Let's talk about the Crewe Alexandra game

[steve@dcfd]

The only change we can make to the eleven that started yesterday is Tommy to start. Dodoo may be injured and Taylor may make the bench if his injection works. Wil we get a result at Crewe not sure is the team as it stands good enough to avoid relegation no. Is Richie up to the job don’t know would another manager get more out of those players that are available I don’t think so. In comparison to the squad under DF or GM they are poor. The level of players we can sign has declined year on year. So if we sack the manager we’ve still got the people above him who have their way they want to run the club which will not see us anywhere above half in this league.

[BillyStubbsTears]

If we can't score against a defence that's conceded 15 in its last 5 games, we might as well play without strikers away from home for the rest of the season and play 5-5-0.

Worry is that Crewe have a 6'3" centre forward. If they've done any homework on us, they'll be matching him up against Williams and putting aerial balls into the box at every opportunity.

[ColinDouglasHandshake]

If we can a manager in who can better organize, make us more resilient away from home and motivate some of the players to do a days work, then we can get enough points to stay up with the same players we have now.

Currently Wellens has us playing one way which away from home simply won't work.

Another manager doesn't need to be a rocket scientist, just make us tough to beat away from home.

At home i do think we'll get enough points but away from home is a huge problem.

[sha66y]

If we can a manager in who can better organize, make us more resilient away from home and motivate some of the players to do a days work, then we can get enough points to stay up with the same players we have now.

Currently Wellens has us playing one way which away from home simply won't work.

Another manager doesn't need to be a rocket scientist, just make us tough to beat away from home.

At home i do think we'll get enough points but away from home is a huge problem.

Ahhhhhhh, that’s that then, problem solved!
Get a new manager in who can make this existing group of players hard to beat away from home…more resilient and motivated!

You get my vote everytime….

But in reality things like that rarely happen !
There is a big pink elephant in the room and everyone is hoping it will go away whilst taking a casual glance at it ….. the more you look the bigger it gets!

We will probably lose to Crewe but only by the odd goal

In Wellens we trust

[ColinDouglasHandshake]

If we can a manager in who can better organize, make us more resilient away from home and motivate some of the players to do a days work, then we can get enough points to stay up with the same players we have now.

Currently Wellens has us playing one way which away from home simply won't work.

Another manager doesn't need to be a rocket scientist, just make us tough to beat away from home.

At home i do think we'll get enough points but away from home is a huge problem.

Ahhhhhhh, that’s that then, problem solved!
Get a new manager in who can make this existing group of players hard to beat away from home…more resilient and motivated!

You get my vote everytime….

But in reality things like that rarely happen !
There is a big pink elephant in the room and everyone is hoping it will go away whilst taking a casual glance at it ….. the more you look the bigger it gets!

We will probably lose to Crewe but only by the odd goal

In Wellens we trust

If we make the team hard to beat away from home then it is problem solved you aching simpleton.

We get more points and climb out of the bottom 4 eventually.

Shitty supporters. Honestly.

[Campsall rover]

Crewe are shit but their home record in the league is way better than our away record. Played 7, won 1, drawn 2 and lost 4.

Everyone’s home record is better than our away record.
They are poor at home and this is our best chance so far on paper to get an away win or draw.
We need to win.

[dickos1]

If we play like we did at Wigan, Gillingham, Plymouth, we will win.
Play like we did at Charlton and Ipswich then we won’t

[ColinDouglasHandshake]

If we play like we did at Wigan, Gillingham, Plymouth, we will win.
Play like we did at Charlton and Ipswich then we won’t

I went to Wigan. We were shit for about 75 minutes. Had one, maybe two chances in a good 10-15 minute spell early doors and then gave up. 

[dickos1]

They’re top of the league though and Plymouth away.
Both games we did ok against sides like that. If we play like that against a poor side like Crewe we should win

[ColinDouglasHandshake]

They’re top of the league though and Plymouth away.
Both games we did ok against sides like that. If we play like that against a poor side like Crewe we should win

We did not do ok against Wigan and Plymouth. We nicked a goal in both but we spent much of both games without the ball and despite both playing well below their expected standards, we gifted Wigan the win by giving their players acres of space to score their goals and we gifted Plymouth the win by giving them a stupid penalty and making our customary costly defensive cock up.

Even at Gillingham, we looked bright first half but their keeper didn't have to make a save really.

If we play like we did against Gillingham then we might sneak a narrow win. If we play like we did against any other side we've faced away this season we won't win.

In essence, a big improvement is needed on Tuesday night that surpasses anything we've produced on the road so far.

[sha66y]

If we can a manager in who can better organize, make us more resilient away from home and motivate some of the players to do a days work, then we can get enough points to stay up with the same players we have now.

Currently Wellens has us playing one way which away from home simply won't work.

Another manager doesn't need to be a rocket scientist, just make us tough to beat away from home.

At home i do think we'll get enough points but away from home is a huge problem.

