Fleetwood Town (A) - Pre-Season 2020/21

[Guest]

Fleetwood Town (A) - Highbury Stadium - Saturday 22nd August 2020 - Pre-Season Friendly
Streaming Information Unavailable, Rovers to inform fans nearer the time, Everton game confirmed to be streaming on their platform.

Interesting pre-season ahead of us now, with Fleetwood Town away in a weeks time. When the "Pre-Season" thread was first devised I said I thought a game against Joey Barton would be perfect for us, all this talk of Premier League opposition and testing ourselves against these big teams, but the reality is that we struggle against teams that sit back, defend in an organised block and get stuck in. One of our biggest blessings going into next season is that we don't have to travel to the DW again!

Fleetwood missed out on promotion after losing their semi-final tie with promoted Wycombe Wanderers. They've lost their star right-back in Lewie Coyle to recently relegated Hull City, but they have just picked up Morgan Boyes on a season-long-loan from Liverpool's Under 23's. Fleetwood Town won 4-2 against Carlisle United in their first pre-season friendly of the 2020/21 season, and whilst Carlisle are a league below, a 6-goal game shows that they won't just sit back and defend, they'll have a go at us. They've got Glenn Whelan, Paddy Madden, Ched Evans, Josh Morris (former Rover) and Callum Camps just to name a few in their side. 

Onto Rovers and it isn't looking great. Probability says we're playing this fixture in last years kit, as no announcements have been made, with the clubs retail officer recently telling a forum member that they don't even know when the release date is. Home, away and goalkeeper shirts will be made by Umbro and sponsored by 10bet again, and it's gotten to a point now where they may aswell just leave last years designs on all bloody season! Andy Fisher is expected to start in goal ahead of Joe Hilton. Fisher has been at the club longer, and whilst of similar ages and abilities, Fisher also has a little more mens game experience under his belt, having spent the last three seasons out on loan at League One and Two sides in Northampton & MK Dons. Amari'i Bell and Derrick Williams are both expected to be back in full fitness, whether you take that as positive or negative news is your choice, and the loss of Danny Graham and Dominic Samuel means that the toss up of "who'll start up front" becomes a three horse race, but the expectation is that Brereton, Gallagher and Armstrong will probably all feature. Last years pre-season games featured one team in one half, and another team in the other, style tactics from Mowbray and his coaching staff. 9 half time subs away at Blackpool last summer was quite a sight to see on the touchlines! So it wouldn't be a shock to see a slightly odd line-up at kick off that gets moulded as time goes on. We won't see Bradley Dack, who isn't far off now but still not ready for games. Rovers are quite openly trying to get shift of Charlie Mulgrew as they were last summer, as reports in the LT suggest, so it wouldn't be a shock if Mulgrew doesn't feature, or maybe even travel. Joe Rankin-Costello, John Buckley, Dan Butterworth (now back fit), Joe Grayson (now back fit), Scott Wharton and Stefan Mols will probably all be hopeful of being able to come along on the coach and getting some minutes. 

I think some interesting questions WILL be answered though, outside of the ones we know won't be answered (kits and goalkeeper):

What formation will Mowbray go with? Will we see something new?
Will Armstrong go down the middle or out wide?
How can Andy Fisher cope with decent opposition? What's his kicking game like?

[roversfan99]

I thought that we found that we picked up more points against bottom half sides than against top half ones?

[J*B]

Very much looking forward to finding out what tactic Tony has come up with during his annual leave. We’ve had 442s, 4231s, 433s, 4312s, 4321s, 352s, 343s - I think we could be on for a 361 this season. 

[Moptop1]

2-8-1 (this includes no keeper)!

Edited August 15, 2020 by Moptop1

[davulsukur]

6 minutes ago, Moptop1 said:

2-8-1 (this includes no keeper)!

Last man back/Spider Keeper?

[Fraserkirky]

I’m read to see Buckley step up a bit and be more involved. He flashes sheer quality now and again.

Butterworth another I hope gets some playing time in the friendlies, hope the injury hasn’t slowed him down too much.

