Perhaps if we focus on Walsall we will make ourselves miserable because they are on a very good run currently. They are top of the 6-match Form Table having only dropped 4 points out of the last 18 with their only loss to Newport who are top of the 8-match table. So let’s look at Rovers.
We obviously weren’t exactly tip-top against Wimbledon, but the passing is much better than it was and the tackling in the box, virtually non-existent in the early part of the season makes for a far better barrier than before. Comparing Adelukan with Faal makes me increasingly convinced that the former is the more effective. Adelukan has are very good eye for finding space, breaking free of where the defenders are. Faal (who is now playing for our opponents) used to get the ball and wander off with it, sometimes well away from the goal and obvious shooting positions seemingly trying to work his way back again. Adelukan though, knows where to be, often slipping away from defenders seemingly unnoticed, as with his goal in the last game.
So do we have it in us to give Walsall a game? Possibly not enough to win, but nevertheless we could be good enough at our best for a point, so, ever faithful to the cause, I’ll say 2-2 (Ironside/Adelukan).
DPL v Walsall
posted on 29/2/24
I tried to get Airbnb in Hope but it's all taken. Big test for Rovers this one. Anything from it would be a positive and even a narrow loss not too worrying. However our away from isn't good so Given Walsall 's form I think a 2-1 defeat. Biggins or Ironside.
posted on 2/3/24
I also think the best we can do is a draw, and that will be difficult. I'll go for 2-2 with Biggins getting the first and with Ironside as the backup.
posted on 2/3/24
Nothing to do with the game, but I feel I have to say this. We say things about youngsters in "men's" football for the first time, but then you see what is happening at Liverpool. I called the EFL Cup result:
Liverpool High School 1, Million Pound Team 0!
Klopp is leaving with Liverpool having a great future.
Man United was my top team for a while after we sold Harry Gregg, then I had a passion for 'Spurs in the 60s, but then it has been all Liverpool.
"You will never walk alone".
posted on 2/3/24
The Doncaster connection to Liverpool is perhaps Kevin Keegan. As a resident of Scunthorpe for some time unfortunately I was a big fan of his. Regarding being a fan of top flight teams it's a different matter. I've always disliked Liverpool as my first taste of football hooliganism was Liverpool fans throwing anything they could get their hands on at Harry Gregg when Liverpool played Rovers at home in the old Second division or it might have been a cup game. Not a fan of Man U either since the Sir Alec days. Always Liked Newcastle and had Leeds and Wolves as my subbuteo teams. Of today's Premier League teams Man City are most times the best to watch though Arsenal come a good second. Have to be impressed though with what Klopp has done at Liverpool.
posted on 2/3/24
Walsall 3-1 Rovers
Ironside to score ⚽
posted on 2/3/24
I can agree that of all the PL teams at the top, Liverpool are the only club which seems to run a productive academy. The top PL clubs get the pick of the youngsters and even at Liverpool many are cast aside and those and the ones who pass through the junior ranks of most PL clubs might well have had better starts if they had chosen more modest clubs.
What irritates me about Liverpool is their fans. Every time I hear that anthem it seems like they are assuming and advertising a God-given superiority which is bestowed specifically on them above all others. And in the days when Liverpool was one of the most unattractive cities in the country it seemed utterly unjustified.
I suppose this is evidence of it having the required effect, but my thought was always that the city was the last place anyone with any choice in the matter would want to be tied to.
I’ve never really had a second favourite team or become closely attached to the local team where I’ve lived (or had to live) over the years. I am now amongst fans of nearly all the London clubs so I follow their results, but most have a fairly philosophical attitude. I cannot be absolutely certain of this and probably those who I know are not a true cross section, but many southern fans seem to bring more of a sense of humour to their support than those “up North”. West Ham fans are quite notable in this respect.
posted on 2/3/24
Come on Rovers! I was at college in London in the early 70s. I used to enjoy watching Fulham at Craven Cottage and QPR at Loftus Road. The home fans were great. Not so much with Chelsea and definitely not with Millwall. Never ventured to Upton Park but remember well the Ill be forever blowing bubbles at Rovers in Div 2. My local team in London was Brentford at Griffin Park. Just shows what can be done coming from an unfashionable club. Doubt if I'll see Rovers in the Premier League though.
posted on 4/3/24
A bridge too far in a game where we needed to be at our best and weren’t.
The much-vaunted Biamou perhaps did not have enough time to show his worth and for once Lo Tulala was not as positive as we had come to expect. Had the ref not been as keen in showing us yellow cards - 5, as he was in overlooking their robust tackling and the challenge on our GK which led to Faal’s goal, at least the margin would have been just 1. It is his 6th game in charge of Rovers and we have lost them all!
posted on 4/3/24
I was worried before the game as he was issuing over 5 cards a game on average and we had lost all the games before. I only watched a little of the game as I thought the pitch was very poor on which to play good football, and the officiating was driving me mad. The ref was stopping the game too often (but no cards in the first half), and some linesman decisions were strange and sometimes the ref intervened.
I switched to 'Spurs game on one iMac and Newcastle on my second iMac (this second iMac is about to go to recycling as it has some serious problems that a Mac specialist has been unable to solve, and I just can't switch it off as it is very difficult to get it to re-start!)
Having watched the extended highlights and I agree about Lo Tulala and Faal's goal.
posted on 7/3/24
Here are the latest numbers with the outstanding performer being Micky and it's good to see Mooli with a good result in the Walsall game, albeit a pessimistic one. (I suppose Micky's was a shade pessimistic too.)
Walsall 3 : Rovers 1 (Hurst)
>>>>>>> Scorer Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F >>> O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 73 >>>>>> 73
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 93 >>>>>> 93
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 89 >>>>> 89
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 7 >>>>> 57 >>>>>> 64
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 72 >>>>>> 75
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 6 >>>> 0 >>>>> 10 >>> 384 >>>>> 394
Bradford C 1 : Rovers 1 (Molyneux)
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F >>> O/all
Donaldo>>> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 4 >>>>> 73 >>>>>> 77
PDXMickey> 4 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 4 >>>> 5 >>>> 17 >>>>> 93 >>>> 110
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 89 >>>>> 89
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 64 >>>>>> 64
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 75 >>>>>> 75
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
>>>>>>>>> 8 >>>>> 4 >>>> 4 >>>> 5 >>>>> 21 >>>> 394 >>>>> 415