• 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.

Rochdale v Rovers

Joined
24 Jul 2017
Messages
4,185
Player
aldo
me to ive had the worst season ever but all down to work ive been to pp since i was 8 and now 46 . and only ever missed a hand full of games all season this season been to 1 game and its not been easy i love my footie and i love my ROVERS , could not get the UTD game off even though im happy i did miss it lol . but thats the way the job goes oh well can only get better on and off the field:cool:
 

ADD

Member
Joined
2 Jun 2018
Messages
1,495
Player
Norwood
Team pretty much picks itself with all the injuries.
Caprice, Rides, Manny or/ and Sid depending on whether Clarke fit. Don't see us going 532 with Wilson and Woods both out. Morris, Woodyard, McCullough and Gilmour/ Danns in midfield and Cook and Ferrier up front would be my shout for starting team so bound to be nothing like that!! The pitch (if it is on with all the bad weather forecast) will be heavy so I feel CBT needs to be left on bench as whilst he creates 3 or 4 mazy dribbles a game he does not do enough defensively IMO. Have to hope that we can get some sort of result and will be overjoyed if we do but am expecting another difficult game especially if Clarke does not play/ is not really 100% match fit as Manny is seriously off the boil currently. I might even start with Nelson rather than Manny if Clarke is fit TBH
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,019
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
Nelson had a good game when he came on. I think without risking Clarke a pairing of Nelson and Monthe should be sufficient.
 

Sparky

Member
Joined
8 Sep 2009
Messages
7,532
Player
Chris Greenacre
I’m just glad it’s an away game as all those home games without a goal for us were pretty draining.

I’ll decide in the morning if I’ll drive up but forecast must put the game in some doubt

as for the team, don’t expect many changes. I wonder if Jennings and Danns May return as the game won’t be pretty and someone like CBT May not fancy it. Also Morris arguably needs dropping as he’s been poor recently.
 

ADD

Member
Joined
2 Jun 2018
Messages
1,495
Player
Norwood
apparently a pitch inspection tomorrow morning according to the Supporters Association. Pitch is playable now but concerns about the surface with the amount of rain forecast. To my mind won't be a bad thing if off especially as if it is on it will be another terribly heavy pitch - gives Clarke, Banks et al another week to get fit and brings Woods and Wilson a week closer to being fit again..
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Nelson had a good game when he came on. I think without risking Clarke a pairing of Nelson and Monthe should be sufficient.
I am not so sure to be honest. Nelson is better than Ray, but we still looked vulnerable on Tuesday night and could quite easily have conceded two or three goals.

We need Clarke back ASAP, not that I would risk aggravating his injury by rushing him back.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
The problem with a postponement is that Wimbledon play tomorrow and on Tuesday night, and have a winnable home game next week while we are away to Wycombe.

If the game is off, we could be dead and buried by the time another 'winnable' match comes around.
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
I agree that from a Rovers perspective and despite the injury issues, on balance it would be better for the game to go ahead.

The Rochdale statement is vague, when exactly will a decision be made about the game? If it is off would rather find out before I arrive at Rochdale!
 

ONIGP

Member
Joined
28 Feb 2018
Messages
1,447
Player
Eddie Bishop
The Rochdale statement is vague, when exactly will a decision be made about the game? If it is off would rather find out before I arrive at Rochdale!
Likewise! I've done it twice before I think, Crewe in the 80s when Frank was boss and Crawley a few years ago when they had a massive amount of postponements due to waterlogging. Fortunately, I'd wangled a day working in Weybridge so at least my petrol was paid for! On neither of those occasions did they have an early pitch inspection.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
In the days before mobile phones I reached the ground at Cheltenham and Peterborough to discover the pitch was frozen. However, that does not top Dover a couple of years ago when I stepped off a train at 2pm to see Dover fans heading the opposite way (waterlogged pitch).
 

ONIGP

Member
Joined
28 Feb 2018
Messages
1,447
Player
Eddie Bishop
In the days before mobile phones I reached the ground at Cheltenham and Peterborough to discover the pitch was frozen. However, that does not top Dover a couple of years ago when I stepped off a train at 2pm to see Dover fans heading the opposite way (waterlogged pitch).
Ouch!
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,019
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
However, that does not top Dover a couple of years ago when I stepped off a train at 2pm to see Dover fans heading the opposite way (waterlogged pitch).
I remember that like it was yesterday!
 

ONIGP

Member
Joined
28 Feb 2018
Messages
1,447
Player
Eddie Bishop
Officiallydale has just tweeted that it's postponed.
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
Fair play to Rochdale for the early decision and notification.
 
Joined
24 Jul 2017
Messages
4,185
Player
aldo
in some ways its not a bad thing lets some of the injured players recoup a little more and lets mm and the others get on the training pitches to do more and sort stuff out
 

ONIGP

Member
Joined
28 Feb 2018
Messages
1,447
Player
Eddie Bishop
Oh well, that's now 2 easily accessible Saturday matches moved to midweek where attendance becomes trickier … Dale and Blackpool. From 'Dale's point of view a postponement against us due to a waterlogged pitch doesn't leave much scope for criticism. By the way, is this the same pitch people were referring to as an example of what could be done in mid-season to ensure a big cup match was played? The fact that it was the first EFL match called off today makes you wonder how successful that really was.
 

ADD

Member
Joined
2 Jun 2018
Messages
1,495
Player
Norwood
I know some wanted the game to be on especially if Wimbledon win their "games in hand" we will be cut well adrift but if Wimbledon lose their games however then the gap will appear far more breachable.
More importantly I can't help feeling that it gives us time to regroup which is desperately needed after several 2 games in a week on the trot. Also the amount of injuries we are having must have something to do with having to play on games on such a heavy pitch which it would have been also at Oldham.
Clarke will have another week to achieve full fitness and more importantly help is sorting sort the rest of the defence as Jacko patently isn't capable of it.
Banks will have another week so may be close and Wilson and Woods will be a week nearer being available. Finally Gumbs (not that I expect him to be in unless many injuries) and Ellis will be closer to finally coming back.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Perhaps Jackson needs our best defender (Clarke) on the pitch to 'sort the defence out'.......

Our defending will ultimately only be as good as the players that are available.
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
It’s a moot point as to what extent and in what areas coaching can improve a player. I’d guess that organising a defence is an inate skill that it’s hard to train players to do if they’ve not got the basics. Defending set-pieces may be easier to work on though once the team has crossed the white line, there’s not much a coach or manager can do.
 

ONIGP

Member
Joined
28 Feb 2018
Messages
1,447
Player
Eddie Bishop
It’s a moot point as to what extent and in what areas coaching can improve a player. I’d guess that organising a defence is an inate skill that it’s hard to train players to do if they’ve not got the basics. Defending set-pieces may be easier to work on though once the team has crossed the white line, there’s not much a coach or manager can do.
I would imagine that leading the defence requires similar skills to those that any team leader needs to possess. The ability to understand and interpret your surroundings as well as the other team members and the confidence to vocalise to others who are willing to listen. That confidence and buy-in is usually related to experience which Clarke has in abundance. He'll know that he'll get some stuff wrong but he'll get it right more often than not. At least the defence then works as a unit rather than a number of individuals. I don't think it's rocket science, it's just unfortunate that we only seem to possess one leader within our defensive contingent.
 
Top