FA Cup Round 1 Rovers v The Gas

[Boz]

Battle of the Rovers at Prenton Park this weekend. The Bristol variety lost their league place last season, but have started life in the conference well and I suspect that gap between bottom of L2 and top end of the conference could prove to be very small.

Rovers will be without Gnanduillet, as his parent club won't let him play; the pre-match press conference seemed to suggest that he may be going back to Chesterfield at the end of the loan spell. Nothing was said about the remaining loanees, so presuming all will be eligible. It sounds like Micky will put out a fairly strong side and defer giving fringe players a chance until the JPT game.

I wouldn't hazard a guess as to how Rovers will line up. Ridehalgh may return at left-back, which would see Holness or Holmes drop out. In midfield, is Koumas fit enough to be in contention? Suspect that we are destined for another outing for Odejayi up front. While it would be good to see Richards playing against his former club, Johnson seems the more likely starter.

I shall venture into either the Kop or Johnny King for this one. The last time I watched from the JK was a dismal 0-1 FA Cup loss to Cheltenham in the Les Parry era.

The visitors are likely to bring a few hundred and cheaper prices may swell the home ranks, but doubt we'll exceed 4.5k. I think this will be a tight game, the odd goal or maybe even a replay deciding the outcome.

 

[andrewesq]

Indeed Boz a narrow gap and Bristol Rovers dont seem to be sinking in the same way as teams before them that have dropped out of the league, properly due to the fact that they were so last minute in getting relegated !. Ill take a sneaky win as wouldn't want a cold midweek trip to Bristol ! Agree with Boz on attendance as well properly around the 4k mark

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

This is yet another important game. They will all be until we get a run of success and move clear of the bottom two. Bristol Rovers will be a threat because they are in good form and anything can happen in a cup game.

I've only see us play the Gas once and that was my best day as a fan as we won a cup at Wembley. If we can repeat the 2-1 scoreline, I'll be delighted but I think a 1-1 draw is more likely. Neither side will want to lose, both would accept a draw, so I think that's the most likely outcome.

 

[bigmart]

2 1 to them weve forgotten how to win and they are doing well

 

[Higgy]

I think McCrystal plays for them - don't want to put jinx on it, but always though he was a bit brittle. IF Nando was playing I think he would have filled his boots - anyway I think we will still win 2 -0 Johnson to get off the mark with a brace

Crowd £4k - just

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A tough game, and The Pirates probably start as favourites after going something like eleven games unbeaten in the league. The thought of Odejayi starting the game is depressing, but in the absence of Nando we don't have too many options; Donnelly could also partner Johnson, but is almost as bad as Kayode. I would like to see Baggie and perhaps Rowe or Richards get some time on the pitch, but it seems their opportunity will come at Bury on Tuesday night.

I seem to remember that when we were in similar position in League One under Les Parry, a couple of cup victories helped to lift the mood of gloom and gave us a decent third round draw against Wolves. A repeat this season would be welcome.

I should also mention that Steve Yates returns to PP on Saturday as part of The Gas's backroom staff and is guaranteed a good reception.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Strange team. Four centre-backs, Donnelly and Richards up front, Danny Holmes and Danny Johnson on the bench.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A deserved victory for Rovers after a really professional second half display.

I thought it was a decent, end to end game in the first half between two evenly matched sides. With the big strikers out of the team we played more football than previously under Adams and some of our midfield play was impressive in the first half an hour. However, a lack of cutting edge was again apparent, with neither side really having any clear cut chances in the opening period. At times our final ball let us down, but more often we spurned shooting opportunities when we got into decent areas. Donnelly's red card was deserved and was an idiotic challenge in the circumstances, but I thought we defended impressively and comfortably with ten men, further evidence that the training ground work with Adams is starting to have a positive effect. Fonners made one decent save from twenty yards, but until the final five minutes when they threw caution to the wind Bristol did not really put us under any concerted pressure.

Individually, I though Holness and Thompson had decent games, but Ihiekwe and Donacien were our best players. Fonners commanded his box well, particularly during the frantic closing stages, and Richards looked quite sharp in the first half. Laird continues to frustrate, giving away far too many needless free kicks, but he did make a fantastic block on the line in the final minute. Odejayi is next to useless.

Our first proper win in thirteen games and it is good to be in the second round draw.

 

[Higgy]

Would have took the result before the game, although it would be nice to see goals or even good chances from open play.

Wonder whether Mickey will stick with 3 at the back as it might be difficult to get Holmes back in, given he has performed well so far this season.

Not a bad gate really. Warrington or Chester in next round would be nice.

