Tranmere Rovers manager Nigel Adkins is satisfied with his team’s start to the new season, even though they head into Saturday’s home match against Walsall still searching for their first league victory.
So far, Rovers have drawn both of their league games 0-0, but they advanced to the second round of the Carabao Cup with a convincing 3-0 win over Accrington Stanley, setting up a clash with Premier League side Leicester City next week.
On Tuesday evening, Adkins’ squad suffered a 3-1 defeat to Everton’s Under-21 team in the EFL Trophy, but the manager remained positive about the performance. “I thought we were excellent against Everton,” Adkins remarked.
“The work rate, commitment, and some of the football we played were outstanding. From my perspective, we now head into a big week with Walsall on Saturday, Leicester on Tuesday, and Carlisle next Saturday, and everyone is pulling in the same direction.”
Tranmere is dealing with injury concerns for Luke Norris, Connor Wood, and Brad Walker, but Adkins prefers to focus on the positives. He stated, “This is my 43rd year in professional football, and I can tell you that it’s rare for everyone to be 100% fit. Players are always carrying something, but it’s about instilling the right mindset, grit, and resilience—and we have that in abundance.
“We’ve intentionally kept the squad small—24 players, ideally we’d like 25—because having too many players can prevent you from forming a cohesive team. At times like this, it’s about how the team comes together and sticks together.
Saturday is an opportunity to continue building as a team, and the resilience you develop when you’re up against it can be a positive, and that’s how I’m viewing it.”
Walsall, who currently sit at the top of League Two, have won their opening three games in league and cup without conceding a goal.
Adkins commented, “They finished last season strong and have kept the same group of players together, but we’ve played well this season, and they know they’re in for a tough game. We’ve got the Super White Army behind us—the drum will be banging, and the fans will be supporting us, making for an exciting afternoon.
“I’ve been really pleased so far—football is a game of fine margins, and we could have won both our matches 1-0 or 2-0. I know this team has goals in it. Last week, we hit the inside of the post, and the opposition should have been down to ten men after 12 minutes, which would have changed the game. But we’ve shown determination, resilience, and an understanding of what we’re trying to achieve with three or four different formations during games.”
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