Easter Monday & Tuesday 6th April

[Monkey Tennis]

Wasn’t even any Harrogate comments that I could see on their Twitter feed at full time.

Looks a tiny ground but the pitch was awful mind, add in the huge winds and definitely a game of 2 halves, first half we stood up to them got in at half time and went for them second with the wind.

Pitch looked like a beach, but rock hard.

Would of been a good away day, wife’s always banged on about going Harrogate so was planning on dumping her in the town centre to take in the sights whilst I watched the Vale. Damn you Boris!

Next season maybe!

They've had a plastic pitch until this season, so the groundsmen probably don't know what they're doing.

 

[shoddycollins]

That is the least convincing evidence in support of xG yet - it has us in 9th and we've been shit all season.

This season has been one of the strangest, usually by this point the xG table closely reflects the real table with one or two outliers that can be explained away by having an awesome keeper or a unique way of playing or something.

 

[shoddycollins]

They've had a plastic pitch until this season, so the groundsmen probably don't know what they're doing.

What do groundsmen actually do when the club has a plastic pitch? I know most of them are technically referred to as 'stadium manager' and have duties surrounding the upkeep of other parts of the ground but their main job and area of expertise is usually growing and looking after grass rectangles.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

This season has been one of the strangest, usually by this point the xG table closely reflects the real table with one or two outliers that can be explained away by having an awesome keeper or a unique way of playing or something.

Just seen that Mansfield are up near the top yet they have no strikers and their fans constantly say how bad they are... To me, xG just seems to be a measure of how crap at finishing your strikers are!

 

[Monkey Tennis]

What do groundsmen actually do when the club has a plastic pitch? I know most of them are technically referred to as 'stadium manager' and have duties surrounding the upkeep of other parts of the ground but their main job and area of expertise is usually growing and looking after grass rectangles.

They have to scrub the pitch clean before every game.

 

[northstandexile]

That is the least convincing evidence in support of xG yet - it has us in 9th and we've been shit all season.

Best team I have seen at Field Mill this season was Barrow.

 

[shoddycollins]

They have to scrub the pitch clean before every game.

Maybe that's the problem... they're still going over the pitch with a wire brush before each game.

 

[valefan16]

Maybe that's the problem... they're still going over the pitch with a wire brush before each game.

Looked like it, can see why they do like the Westley style football if the pitch is like that; although most are bad shape this season including ours.

 

[shoddycollins]

Looked like it, can see why they do like the Westley style football if the pitch is like that; although most are bad shape this season including ours.

Southend's is the best I've seen this season, maybe they could do with messing theirs up a bit

 

[Chris FGR]

Think we might still be number one in the division for entrances into the opposition box. We were at least but it's not a stat that I've seen regularly updated and we've somehow managed to retain some of our other positive attacking stats despite a woeful run of form, such as most shots taken and most on target.

Entry into the area is one thing, but if all you’ve got is a semi (decent striker) you aren’t often going to score too often.

 

[Arbury]

It's not quite as simple as that being as we have our game in hand.

That's not to say we'll win said game in hand, but only if you're top after 46 games, or less if mathematically you can't be caught, can you say that with any clarity.

It really is that simple, we’re CURRENTLY the best team in the division, if you win you’re game in hand then you will be the best team in the division at that time.

who'll be the best after 46 games is a different question.

KTF

 

[Vanni]

Huntsman said and I quote - Today at least 6 Tranmere players went to the ref instantly.

Correct. They all surrounded the ref bar the one who committed the foul and that's Lewis.

Hmmm.....I wonder why.

 

[Laker]

This is the true league table of who deserves to be top of table.

Expected goals table: League 2, 5-6 Apr 2021

These alternative league tables are calculated using expected goals (as seen in my match timelines). There’s a full explanation in the first post here.

experimental361.com

15th! I’m not a huge fan of this sort of stat as it ignores the quality (or lack thereof) of individual strikers. But being 14 places higher than expected is quite something.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Not very nice when a penalty goes against you, is it Tranmere....?

 

[Back in the DHSS]

The old saying the league table doesn’t lie. I’ve read all the posts. Little old Cambridge will fall away when Mullin stops scoring. Cambridge will fade away with such a small squad. Now it’s Cambridge must be top because of all the pens and decisions they get.

Suck it up lads. We are top on merit and unbeaten in 2021.

You can probably count the people who’ve said these things on one hand to be fair.

 

[BlackHaddock]

The old saying the league table doesn’t lie. I’ve read all the posts. Little old Cambridge will fall away when Mullin stops scoring. Cambridge will fade away with such a small squad. Now it’s Cambridge must be top because of all the pens and decisions they get.

