• 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 Robins v Rovers

Match result

  • Robins

    Votes: 1 33.3%
  • Draw

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Rovers

    Votes: 2 66.7%

  • Total voters
    3
  • Poll closed .
Robins v Rovers
Posted by Ian
Jonny-Rocks Stadium
Friday, April 2, 2021 - 03:00 PM
Until: Friday, April 2, 2021 - 05:00 PM
(Adjusted for timezone: Europe/London)
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Sparky

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8 Sep 2009
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7,532
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Chris Greenacre
The start of a crucial weekend in the race for automatic promotion sees rovers travel to Whaddon Road to take on 2nd place Cheltenham in a game televised on Sky Sports. A 2 point gap means victory would see rovers leapfrog the robins in what is surely to be a tight contest. The sides have almost identical records – both having 10 defeats, with 18 wins for rovers but 19 for the hosts. Whilst rovers recent post Vaughan form has been patchy (3 wins in 8), so to the robins who have lost 3 out of the last 5 with defeats against Mansfield, Barrow and last Saturday away at Morecambe, albeit sandwiched between impressive wins v Exeter & Salford.

No news yet on Scotties diagnosis but safe to say Murphy will start in goal. I’d expect the usual back 4 of McDonald, Ray, Clarke and Khan.

The obvious question is whether Lewis will play in that false 9 position or whether Nugent will come in. My guess is Lewis will keep his place. Who knows if CBT will be involved and I’m hoping that Lloyds lack of game time last Saturday means he was being rested to be fresh for this weekend. Will be interesting if Crawford keeps his place.

Prediction: too close to call but I’d take a point. Bolton have a winnable home game v Colchester whereas FGR travel to Cookies Bradford. Cambridge entertain Morecambe.
 

Sparky

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Chris Greenacre
Keith has confirmed Scottie has ruptured his Achilles so has surgery possibly next week and a long recovery ahead of him
 
Joined
1 Mar 2021
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205
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Too many of them after over 50 years!
It will be interesting to see if a free week re-energises the players and whether they have had a chance to work on formations/tactics in training.
with good weather, I am optimistic they will do well.
 
Joined
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
I think we need four points from the two games over Easter, and a victory is probably more important against Cheltenham. Based on current form, we are unlikely to finish above Bolton and Cambridge, whereas Cheltenham's recent results have been fairly patchy, and they have been struggling to score goals and finish teams off, similar to ourselves. Time will tell, but we might end the season in a fight for third place with Cheltenham and one or two other clubs.

In terms of selection, I think Lloyd will start in place of Crawford if he is fit enough. It seems his playing time is being strictly managed at the moment, but we really need the additional goal threat he brings.

We have an excellent record against the teams in the top seven since Hill took charge, with a 100% record of victories against our promotion rivals since the thrashing at Exeter in December. I am reasonably confident that record will continue in this absolutely pivotal game.
 

Boz

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30 Sep 2005
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8,851
Player
Iain Hume
I agree this is the more crucial of the two important games over the Easter weekend, although Cheltenham at their best are a decent side, as evidenced by the battle they gave Man City in the Cup, before falling to late goals. The hammering we took in the early season home game under Mike Jackson probably isn't the best guide to how things will go now, but the Robins were clinical that day. Don't think Whaddon Road has been one of our happier hunting grounds either.

In terms of team selection, definitely Lewis ahead of Nugent up front. While arguably Paul could have done better with his chances v Colchester and Mansfield, he did draw decent saves out of the respective keepers for both. I'd prefer Lloyd to start ahead of Crawford, but think KH may stick with the Scotsman, with Murphy in for the unfortunate Scott Davies as the only change from the last starting xi.
 

Ian

Super White!
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Aldo
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Kingy
Huge game this one and a real six pointer. Win this and we set ourselves up nicely over the Easter period and keep our place in the top three. I still have major reservations about our foward line and the ability to score enough goals but Cheltenham have been in sketchy form of late losing three of their last five games and conceding six goals in the process. We have to be clinical and take our chances. If the ball is whipped into the box or across the goal line, we need someone there to tap it in. Come on lads, let's win this one!
 
Joined
1 Mar 2021
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Too many of them after over 50 years!
As I mentioned previously, hopefully some training ground practice will have literally centred on who should be getting into the box.... I think the 'rest' from a midweek game will also have helped to recharge the batteries for a Sunderland type performance. That is, the chasing down when not in possession to force errors. Unfortunately, I will only be able to listen to the commentary of the game (grits teeth)
 

Ian

Super White!
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Aldo
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Kingy
I did not realise it was on Sky until i read @Sparky post above. Does that mean it will not be on iFollow?
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
Yes, audio coverage only on Ifollow. Sky day passes can be purchased via Now TV.
 
Joined
1 Mar 2021
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205
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Too many of them after over 50 years!
Weather forecast is 11 degrees C and Sunny. So it should be a day at the races so to speak. I have a gut feeling for a 1-0 win for Rovers, although I have half a dozen eggs ready in the fridge.
 
Joined
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
If we bring our 'A' game I think we have got better players and play better football than Cheltenham and there is no reason why we can't win the game. Just got to hope that we are at our best after a week of recovery and preparation.
 
Joined
1 Mar 2021
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205
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Too many of them after over 50 years!
Someone posted a link to a site showing a breakdown of wages for each club in League 2. According to that {and it does need updating) the Tranmere salary total per year is between £800,000 and £1,300,000 more than Cambridge, Cheltenham, Exeter, Forest Green Rovers, Harrogate, Leyton, Macclesfield and Newport. Salford's is around £600,000 more than Rovers.

However, in a number of cases, the wage bill is skewered towards the 'first 11', whilst others have a fairly standard wage per player.

So if wages equate to level of success, Tranmere should beat Cheltenham today!! Salford should be runaway leaders. Cambridge should be mid-table, as should Newport.

What's that expression about sum of the parts!
 
Joined
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
Those figures don't look reliable to me. I doubt our wage budget is £1 million higher than the clubs listed due to the imposition of the salary cap, and there is no way it will be substantially higher than Forest Green's.

Clubs are not obliged to publish player salary costs, so unless a Chairman decides to tell his supporters what the budget is (which Palios has done in the past) any figures quoted are just guesses.
 
Joined
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
The salary cap was enforced up until the January transfer window, and given that relatively few clubs did big business in January (the exceptions being Bolton and Bradford) most clubs will by definition still be compliant and under the £1.5 million limit.

It is true that pre-existing salaries were not subject to the cap, but I doubt our players under contract from 2019-20 had combined salaries £1 million in excess of those at Forest Green and elsewhere.

As I said, the figures quoted are guesses because they are not publicly available.
 
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