IAN MOORE has seen enough of the opposition in League One to be confident that Tranmere can sustain a promotion challenge this season.
With a third of the campaign completed, Rovers travel to Yeovil Town this afternoon standing five points adrift of the top six.
Moore reckons the team could be, perhaps should be, closer to the play-off zone – if only they had converted more of the positive performances of a last three and a half months into results.
No better example can be identified than last Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Southend in which Tranmere produced their best attacking football of the season but had to settle for a point after conceding two bizarre goals to the visitors.
Even so, the versatile 32-year-old sees good reason to be optimistic about Tranmere’s prospects in a tight and unpredictable division.
Moore said: “I think we could be higher in the table when you consider we have probably thrown a few games away this season. You’re always looking back and thinking we could have nicked a few extra points here and there.
“We’ve got some difficult games to come before Christmas. Scunthorpe, the leaders and Leeds United are the next two teams to visit Prenton Park. At the start of October we looked at the sheet, the fixtures we had to play, and set ourselves a target. We were not far off the number of points we were aiming for and now we are doing the same thing.
“The games coming up look tougher on paper but I think we are capable of beating any of the teams we have to face.”
Moore added: “I think we have a real shout at getting into the play-offs this time around. There is little between most of the teams in this division. We have seen most of them play now and I don’t think there is anything to be scared of. Obviously some of them have money. Leeds and Leicester can go out and spend when the January transfer window opens.
“Most of us won’t be able to do that. But all it takes is putting together a run at the right time to be in with a chance and we are certainly capable of doing that with the players we have here now.”
The resources at the disposal of manager Ronnie Moore will be tested this afternoon when Rovers will be without first-team regulars Ryan Shotton, Antony Kay and Steve Jennings through suspension and may well be missing Ian Goodison because of personal commitments in Jamaica. Moore junior is one of four players battling to overcome a flu-type virus that struck the camp this week. Ben Chorley, Gareth Edds and Ed Sonko were also hit by the bug.
The ability of players to adapt is sure to be tested. Ian Moore has already made the most of being flexible this season.
A striker by preference, Moore was often called upon to play the deeper role on the right of midfield by succession of managers at Nottingham Forest, Stockport, Leeds, Burnley and Hartlepool. Now his father is doing the same, using Ian to bring some attacking pace and defensive discipline to a 4-5-1 formation.
Moore made the right-wing slot his own over the past dozen games.
“Playing in midfield is not a problem for me,” he said. “I have played out there quite a lot during my career so it’s not unusual.
“Chris Shuker and I have a thing going where we swap sides during games. If he isn’t seeing as much of the ball as he wants he will change with me and have a go on the other flank.
“Playing the 4-5-1 system we’re not going to beat teams by four or five goals and you’re not going to get one player scoring 20-plus goals over a season,” Ian said. “But we do have a number of players here capable of getting 10 or more goals during a season.”
Even so, Moore junior isn’t happy with his scoring record so far and last Saturday’s well- struck volley was a welcome arrival. He said: “I have been looking to get a few more goals because I am a little bit disappointed with my goals ratio. I should be scoring more, even from midfield.
“I do count the games between the goals. I know I am not playing as a striker but Chris Shuker has been getting a few goals from the wide positions. I am confident they will come for me.”
