Ward on Hereford and competition for places Having started their pre-season programme on Friday evening with a game against Bath City, Rovers face Hereford United tomorrow night and Derby County at the Memorial Stadium on Friday. When he was interviewed at the training ground this morning, manager John Ward said that he hoped to have the same squad available to him for the trip to Edgar Street, with a couple of additions. âThere were no injuries sustained in Fridayâs game, so everyone was out training this morning. Mitch Harding and Ellis Harrison also trained and may well be included in the squad. âAll of the younger players will travel with us, as itâs a learning curve for them. We might not do the same as last week, when we gave everyone 45 minutes, as I think we now need to have players getting an hour or 70 minutes. "Then we face Derby County on Friday night. We have some tough games this week, which is exactly how I wanted it and at the moment everything is looking fair. âWe need now to prepare strongly in preparation for the start of the season and these games are a big help to us as we do that.â The manager does have competition for places all over the pitch, and says that there is a competitive edge to the training as the season approaches. âThere is good competition, and itâs getting better. We have players coming back from injury, such as Garry Kenneth and Matt Gill and that will improve and increase the competitiveness which is exactly what we want. âI donât want people expecting to play, as they have to earn a place in this team. Itâs very young and has a lot of inexperience as well so we need to look after them and my staff and I have to take that on board and look after the younger lads.â This is an extract from this morningâs interview with the manager, and the whole interview is now available on Gas Player.
Start with are strongest team in the first half IMO and then bring on some younger players on at half time.
Well if everybody is fit then Mildenhall Smith_Parkes_McChrystal_Brown Harrison_Norburn_Clucas_Broghammer Harrold_Clarkson Or maybe we could try out something like this... Mildenhall Smith_Parkes_McChrystal_Brown Harrison_Norburn_Broghammer Clarkson Harrold_Brunt It just shows our squad isn't strong enough or experienced in midfield so hoping for some loans of some sort are defence is fine (unless we get bloody injuries again) and I think up front we should be ok.
Not sure maybe try him in midfield somewhere I would definitely keep the back four Smith Parkes McChrystal Brown when possible IMO.
I agree, keep Smith until he warrants being dropped. Was very good last season, as was Brown so keep both for now
woodards ended up playing CM alongside o'toole. so he is another option in CM. thats what i was thinking. also when kenneth is back, maybe then push parkes in CM as another option. of course i would rather not have parkes in CM but he has played there so is another option. i worry ward will see the same, if o'toole dont come then we got goddard, clucas, clarke, norburn, gill, woodards, parkes and clarkson who can play CM. lots of options.
Tonight's Team Mildenhall, Smith, Keary, Parkes, Paterson, Harrison, Clarke, Rigg, Broghammer, Harrold, Richards
Rovers' starting XI at Edgar Street Hereford United Bristol Rovers John Ward has a squad of 22 players available to him at Edgar Street this evening. Ryan Brunt is not included in the travelling party, but Ellis Harrison and Mitch Harding, who missed out against Bath City last Friday, will get some game time under their belts tonight. Rovers: Steve Mildenhall, Michael Smith, Pat Keary, Tom Parkes, Jim Paterson, Ellis Harrison, George Rigg, Ollie Clarke, Fabian Broghammer, Matt Harrold, Eliot Richards Substitutes: Josh Southway, Lee Brown, Mark McChrystal, Tom Lockyer, David Clarkson, Mitch Harding, Ollie Norburn, Alefe Santos, Shaquille Hunter, Jordan Goddard, Conor Gough
hammer off injured and hunter comes on as his replacement paterson off injured and southway on as his replacement. 2nd half subs... McChrystal on for Keary Clarkson on for Richards Norburn on for Rigg Brown on for smith Santos on for Harrison
