v Stoke City (a) - 10/3/23

[R0verb0y]

Still vague; but sounding atrocious for Northern England for Thursday & Friday, esp. over higher ground. Which, presumably, visiting fans' cars & coaches ‐ and the team coach, obvs - will have to use to get to the 365 Stadium.

Hope Sod's Law doesn't lead to another game having to be rearranged.

[Officer Barbrady]

20 hours ago, Gordon Ottershaw said:

No matter who the manager is Stoke always seem to be fairly direct and physical, the sort of team Rovers traditionally struggle against. They are rightly regarded as a big club and have a recent Premier League pedigree. They have a good manager and represent the type of opposition that Rovers often trip up against when we're seemingly on the cusp of success. The pessimism is probably due to a combination of those factors.

Thanks friend for the good response.And I can understand better now the feelings going into this one, but I am still optimistic about our chances regardless.

[R0verb0y]

1 hour ago, renrag said:

Agreed! As others have said, I also get the feeling the defenders feel more confident in him. At the end of the day, he had a few clean sheets before his absolute stinker at Wigan, which would have destroyed the confidence of lesser characters.

I can't help wondering if/hoping that, the new coaching regime at Brockhall has helped him improve.

He may still mainly be coached by Benson; but I remember seeing something on the Rovers' website just before Christmas  about a new coaching regime at the club.

Perhaps people higher up the current coaching system - Remy Reijnierse? ‐ now oversee the work of the likes of Benson more closely than the coaching squad was overseen in the Mowbray era?

[premier_dreamer]

All big games from now on.

I was impressed by Pickering and Travis’ interview after the Sheffield game. It seemed JDT has impressed on them that they need to keep taking each game as it comes and giving 100%. If they do that Stoke will pose no problems.
 

Stoke 0 Rovers 2 Szmodics and Gallagher to score

[AllRoverAsia]

11 hours ago, R0verb0y said:

Still vague; but sounding atrocious for Northern England for Thursday & Friday, esp. over higher ground. Which, presumably, visiting fans' cars & coaches ‐ and the team coach, obvs - will have to use to get to the 365 Stadium.

Hope Sod's Law doesn't lead to another game having to be rearranged.

https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/78e1da3c360860df002452ded0d6c3b3cc357b9c4719be110680cef4d94d43f96449f80f083f8ec113988f072cc87d05

I use this site which is very accurate for out here.

For Stoke wind speed dropping a bit on Friday but snow forecast, quite a bit for Thursday into Friday.

Edited March 8, 2023 by AllRoverAsia

[goozburger]

-2° at 18:00, so it may get even colder by kick-off and beyond. It'll be clear, with snow having stopped some time in the morning.

Edited March 8, 2023 by goozburger

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just been out to get my paper in sunny Rochdale. The East wind is really bitter, as cold as it’s been for a long while. If it’s like this on Friday it’ll be whoever wants to be out there the most that will win the game.

Edited March 8, 2023 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Crozzy]

12 hours ago, renrag said:

Agreed! As others have said, I also get the feeling the defenders feel more confident in him. At the end of the day, he had a few clean sheets before his absolute stinker at Wigan, which would have destroyed the confidence of lesser characters.

Think it’s worth noting that Pears had a shocker against Wigan but if every keeper let a performance like that break them then there probably wouldn’t be any keepers left. We’ve all seen every top keeper have a game like that, it happens. 

[Crozzy]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Just been out to get my paper in sunny Rochdale. The East wind is really bitter, as cold as it’s been for a long while. If it’s like this on Friday it’ll be whoever wants to be out there the most that will win the game.

If it’s on, sound like it could be touch and go. 
took day off work so really hope it ends up on

[CoconutGrove]

11 hours ago, jim mk2 said:

Time for a Brereton recall? He's a Stoke lad and will be itching to play and do well in this game. If we play with the same intensity, pace and effort as the Leicester and SheffU matches we'll win at a canter. If we go back to the bad old ways, we'll do well to get a draw. It's as simple as that. 

I was thinking this yesterday so had a look. 
As a Rovers fan, you can pretty much guarantee that any ex-Rovers players (or those fortunate enough to have been born in this town) tend to have a good game against us. Just this season we’ve seen that with Khadra bagging in the cup and Oli Rathbone scoring in the game at Rotherham.

When looking at Brereton’s stats against all clubs, the two teams he’s played the most against without scoring a goal or assisting are Nottingham Forest & Stoke City (7 and 6 matches respectively).

Not sure if that’s just a weird quirk which he will be looking to break on Friday but thought it interesting enough to share with the folk on here.

[Gav]

Just spoke to a fellow Rover in Stoke, its coming down heavy and has been for a few hours now.

He thinks the game could be in doubt given the forecast and current conditions. 

The last thing we need right now is a postponement, it puts me in mind of the shambles last season that was Hull City away, the wheels fell off after that.

[MarkBRFC]

I'm about 10 miles from Stoke and seen nothing yet, although the forecast is bad for tomorrow here for snow, with a lot of rain mixed in later on.

I would be suprised if it was off to be honest.

