

If I was Ryan I would tell Copper to go fcuk himself, always moaning from day one at the Club if he doesn`t like it go somewhere else, just don`t sack him he might even smile taking a good pay off.

[russell_anderson]

As soon as we saw the team sheet we knew this game was going to be a step too far.
A poor early goal to give away (although it could’ve been offside) so I guess the game plan went out of the window straight away.
Our back line today must be amongst the slowest we’ve ever fielded in our history.
Our front line today (and most of the season) must be the weakest we’ve ever fielded in our history.
We have a defender who can’t get anywhere near a game, & we put an ageing out of position midfielder in instead of that defender. We have a front line that is terrible yet our “main” striker is on the bench. It’s all a bit of a mess.
Cooper (if he was blaming RS) is a bit out of order, it always seems to be someone else’s fault with him and it’s wearing a bit thin.
Apart from the result…it was a great day out.

Dittto, spirit. After the Swindon and Ipswich games, I was looking forward to today's match and really pleased that we were one of the few matches to have beaten covid although I thought Banks would be missed.
What a shock when I saw the team! I immediately knew we had little chance because I knew that back 3 would struggle to stop any team from scoring.
As you rightly say, it is the slowest I can ever remember us fielding. Grayson is no whippet but he looks one when compared to Taylor and Ellis. The first goal wasn't offside IMO. They merely punted the ball over Ellis' head and he's so slow on the turn that his 33 year old legs couldn't catch the 35 year old ones of Nicky Maynard, another player who is well past his best.
Ifollow was awful today and got worse as the match went on so I gave up at half-time as it started freezing constantly but I was pretty sure by then that we wouldn't score if we played all day. We had never looked dangerous in the first half even though we had 60% possession!
Again, as you say, the strike force is almost non-existent.
I can't understand why Arthurs wasn't played in the back 3 instead of Taylor or why Kay wasn't played as a left wing back instead of using a totally right-footed Brown who, in any case, isn't a wing-back!
If the missing players are not fit for the Oldham match (and it is certain they won't be if they were only confirmed as positive the day before the match) then I hope we can't field a team by then as I will be surprised if the team which played today could beat anybody in the league although Oldham must be the best chance we have!
We have gone from 7th place to currently being just 3 points above a relegation place and are currently joint bottom of the form table with 3 other teams on 4 points from the last 6 matches. Oldham also have 4 points but the other teams below us all have better current form.
With James Jones, Platt and Grayson as a back 3 plus Brough at wing-back and Banks in midfield we are capable in defence and midfield and that gives us a chance against the weaker teams even with a non-existent strike force but without those players we will struggle big time against anybody.

[Pedro]

January is going to be critical.
I just hope we stay up .
I can hear Cooper now the January window came too late it should have been in October.
Today is a continuation of what we have seen most of the season
Jason Taylor is finished I said that last season.
The team seems to be set up to defend for 65 minutes then bring Zanzala the not so super sub on to try and pinch a goal.

Tranmere were their for the taking .

[Matty]

On the two minute highlights, about thirty seconds in Brown gets a ball on the left with a perfect opportunity to whip a low ball in, he checks back and the chance is pretty much gone. I appreciate he's not left footed but that's exactly how we got the second against Ipswich. Infuriating when we don't take these chances especially when we struggle to score at the best of times.

[HenneysKnee]

January is going to be critical.
I just hope we stay up .
I can hear Cooper now the January window came too late it should have been in October.

We will stay up

Even Stevie Wonder can see we need at least one striker in January; there’s no reason Cooper/the board/Paul Ogden aren’t prepared for that as soon as the transfer window opens…….

[spirit of 1990]

As soon as we saw the team sheet we knew this game was going to be a step too far.
A poor early goal to give away (although it could’ve been offside) so I guess the game plan went out of the window straight away.
Our back line today must be amongst the slowest we’ve ever fielded in our history.
Our front line today (and most of the season) must be the weakest we’ve ever fielded in our history.
We have a defender who can’t get anywhere near a game, & we put an ageing out of position midfielder in instead of that defender. We have a front line that is terrible yet our “main” striker is on the bench. It’s all a bit of a mess.
Cooper (if he was blaming RS) is a bit out of order, it always seems to be someone else’s fault with him and it’s wearing a bit thin.
Apart from the result…it was a great day out.

