Let's talk about the Everton game

[Fal]

It would be just typical us to go and beat them after failing miserably against teams in our own league.

I don’t expect to but if we somehow did I can see it being the turning point in the season.

[Padge_DRFC]

It would be just typical us to go and beat them after failing miserably against teams in our own league.

I don’t expect to but if we somehow did I can see it being the turning point in the season.

Just like the Hull game

[Silkscarf]

I keep thinking about the Man City league cup 2nd round game in 2005. I’d settle for a repeat of that. A great night.

If you’re hesitant about going just remember that cup run. We might get hammered by Everton of course but you just never know.

[ncRover]

who are always generous in helping a struggling team and manager turn their season round

And at helping a struggling striker get goals. They’ve signed a new striker so Maupay will start and get a hat trick.

[Reg of the Rovers]

Day of the game against Premier League opposition, in a rare home game vs top opposition, and no more comments on the game (beyond where the sky trucks are parked, or whether first-time visitors can get tickets).

It feels a bit of a damp squib as a spectacle, judging by the level of excitement on here, but a good result tonight could be as big as a Man City / Villa all those years ago in my opinion. Not sure why it's not quite got us all going, maybe we're still a bit hungover from last couple of years?

Looking forward to tonight as a one-off, big game and a fuller stadium than we've seen since Grant was last here vs Charlton. Hopefully a good atmosphere and the lads can do us proud again.

[normal rules]

Around 900 tickets left in total.

[Alan Southstand]

The number of tickets left are nearly as big as Salford’s gate, last night!

What have we got to moan about, other than being bottom of the EFL, loads on the injury list again and  no more incomings

The result doesn’t matter tonight, but Saturday’s does.

[Wiltshire Exile]

From the Everton forum, https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/doncaster-rovers-vs-everton-wednesday-30th-august-2023-preview-motm.118212/

Post No. 9

“Doncaster are bottom of league two. We need to teach these crap bottom of the table teams a lesson.” 

[BillyStubbsTears]

I don't think it's unreasonable that there's not been a buzz about this.

We have been wanting for 32 months. (EDIT: I didn't type "wanting". I typed a 4 letter word that started "wan_*". That was an autocorrect. It works after a fashion, but doesn't really capture how utterly f**king wanting we have been.)

We are now is a worse spot than we have been for a quarter of a century.

Everton aren't that much of a catch these days, but in our hearts we are expecting that they'll do us five-nowt and we'll spend the night chasing shadows (and not chasing them very fast).

That's what I've been thinking anyroad.

But I'm just starting to get a little sex tingle as kick off approaches.

[Filo]

From the Everton forum, https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/doncaster-rovers-vs-everton-wednesday-30th-august-2023-preview-motm.118212/

Post No. 9

“Doncaster are bottom of league two. We need to teach these crap bottom of the table teams a lesson.” 

I think that may have gone over your head

[BillyStubbsTears]

From the Everton forum, https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/doncaster-rovers-vs-everton-wednesday-30th-august-2023-preview-motm.118212/

Post No. 9

“Doncaster are bottom of league two. We need to teach these crap bottom of the table teams a lesson.” 

I think that may have gone over your head

Looking at their posts, I think they might give us a run for our money in the Gallows Humour Stakes.

[normal rules]

Rovers 6/1 for the win . I was hoping for double figures .

[BillyStubbsTears]

Rovers 6/1 for the win . I was hoping for double figures .

That's what I'm worried about.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

As long as we do better than Rotherham conceding 6, I'm happy.

[Chris Black come back]

Pretty much irrespective of who Everton put out, the biggest challenge is our lack of fitness and inability to compete for anything like 90 minutes at League Two level. The Everton lads will have their conditioning fully optimised, and any Dyche side will have physicality and stamina hardwired. This will be full on physical mismatch.

[Thorney]

Has much as I would like us to win. I want us to come away from the game having put on a good display and having matched them, not stood off them and sat back looking not to concede, have a good go at it. I'd like the people who don't see league 2 football who are watching it on sky say "how the hell are they bottom of league 2"

I'd also like a set of Swedish au pairs to sit on my face but we can't have it all

[BillyStubbsTears]

Nobody else getting a little sex tingle then?

Err...am I the only one who gets this before a big match?

[Prez]

Rovers 6/1 for the win . I was hoping for double figures .

You can get 10/1 at the moment on the Betfair exchange

[normal rules]

I have a couple of Everton supporting mates. They have messaged me today saying they will get dumped tonight .
It’s going to be a very interesting game for sure.

[belton rover]

Nobody else getting a little sex tingle then?

Err...am I the only one who gets this before a big match?

I try to hold back my big game sex tingle until kick off. Otherwise I’m asleep before the game starts.

[ForsolongaRover]

The Christmas Day game in the early 50s was memorable for me because Syd Bycroft our centre half was engaged in battle throughout with the Everton centre forward. They continued the in the same robust fashion in the Boxing Day fixture at Goodison Park and I think they were both sent off.

I could not remember the result of the first game, but records show we won 3-1 and drew the return 1-1. In those days both Everton and Liverpool were fairly average (old) Division 2 sides.

[Chris Black come back]

I don’t think Everton will be any great shakes but will at least be physically prepared to compete for 90minutes. We can’t manage that against League Two opponents so to be able to do this against elite / semi elite players would all things being equal be too much.

[Chris Black come back]

And…we are seemingly starting with Olowu and Senior as our centre back pairing….

[normal rules]

And…we are seemingly starting with Olowu and Senior as our centre back pairing….

There will be goals then.
Both teams to score an absolute nailed on bet.

[Chris Black come back]

Faulkner and Wood both on bench. Bit odd.

[Chris Black come back]

Dyche is playing both Onana and Doucouré in midfield. Two absolute units with huge energy. Looking forward to watching this.

[normal rules]

Moore and Mcann both appear together on the pitch in the sky pre match chat. He has a nerve showing his face .

[Chris Black come back]

Tbf they both walked out on us to local rivals.

[ncRover]

Dyche is playing both Onana and Doucouré in midfield. Two absolute units with huge energy. Looking forward to watching this.

Onana one hell of an athlete. Not sure what we can do against that with our midfield!

Some guile there with Garner too.

[Colemans Left Hook]

How come nobody has mentioned that this game goes straight to penalties if it's a draw after 90 minutes (and the bits) IS IT SO OBVIOUS IT

it would be funny if we won on penalties with their Mr Mouth in goal and very unfunny if we got Mansfield in the next round (and Pickfords removal from the cup)
now for the lest we forget bit

against Tottenham virtually 14 years to the day we could have been 2-0 up after 5 minutes

there was a downpour and surface water just outside the penalty area a Rovers player passed the ball and it stuck in the water and Hudderstone scored to make it 1-0

FOR 14 YEARS I HAVE THOUGHT THERE WAS NO DRAINAGE AT HAT AREA OF THE PITCH MEANING THE GROUND WAS EXTRA HARD THERE ??  (as in potential injuries)

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/aug/26/carling-cup-doncaster-rovers-tottenham-hotspur

It was not as if Sean O'Driscoll's sweet passing Championship hosts were push-overs either. Instead Doncaster missed several decent chances and delighted in inducing defensive wobbles in a visiting backline featuring three natural full backs. With Carlo Cudicini making some splendid saves - those from James Hayter and John Oster were especially good - it could easily have ended 8-4.

"Doncaster played some great football," reflected Redknapp. "But I'm lucky that I've rested a lot of players yet we still had a very strong attacking line up. If David Bentley keeps working hard he'll get his chance."