|
Rovers' two previously schedualled games for 2009 against Colchester and Peterborough have both been postponed due to frozen pitches, meaning Saturday will be the latest Tranmere have ever played their first game of the New Year.
Despite having those two games postponed though, Tranmere remain in eighth place in League One and they will be looking to pick up three important points at the New Den on Saturday against a high flying Millwall side.
Millwall team profile:
Formed: 1885
Ground: The New Den
Manager: Kenny Jackett
Nickname: The Lions
Season Finish 2005/06: 17th (Coca-Cola League One)
Previous Meetings:
When Tranmere and Millwall faced each other at Prenton Park earlier in the season, Rovers knew they would be in for a tough match against a strong Millwall side, but they didn't know just how well the Lions were going to play on the day.
The Lions came to Prenton Park and put in a superb display, and although Tranmere were very poor, it would have taken an excellent performance to beat Millwall.
After 13 minutes of the match, Millwall were already 2-0 up, with striker Tresor Kandol netting both goals as Tranmere wilted in the late October sunshine.
The on-loan front man netted his first goal from a Grabban cross on eight minutes before doubling the score five minutes later as he guided an Alexander flick on into the back of the net with his left foot.
Rovers tried to get back in the game but were simply no match for Millwall on the day, with Bas Savage coming closest against his former club for Rovers in the first half.
With an hour gone, Millwall made it 3-0 and killed off any chances of a Tranmere come back as Kandol beat the offside trap before passing to Abdou who slotted into the empty net, with Kandol's pass having taken 'keeper Coyne out of the game.
Tranmere got one goal back in the 90th minutes, but Bas Savage's header from Shuker's free-kick was nothing more than a concelation strike as Ronnie Moore's side suffered their third home league defeat of the season.
Vital Stats:
In eleven away trips to Millwall, Tranmere have picked up two wins and four draws
Rovers have lost just one of their last nine games against the Lions
Four of the last nine meetings between the two sides have been draws
Tranmere and Millwall have met just once previous in January, with a last minute Tony Kay header securing Rovers a 1-0 win over the Lions at the New Den almost a year a go to the day
Rovers have scored in all of their last eleven league matches against Millwall
On This Day:
2004: Tranmere, managed by Brian Little, draw 0-0 at home to Hartlepool United in League One
1998: Rovers draw 0-0 at Loftus Road against Queens Park Rangers in Division One
1992: John King's Tranmere draw 1-1 against Brighton and Hove Albion at Prenton Park in Division Two
Tranmere Rovers have played thirteen games on Janaury 17th, picking up two wins, five defeats and six draws, whilst they have not won any of their last seven games on this day, a run dating back to 1972. They have scored fourteen goals and conceded eleven on this day, mainly thanks to an 8-0 win over Accrington Stanley in 1931.
The Form Book:
Millwall last six home games: DDDWWW
Tranmere last six away games: DLLDLD
High flying Millwall have had an excellent first half to the season and they will be looking to continue that form over the next few months as they look to secure promotion back to the Coca-Cola Championship.
The Lions though actually come into this game having drawn all three of their last home games and won just one of their last five games in all competitions, meaning they may therefore be low on confidence ahead of this fixture.
Kenny Jackett's side started their six match sequence with a 1-0 win over Carlisle United, Tresor Kandol scoring a 90th minute winner for the home side, before they beat Aldershot 3-0 in the F.A. Cup second round, former Manchester City player Ashley Grimes netting along with two goals from Gary Alexander.
In their next home game, Millwall edged past Bristol Rovers, beating the Pirates 3-2 at the New Den, before drawing 0-0 at home to Crewe in the league.
A 1-1 draw with Yeovil Town followed before Millwall drew with Crewe for the second time in two weeks as they two sides drew 2-2 in the F.A. Cup third round.
Other notable results at the New Den for Millwall this season include wins over Leeds United (3-1), Stockport County (1-0) and Huddersfield Town (2-1).
The Lions have a formidable home record this season, having played twelve match and picked up 27 of an available 36 points, thanks to eight wins, three draws and just one defeat.
Impressive results away from the New Den for Millwall include wins over Tranmere (3-1), Leicester City (1-0) and Walsall (2-1).
Millwall come into this game in fifth place in the League One table, having picked up 44 of an available 69 points in their opening 23 games. They have achieved this thanks to thirteen wins, five draws and five defeats.
Tranmere's away form of late has been nothing short of disasterous, with Rovers coming into this game without a win in their last eight games on their travels.
Their six match sequence started with a dull 0-0 draw away at Accrington Stanley in the F.A. Cup first round, before Ronnie Moore's side then lost 1-0 with a illness, suspension and injury hit squad at struggling Yeovil Town.
Another 0-0 draw followed, this time at Peterborough but again in the F.A. Cup a week later and their away form didn't pick up on their next outing either, a 2-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers.
In their Johnstone's Paints Trophy northern section semi final Tranmere then lost 2-1 at Scunthorpe United, with John Johnstone scoring a last minute own goal to put Tranmere out of the cup, a game they certainly didn't deserve to lose, before in their most recent outing, Tranmere twice lead against Hereford through Eddie Sonko goals, but were twice pegged back as they drew 2-2 at Edgar Street.