Ahhhhhhh, that’s that then, problem solved!
Get a new manager in who can make this existing group of players hard to beat away from home…more resilient and motivated!

You get my vote everytime….

But in reality things like that rarely happen !
There is a big pink elephant in the room and everyone is hoping it will go away whilst taking a casual glance at it ….. the more you look the bigger it gets!

We will probably lose to Crewe but only by the odd goal

In Wellens we trust

If we make the team hard to beat away from home then it is problem solved you aching simpleton.

We get more points and climb out of the bottom 4 eventually.

Shitty supporters. Honestly.

You started your reply with the word “ if” ……. That quickly negates any substance….unless we are all living in lala land……

If I was a multi billionaire I’d buy the Rovers outright…..” IF”

[ColinDouglasHandshake]

It appears to be happy hour at Pete & Bernies philosophical steakhouse.

[BigH]

I'd play Ro Williams up front. With Dodoo alongside.

Five man midfield. Three at the back.

Play in their half as much as possible. Target William's head and play for the knockdowns.What could possibly go wrong...

Might be unconventional. But 'conventional' to us away from home means nailed on defeat.

[normal rules]

39 points from 31 games needed for 50 and poss safety.
That’s 1.25 points per game .
Win one, draw one, lose one every three games is 1.33ppg.
That’s exactly what Rovers need to do from here on in.

[Chris Black come back]

I don’t think we are going to win against Crewe I am afraid. In our last three away games we’ve had I think four shots on target. That’s absolutely terrible. We could I guess draw, but a side that has scored a total of two goals away from home in seven league games and drawn a blank in five away leagues games, doesn’t suggest it has the ability to score. A draw might be possible but you wouldn’t think we would be likely to score, which is the bare minimum to have a hope of winning.

[roversdude]

Well I’m going and hoping we can get a win

[scawsby steve]

I don’t think we are going to win against Crewe I am afraid. In our last three away games we’ve had I think four shots on target. That’s absolutely terrible. We could I guess draw, but a side that has scored a total of two goals away from home in seven league games and drawn a blank in five away leagues games, doesn’t suggest it has the ability to score. A draw might be possible but you wouldn’t think we would be likely to score, which is the bare minimum to have a hope of winning.

You're being too generous, CBCB. It's 2 goals in 8 away games, and 0 goals in 6 of them.

Horrendous.

[dickos1]

They’re top of the league though and Plymouth away.
Both games we did ok against sides like that. If we play like that against a poor side like Crewe we should win

We did not do ok against Wigan and Plymouth. We nicked a goal in both but we spent much of both games without the ball and despite both playing well below their expected standards, we gifted Wigan the win by giving their players acres of space to score their goals and we gifted Plymouth the win by giving them a stupid penalty and making our customary costly defensive cock up.

Even at Gillingham, we looked bright first half but their keeper didn't have to make a save really.

If we play like we did against Gillingham then we might sneak a narrow win. If we play like we did against any other side we've faced away this season we won't win.

In essence, a big improvement is needed on Tuesday night that surpasses anything we've produced on the road so far.

That’s rubbish,
We played two of the best sides in the division and gave them both a good game.
If we play anything like we did in those games against Crewe we will win

[DRCraig]

Loser of this game is in big,big trouble. Draw no good either. Both teams going for it. A really exciting 4-2 win.

[Filo]

I'd play Ro Williams up front. With Dodoo alongside.

Five man midfield. Three at the back.

Play in their half as much as possible. Target William's head and play for the knockdowns.What could possibly go wrong...

Might be unconventional. But 'conventional' to us away from home means nailed on defeat.

Williams can’t get his head on the ball in defence, what makes you think he will up front?

[BillyStubbsTears]

Very slim chance of us winning 3 out of 3.
I imagine we haven’t done that for well over a year.
We’re only 4 points from safety, win against Crewe and it’s 1.

We won 5 league games on the bounce as recently as Jan/Feb this year under the apparently useless Moore. Immediately prior to that we'd won 4 on the bounce in December.

[ColinDouglasHandshake]

I don’t think we are going to win against Crewe I am afraid. In our last three away games we’ve had I think four shots on target. That’s absolutely terrible. We could I guess draw, but a side that has scored a total of two goals away from home in seven league games and drawn a blank in five away leagues games, doesn’t suggest it has the ability to score. A draw might be possible but you wouldn’t think we would be likely to score, which is the bare minimum to have a hope of winning.

You're being too generous, CBCB. It's 2 goals in 8 away games, and 0 goals in 6 of them.

Horrendous.

Don't forget we also couldn't score at L2 Walsall or against second string Stoke City in the League Cup.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Very slim chance of us winning 3 out of 3.
I imagine we haven’t done that for well over a year.
We’re only 4 points from safety, win against Crewe and it’s 1.

We won 5 league games on the bounce as recently as Jan/Feb this year under the apparently useless Moore. Immediately prior to that we'd won 4 on the bounce in December.

I do wonder if Wellens ever watches matches of the opposition to see where their strenghts and weaknesses are - because he seems to set the team up to play the same way whoever we are playing. With predictable results.

