Let's talk about the Rotherham United game

[selby]

  A renewal of a long established local Derby that is always strongly contested  and one against a team we have not had the best of times against.   They are a club that I grudgingly admired especially in the recent past who had an identity of the way they played which worked for them and stuck to it.
  Eventually like ourselves renewing above average players as they moved on has cought up with them and successive managers have found it difficult in an era where good players move on for money rewards bandied about by bigger clubs to replace like for like.
   The game has some significance for both sides with a lot of what lies ahead the rest of the season for both clubs at stake, we can put distance between us in the table if we can extend our little upturn in form, and Rotherham will be hell bent on narrowing the gap between us and dragging us back nearer the relegation places while giving themselves a better chance of getting out of the mire,
  Watching them in preseason at Harrogate only one game but a pointer to what has followed, their position in the division is not a surprise to me as apart from one or two players they looked distinctly average and poor especially in mid field and at the back.
  Not getting beaten in this game has got to be our main goal, and win if we can, and was the main thing our team showed last night, an appetite not to be dominated and out work the opposition which was the corner stone of our win against Huddersfield,  keep that up and we will do OK, especially if they show the same togetherness on show last night, good sides get something out of a game when not at their flowing best but everyone chips in.
  Can we carry on the improvement? can we put points distance between us and Rotherham? From what I have seen of the two teams which is limited as regards Rotherham we do have the better players in forward positions and are better if we can play on the front foot, what do you think? have we turned that corner and can now look forward? have we come to terms with the level we are now playing at? the lads last night really put a shift in, would you make changes? I would not, but tactically Grant might, and player recovery will also play a part.  Are you going the short journey to the game?
  A lot riding on the game for both sides which will add to the usual atmosphere with the supporters that in the past has not been that respectful, so lets just hope for a great game and a win for the Rovers, what do you think, lot's to discuss, lots to mull over, please have your say.
 

[Albert Trousers]

Almost 41 years since we won at their (god bless Ray Deans), if we don't do it now I doubt we ever will, good straight among em & give them a proper beating, we owe these bas**rds.

[Barmby Rover]

Rotherham are in a really bad place at the moment, the perfect time for us to be playing them! I hope we use Billy in this game, he would relish a chance to score in this game. So much better than Hanlon will ever be, he just needs feeding with low crosses into the box and he could finish the game off in the first half. If Billy misses getting on to them Bails will do surely. It could be a very good Saturday morning! 1-3.

[Fal]

Don't believe this game is on Sky (im going anyway) as it was moved due to police advice. Could be wrong though but can't see it listed.

[Reg of the Rovers]

Looking forward to this one, form probably goes out the window and I'm expecting a proper battle and not too much quality on show! Got my tickets and counting down to Saturday.

TLT // Senior / Pearson / Byrne / Sterry // Gotts / Bailey / Clifton // Moly / Lee / Sharp

Pearson to come in as a calm head to manage the battle, Sharp on who'll love a derby away day, Lee on as a floating 10 and wide player to make things happen.

[selby]

  I am no lover of McGrath or Close but thought they played well last night and would be in my team at Rotherham on that form.

[donnyguy]

Don't believe this game is on Sky (im going anyway) as it was moved due to police advice. Could be wrong though but can't see it listed.

      You are correct it’s not on tv

[Albert Trousers]

  I am no lover of McGrath or Close but thought they played well last night and would be in my team at Rotherham on that form.

Thought McGrath did everything right apart from his passing which was terrible all night.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

  I am no lover of McGrath or Close but thought they played well last night and would be in my team at Rotherham on that form.

Thought McGrath did everything right apart from his passing which was terrible all night.

There's a few who have commented about McGraths passing which again I think is overly harsh. Overall, he had a very good game winning most duals and positioned himself well. Yes, there were possibly three on the deck passes that went astray but, at least one of them was the intended recipients fault for not gathering the ball either by miscontrolling, or not being sharp enough to get to it. And in Gibsons case, giving it away with a silly flick.

To be fair to McGrath, he tries to keep moves flowing, rather than just hoof it forward, to get our creative players on the ball. We often see midfielders passing backwards to our centre half's and shirking responsibility to play probing passes but overall, I think our centre half's got the balance about right when going short or long. 

So yes, the same back four for me, and likely Haks instead of Gibson.

[wing commander]

   I said to my friends last week that the Huddersfield/Rotherham games would turn out to be the most important week of the season either way. Looking at the table today if we can sneak a win at Rotherham on Saturday then the players can relax and start looking upwards with confidence.

   That win last night was huge for us and gives us a platform we have to take advantage. I thought tactically we were brilliant last night and stopped them playing at the expense of creating chance ourselves. We cant do that on Saturday though we need to get after them. The crowd has turned on them last night with the old your not fit to wear the shirt song and your getting sacked in the morning etc etc. Get a early goal and we could really turn the screw and give ourselves a few points breathing space.

