Parry calls on Tranmere to show some inspiration

Sep 3 2010 Liverpool Daily Post

LES PARRY asks Tranmere to draw inspiration from their performances against the top sides of last season when they take on Peterborough United at Prenton Park tomorrow.

Rovers go in search of their first home victory against a Posh side still boasting the firepower that took them to promotion from League One in 2008/09 and still backed by the financial clout to mount another challenge this time.

The side managed by Gary Johnson has already plundered 17 goals in six league and cup games during the first month of the campaign. Meanwhile the wealth of owner Darrah MacAnthony enables Peterborough to hang onto talented attacking players such as George Boyd, Craig Mackail-Smith and Aaron McLean.

Parry said: “Peterborough have been scoring goals for fun. I have looked at our scouting reports on Peterborough’s last two games and the assessment is that their front two players and two wide players make up probably the best forward unit in our division. That is the size of the task we are facing.

“But every home game has got to be an opportunity for us. Last season we did well against the better sides in the division and there is no reason why this season can’t be any different.

“Everyone knows we have not won at home yet but it will come. I don’t want to put any pressure on us by saying this is a must win game because it isn’t. But we are going to go out and try everything we can to try and win it.”

If Tranmere are to post a first League One victory at the fifth attempt, they will have to do it with a young and inexperienced side.

Seven senior professionals – and possibly eight – will be sitting out the action with injuries while Parry falls back on raw recruits and loan signings to fill his line-up. The manager draws encouragement from the performance of a young side in the Johnstones Paints Trophy exit to Accrington in midweek but the wealth of talent in the treatment room has Parry admitting: “Our physio, Steve Wilson, can pick a stronger team than I can.”

The casualties include defenders Marlon Broomes, Ash Taylor and Nick Wood, midfielders Paul McLaren, Alan Mahon, Joss Labadie and John Welsh. Goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen, though fit after injury, is away on international duty with the Faroe Islands, so teenager Joe Collister continues between the posts. Goalkeeping coach Simon Miotto will be unable to provide backup from the bench because of hamstring injury so youth team player Andy Coughlin will be the substitute goalkeeper.

Experienced striker Ian Thomas-More is doubtful with a knee injury that kept him out of the last two games. Thomas-Moore should reclaim the captain’s armband from the injured Welsh if he plays. But Parry said the form of young front players such as Adam McGurk, Sam Morrow, Lucas Akins and Kayladen Brown was so encouraging in midweek that Thomas-Moore cannot be sure of a recall if fit.

Parry said: “The injury to John Welsh would seem to make it an easy decision to put Ian back as captain. I’m not sure Ian is going to be ready to play because of the knee, although it looks like he will. But I’m not sure I’m going to pick him and if I don’t pick him I can’t make him captain.

“We’ve had some talented front players coming to the club. I was talking to some scouts at a Liverpool reserve match this week and a couple mentioned Adam McGurk and another Sam Morrow. The reports back from our reserve game against Morecambe say Dale Jennings is on his way back from injury. That’s going to give me another problem because young Dale is going to be a player as well. Up front we have a little bit of quality.”

Peterborough manager Gary Johnson said: “Tranmere haven’t had a great start, they lost after penalties in the JPT this week, but they are a dangerous team, they have brought in a few young loan players this week to bolster this squad and they will be tough opposition. We don’t know too much about their new players , but we have had them watched and we will know what to expect. It is an important fixture because we want to remain in the top two of the division.

‘It is important to respect the opposition particularly away from home, the home team will always give it a go and put on a performance in front of their own fans.”