Top of the league, unbeaten, and on a run of five consecutive league clean sheets; I’m starting to get used to the notion that we’re a strong team with a bit of a fear factor. A few of us, including myself, were fairly downbeat about potential life in League One (and who could blame us considering the chore and regular disappointment the last few years has delivered as a Town fan). But in League One, we find a division that is certainly more our level (in fact, maybe a bit below our level) and the quality and consistency of the opposition was possibly overestimated. A home match against a newly promoted Tranmere side, who are still finding their feet at this level, looks like another winnable fixture on paper. The poor form of pre-season promotion favourites Portsmouth, and the continuing struggles of a Sunderland outfit that regularly settles for 1-1 draws, also benefits us and our objective of an immediate return to the Championship. The good news stories for the club seem plentiful. Holy, a goalkeeper who was following in big footsteps from three-times Player of the Year Bart, has settled in well and is well-liked by supporters. Kane Vincent-Young seems to be a long-term, quality solution to the club’s persistent issues at finding a reliable right-back. Wolfenden has emerged as one of our key players and should be the first-choice centre-back on the team sheet. Downes has really kicked on this season and seems to be living up to his potential. The likes of Jon Nolan and Emyr Huws have made good progress in their return to full fitness and will be high-quality players at this level. We also have a reliable centre-forward in James Norwood and a squad that has a good depth and an ability to keep the opposition guessing in how we will line up. The negatives surround the consistent concerns about our approach and style of play in matches. Despite the clean sheets and despite not losing so far in the league, this is still a team that seems incapable of dominating large portions of games. This is a side that thankfully has five consecutive clean sheets - because two goals in three games against Doncaster, MK Dons, and Gillingham does not make for encouraging reading. The left back position, which involves in a player in Kenlock (who has struggled for the past couple of years in making that position his own) and Garbutt (who seems more comfortable and effective further forward) is still looking weak. Alan Judge, a key player on paper, has been disappointing and arguably resentful at being denied a move to QPR – a club both closer to home and in the division above. We still look a little blunt out wide, where players like Danny Rowe and Gwion Edwards have been unable to stake a consistent claim to those places. Regarding the match tomorrow, I’m thinking a comfortable 2-0 win is in the pipeline, with both Norwood and Nolan getting on the scoresheet. For the first team selection, I would like to see: Holy Chambers / Wolfenden / Wilson KVY / Downes / Huws / Garbutt Nolan Norwood / Jackson
The bad news is, I'm going, and I've genuinely not seen a home victory in about ten years (admittedly it's only about 10/12 games). Hoping the voodoo gets lifted and a comfy 3 nil win
I'm concerned that we're not really firing up front (two goals in three matches). It will be interesting to see what happens when we don't keep a clean sheet - can we find two or three goals again? I don't think we will be tested this time. 1-0 Town.
This is the sort of game that worries me. On paper, Tranmere are 1 of the weaker teams in the division especially away from home. However, football is not played on paper. If we go in with the right attitude, I think we will win comfortably, if not, it could be a nervy afternoon
I'm going with my Son as he has a season ticket in the Sir Bobby. A mate of mine at work is a Tranmere fan so meeting up with him for a few beers and some banter afterwards. Really looking forward to it as the atmosphere will be a lot better now that we are playing some decent football and winning! 3-0 Town
The sort of game in seasons gone by we'd be losing. More confident for this but remain concerned were were going into games with a don't lose attitude, over a let's dominate attitude
Scrappy first half with Tranmere looking more likely to score than us. A great free kick put is in front but then poor ball control from Chambers put us under pressure and then Holy didn't get a hand on the low cross and it bounced off a strikers foot into the net. I can understand that we are playing in a way that is getting results but at some point we will need to work on playing better football because we won't win many in the Championship playing how we are now.
Not having anything negative to say feels weird. Good goal haul, going two points top. Starting to believe our inevitable collapse will still allow us playoffs
All very positive. Will now make that trip up the A12, and look frwd to that celebratory pint of Adnams, Warky!
Great result today, not many would've put money on that score at half time. Poor first half with (again) a lot of balls played forward early and Tranmere with the more constructed build up play. Just like the last game that we started with 3 CBs, moving Skuse back into the middle changed how the game was flowing and we got on top of Tranmere. It was an enjoyable second half with some good set piece deliveries and some quick counter attacking causing Tranmere problems. Holy - mistake for the goal aside, he had another good game KVY - the run from KVY for his goal will bring more attention on him and we'll be lucky to have him next season. A proper modern day full back. Chambers - unfortunate ball control that led to the pressure that Tranmere scored from but still another good game from the captain. Skuse - influenced the game more when we changed shape Wilson - no nonsense defending from James again, nice work Garbutt - great contribution today. Lovely dead ball deliveries and got up and down the line well Downes - solid display today Judge - hot and cold, still not as good as we want him to be Nolan - did more positive work than Judge, he had a decent game Jackson - his pace stretched Tranmere all over the place, right place, right time for his goal Norwood - fairly quiet game due to having all the attention of the defenders. Jackson benefited from the space that created All in all, it was a good performance from the lads. We scored some goals, got the win and stay top of the tree. It's not the prettiest football all the time but some of our counterattacks are very quick and direct and fun to watch. The free kicks and corners are so much better than recent times with Garbutt on the ball and we have a player in KVY who is exciting to watch carry the ball. We are also capable of starting the match playing one way and adapting or changing shape as needed. Starting with three at the back keeps it tight for the first twenty minutes and helps us get a grip on the game, Switching to a diamond then helps us to start moving the ball better and we pick up the pace as the game wears on. Say we are top of the league, say we are top of the league!