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Ricardo's Report v Tranmere

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With the prospect of wind and rain it was a well muffled up Ricardo that set out for CR this afternoon. I had been thinking all week that this game might not be as one sided as some on here had been expecting, so I was on the lookout for "Omens". Now superstition is a personal thing and we all have our little rituals. I know one guy who swears by his lucky underpants, but with me it''s omens. This all started one day when I saw five swans flying over Trowse bridge and we went on to beat Huddersfield 5-0 that day. Spooky! I hear you say.

In any event we set off along Pottergate and approaching the tunnel under Grapes hill, swans, black cats and other predictive creatures were distinctly conspicuous by their absence. However we were passed by two cyclists (could that be it?) but no, I saw some guy spray painting some of the superb urban art that decorates this tunnel. (I kid you not some of this stuff is really good) and the colour he was using was green!!!!!! Thats it I exclaimed, three guys whatching and one painting it''s gotta be 3-1. My son just gave me the look that says, the old mans losing it, better keep that Care Home Directory handy.

On to the game at last. The first half hour was a non event with Tranmere stringing 10 across the park and us playing it about in front of them. Anything through the middle was snuffed out and anything over the top just ran away on the wet surface. We pushed them deeper and deeper but apart from two long range efforts from Smith and Lappin a goal did not seem likely. Then on the stroke of Half time Tranmere broke clear and a perfect centre only needed a tap in to put us behind. Somehow Forster got a hand to it, I still don''t know how he did it but it was a real top draw game changer.

We improved a bit second half but Tranmere looked capable of getting something until Drury''s shot was handled in the area. Wes did the honours and the points were only headed one way after that. It was hard on Tranmere who up to then had missed the two best chances of the game. Doc''s tap in from A Wes cross was icing on the cake.

I thought Drury was MOM with Lappin running him close on that second half display. Holty and Chris Martin were not at their best up front and the whole midfield was a bit subdued. The back four were again solid so all in all we deserved the win.

What about the "Omens" I hear you ask. Well  you can make anything fit if you try hard enough. if Chris Martin hadn''t missed that late sitter and Forster made that super save, the guys in the tunnel would have had it spot on at 3-1. As it is, I guess I''ll have to go with the two blokes on bikes for 2-0.

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Suitably low key Ricardo! I fear that we will see more and more of the 10 men behind the ball approach from visiting teams as the season goes on, but we have to learn to deal with. I thought Tranmere''s approach of holding a high line in the first half was risky, but the slickness of the surface helped them as balls ran away for goalkicks. I thought we showed patience up to the final third, but then tended to try to force it a little, resulting in lots of misplaced passes. Holty, despite his work rate was far from his best today and Martin was the more impressive stroker with some excellent footwork and link up play, which was then spoiled by the late miss.

The breakway looked to have undone us completely, but huge credit to the Doc for never committing himself and sticking with his man, and to big Frazer for a truly outstanding save. The penalty looked a little harsh, but if you think I''m going to worry about that after some of the decisions we had against us last season, you can think again! Predictably, the little man showed no fear, and that, to a large extent, was that, although Ginger Pele''s finish topped off yet another assured display from him and Askou.

I agree with Drury as man of the match. He hardly missed a tackle and was a constant threat going forward. I also felt that Lappin had one of his best games for a long time. I wouldn''t criticise anyone on today''s display, though I''m a bit concerned that Semmy may have picked up an early injury in making an excellent stretching tackle as he seemed reluctant to light the afterburners all afternoon.

Overall, not pretty and sometimes lacking in imagination, but we did the job, and that''s the most important thing.

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Thanks Ricardo. I know what you mean about superstitions. When we had our unbeaten run under Roeder I ate the same thing for lunch every Saturday, a samosa and a peanut roll from REDS on St Benedicts. The day we finally lost there were no samosas left so I knew we''d had it two hours before kick off!

I stick with mushy peas from the market (and they stick to me) this season (though curiously not for our infamous opening game!) and it seems to be doing the trick.

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[quote user="SI"]

How''s Dr Peroni Ricardo?

Thanks for the reports.....

