Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers v Brighton and Hove Albion Match Preview
By Matthew Jones
October 1 2010
Total Tranmere brings you our in depth Match Preview ahead of Saturday's NPower League One game against table-topping Brighton and Hove Albion
Copyright Historical Football Kits and reproduced by kind permission.
Brighton, now managed by former Chelsea and Spurs man Gus Poyet, have had a superb start to the season and are without doubt one of League One's surprise packages, having improved beyond all recognition and beyond all predictions to rise to the summit of the table this month.
Les Parry's side therefore have their work cut out this weekend if they want to take anything from this match, but in recent home games, Tranmere have shown that they can compete with the big boys in this division and they will be hopeful of showing that again this weekend.
Brighton and Hove Albion Factfile:
Ground: The Withdean Stadium
Formed: 1901
Nickname: The Seagulls
Manager: Gus Poyet
League Finish 2009/10: 13th
Kit
Colours: Blue and white striped shirt, blue shorts and blue socks (home), black and red striped shirt, black shorts and socks
(away)
Previous Meetings:
When these two sides met last season, they each picked up a home win, with Les Parry's first ever win as Tranmere manager coming against the Seagulls.
That victory came on Saturday 17th October, little more than a week after Les Parry had been handed the caretaker manager role at Prenton Park, with Rovers securing the points thanks to a 2-1 win.
Tranmere took the lead in the game shortly after the half hour mark, with Gareth Edds opening the scoring as he skipped past Kuipers to net after the ball had broken to him following a goalmouth scramble.
Just after the hour mark, Tranmere doubled their lead as John Welsh smashed home from outside the area after turning his man twice.
Brighton got one back with fifteen or so minutes left as Glenn Murray netted from the penalty spot, but the striker was sent off moments later after picking up his second yellow card of the season, effectively putting an end to any chances the visitors had of making a comeback.
It was a different story in March however when the two teams met at the Withdean Stadium, as Tranmere, severely threatened by relegation, were hammered 3-0 by one of their main relegation rivals.
It took just seven minutes for Brighton to take the lead in this game, Murray again the scorer as he beautifully curled Dicker's pass beyond Luke Daniels in the Tranmere net.
With half an hour on the clock, Brighton doubled their lead, Andrew Crofts nipping in at the front post to score from Seb Carole's cross, with former West Ham man putting in a strong performance against his former club.
Tranmere saw Andy Robinson sent off with a straight red card after a poor two footed tackle on 78-minutes, before Brighton scored their third of the afternoon with nine minutes remaining as Ashley Barnes fired past Barnes to cement the points.
Vital Stats:
In eighteen home games against Brighton, Tranmere have picked up ten wins, losing on just five occasions
Tranmere have scored 31 goals in these eighteen games, conceding on 21 occasions
There hasn't been an away win when these two sides have met in any of the last seven meetings
Rovers are unbeaten in seven home games against the Seagulls
Tranmere have won three of their four games against Brighton in the month of October
On This Day:
2007: Chris Shuker scores a second half equaliser for Tranmere as Rovers are held to a 1-1 draw by Crewe at Prenton Park
2004: Ryan Taylor's first half striker is cancelled out by a second half equaliser from Coyne as promotion rivals Tranmere and Luton draw 1-1 at Prenton Park
2002: Despite an equaliser from Graham Allen, Tranmere are smashed 6-1 by Southampton in the League Cup
Tranmere Rovers have played sixteen previous games on October 2nd, picking up four wins, five draws and seven defeats. In these sixteen games, they have scored seventeen goals and conceded 28. However, Tranmere haven't won any of their last three games on this day, a run dating back forty years.
The Form Book:
Brighton and Hove Albion last five away games: WDLLW
Tranmere Rovers first four home games: DWDLLL
Despite rising to the top of League One, Brighton and Hove Albion haven't been in particularly startling scoring form away from home, netting just four times in five away matches this season.
The Seagulls started the season with a 2-1 victory over Swindon Town, net signing Matt Sparrow netting twice, before being knocked out of the League Cup after a 2-0 defeat to Northampton Town.
Brighton then made it two successive defeats on the road after a 1-0 defeat at Hillsbrough against Sheffield Wednesday, before mkaing it three games without scoring on the road after a 0-0 draw with Carlisle United.
However, Gus Poyet's side returned to winning ways on the road in their next away match however when they beat Plymouth Argyle 2-0, Elphick and Barnes netting in the first half to claim the win.
The club come into this match having played four away league matches this season and picked up seven of an available twelve points thanks to two wins, one draw and one defeat.
Notable results at home for the club include wins over Oldham Athletic (2-1), MK Dons (2-0), Brentford (1-0) and Walsall (2-1).
Brighton and Hove Albion come into this match in first place, having picked up 20 of an available 27 points thanks to six wins, two draws and one defeats from nine matches.
After three successive home defeats to start the season, Tranmere's home form has picked up in recent weeks and they will be hoping to continue this form against Brighton on Saturday.
Rovers started the season with a 2-1 defeat against Oldham before losing 3-1 in the League Cup second round, despite a spirited display against Championship side Swansea City.
Les Parry's side then followed this up with a shocking performance and a 3-0 defeat against Bournemouth, but in their next home game they began to turn this form around as they drew 1-1 with Accrington Stanley in the Johnstone's Paints Trophy, eventually losing the match on penalties.
