Let's talk about the Harrogate Town game

[ForsolongaRover]

I think one guy who’s definately due a goal is Gibson. He’s been a bit unlucky in a few games, including v Gillingham, and a goal of two could boost him. The other guy who’ll be busting to score will be Joe Ironside - yes he scored a very good penalty v Udders, but he’ll want one from open play - if he’s in the team, that is.

Hopefully, there’s no injuries to worry about and, if not, keep the same side? Is Kelly going to be back? Will GM want to rotate? Who knows but just get the 3 points, lads.

Rather than starting with Sharp it would surely be fair to give Ironside first bite for a change. He wears defences down even when he isn’t banging goals in and bringing on Sharp when the opposition are tiring to give them the run-around is probably the last thing they would want.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I think one guy who’s definately due a goal is Gibson. He’s been a bit unlucky in a few games, including v Gillingham, and a goal of two could boost him. The other guy who’ll be busting to score will be Joe Ironside - yes he scored a very good penalty v Udders, but he’ll want one from open play - if he’s in the team, that is.

Hopefully, there’s no injuries to worry about and, if not, keep the same side? Is Kelly going to be back? Will GM want to rotate? Who knows but just get the 3 points, lads.

Rather than starting with Sharp it would surely be fair to give Ironside first bite for a change. He wears defences down even when he isn’t banging goals in and bringing on Sharp when the opposition are tiring to give them the run-around is probably the last thing they would want.

Yes, I'd like to see Ironside start. We need to make sure he's getting the opportunities and we play to his strengths.  The more strings we have to our bow the better. This includes quality balls into the box for him to feed from, refining the runs around him to capitalise on his hold up play so he doesn't have to hold onto the ball too long before support arrives. Too often we play lofted balls up to him when he's perfectly capable of playing to feet.

[Reg of the Rovers]

I genuinely think they'd work well together as a 9 and 10, with Ironside deeper, flicking on to Sharp - Grant has played Hurst and Sbarra in this role previously so wouldn't be too out of the ordinary as a formation. I think most defenses would soil themselves at the prospect of dealing with those two!

[ravenrover]

Who would be the 4 behind a front 2? What formation?

[Spud]

As much as I feel for Joe, I don't see how you can't start with Billy atm.
Joe's time will come again.

[Alan Southstand]

Who would be the 4 behind a front 2? What formation?

A 3-5-2 would work well away from home & that would give Olowu a start as well. But, it would be a massive risk when we only have 2 out and out strikers in our squad!

[scawsby steve]

Who would be the 4 behind a front 2? What formation?

A 3-5-2 would work well away from home & that would give Olivia a start as well. But, it would be a massive risk when we only have 2 out and out strikers in our squad!

I'm all for women's football, Alan, but we're not ready for mixed football yet; so Olivia definitely won't be starting at Harrogate.

[Campsall rover]

Start Ironside in this one imo.

As said he wears defences down and then Billy can come on in last 25 mins and take advantage.
Fancy Joe to score 1 maybe 2 goals on Thursday.
Would love that. He is such a massive player for us.
Billy is getting all the adulation from the fans due to his cult hero status from his previous time with us which is expected but I would love the fans to chant Joe’s name also.
He is the best centre forward we have had since Chris Brown imo
Even better than Marquis with his hold up play and work rate imo.

[donny dave]

https://youtu.be/XJxyEI6v4vo?si=5XeJ__E15sa0MVYp

[Alan Southstand]

Who would be the 4 behind a front 2? What formation?

A 3-5-2 would work well away from home & that would give Olivia a start as well. But, it would be a massive risk when we only have 2 out and out strikers in our squad!

I'm all for women's football, Alan, but we're not ready for mixed football yet; so Olivia definitely won't be starting at Harrogate.

Bloody predictive text!

[scawsby steve]

Joe's great, but Billy's scored in both of our last 2 league games, against dangerous teams.

Let's not start chopping and changing winning teams.

[Campsall rover]

Joe's great, but Billy's scored in both of our last 2 league games, against dangerous teams.

Let's not start chopping and changing winning teams.

I think GM is going to rotate our 2 strikers SS. He has so far.
Keeps them fresh.

[Monkcaster_Rover]

My first game in the flesh this season.

Hoping we dish out a good hiding.

[drfchound]

Start Ironside in this one imo.

As said he wears defences down and then Billy can come on in last 25 mins and take advantage.
Fancy Joe to score 1 maybe 2 goals on Thursday.
Would love that. He is such a massive player for us.
Billy is getting all the adulation from the fans due to his cult hero status from his previous time with us which is expected but I would love the fans to chant Joe’s name also.
He is the best centre forward we have had since Chris Brown imo
Even better than Marquis with his hold up play and work rate imo.

I don’t think we even have a Joe Ironside song.
Nice and simple would be “Joe Ironside” on repeat to the tune of “We’re f**kin shit” which was popular a couple of years ago.

[Josh Horsman]

Heard a few people trying to get the abba chant going ‘ Gimme, gimme, gimme a striker from England…. ‘ but never took off.