[/quote]

Had to give it a miss today SI but will make up for it tomorrow lunchtime.

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[quote user="First Wizard"]I too enjoy your reports Ricardo and I always look forward to them, many thanks.[Y][/quote]

Thanks Wiz.

I was just wondering what you thought of the Doc''s goal today. Tranmere played so deep that he was up with the forwards for a lot of the game.

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The crew on BBC Radio Merseyside didn''t agree with you Ricardo. According to them we committed highway robbery as well as getting away with blue murder.

I wonder if our lot at Radio Norfolk sound just as one-sided to the opposition?

That''s why I like your reports Ricardo. Balance with just a hint of yellow & green at the edges!

Please keep them going.

[Y]

OTBC

 

 

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Cheers Ricardo.I think Russell must have annoyed someone, as all the back 4 seemed to do yesterday was feed him hospital pass after hospital pass.  Smith ran hard and made good runs but nobody wanted to pass to him.

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A game where we tactically lost the battle but gained 3 points with a debateable penalty.

After 5 mins it was clear that Tranmere were here for a point with a very deep 4-5-1 formation with miachel rickets v reminiscent of Hartson when he played for us - without the movement or quality of touch!

After 10 mins it was clear that we were having an off day and no joy in breaking them down.  By 20 mins we could have taken off Lappin, Russell and Ots as they were abysmal in keeping the ball.

We were too heavily out numbered in midfiled - the 3v5 left us with no space within  15 yards of the pen box and so every pass had to be pin point - our midfield were not up to that challenge.

People around me were screaming for width and pace.  I though that Drury and Ots gave us width - but ots in particular was not keep ing possession well enough.  As for pace - with so many bodies can anyone explain to me where that pace could be used????   The way to win was either concentrate on an aerial bombardment - we dont have the players for that,  use the space behind them with pace and the ball over the top - there was no space behind them,  to get wide and behind them - our passing and movement was not good enough to break through the 9 man defence or to get passers of the ball on the pitch and keep the ball. Hughes SHOULD have been introduced, probably for Russell who did not have much to do defensively and was wasting a lot of possession.  The lack of cutting edge today is a worry.

We were lucky with the pen - we did not look like scoring or breaking them down;  had it not gone in Tranmere would have again grown in confidence, defended deep and woudl have found a way through on the break.

Tranmere - far from awful - they saw their plan through andshould have gone in 2-0 up.  They soaked up the pressure and looked comfortable at the back. Forsters miracle save came because the sat deep and our players did not make an option for Doc,  who chose to take the ball forward and try a 1-2 with Russell who was less hungry than their midfielder - they broke fast and would have deserved their goal as they commitment was excellent.

Once we 1-0 up we were not going to lose - the space left as they came forward we did exploit - although

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Top report Ricardo - once again. Definite case of seeking omens where omens came there none. You must have missed something. I don''t think it was as tenuous as the cyclists....Have another think? That 2 - 0 was there for you to see yesterday...

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[quote user="ricardo"]

[quote user="First Wizard"]I too enjoy your reports Ricardo and I always look forward to them, many thanks.[Y][/quote]

Thanks Wiz.

I was just wondering what you thought of the Doc''s goal today. Tranmere played so deep that he was up with the forwards for a lot of the game.

[/quote]

Yes, I realise it was just a tap in Ricado, but you have to be there to tap it in of course.

I was pleased for him and it killed the game off.

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[quote user="ricardo"]

[quote user="First Wizard"]I too enjoy your reports Ricardo and I always look forward to them, many thanks.[Y][/quote]

Thanks Wiz.

I was just wondering what you thought of the Doc''s goal today. Tranmere played so deep that he was up with the forwards for a lot of the game.

[/quote]That''s something I commented on at the game Ricardo to my son in law, it does worry me that he does that because if you look it leaves us wide open at the back and open to be attacked on the break(as we were) as Docs tracking back is not too fast.

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I think forsters save was excellent! However, going forward I agree, there just wasnt enough space for us to do anything! We should have played wide earlier, if we had been going through drury on the left from the start then i think we could have got a couple more! Him and laps were good in the second half.

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