Loosing matches doesnt concern me. Loosing matches and not learning from that does.

This is a big point.

Home or away. Against top or bottom, we line up 4-4-3.

And what's the consequence of that? Well one is that one of the long term injuries that people are saying is hitting us hard is to a player that is clearly not in our best XI according to Wellens.

Cameron John.

Wellens has always preferred Williams to John when both of them and Anderson were available.

We have never looked at adjusting to a back 3/5 to accommodate him.

And here's the utterly bizarre thing. Several times we have put John on the bench, played Rowe at left back and selected Barlow or Gardner in midfield. I doubt there is anyone in the whole of football who things that is an optimal use of resources available.

But that's what we've done. So I'm not sure what this "5 first choice certs missing" idea is based on.

[Chris Black come back]

433 I think. Even with 443 we’d still have got same results mind. Total mystery why he keeps insisting Rowe can only play left back. 

[BillyStubbsTears]

Oops. Fat fingers. I've committed the Sammy Chung Error. Corrected now.

[dickos1]

Very slim chance of us winning 3 out of 3.
I imagine we haven’t done that for well over a year.
We’re only 4 points from safety, win against Crewe and it’s 1.

We won 5 league games on the bounce as recently as Jan/Feb this year under the apparently useless Moore. Immediately prior to that we'd won 4 on the bounce in December.

I do wonder if Wellens ever watches matches of the opposition to see where their strenghts and weaknesses are - because he seems to set the team up to play the same way whoever we are playing. With predictable results.

Loosing matches doesnt concern me. Loosing matches and not learning from that does.

This is a big point.

Home or away. Against top or bottom, we line up 4-4-3.

And what's the consequence of that? Well one is that one of the long term injuries that people are saying is hitting us hard is to a player that is clearly not in our best XI according to Wellens.

Cameron John.

Wellens has always preferred Williams to John when both of them and Anderson were available.

We have never looked at adjusting to a back 3/5 to accommodate him.

And here's the utterly bizarre thing. Several times we have put John on the bench, played Rowe at left back and selected Barlow or Gardner in midfield. I doubt there is anyone in the whole of football who things that is an optimal use of resources available.

But that's what we've done. So I'm not sure what this "5 first choice certs missing" idea is based on.

I did say I imagine,
We have won only around 6 games since the beginning of February..

As for Moore he did well for us results wise in spells but it’s disgraceful the state he left the club in.
Compared to how it was when he took over it’s a disgrace

[BigH]

I'd play Ro Williams up front. With Dodoo alongside.

Five man midfield. Three at the back.

Play in their half as much as possible. Target William's head and play for the knockdowns.What could possibly go wrong...

Might be unconventional. But 'conventional' to us away from home means nailed on defeat.

Williams can’t get his head on the ball in defence, what makes you think he will up front?

That could be the flaw in my cunning plan!

[BigH]

They’re top of the league though and Plymouth away.
Both games we did ok against sides like that. If we play like that against a poor side like Crewe we should win

We did not do ok against Wigan and Plymouth. We nicked a goal in both but we spent much of both games without the ball and despite both playing well below their expected standards, we gifted Wigan the win by giving their players acres of space to score their goals and we gifted Plymouth the win by giving them a stupid penalty and making our customary costly defensive cock up.

Even at Gillingham, we looked bright first half but their keeper didn't have to make a save really.

If we play like we did against Gillingham then we might sneak a narrow win. If we play like we did against any other side we've faced away this season we won't win.

In essence, a big improvement is needed on Tuesday night that surpasses anything we've produced on the road so far.

That’s rubbish,
We played two of the best sides in the division and gave them both a good game.
If we play anything like we did in those games against Crewe we will win

Dickos, your rose-tinted view of at least one of those games is endearing. But I'll have to disagree.

We did not give Wigan a good game. We were second best all over the park. Had they been on their game we would have lost by a hatful.

It was my first time watching Rovers this season and I have to say I was genuinely taken aback by how poor we were.

[mpc123]

5 at the back then 2 centre backs of the 3 on him.

2 wing backs

[steve@dcfd]

We have to go there and be harder to beat. Without a defensive midfield player we should go three at the back. The problem is who do you play on the left side only Horton is a true left foot player but it’s not fair putting him there when he’s not done it so Olowu to play there.
Then Knoyle and Rowe if fit can play wingbacks. Or play Horton wingback and Rowe in midfield which if we want to score I think that would be better with what players we have available. Then we would have Galbraith Bostock ( because we don’t have better) and Rowe. With two from 3/4, dependent if Dodoo is fit, of Dodoo, Hiwula, Cukur or Vilca. If Taylor is available he can be on the bench and then we can change the system if required. But until we get a good defensive midfield player then Richie should throw the 433 out the window because we haven’t got the midfield players to do it. So for me it’s either 3 5 2 or 4231. But we need Cameron John back, Taylor fit and ready and where is Okenabirhie.
We only have