Rovers v Hatters

[Sparky]

Well having said both the Wimbledon and Stevenage games were must win, 2 points from 6 leaves rovers desperately in need of a win more than ever. Draws aren't enough and we are running out of games.

Surely we won't get a better opportunity against a Luton side still harbouring play off hopes but who have lost 7 in a row and will be reeling after being 2-0 up on Friday only to lose 2-3. An early goal for Rovers would surely see Luton heads drop.

Don't expect many changes as Micky was generally pleased after Friday. I'd still prefer fonners as he is simply the better keeper imo and although we have had a unsettled defence all season, changing Keeper at this stage is quite a risk. Brezovan looked in no mans lands for the first Stevenage goal on Friday and it appeared dugdale was supposed to be marking the guy who scored. (No surprise).

Like others I would prefer Holmes in and ihikwe or Thompson in the middle but can't see it happening.

Surely this is the time for Hume to start up top alongside Kayodi with max, green, jenno and JMW in a midfield 4.

Could be (another) nervy and frustrating 90 minutes but who knows, an early couple of goals and it may go well. I'm being optimistic and going for a 2-0 win for rovers. SWA!!!

 

[bigmart]

I think we will win this 2 1 they've lost the last 7 games we really need this win and will just about do it

 

[Boz]

I would much rather have played a Luton side after they'd got a result against Exeter. It seems that for teams on a terrible run, the cure for all ills is a game against Rovers. Went to the reverse fixture, where we lost 1-0 and certainly had a few chances to score against us, but at that point they were solid definsively. It sounds like it's at the back where things have gone wrong for the Hatters, defenders either suspended/injured then not getting back into the groove when they've returned. Given our own brittle defence, we've got to go at their vulnerability from the off.

I was surprised Brezovan was picked ahead of OFW for the Stevenage game, given he didn't perform that well against Wimbledon. Power and Jennings, despite being in poor form both walked straight back into the team after absences and after Friday's game, where he has to accept much of the blame for their first goal, Fonners should be recalled.
Elsewhere, it sounds like Dugdale had improved a little, but would still rather Thompson was played, if fit. Much as Sparky suggests elsewhere, Taylor for Ridehalgh at left-back would be another option to consider.

Prediction: Crowd around 5k, not expecting that many to make the trip from Herts given their current form. This and Oxford are our best prospects of a win in the remaining games, but still uneasy.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I know we say this before every game, but tomorrow really is must win for Rovers. We surely won't get a better opportunity for three points than against a hopelessly out of form Luton side who have now all but given up on the play-offs, judging by the comments of their fans on Friday. If we play as we did at Stevenage we will win, it is just a question of Rovers maintaining that level of performance. Apparently Luton have pre-sold about 500 tickets, so the Hatters will bring a sizeable following, which is credit to their fans considering their form. As a holiday fixture and given the importance of the game, I would expect a gate well in excess of 5,000.

I am not superstitious, but an eighth defeat for Luton would equal their worst ever run, set back in 1899, and it is those kind of stats that make me nervous.......

Selection wise, I would go 4--4-2 with Green, Power, Jennings and JMW in the middle, Hume and Odejayi up front, Fonners in goal, and Taylor at left back. I would also like to see Thompson and Holmes back in the side; the former is a possibility, the latter unlikely.

A victory is essential.

 

[Ian]

I'm a bit more optimistic about today. Rovers whilst not quite getting the points we need have played reasonably well over the last few games and we have more of a chance of getting some points if we keep the same level of performance. We really do have to at least win our remaining home games now and it has to start today.

 

[Sparky]

Can't believe in such a big game at home against a side low in confidence he is playing 1 recognised forward. Green is a great player to support Kayode but should be on the wing with Taylor in for ridehalgh.
Fonners should be playing too.

Hope I'm wrong and that we don't need to throw strikers on in the 2nd half and its too little too late....

 

[Mal]

Most supporters have been complaining about Fon Williams ( shot stopper but cannot kick to save his life and poor communication with defence) yet when replaced, the complaints continue. When MA changes a team, supporters complain he should have kept the team that played well in the previous game. Go figure.

 

[Ian]

Not a bad first half. Luton don't seem to be offering much but we need to work their keeper more. Draw isn't good enough. Fingers crossed..

 

[Mal]

Oh well, it isn't looking good, is it? 5 cup finals now. I wonder which player this week will be on the club site stating that the positives must be taken from the performance? The only positive is Hartlepool and Carlisle lost so are not out of sight.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A disappointing performance and a result which is terrible, but does not quite finish us off due to the failings of the teams around us.

I thought the tempo of the performance was not right throughout, and we never got at a poor Luton side in the manner we needed to. Tactically, the 4-5-1 did not work because Green had a poor game and did not get on the ball in the right areas. We were the better side in the second half and did not deserve to lose the game, but I felt we wasted the first 45 minutes, showing a lack of conviction when we needed to really get a grip of the game. That said, defensively we were not bad apart from the penalty fiasco and we created the better chances from open play; JMW certainly should have put us ahead with at least one of his two efforts in the first half.

Luton were frankly awful, and it says a great deal about our own shortcomings that we could not take even a point from the game today. The defensive mix up which led to the goal and the failure to respond to Brezovan's save summed up our defensive inadequacies and demonstrated why we will almost certainly be relegated.

It is the lack of conviction shown by a number of players that I find hard to take; whether it is nerves or just apathy, a number of them again gave the impression that they simply are not bothered today.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Most supporters have been complaining about Fon Williams ( shot stopper but cannot kick to save his life and poor communication with defence) yet when replaced, the complaints continue. When MA changes a team, supporters complain he should have kept the team that played well in the previous game. Go figure.

