Rovers v Millers

[bring back the cowshed!]

A chance to build on the good work on Saturday and win our first back-to-back matches this season. The morale will be good and Wallace's return will give the team a lift. A win would really move us upwards, but I think we might have to settle for a draw, 1-1. If we can just avoid yet another home defeat, we can all stay positive.

 

[bigmart]

A very tough game this in fact the start of a tough run of games for us, they have a very good away record. I would be happy with a draw but think they will win 2 1

 

[andrewesq]

I would be delighted to nick 3 points playing ugly, this would hopefully put breathing space between us and the drop zone, however rotherham are a decent side away so will be lucky to come out unscathed

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A reaally tough game as Rotherham have a great away record and are currently averaging three goals per game. However, a win would be an incredible boost for the club and on paper the two games that follow look even harder.

Ronnie has said Wallace will return and I would guess it will be Koumas who makes way. Hard on Jason, who has played consistently well since getting back to full fitness, but we will need a bit more defensive protection tomorrow against decent opposition. Cassidy is still apparently a doubt and if he does not make it a 4-4-1-1 formation with Jason given the freedom to roam behind Lowey would be a possibility.

Apparently some Mickey Mouse game is taking place over the river tomorrow night, so hopefully the attendance will not be too badly affected.

 

[bigmart]

I will be missing my first home game in the league for about 4 seasons due to illness gutted but look forward to reading reports on the game.

 

[Boz]

Sorry to hear that bigmart, hope you're well enough to make Preston.

Touch and go whether I'll make this one, depends on weather and the time I escape from work. I agree it's a difficult game against a play-off contender with good away form, although don't think the Millers have won on recent visits to PP. I have some reservations about Wallace automatically being restored to the starting line-up after his stupidity cost us the match v Wolves and the don't change a winning side 'rule', but can see where Ronnie is coming from. I like the 4-4-1-1 formation RLC suggests if Cassidy's unfit.


Prediction: Events over the water may make a dent in our attendance; it would have made more sense switching to Wednesday, but think we'll probably scrape 4k due to respectable turnout from the visitors. A draw would be a decent result, wouldn't be surprised if we get nowt though.

 

[Ian]

I agree with Boz. A draw would be decent. Think it's going to be a good old wet, windy cold night at Prenton Park.

Koumas really shouldn't be dropped. I'd have Wallace on the bench. Hope Cass is fit to start.

 

[bigmart]

Wallace in for Koumas only change

 

[bigmart]

back to the drawing board, reports I had from people there was we were poor till near the end too little too late.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Aside from a bright opening twenty minutes and a battling last fifteen, we were outplayed by a powerful , energetic Rotherham side, probably the best, most balanced team to come to Prenton Park this season. In the opening stages we played some decent football without really creating a clear chance, but as the half progressed Rotherham gradually clicked into gear and began to get a grip on the game. We did not help ourselves by giving the ball away sloppily and struggled to mount any concerted pressure.

Rotherham matched us with a 4-4-2 and Pringle on the left and their front two were a real handful all night. If two teams play the same formation, nine times out of ten the better team will control the game and win and unfortunately that is what happended tonight. We really needed an extra man in midfield, but I don't blame the manager for taking a positive approach as we have to try and win our home games. I would, however, have switched to a 4-5-1 and brought Koumas on at half time when the score was still one-nil.

Defensively I thought we actually did ok and the goals we were really the inevitable result of relentless Rotherham pressure rather than the back four playing poorly, although Arthurworry should have done better with the second goal. To say we are back to the drawing board is over the top - Rotherham had already beaten eight teams away from home this season - but we need to pick and choose our tactics better depending on the quality of the opposition.

Individually, I thought Cassidy struggled a bit and seemed to lose confidence as the game progressed; Lowe appeared to pick up a knock; Jennings worked hard and did ok; Kirby was not great; Horwood had another decent game; Robbo did actually give us more of an attacking threat when he came on; Koumas showed great quality in the closing stages. Rotherham had clearly done their homework on us as Kennedy was double-marked all game and struggled to find space.