Would great if Rovers could sort out a video link for the game next week.

Edited August 16, 2020 by Fraserkirky

[Sparks Rover]

5 minutes ago, Fraserkirky said:

I’m read to see Buckley step up a bit and be more involved. He flashes sheer quality now and again.

.

Needs a season or two at Barrow

[Prelude]

11 hours ago, davulsukur said:

Last man back/Spider Keeper?

Rush keeper!

[Prelude]

21 hours ago, JoeH said:

won't see Bradley Dack, who isn't far off now but still not ready for games.

Not for one minute disagreeing with you but are you basing this on what he has said previously that he hopes to be in the squad for the 1st game of the season or have you heard something more?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Prelude said:

Not for one minute disagreeing with you but are you basing this on what he has said previously that he hopes to be in the squad for the 1st game of the season or have you heard something more?

Most recently heard October, I thought October had always been the date to be honest

[Prelude]

28 minutes ago, JoeH said:

Most recently heard October, I thought October had always been the date to be honest

Canr remember If I read an interview or watched a video but he said he hopes to be back in the squad for the start of the season. Only thing I can find at the moment is this 

https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/blackburn-rovers-bradley-dack-mowbray-18490105

[Ossydave]

Sure I have an old pair of Sondico gloves at my mum and dads, I must be in contention for a start if so?

[Prelude]

1 hour ago, Ossydave said:

Sure I have an old pair of Sondico gloves at my mum and dads, I must be in contention for a start if so?

I am not a Goalkeeper but have more games under my belt there than The king of Ewood Richard Smallwood around 50 games. 

I would struggle to do much worse than Walton did after the end of Lockdown! 

[Guest]

Would like to see JRC feature in a more natural forward role, and be great to see Butterworth after his injury.

Rothwell and Armstrong looking very sharp in their training video they posted online.

[davulsukur]

50 minutes ago, JoeH said:

Would like to see JRC feature in a more natural forward role, and be great to see Butterworth after his injury.

Rothwell and Armstrong looking very sharp in their training video they posted online.

Can we get a link?

[Guest]

Just now, davulsukur said:

Can we get a link?

Think @chaddyrovers posted the video in another thread

[chaddyrovers]

Just now, davulsukur said:

Can we get a link?

 

 

[davulsukur]

Cheers @chaddyrovers

[LeftWinger]

I'm expecting something like this. 

Chapman to get a game in goal with no first team keepers available, then all our strikers on the right wing, due to the fact our only right winger is now in goal. Holtby in the false 9 role, due to the fact all our strikers are playing wide right. 

Bennett at right back. 

[RevidgeBlue]

Just now, LeftWinger said:

I'm expecting something like this. 

Chapman to get a game in goal with no first team keepers available, then all our strikers on the right wing, due to the fact our only right winger is now in goal. Holtby in the false 9 role, due to the fact all our strikers are playing wide right. 

Bennett at right back. 

Take Downing off there and you might not be too far off!

He hasn't accepted our contract offer has he?

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

Just now, LeftWinger said:

I'm expecting something like this. 

Chapman to get a game in goal with no first team keepers available, then all our strikers on the right wing, due to the fact our only right winger is now in goal. Holtby in the false 9 role, due to the fact all our strikers are playing wide right. 

Bennett at right back. 

I think you might need to move Rothwell more central. Give Downing and Williams the freedom to destroy their right flank. 

[roversfan99]

12 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Take Downing off there and you might not be too far off!

He hasn't accepted our contract offer has he?

Good point. Was he at training today? Total silence.

[islander200]

44 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Good point. Was he at training today? Total silence.

I asked Sharpe on twitter earlier today, no response

[roversfan99]

7 minutes ago, islander200 said:

I asked Sharpe on twitter earlier today, no response

Get the feeling that there is absolutely nothing happening at all the club. I know Rich Sharpe struggles for scoops at the best of time but Ive regularly seen him suggest that he "is hoping to hear from Mowbray and/or Waggott in the next few days" for a few weeks now.

[tomphil]

I read somewhere that Downing isn't training, might have been from Sharpe can't remember.