:Let's talk about the Bromley game

[selby]

  A big week ahead with the home game against Bromley and the away game at Bradford next weekend two teams from different ends of the division who both for different reasons  will be up for taking us down a peg or two.
 Bromley I think are a new one on me, not being a name of a club I can remember from our non league days, someone might be able to put me right, and with Cook at Bradford and Cheek at  Bromley we come up against the two top scorers in the division Cook on seven league goals and Cheek and Grigg on six.
  Enough about Bradford until after the Bromley game who are on a poor run of results having not won a game in their last nine games, and we need to debunk our old habit of getting poor form teams back on track, and letting teams who play more like non  league robust  teams over run us in mid field.
  Both games will be a battle, and to play our game we will need to stand the test that both sides will set us, in fairness when we are on it we can play, have goals in the team, and defensively are improving, the keeper looking much more confident in the short time he has been here, and we are a team to be respected,  at this level since February no one could envisage what the club as a whole has achieved.
  Tranmere beat Bromley 2-1 on Saturday with Bromley scoring in time added and their away record is not that bad winning one drawing two and lost two but 4 goals for and only five against so must have been quite close encounters losing most games by just the odd goal.
  So a team we will have to go toe to toe with and take our chances if and when they come, it  will again not be easy and we no doubt will have to battle to impose our game on them.
  So the first of two games we need to get something out of to stay up there in the division, and two games we need to be on our game to pressurise other teams around us and realise our ambition of being a front runner this season, it's exciting and worrying at the same time the norm for long standing Viking supporters, I wouldn't want it any other way.  So what do you think  Sharp  or Ironside or both? who will stand the physical test in  mid field and the low block? we have come up against the last few games, will Molyneux have two defenders on his back once again? will we be expansive in our game? will they allow us to be so? can we get back to winning ways at home?
  Lot's to look forward to, lots to discuss, please have your say, Bromley fans welcome to join in.
 

[Nudga]

Would be happy with 4 points from the next 6 available.
Stay with the 3-5-2 at home and then go back to the 4-2-3-1 away at Bradford.

We have to attack Bromley from the off so we get them jitters going early. They won't bring many fans up so they won't have that vocal support plus it will liven our support up a bit as we can go quiet if there aren't any away fans to banter with.

[Pintolager]

Agree with Nudga. Bromley from what I have seen are a team to be attacked and I think they are a team for the taking if we approach the game right. If we can nulify their attacking threat, we should be fine

[Chris Black come back]

Their away form in the league is ok. They have lost the same away as we have (two) and conceded about half as many (five vs nine). This season they've gone to Harrogate and beat them, and got a 0-0 draw out of Fleetwood, both places we always struggle. They don't score many away though. Last three away league games they've managed just a single goal and that was a penalty.

[Jersey Rover]

Although we won Saturday, we were fortunate with the last min penalty. New formation I know, but as Grant said, it’s a plan B. Fully expect Grant to revert back to 4 2 3 1. Plan A, Plan B if we’re chasing.

[Usher wide.]

If we don’t win on Tuesday night I will show my bare bum in the window of the club shop after the game.

Please check with the shops staff with regards to framed photo prices.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

This game is more important to us than the Bradford game and we can't allow any complacency. Bromley deserve the same respect as any other League Two Club.

With the change of formation Saturday, no clue how he'll set up for this one. I do wonder now Maxwell is back, whether he'll get a start. With all due respect to Fleming, Maxwell has so much more potential. If so, then it's likely to be a back four.

Whatever the formation, I think we just need a little bit more zip with the passing and movement, particularly in the final third. A quick start will do the world of good and then maintain it. There's no excuse now not to keep up a high intensity without going too long.

[colincramb]

No disrespect but if we can’t beat Bromley at home then we can forget about a top 3 finish. Precisely the type of matches we should be winning given what club say is our aim this season.

A win also takes the pressure off the Bradford game somewhat. 7 points from 9 would be a great return given 2 away games.

[jamesrover17]

No disrespect but if we can’t beat Bromley at home then we can forget about a top 3 finish. Precisely the type of matches we should be winning given what club say is our aim this season.

A win also takes the pressure off the Bradford game somewhat. 7 points from 9 would be a great return given 2 away games.

Exactly this, loosing or dropping points to teams we should be beating is what will cost us this season if we don't crack the top 3, we seem to get suckered in to dire football when playing 'lesser' opposition

[idler]

No disrespect but if we can’t beat Bromley at home then we can forget about a top 3 finish. Precisely the type of matches we should be winning given what club say is our aim this season.

A win also takes the pressure off the Bradford game somewhat. 7 points from 9 would be a great return given 2 away games.

Exactly this, loosing or dropping points to teams we should be beating is what will cost us this season if we don't crack the top 3, we seem to get suckered in to dire football when playing 'lesser' opposition

We all know football isn’t just that simple. Bottom teams do beat top clubs occasionally. As daft as anything losing to Bromley wouldn’t give a close rival any points. Losing to City could see them overtake us. Had we beat Harrogate as most expected but lost at Port Vale we would have the same number of points as now but be four points behind the leaders, not one.
It is a long season and all teams will lose games that on paper they should win easily. The better teams just do it less frequently.

[DearneValleyRover]

Bromley will be hard to breakdown just the sort of team we struggle against. We need to play at a much higher tempo than we did on Saturday

[scawsby steve]

If we don’t win on Tuesday night I will show my bare bum in the window of the club shop after the game.

Please check with the shops staff with regards to framed photo prices.

Bloody hell, I'll be bringing some Diazepam and smelling salts if I might have to witness that.

[Bailey Vickerage]

Looks like they play a similar kind of formation to Swindon so will be interesting to see if we stick with the 3 at the back again or whether we go back to the 4231.

