Rovers v Cherries

DONCASTER ROVERS

 - V - 

BOURNEMOUTH

Bournemouth.  A team that eight years ago, gave Rovers a 5:0 stuffing that so impressed John Ryan, that he made a mental note to poach their manager.  The manager was duly poached and taught Doncaster Rovers and the residence of the town what football was.  

Sadly, Dean Saunders was not a resident of Doncaster at the time so he missed the lessons.  But, at least Deano has us winning games.  OK - you have to be prepared to travel to see it but there are wins!

DONCASTER ROVERS

Aren't Donny bloody infuriating this season?  There's lots that is good.  A great defence,  a great spirit, strikers that can not only hit barn doors, but can kill passing insects that have rested on the barn doors.  The problem is they do it away from the Keepmoat.  The home fans see them sweat, toil and gain little.  Gaining little being defined as being the 16th best team at home in League 1.  Sure, the away fans have seen some great performances but not everyone can afford to travel.

And so it was on Tuesday.  Crewe Alexandra, 18th placed in the league visiting a 5th placed Donny end up winning 2:0.  Obviously Crewe, like Donny have an excellent away record.  Don't be silly!  Before they came to Donny, they were in the bottom four teams away from home.  Bloody infuriating!

No over-reaction from me though.  Its just annoying that the Rovers' away form isn't maintained at home.  Losing to Crewe does not mean that after 8 matches unbeaten, we have become relegation candidates overnight it just means that there's some kind of mental block that needs attention because its bloody infuriating.

They’ve got some good players and are a good footballing team, but I won’t be adjusting our team - Dean Saunders

Cotterill - Starts surely....pleeeeaaasse!

He won't?!! What even with David Cotterill threatening to be fit?  Somebody talk to him - I'm sure he doesn't mean it!  Or perhaps he's just blown his bluff on the Cotterill fitness thing!

A lack of creativity on the flanks was one reason blamed for our lack of success against Crewe.  With Cotterill and Kyle Bennett out of the side, its easy to see why.

On the subject of Kyle, its interesting that Saunders has stated that Bennett will be out for several weeks due to a knee injury sustained in training.  I seem to remember Kyle asking to come off in the game against Notts County and not being allowed to do so due to all substitutes being used.  This was despite the fact that in the game, County had already been reduced to 10 men so would not have had an advantage.

At the time Dean said that players come off too easy these days and in his day, they ran it off.  This was going to be his new instruction to physios "run it off".  I was in two minds about the instruction at the time.  I know what Deano means about players crying too easily but when you're 2:0 up and your opponents are down to 10 men anyway, is it worth risking being macho?

BOURNEMOUTH

It has surprised us how well the lads have performed, I have to say. In the majority of the games, we have been excellent. - Eddie Howe

Not such a surprise to me though.  Eddie Howe became Luke Skywalker to Sean O'Driscoll's Obi-Wan Kenobi, starting his education as a member of O'Driscoll's youth team.  His career has seen him move away from Bournemouth on several occasions both as a player and as a coach.  But his best work has always been carried out at Dean Court.  Home again since October, has the young padawan become the fully blown Jedi?

Marc Pugh - Teaser-in-Chief

Well looking at Bournemouth, I saw the type of football that Dean Saunders should be bringing to the Keepmoat.  They move the ball quickly with plenty of really good "give and go's".  All attacking players look prepared to attack defenders just enough to make them commit and then pass the ball into space created.  Marc Pugh, who Eddie Howe is trying to persuade to sign a new contract is teaser-in-chief.  Expect Paul Quinn to receive an examination today.

Finally, I would also say the style is quite direct.  In the highlights I watched, two of the six goals scored came from long balls forward with one that was pure route 1.

But I wasn't so fond of the defending.  The first goal Carlisle scored was a disaster.  A weak, off balance header from a centre-back falling to an unmarked striker in the penalty area.  If it hadn't been a goal, Carlisle also had an excellent shout for a penalty with one of their strikers forced to give the other Bournemouth centre-back a piggy-back ride.  

Another striker arrived sadly unmarked at the far-side of the penalty area for Carlisle's second.  Half-hearted challenges were made, but nothing that was going to stop the excellent finish.

My expectation today is a game similar to the one Rovers had against Brentford.  We're not going to get much possession but if we do, there's a defence that will allow chances.  Away from home, we don't need many of those but at home?

Prediction

Donny's defence is going to get a real examination and we're not going to get lucky as we did against Brentford.  because Bournemouth shoot better.  0 : 2