MANAGER Ronnie Moore looks urgently for solutions this week to the two problems threatening to frustrate Tranmere’s promotion chasing ambitions.

Issue one is an away record that is a mirror image of Rovers’ impressive form at Prenton Park. They have taken just two points from the last 21 at stake on the road in League One.

Issue two is the team’s tendency to lose their way defensively in the games when Ian Goodison goes missing.

The latest example saw Tranmere turn a 1-0 advantage over Crewe into a 2-1 defeat in the 20 minutes after Goodison suffered an ankle injury at Gresty Road last Saturday.

The Jamaican international is expected to be absent for a minimum of three to four weeks.

Moore said: “These things have got to be sorted. It can’t go on. We’ve not won away since October 18 and this Goodison situation is more annoying than anything. I think we’ve only won one game this season when he was missing.”

Tranmere won’t know the full extent of damage to Goodison’s ankle until the swelling has had time to settle down.

Moore said: “The ankle is still swollen but it looks like Ian is going to be out for three to four weeks. So we have got to get the defence working better. We’ve not coped well without him in the past.

“All the defenders here are good players, yet we’ve often struggled without Goodison’s presence; his leadership.

“What often happens is when Goodison is there he keeps the defensive line up. When Goodison is not there we drop deeper as a back four. Last Saturday it looked like Crewe would not have scored all day, until Goodison went off. Then we invited them on to us. That was our mistake. We have to learn from that and put it right.”

Moore plans to move Antony Kay from his midfield station back to the heart of the defence. He wants his skipper and experienced centre-back partner Ben Chorley to show leadership qualities.

And he will be asking all of his players to be more vocal on the pitch and less sensitive about hurting each other’s feelings.

Moore said: “Ian Goodison has a go at people but most of them are a bit too nice. They don’t want to hurt each other’s feelings.

“They are afraid of falling out with each other at work, but it happens. You shake hands afterwards and carry on. If you are frightened of falling out with others you should not be in football.

“The manager moans at you, the coaches moan at you and the other players should be moaning at you. It’s all in a good cause. Everyone at the club wants us to be successful.”

Moore admits it is difficult coaching leadership skills into players to whom shouting the odds does not come naturally.

He said: “What we are asking them to do is talk of bit more on the field than they are at the moment. Take Ben Chorley. He is a typical Cockney and can talk all day in the dressing-room. But can he talk on the pitch? Can he shout? Can he moan and get the others on their toes?

“Antony Kay is not short of a few words either. We just want them to do it in the right areas – on the pitch.”

Tranmere’s other casualties, Craig Curran (back) Chris Greenacre (ankle) and Terry Gornell (ankle) are some way off recovering their fitness, Moore said.

Kay’s return to defensive duties means Graeth Edds should have a chance to reclaim the midfield place he lost to the skipper at Crewe.

Rovers are due to take on Cheltenham at Whaddon Road in a League One encounter tonight. However heavy snowfalls in the south and Midlands have put the match in serious doubt.