v Hull City (h) 15/4/23 @ 19.45pm

[philipl]

Don't lose sight of the fact Hull have become dangerous opponents.

They typically play 4-2-3-1 but have switched to 4-4-2 in the last 4 away games in which they have won 1 and drawn 3.

So I sort of expect JDT to stick with the 4-3-3 that (mostly) worked at Huddersfield with perhaps Gally and Thomas back as the only changes.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, broadsword said:

I always like reading that"who's played for both clubs" segment on the front page. There's always a load that I forget, some I had no idea on and others is not heard of. Frank Stapleton played for Huddersfield. Who knew?

So, Hull. There's Bob dewhurst, David mail. That's all I can think of 🤣

Ken Knighton, top player. I wish we had him for Saturday.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Every game now shit or bust,do or die.

Its in our own hands.

2-1

14,400

[Mercer]

24 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Ken Knighton, top player. I wish we had him for Saturday.

What a midfield player!

Think 'Quig' stole him from Preston (think we got him for £30/40k).

Aggression and dynamism personified, Ken had a superb work rate and had the lot for a midfielder (tackle, pass and score goals with that terrific shot of his - must have averaged a goal every 5/6 games).  What he would be worth today!

Edited April 12, 2023 by Mercer

[jim mk2]

Tough end to the season and this on paper at least is one of the “easier” ones. So yes, this is a must win and no excuses or playing well but drawing as at Huddersfield. A scabby 1-0 win is fine

[jim mk2]

5 minutes ago, Mercer said:

What a midfield player!

Think 'Quig' stole him from Preston (think we got him for £30/40k).

Aggression personified, Ken had a superb work rate and had the lot for a midfielder (tackle, pass and score goals with that terrific shot - must have averaged a goal every 5/6 games).  What he would be worth today!

Ken Knighton and Allan Hunter were signed that summer IIRC. Two superb players who would walk into the current team. How did we manage without a “director of football”? 

Edited April 12, 2023 by jim mk2

[AllRoverAsia]

We are pushing to finish in the playoffs at home to Hull, not Barcelona.

Rovers to win by 1 goal, so 1-0 or 2-1.

The only possible problems are the stupid o'clock ko time and players worried if they will get to Deansgate on time for a decent night out.

Edited April 12, 2023 by AllRoverAsia

[Mercer]

13 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Ken Knighton and Allan Hunter were signed that summer IIRC. Two superb players who would walk into the current team. How did we manage without a “director of football”? 

Think we got Hunter from Oldham for about £30k and Bobby Robson stole him for Ipswich (where he was a rock for 10 years or so) and used Bobby Bell as a 'make weight' and if I recall correctly we sold Bell to Palace only days later. 

Big Al was a quietish guy but a man of steel who you wouldn't want to cross - remember reading somewhere that he once threatened to 'really sort out Terry Butcher' in the Ipswich dressing room over a protestant/catholic issue!

Edited April 12, 2023 by Mercer

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

13 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Ken Knighton and Allan Hunter were signed that summer IIRC. Two superb players who would walk into the current team. How did we manage without a “director of football”? 

Funnily enough I saw them both together at Oldham before they moved on. Ken to Preston and Alan to Rovers. Wasn’t Bobby Bell signed to replace Hunter ? Best bit of business we ever did. Signed for £20k and sold for £55k a week or two later !

[Mercer]

7 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Funnily enough I saw them both together at Oldham before they moved on. Ken to Preston and Alan to Rovers. Wasn’t Bobby Bell signed to replace Hunter ? Best bit of business we ever did. Signed for £20k and sold for £55k a week or two later !

The wheelings and dealings of one Kenneth Furphy!

Bell's career never took off and i think he only played a few games for Palace - ended up playing in South Africa and America if I'm correct. 

 

[jim mk2]

13 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Funnily enough I saw them both together at Oldham before they moved on. Ken to Preston and Alan to Rovers. Wasn’t Bobby Bell signed to replace Hunter ? Best bit of business we ever did. Signed for £20k and sold for £55k a week or two later !

Wasn’t Bobby Bell the player who pulled out of a game because he cricked his neck washing his hair? 

[Mercer]

3 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Wasn’t Bobby Bell the player who pulled out of a game because he cricked his neck washing his hair? 

Would be no surprise with the mop of fair/blonde hair he had - think he fancied himself as a 'bit of a lad'.

[TheRovers1994]

2 hours ago, neophox said:

No transfer thread....but would look at Miovski and Duk (Lopes) at Aberdeen as replacement for Breo. Both young and scored 15 goals this season...

