League Two Sa£ford v Rovers

[Rockford's Love Child]

As Sparky says, Salford have invested heavily yet again, but seem to actually be operating as a team this season under their ex-United academy manager. Their top scorer Asante has departed to West Brom, but his absence does not seem to have unduly affected them.

I don't hold out much hope of getting a result here, and the game the following Saturday at Walsall already has the look of a very big fixture. We have been defeated by every one of the top half sides we have faced this season, and we seem to be at the stage of picking and choosing games where we are likely to get results, for the time being at least.

It will be interesting to see whether Micky sticks with the 532. We were poor defensively on Tuesday night, but our best performances of the season, against Gillingham and Newcastle, both came with that formation, so it is simplistic to suggest five at the back does not work. If we do play the 532, I would like Hawkes to come into the side in place of MaClear, who has been hit and miss for a few weeks now. Josh has a goal in him, even in games where he is not performing well.

In his pre-match interview, Micky said that Morris is likely to be on the bench.

We had sold about 800 tickets on Wednesday, which is pretty good, all things considered.

 

[Sparky]

Thanks RLC. I’m not a YT member so will wait until 3pm tomorrow but looking forward to it.

As for the game itself I’m not too confident given the hosts form and our away performances - 1 win since February. Although something has to give at some point.
Salford once again invested heavily in the summer and have good players at this level although lost striker Asante to West Brom.
Whereas we have lost 5 from 8 the hosts have won 5 from 8 and lie 4th in the table. Since he left is Ryan Watson has virtually been an ever present and is thriving in their side. I can’t help thinking how he’d be a vast improvement on Paul Lewis but hey ho. Although to be fair Watson never impressed with us
From 4 homes games Salford have won 3, drawn 1. Scored 8 and conceded 2. Although they got a last minute winner at Harrogate midweek apparently they dominated the game.
As for rovers team news. I’d give Burton a game ahead of Nevitt. Assume it’ll be too soon for Morris. Some of Tuesdays performance could justify changes and starts for merrie or Hawkes but I doubt Micky will play the latter away from home in a 5-3-2 and I have more chance of playing than merrie.
I’ll be in the Salford hospitality seats which last time were close to the SWA.
Prediction: an improved first half showing but ultimately another defeat on our travel.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Thanks RLC. I’m not a YT member so will wait until 3pm tomorrow but looking forward to it.

As for the game itself I’m not too confident given the hosts form and our away performances - 1 win since February. Although something has to give at some point.
Salford once again invested heavily in the summer and have good players at this level although lost striker Asante to West Brom.
Whereas we have lost 5 from 8 the hosts have won 5 from 8 and lie 4th in the table. Since he left is Ryan Watson has virtually been an ever present and is thriving in their side. I can’t help thinking how he’d be a vast improvement on Paul Lewis but hey ho. Although to be fair Watson never impressed with us
From 4 homes games Salford have won 3, drawn 1. Scored 8 and conceded 2. Although they got a last minute winner at Harrogate midweek apparently they dominated the game.
As for rovers team news. I’d give Burton a game ahead of Nevitt. Assume it’ll be too soon for Morris. Some of Tuesdays performance could justify changes and starts for merrie or Hawkes but I doubt Micky will play the latter away from home in a 5-3-2 and I have more chance of playing than merrie.
I’ll be in the Salford hospitality seats which last time were close to the SWA.
Prediction: an improved first half showing but ultimately another defeat on our travel.

Sorry, did not occur to me that access would be restricted.

 

[Sparky]

Good news re Morris and agree that Hawkes needs to come in. He can be frustrating but the likes of mcalear need a break and Josh does have a goal in him and can create too. 800 tickets impressive in the current climate.

 

[Ian]

Can anyone see this vid?

 

[Sparky]

No. It just says to join it for exclusive material etc

 

[ADD]

Can anyone see this vid?

Yes it is available now if you pay for YT access or are a I Follow monthly subscriber.

 

[Ian]

OK, thanks.

 

[Boz]

I do not have access to the MM interview yet. If what has been reported elsewhere by those who have is accurate, it is very negative. That would be disappointing.

On to Salford, this is a difficult game, against a team in form, though with a relatively inexperienced manager. Can Micky use his experience to throw up some unexpected challenges and turn our fortunes around? Ryan Watson had a disappointing start to his Rovers career, though he was rarely deployed in his favoured attacking midfield slot and selling him to raise funds for other signings like Hemmings was probably right at the time. Will he come back to bite us like Cookie did? Some suggestion Rovers were also interested in Bailey, their striker signed from Birmingham.

In terms of line-up, unless Robinson is fit again, I hope we ditch the 3 at the back in favour of a 4 diamond 2 formation as we started against Orient. If we so remain with the same personnel in a back three then switch Byrne and Turnbull around. In midfield, I would rest McAlear, although sadly we're unlikely to see Merrie or Sparky get a game. Up front, it is time to give Burton a start on the ground where he made his Rovers debut.

The form book is strongly in favour of another Rovers defeat but have to hope we can pull something out of the bag.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I do not have access to the MM interview yet. If what has been reported elsewhere by those who have is accurate, it is very negative. That would be disappointing.

I found his interview honest and refreshing.

 

[Ian]

Yes, it's pretty clear this season is a write off listening to Micky. He also mentioned a few times we are nowhere near shopping in the same pool as Salford and Bradford. The budget has been limited and we've had to invest in youth players. Let's just hope we don't get dragged too far down. It's a safe strategy, not spending what we don't have but they have to expect disappointment and frustration from the supporters.

