Ronnie Moore: Flexibility is vital to season ahead

Aug 21 2007 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

TRANMERE ROVERS go into extra time on the training ground today as manager Ronnie Moore seeks to add to the tactical flexibility of the team.

Rovers have yet to deviate from their staple 4-4-2 system after three games of the new season.

But Moore wants his squad to work on several variations to open up his options, particularly on the road.

Moore explained: “We have not worked on the 4-5-1, 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 systems yet and they are all formations that can be effective for us.

“We have the players for 4-4-2 and for 4-5-1 but there are one or two other things I want to look at. Players don’t always like training in the afternoons: it’s more like a proper job! But we do have a good dedicated bunch here.”

Moore has made no secret of his intention to take a more cautious approach to away games in the new campaign, admitting Rovers had sometimes been too ‘gung-ho’ in playing 4-4-2 on the road last season.

He was ready to deploy a 4-5-1 system at Gillingham, using new signing Antony Kay in a central midfield role.

But the suspension of Gillingham’s defensive strongman Effe Sodje influenced his thinking. Rovers stuck to the 4-4-2 set up and posted a 2-0 success – the first of the season – thanks to goals from Chris Greenacre and Steve Davies.

Moore explained: “It was a horses for courses decision.

“With Sodje missing, Gillingham were going to be a little bit short at the back and we wanted to put them under pressure. It was a decision that worked for us.

“There are going to be times this season when we do play 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 – but it is picking the right game.”

Moore added: “Even during the Gillingham game I was tempted to have a look at 4-5-1 after we went two goals up. But while we were so much on top I was reluctant to change it.

“We took the game to Gillingham and considering we were the away side we had some nice chances. The strikers worked hard and the wingers destroyed them.”

Moore had words of encouragement for Steve Jennings who seized the central midfield slot alongside Paul McLaren with a series of solid and energetic performances at the start of the season.

“Steve Jennings has gone in there and grabbed his chance,” Moore said.

“He is in the side on merit. It’s not as if he is there because of injuries to other people. He is there because when he got his opportunity he took it.

“He is a local lad and the supporters like what he is about: his energy and getting stuck in.”

Moore says Jennings and McLaren complement each other in a different way to last season’s favoured combination of McLaren and John Mullin.

“Jennings gives McLaren the freedom to get on the ball and pass it,” Moore said. “And Paul’s passing ability is top drawer.

“John Mullin gives us some different to Jenno. He gives us an extra dimension going forward. He can get beyond the strikers. But he has had some bad luck the injuries this summer.

“The competition is there because Adnan Ahmed is another player who has energy and can go past people.”