Let's talk about the Crystal Palace game

[selby]

  If the Crystal palace forwards watched tonight's game they could well be thinking Christmas is next Monday with our defence a total shambles and inept against an attack that just ran straight at us, only Olowu coming out of the game with any credit in the defensive department.
   A game that is a free hit for us, and hopefully one we can recover from tonight's game and at least come out of with some credit, although that in itself will be difficult, but we need to try and get some pride back and at least look like we can defend.
  What team will we now put out? the mass substitutions made little difference as the main problem was not the positions the subs replaced. Will Anderson be offered up as a lamb to the slaughter? really our only alternative at the back in our usual line up and we will be up against a far higher class of player  individually whoever they put out against us.
  Hopefully we can play above ourselves, which can happen in cup football, and they take us as an easy touch, make lots of changes and have a bad night with the stars aligning for us. and we can pick ourselves up off the floor.
  And if Olowu plays well and  shows his form against them, will that be a signal for clubs to chase him for next season?
   What do you think? a big crowd hoping for a miracle, a great atmosphere and the chance to see some great gifted players at close quarters, the only bad note it is not at a weekend when lots of youngsters could have come to the game and seen some star players they see on the TV in person.
   Lot's to mull over after tonight, hopefully we do ourselves credit on the day, and wouldn't it be just like us to do what looks imposible tonight and cause a shock, please have your say.

[selby]

  For our own confidence this game takes on the mantle of more than just a FA cup game.
  Most will be well aware that even if we give it a good go we are still in danger of being well beaten with the class of player they can field way above anything we have.
  Of course there have, and always will be shock results in the FA cup, and I am sure all of us are hoping for one we can talk about for years, but with the amount of money swilling around the premiership those opportunities are becoming rarer and rarer, and with a good percentage of floating supporters in the crowd on Monday we  can get some credibility back after the poor performance last evening.
  But if they dish out another shoeing on the bounce to us it will not go down too well to attract them back again, but of course if we pull a shock result off or at least run them close, they will have been Rovers supporters for years. Let's hope its the latter and we can at best pull it off, or at least run them close and come out of the game with some credit, and attract some new young supporters.

[GazLaz]

Tactically I hope we go with three centre halves. Need to be great in both boxes in these games, and that will help. No point trying to stop top cksss teams controlling the middle of the pitch because that’s really hard to do. Palace are one of the the counter attacking teams in the Prem as well, having an extra man in that area will help situations when they turn over possession quickly. I’d play a 3511 type setup. Moly in the hole behind Ironside. Similar to how Forest set up against Brighton last week.

[Stewmaiden79]

Hope we give them a run for their money and put on a show for the support who are maybe coming for the first time. Hopefully some of them will come back and boost attendances for the remaining league games. Who knows we might even win. If we do get a second hammering on the bounce, I hope it doesn’t upset the confidence too much. Salford were flying before city battered them and they’ve struggled somewhat since.

[scawsby steve]

I think it will be almost a carbon copy of the game 6 years ago. Palace will have most of their big guns on the bench, but won't need them. They'll cruise along without getting out of 3rd gear, and win by a couple of goals.

It won't be a thrashing, but probably boring, same as last time.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Would be great if we could at least score a goal to give the fans something to shout about.

The result doesn't really matter, it's a bonus game, so let's see how long we can stay in the game, albeit we're likely to be chasing shadows for long periods.

[Pancho Regan]

I think it will be almost a carbon copy of the game 6 years ago. Palace will have most of their big guns on the bench, but won't need them. They'll cruise along without getting out of 3rd gear, and win by a couple of goals.

It won't be a thrashing, but probably boring, same as last time.

That’s great Scawsby, thanks for that positive rallying cry!

[Pancho Regan]

I’m watching the Man Utd versus Leicester game because I want to do a bit of scouting about our possible opponents in the 5th Round.

Man Utd really look a very average team. Losing 1-0 at half time.
Amorim has a big job to turn this team around.

[scawsby steve]

I think it will be almost a carbon copy of the game 6 years ago. Palace will have most of their big guns on the bench, but won't need them. They'll cruise along without getting out of 3rd gear, and win by a couple of goals.