Tom Bradshaw from millwall would be a good striking addition 

[Sparks Rover]

13 minutes ago, TheRovers1994 said:

Tom Bradshaw from millwall would be a good striking addition 

Or Aaron Collins or Jonson Clarke Harris... been touting them both all season, both in running for players of season

[davulsukur]

After screwing up the 2 games over Easter, we've now piled the pressure onto ourselves, a scenario that generally doesn't play out too well for us.

Any aspirations for a play off place make this a 100% must win and when you look at the upcoming fixtures, it just reinforces that.

I could see another draw 1-1 maybe.

[AllRoverAsia]

Which begs the question were those previous games, deemed by some as not must win, in reality and all known functions of commonsense, which it would appear only some of us are blessed with, actually really quite a good idea if we had won them.

I imagine selective memory will now come into play.

This is 100% a must win game .... Following which prayer may help.

Edited April 12, 2023 by AllRoverAsia

[broadsword]

4 hours ago, Mike E said:

Todd Kane

Tom Cairney

Corry Evans 

Now there you go, you see. Cairney and Evans, of course, yes. But Todd Kane? I suspect that's someone from the last ten years, but not sure? Sounds like a surfer dude, or a character in neighbours.

[booth]

6 hours ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

Don’t understand the desire for JRC in midfield. The reason he‘s so effective is that the opposition don’t know what to do with a free roaming right back. Why change it when it’s working so well? Leonard from the start is also a big call. Much prefer starting Dolan and bringing Leonard on towards the end.

Because they do know what to do when he's out of position.

[booth]

4 hours ago, TheRovers1994 said:

Pears needs to be dropped as he’s letting in soft goals now, BBD needs to be as he’s not a shadow of what he is when focused and up for it, I would also freshen it up in midfield with JRC, he’s everywhere and on his game. Would start leanord as he is better than gally atm and at least has attacking instinct. 
 

this is a must win, these back to back home games are the true deciders for the season, we need 6 points to go into the final 4 (tough tough games) hopefully millwalls strong home form pays the dividens against knobbers leaving a 3 point gap and hopefully Swansea get something against them leaving our game a week on Saturday against them a chance to kick them out of the play off race for the season going into our game in hand with the unwashed. 
 

this is massive now, this run in coding be much harder, we need to be fully focused and up for a good battle, no room for little boys 

                           Kamimski 

        Brittain   Carter.   Hyam   Pickering 

                          JRC.   Travis 

                             Scmodics

           Thomas         Leanord.    Dolan

If Pears is to be dropped then so does Carter. He was abysmal in the first half against Hudds.

The main person dropped should be Morton for Wharton though. What Morton was doing for their second goal I'll never understand - it was straight out of the book of Keith Andrews. Standing there jogging and watching as a ball flies across the box. He's a total liability.

If Carter and Morton had their heads screwed on we'd have two extra points.

[NeilInBristol]

13 minutes ago, booth said:

If Pears is to be dropped then so does Carter. He was abysmal in the first half against Hudds.

The main person dropped should be Morton for Wharton though. What Morton was doing for their second goal I'll never understand - it was straight out of the book of Keith Andrews. Standing there jogging and watching as a ball flies across the box. He's a total liability.

If Carter and Morton had their heads screwed on we'd have two extra points.

Please don't mention a certain Keith again. Gave me shivers thinking about him in our shirt 

[Guest]

Could be a huge weekend with Preston vs Millwall and Norwich vs Boro happening before we play.

Regardless of results though, this is simply a must win. Not having another discussion over what 'must' win means like a few weeks ago, we can not afford any other result than 3 points.

[moerpho]

11 minutes ago, Neilbristol said:

Please don't mention a certain Keith again. Gave me shivers thinking about him in our shirt 

I just call him mr. Pointy the pointer. Think that was his biggest contribution.

[NeilInBristol]

46 minutes ago, booth said:

Because they do know what to do when he's out of position.

This is spot on. Why do we allow teams to exploit our RB because we give him a license to roam. Either we have proper cover back there or we move JRC

[booth]

2 minutes ago, Neilbristol said:

This is spot on. Why do we allow teams to exploit our RB because we give him a license to roam. Either we have proper cover back there or we move JRC

I've given Carter a bit of stick above, but to be fair to him he was asked to do a lot covering.

[Sweaty Gussets]

11 minutes ago, Neilbristol said:

This is spot on. Why do we allow teams to exploit our RB because we give him a license to roam. Either we have proper cover back there or we move JRC

Without him roaming we wouldn't have scored two at Hudds. Risk v Reward. Unless he was at fault for both goals in the same match then he's in credit at RB. 

Also, if he played in CM, for example, he would probably have more players round him and less freedom to create. FB's are rarely tightly marked, hence why they are so important these days as creative forces.

It seems bizarre to me to move your best player from the position he is playing in.