County v Tranmere: Match Thread (28/10/2023)
Oct 25, 2023 9:55:10 GMT
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Post by autistichatter on Oct 25, 2023 9:55:10 GMT
So next up it's Tranmere, what can we say about them? Well, for a start, they are having a poor campaign to date, sitting just above the drop zone on GD from Forest Green and Rock Bottom Sutton. Their record of P 15 W 3 D 1 L 11 F 18 A 27 is modest enough but their road record is even thinner - P 7 L 7 F 4 A 15, although that is still better than Rock Bottom Sutton who have an A GD of -15.
Their Ws to date are Harrogate (h) 3-0, Accy Stanley (h) 2-0 and Bratfut (h) 2-1. Their D was Grimsby (h) 2-2. Their Ls are Barrow (h) 1-2, MKD (a) 1-0, Salford (h) 3-4, Notts County (a) 2-1, Wrexham (h) 0-1, Cole U (a) 2-0, Crawley (a) 3-2, AFC Wombles (a) 4-1, Crewe (a) 2-0, Donny (h) 1-2 and Morecambe (a) 1-0. By any standard that is modest, although in Oct they have W 1 D 1 and L 3, including the D with Grimsby and the W over Bratfut.
For such a poor record their defence looks not too shabby overall, a couple of 4s conceded and a 3, but mostly 1s and 2s, although over a season it would still average out to around 80 goals conceded. I imagine some teams will just think bag a goal or two and the game is as good as won. Their main problem is up front - 9 of their goals have come in just 4 games, all at home, in their 3 Ws and 1 D.
Joint top scorers are Connor Jennings and Josh Hawkes both on 4, then Kieron Morris on 3, then Charlie Jolley and Sam Taylor both on 2 and three more on a goal apiece, one of whom is ex-County forward Kristian Dennis. For comparison their top 3 scorers in 2022/2023 were Josh Hawkes on 10 then Kane Hemmings on 8 (16 goals in total over 62 career apps for Rovers) - he is now at Stevenage, and Elliott Nevitt on 4 (11 goals in all over 62 career apps for Rovers) - he of course, is now at Crewe.
They have managed to make quite a few signings - Kristian Dennis being one from Carlisle, MF Regan Hendry signed from Forest Green, experienced forward Luke Norris joined from Stevenage, ex Forest Green GK Luke McGee, Hull City LB Jake Leake on season long loan, ex-Oldham D Joe Yarney, Dan Pike came over from Blackburn, Liverpool LB James Norris joined on season long loan, MF Rob Apter on loan from Blackpool until January and free agent ex-Orient LB Connor Wood until the end of the season. On the way out though were RWB Josh Dacres-Cogley to Bolton, Ethan Bristow left for MLS Minnesota, not to mention Kane Hemmings going to Stevenage.
Lots of change then, and the loan signings look reasonably impressive but they look anything but a strong squad with good depth. I suspect they will come to keep things tight but County will surely be too strong - then again that recipe sometimes results in an upset so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed, although I would not begrudge Connor Jennings getting a goal in front of the Cheadle End.
Elsewhere in L2:
6th placed and 5 Ws on the bounce Accy Stanley v 21st placed Cole U
7th placed Gillingham v 19th placed Newport
17th placed Harrogate v 5th placed Crewe
4th placed Mansfield v 14th placed Walsall
16th placed MKD v 9th placed Swindon
8th placed team on the rise Morecambe v 10th placed team on the slide AFC Wombles
Aaaaaand: - 2nd placed Notts County v 3rd placed Wrexham
Their Ws to date are Harrogate (h) 3-0, Accy Stanley (h) 2-0 and Bratfut (h) 2-1. Their D was Grimsby (h) 2-2. Their Ls are Barrow (h) 1-2, MKD (a) 1-0, Salford (h) 3-4, Notts County (a) 2-1, Wrexham (h) 0-1, Cole U (a) 2-0, Crawley (a) 3-2, AFC Wombles (a) 4-1, Crewe (a) 2-0, Donny (h) 1-2 and Morecambe (a) 1-0. By any standard that is modest, although in Oct they have W 1 D 1 and L 3, including the D with Grimsby and the W over Bratfut.
For such a poor record their defence looks not too shabby overall, a couple of 4s conceded and a 3, but mostly 1s and 2s, although over a season it would still average out to around 80 goals conceded. I imagine some teams will just think bag a goal or two and the game is as good as won. Their main problem is up front - 9 of their goals have come in just 4 games, all at home, in their 3 Ws and 1 D.
Joint top scorers are Connor Jennings and Josh Hawkes both on 4, then Kieron Morris on 3, then Charlie Jolley and Sam Taylor both on 2 and three more on a goal apiece, one of whom is ex-County forward Kristian Dennis. For comparison their top 3 scorers in 2022/2023 were Josh Hawkes on 10 then Kane Hemmings on 8 (16 goals in total over 62 career apps for Rovers) - he is now at Stevenage, and Elliott Nevitt on 4 (11 goals in all over 62 career apps for Rovers) - he of course, is now at Crewe.
They have managed to make quite a few signings - Kristian Dennis being one from Carlisle, MF Regan Hendry signed from Forest Green, experienced forward Luke Norris joined from Stevenage, ex Forest Green GK Luke McGee, Hull City LB Jake Leake on season long loan, ex-Oldham D Joe Yarney, Dan Pike came over from Blackburn, Liverpool LB James Norris joined on season long loan, MF Rob Apter on loan from Blackpool until January and free agent ex-Orient LB Connor Wood until the end of the season. On the way out though were RWB Josh Dacres-Cogley to Bolton, Ethan Bristow left for MLS Minnesota, not to mention Kane Hemmings going to Stevenage.
Lots of change then, and the loan signings look reasonably impressive but they look anything but a strong squad with good depth. I suspect they will come to keep things tight but County will surely be too strong - then again that recipe sometimes results in an upset so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed, although I would not begrudge Connor Jennings getting a goal in front of the Cheadle End.
Elsewhere in L2:
6th placed and 5 Ws on the bounce Accy Stanley v 21st placed Cole U
7th placed Gillingham v 19th placed Newport
17th placed Harrogate v 5th placed Crewe
4th placed Mansfield v 14th placed Walsall
16th placed MKD v 9th placed Swindon
8th placed team on the rise Morecambe v 10th placed team on the slide AFC Wombles
Aaaaaand: - 2nd placed Notts County v 3rd placed Wrexham
