Facing Ipswich at the Keepmoat could well represent a similar challenge to the trip to Portsmouth. They are confident. Manager, Paul Lambert rates Rovers at the same level as away at MK Dons where they dropped their only 2 points in the league and most recently versus Accrington who they beat 2-0 at home. They have won impressively at Blackpool and also beat Bristol Rovers away, but that is the sum of their away record and both those teams have yet to distinguish themselves in their other league fixtures. Maybe then Rovers may constitute a more formidable barrier to their impressive start than their manager is estimating.
Rovers’ play this season has seen a good deal of what I would call slick play, the ability to move the ball at close quarters at a speed which has often been far too fast for the opposition to be able to counter defensively and they also often display a composure in the penalty box somewhat uncharacteristic at this level, which has led to accurate shooting and goals. James’s goal was typical; instead of power he chose accuracy and there have been a number of examples so far this season, so it looks as though there is encouragement to place shots rather than just blasting at maximum velocity.
Just as Rovers will test their visitors, so Ipswich will provide a useful barometer of how good Rovers are and if we are to sustain a promotion challenge we must hope that we can get the better of them. In the 3 days since Portsmouth there will have been the opportunity for Sims and Smith to acquaint themselves with the rest of the squad and there may be some recovery time for the injured players, all of which can only strengthen the force. So I am going to be bold and forecast 3-1 in our favour and Anderson with the first goal.
DPL v Ipswich Town
posted on 20/10/20
A bit of a surprise with James on the bench. I assume it is resting him after his return from injury, and I expect to see him some time during the game. Even though Ipswich have only let in two goals, I was going for a 2-1 win for us, but that was assuming J-J would be back in the starting eleven. I'll now say 1-1, which will be an OK result. Taylor to score.
posted on 20/10/20
I suspect it will be a draw but I'm going to be optimistic and predict 2-1 to us. Okenabirhie with the first goal.
posted on 20/10/20
3 nil victory, Taylor first goal.
posted on 20/10/20
I'll take that, even scored for them too 😂
posted on 20/10/20
A statement for the rest of League One, I think. Sims really showed his value for us, as I think Smith will. Early you could see Smith did not know how some of our players react to situations, often sending passes to one side of the opposition when our player went the other way.
I understand why Ipswich say the foul for the penalty was outside the area. Sims was smart and kept going and so I assume the ref played the advantage rule until they really pilled him down. We should have had another one when Taylor was clipped in the area when going through.
If I remember last season correctly, did we not take the first point they lost when we drew at their ground? They must now hate playing us early in the season!
I an really looking forward to Saturday, and am happy for Okenabirhie for finally getting on the score sheet after all his hard work.
posted on 21/10/20
Having read some of the fans' comments on the DFP, I think people are a little over reacting to one great performance.There is no doubt I'm encouraged, especially, with the potential of Josh Sims.
What is sad, I do not see Copps getting much time this year within this dynamic team. Maybe the current schedule will mean I'm wrong.
posted on 21/10/20
I have not read any comment or reports from Rovers sources and having seen the match myself I find it more interesting to read what the opposition camp and their home-based media have to say and I’ll come on to that.
Watching the match, I found that there were times that Rovers seemed to have more players than Ipswich. Ipswich’s movement earlier on did however offer them some opportunities including the raid which pierced the cover and resulted in the O.G; in fact, they almost seemed to do it again shortly afterwards. The opposition view of the opening period in which Rovers seemed to me to contest at least evenly, was that Ipswich were well in control!
However, the entire Rovers’ team showed energy and intense application and it produced confident play for the full 90 minutes which is something you cannot have said happened in every game this season. They kept up the pressure forcing Ipswich into retreat with nowhere to go forwards. Bursik’s ability to consistently find players, as he acted as distributor-in-chief, often as far away as the half way line was a notable feature of the successful playing out from the back. When the ball was passed back it would return up the field very purposefully which is a pleasant change from times gone by when it would go meaninglessly sideways and backwards largely because there was no real plan of attack. Bursik’s long-range passing seemed even better than Dieng’s.
