Moore changes Rovers tactics

Jul 16 2008 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

RONNIE Moore intends to change the tactical shape of Tranmere’s football in the forthcoming season.

Saturday’s sold-out friendly against Liverpool provided a first opportunity to test out the 4-3-3 system he plans to adopt in the League One campaign. It was, he acknowledged, a baptism of fire for his players.

Moore said: “The 4-3-3 set-up is new to us and we will never come up against anything like Liverpool in League One.

“The game showed the quality of the movement Liverpool have. I don’t think it would have done our lads any harm to come up against that. It was fantastic.

“If we had played 4-4-2 against Liverpool we would not have got a kick. At least playing 4-3-3 we got half a kick.

“It is system we’ll be working on and we will see how the pre-season goes.”

Moore revealed that he may be prepared to put aside the 4-4-2 formation that has been a staple of his first two years in charge because of the shortage of natural left-footed players to operate in left-sided roles at Prenton Park.

He added: “Because of a lack of left-wingers, I think you will find a lot of teams at this level are going to be moving to 4-3-3.

“We will need legs in there to make it work and our fitness levels will have to be better than they were against Liverpool.

“But we are in July and we don’t kick off in the league until August 9. That’s when we hope one or two who are lacking fitness now will be sharp.”

Moore expects last week’s three new signings, George O’Callaghan, Edrissa Sonko and Bas Savage, to catch up on the fitness levels of the players who are two weeks into Tranmere’s tough pre-season programme.

Experienced right-back John Curtis, who has been training with Tranmere throughout the past fortnight on a trial basis, was the sharpest of the new faces.

Moore was positive about the prospect of the 30-year-old former Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and QPR player becoming part of his plans.

He said: “John has good experience, having played at Championship level with Forest. He was at QPR and Preston last year. I thought he did well. He is confident on the ball. There is plenty to work with.”

No-one was more energetic on the Tranmere side than Steve Jennings. The 23-year-old midfielder is currently on a week to week contract of Prenton Park, keeping his options open.

Moore said: “We are keen to keep Steve and we have told him that. We have done everything we can and it’s basically down to him.”

Tranmere’s pre-season schedule reverts to more familiar pattern this week with the traditional summer fixture with West Cheshire League amateurs Heswall on Wednesday evening (kick-off 7pm).