[dknward2]

How many games do win need to win be for we can start singing the donnys won … in a row song

[drfchound]

I think that five should be the starting point for that song.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Well, four wouldn't be unreasonable. There were threads last season when folk were asking 'when was the last time we won 3 in a row" then it mushroomed from there.

Six is a big one as our history, and football shows, it's not easy.

[selby]

  We are being spoiled at the moment, since last February our results have been fantastic and will be hard to replicate in the near future even though we have strengthened the squad in my opinion over the closed season.
  If we do keep the winning run going again Grant will have built a squad that is playing out of it's class which has been done before Ramsey's Ipswich, and Revie's Leeds two examples but is rarely achieved without lot's of money being thrown at it.
 At the moment it is keep our feet on the ground and take games one at a time and hopefully keep up the run we have started on again, and if we have a set back react the right way and respond, and never take things for granted and respect the opposition at all times.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

It will be interesting to see if he sticks with the same midfield. Broadbent missed out completely last week but I don't think I'd put him straight back in.

I thought Close added some control back in, after we allowed Gillingham alot more possession but again, I'm not sure I would start him ahead of Westbrooke. Close had a bit of a mare at Harrogate last season, falling asleep to let their winger in for one of the goals.

I think I'd favour Westbrooke, Bailey and Clifton again to start.

[adamtherover]

How many games do win need to win be for we can start singing the donnys won … in a row song

it was two at port vale, lol

[danumdon]

It will not be easy, they have pulled us apart in the past, and we are still work in progress, we cannot afford to have another Newport moment as they as a team are just as capable of taking advantage of it as Newport were.
  Nothing in Football is a given and we need to be on it every game especially this one.

Correct, i'd imagine that Newport display would have been very carefully bisected and discussed to the third degree by GM and the squad. If its been a learning curve for them then there may have been some benefit to it.

As the team starts to gel and develop its game then these are the type of games that you need to come down hard on.

A decent win would demonstrate to the league our intentions and determination to make this count, we need to be clinical and reduce the errors to an absolute minimum.

[Butchers Red]

It will not be easy, they have pulled us apart in the past, and we are still work in progress, we cannot afford to have another Newport moment as they as a team are just as capable of taking advantage of it as Newport were.
  Nothing in Football is a given and we need to be on it every game especially this one.

Correct, i'd imagine that Newport display would have been very carefully bisected and discussed to the third degree by GM and the squad. If its been a learning curve for them then there may have been some benefit to it.

As the team starts to gel and develop its game then these are the type of games that you need to come down hard on.

A decent win would demonstrate to the league our intentions and determination to make this count, we need to be clinical and reduce the errors to an absolute minimum.

Well the Newport game swung on Grant's changes - after conceding early 2nd half, we were getting back into things, Broadbent went off for Sbarra and that was pretty much it. The Newport central midfielders suddenly had the physical advantage and overran our midfield, Grant has alluded to this himself without naming names - but as one who was their it stood out a mile. Sbarra is at best an impact player coming on late in games.

[donnyguy]

Playing in the white kit tonight.

[selby]

  Good, the white shirt with the black v on the front in the Jones McCombe  era must have been one of our most successful away shirts, hopefully the new one will be.

[ncRover]

I think one guy who’s definately due a goal is Gibson. He’s been a bit unlucky in a few games, including v Gillingham, and a goal of two could boost him. The other guy who’ll be busting to score will be Joe Ironside - yes he scored a very good penalty v Udders, but he’ll want one from open play - if he’s in the team, that is.

Hopefully, there’s no injuries to worry about and, if not, keep the same side? Is Kelly going to be back? Will GM want to rotate? Who knows but just get the 3 points, lads.

Rather than starting with Sharp it would surely be fair to give Ironside first bite for a change. He wears defences down even when he isn’t banging goals in and bringing on Sharp when the opposition are tiring to give them the run-around is probably the last thing they would want.

Yes, I'd like to see Ironside start. We need to make sure he's getting the opportunities and we play to his strengths.  The more strings we have to our bow the better. This includes quality balls into the box for him to feed from, refining the runs around him to capitalise on his hold up play so he doesn't have to hold onto the ball too long before support arrives. Too often we play lofted balls up to him when he's perfectly capable of playing to feet.

I rewatched the Gills game and noticed there was one instance where against the odds Joe got in front of the big defender and won the header with a lay off in to a good position. Gibson was miles away like he didn’t expect anything to come of it and Gills got the ball back.

[Pinter777]

Very aggressive team , good at closing down, targeting luke hard, counter attacks are dangerous, 2nd half we need tk be more aggressive, watch the counters,

[Chris Black come back]

Harrogate, like Newport, is a piece of shit on the footballing pavement that we always tread in and can never get off our shoe. Every single time, without fail, it’s on the sole of our shoe. Impossible to scrape off. Always there.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Fair play to them. They've deserved this tonight. Faster, hungrier and stronger than us in every position.

[selby]

  Out thought and out fought. wouldn't say they wanted it more,  Close losing the ball and a lack of positioning and pace straight down the centre of defence cost us dearly.
   Still Harrogate's bunny's