League Two Rovers v Ammies

[Sparky]

The games keep coming thick and fast and to avoid 3 defeats in a row, we’ll need to get something from the visit of 5th place Salford to PP on Saturday.

Unsurprisingly given their backing they are having a decent season and unlike ourselves, have goalscorers in decent form. Target man Matt Smith has started scoring alongside ex Oldham man Connor McAleny who we were once linked with. Ex rover Ryan Watson has been chipping in and plays every minute for the visitors who are clearly getting the best out of him (as did Northampton once). Relatively speaking, they splashed some cash in January signing Callum Morton and Louie Barry on loan from Villa. At this level they do have some good solid players. You wonder whether Turnbull wishes he had signed that contract they offered him.

Perhaps unfortunately for us they sit top of the form table in the last 6 games with 4 wins, 1 draw and a defeat. Sadly we’re at the other end – 22nd to be precise, with 1 win, 2 draws and 3 defeats.

The visitors will come full of confidence and will be looking to take 3 points. I was at the reverse fixture back in September when a Josh Hawkes goal saw us win 1-0. Seems a long time ago.

As for Micky he can’t complain he doesn’t have options. I don’t agree but I expect Hawkes despite his goals to be dropped for Chalmers. Hendry will keep his place and whether Walker does after Tuesday remains to be seen. Personally I’d prefer O’Connor in there. Morris will start as ever and despite firing blanks I’d be amazed if Hemmings doesn’t start alongside Saunders. Despite some recent calamitous defending it’ll likely be the same back four.

Prediction: we beat Orient in our last PP game so would another home win be a surprise? Perhaps not given that result, but you do wonder what the camp is like after the last two results. I’ll therefore sit on the fence and predict a draw.

 

[bigmart]

Hopefully it will be a repeat of the Orient result, 1 0 will do.

 

[Ian]

We really need to win this if we still have any hope of playoffs so let's go with a positive 2-0 victory with a Saunders screamer from the edge of the box (and no, i have not started drinking yet!).

 

[dollar'sbloke]

The games keep coming thick and fast and to avoid 3 defeats in a row, we’ll need to get something from the visit of 5th place Salford to PP on Saturday.

Unsurprisingly given their backing they are having a decent season and unlike ourselves, have goalscorers in decent form. Target man Matt Smith has started scoring alongside ex Oldham man Connor McAleny who we were once linked with. Ex rover Ryan Watson has been chipping in and plays every minute for the visitors who are clearly getting the best out of him (as did Northampton once). Relatively speaking, they splashed some cash in January signing Callum Morton and Louie Barry on loan from Villa. At this level they do have some good solid players. You wonder whether Turnbull wishes he had signed that contract they offered him.

Perhaps unfortunately for us they sit top of the form table in the last 6 games with 4 wins, 1 draw and a defeat. Sadly we’re at the other end – 22nd to be precise, with 1 win, 2 draws and 3 defeats.

The visitors will come full of confidence and will be looking to take 3 points. I was at the reverse fixture back in September when a Josh Hawkes goal saw us win 1-0. Seems a long time ago.

As for Micky he can’t complain he doesn’t have options. I don’t agree but I expect Hawkes despite his goals to be dropped for Chalmers. Hendry will keep his place and whether Walker does after Tuesday remains to be seen. Personally I’d prefer O’Connor in there. Morris will start as ever and despite firing blanks I’d be amazed if Hemmings doesn’t start alongside Saunders. Despite some recent calamitous defending it’ll likely be the same back four.

Prediction: we beat Orient in our last PP game so would another home win be a surprise? Perhaps not given that result, but you do wonder what the camp is like after the last two results. I’ll therefore sit on the fence and predict a draw.

Not sure Hemmings can be accused of firing blanks, he isn't firing anything. He had one sniff on Tuesday which he sidefooted low bringing a save, it really was a snap chance. Most weeks he doesn't even get that.
For me you have a midfield five and let O'Connor play the old Spearing role. I think he would fly there and be worth money, which may seem to be the ultimate plan. But I don't expect it, so start with Mumbungo bring Saunders on later, this would break up their defence and give Cogley a target for his mainly wasted dinks. Hemmings gets marked back and front at crosses, it is nearly impossible to give him a winnable header. Mumbungo becomes the target and room will appear in the defence.
The season has to be unshackled now or it will be too late. Currently if you keep Morris quiet and deal with Cogley's crosses you are pretty sorted. If they keep Morris quiet and others use the space caused by that, you have more problems. Once on Tuesday a third defender closed on Morris he still sidestepped and played the ball inside, we created nothing with 3/8 taken out- this happens regularly.
PS Try to get Bristow to aim his crosses

 

[keep the faith]

in my opinion we haven't looked good enough all season to mount/sustain a realistic promotion challenge, is it the manager/players/recruitment? or a combination of all 3, I just hope we can get off to a good start and hope for an early goal just to keep the crowd on board, if we go behind early I feel the atmosphere could become toxic.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I would start with the same team as on Tuesday night. I would replace Walker with O'Connor if / when he tires, and I would play Hawkes ahead of Chalmers, who looks more of an impact player to me at this moment in time.

