I listened to Grant McCann’s pre-match press conference today and we should be appreciative of the time both he and his predecessor devote to the media. Some managers scarcely provide 5 minutes whereas ours give us 10 at least and over 17 this time. His attention to detail is as impressive as DF’s and SOD’s and my opinion of his approach is increasingly favourable.
He talked about the number of young players there are who could slot comfortably into the team mentioning Amos and Horton who he believes could easily fill the left back position. He seems to see these youngsters as the future rather than the players out on loan like McCullough (who he was content was getting games and therefore “may as well stay at Tranmere" because - he implied – he would not get them here). And the same seemed to apply to Mandeville whose current situation he was less sure of. (He is actually playing regularly and has scored 3 goals even though he does get subbed sometimes, but I suspect he is not McC’s type of player anyway.) Garratt at Wimbledon is not getting picked there and will probably come back in January.
He wants everyone to stop focusing on Herbie Kane and is keen to project the view that if he goes in January it will be a loss, but not a disaster. There are another 10 players in the team so If it does happen, he will take it in his stride – or that’s what he wants people to think, but it is a realistic attitude when he has no control over the situation.
He did say that a couple of players are almost signed, but he deflected speculation that they might be the 2 League of Ireland men referred to in reports, yet added/implied that one of the newcomers would cost a lot of money. (One of the LOI is a free agent). So who knows? The Portsmouth media seem to have given up on the one they had their eye on and if journalists think that, it may well be true.
Bristol Rovers are not in form at home and slightly better away, but they have only lost by more than the odd goal once recently.
We will have to work for the points and let us hope that Lawlor will continue to be more flexible in the way he looks after his goal; that sometimes it is appropriate to move off his line and to do so decisively.
I think we will win, but for DPL purposes I am hedging and will go for 2-2 and say Wilks/May/Marquis for the first goal with 8100 present.
DPL vs Bristol Rovers
posted on 12/12/18
Totally agree Don.
Think back to how Ferguson forced that wing back system on the team when clearly they couldn’t handle it.
He was a stubborn bar steward as well, sticking with it through that run of games that got us relegated and falling out with senior players who objected.
posted on 12/12/18
Hound i bet he regrets those silly fall outs 1 cost us dearly and in the end his career suffered.
If we had stayed up that season he may well of moved on to a bigger job
posted on 12/12/18
Seems to be May's problem too! Not Alfie though.
posted on 12/12/18
Lanza, he still hasn’t got another job yet.
Coincidence?
posted on 13/12/18
Here are the results for the Pirates versus the Vikings. I suppose the latter were known to be more ruthless anyway and so it proved. Nookie, closest geographically to the battle I suspect, pillaged his way into the lead with an excellent crowd forecast, the rest of us nowhere near.
Bristol R 0 : Rovers 4 (Marquis) 7356
………………..….Crowd Scorer Score Result Bonus Total Pts B/F Cumltve
Donaldo ………… 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 … 0 … 77 …….. 77
PDXMickey ……. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 3 … 79 …….. 82
Yorks Lad ……... 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 6 … 74 …….. 80
BVZ. ……..…….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 6 … 63 …….. 69
Crazy …….……… 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 3 … 97 …….. 100
Uthred …….…… 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 3 … 80 …….. 83
Mooligan …..…. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …. 3 … 98 …….. 101
King Chmprr …. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 3 … 65 …….. 68
Small Azza ……. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …. 0 …. 0 …….. 0
Stantonrover … 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …. 0 … 0 …….. 0
Azza ……..…..… 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 3 … 56 …….. 59
Cheltenham …. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …. 0 ….. 0 …….. 0
Nookie ……….… 4 …….. 3 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 10 … 92 …….. 102
Selby …….……… 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …. 0 …. 32 …….. 32
Lanza …….….…. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 6 … 55 …….. 61
……………..……… 4 ……. 15 …….. 0 …… 27 …….. 0 .. 46 .. 868 …….. 914
posted on 14/12/18
Sorry to be a pain again Donaldo but I got the result as well as scorer.
posted on 14/12/18
Just like Therasa. My time at the top was short lived. Bring on Scunny! I had the pleasure( if thats what you call it) of living there in my formative years. Hence Im not really fully formed. Local derbys are notoriously unpredictable but Ill try when its up. I dont do Iron ing but lets hope Rovers do.
posted on 14/12/18
Mooli -yes - sorry - I'll correct it when I do the Scunthorpe DPL; thank you for being my backstop - I certainly need one.
posted on 14/12/18
You have my vote of confidence Donaldo.
posted on 14/12/18
Here are the revised results for the Bristol Rovers match. I gave Uthred 3 for the result which was incorrect and attributed Mooli's 3 to King Chomper.
Sorry everyone.
Bristol R 0 : Rovers 4 (Marquis) 7356
………………..….Crowd Scorer Score Result Bonus Total Pts B/F Cumltve
Donaldo ………… 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 … 0 … 77 …….. 77
PDXMickey ……. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 3 … 79 …….. 82
Yorks Lad ……... 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 6 … 74 …….. 80
BVZ. ……..…….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 6 … 63 …….. 69
Crazy …….……… 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 3 … 97 …….. 100
Uthred …….…… 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …. 0 … 80 …….. 80
Mooligan …..…. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 6 … 98 …….. 104
King Chmprr …. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …. 0 … 65 …….. 65
Small Azza ……. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …. 0 …. 0 …….. 0
Stantonrover … 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …. 0 … 0 …….. 0
Azza ……..…..… 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 3 … 56 …….. 59
Cheltenham …. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …. 0 ….. 0 …….. 0
Nookie ……….… 4 …….. 3 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 10 … 92 …….. 102
Selby …….……… 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …….. 0 …. 0 …. 32 …….. 32
Lanza …….….…. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …….. 3 …….. 0 …. 6 … 55 …….. 61
……………..……… 4 ……. 15 …….. 0 …… 24 …….. 0 .. 43 .. 868 …….. 911