Rovers v Shrimps

[Boz]

How will Rovers and in particular Rob Edwards respond to last week's disappointing reversal to Cheltenham? It won't be an easy game, Morecambe are surprise leaders of L2 with a 100% record featuring Rovers old-boy, veteran Kevin Ellison and their style seems to be one of battling for everything. They have some decent forwards in Redshaw and the young Mullin.

This is a game which calls for a defensive midfielder, so Gill is almost the only option, unless Woodards is tried in that position. Midfield is probably the area, where there is most scope for change. I'd retain Laird for his height, but after that there are fairly finely-balanced options. Defensively, unless Donacien is given a debut, would expect a similar line-up to that finishing the last game, while up front the Richards-Stockton pairing needs a chance to flourish.

Prediction. Despite their relative proximity, don't know how many Shrimpers will make the journey, they don't seem to have a large travelling support. Home numbers are likely to remain fairly static, so a crowd of ~4.8k. I think this will be a tight game, either a draw or narrow win either way.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

It is difficult to make predictions for Saturday as Rovers are so inconsistent at the moment, both week to week and within individual games. As Boz points out, Morecambe have useful players up front and will come here full of confidence: Mullin looks a great signing for them and Ellison will have a point to prove, not having been particularly popular with the Rovers faithful in his time here.

Despite our disappointing start and the wretched defensive performance last week, I don't believe we need major changes of personnel, rather that we have to adopt tactics that get the best out of the players we have. We clearly need a defensive midfielder and I think Gill should start on Saturday. We also lack pace out wide, but it seems Abbs may be fit to start on Saturday which could solve that problem. I hope Stockton and Richards are played as a front pair again, as they have been very effective in the last two games.

I think the gate will be around the 4,500 marks as I don't believe Morecambe take more than a couple of hundred fans away from home, regardless of the opposition. We badly need a confidence-boosting victory.

 

[bigmart]

cant see is winning think be a draw 1 1

 

[Ian]

Just when we badly need a win, we're playing a team going through a purple patch at the moment, even Kevin Ellison is looking good!

A defensive midfielder is a must really but I'd be equally happy if Kirby is dropped as I don't think he contributes enough. Hopefully the front two will look dangerous again. If we are leading at HT, I might close my eyes for the second half!

 

[Boz]

Shrimps fans reckon they'll bring approaching 400.

 

[Higgy]

Just got a feeling about this one. Haven't been drinking, think we may win easily......... 3-1 or even 4-1

Like the idea of Gill playing. Despite things not going to well I think Stcokton and Richards must be gaining confidence from a regular game ...and both have now scored.

4,600

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

It looks such an obvious away win on form that I think Higgy might be right, although I can't think who'll get the 4 goals! I don't think he can play the same team again after the capitulation. I agree about the defensive midfielder and I think Woodards is too good to leave out, so I'd try him there and leave Holmes at no 2. He's going to have to play Donacien sooner or later, so why not Saturday? Also surely Bruna or ABB must feature, at least for part of the game.

 

[Ian]

I think ABB is available for selection so might be picked to start.

 

[Sparky]

It goes without saying a massive improvement is needed from last Saturday if we are to get anything from this game. Morcambe will be full of confidence on Saturday and we cannot afford to give them any early encouragement so a quick tempo from the first whistle is required.

I just hope the crowd can stick with rovers as if things don't go in our favour from the start, it could be a difficult afternoon. A respectable hard fought 1-1 draw for me. Cole to grab another goal.

 

[Boz]

Gill has missed training through illness, although RE thinks will be available for the game. It could be Woodards is the only defensive midfield option.

Baggie played quite well and scored at Shrewsbury. If he's fit would be a welcome option to have.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Very good performance from Rovers and a thoroughly deserved victory. Regardless of the sending off, I thought we were the better side throughout: in the first half Morecambe came to frustrate, sitting deep and creating virtually nothing. Unfortunately, shocking marking from a set play left us trailing to what had been their only effort on goal in the entire half. We did not create a great deal ourselves, but I thought our football was very neat at times and the half time score was harsh on us. In the second half, we were in the ascendancy even before the dismissal and we ran them completely ragged once they lost a player: I thought the way we retained possession and switched the ball from side to side to stretch their depleted side was really impressive at times and we had chances before the winner to seal the victory.

