Rovers v Accrington

[Boz]

Lost 3-2 at the Crown Ground earlier in the season, a match where some defensive mistakes cost us the point we deserved. Since then, both teams have changed managers, with the Liverpool born John Coleman in charge at Accy.

This will be a difficult game against a physical side, who'll battle for everything. While Micky mentions more irons in the fire, think it's unlikely that we'll add to our two recruits by the weekend. Of the new recruits, reckon Taylor is the more likely starter and because of our difficulties in defence, suspect that we will play with a back four. Nothing said about Odejayi's fitness, but if available, this is a game he should start. I think we might line up thus.

OFW
Holmes Thompson Ihiekwe Ridehalgh
Power Jennings Laird
Fenelon Odejayi/DonnellyR Taylor

Prediction. Doubt the visitors will bring many and coupled with the bad weather forecast, expect a crowd around 4.5k. While we're capable of winning this, feel a draw most likely.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A tough game, as Accrington have been in decent form since Coleman took over and are playing some decent football. Stanley are quite attack minded so I can see there being a few goals on Saturday.

I think the starting line up will be close to the one Boz suggests above, but perhaps with the same players rearranged into a 4-4-2. A game that we need to take three points from.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

The away game was the first turning point in our season. We were winning with 20 minutes left and the defeat started our slump from mid-table to the bottom. This is a match we should win, as most games will be harder, particularly as the season goes on. I agree with the team selections above, except that I expect Molyneux to play a part against his old club. My main concern is if we get another injury to a defender. We've had more than our fair share. Woodards, Hill, Aimson and now Holness have had long absences.

 

[Boz]

I'm unsure how we could slot both new signings into the starting xi, without becoming unbalanced. Taylor is in better form and more attacking of the pair, hence expecting him to start. While Molyneux could replace either Ridehalgh or Laird in my suggested line-up, think it's more likely he'll come on as a sub.

 

[bigmart]

think we will just nick this 2 1

 

[Ian]

No matter how good the opposition are or how well they are playing we simply need to start racking some points up and we need to win these home games.

2-0 win today.

 

[Colin K]

Go hard or go home, 3-1 to the Rovers with Max anytime goal scorer ;-)

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Max isn't playing. Anyone know why?

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Great result. First 3-0 win since September 2012, although we won 5-1 at Coventry last season.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Fantastic performance from Rovers today, by far our best of the season. Thanks in large part to the three new additions, it was a performance full of pace, energy and quality and we looked unrecognisable from the team of a couple of months ago. In fairness to Accy, they committed numbers forward and played some decent football and it was an entertaining, end to end game. However, we created the better chances throughout and simply had much more quality at both ends of the pitch, and the win was fully deserved.

There were some outstanding individual displays: Holmes, Thompson and Jennings all did what they do best and, after a slow start, Koumas showed his quality in the second half. However, it was the new additions that lifted the level of the performance and all three were impressive. Taylor was solid defensively, willing to overlap and produced a fantastic run and delivery for the second goal. Molyneux was comfortable on the ball, inventive and gives us new options on set plays and looks a capable replacement for Max. Donnelly gave us the quality in the eighteen yard box we have been missing, but his workrate was as impressive as his finishing. The front three were excellent, with Fenelon having his best game for some time and Odejayi producing his best display in a Rovers shirt: he tormented their centre halves all afternoon and I was just disappointed he could not get the goal his performance deserved in the closing stage. He looks a differnt player from the one Adams inherited and would be my man of the match.

In answer to BBTC, the stewards around me were saying Max is on his way to Brighton for £750,000, although the official line is that he was 'ill' today. However, if we play with that energy and quality for the rest of the season, we can survive comfortably with or without him.

Following the Swansea turnout, there were a couple of hundred more home fans in the ground today and with more displays like that they will want to return.

 

[merseyside bossman]

Great Game.

Everyone put a real shift in, we could have been 5 up by half time.

Laird going off was a farce but a good boost to the team.
With Koumas added to the rest of the team, you could see that there was lots of goals in the team, if we could keep them out.
I'm glad Koumas's legs stayed the distance for his first proper game in ages.

SURELY the team selection will carry over to the next game.

Subs where good and used wisely,
I hope Holmes's nuts recover.

OFW came out to take a few crosses, which was a shock to the system.
The defence looked very solid
Midfield was not the fastest but every player look comfortable on the ball.
Forward line was busy/strong/quick and most of all HUNGRY.

The only point which I am unhappy/concerned about is that Koumas was never aloud to take a corner or free kick. In the first half we had a few corners that JK could have sent in some nice 'in swingers' .... We had plenty of height in the box and Odejayi causing them untold problems. Defo an opportunity missed.


