So, after two very good wins this week we close the year with a trip to Peterborough.
Interestingly, Darren Ferguson is the fifth current longest serving manager in all four divisions with two weeks short of four years in charge.
More interesting is that Peterboroughs' most famous manager Barry Fry had a 486 game tenure with a win percentage of just 33%.
Could he have lasted so long in the modern day?
My first visit to London Road was as a 13 year old in August 1966 when we drew 3-3 in the old Division Three.
In all we have met the Posh 36 times, winning 13, losing 15 and there have been 8 draws.
In recent encounters however we have had the better of the exchanges, winning 6 of the last 7 matches.
The current league table shows us one point behind Peterborough but they have played one game more than us.
Current form has Peterborough with 8 defeats in their last 11 outings and they have lost their last 4 at home.
In fact they have won only four of their eleven home games to date.
This is in stark contrast to the Rovers who have lost just three of the last twelve games in all competitions and just two of the last nine in the league.
The two league defeats shouldn't really have been defeats either but enough said about that for now.
Our fantastic away form going into this game got me thinking.
I had mentioned last week about away sides setting up to frustrate home teams and nick goals on the break, much the same as we did at Swindon and Gillingham recently did to us.
I decided to have a look at the L1 table and was amazed to see that eleven clubs in our division have more away wins to date than home wins.
I think that fact backs up what i was saying.
When i looked at the table i also saw that the top four are opening up a significant gap to fifth place.
I recognise that someone up there will tumble back into the pack, much the same as Tranmere did a couple of seasons ago, but as it stands there appears to be just two available places for play off spots and about 8-10 teams vying for them.
I don't want to tempt fate but contrary to what some of our fans believe, we are in a healthy position to challenge for one of those places.
IF we were to win our game in hand we would rise to 7th place, just one point adrift of the top six.
If only Harry had put that pen away against the Blunts eh?
With the team now strong at the back and a formation that is putting a string of good performances together i can see us continuing to climb the table.
The win against Coventry got shut of two monkeys from our backs, the lack of a home win and back to back wins for the first time this season.
That in itself can only do wonders for the lads confidence.
PETERBOROUGH V ROVERS MATCH THREAD
posted on 29/12/14
I have to disagree and agree with you, Alex. Posh were the better team and our little Number 10, Otzumer, did control the game.
posted on 29/12/14
Alex, you obviously know nothing mate.
Donaldo, fair enough, if PD did take DeVal off for the reasons you say then he should be congratulated for making that decision.
Had he left him on the pitch and he had subsequently been sent off for a second yellow then no doubt you would have been on his back for leaving him on the field.
I note the lack of acknowledgement of his wisdom for taking him off.
I did say i would be amazed if DeVal had been substituted for the reason that you mentioned didn't i and to be fair, i still am.
It happens so rarely.
What really amazes me more though is your excessive berating of the manager.
We have just come off a run of 7 points from 9 over an 8 day period when some on here were expecting no points at all and you still are searching for a reason to belittle him.
Your search is no so desperate that you are bringing commentators into your argument.
Football is a game of very fine margins.
IF we win our game in hand we would rise to just one point from a play off place.
This is obviously quite a healthy position given our poor start to the season but obviously you prefer to dwell on all things negative rather than look on the positives.
Why shouldn't the manager look upon the lack of goals conceded as something to be proud of and yet you search for a reason to have a go at him for daring to mention it.
I do think that you would be more than happy for us to lose the next few matches just to vindicate (yes NY i have used your word) your total opposition to anything good that PD has done this last few months.
Two defeats in the last ten league games is surely something to be happy about.
Azza and Alex, thanks for the summing up after the game.
Once again it seems obvious that we are struggling to put the ball in the net after good play.
I suppose it is right that PD wouldn't publicly criticise his strikers for fear of wrecking any confidence that they have left in front of goal but i bet he is looking around to try and bring someone in when the window opens.
I just hope he is allowed to do so by TB.
posted on 29/12/14
Az,
I don't know how many times I shouted "challenge for that ball" when it came to headers! Robbo expected it to drop to him more often than not. Even if you can't get your head on it you must challenge to put the opponent off.
Posh boy.
That little No10 is a gem. I know nothing about him but I really enjoyed the way he played. He was worth the money to see him control and manage his team. As for the Posh team performance, you are wrong, they were very poor. I try to take a balanced view when I watch a game hence the praise for the No 10. over our players, I also liked the way he kept Forrester under control most of the time in the second half.
On the whole our team were set up not to lose with Poor Robbo fighting for scraps as the one up front. As Az said he struggles to play the solo front man role. He needs that good first touch and strength to keep the defender shielded from the ball before laying it off and he struggles to achieve that but I will give him full marks for chasing the ball even on lost causes.
I have a sneaky feeling that set up is going to be the way we will play at home. Prepare for ugly football but points will surely follow.
To sum up it was only my 3 game this season and this was the worst performance of the lot but if we are to progress then perhaps this is the way to play to get the points on the board!
posted on 29/12/14
Alex, as you are probably aware, we played "an away set up" at home to Coventry and to be fair it wasn't ugly football.
We were happy for Coventry to have the ball until it came 20 yards into our half then we pressed them into either going back or making mistakes and losing it.
When we had the ball we played some very good football and created chances.
The difference at Peterborough could have been the absence of Wellens who is very influentilal as you are aware.
posted on 29/12/14
I got to the ground early so I made a point of talking to the stewards mainly about crowd control.
I thought they were excellent. From my position it looked like they even put a loan steward in with the boys at the back which seemed to work on this occasion. I had a word with the steward who was right in the centre of our boys and he said it was a quiet day with only one or two indiscretions.
So its well done to the Posh stewards and of course our boys at the back who have come in for a lot of just criticism recently.
posted on 29/12/14
Only going to add to what's already been said. But here goes.
Best player on the pitch. Posh No. 10. By a country mile.
Worst Player, ( could of been Theo ) far to many but that has to go to another Posh player, cant remember his name but anyone who was there will know who I mean. Every time he was tackled, or anyone went near him, he'd throw himself to the floor like he'd just been shot. Embarrassing to say the least.
Overall, 2 points lost. They are the worst team I've seen in a long time. You could tell the were scared of loosing, but the again at times it looked like we played the same. Except its because we're a ship without a rudder.
To be honest it looked like both team were in a relegation scrap, but thats been the norm at Rovers for a long time now, no leadership both on and off the field and especially the board room.
What most fans were talking about after the game was why does he bring on the other young lads but not McKay. One large an loud gent told us all its because we're lining him up to be sold in January and dont want him injured as that's the only money DickOff will get to spend. ......... So daft it could be true with our board.
posted on 29/12/14
So Donny fans, i am guessing that you won't be wanting Billy Sharp back then?
He looks very poor for us.
posted on 29/12/14
BelleVue, we weren't that bad and definitely finished the better of the two sides.
As for our "Ivanisovic", that's Maddison. He does have a tendency to fall over, but prior to injury from which he has only recently returned, he was our top striker. He's ex-Newcastle and it (his brilliance before injury, not his falling over) showed.
posted on 29/12/14
Reece Wabara has signed to the end of the season. One down a few to go!!!!!
posted on 29/12/14
well done Rovers.
When is Tyson due back?