In some ways Rovers’ dominance may not be as significant as some might hope; it showed that Ipswich were not all that good and, like last year, they may well fade. But you can only beat the team that faces you on the day and Rovers looked fitter, probably younger, more imaginative and more individually skilful as well as thriving on real team-work.
Paul Lambert, their manager, seemed to classify the loss as a bit of a one-off although he acknowledged that they were second best in the second half. Both our first half goals were effectively fortuitous in the Ipswich view. Rather than labelling Whiteman’s goal as a “fluke” though, since no defender stopped it, was it not deceptively flighted? And the opposition view was that a ricochet was supposedly involved in John’s goal, such a subtle one that nothing is visible from the replay. And of course the penalty was not a penalty because the attempt to haul down Sims began outside the box; the fact that Sims’s opponent began his assault before he got to the box and only finally succeeded inside the box relies on interpreting the nature of an offence only partially and not in its entirety which cannot be right. However he agreed with Micky about the trip on Taylor which (looking at it again) I thought might not have been more than him falling over accidentally and not the result of anything deliberate by the defender. However, to give credit for objectivity, the East Anglia daily newspaper reporter did not take such a lenient view of the defensive lapses. As I have said before, you would hope that managers take a more objective view of their team’s shortcomings than they let on to the press; otherwise lessons will never be learned.
So overall Mr Lambert may be underestimating the extent of his team’s shortfall and we must be mindful that last night’s game will not necessarily be as great a test as we may yet face; both Ipswich and Rovers have still to meet other sides which may prove more challenging. By this time next month – with Plymouth (A), Lincoln (H) and Sunderland (H) behind us, we could have a better idea, but with all the teams above us to play away we really can only offer congratulations on a so-far-so-good basis.
posted on 21/10/20
Mooli: Sorry I missed your Bristol Rovers forecast off, but I have added it now.
Rovers scorers are proving to be difficult to predict, aren't they, but it is good that there are so many. Throughout the team it is apparent that there is some effort put into attempting to place their shots rather than trying to smash the ball as hard as possible. Putting 4 past such a big and useful goalkeeper like Holy was particularly creditable.
Portsmouth 0 : Rovers 1 (James)
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result > Bonus > Total > Pts B/F > O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 10 >>>> 10
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 3 >>>>>> 6
Yorks Lad>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 6 >>>>>> 9
Uthred>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Mooligan>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 7 >>>>>> 7
King Chmprr 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Small Azza> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Azza>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Cheltenham 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 3 >>>>>> 6
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>>> 0 >>>>> 10 >>>> 10
Lanza>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 9 >>>> 0 >>>> 9 >>>>> 39 >>>>>> 48
Rovers 4 (John) : Ipswich T 1
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result > Bonus > Total > Pts B/F > O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 10 >>>> 13
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 6 >>>>>> 6
Yorks Lad>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 3
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 9 >>>>>> 12
Uthred>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Mooligan>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 7 >>>>>> 7
King Chmprr 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Small Azza> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Azza>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Cheltenham 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 6 >>>>>> 6
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>>> 0 >>>>> 10 >>>> 10
Lanza>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 9 >>>> 0 >>>> 9 >>>>> 48 >>>>>> 57
posted on 21/10/20
One swallow ruins your Covid test. However DM seems to be putting together rather a strong team. Primarily built round defence. Bursik doing well. The Wright,Anderson partnership is outstanding with Halliday excelling too. The option of James or John both good and adaptable. Whiteman back to his best and Gomes a revelation this year. Sims singning a masterstroke. I think Oke will be a very good target man. Taylor dependable and dangerous. Some other good raw talent too.
No 26? Not a bad player to have in reserve! I think hell be happy with his role.
Im a little more confident than I was a couple of weeks ago. Not counting my chickens yet as im only allowed out to exercise from Friday here in Wales. Tier 3 here would be welcome!
posted on 21/10/20
Bursik's improvement in distribution over Saturday was amazing. His kick-outs were similar to Man City's Ederson in finding a man out wide. I still get a little nervous about some of the times we play back to him and leave him under pressure, but he seems to be learning very quickly. He is still not as demanding in taking crosses as Dieng was, but this will come.