Onwards and Upwards

SWA

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Thanks, RLC. It sounds like we should be able to stay out of the bottom two if we turn in displays like that a few more times. Apart from Carlisle, other results were good and we can now reach 17th if we win the game in hand. Without Max and with two debutants in the team, I thought we'd struggle, especially after we lost Laird. It was great to know for a change that the three points were in the bag twenty minutes from the end. Because of that, Micky was able to bring on young Duggan. I'm pleased he's giving the youngsters a chance, contrary to what I heard when he was at Port Vale. I hope the rumour about Max is true. I think the fee is fair for a player a few months from the end of his contract, especially if we can negotiate a sell-on clause. The two goals will do Rory the world of good. They are his first in English football. Amazingly, they are up on his Wikipedia page already! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_Donnelly

 

[Ian]

Not really much to add on the above. So refreshing to win by three and we are now much better than our league position inducates. More of the same and we'll be OK this season.

Micky seems to have brought in some really useful players and things are really starting to take shape now.

Huge difference today with quality balls in the box and quality finishing.

 

[Boz]

A deserved win for Rovers, although it was not as comfortable as the scoreline would suggest. It was just one of those days where Accrington wouldn't have scored had the game being played to midnight, hit the post, effort cleared off the line, couple of great saves from OFW and when they finally netted it was ruled out for offside. At times Rovers were guilty for defending too deeply, allowing the visitors ample opportunity to get back into the game, another day this could have been more costly

I was surprised at the starting line-up and the way the new signings were deployed. Taylor, apparently the more attacking of the pair played at left-back, with Ridehalgh dropped, Molyneux in midfield. Wasn't quite sure if it was a 442 or 433, with Fenelon either the third striker or a right winger.

The three Rovers goals were all quality, the second, a fine run by Taylor and a great finish from Fenelon was my favourite. Odejayi was a inch away from getting a touch to finish off a fine ball crossed across the box, he deserved a goal today. As RLC says, a man transformed.

Nice for Mitch Duggan to get a 7 minute cameo, 5 of our subs today were home-grown.

Mark Palios made a throwaway remark at the Trust meeting about being able to read about Max's contract offers in the Daily Mail. I suspect that Max is genuinely ill just now, though he may be going to Brighton.

MoM: Think you could give to a number of players; Fonners was very secure and made some excellent saves, Danny Holmes up and down the field and taking one where it hurts, good debuts for Taylor and Molyneux. I'd say it should go to one of the forwards; Rory Donnelly, Odejayi or Fenelon, but can't choose between them.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Mark Palios made a throwaway remark at the Trust meeting about being able to read about Max's contract offers in the Daily Mail. I suspect that Max is genuinely ill just now, though he may be going to Brighton.

Out of interest, was anything interesting revealed at the Trust meeting (I could not make it today) ?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

At times Rovers were guilty for defending too deeply, allowing the visitors ample opportunity to get back into the game, another day this could have been more costly

In fairness, at two goals down so early in the game Accrington had nothing to lose and were able to simply throw bodies forward at will, which pushed us on to the back foot for periods of the game. However, I would agree that we missed Laird's defensive qualities when he went off, and this left the back four a bit exposed at times.

 

[Boz]

Out of interest, was anything interesting revealed at the Trust meeting (I could not make it today) ?

There was a request made at the start of the meeting for confidentiality, although the Echo reporter was invited to the meeting, so I'm unsure exactly how that will work. Paid up members to the takeover bid will have minutes of the meeting circulated and opinions canvassed. It seems like if this goes through, the Trust will have some involvement with the club, but in a different way to that originally envisaged.

Mark and Nicola were very honest at the meeting, seems like they genuinely want the supporters to play some part, rather than the needs must approach of PJ. It also sounded like Jeremy Butler had been a major obstacle to TRFC-Trust working together during his time at the club. Some of their other ideas were put forward and the mood of the meeting was broadly positive. Turnout was a tad disappointing, Belmont Suite was nowhere near full.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Thanks Boz. I will check my e-mails.......

 

[Ian]

I'd agree with Boz regarding their chances. They were a tad unlucky in front of goal and our defence did look a bit shaky at times but that's football. On another day it may have been a different story.

Still have to commend the lads on their chasing down, great finishing and general overall play.

 

[frenchrover]

For me, apart from the 3 goals and the result obviously, the best part of yesterday's performance was the agressive way we chased the opposition down when they had the ball, restricting their ability to settle. Also whilst Danny Holmes, in particular, together with the 3 new lads, and not forgetting Duggan as well for his cameo role, all had really good games, for me the MOM was Odejayi. I never thought I'd ever say that after his previous performances, but yesterday he put in a fantastic shift and proved a real handful for the Stanley defence who for the most part had 2 players trying to mark him thus leaving gaps for our other attacking players to exploit. I really hope he can continue in this vein of form.