Rovers then picked up their first and only home win of the season so far, beating Peterborough 1-0 thanks to a goal from on loan midfielder Arnaud Mendy, before Enoch Showunmi netted one of this five goals so far this season as Tranmere held Charlton to a 1-1 draw.
The Prenton Park side come into this game having played four home league games so far this season, picking up four of an available twelve points thanks to one win, one draw and two defeats.
Notable results away from home for Les Parry's side include a 1-0 victory over Bristol Rovers and draws with Huddersfield Town (0-0) and Dagenham and Redbridge (2-2).
Tranmere Rovers come into this game in eighteenth place in Npower League One, having picked up nine of an available 27 points from nine games, thanks to two wins, three draws and three defeats.
Double Hit:
Seb Carole spent four dismal months on the Wirral before being released when his contract expired on December 31st, joining Brighton eleven days later after an initial trial with the club.
Carole
started his career in France, where he played for Monaco, before
spending time on loan in England with West Ham United. A further loan
spell in France, this time with Chateauroux followed, before he signed
permanently for an English club for the first time in August 2005,
joining Brighton for an undisclosed fee having made nine appearances for
Monaco, scoring once.
The winger spent one season at the
Withdean, making 42 appearances and scoring two goals before leaving on a
free-transfer for Leeds United after his impressive form had attracted
the attention of the former Champions of England.
Carole stayed
at Leeds for over two seasons, making 52 appearances for the Elland Road
side and scoring three goals, before signing for Darlington for an
undisclosed fee in November 2008.
This though was when his career
began to stall, after such a promising and impressive start in the
English game. He made just seven appearances for the Quakers, before
moving out on-loan, re-joining Brighton, where he made a further twelve
appearances, before being released by Darlington last summer.
After
a few months in the football wilderness, Carole was picked up and
signed by then Tranmere manager John Barnes on a free-transfer.
However, Carole made just five appearances for the club, all of these
under Barnes, who was sacked just a month after Carole had signed for
the club.
For the next two and a half months, Carole was
relegated to the reserves as he was deemed not good enough by Les Parry,
before being released at the end of his contract on December 31st.
After his release, Carole joined Brighton, making nine appearances for the club before the end of the season before being released in the summer. He is yet to find another club.
One To Watch:
A
striker with undoubted talent, Glen Murray is a strong, goalscoring striker who, although yet to really find his form this season, has troubled Tranmere's defence in the past, and they will no doubt by wary of him again this weekend.
The striker started his career at Carlisle United, but he failed to ever make an impression at Brunton Park, scoring just six goals in 58 appearances for the club, and was shipped out on loan to Stockport and Rochdale.
After
scoring three times in eleven games for Stockport, it was at Rochdale
where his performances really caught the eye, as he scored four times in
fourteen appearances for the club, enough to convince Rochdale to sign
the player permanently for an undisclosed fee in January 2007, ending a
three year stint as a professional with Carlisle.
Murray
would only be at Spotland for a season though, as his performances went
from strength to strength, scoring a further 22 goals in 46 appearances
for the club, form so good that Brighton signed him for £300,000 just a
year after he'd signed for Rochdale.
Since signing for Brighton,
Murray has been a key player for the club, already making 105 appearances for the club. His goal
return is hugely impressive too, netting 36 goals so far for the club, fourteen of which came last season.
Murray
is not particularly quick, but he know's where the back of the net is
and is capable of scoring from both inside and outside the penalty area,
whilst he is very strong in the air. Now 26, the striker wears the
number 17 shirt for Brighton and comes into this game having scored
twice so far this season.
Around League One:
There is a full round of twelve fixtures in NPower League One this weekend, with all the games kicking off at 3pm on Saturday afternoon
Brentford vs. Charlton
Carlisle vs. Peterborough
Dagenham and Redbridge vs. Swindon
Exeter vs. Rochdale
Huddersfield vs. Bristol Rovers
MK Dons vs. Colchester
Notts County vs. Sheffield Wednesday
Oldham vs. Leyton Orient
Plymouth vs. Hartlepool
Southampton vs. Charlton
Tranmere vs. Brighton
Walsall vs. Yeovil
Team News:
Adam McGurk and Ian Thomas-Moore are once again injured, having picked up knocks when coming on as subsitutes against Colchester, whilst Sam Morrow is still a couple of weeks away from a return.
Jones' Prediction: Tranmere 1-0 Brighton and Hove Albion
Brighton and Hove Albion are a much improved side under Gus Poyet, but Tranmere's home form in recent weeks has been strong, with results against Charlton and Peterborough proving that Les Parry's side have what it takes to battle against the bigger teams in this division.
I think Tranmere are quite capable of picking up another positive result in this match, as not only will they be full of confidence because of the four points they've picked up in their last two home games, but they will also be hugely positive following Tuesday's 1-0 win at Bristol Rovers.
They key for Tranmere is, again, their defence. In recent weeks, more so on the road than at home, it has to be said, they have crumbled and conceded several goals in the opening half an hour of matches.
If Tranmere's defence can be resolute for the first half of this match, then they will grow in confidence and hopefully be able to keep Brighton out for the entire game and hopefully be able to grab a goal at the other end.
Don't forget that if you can't get to the game, you can follow regular updates of the match on our Twitter page, www.twitter.com/totaltranmere
Digg
Delicious
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
01/10/2010 14:20
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