I was surprised once again with the starting line up, not so much with the absence of Kirby and Gill as with the decision to play Donacien ahead of Holness. In fairness to Edwards, playing the two pacey youngsters allowed us to keep a really high line and press up the pitch, and in the whole ninety minutes Morecambe did not really trouble us in open play. Donacien made a couple of nervy clearances early on but settled down to have a good debut. Elsewhere in the side, nobody had a poor game, but Cole was obviously highly impressive. Both his goals were really well takem and he could have scored more, their keeper making a couple of slightly lucky saves with his body. My man of the match, however, would be Baggie. He was a constant thorn in their side and also worked really hard defensively and it is clear we missed his creativity in the last couple of games. Matt Hill was also really good again at left back.

The final scoreline is a vindication of Edwards' tactics, but I did think Cole looked more comfortable when Odejayi was playing alongside him. With Morecambe defending so deep in the first half, I did not understand why Richards was played in the hole as there was very little space for him to operate in. I think it would have been better for him to push alongside Stockton and benefit from his knock-downs.

I thought Morecambe were actually the poorest team we have played so far: very negative tactics, no real attacking threat and the off the ball antics of our old chum Kevin Ellison led the game to turn sour in the second half, resulting in the sending off. I thought the referee was poor and did not do anything to clamp down on Ellison's off the ball nonsense.

A good all round display which we can hopefully follow up next week at Accy.

 

[Ian]

Kept the ball really well, some nice passing and like RLC says, unlucky to be losing at HT. Morecambe were poor overall and things got a little bit silly in the second half with all their shenanigans. My only criticism would be for all the possession we had we really struggled to create clear chances, loads of times we would go sideways, then backwards, then forwards, then backwards not really penetrating in the final third.

However, we were the better side and it was good to see my MOTM Bell-Baggie back on the field causing problems. He even did well defensively on a few occasions. Stockton was a close second. He had a really good game and seems to be growing in confidence by the week. Richards was poor and I was glad to see him replaced by Odejayi who caused problems when he came on.

Referee was terrible. Lost control in the second half and as soon as we equalised Morecambe took advantage of a weak referee and started playing all sorts of silly games. Ellison who was a complete prick all game to be honest was lucky not to be sent off in the second half as he was just as guilty as Odejayi for mouthing off and pushing and should have got a second yellow.

The cutting edge concerns me as we were camped in their half for large periods but just couldn't break through. I know they had 10 men behind the ball so it was difficult and I'm just glad we got the winner as it was thoroughly deserved.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

My only criticism would be for all the possession we had we really struggled to create clear chances, loads of times we would go sideways, then backwards, then forwards, then backwards not really penetrating in the final third.
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It is better to do this than to start lumping it as we did last week though. If we are a passing side we need to keep the ball on the ground, even in periods of the game where we are not playing brilliantly and are not really creating. If you keep moving the ball and moving the opposition round eventually you will get chances, as was the case today. In addition, not many teams will come to PP and be as negative as Morecambe were: no matter how good you are it is difficult to create when there is absolutely no space to run into (the reason why Richards had an average game today).

It was encouraging that we played as a unit today, with and without the ball, and the game did not become disjointed as in previous matches.

 

[Ian]

Fair point, we did have a fair share of possession and it was refreshing to see lots of passing around instead of lumping it up front which must be tempting when you have two big men up there. Morecambe were disappointing especially when they resorted to dirty tactics after the equaliser.

 

[Boz]

First half was very even. Rovers were a bit unlucky to be down at the break, both because it was the only effort either side had on target in the first half and the free-kick which led to the corner from which they scored seemed harsh. A couple of turning points in the second half... About 5 minutes after the break the visitors had a great chance to go ahead, ball fell to them in front of goal, but either a fluffed shot/save meant it didn't go in 0-2 would have been too much to claw back from. Then after Cole Stockton had capitalised on a slip from their right-back to put us level, Ellison indulged in some winding up of the crowd, the foul on Danny Holmes initially, but it fired up the home fans to get behind the team and seemed to wind up his own team-mates, leading to the head-butt/kick by Hughes on Odejayi leading him to see red. Thereafter, Rovers had the bulk of possession you'd expect with an extra man and Hill set up Stockton for our winner.

