What a great day, it made the long journey up on the coach so worth it with the display the lads put on. They are playing as a unit and as long as we keep that team together (please dont sell Bailey or Racon) we are certainties to go up automatically! The midfield was as good as I can remember for a good few years and Lloydy totally bossed it, they couldnt cope with any of them. The slight moan I have was that Llera went a bit ott with the way he went down from a couple of challenges, not really needed. Defensively we looked solid and Rob Elliot didnt have too much to do. Overall cracking performance but felt for Tranmere fans, they really were poor! Barnesy needs to get em sorted or he'll be out of a job soon poor bloke.
Oh and I forgot a couple more highlights, great header No1 in South London, and the poor ginger ballboy who got a little bit of stick, Rob Elliot was cracking up along with most of our bench!!!
Excellent picture and BBC clip, easily spot myself Ms Lat, Deon's groundsman his brother and dad. Reminds me of the days when I used to jump up and down when a corner was being taken in the hope of being seen on the TV at a Wolves or Villa game in the 70s with commentary from Hugh Johns
[cite]Posted By: Suzysue[/cite]The slight moan I have was that Llera went a bit ott with the way he went down from a couple of challenges, not really needed.
could it not have been because he had been offended against or maybe even injured. Hope you are not accusing our Spaniard of simulation.
[cite]Posted By: oohaahmortimer[/cite]but it's ok for our players to dive and act ....
but they'd be filthy scumbags if they were doing it in the premiership for someone else
Cheer up, Ooh Aah ....... it's not even a Monday morning.
Tranmere Rovers 0, Charlton Athletic 4 Aug 31 2009
by Nick Hilton at Prenton Park
TWO resounding defeats in eight days exposed the uncomfortable reality that Tranmere are not yet ready to stand up to the better teams in League One.
The side put together by new manager John Barnes on a slimmed down budget this summer allowed leaders Charlton Athletic to win more or less as they pleased at Prenton Park on Saturday.
They were not outplayed, out-thought and out-muscled quite so comprehensively as by Leeds United a week earlier. But there wasn’t much in it.
Rovers’ marginal improvement on the performance at Elland Road was not significant enough to seriously trouble the Londoners, whose fifth straight victory set a club record for their best start to a new league season. Tranmere finished August in the bottom four, after losing four out of five games.
Home fans who offered the team noisy support at the start of the afternoon were stunned into silence by two Charlton goals in two minutes by Lloyd Sam and Jose Semedo midway through the first half.
After the visitors notched further goals from Sam and Nicky Bailey after the interval, the groans and boos turned into a few critical chants against Barnes and several choruses in praise of previous manager Ronnie Moore.
The grumbles reflected the fact that Tranmere were rolled over much too easily, albeit by a talented visiting side who knew what they were about.
The paying customers were entitled to expect more resolute resistance from the home team. At the very least some strenuous and organised defence. But Rovers lacked cohesion and common purpose in all departments.
Barnes’ team are still trying to find some confidence in their ability to master the way he wants them to play.
The pass-and-move style the former Liverpool and England winger introduced this summer isn’t holding together when tested by strong opposition. Ironically, it was the quality of the passing game played by Leeds and Charlton that made Rovers struggle to compete.
Barnes argues that with belief and persistence, they can make it work. When Rovers attempted to play a compromise formula in the second half, mixing the passing football with a more direct approach after introducing target-man Michael Ricketts at the interval, the change had little impact.
No matter how Tranmere tried to go forward, they invariably looked vulnerable at the back after losing possession.
Just like Leeds, the Addicks are blessed with high-quality players whose wages are beyond Tranmere’s reach, together with youngsters who came through the Academy system during the club’s Premier League days.
Manager Phil Parkinson reaped the benefits of a scouting mission to Prenton Park last Tuesday when he saw Rovers beaten by Bolton Wanderers in the Carling Cup.
“You can see Tranmere are trying to play football and that’s credit to John Barnes,” Parkinson said. “So we worked on closing them down and making it difficult for them.”
Charlton dominated the play almost from the start.
Semedo and Thierry Racon established control of the midfield, Sam and Nicky Bailey made profit in the wide areas and striker Jonjo Shelvey caused Tranmere trouble wherever he roamed – which seem to be just about every area of the pitch.
Rovers goalkeeper Luke Daniels made diving saves from Shelby and Dion Burton before the visitors took the lead on 25 minutes. When Shelby skipped past Shaleum Logan on the left, Tranmere defenders looked at each other while the cross floated to the unmarked Sam to nod inside the left-hand post.
Two minutes later a backheel by Bailey sent Semedo bursting between two defenders into the box to guide a low shot past the advancing Daniels.
The best Tranmere could manage in reply was a 30-yard free-kick from Paul McLaren that was comfortably saved by Rob Elliott and a cheeky backheel volley by Ian Thomas-Moore from Aaron Cresswell’s cross that also thudded into the goalkeeper’ chest.
Barnes withdrew wingers Chris Shuker and Alan Mahon, who were hardly in the game, in favour of Ricketts and Gareth Edds at half time.
But before the changes had time to take effect, Charlton added a third goal on 49 minutes. Full-back Kelly Youga fond space down the left to swing across the far post where Sam, barely five-feet-eight-inches in stature, was unmarked to notch his second headed goal.
Bailey should have put his name on the scoresheet when he exploited the gap between centre-backs Ian Goodison and Gavin Gunning to head Sam’s cross over.
The fourth goal on 68 minutes arrived in embarrassing fashion for Tranmere. Bailey’s long curling ball into the goalmouth from the left touchline just eluded Burton but the striker’s movement was enough to deceive Daniels and the ball sailed on to finish in the far corner of the net.
