TRANMERE’S Les Parry will have to do some necessary tinkering with his line-up at Huish Park this weekend, while rival manager Gary Johnson embarks on trying to overhaul Yeovil Town on a tight budget.
Parry’s first job will be to decide on how to fill the gap left by the departure of Jose Baxter.
The teenage front man returned to Everton last weekend at the end of a three-month loan spell that yielded 15 appearances, three goals and a succession of performances that showcased an emerging talent.
Parry says Rovers’ playing pattern is unlikely to undergo a significant change now that Baxter is no longer available to fill the creative attacking role just behind the central striker.
But he is not ready to rubberstamp the widely held expectation that Andy Robinson, who played the “role in the hole” before Baxter’s arrival, will be waved back into the position when Tranmere travel to Yeovil.
Parry said: “The playing pattern won’t change that much but we’ve not made a decision on the personnel. We are looking at things home and away.
“With Jose going back it makes the squad smaller so everyone has more of an opportunity. Jose was starting every game so there is definitely a place up for grabs. Whether it is Andy or someone else who gets it we have not decided yet.”
Tranmere will be facing a Yeovil side under new management. Johnson, the architect of Yeovil’s rise from the Conference to League One, returned to take charge of team affairs this week with deposed manager Terry Skiverton as his number two.
The pair watched Yeovil lose 4-0 at Sheffield United on Tuesday, ensuring they will start the Tranmere game in the division’s relegation places.
Johnson said: “Nobody thought it was going to be easy. I wouldn’t have chosen Sheffield United for my first game back. They are a Championship side in the making.
“I’m not totally depressed because I’ve seen what I thought I would see. It’s given me a great insight into what we need. I’ve seen everything I’ve needed to see. It’s showed me this group has to change for us to be competitive.”
Johnson added: “There are some players who are okay and we can work with but there are some that are not. We have got to work very hard in the next couple of weeks with no days off and all that sort of thing.
“We will have a chat and (find) the ones looking to stay and be part of it and work hard. Some will drift away and we will try to fill it with quality players. We’ve got to duck and dive and do clever business. I can’t go out and spend £500,000 on someone and giving £10,000 a week so we have got to be shrewd in the transfer and loan market.
“I got to talk to all of the lads individually. I’ve got to get them out of trouble. There’s a lot of work has gone into getting Yeovil into League One. I was part of that and so was Terry Skiverton. We mustn’t go out of this league with a whimper or with players who are not quite up for it. We have got to see that quickly and turn it round.”
However Parry solves his selection dilemma, he acknowledges Tranmere must do something about their declining away record as they prepare for long-distance journeys to Yeovil and Bournemouth over the next 10 days.
Rovers managed to halt a poor run of pre-Christmas form with a win over Bury and a draw with Brentford Prenton Park.
But the last four League One away games ended in defeats at Scunthorpe, Exeter City, Stevenage and Sheffield Wednesday.
Parry said: “We have been talking about how we need to improve the away record. We have put in some decent performances on the road but the last time I looked there was no column in the table for level of performance.
“It is all about points and goals scored and conceded. We need to start being a little bit more clinical and a little bit meaner away from home.”