Dittto, spirit. After the Swindon and Ipswich games, I was looking forward to today's match and really pleased that we were one of the few matches to have beaten covid although I thought Banks would be missed.
What a shock when I saw the team! I immediately knew we had little chance because I knew that back 3 would struggle to stop any team from scoring.
As you rightly say, it is the slowest I can ever remember us fielding. Grayson is no whippet but he looks one when compared to Taylor and Ellis. The first goal wasn't offside IMO. They merely punted the ball over Ellis' head and he's so slow on the turn that his 33 year old legs couldn't catch the 35 year old ones of Nicky Maynard, another player who is well past his best.
Ifollow was awful today and got worse as the match went on so I gave up at half-time as it started freezing constantly but I was pretty sure by then that we wouldn't score if we played all day. We had never looked dangerous in the first half even though we had 60% possession!
Again, as you say, the strike force is almost non-existent.
I can't understand why Arthurs wasn't played in the back 3 instead of Taylor or why Kay wasn't played as a left wing back instead of using a totally right-footed Brown who, in any case, isn't a wing-back!
If the missing players are not fit for the Oldham match (and it is certain they won't be if they were only confirmed as positive the day before the match) then I hope we can't field a team by then as I will be surprised if the team which played today could beat anybody in the league although Oldham must be the best chance we have!
We have gone from 7th place to currently being just 3 points above a relegation place and are currently joint bottom of the form table with 3 other teams on 4 points from the last 6 matches. Oldham also have 4 points but the other teams below us all have better current form.
With James Jones, Platt and Grayson as a back 3 plus Brough at wing-back and Banks in midfield we are capable in defence and midfield and that gives us a chance against the weaker teams even with a non-existent strike force but without those players we will struggle big time against anybody.

After watching the highlights on Quest this morning, I agree Russell, the first goal wasn’t offside, we were simply too slow/not switched on.
Watching the highlights also reminded me of something I meant to write in my post yesterday, as the game wore on and we were playing some tidy stuff (I admit - without looking like scoring) which most of the time involved Tom White he was getting battered and getting no protection off the officials. He was obviously identified as the reason why we were improving.

[boyliegladbach]

Where are Devitt, Nthle and sea, don't even get mentioned anymore, the jolly geordie doesn't even ask.

Good seeing Beadling back on the bench again, hope to see him play again soon.

[sempre contigo]

What was the attendance and how many Barrow there?

[boyliegladbach]

Something else I noticed yesterday, during the warm up, at the part when the back line go to one side and do some drills.
As usual they doing stuff in positions for game as they always do
Yesterday it was 4 players. Grayson left, Ellis Taylor, Brown on right.
Hutton was over with the others launching shots high and wide.
Then we came out with 3/5 at back brown on left.

Wonder if we changed minds last minute.

[NUFFSAID]

Honest question....... Do you think Cooper really wants to be here?

It's a big change for him coming to a 'non league club' working it's way up re infrastructure and professionalism. He's seen better and maybe, just maybe he doesn't see his future long term at Barrow AFC.

IMO his overall persona, interviews and general excuses (training facilities etc) make me feel he's here as a stop gap. Only my opinion, but over the months my confidence in him staying is slowly eroding. Hope I'm wrong.

[sempre contigo]

Honest question....... Do you think Cooper really wants to be here?

It's a big change for him coming to a 'non league club' working it's way up re infrastructure and professionalism. He's seen better and maybe, just maybe he doesn't see his future long term at Barrow AFC.

IMO his overall persona, interviews and general excuses (training facilities etc) make me feel he's here as a stop gap. Only my opinion, but over the months my confidence in him staying is slowly eroding. Hope I'm wrong.

I agree, but is a stop gap ever an issue for us? Aren’t we that for most players and managers. It shouldn’t prevent them from giving everything even if it is mainly to advance their own careers. I don’t begrudge them that.

Plus, I get the impression Cooper was like this wherever he was managing, seems to be his character.

[blue nige]

Honest question....... Do you think Cooper really wants to be here?

It's a big change for him coming to a 'non league club' working it's way up re infrastructure and professionalism. He's seen better and maybe, just maybe he doesn't see his future long term at Barrow AFC.

IMO his overall persona, interviews and general excuses (training facilities etc) make me feel he's here as a stop gap. Only my opinion, but over the months my confidence in him staying is slowly eroding. Hope I'm wrong.

Much as I agree with what Cooper says you could be right, we are really struggling as a club with our infrastructure etc. 48 years is a massive gap to fill it will take around another 3 years to get somewhere near ( this is no one's fault) I just hope we stay up or all this effort from our club will have been wasted ! in defence of Cooper I can see where he's coming from and I was really surprised when he came here, hopefully it will all come right in the end!

[Pedro]

Honest question....... Do you think Cooper really wants to be here?

It's a big change for him coming to a 'non league club' working it's way up re infrastructure and professionalism. He's seen better and maybe, just maybe he doesn't see his future long term at Barrow AFC.

IMO his overall persona, interviews and general excuses (training facilities etc) make me feel he's here as a stop gap. Only my opinion, but over the months my confidence in him staying is slowly eroding. Hope I'm wrong.

People need to remember Cooper is a Yorkshireman and so comes over as doure.

Always remember being at a AI holiday and a group of people from Yorkshire would not go and order from the bar , I asked why and one guy said they are frightened we will have to give them a tip.

Let's be honest the majority of Managers will see us as a stop gap and putting themselves in the window as Evatt did.

[Cromwell58]

Not a good record at Tranmere first half we were second best best but played better in the second half, Oldham game is more important and winnable.

[Jim]

My view of Cooper is that he knows the game, generally gets team selection and tactics right, and the players clearly work hard for him. He has been unfortuante to start with a limited squad and to have all the problems with training facilities - in fact, he has been dealt a rotten hand to start off with and so it is little wonder that he sometimes comes across as gloomy. He knows what the club needs to do to improve, so I see this as a year to survive, start to build and to be better prepared for next season.