Let's talk about the AFC Wimbledon game

[selby]

  Sandwiched between two cup competitions this game probably is the one seen as the most important giving us a chance to really get on the coat tails of the teams in the mix for the playoff places.
  Our long standing injury situation is not helping at all, with some good first team players out for a while longer, but we are playing a better style of football generally on the front foot, but are still vulnerable to sides that are strong in midfield and get at us, at least the games are more exciting  to watch, and the sense that quite a few younger players are still developing, which augers a better future but is not the here and now most supporters want, by the end of the season we could be a different better proposition and at the moment we need to hang on in there.
  Wood being fit could be the turning point if we let him do what he is good at, basic defending, and not try to get him to do things he hasn't done in his career before, we need him to head kick and  defend how he has built his reputation as an uncompromising defender at other clubs, and Anderson alongside him to do the same, and leave the clever stuff to others in the team.
  Wimbledon have not won a league game in the last five matches but got back on track in the cup with an emphatic win v Cheltenham on Saturday that will instil confidence once again.
  They got off to a very good start to the season and still are in 10th position despite the poor run of results but have only won one home game in the league and drawn three while losing three,  while winning four away games, so if we get at them they are not  the best and the crowd could react badly which favours us.
  At least we have got more out of games there since they moved to the new ground, the old ground being the scene of some of our poorest displays where we never did well.
   Tilley on seven goals in league games  is the obvious danger man and will need to be watched closely after scoring two in the cup and being the MOM.
  So up against a team that had a good win and a confidence boost just before we play them, and can get back in the mix if they start to put their home form right, but hopefully not at our expense.
  Our own teams make up with all the injuries is anyone's guess, and we don't seem to have much lee way if we pick a couple of injuries up v Burton then things will look bad but we will just have to overcome the problems and go for it.
  So what do you think? can we sustain the improvement and go on a little run of wins? can we continue the team's improvement of form and style? I believe we are better playing the more expansive style of play, do you? Can we start to cut out the defensive mistakes? Can Wood provide the answer? I think he can if he plays central and just does the basic defending he has made a career of.
  Lot's to discuss, lots of questions to be answered, what do you think? please have your say.

[drfchound]

Even if we win this one, the postponement of the Walsall game will knock us back a bit in our quest to get into the top half of the division.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

This is one for me that I was looking at to really show whether we really have turned the corner and are heading for better things.

It won't be season defining but a win there will definitely put another marker down. Just hope Ironside and Close make it, which means we're likely to have a strong starting XI and bench.

[Bailey Vickerage]

This is one for me that I was looking at to really show whether we really have turned the corner and are heading for better things.

It won't be season defining but a win there will definitely put another marker down. Just hope Ironside and Close make it, which means we're likely to have a strong starting XI and bench.

Miller and Rowe must both be close to returns now aswell unless they’ve had setbacks. Maybe see them on the bench tonight or Saturday.

[adamtherover]

I can only apologise but I'm going to this game, and my record watching rovers at league games in London still stands at.... Won....ZERO!!!

[roversdude]

Think we’ll miss Tommy Rowes input this year at Wimbledon

[selby]

  If we can replicate the performance last night v Burton in this game we will have a very good chance of getting something from the game.
That is the best we have played as a unit, the players are now looking more confident in their individual skills to take defenders on going forward and off the ball we are working harder, covering more ground and putting a foot in in midfield.
   Being Burton and not a bigger name it would be easy to say only Burton Albion, but they were a good technical football side, in that respect probably a level above any we have played this season I have witnessed in division 2, just lacking punch up front due to our good play. 
  Our challenge is to keep up our standards and improvement and become consistent, it will not be easy.

[Campsall rover]

I can only apologise but I'm going to this game, and my record watching rovers at league games in London still stands at.... Won....ZERO!!!

Please tell me you have only been to 1 game Adam.

If it’s more than 5 then you’re banned. Just give your to ticket to someone else please.

[Campsall rover]

Just done a jot up of Rovers wins I have seen in London

Team.                 No of Matches seen.        Wins

Barnet                     3                                 2 
Sutton United.          1                                 0
Wimbledon               4                                 0
Leyton Orient.          3                                  2
Millwall.                   3                                  1
Charlton Athletic       3                                  2 ( inc play off game as we won the match 3-2 before penalties.
QPR                         2                                  0
Brentford                  5  ( inc 1 FA cup game ) 4
Fulham                     1                                  0
Crystal Palace           2   ( 1 in League cup )    1
West Ham                 1                                  0
Arsenal                     1  ( League Cup )           0
Tottenham Hotspur    1  ( League Cup )           0
But did see our youth team win at Spurs in semi final 2nd leg.
Not inc that game in stats.

