Let's talk about the Forest Green Rovers game

[selby]

  Things are really looking a lot better of late, and the ambition of finishing the  season on a high must be the ambition of all the staff at the club, and the good form carrying on the most important.
  The win at Swindon following up the victory v Crewe just what the doctor ordered especially with the game v Colchester cancelled and injuries picked up in that game  v Crewe being covered by players coming in and showing our new found doggedness in a game when stats say we got a win when being largely outplayed, something we have found beyond us for a long time and shows new found resilience and will to win and the capabilities to do so when not at the top of our game.
  The game v Forest Green will not be easy, they having a better away record than a home record, and owe us one after we  fluked a win at their place, typical when a club struggles as we are only too aware ourselves over the last few seasons, but is no less important to us than to them, if we win I think we could safely say  we should be safe and can start to plan forward to next season, while if they lose in what looks like a fight to the death with Colchester it will be a big set back for their hopes of surviving the drop, so we can expect them to give their all to get a result.
  Hopefully we will have some of our walking wounded back in the match day squad and we can discuss the merits of any changes on here.  Grant will also want to keep the winning streak going, us once again coming up to that third possible win on the trot, a great habit to have if we can do it.
   So what do you think?  Have we really turned the corner? are you sleeping better? has your enthusiasm for the club returned?
  Lot's to discuss, Lot's of questions to be answered by some players playing for a future at the club, please join in and have your say.

[Chris Black come back]

They have a half decent away record in the league, actually better than our own. It is their appalling home record which is the worst in League Two, that has caused them issues. They are fairly tight on the road, conceding five less than us and ten less than Notts County. Only Grimsby in the bottom half of the table has lost fewer than them away from home. Their last way game they beat Bradford 2-0. After they lost to Sutton on Saturday I suspect they will be well up for this.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Every game is a tough one from now on, particularly a team fighting for their survival.

Hopefully we'll have Craig and Westbrooke available for selection  although not sure what the latest is with Ironside and Maxwell. Hopefully, we can continue to be more decisive at both ends and score more than them. Having depth on the bench counts for alot.

[NickDRFC]

They have a half decent away record in the league, actually better than our own. It is their appalling home record which is the worst in League Two, that has caused them issues. They are fairly tight on the road, conceding five less than us and ten less than Notts County. Only Grimsby in the bottom half of the table has lost fewer than them away from home. Their last way game they beat Bradford 2-0. After they lost to Sutton on Saturday I suspect they will be well up for this.

Can’t say I’d be surprised to find out that any team in the league has a better away record than us, I bet we’ve picked up more away points since February than we had during the rest of the season beforehand.

[Chris Black come back]

Our position in the away league points ranking (19th) is almost exactly aligned with our actual league points ranking (18th) and we are on same points as 18th and 17th ranked away league sides (all on 17 points, just GD separating us). Also our home / away points delta (37pc of our points come from away points) is almost exactly the same as sides far higher up the league e.g Wrexham at 37pc, Walsall at 35pc and MK 'Dons' at 36pc.

[Alan Southstand]

I think we turned a corner after the January signings arrived. The signing of Biamou was also a master-stroke by GM, as we’d have been struggling without Ironside in the first team.

Going forward, I don’t think the manager is thinking about safety at all. He’s gone on record as saying to the players, with 18 games left to play, let’s see if we can finish top of that 18 game league. There’s a way to go yet.

Saturday will be a hard game but aren’t they all? Our new found confidence is like having another player in the squad, but we must not let complacency creep in and spoil what is becoming one hell of a run-in.

[drfchound]

Good post Alan.
The players will be playing for professional pride and win bonus as well (if they still give them of course).

[ForsolongaRover]

Steve Cotterill’s arrival there had a significant effect on their improved results. It was his revitalised Shrewsbury Town team that inflicted that unexpected defeat on us when we were poised to move to the top of League 1 which of course was the beginning of the end of the Moore era.

He’s proved his worth at Nailsworth just as he did at Shrewsbury which he left of his own accord. It will be a tough encounter.

[ncRover]

I think we turned a corner after the January signings arrived. The signing of Biamou was also a master-stroke by GM, as we’d have been struggling without Ironside in the first team.

Going forward, I don’t think the manager is thinking about safety at all. He’s gone on record as saying to the players, with 18 games left to play, let’s see if we can finish top of that 18 game league. There’s a way to go yet.

Saturday will be a hard game but aren’t they all? Our new found confidence is like having another player in the squad, but we must not let complacency creep in and spoil what is becoming one hell of a run-in.

Haks to the left of me
Moly to the right
Here I am, stuck in the middle Biamou

[Colin C No.3]

Hopefully we’ll have Joe back leading the line & Craig in midfield alongside Bailey & Biggins.

Haks, just do your thing.

If Moly can reproduce the game he had against Crewe I can see another win on this impressive run.

[BobG]

Very good indeed ncrover!

BobG

[Alan Southstand]

I hope you don’t mind, NCRover, but I’ve been looking at the lyrics and, with a bit of tweaking, we could make the song a bit longer:



Well I don't know why I came here tonight
I've got the feeling that something ain't right
I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair
And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs

Haks to the left of me
Moly to the right
Here I am, stuck in the middle Biamou

Yes I'm stuck in the South Stand with you
And I'm wondering what it is I should do
It's so hard to keep this smile from my face
Getting control, yeah he’s all over the place

Haks to the left of me
Moly to the right
Here I am, stuck in the middle Biamou

Seems like ages we’ve had nothing
But we’re proud that we’ve got Grant McCann

And league two they keep on wondering
But we slap em on the back and say

Free’s
Free’s

(Repeat ad infinitum!)

