Football The lessons Rovers must learn ahead of Ipswich rematch
TWO weeks after Bristol Rovers were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Ipswich Town, the sides meet again tomorrow for the Pirates’ first home League One game of the season.
That first meeting ended in a 3-0 defeat for Ben Garner’s Gas at Portman Road, and his side must learn from a chastening afternoon marred by defensive frailties.
A good point at Sunderland to kick off the league campaign on Saturday, when they defended superbly through sustained periods of pressure, will undoubtedly have boosted Rovers’ confidence and Garner will demand his players build on that performance.
But his coaching sessions this week will be underpinned by the message they must not repeat the mistakes of their first encounter with Paul Lambert’s Tractor Boys. HIGH DEFENCE EXPLOITED BY
BALLS OVER THE TOP IPSWICH’S game-plan at Portman Road was pretty clear. Lambert’s side looked to nick the ball back and play quickly from back to front to exploit Rovers’ high line.
They did it to great effect, with Garner’s side caused plenty of problems from long balls and goalkicks as Rovers’ much-changed defence showed a lack of familiarity. Holding midfielder Andre Dozzell was a primary source of that service in a quarterback role, clipping balls into the acres of space behind the back three without taking a touch – utilising the speed of Freddie Sears and Aaron Drinan.
Ipswich played 80 long passes with an accuracy of 56 per cent, compared to Rovers’ 69 with a 49 per cent accuracy.
Ipswich also played more passes to the final third, with 99 at an accuracy of 67 per cent. Rovers attempted much fewer (57) and with lesser success (44 per cent accuracy).
Lambert’s side are also eager to get the ball into the penalty area, playing almost twice as many passes into the area in their meeting with the Gas (31 to 17), and at a superior accuracy of 48 per cent to 35 per cent.
This points to a clash of styles. More patient and considered passing play will come from Rovers, while Ipswich will look to test them with direct service.
The differences between the sides in style are best indicated by the number of possessions reaching the opposition’s half. Rovers managed 43 forays into the Ipswich half – just 34 per cent of the times they had the ball – while almost two thirds of Lambert’s side’s 125 spells with possession ended in Rovers’ half (78).
To combat this, Rovers have a few options. They could defend deeper and force Ipswich to try to play through them rather than over them, but at home Garner will likely want his side on the front foot and looking to boss possession.
The Gas will certainly need to play offside better than they did at Portman Road, with the defensive line caught out of shape time and again, and with Max Ehmer likely to continue in the centre of the back three after an impressive showing at Sunderland, Garner’s side ought to be much more secure than they were in Suffolk.
Garner will want his side to press more effectively, applying pressure to the Ipswich defenders and the likes of Dozzell to ensure they cannot give the same service for the forwards to chase.
CORNER ROUTINES ROVERS conceded goals from corners in each of their opening games, but the free header against Ipswich has a bit more tactical nuance.
In the EFL Trophy draw with Walsall, a Gas defender lost his marker but Ipswich’s second goal in the Carabao Cup defeat came from a well-engineered block from a corner, which saw Toto Nsiala cut off Ehmer’s path, allowing Luke Chambers to run free to the near post. Jack Baldwin, who was marking Nsiala, was unable to track Chambers in time and the defender was able to glance a header uncontested into the net, with no Rovers defenders within two yards of him.
Rovers need to be wary of Ipswich’s set-piece routines and ensure they do not fall into the same trap again. They must be physical in their marking and try to identify rehearsed routines before the ball is delivered into the box.
In fairness to Rovers, their defending of set-pieces was much improved against Sunderland with Anssi Jaakkola’s return from international duty making them much more secure in their own box. MAKE BETTER USE OF
POSSESSION ROVERS left Portman Road having seen a 51 per cent share of possession, which is a relatively impressive total playing away at one of the bookies’ favourites for the title.
But too often good balls were played into the feet of Rovers’ attacking players and poor control under duress would see the move collapse and give Ipswich a good counter-attacking opportunity.
Garner’s experiment to play without a recognised forward will not be repeated, and Hanlan and Jonah Ayunga will offer a physical presence and focal point in attack.
That should help the Gas to build the kind of platform in the final third they lacked at Ipswich, making them a more potent threat with the share of possession they have.
It would go a long way to curtailing Ipswich’s threat in transition, too.
A stat mentioned earlier is pertinent here, too. The number of spells in possession entering the opposition half.
Too often Rovers attempted to play out from the back, only for it to be aborted with a hurried clearance from the ‘keeper which returned the ball to the opposition.
If the Gas are going to play from the back, they need to make it beyond the halfway line much more than 34 per cent of the time if they are to make that playing style worth their while.