It won't be a thrashing, but probably boring, same as last time.

That’s great Scawsby, thanks for that positive rallying cry!

There's a big difference between negativity and reality, PR.

Besides, the Grimsby game is far more important than the Palace game.

[Pancho Regan]

I think it will be almost a carbon copy of the game 6 years ago. Palace will have most of their big guns on the bench, but won't need them. They'll cruise along without getting out of 3rd gear, and win by a couple of goals.

It won't be a thrashing, but probably boring, same as last time.

That’s great Scawsby, thanks for that positive rallying cry!

There's a big difference between negativity and reality, PR.

Besides, the Grimsby game is far more important than the Palace game.

There certainly is a big difference between negativity and reality Scawsby.
As indeed there is a big difference between pessimism and optimism.

When faced with a huge challenge, I’ll choose the latter.

Grimsby is another game, another day. I won’t be thinking about that when I take my seat on Monday night.

[steve@dcfd]

For the team and supporters I hope we can put in a good performance and show what we can do.
But we need to be out of the Cup if we want to be promoted automatically from league 2. The way our game has been put on I  player on Monday night and lost the club £85000 in TV revenue shows the glory of the cup means nothing. This might be a negative view but for me promotion is the priority for the club this season.

[glosterred]

For those travelling to the game and may not be aware, there are signs up on Leger Way that it is closed overnight (7pm-6am) for 2 weeks from the 3rd Feb. Seen the sign up just after Armthorpe Road roundabout heading towards the race course. So some may want to take an alternative route.


COYR

[TheFunk]

McGrath and Clifton definitely out. Molyneux and Ironside are doubts for the match.

[roversdude]

Just read that what a shame for Jay

[Draytonian III]

I’ve just seen the Leyton Orient captain being interviewed at half time, can’t ever remember a player doing that on any live match before

[DonnyOsmond]

If we go with two center backs with one of them being Tom Anderson we'll get annihilated.

[dknward2]

Will be interesting to see what team Grant picks, does he pick a rotation squad and get the players that didn’t play against chessy a chance to prove themselves or does he go best 11 to try and make up for the horror show.

Just hope we have a good go and don’t get embarrassed

[selby]

 DO he (Anderson) is a far better defender than McGrath, and probably as quick although right sided and Olowu will probably play left side which hopefully takes nothing away from his game.

[GazLaz]

We have to play a 3. With or without JM.

[Bessie Red]

We have to play a 3. With or without JM.

Agreed, could possibly drop Bails in there!

[GazLaz]

We have to play a 3. With or without JM.

Agreed, could possibly drop Bails in there!

Olowu, Anderson, Senior for me.

[DonnyOsmond]

DO he (Anderson) is a far better defender than McGrath, and probably as quick although right sided and Olowu will probably play left side which hopefully takes nothing away from his game.

Imagine some of their pacey attackers getting behind him.

[Metalmicky]

I see the Fifth round draw is on Monday at 19.10....... might be an incentive for both teams...

[selby]

  Apart from Olowu and Faulkner that goes for every defender we have on our books DonnyOsmund

[Cramby10]

We have to play a 3. With or without JM.

Agreed, could possibly drop Bails in there!

Olowu, Anderson, Senior for me.

agree with this. Some of our best performances this season have been with 3 centre backs.

[GazLaz]

  Apart from Olowu and Faulkner that goes for every defender we have on our books DonnyOsmund

Pace isn’t the main reason players get in behind. Movement, intelligence, speed of thought the main things. Sure Faulkner and Olowu are quicker than some Prem defenders but they will never play in the premier league.

[drfchound]

I’ve just seen the Leyton Orient captain being interviewed at half time, can’t ever remember a player doing that on any live match before

I saw it happen in one of the earlier rounds.

[selby]

  Probably not Gaz, but at a club like Peterborough they might have when they were looking a couple of years ago, but I wouldn't let our lot market a second hand car at that time

[Chris Black come back]

Would go for:

TSL

Senior
Anderson
Olowu

Maxwell
Bailey
Crew
Clifton
Sterry

Sbarra
Ironside

[Chris Black come back]

If Ironside is fit.