v Walsall (h) - 8/8/23 - Carabao Cup R1

[Atko's Engine]

We need to try to avoid starting any of yesterday's 11 imo, whilst the squad's so thin. Next league game is huge to keep up early season momentum, especially after last season's no-show there. I'd go:

Hilton

Brittain, Barnes, S Wharton, Batty

Garrett, A Wharton (no more than 60 mins)

Hedges, Buckley, Gilsenan

Ennis

Subs: Everyone else!!!

[ItsRoverZ]

2 hours ago, Atko's Engine said:

We need to try to avoid starting any of yesterday's 11 imo, whilst the squad's so thin. Next league game is huge to keep up early season momentum, especially after last season's no-show there. I'd go:

Hilton

Brittain, Barnes, S Wharton, Batty

Garrett, A Wharton (no more than 60 mins)

Hedges, Buckley, Gilsenan

Ennis

Subs: Everyone else!!!

I like this team, although I have a sneaky feeling the new GK will start if he signs tomorrow in time.

Other then that I wouldn't change that team, mix of experience and youth, I like the look of Batty and Gilsenan and hoping they have breakout seasons, Gilsesnan especially as he's at the age now where he really should be knocking on the door

[BRFC4EVA]

An opportunity to continue getting some fitness for those who need it. Markanday clearly needs more game time, so I would start him and Ennis on Tues. Both Whartons and then Batty, Hedges, Barnes hopefully to be given an opportunity. Garret too. Unsure on whether to start Leonard or bring him on after 60mins say.

Defo a game that we want to win, to not only put us in the next round, but also gives more low pressure games for the likes of Batty, Barnes, Garret etc to build experience and confidence.

[NeilInBristol]

8 hours ago, Atko's Engine said:

We need to try to avoid starting any of yesterday's 11 imo, whilst the squad's so thin. Next league game is huge to keep up early season momentum, especially after last season's no-show there. I'd go:

Hilton

Brittain, Barnes, S Wharton, Batty

Garrett, A Wharton (no more than 60 mins)

Hedges, Buckley, Gilsenan

Ennis

Subs: Everyone else!!!

Great shout

Would like to see Gilsenan and Ennis get a game in. This fixture has come at a good time 

[AspRover]

I'd plan for 45 each for Ennis and Leonard, good for the fitness and it would be harsh to drop Leonard completely. If the players know in advance they can manage their games accordingly. 

[Atko's Engine]

10 hours ago, ItsRoverZ said:

I like this team, although I have a sneaky feeling the new GK will start if he signs tomorrow in time.

Other then that I wouldn't change that team, mix of experience and youth, I like the look of Batty and Gilsenan and hoping they have breakout seasons, Gilsesnan especially as he's at the age now where he really should be knocking on the door

I saw them both at Stockport & they looked capable enough then of being ready to play against a team like Walsall.

In fact that whole team is not too dissimilar to the one at Stockport, with Hilton, Hedges & Ennis being the main changes. That was a bit of a rusty performance but hopefully it'll have enough to get past Walsall, esp with some first teamers on the bench to help push us through if needed.

I doubt the new keeper will play, too soon.

[rigger]

1 hour ago, Atko's Engine said:

I saw them both at Stockport & they looked capable enough then of being ready to play against a team like Walsall.

In fact that whole team is not too dissimilar to the one at Stockport, with Hilton, Hedges & Ennis being the main changes. That was a bit of a rusty performance but hopefully it'll have enough to get past Walsall, esp with some first teamers on the bench to help push us through if needed.

I doubt the new keeper will play, too soon.

At the moment we haven't got a new keeper.

[Polky]

 

[RoversTilliDie]

7 hours ago, NeilInBristol said:

Great shout

Would like to see Gilsenan and Ennis get a game in. This fixture has come at a good time 

I agree, would like to see Ennis for 90 minutes, but let's not get carried away, one of our best chances of silverware is the EFL cup. Let's have some decent players on the bench incase things don't go to plan. I can remember us playing Morcambe in the EFL cup with a second string squad, and we lost it 1-0.

[philipl]

1 minute ago, RoversTilliDie said:

I agree, would like to see Ennis for 90 minutes, but let's not get carried away, one of our best chances of silverware is the EFL cup. Let's have some decent players on the bench incase things don't go to plan. I can remember us playing Morcambe in the EFL cup with a second string squad, and we lost it 1-0.

Agreed, let's go as far as we can in the Cups.

Did Tony Mowbray win any Cup ties in his 5 years with us?