[Chris Black come back]

They are not good and with a blip, they haven't been good for a long time. Their last 15 league games have been won 2, drawn 4 and lost 9 including a run of 7 straight defeats from 10 December to 17 January. They've picked up a bit recently but largely due to playing equally poor teams in Wimbledon, Northampton and Exeter. The key metric is that they've had one home win in that 15 game run and that was a late 2-1 winner against Northampton.

[graingrover]

Jay’s defensive work was Mick Mills like but not his distribution which needs help from the coaches .

[Ian Nimmo]

I would definitely start Billy for this one and drop Lee back into midfield.
Haks and moly out wide.
Bails, Gotts and Close, with Clifton & Broadbent to extra energy in the second half

[drfchound]

I would definitely start Billy for this one and drop Lee back into midfield.
Haks and moly out wide.
Bails, Gotts and Close, with Clifton & Broadbent to extra energy in the second half

So are you saying we should start with three at the back?

[Chris Black come back]

Jay’s defensive work was Mick Mills like but not his distribution which needs help from the coaches .

Defensive work Mick Mills, distribution Heather Mills.

[mushRTID]

Watched Hamshaws interview after their defeat at Burton and it appears they were booed off and singing for him to be sacked.

An early goal here could have them rattled.

[DearneValleyRover]

Will Frankie be fit enough for this? I really hope so because Hak’s plays better when someone can hold the ball up, it’s interesting that his form has dropped since Frankie’s injury. This would also allow Lee to play in his natural position.

[scawsby steve]

Will Frankie be fit enough for this? I really hope so because Jake plays better when someone can hold the ball up, it’s interesting that his form has dropped since Frankie’s injury. This would also allow Lee to play in his natural position.

Jake?

[Ian Nimmo]

I would definitely start Billy for this one and drop Lee back into midfield.
Haks and moly out wide.
Bails, Gotts and Close, with Clifton & Broadbent to extra energy in the second half

So are you saying we should start with three at the back?

No, suggesting Clifton & Broadbent will be subs for second half because it’s highly likely that at least one of those who start will not be able to give 100% in the second half given their performance on Tuesday, particularly gotts & close.
Sorry should have made that clear.

[NickDRFC]

I would definitely start Billy for this one and drop Lee back into midfield.
Haks and moly out wide.
Bails, Gotts and Close, with Clifton & Broadbent to extra energy in the second half

So are you saying we should start with three at the back?

No, suggesting Clifton & Broadbent will be subs for second half because it’s highly likely that at least one of those who start will not be able to give 100% in the second half given their performance on Tuesday, particularly gotts & close.
Sorry should have made that clear.

Bailey, Gotts, Close, Lee, Haks, Moly, Sharp = 7 players, so only room for 3 at the back if they all play.

[Padge_DRFC]

Is it just me that felt the midfield didn't function at all on Tuesday? Gotts is better in front of the back 4. The game I also felt passed Bailey by

[GazLaz]

Is it just me that felt the midfield didn't function at all on Tuesday? Gotts is better in front of the back 4. The game I also felt passed Bailey by

You certainly negate Gotts a bit playing him as an 8 as opposed to a 6. Well, negate him compared with his superb performances of late. Both teams were very poor in possession on Tuesday. It was one of those games that if they’d have scored a penalty after half an hour and won 1-0 people would be saying we were atrocious. 3 points, and that’s what matters currently. No points for artistic impression in football.

[LincsRover]

At this point in the season in the position we’re in it’s all about results. It wasn’t a classic by any means but we managed to score and defended for our lives. True, they weren’t great but maybe that was down to us and the way we kept them at bay.

We won ugly and the result is everything. I’ll settle for an ugly 1-0 against Rotherham (although I’d prefer to smash them 4 or 5-0), rather than an exciting end to end 4-3 defeat! 

[DearneValleyRover]

Will Frankie be fit enough for this? I really hope so because Jake plays better when someone can hold the ball up, it’s interesting that his form has dropped since Frankie’s injury. This would also allow Lee to play in his natural position.

Jake?

Predictive text

[Chris Black come back]

Who plays with Gotts as an 8? Ideal world assume Bailey is the 10?

[GazLaz]

Who plays with Gotts as an 8? Ideal world assume Bailey is the 10?

We play with a holding midfielder and two number 8s every week. This number 10 people think we play doesn’t exist. The two number 8s play slightly differently due to the different profiles of the players but there’s no no10.

[5minstogo]

Who plays with Gotts as an 8? Ideal world assume Bailey is the 10?

We play with a holding midfielder and two number 8s every week. This number 10 people think we play doesn’t exist. The two number 8s play slightly differently due to the different profiles of the players but there’s no no10.

Well there is now we play Lee

[1-0 to the Doncaster]

so we've got a false 10 (and no number 9)

[roversdaft]

No Gibson, please no Gibson

He doesn’t have the minerals for a derby game

[Branton Red]

Possible controversial but I'd play Hanlan on Saturday.

I think the nature of the game and the opponents will require a physical presence up front.

I'd drop Gibson and move Lee across as more of an inside left forward.

I'd also replace Close with Clifton. Again more of a game for the latter.

Sharp and Adelakun to come on as second half subs to finish them off.