 

[Boz]

I will have to listen myself, when it becomes available to non-subscribers, however to suggest the season is a write-off a quarter of a way in is troubling. Two seasons ago Cheltenham, Cambridge and Morecambe all managed promotion on budgets which were probably around the same or in Morecambe’s case smaller than ours. Any league is never purely decided on money.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I will have to listen myself, when it becomes available to non-subscribers, however to suggest the season is a write-off a quarter of a way in is troubling. Two seasons ago Cheltenham, Cambridge and Morecambe all managed promotion on budgets which were probably around the same or in Morecambe’s case smaller than ours. Any league is never purely decided on money.

They are exceptional cases, not the norm, and their squads did not have the same age profile as ours this season.

They also won promotion in a Covid hit season when a lot of the bigger clubs were drastically cutting back on costs - no coincidence that we also reached the top seven that season. The wealthier clubs are now spending heavily again.

 

[Ian]

It might seem a little over dramatic Boz but the way I read it is Micky basically saying this season is all about building, things taking time etc etc with the players we have.. Micky knew what he was taking on at the start of the season, it's just a shame the supporters didn't!

The league is starting to take shape and it's probably a fair reflection that we are in the bottom half. We have been horribly inconsistent and unable to manage games. We might improve a little as the season goes on but I dont think we'll be anywhere near the top spenders with this squad.

 

[Boz]

Ian, I agree that it’s unfortunate the extent of the development season wasn’t spelt out to fans at the outset. However, my view remains that it should be seen as far too early to write the season off.

It seems that we have more of a problem with the experienced players recruited than the development ones, Hockenhull excepted.

In general terms, the sides with younger average ages aren’t doing so well, Crewe in 10th the best placed. However, if the season ended now, Barrow and Stevenage would get two of the automatic promotion places. I’d be very surprised if either have a top third budget.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Ian, I agree that it’s unfortunate the extent of the development season wasn’t spelt out to fans at the outset. However, my view remains that it should be seen as far too early to write the season off.

It seems that we have more of a problem with the experienced players recruited than the development ones, Hockenhull excepted.

In general terms, the sides with younger average ages aren’t doing so well, Crewe in 10th the best placed. However, if the season ended now, Barrow and Stevenage would get two of the automatic promotion places. I’d be very surprised if either have a top third budget.

It is impossible to know what their budgets are without knowing the wealth of their owners. Stevenage certainly have spent heavily over the years, and reached the top end of League One on the back of it.

We are in an unusual situation, as we have an owner with no significant personal wealth. As a result, if funding from income streams dries up, or the Indonesians don't want to invest, we have to cut our cloth accordingly.

Even if Barrow have the smallest budget in the division, an exceptional case does not tell us anything about the general correlation between spending and results, any more than Leicester winning the Premier League did.

Mellon did not say the season was a write-off. He said it would be difficult due to finances, which is obvious if you look at the calibre of the two strikers we brought in this summer.....

 

[Sparky]

Micky mentions several times it’s a work in progress - which it is. But I keep asking myself did it need to be when we weren’t far away last season?

It’s almost like having a 3 bedroomed house and you want a fourth. You can keep the house as it is and just extend over the garage to make it better as a 4 bed house. Instead we’ve practically knocked most of the house down, messed with the foundations and are effectively building a new 4 bedroomed house from scratch, when we didn’t need to as not much was needed to have a 4 bed house.

Plenty of references to the budget and perhaps some of us under estimated how low ours is compared to others. As boz says you do get low budget teams doing well at times but usually the cream rises to the top. Strikers are so important and we can only assume our lack of funds meant we had to bring in unfit players.

He says it’ll take time and interesting he says when he came back, the chairman specifically told him what the project would be, which he signed up to. So the direction which at the moment is questionable was down to Palios presumably with Vaughan egging him on. Unfortunately if that all goes wrong it’s Micky who is the fall guy but such is football. Mark is the boss

 

[drwhoman]

Micky mentions several times it’s a work in progress - which it is. But I keep asking myself did it need to be when we weren’t far away last season?

It’s almost like having a 3 bedroomed house and you want a fourth. You can keep the house as it is and just extend over the garage to make it better as a 4 bed house. Instead we’ve practically knocked most of the house down, messed with the foundations and are effectively building a new 4 bedroomed house from scratch, when we didn’t need to as not much was needed to have a 4 bed house.

Plenty of references to the budget and perhaps some of us under estimated how low ours is compared to others. As boz says you do get low budget teams doing well at times but usually the cream rises to the top. Strikers are so important and we can only assume our lack of funds meant we had to bring in unfit players.

He says it’ll take time and interesting he says when he came back, the chairman specifically told him what the project would be, which he signed up to. So the direction which at the moment is questionable was down to Palios presumably with Vaughan egging him on. Unfortunately if that all goes wrong it’s Micky who is the fall guy but such is football. Mark is the boss

And Vaughan bailed out!

 

[Boz]

And Vaughan bailed out!

Can he be blamed for moving to an almost certainly better paid and easier job babysitting Everton’s kids?

 

[Ian]

No, but it puts the whole recruitment process into serious questioning. I'd really like to hear what MP says on this because quite frankly, I think we've gone 2 steps back this season. I could be entirely wrong, but my gut instinct is this is now a development year for the players in the hope some of them will improve for next season. @Boz I shouldn't really be writing the season off this early but it is now my gut instinct and from what I have witnessed so far.

I put far less on Micky and more about the process where you can end up with a team lacking so much experience.