It is difficult to know what to expect. People look at the league table and see that Stockport, like Gillingham and Crawley are near the top and conclude “another tough match".
As Micky remarked, Crawley did look quite good, moving around and passing the ball quite crisply, but we proceeded to eventually do the same, but sustained it and how pleased we all are. But I am reminded of how good Harrogate looked in that first game and they have cropped up in other bits of highlights I have seen when they have played other teams and they still look good but often they lose. So where does that leave the prediction business? I suppose it’s scoring goals and not letting in silly ones.
Another factor is result-speculators informing their forecasts with what these L2 teams did last year which is OK until you consider that many L2 contracts are 12 months. Then if you look at a well-funded team like Stockport (or Rovers for that matter) and compare the make-up of the team we played last year with the one that completed the most recent match you find that half the players are different, so your comparators are rather deficient.
So, we might be fairly certain that we are facing a well-managed confident team which progressed to the final stage of the play-offs last season and has improved its form this season after a very indifferent start. Their most impressive win was over Wrexham - 5-0, but they could only draw at home with Crawley and the rest of their results were against relatively poor quality teams if you judge by their position in the table. Of course they are also unbeaten, but for 9 matches, even better than Crawley.
We are scarcely a predictable force of course and we might hope that Tuesday’s performance has set a level of success which is capable of repeating.
Anyway that’s what I hope and led by optimism I’ ll say 1-2 to us if Jones does not play or 2-2 if he does. Ironside/Molyneux with the first.
DPL v Stockport County
posted on 8/10/23
I think, as usual, the DFP player ratings are a bit over the top and optimistic. I think Stockport just about justified a win as they created many more real chances, and except from their poor finishing, and two pretty good saves from Jones, they could have been out of site.
However, we had that double opportunity to go ahead. I thought Grant's comment that Faal should have tried to around the keeper, and Ironside should have gone low, were spot-on. If we had scored then, I really believe we would have won the game.
I was not the greatest fan of Marquis, but he would not have missed the chance Ironside had.
posted on 8/10/23
Thanks Mickey. I was not able to follow the game beyond looking at the score from time to time. I suppose Stockport are a force to be reckoned with at this level so 0-1 away isn’t bad.
We must hope that there is still scope for improvement.
posted on 10/10/23
This is just to say that I don’t intend to put up a separate thread for tonight’s cup game vs Mansfield.
posted on 10/10/23
You deserve a rest!
posted on 10/10/23
Rovers contested this intensively, but the chances which might have provided a comfortable win fell the wrong players. Goodman was slow in seizing 3 good early opportunities and Molyneux was guilty of poor decision-making in the penalty area in the second half.
Lawlor put in a good performance - Jones would have conceded several goals looking suitably helpless. Kuleya put in a good show, especially in the first half. Flint seems to lack strength and with youth on his side ought to be quicker to make up for his lack of strength. Faal and Ironside put their usual useful efforts, but the ball wouldn’t run for us and Mansfield benefitted from the generosity of the referee, his penalty decision in particular.
Rovers were the more hardworking and it’s a pity luck could not be more evenly divided.
posted on 11/10/23
Donaldo, just about what I thought about the game. I did not see Mansfield's goals as I'd forgotten it was a 19:00 kick-off. It was a good come back from 2-0 and we had enough chances to win the game. Molyneux could have had a good game except for those last minute decisions in the box, but he was a little unlucky in that shot that hit the post - two inches more curl and it would have been in the net.
I also was a little disappointed in Flint, especially as Grant had raved about his potential.
There appeared to be potential in some of these fringe and young players, but even in League Two a slight lack of concentration can punish you. Bad marking resulted in the third goal, but I thought Lawlor could have saved it. Donaldo, to be you seem too biased against Jones. To me neither are very good goalkeepers, just good enough (almost) for League Two.
posted on 11/10/23
I am irritated by Jones and I keep repeating my views of his shortcomings I know, but I do think that Lawlor might be better now than when he left us originally.
As for the youngsters, Marsh is not in the same bracket as Faal Kuyela seemed to do well particularly in the first half
posted on 11/10/23
OK, although I won't change my mind about Jones, I do go on I know. You probably saw the best of Flint, such as it was, as he did improve as the game went on, but he does not have the strength of Faulkner who does not seem any more popular with McCann than he did with Schofield. He is such an industrious fellow, a real team player.
I think some referees look at the league table and give the higher placed team the benefit of marginal decisions. I'm not one to routinely complain about penalty awards, but I wonder if these aspiring young refs think that to give a penalty for a scarcely discernible offence in the box is it is mark of expert perception. I thinking "shocking" is an overused word in describing such bad decisions, but for once it really was for Rovers fans. Having said that, I do wonder whether, in shepherding the ball out for a goal kick, Faulkner may have touched the ball with his hand as he fell and if he did, the officials missed that.
posted on 12/10/23
Over all the leagues I think refereeing needs improving - especially being consistent. What I hate most is when I read about the ref for the Rovers' game and he or she is in their first EFL season - they usually throw yellow cards around like confetti to prove they are in charge. Actually the current yellow standards in all leagues are spoiling the game - a tackle can be a foul, but it seems if someone falls over it is too often a yellow. I think I've said before, it is the chickification of footie.
Even in the Premier League, consistency is an issue. I watched the Gunners vs. Man City, and Man City should have been down to ten men in the first half. Both the player's tackles were as bad as the one that got the Liverpool player a straight red. I'm not in favour of reducing teams, but it is the lack of consistency that is making the situation worse. I normally think the ref in the Gunners game is one of the best, but by current standards the first tackle was marginally a red, and the second a definite yellow.
When I think of some of the defenders the Rovers had in the early 1950s, they would not be on the pitch for more than 20 minutes in today's game!
posted on 12/10/23
Yes, Syd Bycroft was the archetype of the robust challenge, but although there were broken legs, collar bones and arms plus injuries which sometimes reduced players to being “a passenger” who would stay on the field if he could still stand up. Bill Paterson who replaced Syd seemed quite dainty in comparison - he was a really classy footballer who went to Newcastle United.
However, considering the robust nature of the tackling, players were much more resilient than they are today. I think that one theory is that modern players are so finely tuned that they are more fragile.