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"It was always going to be a tough ten days for us, playing against MK Dons, Leeds, Charlton and Bolton. It was important for us to show everyone we can compete but the results didn't go well and the manner in which we lost against Leeds and Bolton wasn't acceptable. The lads know that, and it's our job now to pick them up.
"We've been trying to keep the lads upbeat and now we go into a game on Saturday against Carlisle that we feel we can get something out of. We've got to go in a very positive manner. Carlisle are a good team, organised and strong. We've been preparing well and we've been working hard to try and get something out of the game.
"Experience is the key word with the longer signing of Marlon Broomes. He comes with a voice, and that's what we need. He's someone who will speak up in the dressing room and is not frightened to give an opinion. We've strengthened in an area we needed to. You need voices at the back and Marlon will give us that."Meanwhile pacey Tranmere winger Chris Shuker spoke to the Liverpool Echo about the pass and move style that new boss John Barnes is trying to introduce at Prenton Park :
"We are working on the system and it will get better, it can be superb when it's going well. The player on the ball has lots of options. But we have not done it well long enough to really take charge of a game. We are working on it and I think it will get better. Results wise these are very early days and no one is panicking here. Of course no-one wants to be giving teams a 20-point lead, so we need to get some points on the board as soon as possible."
Rovers, who have one of the smallest squads in the division, only have one injury problem ahead of tomorrow's game, that being a ruptured Achilles tendon for Bas Savage which will see the big striker sidelined for at least the first half of the season. Coming in in place of Savage is 27-year old Grenadian international Kithson Bain who joined Tranmere earlier this week, John Barnes commenting on the signing of Bain :
"Kithson has scored a lot of goals for the Grenada national team. He was top scorer in the Caribbean Cup and played in the final against Jamaica. He was a big reason why Grenada qualified for the Gold Cup which is a very big achievement. He scored goals at an average of one in three games for Grenada, which is good when you consider they are not one of the strongest sides."
The referee for tomorrow's match is Carl Boyeson from Hull, and he will be assisted down the lines by Dave McCallum from Wallsend and Danny Roberts from the Greater Manchester area. Meanwhile the fourth official is Gary Beswick from Newton Aycliffe in County Durham.