Either way I expect us to dominate the ball and they will make it tough for us to break them down (they have averaged the least amount of possession in the league with 41.1%).

The longer the game is at 0-0 the harder it will be, if we can get an early goal then can see us scoring 3 or 4 as they will then have to come at us more which will suit us.

Think we will be full of confidence after Saturday and I’m going for a 3-0 victory.

[ncRover]

3-5-2 is extremely popular in League 2.

Our next 4 league opponents (Bromley, Bradford, Notts, Salford) all deploy that system.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

In Luke Molyneux's pre match, he said they're expecting a physical game against a 'big' team and we'll want to play on the deck as much as possible.

Read into that what we will. Does that suggest Ironsides exclusion, or inclusion for help defending set pieces, or double bluff?

I'd like to think we'll play a high possession game, be patient in picking the right passes and wear them down. Be disciplined and do our best not to give cheap free kicks away in our own half.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Some of the confidence before this game is screaming unexpected loss.

[drfchound]

A bit like pre Harrogate.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Some of the confidence before this game is screaming unexpected loss.

I'll never forget Forest Greens first visit to Belle Vue. Lesson learned.

[RoversInSpain]

Saturday didn’t seem that slick/fluid when we had the ball to me. The boys worked really hard out of possession, that was enough to edge it.
For me the raiding runs of Sterry with added no nonsense aggression from Maxwell makes me want to see them start.
The midfield need to shift the ball quickly and pull the Bromley defence about. Kelly needs to run at them, they’re organised so we need to disrupt.
I’d start with Joe I. I’d also be tempted to give Hurst the nod over Gibbo.
But Grant knows best… great opportunity to embed ourselves in the top 3, though in the last couple of weeks TLO Borrow and Gillingham have come a real cropper against the bottom 2 or 3 teams.

[ncRover]

They have Byron Webster! He’s put some girth on since leaving us.

Amantchi up top is massive and their 6 foot 6 centre back looks like someone you’d create on a PlayStation game.

I’m surprised Moly let our game plan out of the bag in his interview but it’s the obvious play

[Chris Black come back]

Some of the confidence before this game is screaming unexpected loss.

I'll never forget Forest Greens first visit to Belle Vue. Lesson learned.

Lost 1-0 although to be fair we were on a run of one win in six then, which turned into one win in ten. We only won twice in our first 16 league games that season. We didn't half lose to some dross at home that season - Hayes, Leek Town and Hednesford Town spring to mind. We didn't manage a single goal against them actually.

[NickDRFC]

They have Byron Webster! He’s put some girth on since leaving us.

Amantchi up top is massive and their 6 foot 6 centre back looks like someone you’d create on a PlayStation game.

I’m surprised Moly let our game plan out of the bag in his interview but it’s the obvious play

Webster’s not played in over a month and Amantchi has yet to start a game. I imagine they’ll still be a big and robust side even if neither start, though.

[GazLaz]

Can really se a route for them winning the game. They play a pretty open style that will suit us, certainly have an attacking threat but they give up too many chances at the other end. Even if they go in front I’m not sure how they keep us out. Could be a good game this one.

[ForsolongaRover]

Saturday didn’t seem that slick/fluid when we had the ball to me. The boys worked really hard out of possession, that was enough to edge it.
For me the raiding runs of Sterry with added no nonsense aggression from Maxwell makes me want to see them start.
The midfield need to shift the ball quickly and pull the Bromley defence about. Kelly needs to run at them, they’re organised so we need to disrupt.
I’d start with Joe I. I’d also be tempted to give Hurst the nod over Gibbo.
But Grant knows best… great opportunity to embed ourselves in the top 3, though in the last couple of weeks TLO Borrow and Gillingham have come a real cropper against the bottom 2 or 3 teams.

Agreed. In the PL where the game is most intense, the defending team will be challenged for the ball as they play it around and out of defence. It also happens at other levels when the defending team is weak, but for Rovers at home to Bromley (and the like) Bromley are not likely to be drawn out of their half. In tomorrow’s match we need defenders and midfielders to carry to ball forward and be prepared to ride the challenges. This obviously involves risk, but let’s have more aggression and choose players who want to force the pace. After all, weaker teams are surely easier to defend against and they should be put under constant pressure.

The worst case is a Harrogate-type game, but nevertheless there is no alternative to relentless in attack. If we can’t win such games, something is wrong and the alleged inherent skill levels must be questioned. We don’t want any coasting through the second half sitting on a lead, we need a better goal difference and real evidence of commitment.

[Metalmicky]

They have Byron Webster! He’s put some girth on since leaving us.

Byron is 37........ which makes me feel old.

[selby]

Just play to the game plan and get a win, our confidence should be  sky high and we must have been the best team in the division since last February.
  The hard part is keeping it going and getting better, that is a football managers job, and to be fair our management team are not doing a bad job of it, long may it last and they are just left to get on with it and the club can grow along with them.

[idler]

GM also gives a lot of credit to David Rennie for the players fitness and resilience. What a change from last season’s start.

[Barmby Rover]

I expect the front row to approach the game much more aggressively and Bromley to be beaten, 4-0

[graingrover]

I am often criticized for pink glasses syndrome concerning DRFC but I see this as a zero-point match for some irrational feeling!

[ncRover]

They have Byron Webster! He’s put some girth on since leaving us.

Amantchi up top is massive and their 6 foot 6 centre back looks like someone you’d create on a PlayStation game.

I’m surprised Moly let our game plan out of the bag in his interview but it’s the obvious play

Webster’s not played in over a month and Amantchi has yet to start a game. I imagine they’ll still be a big and robust side even if neither start, though.

Webster and Amantchi starting. No Cheek in the squad - their top scorer.