Rovers v Colchester

[Boz]

Our opponents had a good win over the Notts cheats last weekend, but their form this season has been patchy. Recent games with them at PP have been fairly tight. Main threats are Bond, who Les tried to recruit from Barrow and Odejayi.

Some interesting selection issues for Les. With Baxter banned, has Robbo shown he is fit enough to last the 90 minutes or do we go with Joss? Given Goodi apparently had a bit of a howler at Glanford Park, will he start with the same central defensive pairing or look to bring McChrystal back? Will Devaney feature at any stage? Presumably Mustafa's two goals puts him ahead of Enoch up front?
My guess is that Les won't make sweeping changes and it will be the team who lost to Scunthorpe, save Andy Robinson to replace Baxter. Our bench may be stronger than of late though.

Prediction. Despite the cheaper C category tickets, I can't see the crowd going over 4.5k. I fear we may lose this one, but hope to be proved wrong.

 

[bigmart]

I fancy a 2 1 win for us for this game

 

[SonkORLY?]

Expect Labadie, Goodison and Muz will start.

 

[Sparky]

I am being typically negative about this one. Defensively we were poor last week and I just hope its a one off.

But we will be tested by the likes of Odejayi and Bond but also Ian Henderson and Wordsworth, both have scored regularly this season, plus they have scouser Steven Gillespie who I always thought we should have signed from Cheltenham.

So bearing that in mind, this will be a real test and they will fancy themselves having scored 4 last week against an in form Notts County with ourselves looking dodgy at the back.

I dont expect Les to make changes at the back as apart from last Sat, we have been solid. Ash and Goodi though will be in for a real test.

Further up, I would replace Baxter with Robbo (assuming he is fit enough). Chicken has to keep his place up top and hopefully Enoch on the bench.

I would be made up with a win on this one - lets hope last Sat was a one off and we can sneak another 1-0 win !

 

[lonerover]

With the new found confidence in the side this year, I can't see us having as bad a defensive display as last weekend. Think the squad knows that with some real hard work we could challenge for a play off spot this year.

Think Robbo will come in for Baxter but with Labadie coming on for the last 20 mins or so. Chicken has to start up front as he'll be buzzing after his goals. Maybe he is the missing link and just needs starts!!

I'm gonna go for a win on Saturday.. 2-0. Chicken and Welsh to score. Crowd 5162.

 

[Boz]

Expect Labadie, Goodison and Muz will start.

Looks like you might be right, given Les' remarks on the o/s about Robbo being a doubt, although this may be a smokescreen. He also says we could play 4-4-2 if Andy's not fit enough with Enoch (presumably alongside Mustafa).

 

[Ian]

Always confident at home even though we don't play to our best. Don't think Robbo is fit enough to be starting so Joss in the middle, Goodison will rightly keep his place at the back, only a mad man would drop him, and Turyaki has to start. It will be a disgrace if he doesn't.

2-0 win

 

[SonkORLY?]

Looks like you might be right, given Les' remarks on the o/s about Robbo being a doubt, although this may be a smokescreen. He also says we could play 4-4-2 if Andy's not fit enough with Enoch (presumably alongside Mustafa).

Think the latter is more likely to be a smokescreen, if anything.

 

[Sparky]

If he plays 4-4-2 I'll eat my hat.

Even if we were playing badly I doubt he would change it and apart from one bad result we won the previous 4 playing that way so no need to make drastic changes.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I am sure he'll play virtually the same team and system. He wants to put the last game behind them as a one-off, so he can't be seen to panic. My money would be on Robbo to start, as he must be near to match fitness. I expect Joss to be on the bench with Devaney. Straight talker though he is, Les's injury updates need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Only if it goes pear-shaped, he might then bring on Joss, Devaney and Enoch and go 4-4-2. I am not convinced Enoch and Mustafa work well together - at least they haven't yet gelled as a strike force.

 

[SonkORLY?]

I am not convinced Enoch and Mustafa work well together - at least they haven't yet gelled as a strike force.

You expect them to have gelled after a couple of 20 minute stints at the end of home games that we aren't winning?

No reason to change our usual formation to accommodate our worst player of the season anyway, imo.

I reckon those of you expecting Robbo to be match-fit/sharp need to consider how long he's been out for, how many minutes of first-team football he's played since returning, and how naturally unfit he is. If he starts he surely won't play the full 90, so would rather start with Labadie and give Andy another half-hour. Les will know best though.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

You expect them to have gelled after a couple of 20 minute stints at the end of home games that we aren't winning?

Exactly, but I'm not convinced their styles are complementary. I hope one day I'm proved wrong.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I am not overly concerned by Colchester as opposition given our own recent performances, but I do worry about the absence of Robbo / Baxter. Our only dodgy spell this season came in the three or four games following Robinson's injury, and I don't think we have ever got to grips with how to create chances at PP when Labadie is in the side, particularly against draw specialists like Colchester who will no doubt play with ten men behind the ball.

I would agree that Les's pre-match comments these days should be treated with scepticism, and there is as much chance of hell freezing over as Rovers lining up in a 4-4-2.

 

[SonkORLY?]

BBTC, fair point i think, not a conventional pairing, although it can be hard to predict how well strikers will link-up with each other and there is only one way to really find out.

I don't think we have ever got to grips with how to create chances at PP when Labadie is in the side, particularly against draw specialists like Colchester who will no doubt play with ten men behind the ball.

Shoot on sight.

In all seriousness you have a point, and I might tend towards playing Robbie in that role rather than Joss. I just have my doubts over whether Robbo will be ready because he's not a bastion of fitness at the best of times.

 

[Ian]

robbo starts