‘3 games in 6 days: a busy week for Gasheads’

So, football is back – and it can’t stay away. It promises to be an exceptionally busy week for Gasheads with three home games in six days, so I’ll get straight to the point and talk about them as well as our opening-day defeat at Scunthorpe.

It looked like a performance that was frustrating and encouraging in equal measure; we were a match for the Iron for a good hour and Matty Taylor took an exceptionally-taken volleyed goal. This is a side, remember, that lost out to eventual play-off winners Barnsley on goal difference for a top six spot last term and only conceded 15 goals at home all season. 

That said, many who made the trip said the same things; we seemed to lack defensively, particularly in midfield – I mean how did their Number 11 manage to go on a 30 yard run without any tackle being put in before scoring their second?

Also, 3-5-2 doesn’t seem to work for us. I know Darrell likes to try it every so often but I’d prefer a nice, simple 4-4-2. We’ve got two good wide men in Billy Bodin and Christian Montano, and Byron Moore is another option – let’s use them. 

On the subject of criticism, I saw a bit of it levelled Steve Mildenhall’s way for the goals conceded. That’s a bit harsh for me. The first two were great strikes and the third was a one-on-one.

Saturday showed that we need to strengthen, which I think we knew already. Hopefully the gaffer is looking to bring in a streetwise central midfielder who can add some grit.

If we had a 25-year-old clone of Lee Mansell that’d be grand. But if human cloning isn’t sorted by the end of the transfer window I’d take someone with a bit of experience at this level who can muck in defensively, leaving Chris Lines to ping his usual attacking passes about.

Ollie Clarke will come good but has made a huge jump in a short time, and needs to be bedded in to League One. Mansell can do that job at this level for sure and is a leader but he turns 34 next month and needs to be used wisely (no offence Lee). Stuart Sinclair is deservedly a cult hero, someone you want around the team and the club, but potentially lacks the quality to make the difference too often in my book.

I’m expecting three points from the Oxford game. They never outplayed us in League Two last season. They did beat us at home early on but that was down to some downright moronic refereeing, and we beat them in the return fixture.

Plus, they’ve lost their two best attacking threats in Kemar Roofe and Callum O’Dowda (and failed to nab Taylor from us to replace them – much to their manager’s displeasure). Kane Hemmings is one that our backline will need to watch but our confidence at home won’t have disappeared over the summer. 

A few words about Bolton, who visit next Wednesday. Watch out for their shirts, which have the worst sponsors in the whole league: “Spin and Win”. That’s even worse than our old Bradshaw Snack Box kit in the 1990s.

Phil Parkinson is a coach of proven quality at this level. Bolton beat Sheffield United, the bookies’ favourites, on opening day, and their squad is a mix of recent ex-Premier League players and very talented kids, like Josh Vela and Zach Clough.

I’d happily take a point here but for now I’m just glad to be back amongst teams like Bolton and, without disrespect, not anywhere near teams like Braintree, where we were going 23 short months ago.

Finally, a quick word for Tom Parkes. No Rovers player with two promotions on the CV should leave without our thanks. He was an integral part of our recent success and will always be welcomed back warmly at the Mem.