Robins v Rovers

BRISTOL CITY

V

DONCASTER ROVERS

OK Robins and Rovers lets get the rules staright here.  Terms like "must win" and "relegation 6-pointer" are banned around these parts. We're not there yet people!  I'll go along with anyone who says this is an important game for our two clubs, but it is not all over for the losers and nor is it anything like safety for the winners.  Let's agree that a win would be great for either team.  OK?

Now we've got that straight, lets talk about the game.  Back in August, Sean O'Driscoll's Rovers won their one and only point against Bristol.  George Adomah gave City the lead after half time and James Hayter ensured Rovers did get a point on 68 minutes. 

Ashton Gate is not usually a happy hunting ground for Donny, the memorable 5:2 victory two years ago was our first and only win there in nearly 30 years.  Recent form suggests that Saturday will not change much.  Rovers' away form is the worst in the league having not won since early November.  Bristol at home aren't bad of late.  Just marginally worse than Rovers at home on current form.

So the form book doesn't bide well for the visitors but the form book also said that Cardiff should have beaten the comfortably.  So much for form books.

BRISTOL CITY

We've been given the tag of a side that cannot motivate itself for games against sides around us in the table and we don't like it - Cole Skuse

But we do , Cole.  Do carry on being demotivated!

To be honest, the stats just don't bare out the theory that the Robins can't lift themselves to compete against the sides at the lower end of the table.  In terms of their record against bottom-half sides Bristol are 20th in the division.  Against top-half sides, they are also 20th and their position in the league without messing about with weird and wonderful stats is 20th.  

So what should Rovers be concerned about?

Well I'm OK with their midfield who aren't bad at dispossessing their opponents and then moving the ball quickly forwards.  The crossing looks on the money too although the finishing in th games against Brighton and Millwall could have been better.  All in all though, the chances are being created.  They just need putting away.  I don't really understand why Bristol didn't score more.  In Adomah, Maynard and Pitman they have a potent attacking force that just wasn't firing in the games I saw.

Defensively, its not so good.  It looked a bit like chess to me.  When attacked, the defenders would move to a position that certainly got in the way of the advance.  But that's all they did.  There was no real pressure on the ball carrier and no real tight marking to truly limit his options.  So eventually a chance for their opposition is created.  Thank goodness for them that they have David James who remains a very good 'keeper.

Certainly I was much less impressed with Bristol than I was with Cardiff when I previewed the match last week.  It could be the day to break our away-day hoodoo.

DONCASTER ROVERS

We beat Peterborough and Ipswich. We've not had much luck really on the road in the last few weeks so hopefully we get a bit of luck. Sometimes you can win games without playing well if you get a bit of luck. - Dean Saunders

No No No Dean.  This is Donny Rovers.  We just don't do luck and frankly Dean's been in town long enough to realise this.  Joking aside, I really don't get why Dean's said this because we are playing well, as Cardiff found out last week.


It was exciting stuff for a 0:0 at the Keepmoat and in the end, it was Donny who deserved the points and Cardiff who were travelling home with a point plundered.  Yes, it was a shame we didn't get all three points but it was a performance that certainly picked up the fans.  Dean certainly couldn't ask for much more.


Off the pitch and no phone calls for any of Rovers' players.  Now should we be pleased or concerned about that?  Sure, its good that Billy Sharp hasn't received any nuisance calls from a Rovers' point of view, but what about shop-windows?  Perhaps they're covered with that smeery stuff and nobody can see in yet?  The official explanation is that Rovers haven't won enough to attract enough attention.  Well, lets hope that's something that changes then we can sell some shop-window players and break up a winning team.  Stability breeds success; never break up a winning team; how many more conventions will "the experiment" challenge?


Anyway, I'm sure that's enough politics to wind up a few folk so back to the news and we hear that El-Hadji Diouf has finally broken the world for being the slowest to take a pen out of his inside pocket!  Come on Dioufy, you've got the record, you can sign in real time now!


Enjoy the match everybody!