Rovers vs. Swansea - Sunday 5th May, 12:30pm

[J*B]

The conclusion of our 2018/19 season sees us face Swansea, recently relegated from the Premier League and previously labelled as Swansalona at their prime, which I used to always enjoy. 

We get cheap tickets, which some people think is a good idea - and others think is an insult to season ticket holders. They really can't please anyone. 

Rovers have won 4 of their last 5 - Swansea have won 3, drawn 1 and lost 1, form which saw a late playoff charge from Swansea, but it wasn't quite enough, making this a total nothing game - apart from the battle of the Lancashire Championship Clubs, with the right result we can overtake PNE and finish top. Rovers are favourites to beat Swansea and the bookies aren't often wrong.

No new injury updates for Rovers. We might see some of the kids, this may be the last time we see some of our players. Not sure on the Swansea team news, to be honest i'm not really sure on any of their players, but after a quick google they've got former Rover Matt Grimes, Nathan Dyer who feels like has played football forever and Ollie McBurnie who's very bloody good.

My Rovers team below:

Canadian

Nyambe Lenihan Magloire Bell

Buckley Travis

Chapman Dack Rothwell

Breo

Davenport and Butterworth to come off the bench. Then pick any other player who will be leaving at the end of the season to come on late. Smallwood? Bennett? Mulgrew? Rodwell? Tony decides.

[philipl]

Swansea are one of the few clubs I have a 100% record against.  Every league match I have seen them play against Rovers, we have lost!  This also goes for televised games against them although the FA Cup 3-1 win in Bowyer's time was a welcome change.

 

Thankfully we don't play them very often and both occasions I saw Rovers playing Swansea live and in the flesh were at the Vetch which was a characterful ground full of menacing local characters.  

 

The game I particularly remember was in the 1980/ 1981 season when we were challenging for back-to-back promotions under Howard Kendall and were making a very decent fist of it. Come the beginning of April and come an absolutely crunch head-to-head at Swansea who went on to be promoted to the top flight for the first time in their history.

 

Travelled to South Wales with the London Branch Supporters and I remember being squeezed into the enclosure alongside Exiled in Toronto. Leighton James was playing for Swansea and the more we booed him, the more he upped his game. In truth, he totally ripped Rovers apart and we lost 2-0.  I think Robbie James was among the scorers and apart from one chance we really should have scored from right in front of us, Rovers were never really in the game.

 

Roll forward 38 years and another Swansea James will probably be playing his last game for the Swans.  Daniel James is blessed with phenomenal pace and excellent ball control who is definitely destined for the Premier League and not with Leeds United who were involved in a bizarre non-transfer in the January window. We need to be wary of James putting on a farewell performance to remember.

 

Indeed Sunday's game could be valedictory for the entire Swansea squad, such are the reported financial woes at the Liberty Stadium.

 

The corresponding away fixture was to my mind one of the worst performances we've had this season. An early soft penalty clinically dispatched by Mulgrew was followed by a totally inept and underwhelming display.  In contrast to wingers ripping us apart down the sides which have been the more usual cause of our disintegrations, Swansea and James simply came through the middle with a parting of our midfield and defence worthy of the Red Sea.

 

So despite being a game with nothing on it, I expect Swansea to be dangerous opponents on Sunday and if they have professional pride, they will want to put to one side several very poor performances which have resulted in them treading water rather than pressing for promotion.

 

For Rovers,  I would like to see Nyambe restored to right back, Travis paired with Davenport and a forward formation including Butterworth, Rothwell, Dack and Graham. Danny Graham to be told to give the first half his all with only the prospect of a hat-trick preventing him from being replaced by Brereton at halftime.

 

More often than not,  end of season dead rubbers turn into turgid dull affairs but just occasionally they throw up a classic. If there are season ticket forms on every seat, I sincerely hope it is the latter.

Edited May 1, 2019 by philipl

[J*B]

@philipl posted this right at the same time as me, the forum took mine as the match thread rather than his, but his preview is better - so they're combined! Cheers Philip.

[JHRover]

Swansea's away form is atrocious. Hopefully we can finish off with a win and end up in the top half and above the noisy neighbours.

[jim mk2]

Just now, philipl said:

Swansea are one of the few clubs I have a 100% record against.  Every league match I have seen them play against Rovers, we have lost!  

In view of your 100% losing record on match previews, which continued at Norwich, please stay away on Sunday

[BankEnd Rover]

No excuses to not starting Chapman, Brereton or either Butterworth/Buckley. (Unless injured) We should be starting 2 out of the 4 - If none start then, i might walk out.

 

Edited May 1, 2019 by BankEnd Rover

[ChrisPriceBaldSpot]

Raya

Nyambe Lenihan Williams Bell

Travis Davenport 

Armstrong Butterworth Rothwell 

Brereton 

Canadian Magloire  Dack Conway Buckley Graham Rankin-Costello

[BankEnd Rover]

Just now, ChrisPriceBaldSpot said:

Raya

Nyambe Lenihan Williams Bell

Travis Davenport 

Armstrong Butterworth Rothwell 

Brereton 

Canadian Magloire  Dack Conway Buckley Graham Rankin-Costello

You wouldn't have Chapman in your squad?

Edited May 1, 2019 by BankEnd Rover

[JacknOry]

21 minutes ago, J*B said:

@philipl posted this right at the same time as me, the forum took mine as the match thread rather than his, but his preview is better - so they're combined! Cheers Philip.

Dont be so modest - you're preview was great . As was Philip's of course.

