Accrington v Rovers JPT

[Boz]

Let's hope that it's not as bad as it seemed and the lad makes a full recovery.

Feel for the Accrington goalie and Lucas too as they were involved in the incident where the injury sustained.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

It seems he collided with Lucas and his goalie. It's a head injury. No-one at fault. He's only 18.

 

[Ian]

Scans have come back and it looks OK. Now fully conscious, but is going to have one hell of a sore head.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

It was a very disturbing incident tonight. After the collision the lad was unconscious and did not move for about thirty minutes and was administered with oxygen and a drip on the pitch, presumably as it was considered too dangerous to try and carry him anywhere.

An ambulance finally arrived after about 35 minutes, which I found incredible given the seriousness of the incident (as a number of other fans commented around me, I thought clubs were obliged to have an ambulance stationed outside the ground ?).

I think he was beginning to make a recovery in the ambulance, and hopefully no lasting damage was done.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

BSome defensive responsibility will be naturally relinquished but for RLC to suggest that he'd be fine as a trequartista but "irresponsible" at the attacking point of a 3 man midfield seems odd when in practice there probably isn't that much difference between the two. I don't see why him playing in a midfield 3 is such a problem for people.

It is not that I see him as 'irresponsible' playing that role, or even that he is not very good in that role, just that in games where we are playing generally poorly and the opposition dominate possession, he is not as effective at digging in as Robinson.

I think Baxter is a good player and has been excellent in two of the games I have seen him in (Preston and Accrington), which significantly were both matches in which we were playing with confidence as a team and had the lion's share of the possession. On one of our off days, I think Baxter will not influence proceedings as much as Robinson does, that is all.

I think there is also a subtle difference between the way Jose plays and how Robbo plays. Baxter, I think, is more comfortable slightly higher up the pitch, on the striker's shoulder, and has more of a predatory instinct and is probably a better finisher than Robinson. Robinson roams a bit more, has a more consistent influence on the game, and is probably more creative.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Interesting. In games where we aren't dominating possession, I guess your idea is that we're 1.) more likely to play very direct and so 2.) playing Baxter in a more advanced role would ensure that Enoch is less isolated when we inevitably lump the ball forward to him. I think the undying idealist in me disagrees with that argument with a view to the fact that, with 3 in midfield, we should be controlling the tempo of most games well enough to transition from defence to attack properly - and we have shown ourselves to be capable of this even when playing away at good sides this year. The great contradiction is that we seem unable to replicate this when playing at home versus less capable sides, when in theory it should be easier. I think we play very impatiently at home and I'm not sure why. Considering this, would the 4-4-1-1 be of relative benefit more in tough away games or 'easy' home games? Your logic would argue the former, yet evidence would seem to support the latter.

Last paragraph is a pretty good/concise summary, although I don't think you'll see him off the striker's shoulder too often.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I am actually as much of an idealist as you are: I think we should try and pass the ball in every game.

My point was that Baxter thrives when we are passing the ball well, but struggles when we are on the back foot and our play becomes scrappier. In those situations Robinson's workrate can be useful, whereas I think the game passes Jose by a bit.

I would never advocate hitting aimless balls to Enoch, and as you point out, away from home we haven't done this all season. In fact, our football in every away match I have seen has been excellent, whereas at PP recently we have worryingly dipped towards last season's low standards. Whether this is down to the formation, or the negative impact of some of our less supportive fans, I don't know.

 

[SonkORLY?]

I am actually as much of an idealist as you are: I think we should try and pass the ball in every game.

My point was that Baxter thrives when we are passing the ball well, but struggles when we are on the back foot and our play becomes scrappier. In those situations Robinson's workrate can be useful, whereas I think the game passes Jose by a bit.

I would never advocate hitting aimless balls to Enoch, and as you point out, away from home we haven't done this all season. In fact, our football in every away match I have seen has been excellent, whereas at PP recently we have worryingly dipped towards last season's low standards. Whether this is down to the formation, or the negative impact of some of our less supportive fans, I don't know.

It's not about comparing Robbo to Jose though. I'd rather have Robbo obviously. But whether we'd be better served adjusting our system to accommodate Jose in his absence (or, indeed, in general) is an interesting one.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Well, tomorrow night is Accrington episode two. Les has said he will field a similar team to last week. The same team is available, but he also has John Welsh back from suspension. It would seem sensible to keep the team as it was and consider Welsh for Saturday's game.

If both teams play as they did last week, we should win comfortably. But even if we manage a repeat, I would expect Stanley to alter team and/or tactics. John Coleman is no fool.

I'm still hopeful ofgetting through, but I think it will be dangerously close.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I would agree that John Coleman will come in with a game plan after the way we tore them apart in the first fixture. I can't remember the formation they played in the first game, but I think they might pack the midfield to limit the influence of Baxter and Labadie who were excellent last time around. It is difficult to see the game being as one-sided as last week, but if our performance gets close to those of the last three or four games, I think we will still have too much for them.

I would imagine our starting eleven will be exactly the same as last week, with Tiryaki, Kay etc. getting a run out. A pity that the draw for the next round wasn't particularly kind to us should we get through.

 

[Boz]

I would have looked at bringing in Max Power for Robbie Weir, but as Max and Danny Holmes played in the reserves side which lost today at Wrexham, that won't happen. McGurk's absence last week was a fitness issue, given he apparently played well at Charlton, Buchanan may be rested with Zoum starting at left back. Although Welsh is available, it would be desirable if he is not automatically returned to the starting line-up.

See Accrington have gone back on their offer of giving us a goal start. While I agree with others on here who said we shouldn't have taken it, a puzzle why John Coleman raised it at the outset.

My gut instinct is we will play nowhere near as well second time round and lose. Come on Rovers, prove me wrong=D>

 

[Ian]

No - I still think we'll win this one by a few goals. Chicken to bag a few.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

No - I still think we'll win this one by a few goals. Chicken to bag a few.

Hope you are right, Ian. It's a long time since we managed that. But Accrington had a good result at Plymouth on Saturday, coming back from 2-0 down to 2-2 with only 10 men. They will certainly be up for it.

 

[Ian]

Andy Doyle on Ash Taylor: He's got to remember he's not Franz Beckenbauer. lol

 

[bigmart]

ash goal 1 up

 

[Ian]

OK, maybe he is. :lol:

 

[bigmart]

joss booked again now banned for saturday i think

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I'm getting worried. We need another one to settle everyone's nerves.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I'm getting worried. We need another one to settle everyone's nerves.

That's a relief. Another clean sheet, but it sounded a much closer game. The only negative is three bookings including Joss.

 

[Ian]

Not as comfortable as the other game but at least we are through with a clean sheet. Why do I pay for Tranmere World? Advertising today's highlights only to be given highlights from last week. Nonsense.

Anyway, well done Rovers.

And top goal scorer is? ... lol