[Archived] Rovers v Wigan

[RevidgeBlue]

My only worry about this game is that TM tries to overthink it or retreats into his shell thinking it is a "must not lose" as opposed to a "must win" fixture and tries to play some fancy formation or put seven defensive players out on the pitch like he did against Bury.

We play with fantastic tempo when Dack, Armstrong and Payne are on the pitch at the same time so for me we simply must go with the line up which started last night's game and with which we have done and performed so well. Anything else is just inviting trouble.

[Leonard Venkhater]

2 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

My only worry about this game is that TM tries to overthink it or retreats into his shell thinking it is a "must not lose" as opposed to a "must win" fixture and tries to play some fancy formation or put seven defensive players out on the pitch like he did against Bury.

We play with fantastic tempo when Dack, Armstrong and Payne are on the pitch at the same time so for me we simply must go with the line up which started last night's game and with which we have done and performed so well. Anything else is just inviting trouble.

Still smiling at your Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse reference!

[RevidgeBlue]

1 hour ago, Hasta said:

I'm not saying play for one, but how good or bad does anyone think a draw would be after our victory last night?

Very bad imo. Anything but a win would make it more likely than not that we'd be playing for second place and even that would be taken out of our own hands should Shrewsbury win all of their remaining games.

I know that's not likely to happen and indeed any of the top three (including ourselves) could still completely implode when the pressure is on but you have to assume the worst and reckon on Wigan and Shrews maintaining at worst the form they've shown thus far. Anything else is a bonus.

[arbitro]

32 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

My only worry about this game is that TM tries to overthink it or retreats into his shell thinking it is a "must not lose" as opposed to a "must win" fixture and tries to play some fancy formation or put seven defensive players out on the pitch like he did against Bury.

We play with fantastic tempo when Dack, Armstrong and Payne are on the pitch at the same time so for me we simply must go with the line up which started last night's game and with which we have done and performed so well. Anything else is just inviting trouble.

The game at Wigan earlier in the season was interesting as I thought Cook set his team up to defend and play on the counter attack which seemed to be Mowbrays plan on the day too. With both teams adopting this must not lose mentality the game was predictably a bore draw with Wigan only pushing on after the Bennett sending off. 

I think Cook will come with a similar mindset on Sunday so Mowbray has to be bold in his team selection and tactics with good options on the bench to cover an array of eventualities.

 

[Tom]

36 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

My only worry about this game is that TM tries to overthink it or retreats into his shell thinking it is a "must not lose" as opposed to a "must win" fixture and tries to play some fancy formation or put seven defensive players out on the pitch like he did against Bury.

We play with fantastic tempo when Dack, Armstrong and Payne are on the pitch at the same time so for me we simply must go with the line up which started last night's game and with which we have done and performed so well. Anything else is just inviting trouble.

That is a concern but I take solace in the fact that at the time Shrewsbury was a huuuuge game and we really turned up and battered them.

When a team fancies their chances against us they potentially leave gaps to exploit. Powell and Grigg are dangerous and I expect them to score so rather than try to nullify them lets play to our strengths and out gun them!

Lets hope the Shrews slip up on Saturday and give us a real chance to drive ahead, either way we are top on Monday, let's just hope it's by at least 4 points!

[Rover_Shaun]

Must win. Win this and the once improbable automatic promotion is in the bag. Lose and it's as you were a month ago.

[Mark Atkins' Bald Patch]

14 minutes ago, Tom said:

That is a concern but I take solace in the fact that at the time Shrewsbury was a huuuuge game and we really turned up and battered them.

When a team fancies their chances against us they potentially leave gaps to exploit. Powell and Grigg are dangerous and I expect them to score so rather than try to nullify them lets play to our strengths and out gun them!

Lets hope the Shrews slip up on Saturday and give us a real chance to drive ahead, either way we are top on Monday, let's just hope it's by at least 4 points!

Anyone know if Powell will be fit to play on Sunday?  He was taken off injured against man city and missed their last game against Rochdale.

Lets hope he is, that would be a big miss for them.

[tomphil]

Seen a few getting a bit carried away on social media over this one, so far this season despite current standings they've proven to be the best team in the division so anything less than us at our very best and i'll be surprised if we win.

They'll be up for it and they've had a week off so it'll be the usual fiercely competed game with goals for both sides I reckon. I too hope he doesn't get too carried away with the technical stuff we know what they are about so lets go out and let them worry about us. A win is massive, draw not a disaster and a defeat if it happens shouldn't be met with the old inevitable  we've blown it meltdown.

Still severely pished off we've been Skied again this would have been a Saturday afternoon cracker and big crowd instead it'll be the usual diehards and the muppets in the commentary trying to slag our crowd off every chance they get if things aren't going well.

I wonder why ...

Rovers 2    Wigan 2

[darrenrover]

20 minutes ago, arbitro said:

The game at Wigan earlier in the season was interesting as I thought Cook set his team up to defend and play on the counter attack which seemed to be Mowbrays plan on the day too. With both teams adopting this must not lose mentality the game was predictably a bore draw with Wigan only pushing on after the Bennett sending off. 