Other notable results away from home for Tranmere this season include wins at Carlisle United (2-1), Huddersfield Town (2-1) and Leyton Orient (1-0).
Tranmere have so far played eleven away league games this season, picking up twelve of an available 33 points thanks to three wins, three draws and five defeats.
Impressive home results for Tranmere include wins over Leeds United (2-1), Northampton Town (4-1) and Walsall (1-0).
Ronnie Moore's side come into this game in eighth place in the League One table, having picked up 37 of an available 69 points from 23 games, thanks to eleven wins, four draws and eight defeats.
Double Hit:
Current Tranmere striker Bas Savage spent part of last season at the New Den, where he less than impressed the Millwall faithful before moving north to join Ronnie Moore's side.
Made famous for his moon-walking antics upon goalscoring, Savage started his career with Reading, where he made eighteen appearances and as well as failing to score, he failed to impress.
In 2005, after three years at Reading, in which time he also went out on loan to Wycombe and Bury, Big Bas joined Bristol City on a one-year contract, but just one goal in 23 games meant he was on the move again in September 2006, joining Gillingham on a free transfer.
Fifteen games at Gillingham provided just one goal and it was not until he moved to Brighton and Hove Albion in January 2007 that Savage really began to enjoy his football.
He scored ten times for the southern coast side in fourty-two games and became a firm fan favourite at the Withdean Stadium, not only because of his goal celebration, but because of his general love for the game, excellent hold up play and silky skills.
In February 2008, Savage joined Millwall on a free transfer but despite scoring twice in eleven games for the Lions, he was never a hit at the New Den liike he had been at Brighton, and in the summer he was released.
After a successful trial at Prenton Park, Savage signed for Tranmere in July 2008 and he has so far played thirty games but scored just five goals, a goals per game ratio that he must increase.
One To Watch: Tresor Kandol
On-loan from Leeds United, striker Tresor Kandol is Millwall's leading scorer this season with eight goals, although he hasn't netted for over a month.
Starting his career with Luton in the late 90s, Kandol never really settled or held down a regular first team place and after three years at the club he left to join Cambridge, before moving on to Bournemouth within just two months.
Unsuccessful periods at both clubs led to Kandol becoming a non-League journey man, as he had spells at Thurrock and Chesham, followed by a spell at Dagenham and Redbridge during the 2005/06 season, which also saw him shifted out on loan at Darlington.
It was in January 2006 when Kandol's form really kicked off though as he joined Barnet on a free transfer. He would stay with the Bees for a year and was a crucial player for the side, netting seventeen goals for the club in 34 games.
This hot form alerted Leeds United, who signed the player permanently, after an initial loan spell, for an £200,000 in January 2007.
He has however struggled to maintain a regular first team slot at Leeds too, and despite playing 66 games for the Elland Road club, he has only scored twelve goals.
In August 2008 Kandol joined Millwall on loan for the entire season and he has become a key player for the club, so far scoring eight goals in 21 appearances.
Quick and powerful, Kandol, who has won one cap for his country the Democratic Republic of Congo, has an eye for goal, as displayed at Prenton Park earlier this season, and will be a key player for the Lions this weekend.
Around League One:
League One get's back into full swing this weekend, following two weekends of dissruption due to the weather and the F.A. Cup and, as ever, there are several interesting fixtures.
On Friday night Hartlepool host Northampton Town in a mid-table battle before the action begins on Saturday, starting with an exciting game between Brighton and Leeds, where both teams will be looking to kick start their season after poor runs of form.
First placed Leicester City are away to struggling Yeovil on Monday night, meaning MK Dons have a chance to pull back some ground on the leaders, who are four points clear of the second placed Dons, who take on Carlisle United at Brunton Park.
Third placed Oldham are away to relegation threatened Hereford whilst fourth placed Scunthorpe are away at Crewe, both games that the promotion chasing clubs would be expecting to win.
The final play-off place is occupied by Peterborough United and they host Walsall, whilst Stockport, seventh, host Southend.
Team News:
Tranmere Rovers will once again be without striking pair Chris Greenacre and Craig Curran, with Greenacre expected to miss the next two months with a foot injury, whilst a date for long term absentee Craig Curran is yet to be set. Defender Danny Holmes has however returned from injury for the reserves in midweek. Ryan Shotton also goes straight back into the side after re-signing on loan until the end of the season on Friday.
Jones' Prediction: Millwall 1-1 Tranmere Rovers
This will be a very, very tough game for Tranmere against a very strong Millwall side who have suprised many with their consistently good form so far this season.
Rovers' away form has been poor and this is perhaps not the place you would expect that to turn around, but if Rovers are to mount a play-off push in the second half of the season then they must be looking to pick up at least a point at the New Den on Saturday.
Tranmere will need to be at their best defensively, with the likes of Tresor Kandol, Neil Harris and Gary Alexander all big threats to the Rovers defence.
The midfield battle will also be crucial where Antony Kay and Steven Jennings will need to be at the top of their games, whilst it will be interesting to see whether manager Ronnie Moore selects a 4-4-2 or a 4-5-1 formation for the match.
Should he go 4-4-2, Ian Moore should partner Savage upfront, with Sonko and Shuker on the wings, whilst a 4-5-1 formation would mean Moore starting on one wing, with either Shuker or Sonko on the other, and most likely Charlie Barnett coming in to central midfield.