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League Two Walsall v Rovers

Ian

Ian

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An interesting trip to the Banks's Stadium next for Rovers where they play 15th place Walsall. Fortunes have changed a little in recent weeks with Rovers winning their last two games and will come into the game in good spirits. Walsall on the other hand made a great start to their campaign winning their first couple of games, topping the league with Peter Clarke holding up the defence. However, it's all been downhill since as they've not picked up a win in their last 10 games. They will be desperate for a win, but hopefully Rovers have caught them at a good time and we can continue our winning streak on Saturday.
 
The home fans are not happy at the moment as they invested quite a bit under new manager Michael Flynn. Although Clarke is likely to be on the bench for the third league game running, ex rovers manny monthe and donorvan Daniels should start at the back.

Will be interesting whether Morris starts although may depend on the fitness of hawkes. I’d like to give Burton a go ahead of Nevitt but Micky May only change the winning Salford team if he has to.

I’m predicting a draw but would gladly take another 1-0 win
 
I think Nevitt would benefit from a rest but it's probably not going to happen. I think Morris will start. The last few performances have been encouraging so I'm going for a Rovers win. 2-0.
 
They are well out of form but so we're Newport when we went there, going for a draw 1 1.
 
well I am going 2-0 with Burton and Kane getting them,as for Morris it will be another half game who also plays in centre mid Hughes or Merrie at last MM has some comp for places shame we have non up front
 
The encouraging performance against notlob must give Micky some food for thought. There has to be one change with O'Connor on international duty and you'd hope that Merrie's MoM performance last night would mean even MM wouldn't want to leave him out of the starting xi. Defensively Doohan and Turnbull will come back in, midfield depends on the situation with Hawkes, still no idea if last night's absence was tactical or enforced. Think it's probably too early to give Morris a full game. Up front, Nevitt seems to be struggling at present, while the manager has reservations about Burton, so perhaps a starting pairing of Hemmings and Lewis?

At least 3 former Rovers will feature, even if Clarke seems likely being confined to bench duty. Throw in our reputation as the struggler's friend and think I'd take a draw.
 
I am quite confident we will put in a decent performance. We are in good shape at the moment, with the arrival of Simeu and the switch to 442 giving us a solidity that we have not had previously this season. Confidence is visibly growing in the squad.

I agree that Micky has a selection headache in midfield. Merrie was excellent last night, but in my view Hughes has been just as good in the last two games and is equally, if not more, influential. MaClear had a decent game against Bolton and if both Hawkes and Morris are available, I don't think it is a given that Merrie will start.

My guess is that Mellon will regard a central midfield pairing of Hughes and MaClear as too lightweight, meaning Merrie and MaClear play in the middle and Morris plays forty five to sixty minutes, to be replaced by Hughes.

A draw would not be a disaster but I think we can take all three points.

The away ticket sales are quite poor, despite our recent upturn.
 
I forgot Walsall also have joss labadie and our ex loanee Jacob Maddox.

I just hope our strikers can start scoring. If we score early the home fans will surely turn as Flynn is under pressure with no wins in 10. So we need to be ultra positive from the start. If we just sit and allow them to come on to us they do have some half decent players
 
In respect of midfield options, hasn't Hughes been playing out wide for Rovers? Haven't seen much of him in action.

I'd forgotten about Labadie, who think has been long-term injured and Maddox, who MM sent back early from a loan spell. The Saddlers fans don't seem that enthused about Johnson, who seems to be most effective at close range.
 
Walsall fans who don’t rate Johnson are crazy. He’s scored 6 in 9 in the league. What more do they want from a striker?!

I didn’t realise that although they haven’t won in 10, Walsall have lost 7 of those so surely a great opportunity for three points.
 
Last ten games over a span of ten years in league and cup our record’s not great v Walsall. Won one, drawn two and lost seven. Our record prior to that makes better reading. Bit of a bogey team in recent times so let’s hope we can change that pattern. Two away wins on the trot would be a rare and beautiful thing; let’s not be too down with a point if it comes to that though. A defeat against a side struggling for form is certainly no stranger to us though; another pattern that needs putting to bed.
 
In his pre-match interview Micky confirmed that Jameson and Robinson are now back in training. He was also full of praise for Simeu.

One misgiving I have about Saturday is that Flynn's Walsall will represent a very different challenge to Salford or Bolton. I would expect them to be a lot more physical and direct, and the game to be bittier, which will be a different test for the younger members of the squad.
 
Good point RLC. I guess that means Micky will likely stick with Hemmings and Nevitt rather than throwing Burton in. May also mean a start for Lewis given his experience/presence and a goal on Tuesday of course.
 
Rockfords Love Child said:
In his pre-match interview Micky confirmed that Jameson and Robinson are now back in training. He was also full of praise for Simeu.

One misgiving I have about Saturday is that Flynn's Walsall will represent a very different challenge to Salford or Bolton. I would expect them to be a lot more physical and direct, and the game to be bittier, which will be a different test for the younger members of the squad.
Click to expand...
Either Robinson’s been out longer than initially expected or Jamieson back quicker. Can’t see either getting close to first team action at present. Though Robinson’s return may allow Bristow to be rested in Pizza Cup games, while the extra cover should allow us to find a loan placement for Hockenhull.

Any mention of Hawkes availability for the weekend?
 
Boz said:
Either Robinson’s been out longer than initially expected or Jamieson back quicker. Can’t see either getting close to first team action at present. Though Robinson’s return may allow Bristow to be rested in Pizza Cup games, while the extra cover should allow us to find a loan placement for Hockenhull.

Any mention of Hawkes availability for the weekend?
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No, Hawkes was not mentioned.
 
Interesting comments on the Walsall forum about their poor run of form

“Last season we didn’t win in 7, then played Tranmere and won.

Last season Mansfield won their first two games of the season with the second being against Newport, then went on a terrible run of form and their next win 12 games later came against…Tranmere”

donervan Daniels missed their Tuesday game with injury so Clarke may come back in depending on whether they play a back 3 or 4
 
Sparky said:
Interesting comments on the Walsall forum about their poor run of form

“Last season we didn’t win in 7, then played Tranmere and won.

Last season Mansfield won their first two games of the season with the second being against Newport, then went on a terrible run of form and their next win 12 games later came against…Tranmere”

donervan Daniels missed their Tuesday game with injury so Clarke may come back in depending on whether they play a back 3 or 4
Click to expand...
Pure superstition and irrelevant ultimately.
 
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