 

[merseyside bossman]

I enjoyed the game.
Thought Jenno was lucky not to be sent off with a 2 footed challenge, still a class act though.
Laird continued to give so many balls away.
Thompson was very,very impressive. Cool,calm and not scared to get hurt
Donnelly should never be seen in a white shirt again.
Richards looked neat in the first half, but something is missing with him...... dunno what it is.

Hope Holmes was on the bench for a rest, as he has been great this year.

Baggie is yet to start a game under Micky

Rumours are getting stronger that Koumas IS NOT injured anymore, hope to god there are not behind the scene probs

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

What I like about Micky is that he is not afraid to make changes, take chances and back his judgement. I think he put out a side to get a result, even if it meant changing the formation and dropping in-form players. I notice that on the BBC website the Bristol manager said he knew little about the Rovers set-up, so clearly he hadn't done his homework. After the match, he moaned about how unlucky his side had been. Micky obviously prepared better for the game. I'm becoming increasingly convinced that Micky is capable of getting us out of trouble and eventually challenging for promotion.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

What I like about Micky is that he is not afraid to make changes, take chances and back his judgement. I think he put out a side to get a result, even if it meant changing the formation and dropping in-form players. I notice that on the BBC website the Bristol manager said he knew little about the Rovers set-up, so clearly he hadn't done his homework. After the match, he moaned about how unlucky his side had been. Micky obviously prepared better for the game. I'm becoming increasingly convinced that Micky is capable of getting us out of trouble and eventually challenging for promotion.

Their manager's comments are utter BS as we comfortably kept them at arm's length for the majority of the period that we were down to ten men. The match stats hardly suggest they were desperately unlucky.

I agree about Adams: whatever formation and team he puts out the players appear to know their individual roles and there is always 100% effort. Whether we have enough quality to stay up remains to be seen however.

 

[Boz]

I was surprised at the starting line-up. Not so much defensively, where Donacien is the best attacking full-back we've got and Ridehalgh is a natural left-sided player, even thouigh it was very hard on Danny Holmes, not to feature, when less committed players like Holness and Donnelly start. I'd expected to see Odejayi and Johnson as the starting pair, rather than Richards and Donnelly.

First half, the visitors seemed to have more of the possession, but Rovers had the better chances. After the break, Donnelly had tested the keeper, before an inexplicable hand-ball from old boy Mark McChrystal, gave Rovers a penalty cooly converted by Max Power. However, a rush of blood from Donnelly, kicking out at the Bristol Rovers player following a nudge, saw an inevitable and inexcusable red card for gormless George. While I sort of understood the logic of taking off Richards and replacing him with Odejayi as a target man to try and hold the ball up, in reality it didn't work and hopefully MA is starting to realise how useless Kayode is now. Surprisingly, until the last 10 minutes, Bristol didn't really fling everything at us and with defensive heroics, a great second half from OFW, plus a goaline clearance from Laird, we held out. I enjoyed the game, played some decent football with a full compliment and a great rearguard action with a man short. Suspect I wouldn't be so positive if the Gas had got a leveller with their late pressure.

Impressed with Thompson at the back, a back 3 seemed much more composed. The wing-backs played well, though Ridehalgh seemed short of fitness and the best attacks from wide came on the right. Jennings started brightly, but some misplaced passes and a wild challenge for which he was booked, seemed to dent his confidence and he kept a low profile for the rest of the game. Power was good, Laird a mixed-bag, but to be fair he never went missing. The forward pairing seemed to work reasonably and Richards had a good game.

Given the reduced prices, the crowd was disappointing about 3.5k with ~300 from Bristol. It didn't feel that we were that many down from the average league crowd and the atmosphere was good.

MoM: Toss up between Donacien and Thompson for me, with creditable mentions to Power and OFW.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I like the 5-3-2 formation and we looked solid defensively for the majority of the game yesterday. However, Mickey mentioned a lack of quality from wide areas in his post match comments and I think with that system we are very reliant on good quality service from the full backs, which was not always forthcoming yesterday. In the longer term I think we are going to need more creativity in the side for the 5-3-2 to be effective, perhaps with a more creative midfielder played just behind the strikers.

I notice that Wrexham, Chester, Southport (subject to a replay) and Warrington are all in the hat for tomorrow's draw, which should be interesting.

 

[Ian]

Bit late posting on this one, but I really didn't enjoy the game. Result was good but I thought it was quite a scrappy game. Again we had a lot of the ball but struggled to really do anything with it. I'd like it if I never saw Donnelly in a white shirt again. He's terrible and quite what this fascination is with pushing into players, it's bizarre.

However, we did get the right result and through to the next round so I cant complain too much.