• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

League Two Dale v Rovers

Match result

  • Rochdale

    Votes: 2 25.0%
  • Draw

    Votes: 3 37.5%
  • Tranmere

    Votes: 3 37.5%

  • Total voters
    8
  • Poll closed .
Joined
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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Following our deserved victory on Saturday, I thought it would be good to get this thread going early.

Rochdale are in decent form and are scoring a fair number of goals. They still have a number of good players from their League One days, including Stephen Dooley, Jimmy Keohane, Matt Done, Jim McNulty, and last week's goal hero, Jake Beesley, and will be tough opponents.

I am pretty sure Micky will stick with five at the back, given the recent goalscoring form of our opponents. However, I think there will be changes further forward, and I would not be surprised if we start with the team that ended Saturday's game:

Murphy
Cogley Davies Clarke NKP Morris
Spearing Watson
Hawkes
Nevitt McManaman

Perhaps Maynard will start in place of McManaman, but I am pretty sure Hawkes will be selected.

There will be a big Rovers following of 1,000 plus at Spotland and a draw would probably be a reasonable result. However, we will hopefully see more of the invention and attacking intent that was evident in the last twenty minutes on Saturday.
 
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bigmart

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I don't recognise many of their team, think ots a safe bet that the formation will stay the same although there maybe 1 or 2 changes depending on fitness. I fancy a draw 1 1.
 

Ian

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Yeah, I think this will be a really tough game but one we can actually win. They have scored 10 so far but also leaked 9 so it could be a decent game with some goals. I would really like us to score a couple to get us going in the goalscoring department but appreciate it is still early days with the new players. I would definately start McManaman as he makes a big difference to our attacking play and I'd like to see Hawkes as his brief cameo was positive. I agree we will start with five at the back, let's hope we don't leave it until the last 20 minutes before we start attacking.
 
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we need to cut out the other teams chances or we will come up against a team and get hammered,I get a feeling that Nevitt will a couple soon and I hope on saturday
 

ADD

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Wonder if McDonald will be fit? He was training pre-match Saturday on the pitch. would be great if he was - still find it strange how little Maguire is rated by MM - was he recruited before he came back? Don't recall. Could Cogley/ O'Connor who will be available after international duty I assume? play LB at a push. Surely even if on their wrong side they would be better than Morris in that role?
Hawkes has to start for sure. Think it will be good game - hoping that the attacking intent from last 30 minutes on Satuirday is shown from the off. If so think we will win and wonder of wonders we might score more than 1 goal for the first time in God knows how long!!
 

Ian

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I hope so ADD. Imagine getting two in one match!
 
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yea the Maguire situation is 1 of them things if you piss MM off or don't play well you get dropped, I'm going for a sneaky 3-1
 

Ian

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Some good free kicks there.
 

Boz

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Any clues about who the scorers were? Couldn't find anything on the official site.
 
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aldo
also good seeing them crossing in the box on the floor another Lesson the First team could learn
 

Boz

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I don't subscribe to the youtube channel, but nothing on the main site by way of preview about this game yet.

Rochdale managed to escape a takeover by some shady individuals who'd connections with the previous Swindon set-up in pre-season. Their manager Robbie Stockdale spent a couple of seasons as Rovers right-back. RLC has name-checked the main names from their squad. Hadn't realised until I looked him up that Jimmy McNulty had spent a loan spell with us in the L1 relegation season though we mainly used him in midfield rather than the defensive slot he occupies for Dale.

I would be surprised if we started with either the line-up that started or finished last week's game. Micky would be right to line us up cautiously for this one, given the hosts are in reasonable scoring form, but hopefully correcting some of the weaknesses from the last game. Assuming we operate with a similar formation and 5 at the back, if Macdonald remains unfit, think it would be worth trying Merrie in the left wing-back slot. Further forward, I can't see both Hawkes and Macmanaman starting, probably Calum initially, with Josh coming on. Duffy disappointed v Pools and doesn't offer much defensively, so I'd be inclined to replace with Feeney.

Some Dale fans are seeing this as a needle match, because of a perception about their part in our demotion, but that surprised me. I did have a ticket for the postponed and ultimately cancelled L1 game and will be going to this one. Never seen Rovers at Spotland before though have been there twice, both occasions the away side won. Given my terrible recent history watching Rovers on the road, something's got to give...
 
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I think McNulty did actually play at the back for us, partnering Ash Taylor after the Stephen Foster debacle when we had a host of defensive problems.

Like Boz, I still have my ticket for the postponed Rochdale game, plus the Wimbledon game that preceded it.

Ian Dawes emphasised in his pre match presser that we are aware of their frailties at the back, so I don't think it will be an entirely defensive set up.
 
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Boz

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I think McNulty did actually play at the back for us, partnering Ash Taylor after the Stephen Foster debacle when we had a host of defensive problems.
You may be right, tbh can't remember. I'd googled a couple of BBC match reports which showed him lining up right-midfield, but they had Ash Taylor as left=back and Rides in central defence...
 
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I'm really undecided on the outcome.
The ifs, buts and maybe determine our selection, I do think we will set up in 5-4-1, this will make us solid, so we won't be expansive. The wing backs will be vital in the game and either attacking or defending need support to get the width we need. So we are not under pressure all game, we need to keep the ball and possession is how we can do this. I do not think we have the pace to catch Dale, in a counter attacking play.
So if we do score, it might have to be a set piece.
What the team will be, other than a few, will be debatable. And even the subs could be vital in the end. If we can keep a clean sheet for an hour, we could get a good result.
I've only been to Dale once, but my memory is shocking and details about are patchy.
 
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Sod the formation, just get it in the back of the onion bag!
Anyone else heading out to the delights of Rochdale tomorrow?
Hope the boys can deliver for the excellent support they will get (as is the norm).
My son’s not overly enthused about the visit; we need away games with a little more to do pre-match.
We’ve had some memorable, enjoyable, touristy away trips, only tainted by a football match on the day!
 
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Sod the formation, just get it in the back of the onion bag!
Anyone else heading out to the delights of Rochdale tomorrow?
Hope the boys can deliver for the excellent support they will get (as is the norm).
My son’s not overly enthused about the visit; we need away games with a little more to do pre-match.
We’ve had some memorable, enjoyable, touristy away trips, only tainted by a football match on the day!
I think we have all had those trips, but is a postponement just before kick off not worse?
Especially Dover, Peterborough, Notts county, and wasn't there one a couple of seasons ago at home that the ref didn't want to go ahead. And the opposition were under strength cos of injuries?
 
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