• 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 Rovers v Dale

Match result

  • Rovers

    Votes: 5 100.0%
  • Draw

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Rochdale

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    5
  • Poll closed .
Rovers v Dale
Posted by Ian
Prenton Park
Saturday, January 15, 2022 - 03:00 PM
Until: Saturday, January 15, 2022 - 05:00 PM
(Adjusted for timezone: Europe/London)
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Sparky

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Chris Greenacre
Yes I agree and so does Micky being a tad sensitive in his post match interview. It’s not pretty to watch at times but it is effective. Whether it works against the likes of FGR remains to be seen but at the moment we’re second so long May it continue
 

Sparky

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Chris Greenacre
At one point early in the second half I was thinking it looks like we’ve settled for 2-0. If it still been 0-0 at half time then I’m sure we would have been more attacking but if 2-0 up at half time then you’d take that at full time all day long. It is risky as if they’d got one back it would have been game on - but they didn’t.
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
At one point early in the second half I was thinking it looks like we’ve settled for 2-0. If it still been 0-0 at half time then I’m sure we would have been more attacking but if 2-0 up at half time then you’d take that at full time all day long. It is risky as if they’d got one back it would have been game on - but they didn’t.
Yes, I agree completely. I think we played in second gear after going two goals up so early in the game. We knew that if we kept our shape Rochdale were highly unlikely to get back into the game due to the strength of the defence.
 

bigmart

bigmart
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Ian Muir
Micky said we are still looking to bring players in
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
Micky said we are still looking to bring players in
I think the only obvious area is cover for central defence. Also perhaps another winger, if Hawkes stays at Sunderland.

Rather than signing new players, I hope we are trying to extend the contracts of the dozen or so squad members we will need for next season - irrespective of which division we are in. As things stand, we have only a handful of players signed up for 2022/23.
 
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aldo
also great Closing down from Hemmings for the first goal, and Jolly is in Jolly good form, the start of a Promising Partnership we hopes
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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John King
I doubt we will bring in another wide player now that McPake has signed, as I would expect Hawkes to return. Even if he does not, we still have both MacManaman and Feeney at present.

I am sure we are trying to bring in a centre half, and Micky also suggested we are looking for a central midfielder now that Watson has gone.
 
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aldo
with Hawkes not playing and only getting 10 mins in the 3 games back, you would think he knows what their manager thinks of him hope he comes back and we get him Permanent in the summer, with the other young lad a little off the pace if we had both lads in full flow and firing on all cylinders and the front two banging them in,ok they are only getting started but we can only wait and see over the next few weeks
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
Surprised we're in the market for another midfielder, Watson didn't get much game time and Merrie even less. Spearing O'Connor, Foley Morris and Merrie make 5 who can play in a central midfield role.
 
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I don't think Mellon has any intention of using Merrie in midfield. I think he sees him as a back up left back, particularly as we are trying to get rid of Maguire.

That leaves us with Spearing, O'Connor and Foley. I agree it probably is not an area where we have to strengthen, but he probably just wants the same numbers in the centre of midfield as previously.
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
My mobile is knackered, so unable to post pre-match and during the game, or see what others were thinking, which was very frustrating. Don't fundamentally disagree with what's been posted so far. Great start, well-taken goals by Jolley, but then we seemed happy to sit back and mop up pressure. I did feel there was a spell in the first half where the midfield play was too defensive, rather than going for the jugular and a killer third goal. If we'd been keeping hold of possession while doing this, it would be better, but we kept giving the ball away. Thankfully a combination of good defending and some luck kept our lead intact. The second half was mostly Rochdale, couple of good saves by Doohan and think the woodwork came to our rescue. I couldn't tell if there was any merit in either of the Rochdale second half penalty shouts, but the refereeing seemed rather random throughout.

Hemmings had an encouraging debut, McPake was quieter in this game than his Rovers debut, but there were a number of cross-field balls with too much on them aimed in his direction and not much space to run into. Morris seemed to be sitting deeper than usual, but still had a reasonable game. Agreed with the sponsors pick of Jolley for MoM, only Doohan came close in my view.
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
I don't think Mellon has any intention of using Merrie in midfield. I think he sees him as a back up left back, particularly as we are trying to get rid of Maguire.

That leaves us with Spearing, O'Connor and Foley. I agree it probably is not an area where we have to strengthen, but he probably just wants the same numbers in the centre of midfield as previously.
Surprising. He was bought as a midfielder and from the little I've seen of him in that role, don't think he's incapable there.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
I don't think Mellon has any intention of using Merrie in midfield. I think he sees him as a back up left back, particularly as we are trying to get rid of Maguire.

That leaves us with Spearing, O'Connor and Foley. I agree it probably is not an area where we have to strengthen, but he probably just wants the same numbers in the centre of midfield as previously.
Morris has played most of his games in central midfield in an attacking position. Admittedly, Spearing, O’Connor and Merrie seem best in a more defensive role. Glatzel could play in midfield if needed, so another midfielder would not be essential unless they could chip in with some goals, as Watson was supposed to do.
 
Last edited:
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Morris has played most of his games in central midfield in an attacking position. Admittedly, Spearing, O’Connor and Merrie seem best in a more defensive role. Glatzel could play in midfield if needed, so another midfielder would not be essential unless they could chip in with some goals, as Watson was supposed to do.
However, Morris can't play in central midfield in the 442 we are using now. He is either a number ten or a wide player. Glatzel can't play in midfield full stop, as he is a striker.

We have basically got three players to cover the two central midfield positions, given that Mellon does not want to use Merrie there. I agree we can get by with the players we have in that position, but if we have surplus funds after the various ins and outs, it would not do any harm to strengthen in that area.
 

ADD

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Norwood
Professional performance I suppose. Dale were terrible in the first 15 minutes defensively and their lack of a game since 18th December was brutally apparent. Two good goals by Jolley - first created by Hemmings harrying and a Keeper error but Jolley had so much space for both goals it was unreal though he finished clinically so couldn't ask for more.
After that difficult to tell really as seemed painfully obvious we decided to shut up shop rather than go for the jugular. Allowed them the freedom of PP and I do wonder what would have happened if they had scored. Could have been a very nervy end to the game.
Delighted with 3 points but personally a bit frustrated we didn't use the opportunity to bolster our goal difference further but perhaps understandable given the 3 games in a week.
Individually McPake still off the pace but some signs of improvement and Hemmings did well albeit with little service I felt.
 

bigmart

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Ian Muir
Some big games in league 2 tonight Forest Green v Mansfield, Sutton playing and Port Vale v Salford are of interest and our oppents Saturday Crawley
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
Meanwhile Rovers have a Cheshire Senior Cup game at Lairds...
 
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Looks like it will be just youngsters
Yes, I was not particularly tempted by it.

It is difficult to know what the best result for us is in the FGR - Mansfield game. Probably a draw at this stage.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
The form teams in League Two are as follows - Mansfield, Rovers, Crawley and FGR in that order. These are the only teams unbeaten in at least five games. So this week's games may well change things a bit. I agree with RLC that a draw in tonight's game is best - to slow the Stags' momentum and keep the Veggies within reach. I still think we are capable of being champions, although I'd gladly settle for third place right now.

But one thing is for sure. There are a lot of games left and all but four teams are within four wins of the playoffs. Even Carlisle in 20th are on a good run, which if it continues could make them challengers. We just need to keep winning most of our games and hoping everybody else just draws theirs. ;)
 
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