The gate tonight was the lowest for a league game at Prenton Park for over 25 years, but the stayaways probably chose a good one to miss.

Results were not too bad for us tonight, but we have to try and get at least a couple of points from the next two games if we are to avoid being sucked into the bottom four again.

 

[Sparky]

As RLC hinted it was too little too late and I think Ronnie must take some blame for that. I felt a bit for Koumas who for me had his best rovers game since his return, against Crewe, and to be dropped albeit for the skipper was very harsh. Wallace did not impose himself in the game in any way last night and Jason should have started. Robbo should have been on earlier too.

It was always going to be a totally different game to Crewe as the Millers were impressive and their good away record is no fluke. Another few mins and we might have nicked a draw but it would have been undeserved.

I felt first half the two Jakes in particular (Kirby and Cassidy) were poor. Agree with RLC that defence overall didnt do too badly - the game was won in the midfield where they totally controlled most of the game.

In hindsight it may have been better if Jake had missed the game through injury and Koumas could have played just off Lowe also giving some more support to the midfield.

As in the Crewe game I didnt think Cass/Lowe worked that well and I hope my concern that they wont work together isnt right. It must be frustrating for them though - both are natural goalscorers and need crosses coming in to the box etc and it rarely happened. Kennedy was double marked and Kirby was poor. Cassidy was having a debate with someone in the JK stand about it mid way thru the 2nd half and as RLC says, you wonder if he has brought his low confidence from Wolves with him to PP.

The first few mummerings of we want ronnie out came from the back of the kop - just a bunch of kids probably but small signs that our poor home record overall is causing frustration.

Lets be realistic tho - Rotherham are a better side than us at the moment and it showed. It will be more important when we play the likes of Crewe who are around us and who we are more on a par with.

 

[Boz]

I wasn't able to leave work in time for this one, though as a s/t holder guess I'm deemed to be there anyway. It sounds like a good game to miss.

If Kennedy was being double-marked, then this must have left opportunity for others, Wallace springs to mind, to create something by running from the middle. Yet from the match reports our captain had a low key game. Were there any attempts to swap wings so Kirby was on the right for a period?

It did sound as though things were going against us in the first half, hardly an attempt on goal. Under such circumstances it's a surprise that Ronnie left it so late to change things, when a tactical substitution like RLC suggests with the change of formation could have helped. I did wonder about the selection of subs; Bell-Baggie made a significant impact at their place and Miller's fans self-identified weakness is a defence unable to cope with pace, could ABB if fit and over his illness have made a difference as an option from the bench?

It seems there are a lot of issues to ponder with the squad. Lowe-Cassidy don't seem to have an understanding (yet), Jake Kirby has lost his way yet Robinson incapable of lasting a full 90. It's hard to have much confidence about the immediate future just now.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

If Kennedy was being double-marked, then this must have left opportunity for others, Wallace springs to mind, to create something by running from the middle. .

In the second half our wingers did switch, but their left midfielder, Pringle, was tracking back at every opportunity and doubling up on Kennedy. Theoretically this should have given our full back greater freedom to get forward, but in reality we never got enough decent possession in midfield to allow Pennington to get past the halfway line, at least not until the last ten minutes.

Rotherham's workrate and pressing when out of possession was impressive all night.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Sounds like the game was a bit of a reality check. It is difficult to get anything from the top six clubs, so we need to make sure we take points off those around us. I don't believe we are one of the worst four (or even the worst six) teams, but it will still be a challenge to stay up.

 

[Ian]

We were never in that game apart from the usual 10/15 minute spurt at the end of the game. Rotherham were a very good side. Passed and moved well, quick on the break, hard working. We were chasing shadows for most of the game. 2-1 sounded like a close affair, far from it. But that's the difference between top six and bottom six. Have to battle harder..