Pretty easy to figure, actually. Fon Williams was in great form before he was dropped, and in each of the last two games Brezovan has made an error which has cost us points. I don't think anyone on this site was calling for Fonners to be dropped.

Most people that were at the game today could see that the 4-5-1 formation was not right; just because it works away from home, does not mean it will be successful in a game where we need to take the initiative.

 

[Ian]

Amazingly we are still only a win away from safety with the other results but that can't mask the fact that we are pretty hopeless. Yet again lots of huffing and puffing and plenty of the ball in the second half but no quality to do anything with it. Their keeper being restricted to a handful of saves, the best being from Marc Laird's header.

Same old story I'm afraid..

 

[bigmart]

Another missed opportunity a fairly even if poor game we should have scored very early on through Myrie-Williams but created little throughout the game and to be fair nor did Luton.

Relegation looms large now and sadly it seems inevitable to me

 

[roverstillidie]

Another disgraceful showing, sack Adams and give us half a chance of staying up. I'd rather have my dog as manager than Adams.

 

[Boz]

Crap day all round. I had transport difficulties so was five minutes late arriving, just about the time we had our only meaningful goal attempt in the first half. Team selection was totally wrong, against a side who'd lost their last 7, should have been in their faces from the off. Instead of which only Odejayi up front in a game we needed to win...

Things improved at the start of the 2nd half, Rovers had more possession, but didn't make it count. Max Power out cold and stretchered off, didn't look good. O/s vague, said he hadn't been feeling well pre-match, but unclear what the problem was. Laird came on and generally did well, though it was him losing the ball followed by a bout of suicidal defending that lead to the Luton penalty and converted rebound. Aside from a Marc Laird effort, which brought out a decent save from their keeper, we didn't come close to equalising and seem to be surrendering our league status tamely, though some of Adams' team selections make you wonder if he's got a few quid on us going down.

OFW was playing well before the international call up and his distribution had been improving. If Brezovan had played well v Wimbledon, could understand him keeping his place but he could have done better with their goal and was definitely at fault for the Stevenage opener. More pig-headedness from the manager.

Very few players came out of today with any credit. Jennings worked hard and would be my MoM, Ridehalgh had a much improved game and both Laird and Hume did ok as subs. Green tried to do to much, but that is infinitely preferable to not trying to do enough. I felt he was let down by a lot of the players around him.

Mathematically we may not be down, but it is very hard to see us winning another game this season, unless the manager sets aside whatever issues he has with certain players and selects the strongest most in form side from the players available.

 

[Ian]

It's a fair point Boz, especially in the first half, I could see no reason why Odejayi was playing the lone man upfront, as 90% of the time he wins the flick on's, so this time he was actually flicking it on to no-one. Where's the sense? Green tried hard and had some decent runs and for that you cannot criticise, Jennings started well but faded. JMW continued to frustrate and was generally poor as was Ridehalgh who looked half asleep. Dugdale is just rubbish who simply boots the ball up field whenever he has it. Not many players come out of this one with much credit. So much for calling these cup finals!

Hope Max is OK.

Regarding the keeper situation, it's a bit baffling how with half a dozen games left, Adams decide to start with Brezovan who's been sat on the bench all season. I know OFW was on international duty for a game or two but that's not the first time and he's always got his place back. Nothing is going to change now, we are stuck with who we've got. Can Goody come back a few weeks early?

 

[Mal]

Haven't been to a Tranmere-Chester game for a while. The odds are in favour of that happening for 2015/16. Based on form over this season we have are likely to win one, draw one and lose two of last four games. Anyone's guess as to how the Southend game will go but likely to be a loss or draw. Heart says we will just stay up, head says that we couldn't motivate majority of the players even if we used cattle prods throughout each game. rats, I hate being a gloom and doom merchant but I wouldn't bet my own money on Tranmere winning a game at the moment. The win draw loss performance is spookily akin to the 2000/2001 team.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

It was interesting to hear the comments of Alan Curbishley and Steve Claridge on the Football League Show last night. I had not counted, but it is apparently fifteen games now since we last kept a clean sheet, and Claridge highlighted our defensive weaknesses as the reason we will probably be relegated.

Defensively we were ok when Adams first took over, but his constant tinkering at the back, playing people out of position, has damaged us in my view. We have some decent attacking players, but we have no chance when we keep giving the opposition a leg up with poor defending.

Incidentally, neither Curbishley or Claridge seemed convinced we can survive. Neither am I.

 

[Ian]

Lots of people leaving the ground has resigned themselves to relegation. Whilst that is the probable outcome it's still possible to survive. Carlisle and Cheltenham are as bad as us in terms of form. We'll probably all end up in a similar position last game of the season and our fate will be decided then, I'm convinced.

Depressing thoughts though..

 

[Boz]

It was interesting to hear the comments of Alan Curbishley and Steve Claridge on the Football League Show last night. I had not counted, but it is apparently fifteen games now since we last kept a clean sheet, and Claridge highlighted our defensive weaknesses as the reason we will probably be relegated.

Defensively we were ok when Adams first took over, but his constant tinkering at the back, playing people out of position, has damaged us in my view. We have some decent attacking players, but we have no chance when we keep giving the opposition a leg up with poor defending.

Incidentally, neither Curbishley or Claridge seemed convinced we can survive. Neither am I.

Accrington, when Fonners was behind a back four of Holmes Ihiekwe Thompson Taylor was our last clean sheet. Since Dugdale was brought in, we have not managed a game without conceding. No coincidence to me.

Mal mentions it's a long time since we played Chester in the league. I have seen a game between us, but never seen Rovers play Southport. Used to think it would be a good pre-season friendly, but now looks likely to be a league clash next season.