[Ewood Ace]

                                 Leutwiler

Nyambe     Lenihan              Magloire     Bell

                   Davenport         Travis

Chapman                  Dack                   Rothwell

                                  Graham

Subs: Raya, Rankin-Costello, Mulgrew, Buckley, Armstrong, Butterworth, Brereton

 

[JacknOry]

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

                                 Leutwiler

Nyambe     Lenihan              Magloire     Bell

                   Davenport         Travis

Chapman                  Dack                   Rothwell

                                  Graham

Subs: Raya, Rankin-Costello, Mulgrew, Buckley, Armstrong, Butterworth, Brereton

 

This but id be starting Breo up front. Lets see this more dynamic style of play.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

To the tune of that Macc Lads classic.....

Swansea? SWANSEA?...who the feck are Swansea!! 

Heads up,chests out,let's finish the season on a high with a good win.

3-1.  16,700

Edited May 1, 2019 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[BlackburnEnd75]

                                Raya

Nyambe      Lenihan   Magloire     Bell

Chpman     Travis      Davenport    Rothwell

                            Butterworth

                             Graham

Bench: Leutwiler, Williams, Bennett, Conway, Buckley, Dack, Brereton. 

[roversfan99]

Raya

Nyambe Lenihan Williams Bell

Travis Davenport

Chapman Dack Rothwell

Brereton

Subs: Leutweiler, Armstrong, Graham, Butterworth, Rodwell, Mulgrew, Conway

[ChrisPriceBaldSpot]

12 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

You wouldn't have Chapman in your squad?

My error. Chapman for Arma. 

[arbitro]

With the Lancashire Cup Final scheduled for Tuesday I'd be surprised if Mowbray starts more than a couple of young 'uns. Conway will probably get some game time if it's to be his last game for us.

[philipl]

Davenport debut

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17608177.davenport-to-be-handed-his-rovers-chance-against-swansea/?ref=ar

 

[Admiral Nelsen]

29 minutes ago, arbitro said:

With the Lancashire Cup Final scheduled for Tuesday I'd be surprised if Mowbray starts more than a couple of young 'uns. Conway will probably get some game time if it's to be his last game for us.

Agree, I'd be happy to take a similar approach to the Bolton game. More or less the starting line up, with decent second half minutes for the youngsters.

 

                     Canadian (I'd actually prefer Raya, but seems unlikely)

Nyambe   Lenihan  Williams   Bell

               Travis   Rodwell

Armstrong    Dack     Rothwell

                  Brereton

 

Raya, Magloire, Chapman, Davenport, Conway, Buckley, Butterworth

[rog of the rovers]

31 minutes ago, arbitro said:

With the Lancashire Cup Final scheduled for Tuesday I'd be surprised if Mowbray starts more than a couple of young 'uns. Conway will probably get some game time if it's to be his last game for us.

Craig Conway's record at Rovers (if this is going to be his last game)

Signed from Cardiff City on January 31st 2014 - Reported fee of £100,000

 

League Starts - [136]  League Sub Appearances - [41]

Cup Starts - [15] Cup Sub Appearances - [5]

League Assists - [37] Cup Assists - [4]

League Goals - [18] Cup Goals - [3]

 

Overall Totals

Appearances - 151 (46)

Assists - 41

Goals - 21

[@roverseas]

Well its finally here... the climax to a rollercoaster season for Rovers.  We flirted with the playoffs, we teased with a relegation scrap but ultimately we appear to ending with a secure midtable finish.  Fingers crossed that we learned some lessons this season, and I am hopeful that we will return for 2019-20 with a much brighter future.  Perhaps a few goodbyes on Sunday, whatever happens I am looking forward to the break and will welcome Rovers back with open arms when August comes around. Final preview... final Cass pick! 

 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, arbitro said:

With the Lancashire Cup Final scheduled for Tuesday I'd be surprised if Mowbray starts more than a couple of young 'uns. Conway will probably get some game time if it's to be his last game for us.

Absolutely. I think you're bob on here. I think the Leutwiler project will end, and I can see the likes of Smallwood and Evans back on the bench for similar reasons to Conway.

                      Raya

Bennett Lenihan Williams Bell

          Travis      Davenport

Conway       Dack        Rothwell

                  Graham

Leutwiler, Mulgrew, Nyambe, Smallwood, Evans, Armstrong, Brereton, 

[K-Hod]

17 minutes ago, JoeHarvey said:

Absolutely. I think you're bob on here. I think the Leutwiler project will end, and I can see the likes of Smallwood and Evans back on the bench for similar reasons to Conway.

                      Raya

Bennett Lenihan Williams Bell

          Travis      Davenport

Conway       Dack        Rothwell

                  Graham

Leutwiler, Mulgrew, Nyambe, Smallwood, Evans, Armstrong, Brereton, 

Bar Brereton for DG, that’s exactly how I’d go!

[Guest]

Just now, K-Hod said:

Bar Brereton for DG, that’s exactly how I’d go!

I think the newly crowned Player of The Season deserves to start the final game for me.

[JacknOry]

12 hours ago, JoeHarvey said:

I think the newly crowned Player of The Season deserves to start the final game for me.

He deserves to yes and Id definitely bring him on so he can finish the match but we need to be planning for next season now. We know what DG can do and need to see if Breo can realistically be a challenger for the striker position next season. 

[AllRoverAsia]

13 hours ago, JoeHarvey said:

I think the newly crowned Player of The Season deserves to start the final game for me.

Fan and Players 'Player of the Season' is guaranteed an appearance, imo, and a  timed Sub so he can get a decent personal ovation, which I think all will join in.