Rovers v Saddlers

[Boz]

Quick chance to get on track after the disappointing showing against the Franchise. Our opponents have been in terrible form, but earned a good draw in Sussex at the weekend. Links are Andy Taylor, a decent left-back and Sam Mantom who had a short loan spell under Les, while Brandy their striker can be a handful.

Team selection for Rovers depends on who's fit, perhaps Thompson may come back into the equation. Robinson didn't seem to work so well on the right wing. Other fitness issue was Ash Taylor, apparently below par on Friday, might a Goodi recall be under consideration? If Jervis is still with us, presume he'll start ahead of Stockton, despite failing to live up to his promising debut.

Prediction. Normal prices and normal crowd size, I expect. The visitors are likely to bring more than the Franchise ~250 and we'll probably get about 5.5k.
I actually think Walsall are more of an attacking threat in terms of converting chances than Friday's visitors. Rovers will need to create more and then convert those chances as I'm not expecting us to keep a clean sheet. Most likely outcome is a narrow win; 2-1 or 3-2, so long as complacency is avoided.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Jervis has returned to Birmingham, so Cole will start up front unless, as I think is quite likely, another loanee arrives before Tuesday; we tried to sign a lad from Peterborough whose name escapes me, but incredibly Portsmouth secured his services as we couldn't match their contribution to his wages.

Agree with Boz that Walsall are more dangerous than their form suggests, as they do have an attacking threat. Nonetheless, a game we have to win when you look at the extremely difficult run of matches which follow.

Altough I appreciate the £5 initiatives are necessary, I will be glad to be sitting among the regulars again. I think the gate will sneak above 6,000 and there will be no jeers at the end, whatever the outcome.

 

[bigmart]

A good chance to get back on track but wont be easy 2 1 to us

 

[Ian]

Mendez-Laing it was.

Important to bounce back after Fri. I do think Ronnie will be looking to get someone in before the game but I wouldn't be unhappy with Cole starting. Glad Jervis is gone simply because he's not an option now.

As long as their positive and give it a go, I think there's a few goals in it.

 

[merseysidebossman]

maybe we should have kept Frannie Jeffers :whistle:

 

[SonkORLY?]

Happy enough with Cole starting, think he deserves it

 

[WildRover]

3-0 Rovers, job done

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I am happy for Cole to start, but Ronnie seemed unwilling to play him on Friday after his MoM performance in the cup. I'm sure he rates him, but ideally he probably wants to bring him on slowly. Added to that, I'm not sure a Cassidy-Stockton strikeforce is complementary. Unfortunately, at the moment Ronnie has few options upfront and no plan B in case of injury or lack of form.

 

[Higgy]

I think Stockton is a good prosepect and could do a job now - just, but as stated by BBC I am not sure a combo with Cassidy is a match made in heaven. Recent noises about Robbo playing in the hole for me are on the money - even if we are short of genuine wide men due to injury. I would gladly play a couple of full-backs out wide and have the chance of Robbo on the ball more than wasted out wide.

3-1 for us and 5,850

 

[tea for two]

this could be a tricky one walsall are quite low down i do agree robinson is wasted on the wing he would be better maybe pushed more forward.i think i go for a narrow home win maybe 1-0 or 2-1 with a gate of about 5500.:whistle:

 

[SonkORLY?]

Saying Robbo is "wasted" out wide seems a bit ridiculous given that he's scored 8 in 16 games and created a fair few too. Playing him anywhere else would mean a change of system which IMO would be a bit silly when we're top of the league, and we're more than a little bit short on wingers at the minute.

 

[Boz]

Wallace out for this one, replaced by Harrison and Nathan Eccleston returns, but only on the bench as Stockton starts.