The Sons v The Rovers

[HIT THE CHANNEL]

This is the first of a run of four, on paper, 'winnable' games  for us [Ayr (H), Morton (H) and St Mirren (A)], before we play Dundee Utd and Hibs back-to-back.

We have 7 points already this quarter, so another 7 or 8 would keep us on track to hit around 56 points.

With this in mind, I think if we want a play off spot, we could really do with winning on Saturday. However, the clocks going back jinx , the fact that we seem to ship goals at the Rock for fun (the 3-3 last year was genuinely sickening to watch), and the fact that we are not really playing well without a few key players means I am far from confident. 

I had a little read of the Sons v Morton thread and see that the win against Saints was not exactly followed up with a good performance - do you predict a bit of a backlash on Saturday to rectify it?

Team-wise, I agree with others that it would be good to see a bit of Osei or Coustrain.

Whilst nervous about the result, I am very much looking forward to my day out and cheap as f**k drink in the Bowling Club - for those ITK, does it open at 11 or 12?

[Boghead ranter]

5 minutes ago, HIT THE CHANNEL said:

 

I had a little read of the Sons v Morton thread and see that the win against Saints was not exactly followed up with a good performance - do you predict a bit of a backlash on Saturday to rectify it?

Guffaw, no.

Lump your mortgage and your live savings on an away win.

[The Moonster]

I'm missing this one. I expect yet more turgid football with no game plan with injuries, decisions and the fact we're part time being blamed for another week without points, despite the opposition being nothing special. 

 

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

Expecting an away win and having to fight the urge to go and do something more productive with my Saturday afternoon. It's becoming a right tough shift.

Impossible to say how we'll line up with the potential injuries etc.

[Boghead ranter]

2 minutes ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

Expecting an away win and having to fight the urge to go and do something more productive with my Saturday afternoon. It's becoming a right tough shift.

Impossible to say how we'll line up with the potential injuries etc.

Defensively.

[Paco]

The signs have been there in our performances that the winter collapse is on the way, although Lockey's dynamos have thus far managed to keep grinding our some impressive results.

I usually expect to lose to Dumbarton away, but to my surprise our recent record actually isn't bad. Last six results - 2-3 Rovers, 3-3, 2-2, 1-2 Rovers, 3-1 Sons, 2-4 Rovers. Lots of goals but based on our recent performances I don't really see us scoring many, truth be told. I missed the 4-2 win at Falkirk which will influence that but in the last three matches I've seen (0-0 with Hibs/Dunfermline, spawny 1-0 with QoS) we've barely registered a meaningful shot on goal. 

1-0 either way in a complete shitfest of a game.

[Jan Vojáček]

We will line up to play for a 0-0, we will have 2 (TWO) shots on target and we will lose 0-1 or maybe 0-2.

Afterwards Stevie will 'bemoan' our luck with injuries, talk about how low the budget is, how difficult it is to be a part-time team, how hard the players have worked in training and call Raith a 'top, top side'. He may also say we're looking at the free agent market.

There will be no MOTM. Ryan Stevenson will be our only outfield unused sub. Robert Thomson will get 90 minutes and win 1 header out of every 4 he goes for. Craig Pettigrew will lash a ball into the car park with his left foot in the final 10 minutes. Joe Thomson will be subbed.

Buzzing for Bonnyrigg. At least then we might get slightly different excuses.

[Boghead ranter]

1 minute ago, Sonsteam of 08 said:

Buzzing for Bonnyrigg. At least then we might get slightly different excuses.

Only with the insertion of the word Junior into "Top, top side"

[Jan Vojáček]

Only with the insertion of the word Junior into "Top, top side"

Good shout.

[Raithie]

A game we should be looking to win if we have any aspirations of staying in amongst the playoff pack. No idea what our injury situation is like at the moment after being distracted by the international break but I'm sure we'll hear more from Locke in his pre-match video later in the week. As with most games at The Rock I'll be surprised if we keep a clean sheet but fancy us to get the 3 points. 

