• 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.

Dons v Rovers

Boz

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Iain Hume
A difficult game up next, with the home team having a decent strike force for L2 with Tubbs and Akinfenwa who helped Gillingham to victory at PP last year. They don't have a good record against sides in the bottom half of the table.

Thompson added to the squad, after his loan, will he depose Holness or Ihiekwe from central defence? Ridehalgh also back in contention; but Holmes and Donacien have done well in their current full-back slots, so he may not get a start. Koumas remains out, so not expecting much change further up the park.

Prediction: Rovers to break the scoring drought, but will lose narrowly in south London.
 

Brightonian

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I agree about breaking the scoring drought but will be a little more optimistic and predict a narrow victory by a single goal. A difficult game certainly but nothing ever goes on for ever and and apparently the Dons really go for it but tend to get caught on the counter attack.

Hope Baggie can play a part in the game and regain some form as we are perhaps a bit short of pace but I haven't seen the new signings. I think we should not sit back and just try to absorb pressure and really try to break in numbers and try to get an early goal.
 
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If Thompson plays I would imagine Holness will be dropped, and it will be interesting to see whether Ridehalgh starts. The defence did well on Tuesday night, but Tubbs and Akinfenwa will certainly provide a sterner test than the Mansfield strikers.

I would start with the same midfield and attack as Tuesday, save for Baggie replacing Barker on the right. This will be a tough game, but Adams has now had a full week to work with the players and I have a sneaking feeling we might win this one.
 

Ian

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If we don't win it, we'll certainly put up a good fight with the team putting in a real hard-working performance. The difference will be in attack. We'll get chances, but can we put them away? Think the front two will play a big part tomorrow. Still lot's of work for Micky to do, so a draw wouldn't be disastrous.
 

Ian

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Good day all round. 2 goals, team showed spirit and we are off the bottom!!
 

frenchrover

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A really god result and particularly to come from behind twice. It looks as though Gnandiullet has hit the pitch running, lets hope we can get an extension to his loan. Roll on Saturday and a win to celebrate the unveiling of Kingy's statue.
 

Ian

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Yeah, he sounded like a handful today.
 
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A really positive performance from Rovers and I am actually disappointed we did not win, as we battered Wimbledon in the second half. The turning point in the game was the decision by Adams to switch to 3-4-3 after half time, putting Odejayi on as a third striker and pushing both full backs forwards. Wimbledon could not cope with our change of shape, and it is great to have a manager whose tactical changes actually come off.

The first half was pretty even territorially, with Wimbledon having a bit more quality in and around the box: the half time score was probably a fair reflection of the game. Defensively we got caught out in the wide areas a few times, including for both goals, which is perhaps a reflection of having square pegs in round holes in the fullback positions. Our goal was fantastic, however, a great individual strike by Nando from 25 yards out. As has been commented above, we also showed good character to get back in the game so quickly after conceding an early goal.

In the second half we completely dominated. Our front three caused them all sorts of problems, with Nando outstanding and Odejayi having his best half in a Rovers shirt. Other than the equaliser - finally a goal from a set play - our best chance fell to Donnelly, which he unfortunately skied.

Collectively, we again worked tremendously hard as a team, with and without the ball. Individually, Nando was man of the match, but I thought Laird and Holness also had very good games; the former seems to be blossoming under the new manager.

It is great to be off the bottom, and on today's showing it is only a matter of time before we get that elusive win. Another great Rovers turnout of 4-500 again today, which is also encouraging.
 

Sparky

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Yes after going behind twice we showed great character. A few weeks ago heads may have dropped and a comeback would have been impossible. Credit to mickey who praised the noisy rovers fans too.

How did the Cardiff lad play? Let's hope he gets off the mark soon too.
 
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How did the Cardiff lad play? Let's hope he gets off the mark soon too.

He struggled a bit, I thought. At the moment he looks like a non-league player stepping up to the professional game, but hopefully he will improve in time.

I see Jake Kirby has again come in for criticism elsewhere, but I thought he had another good game and was not particularly at fault for either goal (Fonners should have done better with the first one).
 