So that’s    12 wins.
There were 15 Defeats
There were  3 Draws

Never been to Stamford Bridge to see Rovers or any one else.
Only 4 grounds to do out of present 92 clubs
Man City ( been to old ground )
West Ham  ( been to old ground )
Brentford  ( Been to old ground )
Chelsea

So this season it’s Brentford A in 3rd round of FA Cup
West Ham A in the 4th round
Chelsea A in the 5th round &
Man City in Qtr Final
Get all those ground off my bucket list in one season!

Who do we fancy in the Semi Final and then the Final folks.
Let’s have Newcastle in the Semi Final & Liverpool in the Final shall we.

Oh well nothing wrong with dreaming is there.       

[adamtherover]

I can only apologise but I'm going to this game, and my record watching rovers at league games in London still stands at.... Won....ZERO!!!

Please tell me you have only been to 1 game Adam.

If it’s more than 5 then you’re banned. Just give your to ticket to someone else please.

Wimbledon 4 or 5 times, last season Sutton and Leyton Orient, and this year so far, we classed MK dons as a London trip as we stopped over after the game in the capital.  So maybe 8? Not great, and these are all since my lad was old enough to go to away games,  deffo not old historical matches ,:-(

[i_ateallthepies]

Just done a jot up of Rovers wins I have seen in London

Team.                 No of Matches seen.        Wins

Barnet                     3                                 2 
Sutton United.          1                                 0
Wimbledon               4                                 0
Leyton Orient.          3                                  2
Millwall.                   3                                  1
Charlton Athletic       3                                  2 ( inc play off game as we won the match 3-2 before penalties.
QPR                         2                                  0
Brentford                  5  ( inc 1 FA cup game ) 4
Fulham                     1                                  0
Crystal Palace           2   ( 1 in League cup )    1
West Ham                 1                                  0
Arsenal                     1  ( League Cup )           0
Tottenham Hotspur    1  ( League Cup )           0
But did see our youth team win at Spurs in semi final 2nd leg.
Not inc that game in stats.

So that’s    12 wins.
There were 15 Defeats
There were  3 Draws

Never been to Stamford Bridge to see Rovers or any one else.
Only 4 grounds to do out of present 92 clubs
Man City ( been to old ground )
West Ham  ( been to old ground )
Brentford  ( Been to old ground )
Chelsea

So this season it’s Brentford A in 3rd round of FA Cup
West Ham A in the 4th round
Chelsea A in the 5th round &
Man City in Qtr Final
Get all those ground off my bucket list in one season!

Who do we fancy in the Semi Final and then the Final folks.
Let’s have Newcastle in the Semi Final & Liverpool in the Final shall we.

Oh well nothing wrong with dreaming is there.       

Think you've missed one very memorable win from that list, Campsall.  25th May, 2008 ring any bells?  Don't tell me you wasn't there...

[Campsall rover]

Well yes I suppose it counts but it wasn’t against a London Club so did not include it on my stats.
But yes you bet I was there.
Best football day of my life and probably will never be beaten.

When we win the FA Cup final against Liverpool next May then that might just about surpass that magical day in May 2008.   

[Donnywolf]

I'll throw in Watford for 2 visits of 6 0  in 1978 and a 1 1 draw  in 2009

[i_ateallthepies]

Just thought I'd try my pedant hat on, Campsall, with you saying Rovers wins you'd seen in London.

[Campsall rover]

I'll throw in Watford for 2 visits of 6 0  in 1978 and a 1 1 draw  in 2009

You will upset the Hornets Wolf.
They are not a London Club. Watford are in leafy Hertfordshire.
Well that’s what they think

[BobG]

I'll throw in Watford for 2 visits of 6 0  in 1978 and a 1 1 draw  in 2009


[/quote/

Hi Wolfie

Was that a Friday night game? There  were 2 consecutive  seasons we got thumped at Vicarage Road. Sadly, I saw both. 5-1 was the first on a Friday evening. We even scored first. The following year, 6-0. We weren't very good....

BobG

[roversdude]

Just a word of warning for those not going on the coach. There seems to be a lot of line closures on the tube and overground on Saturday. Plus Remembrance and Palestinian marches

[Chris Black come back]

Route on Saturday is straight-forward for anyone coming by train. 