[MarkBRFC]

2 minutes ago, philipl said:

Agreed, let's go as far as we can in the Cups.

Did Tony Mowbray win any Cup ties in his 5 years with us?

JDT needs one more cup win to take over Tony's 5 year cup record with us.

[NeilInBristol]

23 minutes ago, RoversTilliDie said:

I agree, would like to see Ennis for 90 minutes, but let's not get carried away, one of our best chances of silverware is the EFL cup. Let's have some decent players on the bench incase things don't go to plan. I can remember us playing Morcambe in the EFL cup with a second string squad, and we lost it 1-0.

Definitely. See JDTs comments? He is keen to give the cups a good go. I think if we don't make any significant signings then a good cup run will be satisfactory  

[rigger]

Someone should have asked JDT who will be in goal tomorrow.

[Atko's Engine]

2 hours ago, rigger said:

At the moment we haven't got a new keeper.

It sounds like we have, just not registered. Amounts to the same thing though!

[SuperBrfc]

Looking forward to it as the manager is taking it seriously, and he's giving players a chance to impress him. JDT is very much like Hughes, imo, in terms of mindset.

I doubt there will be any complacency. Seeing us lose against the likes of Morecambe, Shrewsbury, Scunthorpe in the recent past was bad enough. What made it worse was the 'oh well' kind of vibe afterwards.

JDT doesn't seem to have that mentality and won't stand for it.

Hopefully, a win tomorrow and another favourable draw in the next round.

[TheRovers1994]

                     Hilton 

brattain  Wharton Barnes batty 

        Wharton   Buckley 

   Hedges   Gilsenan  Dolan 

                     Leanord 

some minutes in the legs for some plus hedges and Dolan in need of a boost to get some form as they have been the worst performers plus leanord needs to stay on form so a goal or 3 would do him good 

[TheRovers1994]

6 minutes ago, SuperBrfc said:

Looking forward to it as the manager is taking it seriously, and he's giving players a chance to impress him. JDT is very much like Hughes, imo, in terms of mindset.

I doubt there will be any complacency. Seeing us lose against the likes of Morecambe, Shrewsbury, Scunthorpe in the recent past was bad enough. What made it worse was the 'oh well' kind of vibe afterwards.

JDT doesn't seem to have that mentality and won't stand for it.

Hopefully, a win tomorrow and another favourable draw in the next round.

Totally agree, 21/22 was terrible losing to morecambe in the league cup first round and Wigan in the fa cup and Mowbray not giving two shits 

[RoversClitheroe]

20 hours ago, ossyian said:

Hedges started last season really well - hell he was close to a World Cup call up with Wales. Since he was overlooked he has looked more like a squad filler to me. He can steady things in last 20 mins or so which is not a bad thing but I don’t think he should be a starter in a fully fit squad

You're forgetting league 1 players got a call up before Hedges....

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Get Ennis in for the full 90 minutes...we've invested in this lad so lets see what we've bought and where he is at.

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Get Ennis in for the full 90 minutes...we've invested in this lad so lets see what we've bought and where he is at.

The "local" media have suggested that Ennis will get "minutes". The most he's played is 45 minutes in the U21s against Stanley. I can't see him getting more than 60 minutes, but it would be good to get a good look at him for longer then five minutes in a game.

[roverandout]

Leonard needs to start. A hatrick tomorrow could send his confidence through the roof

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, RoversClitheroe said:

You're forgetting league 1 players got a call up before Hedges....

Mainly because they (players like Gunter and Williams) had been around the squad for years and in a big squad, were taken for their experience.

Wales are strong out wide.

[Atko's Engine]

9 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Leonard needs to start. A hatrick tomorrow could send his confidence through the roof

But Leonard played his first 90 minutes (correction - 105 minutes) of senior league football on Saturday as a lone forward against 2 of the biggest defenders in the league. Besides Ennis, our only other "strikers" (using the word loosely) - Gally & Vale - are injured or being nursed back from injury.

Ennis isn't injured, but has been considered unfit. I think he should get the nod against an opponent from a level of football below what he was playing last season, and Leonard given a rest. 

[roversfan99]

Yep, we could do with Ennis getting an hour under his belt, would be disappointed if he is not deemed fit enough to do an hour against League 2 opposition.

[RoversTilliDie]

3 hours ago, RoversClitheroe said:

You're forgetting league 1 players got a call up before Hedges....

Early days, the best 11 get the nod. We have yet to see Siggurdsen and Ennis in action for 90 minutes. After watching Rovers against Girona and West Brom, I have good vibes about this Rovers squad, there beginning to gel and play like a team.