DONCASTER ROVERSV
CARDIFF CITY
DONCASTER ROVERS
Hopefully Cardiff’s Carling Cup tie in midweek will mean their players are noting it, mentally and physically. If my players show the effort and desire they did against Barnsley last time out, I fancy us to beat anyone. - Dean Saunders
Off the pitch and its "will he stay or will he go?" with regard to Billy Sharp. I'm pleased to see that the club is trying to keep Billy. It makes sense in pretty much every way with the exception of reducing the wage bill but there are more compensations.
If it wasn't for a much talked about contract clause, I am sure that John Ryan's initial price of £3 million for Billy would have attracted interest. Unfortunately, the revised price of £1.8 million will attract more. But if Billy can be persuaded to stay, Rovers benefit from his presence for the rest of the season, plus may be able to get a much better price for him in the summer. Speculate to accumulate as they say plus to keep with the Clash's little ditty, "If he stays there may be trouble, if he goes it will be double".
CARDIFF CITY
We're certainly not taking anyone lightly. We're talking about a team who have won their last three home games, - Malky MacKay
Back to the league and its a tricky little tie for the Rovers, against one of the form teams of the division, Cardiff City. The fixture in the Welsh capital wasn't the best of days for Rovers as the Bluebirds took an easy 2:0 win.
Historically, apart from a memorable and surprising first home victory in the championship, Cardiff have not been lucrative opponents for the Rovers. As I remember, if Donny do play well against them, its a case of close, but no cigar. Last season, two late goals gave the Bluebirds all the points at the Keepmoat, and the season before, I remember a great performance that nearly saw Rovers come back from two goals down.
In any case, a good Rovers performance makes for a decent match between these two, so here's hoping that's what we get.
Good, awful, good, awful, good, awful...anyone seeing a pattern here? What I've just written is a reasonable summary of Rovers' recent performances. Until last week, I thought it was a home and away thing but last weekend, Rovers proved that they could do "awful" at home. I'd have prefered them to show that they could do "good" on their travels to disprove a theory but there you go. Saturday would be a good time to prove that last week was an exception to the rule and that the Keepmoat is indeed a fortress.
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| Billy's Back! |
If it wasn't for a much talked about contract clause, I am sure that John Ryan's initial price of £3 million for Billy would have attracted interest. Unfortunately, the revised price of £1.8 million will attract more. But if Billy can be persuaded to stay, Rovers benefit from his presence for the rest of the season, plus may be able to get a much better price for him in the summer. Speculate to accumulate as they say plus to keep with the Clash's little ditty, "If he stays there may be trouble, if he goes it will be double".
From what I've heard, another new player could be in for the Saturday match. It sounds as if FIFA have finally got back to the office and found pen to complete the paperwork for Damien Plessis. That just leaves Habib Bamogo of the three players who agreed to sign before Christmas after Mamadou Babayoko made his debut last week. Am i the only one having trouble keeping up with all the comings at Donny?
We're certainly not taking anyone lightly. We're talking about a team who have won their last three home games, - Malky MacKay
You know, John Ryan thinks up an imaginative method to save money and keep Donny in the championship while he only had to look to the Bluebirds for the most obvious way. Just make sure you get a game at Wembley every other year, thereby creating enough revenue to sort out any wage bill issues. Now why didn't he think of that!
That's what Cardiff have achieved and I doubt many other clubs can make a similar claim. Tuesday saw them play a League Cup semi-final first leg and after just losing by a single goal at Selhurst Park, Wembley is more than a possibility. Even if they don't make it, at the moment they are looking a good bet for the play-offs, that is unless they mess up and get automatic promotion.
But all that is academic. The question is, could they handle the might of Notts County?
On 2nd January against Reading they served their fans up a real treat and ticked most of my boxes. They move the ball beautifully and have a bit of fight about them.
The first half was the Peter Whittingham show. He came close with a run and shot early on and then created Cardiff's second and third goals, the second with a fabulous in-swinging corner and the third with a great through-ball to Kenny Miller. Great stuff. The only solice for Rovers being that Reading's goal was very soft in terms of the defending at the far side of the penalty area. Still, Cardiff beat the team one place below them 3:1 and the Royals were lucky to get away with that!
Against Forest and that master provider Whittingham set up the goal again. A crose from midfield for Kenny Miller to head home. But there was more for a young Donny fan to smile about in this one. It looks like its worth having a run at Andy Taylor, Cardiff's left back. Forest did a couple of times and had it not been for their toothlessness, may have got something for their trouble.
Against Watford and it was more of the same. Peter Whittingham looking brilliant. No assists this time but a couple of very good efforts, one of which Cardiff fans will always wonder how it stayed out. That evil inswinging corner was also there to be appreciated.
So, I'd say this Saturday is as tough a job as I've seen put in front of the Rovers this season. Cardiff could just about handle Notts County.
Enjoy the game everyone and a safe trip to all Bluebirds finding their way to Donny.
That's what Cardiff have achieved and I doubt many other clubs can make a similar claim. Tuesday saw them play a League Cup semi-final first leg and after just losing by a single goal at Selhurst Park, Wembley is more than a possibility. Even if they don't make it, at the moment they are looking a good bet for the play-offs, that is unless they mess up and get automatic promotion.
But all that is academic. The question is, could they handle the might of Notts County?
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| Peter Whittingham - Master Provider |
The first half was the Peter Whittingham show. He came close with a run and shot early on and then created Cardiff's second and third goals, the second with a fabulous in-swinging corner and the third with a great through-ball to Kenny Miller. Great stuff. The only solice for Rovers being that Reading's goal was very soft in terms of the defending at the far side of the penalty area. Still, Cardiff beat the team one place below them 3:1 and the Royals were lucky to get away with that!
Against Forest and that master provider Whittingham set up the goal again. A crose from midfield for Kenny Miller to head home. But there was more for a young Donny fan to smile about in this one. It looks like its worth having a run at Andy Taylor, Cardiff's left back. Forest did a couple of times and had it not been for their toothlessness, may have got something for their trouble.
Against Watford and it was more of the same. Peter Whittingham looking brilliant. No assists this time but a couple of very good efforts, one of which Cardiff fans will always wonder how it stayed out. That evil inswinging corner was also there to be appreciated.
So, I'd say this Saturday is as tough a job as I've seen put in front of the Rovers this season. Cardiff could just about handle Notts County.
Enjoy the game everyone and a safe trip to all Bluebirds finding their way to Donny.
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