From King’s Cross get the Victoria Line to Stockwell. Change at Stockwell on to the Northern Line, getting off at Tooting Broadway. A few decent boozers on Tooting Broadway. Walk 15-20 mins from Tooting Broadway to the ground.

Should take around an hour from King’s Cross platform to their ground.

[philsky]

Route on Saturday is straight-forward for anyone coming by train. 

From King’s Cross get the Victoria Line to Stockwell. Change at Stockwell on to the Northern Line, getting off at Tooting Broadway. A few decent boozers on Tooting Broadway. Walk 15-20 mins from Tooting Broadway to the ground.

Should take around an hour from King’s Cross platform to their ground.

I think i'll sure that route too. Thanks

[selby]

  It is getting to the stage where London would be a good quize question, Just what country is it the capital of?

[Campsall rover]

  It is getting to the stage where London would be a good quize question, Just what country is it the capital of?

Answer.
The south East of England.

They are in a different world down there to the rest of the Country.
Levelling up that’s the biggest joke phrase I have heard over the last 10 years. There has been no such thing. It’s a fantasy phrase that has been made up by this Government.

Sorry this should have been posted in Off Topic.
Brian ( Selby ) you asked the question and I answered it but elaborated a bit on it. 

Moderators transfer this to Off Topic if you wish as I don’t think this is anything to do with Football.

[Colin C No.3]

I disagree Campsall, they could all do with a good kicking!

[Campsall rover]

I disagree Campsall, they could all do with a good kicking!

All who? 
If you mean political parties then yes. We have a choice between the worst Conservative government we have ever had imo & a Labour Party that is living in Fantasy Land.

Sorry Off Topic.  This should be Colin.

[Butchers Red]

Wimbledon doing £1 a kid and already sold 7000- take your ear muffs.

[graingrover]

After having lived on the continent for the last sixty years I consider myself a foreigner and feel like one when I visit the U.K.’ with the exception of when I am in London’s cosmopolitan and mainly working-class crowds.
A lot of opinions about Londoners are wrong.
The most glaring example was Rovers’fans chanting at the cup game at Arsenal ´ You’re just a town full of Tories. That sounded quite funny BUT THE IRONY was that they were in Jeremy Corbin’s Constituency.

[selby]

 I thought it was just a throw away joke but hey ho, what we really need is a win, where ever we play  now that would be no joke and we might just be able to start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
  Win this game and the replay at Accrington and I think we can all start to get a bit excited about the Rovers, and let the rest look after themselves.

[Campsall rover]

I thought it was just a throw away joke but hey ho, what we really need is a win, where ever we play  now that would be no joke and we might just be able to start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
  Win this game and the replay at Accrington and I think we can all start to get a bit excited about the Rovers, and let the rest look after themselves.

It’s a tricky game on Saturday. Wimbledon just scored 5 in the FA cup at home.
So that will help their confidence because their home record in the league is very poor. Just 1 win.
Our record away to Wimbledon is not good.
So for me it’s the team that takes more of their chances on the day that will come out on top.
That might be a fairly obvious thing to say but I expect quite an open game and lots of chances created by both teams.
Hopefully Ironside if fit to play along side Faal. If he is I think that will give us the edge.
3 points at Plough lane would be a big win for us especially as our next game is Crewe at Gresty road and they have the equal best home record in the league and are undefeated at home.
I would not be too disappointed in a draw in both these games though.
We need to make the Eco Power Stadium a fortress now and pick up as many points as we can away from home.

Looking forward to the game at Plough Lane but not sure why we are leaving so early.
7-15 from Beehive depot in Carcroft and 8-00 from Eco Power Stadium. Personally it is a full hour earlier than we need to leave. Even with a 30 min stop at the services we should arrive between 12-30 and 12-45 
As for the Crewe game, I am missing that unfortunately.
Well hopefully some Canary sunshine will compensate & I don’t mean Norwich. 

[Alan Southstand]

There will be quite a gathering in London, this w/e, Cussie.

Armistice & Palestine protest march?

[Campsall rover]

There will be quite a gathering in London, this w/e, Cussie.

Armistice & Palestine protest march?

Cussie ? Who or what is that Alan?

Alan the route we will take will not be affected by any demonstrations.
I spoke to Les on Tuesday who will be one of the 2 drivers on the coach and he didn’t even know why we were leaving so early.

[philsky]

After listening to McCann’s interview with Close and Ironside back the starting 11 on Saturday will be interesting. I’d have Close and Ironside back in and not change much else from our current league first 11. Bench will be chokker