I think Cook will come with a similar mindset on Sunday so Mowbray has to be bold in his team selection and tactics with good options on the bench to cover an array of eventualities.

 

I agree arbitro, I feel Wigan will come with the intention of not losing first and foremost and invite us to break them down.

I'm not normally an advocate of changing a winning team but would consider playing Bell at left back as opposed to Williams, as he offers more as an attacking threat down the flank. 

 

[Mattyblue]

1800 tickets sold by Wigan as of this morning...

[tomphil]

Fair play to Wigan if they get close to 2.5k it's a decent effort, hopefully the BBE will turn the volume up and not wait until after a goal to make an effort, all hands to the pump for this one the first halves of the Oldham and Bury games have been embarrassing vocally.

Team setup can help that though !

[Mattyblue]

Not sure if a noon KO will subdue things, but Shrewsbury was a good atmosphere.

[K-Hod]

Do what we did against Shrewsbury at home and we'll beat them I reckon. Make them worry about us.

That being said, it needs a hell of a defensive performance to pull it off and those attackers of ours to do what they do best!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Mark Atkins' Bald Patch said:

Anyone know if Powell will be fit to play on Sunday?

Powell will play; he was due to play last night at Bristol Rovers. In fact, Wigan have a full strength side; no injury concerns for them.

[OJRovers]

I was expecting Wigan to have sold more tickets than that. I'm sure we'd be taking over 3k if the game was away on Sunday.

I'd play:

Raya

Nyambe/Lenni/Mulgrew/Williams

------Bennett-Smallwood-----

Armstrong---Dack---Antonson

---------Graham

We looked solid defensively earlier in the season when Antonson was on the left, and he pops up with some goals too. Payne to come on if needed.

 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Biggest and most difficult game of the season..we must have the right mind set from the start,non of this team of two halves nonsense or I fear we will be punished.

Will be interesting to see the crowd for this one,the weather and live TV may hit the attendance.

2-1

[JHRover]

Wigan's record against the better sides in this league is not impressive. Certainly not as impressive as our record against top half sides this season.

They drew 0-0 with us despite having a man advantage for more than 30 minutes and offered little threat.

They've picked up 1 point from 6 against Shrewsbury failing to score against them.

They lost at home to Bradford when Bradford were in the top 6.

Also 1 point from 6 v Peterborough and had a 0-0 with Charlton at home, sides that have been in and around the play-offs.

So I'll be looking more at those results and comparing that as being far more relevant to the job in hand on Sunday than what they did in the Cup v Man City. Do our bit as we have regularly against the 'top' sides this season and we'll cause them problems.

 

[Pedro]

2 hours ago, Rover_Shaun said:

Must win. Win this and the once improbable automatic promotion is in the bag. Lose and it's as you were a month ago.

Now, now. You're a Rovers fan - you know that's not the way it works for us ?

[jim mk2]

25 minutes ago, OJRovers said:

I was expecting Wigan to have sold more tickets than that. I'm sure we'd be taking over 3k if the game was away on Sunday.

I'd play:

Raya

Nyambe/Lenni/Mulgrew/Williams

------Bennett-Smallwood-----

Armstrong---Dack---Antonson

---------Graham

We looked solid defensively earlier in the season when Antonson was on the left, and he pops up with some goals too. Payne to come on if needed.

 

Start with the team that began the second half last night, with Armstrong down the right channel, Graham going towards the left, Dack down the centre, and Payne more withdrawn in midfield. Antonsson doesn't justify a starting place. 

[darrenrover]

Just now, jim mk2 said:

Start with the team that began the second half last night, with Armstrong down the right channel, Graham going towards the left, Dack down the centre, and Payne more withdrawn in midfield. Antonsson doesn't justify a starting place. 

I can't argue with that scenario jim but to facilitate a bit of width, would you not consider replacing Williams with Bell?

[1864roverite]

Rovers don’t need to be concerned about anyone other than themselves, it is about what we do.

a Rovers win trebles the pressure on wigon anything that happens below us doesn’t matter. In fact I think if anything the current teams from 3rd to 8th are in a dog fight so let’s just concentrate on BRFC, it’s all that matters.

COYB

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, jim mk2 said:

Start with the team that began the second half last night, with Armstrong down the right channel, Graham going towards the left, Dack down the centre, and Payne more withdrawn in midfield. Antonsson doesn't justify a starting place. 

I agree Jim. I wouldn't want both Armstrong and Antonnson in the same team unless we were chasing the game in the last 10 minutes. 

[BigUts]

Anyone aware of how many tickets we have sold thus far? Surely it'll be significant especially after last night?!

[G Somerset Rover]

6 hours ago, 4000Holes said:

It's Plymouth that we have to be aware of.

Eh? We'd only need to be aware of them if we're in the play-offs, which we shouldn't be so long as we take care of our own business.

[JHRover]

We're 19 points above Plymouth with a vastly superior GD making them need a 20 point turnaround on us with only 33 left to play for.

Nothing to worry about there as far as automatic promotion is concerned. Our aim is to outdo Shrewsbury over 11 games. Do that we're up. If we finish 3rd or 4th then we worry about who we get in the play-offs.