As Sparky says, Salford are in strong form and have a lot of good names, but as we have seen previously there is not a huge difference in quality between most teams at this level in respect of individual games, and a victory is certainly achievable. The beauty, or danger, of this hectic sequence of fixtures is that the season can change quite dramatically in a short period of time, for better or worse. You get the feeling that we have to win at least one of the next two matches to avoid being cut adrift of the top seven.

 

[Sparky]

It’s bizarre in some ways that despite our lack of wins we’re still in with a chance of the top 7. Although so are lots of other teams of course.

If we could just get some confidence and a few wins in a row we could shoot you the table and get some momentum. Just need to stop the inconsistency

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

This has got an away win written all over it.
So I'm going for a draw! Hoping that we can start finding the back of the net!

 

[Ian]

It’s bizarre in some ways that despite our lack of wins we’re still in with a chance of the top 7. Although so are lots of other teams of course.

Yeah, I think there are lots of mediocre teams in this division, with us being one of them sadly.

 

[Boz]

DB at least Hemmings tries to win headers. Mumbongo was like a statue when he came on Tuesday night.

Unless we can both tighten up defensively and find a way to score, we'll lose again. I'd be very surprised if MM picks exactly the same line-up as Tuesday, but how he adjusts things is anyone's guess

 

[Higgy 2]

Not sure Hemmings can be accused of firing blanks, he isn't firing anything. He had one sniff on Tuesday which he sidefooted low bringing a save, it really was a snap chance. Most weeks he doesn't even get that.
For me you have a midfield five and let O'Connor play the old Spearing role. I think he would fly there and be worth money, which may seem to be the ultimate plan. But I don't expect it, so start with Mumbungo bring Saunders on later, this would break up their defence and give Cogley a target for his mainly wasted dinks. Hemmings gets marked back and front at crosses, it is nearly impossible to give him a winnable header. Mumbungo becomes the target and room will appear in the defence.
The season has to be unshackled now or it will be too late. Currently if you keep Morris quiet and deal with Cogley's crosses you are pretty sorted. If they keep Morris quiet and others use the space caused by that, you have more problems. Once on Tuesday a third defender closed on Morris he still sidestepped and played the ball inside, we created nothing with 3/8 taken out- this happens regularly.
PS Try to get Bristow to aim his crosses

I agree Hemmings gets a bad wrap. Some of his movement isn't that imaginitive, but as you say the delivery into the box is at best a whipped ball hoping someone gets on the end of it. Often it's either over or underhit. Wish the FBs would get their heads up and pick someone out with a ball pulled back.
Rightly one way would be to start Mumbongo as well. Or get more creative players such as Chalmers and Morris playing tucked in just behind Kane. With Hendry, O'Connor and Walker/Merrie in a midfield three. 4,3,2,1.
I'd start Chalmers ahead of Hawkes. He doesn't give the ball away, he can work to get it back. Might miss Hawkes goal threat, but he too might chip in with a goal and might get more assists playing with Morris in support of Kane.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Saunders pulled a precision ball back for Hemmings on Tuesday night which he should have done better with. Cogley has not been great in the last couple of games, but he has put excellent deliveries into the box all season which have not been attacked by Hemmings or the other strikers. Players like Norwood or Vaughan would have scored far more with the same service.

 

[Goody Two Shoes]

Strikers can be reliant on quality service, but there are those who’s movement off the ball creates its own opportunities, often out of “nothing” balls and who’s movement with the ball, whether that be pace or skill/guile (or a combination of both) leads to goals (Norwood being a fairly recent example). I’ve not witnessed too much of the latter from Hemmings at Tranmere, but if you watch his highlight reels from previous clubs, he did have some of this in his locker, but maybe he’s on the wane, lacking in confidence or does our style of play not suit?
Anyway, I’ll be there tomorrow as usual, living in hope (is there an alternative!!).
Score prediction? I’ll give that a swerve as I’m never right.

 

[Boz]

I’d agree that there has been enough quality ball into the box, particularly from the right for the forwards to take advantage of. Now that we’ve got the pace of Saunders would like to see more balls through the middle for him to run onto.

 

[Am on mobile]

Just a better performance and some goals would be nice we are being starved of it this season

 

[Sparky]

Micky mentions pre match we’ve got a few injuries which may impact on team selection. I know davies took a knock v Stockport but played v Donny. Hopefully no one too significant

 

[Sparky]

OConnor in for Walker. otherwise it’s the same. Slightly surprised chalmers hasn’t got a start but not surprised that the undroppable Hemmings keeps his place….

 

[Ian]

Walker not even on bench. Must have picked up a niggle.

 

[Boz]

Walker not on the bench, hope he wasn’t brought back too soon at Doncaster. Lewis not on the bench either, guess illness/injury, while Turner-Cooke the kid from Newcastle does get named amongst the subs.

 

[ONIGP]

Missing today's match but hopeful we can continue the decent football, find something in front of goal and avoid any defensive catastrophes. Rovers win by the odd goal.