Rotherham | Vital Football

Rotherham

king_dezeeuw06

Vital Champions League
Cook confirms Powell, Massey and Robinson are all fit and available, Dunkley to start in place of Kipre and James to start in midfield. So it's looking the strongest squad we've had in a long time.

I'm expecting it to be:

Jones

Byrne
Fox
Dunkley
Naismith

Evans
James

Pilkington
Jacobs
Windass

Clarke

Bench
Walton
Olsson
Massey
Beni
Powell
Garner
McMannaman (has to be on bench for home grown rule)

We will have enough options that Roberts and Robinson potentially may not even get on the bench which makes a nice change. No Gibson on the bench hopefully will be a huge help to avoid the temptation to put him on and risk losing us the game!

With the way that Rotherham play all height and long ball and set pieces i am not even sure if it would be a bad idea to bring Olsson straight in as he is so big (assuming he is fit) and perhapse moving Fox to left back as they will have have probably 5 or 6 big lads who are dangerous on set pieces and we don't have enough aerially strong players in the expected starting 11 to cope with that comfortably.

Rotherham in the past have been terrible at defending set pieces so it could be a case of whoever deals with the oppositions set pieces most effectively wins this - so we don't want any crap short set pieces that dont go in the box. Also worth remembering from last time that their keeper spills everything and if you shoot from distance and follow in for the rebound you will get chances.

Huge game for both sides - with so many games left it is not accurate to say it's do or die, but this will shape the rest of of either teams season. If we can get a win in the 6 pointer and on the road it will be huge and will be monumental leap towards safety. With a bit of luck we could be 5 clear of Millwall (but they have a game in hand), 9 clear of Rotherham, 10 clear of Reading plus only a win away from teams we'd consider already safe like Preston, Sheff Wed, Brentford and Stoke . Come on lads don't let us down - this is our chance!
 
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Cook confirms Powell, Massey and Robinson are all fit and available, Dunkley to start in place of Kipre and James to start in midfield. So it's looking the strongest squad we've had in a long time.

I'm expecting it to be:

Jones

Byrne
Fox
Dunkley
Naismith

Evans
James

Pilkington
Jacobs
Windass

Clarke

Bench
Walton
Olsson
Massey
Beni
Powell
Garner
McMannaman (has to be on bench for home grown rule)

We will have enough options that Roberts and Robinson potentially may not even get on the bench which makes a nice change. No Gibson on the bench hopefully will be a huge help to avoid the temptation to put him on and risk losing us the game!

With the way that Rotherham play all height and long ball and set pieces i am not even sure if it would be a bad idea to bring Olsson straight in as he is so big (assuming he is fit) and perhapse moving Fox to left back as they will have have probably 5 or 6 big lads who are dangerous on set pieces and we don't have enough aerially strong players in the expected starting 11 to cope with that comfortably.

Rotherham in the past have been terrible at defending set pieces so it could be a case of whoever deals with the oppositions set pieces most effectively wins this - so we don't want any crap short set pieces that dont go in the box. Also worth remembering from last time that their keeper spills everything and if you shoot from distance and follow in for the rebound you will get chances.

Huge game for both sides - with so many games left it is not accurate to say it's do or die, but this will shape the rest of of either teams season. If we can get a win in the 6 pointer and on the road it will be huge and will be monumental leap towards safety. With a bit of luck we could be 5 clear of Millwall (but they have a game in hand), 9 clear of Rotherham, 10 clear of Reading plus only a win away from teams we'd consider already safe like Preston, Sheff Wed, Brentford and Stoke . Come on lads don't let us down - this is our chance!
It's a must not lose rather than a must win but to break the away day blues would be fantastic.
UTFT
 
Robinson will be straight back in. ?

Powell won't be risked so will be on the bench. Jacobs and Pilkington will start though good to have another wing option with Massey going forward, I expect we may see rotation with those three in the remaining months dependent upon form and fitness.

Agree with Hampton it's probably a mustn't lose though given the away form im expecting one. Looking forward to it, though more for the fine selection of Sheffield boozers than the game.
 
I think the team will be as you suggested above King.

Will be a tough game this, Rotherham have a good home record and have taken a few decent scalps. Would take a draw but think we might sneak all three.
 
imperative we do not lose this one, otherwise the smiles after the QPR game will turn to frowns, and the thoughts of relegation will surface again.
 
I agree a must not loose but we need to be on the front foot and stop there long balls at source , we have goals in us now we have wingers back .
I like Pilkington he has great feet with the ball and a turn of pace , Jacobs is great in and around the box .. Clarke will score goals with the chances we will create
 
Robinson will be straight back in. ?

Powell won't be risked so will be on the bench. Jacobs and Pilkington will start though good to have another wing option with Massey going forward, I expect we may see rotation with those three in the remaining months dependent upon form and fitness.

Agree with Hampton it's probably a mustn't lose though given the away form im expecting one. Looking forward to it, though more for the fine selection of Sheffield boozers than the game.



Robinson will not bein the team Cooky has said so
 
We should be thinking of winning this against a side finishing miles behind us last season and still behind us this season.

I'm sure we will be thinking we can beat them. Whether we do or not is another matter as I'm sure Rotherham will be confident they can beat us given our away record. They should not be underestimated because if we do underestimate them we will come unstuck as their home record is not much worse than ours and ours is one of the best in the division.

We will be confident we can go there and win and I think if we score first we will beat them.
 
Yes but MIW thinks if he says it enough times it will happen! Dont forget his anti Naismith agenda
Agenda or otherwise if Robinson is fit he should be selected. By no means the complete left back but way better than Naismith in that position.
If he's fit enough for the bench he's fit enough to start.
Cook got off the hook somewhat playing Naismith previously despite his inability to defend as there were limited other options
If Naismith plays and fecks up Cook will get slaughtered and rightly so.
 
Agenda or otherwise if Robinson is fit he should be selected. By no means the complete left back but way better than Naismith in that position.
If he's fit enough for the bench he's fit enough to start.
Cook got off the hook somewhat playing Naismith previously despite his inability to defend as there were limited other options
If Naismith plays and fecks up Cook will get slaughtered and rightly so.

How can Robinson be match fit? What if Cook started with him and he got skinned all match due to lack of fitness? Would you come on here and back Cook for his selection?
 
When did Cook say Robinson wont be in the team? I dont expect that he will be. Naismith has been getting better makes a decent LB now but dont want to be counting on him week in week out.
 
How can Robinson be match fit? What if Cook started with him and he got skinned all match due to lack of fitness? Would you come on here and back Cook for his selection?
If he's fit enough for the bench he's fit enough to play. If he's not fit enough to play he shouldn't be on the bench.
I would back Cook all day long for selecting a fit specialist left back at left back ahead of a stand in.
 
When did Cook say Robinson wont be in the team? I dont expect that he will be. Naismith has been getting better makes a decent LB now but dont want to be counting on him week in week out.
Will, Naismith has never been, isn't and never will be a left back never mind a decent one. He can't defend, it's not his fault, it's not his position
 
Yes but MIW thinks if he says it enough times it will happen! Dont forget his anti Naismith agenda

If you say so Grip.

Personally I want capable, competent players in the team. If you want to see us persist with a league two winger who can't defend at full back, ahead of an international full back then we can only be thankful you don't select the team. If he's match fit he should play.
 
If he's fit enough for the bench he's fit enough to play. If he's not fit enough to play he shouldn't be on the bench.
I would back Cook all day long for selecting a fit specialist left back at left back ahead of a stand in.
Who says he is on the bench?