Doncaster Rovers | Vital Football

Doncaster Rovers

Cueball

Vital Reserves Team
Seeing as we tend to struggle a bit after an international break I'm going to predict a hard fought 2-0 home win.
A big well done to Leam Richardson also for being nominated for the Manager of the Month award. Just shows what progress we are making under his leadership.
:clap::clap::clap:
 
Doncaster have had a tough start and took a pasting on Tues I think in cup. These are the kind of games we need to be winning if we are to push on this season. I'm going 4 0 latics with Wyke gettin a couple lang and mcclean
 
On paper and by the form book, this is the easiest game we'll have had so far. We're Latics, though, and usually, these are the games we struggle with. Add in that we're coming back from an international break, which is historically another time we struggle... it's all set up for a disappointing result.

I hope I'm wrong, but I'd be well pleased with a 1-0 win in the circumstances, and a draw is probably the most likely outcome. Head says 0-0, heart says Latics win 2-0. I'd happily settle for the midpoint of those two ;)

With that said, this team has already proved that it can grind out points even when they're not playing at their best, which to me is the mark of a great team. Anyone can win on their day if everything goes according to plan, but if you can still be winning when it's not your day, you're looking good to be fighting at the right end of the table come the end of the season.
 
0:0
Latics fail to breakdown a resolute Donny 4-5-1 formation which reacted to the humiliation and bollocking after getting done 6:0 at home by their fierce rivals mid week.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GSM
Seeing as we tend to struggle a bit after an international break I'm going to predict a hard fought 2-0 home win.
A big well done to Leam Richardson also for being nominated for the Manager of the Month award. Just shows what progress we are making under his leadership.
:clap::clap::clap:
That was because Cooky used to give the rest of the players a week off, don't think that happens now.
 
0:0
Latics fail to breakdown a resolute Donny 4-5-1 formation which reacted to the humiliation and bollocking after getting done 6:0 at home by their fierce rivals mid week.
5-4-1 Donny against our very similar approach to playing football could very well be a nil nil.
 
On paper this is a certain Latics win and those are always the ones that go off script. It's got banana skin written all over it, it would be the most Latics things ever to get the results against the top sides and then lose to bottom of the league at home.

I never like playing teams after they've just got battered as they are often more determined to come out and redeem themselves so i think the 6-0 thumping of them mid week will make them even more desperate to get a result. Doncaster are bottom of the league but i don't think they are a hopeless team, incapable of hurting us, so we can't let complacency creeps in like so often can happen when you are playing a team at rock bottom.

We've not played well much this season or that much football but managed to get results, hopefully the 2 weeks break the squad has had on the training pitch will mean we've been working on getting the ball down and we can see a positive step forward in our style of play. We'll likely end up with more of the ball and they'll likely end up putting more men behind the ball and sitting a bit deeper than our other league opponents so far. We've been a bit like a battering ram this season, but i think we may require more guile to cut through what i expect will be a plucky and resolute Doncaster.

It's one of those where how we turn up on the day will dictate the game. We've excelled in the 6 pointers, now we need to see how well we can manage the supposed easy games.
 
Well so long as Wyke gets some service with his back faciing Amos any win will push us towards the top and another clean sheet would be fantastic.
 
A test for Richardson, because this is the first game all season where three points are expected rather than wished for. One look at their squad (which includes plenty of our old rubbish) and their results is enough to tell you how bad Doncaster are, so excuses won't wash here.

McClean started Ireland's last two games so he'll be benched. Jones started at the weekend but didn't play in midweek so could start here in theory although he'll probably be benched as well and either Humphrys or Edwards will play. I'd go Humphrys as I thought he did okay out wide against Rotherham and Edwards has not impressed me so far. But I think Richardson will choose the latter.

Only other change I'd make is Bennett for Pearce.
 
A test for Richardson, because this is the first game all season where three points are expected rather than wished for. One look at their squad (which includes plenty of our old rubbish) and their results is enough to tell you how bad Doncaster are, so excuses won't wash here.

McClean started Ireland's last two games so he'll be benched. Jones started at the weekend but didn't play in midweek so could start here in theory although he'll probably be benched as well and either Humphrys or Edwards will play. I'd go Humphrys as I thought he did okay out wide against Rotherham and Edwards has not impressed me so far. But I think Richardson will choose the latter.

Only other change I'd make is Bennett for Pearce.
Think Bennett is a way short of fitness yet. Only played his first game after a long injury lay off in mid-august. Pearce probably edges him on that fitness count.

Personally wouldn't tinker too much at this stage, depending on fitness after the internationals I'd see McLean or Edwards in for Jones.
 
A test for Richardson, because this is the first game all season where three points are expected rather than wished for. One look at their squad (which includes plenty of our old rubbish) and their results is enough to tell you how bad Doncaster are, so excuses won't wash here.

McClean started Ireland's last two games so he'll be benched. Jones started at the weekend but didn't play in midweek so could start here in theory although he'll probably be benched as well and either Humphrys or Edwards will play. I'd go Humphrys as I thought he did okay out wide against Rotherham and Edwards has not impressed me so far. But I think Richardson will choose the latter.

Only other change I'd make is Bennett for Pearce.

I'd definitely start Pearce if he's fit, he'll not get back to form without playing and IMO there's definitely a player (and some future profit for Latics) in there. Hopefully he just needs a run of games (and to stay injury free) to get back to form.