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League Two AFC Wimbledon (4) v Rovers (1)

Ian

Ian

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Rovers head south this Saturday for the 10th game of their campaign with Rovers sitting 23rd! (thanks BBTC) in the league against The Dons who are currently 8th. Rovers will be in buoyant mood off the back of an excellent 2-0 win last Saturday against Accrington Stanley and a good 2-0 win midweek in the Cheshire Senior Cup against Stockport and will hope to secure a third win in seven days (who thought we'd be saying that a few weeks ago?!).

Intermin manager Nigel Adkins has brought a new lease of life to the Rovers side with some positive, energetic displays. I can't see the team changing much for this one even though we had some impressive performances on Tues night with players looking to push for a 1st team place. Another win for Rovers would see them on 9 points as we hope to slowly start climbing the league. A win for The Dons would lift them into the top six on 17 points. Although they won their last game (beating Walsall 3-1), their form has been patchy of late. They drew 2-2 with Crewe, lost 2-1 against Stockport and have drawn games against FGR and Newport.

I see no reason why we can't go here and give it a good go. My only concern looking back at the Crawley game is we give the opposition too much of the ball and sit too deep. Hopefully that will not be the case and we give as good as we get.

Prediction: 1-1.
 
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Ian, you optimist! We are only 23rd not 22nd! But not for long I hope.

I am feeling chipper about this one and think we might nick it. Sadly, I can’t go as I’ve got to pick the wife up from Gatwick Airport.
 
Will be a tough game, would be happy with a point but think we will lose 2 1.
 
Wimbledon have I think taken the 8th place that Accrington held this time last week. Unfortunately I think this will be a tougher prospect as we’re away from home and may not get the slices of luck we had last Saturday like the sending off and their keeper getting injured.
Like Ian I don’t think there will be many changes and expect the same back 4, assuming Pikes deal is extended as I think it runs out tomorrow.
Further ahead unless injuries I think it’ll be the same midfield and attack.

Prediction - we could take a point but will have to defend better than we did at Crawley. I’d be over the moon with all 3 but can’t see it
 
I'm hopeful we can get something. Possibly a win if we xan get ahead in the game as per Crawley. We should have learnt something from the Crawley game and Nigel has had more time to drill us in defending a lead.....if we get one. 1-2 away win. Taylor and Turnbull.
 
Adkins has come up with two good game plans for his two games in charge so far, so I’m hopeful he’ll do so again for Wimbledon (who’ll be a rather different challenge to Crawley’s tippy tappy possession for possession’s sake approach).

I‘m not quite as confident - yet - that the players will properly execute the plan for 90+ minutes.

Certainly no reason to be too downbeat though, so I’ll go for a morale-boosting hard-earned point on the road. 1-1.
 
Nigel seems to like making adjustments to combat features of opponents, so it will be interesting to see whether he sticks with a similar if not identical line-up to last week or makes more modifications. Will Turnbull be at left-back again, or back in the centre? Wimbledon usually play 442, but I'd be surprised if we tried to mirror that. While I don't expect any of the trio who started in attack at Stockport to be in the team that lines up on Saturday, arguably Saunders and Apter advanced their cases for a start more.

The teams immediately above Rovers all have games where they look like getting something, so we probably do need to come away with something from the trip to south London..
 
I think it’ll be the same back four. Turnbull not a natural left back but we kept a clean sheet last time out.
Adkins may think about rotating someone like Taylor, perhaps for either Apter or Saunders albeit the former is left footed like Sam.
 
Turnbull at left back seems a bit odd but actually did well last week. When you've had a win and let's be honest, they've been quite rare this season you wouldn't want to change it.
 
Ian said:
Turnbull at left back seems a bit odd but actually did well last week. When you've had a win and let's be honest, they've been quite rare this season you wouldn't want to change it.
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Nigel clearly needed three centre halves on the pitch, the three forward most players are lightweights. Pretty sure he thought Turnbull and Yarney played that way around was stronger. I'd guess Yarney will be benched and a full back come in, unless Wombles are giants also
 
Gonna go for a draw, but I fear for the worst.
We have not won since march. Could it happen?
Or will it continue?
 
Despite our recent improvement under Adkins, our away form remains atrocious and a draw would be a very good result here.

I think our home form is going to be crucial to our prospects in the immediate future, and October is a big month in that regard, with back-to-back home games next week.
 
We will win 2-1 harvey and Taylor will get them i can see Saunders playing tomorrow after his show in midweek if he could get his some kind of form and start putting the ball in the net he would be a lethal weapon but he misses more than nors used to XLol and we all know how he did at Rover's
 
Bigmart, think you mean instead of Merrie, who was an injury doubt. Wonder if Wimbledon a big team too or Nigel not changing a winning team or thinks Turnbull our best left-back option period.
 
Can't argue with keeping a winning team. Bench looks decent too. Come on Rovers!
 
Unchanged makes sense and as Ian says a strong looking bench (on paper anyway).
 
GOALLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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