My all-time favourite game from the old days was the 4-3 win over Manchester City, but others also remain in my memory and I remember a very exciting win by the same score over Mansfield Town in 74/75 who were a free-scoring team then which won the 4th Division that year scoring 90 goals.
That was then and now we would be expected to win if our form had been up to L1 standard. Mansfield have revived themselves from a poor start and have won all but one of their matches since the end of October which included a 1-0 win at Sunderland in the last round. So I would make them favourites considering that we could not beat Crewe’s reserves and only scraped through our two games at Scunthorpe.
It would be great if the new temporary manager could get enough out of these players to win, but it is not easy to envisage.
So I’ll go for 1-2 and Anderson/Barlow to score.
DPL v Mansfield Town
posted on 4/12/21
It's going to be a long, hard road.
posted on 4/12/21
It was never realistic to expect a fairytale start. Whilst most of the problems we've had persisted at least there was a willingness to be more adaptable with formations and we did score 2 goals! I'd guess McSheffrey reasoned we'd be losing some Loan players in January so try and look at what we are likely to have available today. Its hard not to feel that the damage done by the Wellens era will adversely affect the club for a lot longer.
posted on 4/12/21
Michael Flynn is currently unemployed by the way
posted on 4/12/21
I didn’t know that
posted on 5/12/21
Having studied the “highlights” in a bit more detail, I cannot find anything constructive to say about the defence. I watch L2 teams in FA Cup action looking far better than we are. Everything is so haphazard and looking back at the Mansfield goals no one tackles or gets close enough to the man with the ball to restrict his options. There were numerous defenders in and around when the 2nd and 3rd goals were scored, but they just stood off. You feel that even indifferent players from non league sides would at least challenge, so you could blame attitude, fitness or lack of skill, but there seems no excusable explanation.
It is totally unacceptable that people are paying to watch this either by attending matches or contributing indirectly through IFollow and these players are drawing wages yet are persistently failing to put in a reasonable effort. The fact they some are “only young lads” does not excuse them. This is not anyone’s best. Wellens has so much to answer for and also those who appointed him. I hope that the club has not been foolish enough to pay him compensation.
posted on 5/12/21
Agree The second half was like watching headless chickens. Putting in the context that it was the first time playing together for many of them plus a new tactical set up its not that surprising. Almost like a pre season game. Trouble is even though it should improve its unlikely to be good enough with this squad in this league and probably the one below.
posted on 5/12/21
I agree that we should make allowances, but challenging for the ball is one of the basics. Not only did they not challenge, often they were not even near enough to the man with the ball to restrict his passing options.
posted on 5/12/21
If the players aren't leaving everything on the pitch then there's certainly no excuse. Not being good or skillful enough or being outplayed by a better team - all that can be forgiven and fans will forgive - as long as they can see that the players have given everything during the match. That thought remined me that when Laurie Mcmenemy was manager at Rovers, he used to regularly take the players around the local factories to show them how lucky they were to be doing a job they loved and how hard earned fans' gate money was. Not giving 100% in training and on the pitch wouldn't be tolerated.
posted on 6/12/21
Just watched the "high"lights and Mansfield walk through our "defence". I did not know that about Mcmenemy. If there was one still open, I'd take them down a pit! As a teenager I went down Broadsworth Main (the Queen's coal) and crawled along a 3-4ft seam to the cutting face to see how miners had to work. I never begrudged them their money after that.
At least yesterday I had some footie joy - the Portland Timbers beat Real Salt Lake to win the Western Conference of the Major Soccer League. We will play the Eastern Champions next Saturday for the MLS Cup. Today New York City FC (the team part-owned by Man City) beat Philadelphia Union so we play them. As we had a higher number of points in the regular season, the game will be played in Portland.
In mid August we were thrashed 6-2 at home by arch rivals Seattle and were way out of the play-off picture. It was a wake-up call and since that game it was W10, D2 and L3 and a fourth place finish. In the play-offs we beat the 1st, 5th and 7th seeds. Wish us well next Saturday.
Unfortunately, our lasses, the Portland Thorns, won the League, the National Women's Soccer League is Back Tornament, and North America vs Europe Cup, but were knocked out (at home) in the semi-final of the NWSL Cup. It would have been great to win it all as it is Parson's, their English coach's last season, as he is leaving to manage the Netherlands Women's National Team.
posted on 6/12/21
Given most of our players don't look fit enough and keep getting injured You do start to wonder what's been going on with fitness training and conditioning.