Rovers v Daggers

[Sparky]

Rovers finally back to league action after what seems an age. A revitalised Dagenham come to PP sitting one place and one point behind rovers.

Whilst over recent weeks they have been amongst the goals (4 at North Ferriby, 3 & 2 against Braintree in separate matches, 4 against Solihull and 2 in an away win at Dover), they do have a tendency to concede also (in the last few months they lost 0-5 at home to Gateshead, 4-1 at home to barrow, conceded 4 to Solihull and 3 at Braintree). 0-0 on the cards then!

How this impacts on a less than free scoring rovers side remains to be seen. This game will be a real test of our promotion aspirations and takes on an extra edge given Lincoln's midweek defeat to Barrow. A defeat for rovers and wins for Barrow & Dover on Saturday will see rovers just 1 point from 6th place. Barrow entertain FGR with Dover hosting Chester.

Assuming only Sutton is missing, MM has a few selection dilemmas both in midfield & attack. Does he bring the likes of Harris, Maynard or Steve Jenno in who did well earlier in MMs tenure, or stick with Wallace and arguably player of the season so far Jeff Hughes? What about Connor J and then who to play up front? Don't forget MMs particular favourite Jake Kirby. Hopefully my own favourite Adam Dawson will be involved but I expect the starting 11 to be something like this assuming MM sticks with the diamond (which I don't like, especially at home when teams put men behind the ball and crowd the midfield).

Davies
Vaughan Ihikwe Big Mac Ridehalgh
Hughes
Kirby Wallace
Tollitt
Cook Mangan

Prediction: on recent form I'm not too hopeful. Hope I'm wrong but can't see us getting anything other than a point at best.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I agree with the starting line up predicted by sparky, save that I think maynard, Jennings or Harris may play ahead of Kirby. As I have said previously, this is a massive game and could be a turning point in the season for the victors. Whoever wins will feel they are the main challengers to Lincoln for the title. Dagenham have an exciting young side, are largely injury free, and will pose a serious test to our rejigged defence. No side managed by John still should be underestimated and my gut feeling is this will end in a score draw, although it is a game we desperately need to win to regain momentum after our enforced winter break.

 

[Boz]

The last time we played Dagenham at PP saw a 2-3 defeat which saw us drop into the L2 relegation zone, a result from which we never really recovered. More recently,a battling 0-0 away draw earlier in the season, playing most of the second half with ten men and missing a late chance to take all the points. As highlighted this is one of the two games at the weekend involving the four teams occupying the play-off slot and the outcome will have a bearing on where we finish up. Like us, the visitors have been starved of match practice, but won both games in January comfortably.

Line-up for Rovers, I would expect to be similar to Sparky's line-up, as amended by RLC. Against such a high-flying opponent, as the Daggers, there is a need for a defensive midfielder like Steve Jennings to compensate for Wallace's lack of match-fitness and reluctance to track back. Connor Jennings has had a minor foot injury and only just returned to training.

Prediction: The visitors don't have a large travelling support, while Liverpool have an early ko Cup game on the same day, so even factoring in the lack of recent action and relative importance of the game, not expecting more than around 4.8k. Tend to agree that a score draw the most likely outcome.

 

[Ian]

I think this is going to be a tough game and we may be a little bit ring rusty. Going for a draw.

 

[Mal]

I have a feeling we are going the way of Liverpool. Lots of possession and nice passing but with little end product. Hopefully, Micky will adapt the team to be more incisive. He says after every game that they have been learning about what can be improved.

Still, I think 0-0 or D&R will sneak a breakaway goal.

With luck my negativity there will result in a 3-0 home win!

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Daggers play an open game which usually results in lots of goals at either end. However, I think both sides will realise the consequences of losing and will play it tight. Even the away game, which ended up open after the sending off, ended up goalless due to poor finishing. So I think 0-0 is the most likely score. I just hope we don't lose, as that would be a real setback.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

No tollitt in the starting eleven, perhaps he has been ill. Steve Jennings replaces him. Cook and mangan up front.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Looks like 4-4-2 with Kirby and Hughes wide. Bench is full of attack-minded players, so scope for change if we struggle. Just hope we don't lose any defenders, although Maynard or Hughes could cover.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I think it will be a diamond with Hughes in front of the back four, Kirby behind the strikers.

 

[Boz]

Tollit on the bench, his absence means a side lacking in pace, Kirby at the head of the diamond presumably. A very attacking bench. Feeling a bit uneasy...

 

[Cowshed Kid]

Wheelie Bin been brought on at Kop end at half time. Hopefully to put Kirby in.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

Looks like Tollitt coming in to start second half. Hopefully he'll trouble their back line who've had it pretty easy up to now.

 

[Boz]

Fairly even game until Daggers took the lead with a curler. Great finish, but questions to be asked about the defending in the build up. Since then Rovers been snuffed out of the game. Can see Tollit appearing fairly soon.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

After a promising first fifteen minutes, this was a ragged performance from Rovers and we got what we deserved. Dagenham were sharper, had a better shape, executed their game plan more effectively and deserved the victory.

Our failure to score goals in periods when we are on top in games finally caught up with us today. In that early period of pressure Mangan and others had chances to open the scoring, yet from a spell of only five minutes of possession in our half Dagenham scored a slightly fortuitous opener. Likewise, on their first real attack of the second half Hawkins effectively won the game for the Daggers with a clinical finish. We huff and puff, but other than through Andy Cook, never really look like scoring.