Brightonian

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A good summary of the game as always by RLC and agree with all.

The performance was full of desire and commitment and we certainly on another day would have taken all 3 points. In the first half we had no width with George Barker in particular doing little to assist the offensive play. It was great to see Liam Ridehalgh come on after his bad injury and do all that was asked of him at left back. This allowed Danny (Ronaldo) Holmes to play wide right which he used his strength to get some crosses in which had been sadly lacking earlier.

Young Danny Johnson tried hard; certainly looks to have promise and is much stronger than Richards. Gnanduillet did win a lot in the air and flicked on quite a few which Danny did not quite anticipate but just did not really get the right service to make a mark on the game but was a brave lad who took a few knocks. To me he looks as though he will improve a lot and will score goals. Much prefer him to George Donnelly who didn't do much right at all when he came on and as said missed the best chance for the winner.

Must agree that that Marc Laird who I had not rated at all had a very good game. He may not be quality but he covered every blade of grass box to box, got the tackles in and was brave with competing for everything.
 
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In his post match interview Adams said a midfielder could be joining us on loan this week. I wonder if that could be Steve Jennings ?
 

Boz

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Thanks for the reports. I wasn't quite sure how Micky had re-arranged the defence when we went to three at the back, but Brightonian has cleared that up. I hope that in whatever position, Danny Holmes remains in the starting xi, as he's one of the few who can hold his head up about pre-Micky performances and did a good job (until yesterday?) filling in at left-back.

Gnanduillet seems to have done well yesterday, of the pair I was more impressed by Johnson on debut. It will be good for him to break his scoring duck quickly. In midfield, Gill didn't even make the bench yesterday, so we do need a defensive midfielder, as Laird is better box-box. I thought it was a mistake for Edwards not to offer Jennings a little more to keep him, hope if he does come back is fitter and less prone to to negative play than the tail end of last season.
 

Ian

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In his post match interview Adams said a midfielder could be joining us on loan this week. I wonder if that could be Steve Jennings ?
Apparently Jennings is signing on Mon.
 

Sparky

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Its an interesting one if we sign Jenno. Presumably this spells the end of Matt Gill's future in the starting XI at rovers. Not that Micky has fancied him. On the one hand you can understand this as Adams wants to start afresh and maybe wants to eject some of REs allies e.g. Gill and Richards. However these two in my opinion have done as well as anyone this season. I think both could have contributed to a decent team this season under Micky.

Going back to the match, I have only seen the highlights but it seemed Kirby was involved in both of their goals - not managing to make much impact in defensive duties for both. Although as I say I was not at the game and I think he did ok on Tuesday night but still think we can do better without him in the side.
 

Boz

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I share Sparky's concern if it is the case that Micky does want "to eject some of REs allies". Of course, it may be that they've expressed a wish to move on themselves, but in an interview with Gill, think after the Oxford game, he seemed to be making the right noises about the new boss.
I'd also agree to an extent about Kirby. Personally think a loan stint in the lower leagues would do him some good
 
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While Richards is a good individual player, he probably is not capable of playing the kind of high tempo, pressing game Adams wants, so I can at least see the logic in Micky wanting to move him on. In the case of Gill, there is not really anything he does that Jennings can't do better.

Adams can't add five or six new faces and overhaul the style of play without shipping some players out, and if he does want to move a couple on to ensure a positive atmosphere in the dressing room, I don't think the two players mentioned have been so outstanding we can't prosper without them. At the moment the team ethic and the future of the club have to be put before the needs of individual players, even if some of the decisions seem a trifle harsh.
 

Higgy

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All of a sudden nice to hear the squad could look too large. Any manager worth his salt will need to take decisions if he thinks there are weaknesses and if there has to be some sacrifices so be it. I hope one or two of the short term loanees brought in by MA like the atmosphere at the club and stay a tad longer. If Barker is still on Loan from the RE reign, I assume he will go back PDQ.

Talking of squad players, we have drawn Bristol Rovers from the conference (top 6) in the cup and I believe Mark McCrystal ex of this parish plays for them - fill your boots Nando - if still here and if not banned from playing by current club
 
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