John Barnes demanding more consistency from his Tranmere players

Aug 17 2009 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

TRANMERE may be winning games and scoring goals at Prenton Park, but their performances lack the consistency to completely satisfy manager John Barnes.

“We are playing well in patches but I keep saying we have to show belief in what we are doing,” Barnes said after the 4-2 home win over Gillingham.

“Although we scored four goals, the performance over 90 minutes was not as consistent as I would like.

“It was a little bit of a reversal of Tuesday night. I was disappointed that from going 1-0 up we allowed a good, well organised Gillingham side to take control of the game.

“We were knocking too many balls forward into the channels for strikers Ian Thomas-Moore and Craig Curran, which they were not going to get on the end of. If we play that way full-backs are not going to get forward. It’s when they get our full-backs forward that we are most dangerous.

“You can’t always say you are going to score four goals but we want to play in a fashion that will create chances.”

Michael Ricketts, the well-travelled former England striker who signed a one-year contract with Rovers on Friday, was not involved in the action against Gillingham.

Barnes explained that the 30-year-old is short of fitness after missing out on pre-season training as he searched for a new club this summer.

“We’ve got to get Michael Ricketts fit,” Barnes said. “He played a bit at Brighton and had a few days work at Stockport but he is not fit.

“We are going to work him while he is playing in the reserves and training every day.”

Ricketts played more than 30 games for Walsall last season but his career has been in comparative decline since he scored 46 goals in 68 appearances for Bolton, many in the Premier League, between 2000 and 2003.

Barnes said: “I have spoken to Michael and I believe him when he says he really wants to get fit and do well for us. He’s had his problems at certain clubs over recent years. When people say it’s been hard to motivate him, I believe self-motivation is the biggest thing with him.

“He recognises he should be playing at a higher level. What happened in the last three or four years is really down to him. Now he’s 30 this may be his last chance to do something. When I look at the strength, ability and pace he has, then the attitude is the most important thing. That really has to come from him.”

Grenada international Kithson Bain, is due to join Rovers once the formalities have been being finalised.