Building from back is key to Tranmere’s renaissance

Nov 15 2008 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

A GLANCE at the League One results of the last month or so show why Tranmere are no longer the team to follow for neutrals wanting to see plenty of goals – at either end of the field.

The team that was leaking an average of two strikes per game over the first two months of the campaign has stemmed the flow a to a tiny trickle.

The statistics – one goal conceded in the last five league outings and none in three cup games covering the same period show how the defence has tightened. Meanwhile goals are also becoming a little harder to come by the other end, with only three scored in the league and two in the cup during the same spell.

It may not be a thrilling sequence but, says skipper Antony Kay, it is the kind of form that wins teams promotion.

Kay says: “The more clean sheets you get, the more of those 1-0 wins, the more likely it is you are going to push for promotion.

“Even when you are not playing that well, keeping a clean sheet gives you the chance to nick results with a single goal.

“Yes we could do with scoring a few more goals ourselves. But we’ve established a solid base now and I think we are heading in the right direction.”

Either Tranmere or this afternoon’s visitors Southend United could break into the top six if results run in their favour today. And while the Prenton Park supporters would welcome some goals in the Shrimpers’ net, most recognise that manager Ronnie Moore had to make a priority out of cleaning up the defensive problems exposed by a 3-1 home defeat to Millwall five weeks ago.

“We were letting in too many goals in during the early part of the season,” Kay admitted.

“The gaffer was complaining that on average we needed to score three goals to win a game. Soon after that the gaffer changed the formation back to 4-5-1 and it got us a bit more stable at the back, with the defensive midfield- ers shutting everything off.”

Rovers, it must be said, are making a more effective job of operating the defensive aspects of the system than when they tried it in the first few weeks of the season. Then some players struggled to make the adjustment from the familiar 4-4-2 set up.

Kay said: “There’s been a lot of work gone in on the training ground to get the system right. If everyone works as a unit and does the job is very hard for the opposition to score against you.

“The gaffer and (assistant) Peter Shirtliff are quite specific in what they are doing. They want everything down to a fine detail, which is a good thing. I think we are showing the benefits of that now. We are solid. And when you get a run of clean sheets it builds up a bit of momentum and breeds confidence.”

Kay added: “I think in the first half of some games using the 4-5-1 system we have been a big defensive. But in the second half of those games we tried to push and open teams up.”

The 26-year-old from Barnsley is rotating easily between the centre-back position and a deep-lying midfield role this season.

With Ian Goodison fighting off a hamstring injury, it seems most likely Kay will be back in the midfield anchor role today. Moore admitted on Thursday night that Rovers have missed Kay’s “knowhow and power” in the central midfield over the last four games.

Kay said: “The gaffer knows I can switch from one role to the other and it’s not a problem for me. I still think my number one position is centre-half but I’m happy to play in midfield. As captain you have to do that and take responsibility.”

Rovers did a League One double over Southend last season, winning 2-1 on the south east coast in October and while Kay scored the winner in a 1-0 success the Prenton Park at the end of April.

But it is the game at Roots Hall that strikes a chord with Kay He said: “We tried the 4-5-1 formation for the first time that day. I was pushed up into the midfield and it worked well. Ben Chorley scored one of our goals from a corner.

“We are starting a run of games against teams in and around us in the division and if you want to stay in the race you have to be consistent in taking points of those teams.”