Chorley: Right blend will help beat anyone in league

Sep 29 2007 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

IF Ben Chorley’s theory is correct, then Tranmere can show over the new season that a small adjustment to the blend of players can make a big difference to a football team.

The 24-year-old centre back is one of four summer additions to the Rovers squad that ran out of legs in the promotion race last term.

For the moment, he is one of only two of those new arrivals to claim a regular place in manager Ronnie Moore’s line-up in the early weeks of the League One Campaign.

Rovers’ bright start has thrown up some encouraging signs that the changes, though few in number, are having a positive effect on team performances.

Chorley says: “The gaffer has not spent a lot of money and we have not seen a massive number of changes to the squad. There has been no big upheaval.

“But I think we are blending together on and off the pitch very well. And it has happened pretty quickly.

“It is a good dressing-room. Everyone gets along with each other.”

Chorley says assistant manager Peter Shirtliff devises routines on the training ground specifically designed to familiarise players with each other’s games.

Meanwhile an unbeaten record of two wins and two draws on the road is helping to build camaraderie between players on the long journeys home from away games.

“Shirty makes us do a lot of work on the training ground to make the blend happen,” Chorley said.

“A lot of the players here have been in the game for five or six years, so they know what to expect, game in and game out. There are good characters in there, good professionals who help each other out.”

Moore often makes the additional point that the majority of the squad know each other better after more than a year together at Prenton Park, giving them a clearer understanding of where strengths and weaknesses lie.

Tranmere start this afternoon’s game against Northampton at Prenton Park in second place in the division.

With another home game to follow against Crewe Alexandra next Tuesday, Moore has hopes of topping the division by the time Rovers hit the road to Southend in a week’s time – if not sooner.

Chorley says: “We are six-game unbeaten run at the moment and we want it to continue.

“No disrespect to Northampton and Crewe but no matter who we are playing, we would be looking to take six points from these games.

“We are beginning to believe we can beat any team in this division, home or away.”

Regular pep talks about confidence and self belief from the management team of Moore and Shirtliff are having an effect, Chorley reckons.

He said: “Shirts said a good thing to us at the beginning of the season which was: believe you can do it!

“The manager spoke after the game at Cheltenham about believing we can win this league and I think the boys are starting to believe it.”

Chorley draws encouragement from the results Tranmere picked up from games when they were not at their best – against Cheltenham, Yeovil and Brighton – and from the positive impact of supporters in matches so far.

He said: “I think we are playing some good for all and the fans are pulling with us.

“They were excellent at Cheltenham, singing and shouting right the way through.

“The fans are very close to the pitch at Cheltenham so you hear everything – and our fans were great.”

Chorley and centre-back partner Ian Goodison were tested throughout the afternoon at Whaddon Road by a Cheltenham side who played a pressing, direct style.

He anticipates a another tough examination from Northampton.

He said: “No disrespect to Cheltenham but sometimes their goalkeeper was their most creative player.

“He had such a long kick. We had to deal with his clearances landing on the edge of our 18 yard box.

“Northampton’s centre forward, Poul Hurbertz, is 6ft 5ins tall.

“Northampton were a local derby game when I was playing at MK Dons and they were always a difficult team to play against, and were well-organised.”