It is annoying that despite subscribing to ifollow, the newspapers get to publish what the manager says at his pre-match conference before those who PAY the club for news. So from them we know that aggression will be the policy and that the players around Marquis need to provide him with more support.
Perhaps the system needs tweaking to achieve this and perhaps too our players need to understand the distinction between the kind of aggression that earns yellow cards and the sort that wins the ball back quickly and forces the opposition into mistakes by giving them no time and no room to develop moves. For a team that commits very few fouls we collect far too many yellow cards.
So perhaps there will be a little less possession football that achieves nothing and a preference for seizing opportunities and adventurously building attacking moves from the midfield because that's what their function is.
Provided that we see more enterprise we ought to be the better side at home; we certainly need the points to keep us clear of the bottom.
So I am going for as many as 3 goals with 0 in reply and 8000. Marquis, the marksman.
(Wigan DPL results later today I hope - I never like doing them when we lose.)
DPL vs MK Dons
posted on 26/11/17
Here are the MK Dons results and special mention for Oregonianrover, left-coast Micky, who was the first bonus points winner. He got the scorer and the score right to earn the extra 10 for a magnificent 22 to tie the lead with Uthred.
Lanza put in another forecast and I wonder whether he now wants to be an official "member" or not.
Rovers 2(Marquis, Blair)--MK Dons 1 : 7743
………………..….Crowd Scorer Score Result Bonus Total Pts B/F Cumltve
Donaldo ………… 3 ……. 3 ……. 0 ……. 3 ……. 0 ……. 9 ……. 74 ……. 83
PDXMickey ……. 3 ……. 3 ……. 3 ……. 3 ……. 10 … 22 ….. 65 ……. 87
Yorks Lad …….. 0 ……. 3 ……. 0 ……. 3 ……. 0 ……. 6 ……. 48 ……. 54
BVZ. ……..…….. 0 ……. 0 ……. 3 ……. 3 ……. 0 ……. 6 ……. 64 ……. 70
Crazy …….……… 2 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 3 ……. 0 ……. 5 ……. 59 ……. 64
Uthred …….…… 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 3 ……. 0 ……. 3 ……. 84 ……. 87
Mooligan …..…. 0 ……. 3 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 3 ……. 65 ……. 68
King Chmprr …. 0 …… 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 47 ……. 47
Small Azza ……. 0 …… 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 56 ……. 56
Aussie Lad. ……. 0 …… 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 …… 0 …….. 5 ……… 5
Azza ……..….…… 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 52 ….. 52
Cheltenham …. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……… 0
Nookie ……….… 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 9 ….…… 9
Selby …….……… 0 ……. 0 ……. 0 ……. 3 ……. 0 …... 3 ……. 51 ……. 54
…………. ………. 8 …….. 12 …. 6 …. 21 ……. 10 …... 57 …. 679 ….. 736
posted on 27/11/17
Thanks, Donaldo!
Watching on iFollow at 2-1 I was urging the Rovers to score another to make it safe. I knew I may be getting a bonus, but I really wanted three points. Team success is what we all want.
RTID from the Left Coast of the USA.
posted on 30/11/17
I watched the Rochdale game on iFollow - first time for this cup the transmission was available. Rovers came out the trap like a house on fire and could have been up 3-0 very quickly. Matty Blair's shot was well steered past the GK, but there was a guy who could save it on the line - may be if he had gone for power to his right (left of the GK), he may have scored. Then after a good move Liam Mandeville scuffed his shot that was a really good chance, Then on the next attack Matty went for what I said before and went for power to the near post. Unfortunately the GK made a good save, but if Matty had kept it in the ground with that power, it would have been a goal. Do not take this as too much criticism, as the start was really good, but the penalty rocked the team backwards. I tend to agree with Fergie that it was a rather "soft" penalty - I thought more of a dive after a slight clip - but one has to live with the ref's decisions. After that, Rochdale did get on top, but never really tested Marosi except for tipping that shot over the bar. The second half was somewhat scrappy with Rochdale a little on top until Beestin and Mandeville combined to score a good goal. After that, I really thought we would get the winner. I do not know what the Whiteman injury was, but to take off a good penalty taker at that time seemed strange, I hate penalty shoot outs (especially England vs. Germany!), but that must have been Rowe's first touch of the ball.
Overall, I think a very unlucky departure from this cup.
posted on 30/11/17
Thanks for the report Micky. Good to know that at least our performance was reasonable.
posted on 30/11/17
I heard that Whitemans' injury could keep him out for a few weeks.
Good report BTW mickey.
posted on 30/11/17
This was the match we were promised would be the first one on line for us in the UK, but at the last minute ifollow decided that they would use the opportunity to test the technology and we wouldn't be able to see it after all!
The stand-out player from the extended highlights was Beestin who was truly excellent. He has pace, power, passes accurately, confuses the opposition and seems to always choose the right option. He fully deserves a place in the starting 11 even if it means displacing Kongolo who is ponderous by comparison.
Rovers were certainly dominant in the first half, even though the stats suggested that Rochdale had the better of the second (which did not get as much coverage).
posted on 30/11/17
Beestin was very good. His attitude is great and he seems to hate losing the ball. The times he won the ball back was an eye opener - aggression of the right type! Donaldo is correct, Beestin's choice and accuracy of pass is a cut above some of the other players. Could he become the new Copps?
posted on 30/11/17
I hope not
posted on 1/12/17
Whiteman and Houghton have both trained today so in contention to start Sunday 👍
posted on 2/12/17
Good news then azza, a change on what was said earlier in the week.