I didn't think there was much to choose between the sides, indeed all 3 sides I've seen so far were much of a muchness. Wouldn't have said, Ellison aside, the Shrimps were a particularly cynical or dirty side, coming nowhere near the gold standard of Martin Allen's Notts County. If they'd still had eleven when Redshaw was brought on, they could have made it difficult.

I was surprised by the starting line-up. Did Holness deserve to be dropped, wasn't at the Cheltenham game, so hard for me to say. Donacien had a steady debut, though at some stage think he and Ihekwe swapped position. I still feel we need a defensive midfielder, though Laird did quite well breaking up play and some attacking passes in the first half, faded a little after the break. Baggie played quite well, the odd occasion when he ran into trouble aside. Richards needed to play closer to Stockton, don't know if his actual position was on orders or if he drifted outside. My feeling was that we equalised despite the introduction of Odejayi rather than because of it. His main contribution was getting Hughes sent off, but I'm unconvinced his other abilities which amount to being a target man and a bit of a handful amount to much. Did think RE might have given Bruna an outing at some point.

MoM. Aside from Ellison can see arguments for Baggie, Stockton, Holmes and Hill

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Thereafter, Rovers had the bulk of possession you'd expect with an extra man and Hill set up Stockton for our winner.

I didn't think there was much to choose between the sides, indeed all 3 sides I've seen so far were much of a muchness. Wouldn't have said, Ellison aside, the Shrimps were a particularly cynical or dirty side, coming nowhere near the gold standard of Martin Allen's Notts County. If they'd still had eleven when Redshaw was brought on, they could have made it difficult.
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Cheltenham were miles better than Morecambe and caused us all sorts of problems. Shrewsbury did not play well against us, but have better players than the Shrimps. I would imagine both will be in or near the top seven at the end of the season, whereas Morecambe won't be.

I don't think you give enough credit to Rovers for the way they kept the ball moving and stretched Morecambe when they were reduced to ten men. Equally, with only half an hour of the game remaining, I have seen sides down to ten make life far more difficult for us than Morecambe did today and take something from the game (Morecambe made three subs and they were still out on their feet in the closing stages).

I agree about Ellison's positive contribution to our cause: a prize prat, as the Rovers fans were very subdued until he started his antics.

 

[Boz]

I didn't see Cheltenham. Shrewsbury have such a pool of talent that when their starting xi weren't doing the business, they could pitch Mangan on to grab and create a goal. York had a game plan and stuck to it fairly well. Morecambe didn't seem significantly worse to me, though as one of the relegation favourites, they're currently punching above their weight.

I agree playing against 10 men can be difficult, but Rovers did make the extra man count. It wasn't a stroll, we had to work hard for the victory. It's all about opinions and mine is that there is still a lot of work to be done, but content with the win.

 

[bigmart]

I thought we kept the ball ok in the 1st half but the build up play was too slow and predictable and we struggle to create much at all and they were no better thought it would be 0 0 half time when they scored.

2nd half was much better, cole took his first goal really calmly and they stupidly had a man sent off, was starting to think we wouldn't get a winner when we finally did. We were a bit too narrow then they were down to 10 we needed to stretch them more but a good and deserved win in the end.

Ive only been the home games so far, in patches we have looked quite good but I have a number of concerns about the squad and manager but feel we are slowly moving forwards

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I would agree with Boz that games at this level are far more tightly contested than in the division above. This is clear from the scorelines of our matches this season, all but one of which have been drawn or settled by the odd goal, and the general unpredictability of results. There does not appear to be the same gulf between top and bottom as in League One, which is probably a reflection of the lack of money at this level.

I have also been unconvinced by aspects of our tactics and play this season, but yesterday was a definite improvement on some earlier games.

 

[drwhoman]

I think the above points about money are correct. It is rare that you get teams in Div Two which should be in a higher division but for managerial incompetance. Wolves last year were a case in point. Yes there are teams in the division who appear to have more money, Shrewsbury for example, but there is certainly not the gulf that exists in Div One. It will be interesting to see if RE can bring in the one or two extra players he is talking about.