A draw versus Crewe and a 5-0 win vs Crawley and then the 5-5 at Wrexham and beating Forest Green 2-1 away is the league record of our visitors tomorrow.
The stats for the Wrexham game are quite notable. Swindon had only 8 shots in the game and of the 6 on target only one was saved. Wrexham had 22. So you might speculate that it was the Wrexham defence rather than the Swindon goal-scoring ability that was key in that game, In the Crawley match they hit 10 shots on target, so their shooting accuracy looks good, but they are not likely to be invincible.
The scores in their away win at Forest Green were level until half an hour from the end when the home team had a man sent off.
Our performance against Everton will no doubt be analysed by their technical people and they will come with confidence.
Seeing the entire match on a big screen gave a fuller picture of the team’s cohesion as a unit which looks as though it is still very much in development. The style is uncertain and mutual understanding seems lacking at times - possibly more often than not. The defence can be indecisive and Olowu, whose potential seems to have been vastly overestimated by some, must improve his concentration and his heading - the one early on in the Everton box was appalling.
I don’t know whether we can expect more cohesion with the current group or are dependent on having the entire squad available before we can become more effective.
I wish I had real confidence in the team, but until I feel they have a recognisable pattern of play I do not.
I want them to win, but perhaps the best we can hope for is a draw - 1-1 (Faal/Molyneux).
t
DPL v Swindon T
posted on 1/9/23
You'd think GM would name the same team and adopt the same formation as the one that started against Everton. Though Id be wary at having Olowu where he is. Just too prone to vital mistakes and a poor header of the ball.
Ive a feeling though ,that just like after the Hull game, it wont be the Lord Mayors show again. Swindon will pose us problems. Id hope we could salvage a draw but Im inclined to forecast another loss. 2-1 to Swindon. Molyneux or Rowe.
posted on 1/9/23
Here is my effort to set out the current state of the DPL. I don't think that anyone scored until the MKD match. Excel remains a tough opponent in my long campaign against Microsoft's and indeed anybody's Applications. I suppose it keeps the elderly mind active.
MK Dons 2 : Rovers 1 (Molyneux)
>>>>>>> Scorer Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F > O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 3
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 7 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 7
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 9 >>>> 0 >>>>> 13 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 13
Rovers 1 (Ironside) : Everton 2
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F > O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 3
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 7 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 7
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 6
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 3 >>>>>> 6
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 7 >>>>>> 7
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>> 12 >>>> 0 >>>>> 16 >>>> 13 >>>>> 29
posted on 2/9/23
We did not carry a result forward from Hull, and Grant said the players were very tired on Thursday morning, so that is not very encouraging.
I hope he starts with the same team with Anderson in place of Olowu, with Biggins maybe coming on in the second half.
I'm going to say a win for the Rovers - it has to happen some time.
Swindon are scoring a lot of goals, so how many can we limit them to score? I was going to say 2-1 to the Rovers, but will say 3-2 with Faal (he has to score from all this chances he creates)/Molyneux/Biggins getting the three.
When I see the team I may change all that craziness.
posted on 2/9/23
2-1 to Rovers. Faal and Ironside.
posted on 2/9/23
Rovers to finally win a league game.
2-1
Ironside or Faai (in that order) ⚽🙂
The season starts today
posted on 2/9/23
When I saw the details of the referee before the game, I was worried as he was an EFL rookie who had given out 20 yellow cards in three games. The game proved me right. I know some of the rules have been changed, and that plus this rookie’s interpretation is spoiling the game. Over here they would say the game is being “chickified”.
Before Rowe got his red, I’d already decided to switch to watching Burnley vs. Spurs at half time, even though I thought Rovers could win the game. Yellow card confetti is nearly as bad in the EPL, but at least the refs are not rookies to the EFL (some are rookies to the EPL).
I’ll look at the Rowe incident on iFollow tomorrow. At the time I thought the red was harsh as Rowe was genuinely going for the ball and the Swindon player was stooping.
Under the circumstances, it was a good and deserved point.
Well done Donaldo for forecasting a draw.
posted on 3/9/23
It is frustrating when what could have been the big turn-around is ruined by an inexperienced over-officious ref reducing our strength with a badly-judged sending off.
But perhaps you could argue that keeping a clean sheet in the circumstances was more of an affirmation of character than even winning, given that the opposition had scored in all their previous matches.
We may well be justified in expecting the team to capitalise on it all at Wrexham.