[drfchound]

I hope you don’t mind, NCRover, but I’ve been looking at the lyrics and, with a bit of tweaking, we could make the song a bit longer:



Well I don't know why I came here tonight
I've got the feeling that something ain't right
I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair
And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs

Haks to the left of me
Moly to the right
Here I am, stuck in the middle Biamou

Yes I'm stuck in the South Stand with you
And I'm wondering what it is I should do
It's so hard to keep this smile from my face
Getting control, yeah he’s all over the place

Haks to the left of me
Moly to the right
Here I am, stuck in the middle Biamou

Seems like ages we’ve had nothing
But we’re proud that we’ve got Grant McCann

And league two they keep on wondering
But we slap em on the back and say

Free’s
Free’s

(Repeat ad infinitum!)

Alan, Alan, come on .
Do,you really think that they could remember  all those words.

[Alan Southstand]

 

I wasn’t putting it forward for a song to sing, I was just inspired by NCR’s original short rendition enough to look at the original lyrics!

Just having a bit of fun, mate.

[drfchound]

I wasn’t putting it forward for a song to sing, I was just inspired by NCR’s original short rendition enough to look at the original lyrics!

Just having a bit of fun, mate.

So was I mate, so was I.
Insert illusive emoji here.

[selby]

  Well things have really changed if supporters are thinking of singing to the players instead of chucking pelters at them which they were before Christmas and being suicidal on here and other social  media outlets, probably not as bad on here as other outlets, but quite a change for the good in a short time.

[ncRover]

Really looking forward to this one. Just been looking in to FGR. 2 in-form teams. They have a horrible run coming up.

A good master vs apprentice match up in the dugout. McCann credits Cotterill for getting his playing career going at Cheltenham.

Ironside or Biamou will be up against the man-mountain Ryan Inniss. We might have to do our damage down the flanks as they play a 3-5-2. We can outnumber and outgun them there with our quality in those areas.

The experienced Doidge and a pacey younger striker against Wood and Anderson.

Bailey will look to keep Kyle McAllister under control - one of the best creative players in the league going by the stats.

Osadebe in midfield too - the poor fella who broke his leg in our Bradford away fixture last year.

Grant credits FGR’s organisation. We struggle to break down such teams.

[andy didcott]

COYR.

[Chris Black come back]

They were not very good but that was a good workout in getting through a team deadset on 10 men behind the ball and maybe nick a late set piece. We found a way to get through them. Molyneux more effective than Adelekun, and Biamou more effective than Joe. Craig good, as was Sterry.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Grand, that. Felt like a playoff side against a relegation side. We won without getting out of first gear.

[KingKendrick]

Biamou has to be getting the nod ahead of Joe. Must have won 5/6 flick on’s when he came on. Don’t recall Joe getting any change out of their defenders all game.
A lot more composed with the ball at his feet too. Joe was lucky to stay on the field in my opinion. That arm was wild

[graingrover]

A cruise in the second half was preceded by a half that made me pull out more hair!
However, I don’t suppose Molly misses purposely in the first half
 to gain forgiveness in the second ..do you? What a sitter
Our two center-backs are making a hell of a lot of difference!

[pib]

Done well to buck the trend and beat a team trying to sit behind the ball letting us have 66% possession.

[graingrover]

As for the Jo v Biamoue issue ..GM calls us a squad not just a team !

[Jonathan]

A game we always looked like winning without hitting full tilt. We’re becoming a much more effective team. Thought Maxwell and Sterry both did well and the two centre halves give a much more solid platform to build from. While Molyneux will rightly get the headlines for his goal and assist, Adelakun is so dangerous whenever he gets the ball. I can’t remember watching a striker (for us) as dominant in the air as Biamou is. There’s becoming more and more to this team, and whatever happens from here we can enjoy a more respectable finish. Would love us to beat last year’s points total.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Comfortable, they never touched us. Probably should have been more than 2, very good.

We just have to keep the momentum in to next season. Molyneux deserved motm for me.

[Alan Southstand]

Well what can you say about that, except if that was a game between 2 in-form teams, then one of them can’t have turned up. FGR only interested in sitting back, and after we went in front and they had to open up, I can see why they were content to sit!

That was comfortable - be interested to see more of Biamou after his cameo.

[graingrover]

Jonathan you are right about Adelakun ..he makes such a difference and always leaves you expecting him to produce something special ..à la Alick , à. la Colin Booth , à la Peter Kitchen , à la McIndoe .

[RoversInSpain]

Great to see Rovers so dominant. Simply starved FGR of the ball in first half. For a team fighting to stay in the EFL we gave them nothing. Molly always involved and he seems so much better now he goes on the outside on his right foot as much as his old predictable cut inside. Defenders just don’t know which way he’s going.
Wood just seems to win the ball every time. Sterry and Maxwell had good energy today.
TLT could have had the day off.
Joe should have been sent off, perhaps our luck is changing.
Credit for the patience shown as FGR just put 11 men behind the ball and we found a way through.
Must keep this run going and finally beat that losing mentality out of the club, ready for next season.

[ncRover]

Bit of a boring game because it was so comfortable.

Molyneux has proved me wrong. His output has improved as the team has improved and is looking good enough.  Hopefully a new contract is announced this week.

Thankfully no goal or assist for Adelakun. If anyone asks - he had a bad game. Donny Rovers is his level