However, I think there is a more fundamental problem in midfield. I supported the signing of Wallace, but since we have accommodated him in the middle we don't seem to be doing the ugly stuff without the ball as effectively as earlier in the season, and that has made us easier to score against, particularly on the counter attack. Dagenham had youth and athleticism in midfield today, and our trio of Wallace, Hughes and Jennings struggled to deal with it at times. I think games like today's show why you need players like Harris and Maynard to be effective at this level. Since Wallace arrived we have started to ship goals at quite an alarming rate and I think Mellon needs to seriously reconsider shape and tactics to arrest the mini-slump we are in. However you dress it up, we have lost three of the last four league games and conceded eight goals in the process.

Individually, I thought Andy Cook worked hard but received no help from those alongside him, who consistently failed to read his flick-ons and knock-downs. Ihiekewe also had a decent game and would be my man of the match. Nobody else comes out with much credit, and I am particularly frustrated with Mangan's consistent failures in front of goal.

Given how strong the division is this season there is a danger we will slip out of the play-off paces altogether, let alone fall out of the title race (I already think winning the league is beyond us). We need to get back on track with a solid display on Tuesday night.

 

[Sparky]

Dear oh dear, that was pretty bad. However to me it wasn't a surprise as i don't think we have played well for weeks. We've lost 3 in 4 and the win against Macc on Boxing Day was lucky. Wont repeat RLCs points but a number of issues for me today:

* Again I dont think the diamond worked. Plenty of the ball but how many chances do we actually create for our forwards?
* Kirby once again offered very little. Played one decent through ball but can't beat a man and was quite rightly replaced at half time. He is not good enough for a team that wants promotion and no-one can dispute that surely. Surely he won't be in the starting 11 for a while.
* Mangan should not have started. Yes our strikers dont get many chances but he hasnt scored for ages. Norwood you could say is the same but he offers a better threat I think and can score from nothing. Arguably Cole and Cook should have started.
* Too narrow again. We only looked dangerous when Tollit moved to the right and used his pace. Our only choices for crosses to our wide men were our full backs which most of the time never beat the first man. Thats because they are fullbacks and not wingers.
* Wallace looked unfit to me and appeared tired after half an hour. He looked like he'd put on a few pounds too.

Lots to sort out with that squad as at this rate, we're not going to make the play offs. I was made up when MM came back and we started really well. I am however seriously questioning his judgement over personnel and tactics. As RLC says, its gone wrong since he brought Wallace back in and whilst not his fault totally, he's been a passenger I feel in his last 2 games.

Daggers were very impressive but they were up against a disjointed rovers side.

 

[Mal]

My fears were not with foundation then. I agree that the team has gone backwards since Wallace has played. He is a good player but a tad unfit at present. Maybe we do need that Mr Black!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Following on from a point Sparky made about the lack of width in the team, Andy Cook is by far our best centre forward yet we are currently playing a system which does not really play to his strengths. With the diamond formation, chances are created by threaded through balls and triangles in the middle of the pitch, which suits players like Mangan and Norwood, rather than a quality cross from out wide. And as Sparky points out, the only width in the side at present comes from the full backs, and the quality of their crossing is variable at best.

We did actually create chances for Mangan and Norwood today, which they fluffed, but I can't remember a single good opportunity that was created for Cook.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Pretty gloomy today, I admit, but I'm more optimistic than previous posters - although I didn't have to sit through today's game! Yes, we are out of form but also ring rusty. That will be no excuse in two weeks time, when we will have played four winnable games. By then, things will be a lot clearer. Meanwhile, we are still only five points behind Lincoln, who are on a great run but fixtures are piling up. FGR are now playing well but Dover are still erratic and Barrow lost again. Gateshead and Eastleigh also lost and now look out of it. The main challengers from below are Macclesfield and possibly Aldershot, but both have a lot to do to catch us.

 

[Stickman]

That performance reminded me of when Brabin was in charge. Lacking in ideas and pace. This wasn't helped by the selection of Jennings who has only recently returned from injury and Wallace. We have got worse since Wallace came back, he looked unbelievably slow and unfit. If we want automatic promotion we cannot afford to be carrying players who seem to be in the side based on reputation rather than performance. Bench him and play Maynard. At least Lincoln won their cup match and will have more fixture congestion but that won't matter a jot if we don't improve.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

Our league position prior to today was perhaps a little flattering as it was due in no little measure to the equally bad form of those around us.
We scraped through at home to Maccs, stunk at there place in the second half and we're almost as bad today, save for very brief periods.
As I hoped, Kirby was despatched to the wheelie bin at half time and I yet again agree with Sparky. For the life of me I really can't see what he offers.
Wallace actually appeared to come to life in the last 15 but it was too late by then. For me, Harris' s running and effort puts him ahead of Wallace in pecking order.
Ihiekewe played better than he was doing before he was dropped but I did wonder if MM might have played Maynard in that position today. He's done it before and is very comfortable there.
Unbelievable that at one stage we had Cookie, Mangs and Nors on pitch at the same time and couldn't conjure a goal.
Fair do's to Daggers. Tidy, simple, effective. A few cynical challenges where their lads took one for the team and the now obligatory time wasting at PP that we're used to. The top scorer, no 12, behaved like a girl throughout but took the sniiff of a chance that came his way.
Tuesday nights away and Rovers aren't good bed mates. A win though is desperately needed.