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

3 hours ago, HIT THE CHANNEL said:

This is the first of a run of four, on paper, 'winnable' games  for us [Ayr (H), Morton (H) and St Mirren (A)], before we play Dundee Utd and Hibs back-to-back.

We have 7 points already this quarter, so another 7 or 8 would keep us on track to hit around 56 points.

With this in mind, I think if we want a play off spot, we could really do with winning on Saturday. However, the clocks going back jinx , the fact that we seem to ship goals at the Rock for fun (the 3-3 last year was genuinely sickening to watch), and the fact that we are not really playing well without a few key players means I am far from confident. 

I had a little read of the Sons v Morton thread and see that the win against Saints was not exactly followed up with a good performance - do you predict a bit of a backlash on Saturday to rectify it?

Team-wise, I agree with others that it would be good to see a bit of Osei or Coustrain.

Whilst nervous about the result, I am very much looking forward to my day out and cheap as f**k drink in the Bowling Club - for those ITK, does it open at 11 or 12?

01389 732820

[Scary Bear]

01389 732820

Call for a good time?

You not heard of Tinder?

[Rover the Moon]

Surely we'll go with a bit of width and pace in this game. Despite the clean sheets, the lop-sided midfield with Matthews on the right isn't working. Be good to think we've got some decent options to throw in to freshen it up.

High scoring, edge of the seat, squeaky bum game. It's Rovers-Dumbarton, always is.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

16 hours ago, Scary Bear said:

 

Call for a good time?

You not heard of Tinder?

 

Give it a call, ask for Jack.

[rrfsee]

Called the number Jacks off I was told.

[RR #1]

16 hours ago, Rover the Moon said:

Surely we'll go with a bit of width and pace in this game. Despite the clean sheets, the lop-sided midfield with Matthews on the right isn't working. Be good to think we've got some decent options to throw in to freshen it up.

High scoring, edge of the seat, squeaky bum game. It's Rovers-Dumbarton, always is.

The managers preferred formation may not be conventional or pretty to watch at times but to say it isn't working is just wrong. We are as high as we can expect to be in the league, in good form and I think the only league game we have lost with Mathews playing right midfield is at home to Falkirk. Yet it seems many share this view that the current formation/RM should be changed.  

[WSDR 88]

As usual I think this will be a wild score line, I was at the 3-3 game last season (outrageous anal collapse in the last 10-15mins). This time I'll go for something similar but with the 3pts back to Kdy, 3-2 away win.
I'd like to see Coustrain given a chance, him and Johnston on the wings, Matthews back in the middle with Thomson. Super Davo at RB to continue. Goals from Stewart & a Skacel winner.

[CALDERON]

3 hours ago, RR #1 said:

The managers preferred formation may not be conventional or pretty to watch at times but to say it isn't working is just wrong. We are as high as we can expect to be in the league, in good form and I think the only league game we have lost with Mathews playing right midfield is at home to Falkirk. Yet it seems many share this view that the current formation/RM should be changed.  

The past few weeks we have really struggled with no natural width down the right.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

RRFC Official

 

✔ @RaithRovers_FC

Dumbarton on Saturday? There will be MAJOR M74 roadworks that will seriously affect M8 travel. Take a wide diversion and allow extra time

[Paco]

I don't mind Matthews at RM away from home, gives us some extra protection when Callachan races forward. Without Thomson at RB though, we've really struggled in recent weeks. Davidson has been surprisingly competent defensively but quite rightly we're not asking him to go above the halfway line. The loss of Barr from the left has just exacerbated our lack of attacking threat on the other side.

With Barr/Johnston on the wings we looked a little imbalanced and easy to play against, even against dross like Montrose. Very few teams at this level play 4-4-2 with two attacking wingers, Grant Murray played it for years and took us absolutely nowhere. There's also the fact Scott Roberts has done little to deserve a start, and he would be Locke's first pick to step up it seems, Coustrain appears to be on the fringes for now. 

In summary, fine when we have Barr/Thomson in the side, at the moment we're struggling. Maybe we'll see the 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 again.