Comments
The slight moan I have was that Llera went a bit ott with the way he went down from a couple of challenges, not really needed. Defensively we looked solid and Rob Elliot didnt have too much to do.
Overall cracking performance but felt for Tranmere fans, they really were poor! Barnesy needs to get em sorted or he'll be out of a job soon poor bloke.
Then someone shouted "there's only TWO Nicky Baileys" which was even funnier IMHO.
Why am I thinking what I'm thinking?
Correct
Being able to pick myself out finally ended the worrying thought that it had all been a dream....What a great day !
Agree with Sam deserving MOM but felt my midfield faves, Racon & Semedo , ran him close.
And no probs on the M1/M25 for a change !
Should of responded with 'Top of the league...bottom of the league, enough said' but didnt
we were far above Tranmere and if we can keep our players together and keep playing the same passing football we will do v well this year.
Pleasure to see a Charlton team dominating so much with confidence, and creating and taking our chances.
I will write more at work tomorrow as my laptop keyboard is broken, using an on screen one!
Great pic FOD, and No1 - what a header! Full on 'ave it' moment.
Feed the fish and he will score!
or eight days later.
could it not have been because he had been offended against or maybe even injured. Hope you are not accusing our Spaniard of simulation.
I did remark at one point in stereotypical good humour that "in Spain, they learn how to dive from birth!"
but they'd be filthy scumbags if they were doing it in the premiership for someone else
Cheer up, Ooh Aah ....... it's not even a Monday morning.
It just feels like it.
;o)
He'll give us adequate cover at the back when Lllera is suspended in a fortnight for reaching 5 bookings.
Tranmere Rovers 0, Charlton Athletic 4 Aug 31 2009
by Nick Hilton at Prenton Park
TWO resounding defeats in eight days exposed the uncomfortable reality that Tranmere are not yet ready to stand up to the better teams in League One.
The side put together by new manager John Barnes on a slimmed down budget this summer allowed leaders Charlton Athletic to win more or less as they pleased at Prenton Park on Saturday.
They were not outplayed, out-thought and out-muscled quite so comprehensively as by Leeds United a week earlier. But there wasn’t much in it.
Rovers’ marginal improvement on the performance at Elland Road was not significant enough to seriously trouble the Londoners, whose fifth straight victory set a club record for their best start to a new league season. Tranmere finished August in the bottom four, after losing four out of five games.
Home fans who offered the team noisy support at the start of the afternoon were stunned into silence by two Charlton goals in two minutes by Lloyd Sam and Jose Semedo midway through the first half.
After the visitors notched further goals from Sam and Nicky Bailey after the interval, the groans and boos turned into a few critical chants against Barnes and several choruses in praise of previous manager Ronnie Moore.
The grumbles reflected the fact that Tranmere were rolled over much too easily, albeit by a talented visiting side who knew what they were about.
The paying customers were entitled to expect more resolute resistance from the home team. At the very least some strenuous and organised defence. But Rovers lacked cohesion and common purpose in all departments.
Barnes’ team are still trying to find some confidence in their ability to master the way he wants them to play.
The pass-and-move style the former Liverpool and England winger introduced this summer isn’t holding together when tested by strong opposition. Ironically, it was the quality of the passing game played by Leeds and Charlton that made Rovers struggle to compete.
Barnes argues that with belief and persistence, they can make it work. When Rovers attempted to play a compromise formula in the second half, mixing the passing football with a more direct approach after introducing target-man Michael Ricketts at the interval, the change had little impact.
No matter how Tranmere tried to go forward, they invariably looked vulnerable at the back after losing possession.
Just like Leeds, the Addicks are blessed with high-quality players whose wages are beyond Tranmere’s reach, together with youngsters who came through the Academy system during the club’s Premier League days.
Manager Phil Parkinson reaped the benefits of a scouting mission to Prenton Park last Tuesday when he saw Rovers beaten by Bolton Wanderers in the Carling Cup.
“You can see Tranmere are trying to play football and that’s credit to John Barnes,” Parkinson said. “So we worked on closing them down and making it difficult for them.”
Charlton dominated the play almost from the start.
Semedo and Thierry Racon established control of the midfield, Sam and Nicky Bailey made profit in the wide areas and striker Jonjo Shelvey caused Tranmere trouble wherever he roamed – which seem to be just about every area of the pitch.
Rovers goalkeeper Luke Daniels made diving saves from Shelby and Dion Burton before the visitors took the lead on 25 minutes. When Shelby skipped past Shaleum Logan on the left, Tranmere defenders looked at each other while the cross floated to the unmarked Sam to nod inside the left-hand post.
Two minutes later a backheel by Bailey sent Semedo bursting between two defenders into the box to guide a low shot past the advancing Daniels.
The best Tranmere could manage in reply was a 30-yard free-kick from Paul McLaren that was comfortably saved by Rob Elliott and a cheeky backheel volley by Ian Thomas-Moore from Aaron Cresswell’s cross that also thudded into the goalkeeper’ chest.
Barnes withdrew wingers Chris Shuker and Alan Mahon, who were hardly in the game, in favour of Ricketts and Gareth Edds at half time.
But before the changes had time to take effect, Charlton added a third goal on 49 minutes. Full-back Kelly Youga fond space down the left to swing across the far post where Sam, barely five-feet-eight-inches in stature, was unmarked to notch his second headed goal.
Bailey should have put his name on the scoresheet when he exploited the gap between centre-backs Ian Goodison and Gavin Gunning to head Sam’s cross over.
The fourth goal on 68 minutes arrived in embarrassing fashion for Tranmere. Bailey’s long curling ball into the goalmouth from the left touchline just eluded Burton but the striker’s movement was enough to deceive Daniels and the ball sailed on to finish in the far corner of the net.
Top
Shelby played well for us ......... or perhaps the reporter has a cold ?