Tranmere Rovers 0-0 Crewe Alex 23/24 Review - STALEmate

Watching Crewe games, they are usually so action packed and full of incidents, you don’t know where to start. Well, I don’t know where to start with this one for different reasons. We’ve seen good Alex games involving the Alex. We’ve seen bad games involving the Alex. That was up there as one of the top 5 most boring games involving the Alex. Finding talking points from this one is going to be a struggle. But let’s give it a go:

System

I said it before the game. I said it at half time. And I’ll say it again now. The 4-2-3-1 system does work, because it puts Aaron Rowe in a number 10 position he doesn’t suit. And please don’t say that it worked previously, it hasn’t. They played 4-3-3 at Mansfield and at home to Swindon. When they switched against Barrow, it did work but against Salford and now today, it didn’t. This system needs to be dropped. Please.

Attacking Issues

Barrow aside, the Alex are starting to develop attacking problems. Since the start of December, they have only cracked 1.5 xG in a game twice in 11 games. That was after doing it 8 times in the 19 games before that. Today there didn’t seem to be any patterns of play going forward. Their best moments came from fortunate breaks in the Tranmere half.

They struggled to create and it’s not a new issue. They have the quality and depth there to not be having these problems. I hope Bell and the management can sort it out going forward.

Subs

Not for the first time recently, I’m left baffled by the subs. The triple change on 75 minutes was particularly confusing. Ok, CBR for Nevitt is striker for striker, fine. But Lewis Leigh, a CM, on for Tracey, a winger? Huh? Then Matus Holicek, an attacking CM/winger, on for a RB in Billington? Double huh?

Could anyone work out what the shape was supposed to be in the last 20 minutes? I couldn’t. A 3-5-2 perhaps, with Rowe RWB, a midfield 3 of Leigh, Thomas and Holicek and a back 3 of Turns, Offord and Demetriou, with Long and CBR upfront was the plan I think. But it just looked a jumbled mess.

I know it’s talking out of both sides of my mouth when I say this, but I don’t know why they felt the need to so dramatically change the system. It was the same in a few games. I do think they overthink things at times. Why they refuse to play 4-3-3, I don’t know.

Away Defence

Still, it’s not all bad. The Alex don’t get clean sheets very often. Even less so on the road. They got 5 last season playing very defensive football, so to get their 3rd already this season is decent. The clean sheet today, despite having to switch goalkeeper, is a great effort. They’ve now conceded 2 goals in their last 4 away games, not bad considering the opposition.

A point

Unless it’s against one of the bottom 4-5 teams, a point on the road is never a bad one though. Especially at a ground they’ve not won in for over 2 decades. Yes they weren’t great going forward, but they limited Tranmere to virtually nothing at the other end. It was a strong defensive performance after last weeks shambles.

And it was probably a point gained rather than 2 dropped against a tough, in form opponent who shut them down pretty well. It’s a point in the right direction. Win against Crawley next week and they’ll be fine.

Referee Rating – 4

Carl Brook wasn’t terrible, but his inconsistency in his 50/50 decisions was infuriating. He got worse as the game went, when every single decision seemed to go Tranmere’s way. His decision to book Thomas for a handball when an identical one happened minutes earlier in the Tranmere penalty area was particularly baffling.

Management Rating – 6

The system and starting XI wasn’t right. I also found the subs strange and confusing. But, they got a good shift out of their players and a point at Prenton Park is something Steve Davis, Dave Artell and Alex Morris never got as Crewe managers. I just hope they realise the issues and make the right adjustments next week.

Player Ratings

Tom Booth – 6

Had a tough half physically, where he got battered twice. He bravely carried on until half time before being replaced by Davies. Fingers crossed his withdrawal was a precaution and nothing more serious.

Lewis Billington – 5

I like his confidence, but he needs to be quicker in his decision making. He sometimes dawdles on the ball and gets caught out. He wasn’t as bad as last week, but there is a lot of room for improvement as well.

Ed Turns – 8 MOTM

A couple of shaky moments, but on the whole he was excellent. Looked solid and composed and I thought he was the pick of the players.

Mickey Demetriou – 8

Also good alongside Turns. Won his headers and made some key blocks. Those 2 could form a very good partnership in defence.

Rio Adebisi – 6

Another quiet game from Rio where he didn’t really do much at either end. I want him to be more of a factor, which I know sounds strange when you say it about your LB. But he’s capable of making a difference in games like this and he wasn’t able to.

Luke Offord – 6

A solid game in midfield, but quieter than usual. If you want him in midfield, as you should, then you need to either complement him and Thomas with another CM who is more attack minded, or you drop Thomas and play someone else.

Conor Thomas – 6

Speaking of Thomas, he wasn’t bad. He tried to get forward a bit, but he doesn’t suit the number 8 box to box role they seem to have him playing now. As I said above, either start a 3rd CM alongside him and Offord, or drop him and play a better player like Austerfield or Leigh. He’s now one yellow away from a 2 game suspension.

Shilow Tracey – 5

Huffed and puffed, but in a tight physical game, he’d be far more suited to coming off the bench and running at the tiring Tranmere backline. Not the game he should have started.

Aaron Rowe – 4

Why? Just why? Stop playing him as a number 10. Please. Either on the wing or not at all, I’m tired of saying it every single week.

Chris Long – 6

A more noticeable display where he worked hard, but he wasted one of the Alex’s best chances early in the 2nd half when he hit straight at McGee. He also blazed one over from a good position slightly later in the game. He got to the byline more often though, which is what I want to see.

Elliott Nevitt – 5

He would have been desperate to get one over on the club that dumped him, but it wasn’t his day as he fed on scraps. Got one half chance in the first half which was blocked, the rest of the time was spent battling vainly upfront.

Subs

Harvey Davies – 6

Did about as well as you could expect given his emergency introduction for Booth at HT. Made some nice claims and the defence worked hard in front of him to keep his work to a minimum.

Lewis Leigh – 5

Curious to see him and not Austerfield come off the bench in this game. Had a few nice touches, but there isn’t much I remember him doing good or bad.

Matus Holicek – 5

Was lively without making much happen. I’d like to see him play more, as 15 minutes isn’t enough time to get up to speed with games in my opinion.

Courtney Baker-Richardson – 5

Was really unlucky not to get the loose back pass ahead of McGee and then not have it fall nicely for him. Also had a shot blocked, but for some reason the ref decided to give every 50/50 against him and booked him for rightly complaining.

Overall Verdict

It’s a point gained. A hard earned one at a tough ground and with a valuable clean sheet as well. However, it does put a slight bit of pressure on the Crawley game next week. 2 without a win isn’t anything to panic about, but after them there is Stockport, Harrogate and Notts County, 3 promotion chasers. Still, if they can replicate this performance against the Red Devils and get the 3 points, we’ll feel more than satisfied heading into the latter part of the month.