EFL Cup Rovers (0) v Leicester (2)

[bigmart]

After making 4 subs at ht they have scored 2 goals in 3 minutes to finish the game off.

 

[roverstillidie]

Cracking team talk from Dawes

 

[Sparky]

To be fair we started the second half the better side but they were clinical

 

[Am on mobile]

The lads gave it a go if we can play like that in the League we will be ok

 

[bigmart]

Ended 2 0 a spirited performance, pity we couldn't get a goal bit a good effort all round

 

[Am on mobile]

Pike played ok

 

[Sparky]

As Mart says there was no lack of effort tonight and it was pleasing we didn’t get a heavy beating.

First half we grew into the game but created very little. The visitors had more of the ball but Murphy also had little to do. They made 4 subs at half time but to be fair we started the second half well and were the better side at that point. They caused us problems though down our left and Ndidi fired in from a tight angle and then Vardy headed in a cross from that side.
At that point with half an hour left I feared a drubbing but the lads dug in and with a bit more ability in the final third we may have got one back. A few points to take away:

Pike struggled at times but it would be unfair to judge him against tonight’s opponents.
Hawkes was limping at the end but hopefully nothing serious.
Yarney did ok at right back but it’s not ideal. No leake on the bench again - is he injured or just dropped completely after Salford? Mikey Davies is an option for LB meaning Pike could go RB although perhaps Dawes thinks Davies isn’t ready.
No obvious choices for MOM but I agreed with the sponsors as Jennings worked his socks off. He’ll sleep well tonight!
Mcalear did well in his cameo from the bench. Merrie had a decent game at the base of the midfield trio.

At times it reminded me of the barrow game when we got into good areas we overplayed and too often tried for a clever one two instead of just putting it in the box and getting good numbers in there. Also we could do with some more pace.

Anyhow we can now concentrate on the league and this Saturday really is must win. Lose and it’ll be 5 defeats from 6 league games - but hopefully the lads can take some positives from tonight.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I thought we played well and I enjoyed the game.

The shape and team selection was more sensible than Saturday, with Jennings operating as the lone striker in a 451 and Hawkes and Taylor wide. In the first half we kept our shape really well and restricted Leicester to speculative efforts, whereas we had the only two shots on target. At the beginning of the second half we really started to cause problems, but my criticism would be that we actually opened up too early which allowed Leicester to quickly pick us off for the goals. I thought we should have stayed in shape for another ten or fifteen minutes. However, I enjoyed a lot of the football we played and we worked really hard.

I thought everybody contributed but Jennings was absolutely outstanding and was deservedly man of the match. I think his all round game has improved considerably since he was last here. I actually thought both full backs did really well and Pike looked promising, the difference being that tonight we set up in a shape that gave them some protection.

I still maintain that we have some talented players this season, but is up to Dawes to find some consistency. Now to beat our friends from across the border on Saturday.

 

[Sparky]

Dawes will have earned some credit in the bank after tonight’s efforts, but we need to take the same intensity and effort into Saturdays game.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Dawes will have earned some credit in the bank after tonight’s efforts, but we need to take the same intensity and effort into Saturdays game.

Yes, the players had no choice other than to be defensively disciplined tonight, but we have got to have the same attitude in every game.

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

I agree with most of the comments especially the shape of the team tonight, but the difference between tonight and the league games, the intensity of in your face football and the bullying of league two opposition. Leicester didn't do much closing down in our half and not much pressure bar Albrighton's crosses.
Second half, it seemed as we grew a bit bold, they just waited to pick us off, and did so after a misplaced pass and from the throw they scored and the second killed off the tie.r
Jenno was mom, he lead the line and was mainly the focal point in getting us into their box as much as we did. His constant running, closing down and winning good ball, helped the performance so much.
Pike, was a bit green and naive, but you couldn't fault his first performance at this level and got a bit of a learning curve.

I still think the shape needs solidity with better coverage in midfield, Wrexham will be a different ball game to tonight.
will we be resilient enough, have we enough in a big derby game?

We will see

 

[Sparky]

Dawes confirms post match that leake and LOC are missing for a few weeks. Norris has injured the same foot where he previously damaged his metatarsal and has a second scan today to see what that shows. A real shame we’re missing the big man for this Saturday but hopefully it’s not long term

 

[ADD]

Thought as others have said this was a very decent effort. Pike I thought did well. Will never have played against players of that quality and yes they whipped in many crosses in the first half but he stuck to his task and grew into the game in an attacking sense. Dawes said after that he would be here for a long time if he continued like that.
Taylor I thought did very well again - he looked good against quality defenders and I was struck by how many times he was calling for the ball or ghosting into space even against such good defenders but he simply isn't being picked out often enough and ends up looking like he isn't in the game. Merrie was much better in his preferred role and took a lot of the pressure off Hendry.
Dawes now needs to knuckle down, decide on his best 11 and more importantly play players in the right position. Back 4 now picks itself with Pike and Yarney as FB's. Merrie can therefore start in CM and Dawes then needs to perm his attacking players as he sees fit.
Lots of positives overall.
ps McAlear looked ok in his cameo.

 

[Ian]

Decent game to watch last night. The lads competed well and managed a few shots on goal. The contest ended after 2-0 but plenty of positives to take. I thought Pike did really well and Yarney on the other side too. Jennings was excellent and his work rate is fantastic, he's been one of the bright sparks this season. Now to show the same level against our Welsh neighbours.

 

[Sparky]

Leicester have a trip to Anfield in the next round

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Leicester have a trip to Anfield in the next round

A shame we didn’t beat Leicester. That would have been the biggest possible money spinner for us and could have funded several players.

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

A shame we didn’t beat Leicester. That would have been the biggest possible money spinner for us and could have funded several players.

Good news is that that wouldn’t have happened even if we’d won on Tuesday.

The balls drawn were 13 v 12, which was Liverpool v Leicester, but the way the numbers were allocated alphabetically meant we’d have been 25 if we’d been in the draw. In Leicester’s absence, Liverpool would’ve therefore been 12, someone else would’ve been 13, and so on, with the knock on effect on other clubs’ numbers down to 25. And 25 was drawn away to 22.

Bottom line is that our reward for beating Leicester would’ve been a trip to Salford, rather than Anfield, in the next round!