[joey_big_nose]

12 hours ago, jim mk2 said:

Time for a Brereton recall? He's a Stoke lad and will be itching to play and do well in this game. If we play with the same intensity, pace and effort as the Leicester and SheffU matches we'll win at a canter. If we go back to the bad old ways, we'll do well to get a draw. It's as simple as that. 

BBD is a left sided player or maybe could play up top at a push. His issue is I can't see how he displaces Dolan at the moment, he's been fantastic. Also Gallagher having a great run in the central striker role. 

BBD will have to hope to get on at 60-70 mins and make a claim. He's only got himself to blame - he's been really poor for two months. Dolan and Szmodics have both looked more of a goal threat than him, Thomas gives us proper width on the right and Gallagher's work rate is indispensable. 

I like JDT's way... he doesn't hook players out after one bad game, but after a run of bad games he will drop you and it's a case of waiting for the opportunity to come back. Morton, Hedges, BBD all out of the team after long runs of poor to mediocre form. Travis, Buckley, Dolan, Gallagher all got the same treatment earlier in the season and now back playing arguably their best football for the club.

Edited March 8, 2023 by joey_big_nose

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

47 minutes ago, Crozzy said:

Think it’s worth noting that Pears had a shocker against Wigan but if every keeper let a performance like that break them then there probably wouldn’t be any keepers left. We’ve all seen every top keeper have a game like that, it happens. 

Might be before your time but Peter Bonnetti in the 1970 World Cup against Germany springs to mind. He was an absolutely top class keeper but he went to pieces on the day. I’d seen him absolutely defy Rovers and help Chelsea steal wins previously.

Edited March 8, 2023 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

13 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

BBD is a left sided player or maybe could play up top at a push. His issue is I can't see how he displaces Dolan at the moment, he's been fantastic. Also Gallagher having a great run in the central striker role. 

BBD will have to hope to get on at 60-70 mins and make a claim. He's only got himself to blame - he's been really poor for two months. Dolan and Szmodics have both looked more of a goal threat than him, Thomas gives us proper width on the right and Gallagher's work rate is indispensable. 

I like JDT's way... he doesn't hook players out after one bad game, but after a run of bad games he will drop you and it's a case of waiting for the opportunity to come back. Morton, Hedges, BBD all out of the team after long runs of poor to mediocre form. Travis, Buckley, Dolan, Gallagher all got the same treatment earlier in the season and now back playing arguably their best football for the club.

BBD needs to start on the bench. He can come on replace either of Dolan or Gally if need be.

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

39 minutes ago, Gav said:

Just spoke to a fellow Rover in Stoke, its coming down heavy and has been for a few hours now.

He thinks the game could be in doubt given the forecast and current conditions. 

The last thing we need right now is a postponement, it puts me in mind of the shambles last season that was Hull City away, the wheels fell off after that.

True, but we don't have the old goat mumbling into his lemon drizzle this time, we have JDT in that way 😉 

[RoversTilliDie]

Sheffield united are now 9pts clear of us after a 0-1 win at Reading, we are chasing them because of our poor away form in 2022. I think a top 6 finish is our best chance, but who knows football has a habit of twists and turns before the finishing line.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 minute ago, RoversTilliDie said:

Sheffield united are now 9pts clear of us after a 0-1 win at Reading, we are chasing them because of our poor away form in 2022. I think a top 6 finish is our best chance, but who knows football has a habit of twists and turns before the finishing line.

It’s a tall order but with 3 pts for a win it’s doable. Our really poor goal difference could be critical in this.

[Sweaty Gussets]

10 minutes ago, RoversTilliDie said:

Sheffield united are now 9pts clear of us after a 0-1 win at Reading, we are chasing them because of our poor away form in 2022. I think a top 6 finish is our best chance, but who knows football has a habit of twists and turns before the finishing line.

They're home to Luton then away to S'land and Norwich. Then Wigan, then Burnley. 

They're favourites but lots of points to play for yet. If we keep winning anything can happen. 

[tomphil]

K'innel it's Weds afternoon the game is on Friday evening quit fretting about a dusting of white stuff.

[Exiled_Rover]

36 minutes ago, RoversTilliDie said:

Sheffield united are now 9pts clear of us after a 0-1 win at Reading, we are chasing them because of our poor away form in 2022. I think a top 6 finish is our best chance, but who knows football has a habit of twists and turns before the finishing line.

We're chasing them because they're still fuelled by Premier League money (even then they've broken transfer rules).

We're like Luton and Millwall - we'll be looking over our shoulder at Watford / West Brom / Norwich / Coventry for the remainder of the season. The Top 3 I think are settled.

I'd delighted to be in the conversation.

[rigger]

We have also got to catch Boro first.

[AllRoverAsia]

26 minutes ago, tomphil said:

K'innel it's Weds afternoon the game is on Friday evening quit fretting about a dusting of white stuff.

Its not Snowflake UK for nowt

[tomphil]

2 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Its not Snowflake UK for nowt

I'm just amazed anyone has any faith in the weather forecasters 🤣

[rigger]

2 minutes ago, tomphil said:

I'm just amazed anyone has any faith in the weather forecasters 🤣

What, whether we will win or not ?