Suck it up lads. We are top on merit and unbeaten in 2021.

Not by me, I didn't even realise you were top; I don't look that high up the table anymore!

 

[chipmunx]

Pretty sure we beat you this year....

EDIT: Response was to SVH

no need for the edit - Barrow fans knew you were not talking to us

 

[Valeite]

It will be interesting what Harrogate fans say about her. When you win fans generally say ref was good.

The game itself was terrible, as playing in a ground with no shelter from the wind on a pitch which seemed to consist of ridged concrete interspersed with a few bunkers was never going to produce a classic. The least of the worries yesterday was the ref who seemed competent, which is more than can be said of some of her male colleagues in this league. Harrogate were largely shite and I don`t think they will moan about the ref.

 

[Vanni]

Not very nice when a penalty goes against you, is it Tranmere....?

Yep. Off the top of my head Tranny have had two very questionable pennos this season.

I believe you're familiar with this one

Skip to 0.26s

Then there's this one, a game that also saw a Bolton player sent off for what was never a second yellow card.

Skip to 0.30s for the penno and to 1.30 for the very harsh sending off.

 

[Back in the DHSS]

Yep. Off the top of my head Tranny have had two very questionable pennos this season.

I believe you're familiar with this one

Skip to 0.26s

Then there's this one, a game that also saw a Bolton player sent off for what was never a second yellow card.

Skip to 0.30s for the penno and to 1.30 for the very harsh sending off.

Try the goal cams for clearer footage.

 

[Chris FGR]

We no longer have use for goal cams seeing as we don’t score. So if anyone would like to buy some, still in unused/like new condition get in touch.

 

[Robshep]

Try the goal cams for clearer footage.

The Bolton player kicked our player after the ball had gone. PENALTY. The Bolton player pushed our player over. It was a 2nd yellow. RED CARD.
Much easier game when the rules are understood.

 

[Huntsman94]

Huntsman said and I quote - Today at least 6 Tranmere players went to the ref instantly.

Correct. They all surrounded the ref bar the one who committed the foul and that's Lewis.

Hmmm.....I wonder why.

You can see him laughing and shaking his head in disbelief. He got to the ball first. The ref has admitted he has no idea what he saw. It is what it is...

 

[Huntsman94]

Teams get dodgy decisions all the time and there’s nothing we can do about it unfortunately. I completely forgot about that goal which was disallowed in the fixture at Cambridge which was probably a worse decision than the penalty yesterday! If you take 2 points off Cambridge and give us 4 extra then all of a sudden we’re one behind with a game in hand. But Cambridge are top for a reason. Us Tranmere fans may not have found them anything special but I’m sure Cheltenham fans think the same about us given their 7-0 aggregate win this season!

I’m over yesterday’s result now and we can only focus on the 7 games left. Our fixtures are fairly favourable so it’s well within our reach to get an automatic promotion spot. If it’s the playoffs then so be it and if we miss out completely then we go again next season. As far as clubs go, we’re financially stable and doing very well given covid’s impact on football so if we are in this League next season then would expect us to give it a right good go again.

 

[Chris FGR]

Worst ref I've seen a lot of is Derek Milborrow, some of the reds that twat produced were a disgrace. Ruined so many games.

 

[Back in the DHSS]

Not very nice when a penalty goes against you, is it Tranmere....?

When it’s technically not a penalty no!
We’ve had a few soft penalties go our way this season when there hasn’t been a goal scoring chance on when the opposition have fouled our players off the ball or needlessly hand ball it.
Nobody at Tranmere are calling Cambridge cheats, or their soon to be promotion undeserved. Our gripe is with the referee.

 

[shoddycollins]

Sensibly we're unchanged again, though that might not be the case when Kayode returns to contention for right now it's good to see we're going with the same squad that has won two successive games.

 

[Back in the DHSS]

Sensibly we're unchanged again, though that might not be the case when Kayode returns to contention for right now it's good to see we're going with the same squad that has won two successive games.

Fancy you lot will be back in with a shout of the play offs after tonight’s game.

 

[Bottega Don]

Haha Cox isn't even trying to hide it anymore, we are fully set up for a point. Eisa is the only player who can create anything and he's been dropped to the bench.

Thankfully we're playing the worst team in the division, gives us a chance.

 

[Bottega Don]

Only just clocked we don't have Howard playing or two fit CB's again

5-0 Carlisle, Watson in goal christ this is going to be awful.