Joey Barton has done his level best to play down, or at least divert, any pressure being on him and his Bristol Rovers team, rather cleverly pushing that agenda onto an Ipswich Town side in danger of losing touch with Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth Argyle in the automatic promotion berths.
But while Ipswich’s budget and resources may be the mightiest in the division, the Gas are still expected to compete and deliver a markedly better performance than what was last produced when they took to the field at the Mem, against MK Dons.
Fans are getting tetchy and irritable by this run of results, while the manager’s social media activity has only added to the sense of frustration that is simmering and will continue to rise in terms of temperature until Rovers get back to winning ways.
There is no doubt that this season can still be considered a positive one, but there are still 16 games remaining and the Gas are drifting and need some kind of redirecting, which can only be achieved by results on the field. Here’s how we think they’ll line up at the Mem…
Goalkeeper and defence
We’re not quite sure how best to describe it, given the slightly bizarre nature of the arrangement, but after his three-game clause was satisfied with defeat at Lincoln, Ellery Balcombe no longer has to be an automatic starter for the Gas.
As revealed by Joey Barton on BBC Radio Bristol, the 23-year-old had to start the first three matches of his loan from Brentford, replacing fan favourite and long-standing No1 James Belshaw who’s been relegated to the bench or ill during that span.
Balcombe is yet to keep a clean sheet or experience anything more than a defeat but it’s a fair statement to say he’s improved from that debut at Morecambe in which everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.
It would seem a little scattergun to drop him, as he’s been able to develop some understanding and chemistry with his defence, plus the fact he had a decent game against Lincoln City, and swapping him out for Belshaw so quickly seems counter-productive, for all parties.
In front of Balcombe, Barton could well revert back to a three-man defence, for two fundamental reasons: firstly, to match up Ipswich’s preferred formation and the feeling that his Rovers team are that little more fluid in such a system. Secondly, because he wants to get Harry Anderson into the side and can’t do so - without dropping someone important and/or shifting individuals around - in a four-man defence.
Anderson made a very clear impact off the bench on Saturday and should be rewarded with a first start since January 1, most likely on the right-hand side, which leaves the centre-back positions to be occupied by: Jarell Quansah, James Connolly and James Gibbons.
The latter remains under FA charges for improper conduct, but as Rovers continue to appeal the decision, he’s permitted to play and, at the time of writing, there had been no decision reached by the governing body.
Calum Macdonald could be an option on the left but is yet to play a single minute for his new club and it seems a tough atmosphere to throw the deadline day arrival in the deep end of Ipswich at home, so that should see Lewis Gordon keep his place on the left, this time in a more advanced position.
We’ve overlooked Scott Sinclair a bit here but if Anderson is on the other flank and with two attack-minded centre midfielders likely, that leaves an already vulnerable defence even more exposed and selecting the forward down the left, while exciting, does leave Rovers very open against one of the best attacking teams in the league.
In reserve, Rovers have Luca Hoole on the bench to cover centre-back and full-back, Lamare Bogarde also as a utility man while Lewis Gibson remains out due to a thigh issue.
Midfield
Jordan Rossiter is still not available following his knee injury sustained in December, Sam Finley serves the second game of his three-match suspension for violent conduct, while Paul Coutts wasn’t able to be part of the squad at Lincoln due to illness.
The Scot should be on the mend but with such a tight turnaround between matches, it seems ambitious to expect him to suit up from the start having not been able to even travel to Sincil Bank on Saturday. Had the game been on Wednesday, an extra 24 hours could have been the difference but, as it stands, it’d be some impressive recovery if the 34-year-old can take his place in the Rovers midfield.
That basically robs Barton of two, if not all three, of his starting central midfielders, which leaves his options pretty straightforward with maybe one point of discussion.
Outside of Glenn Whelan, Grant Ward is Barton’s only true senior central midfielder and has looked reasonably assured since he came into the team.
There is a consideration that Bogarde could make his full debut, should Barton decide for a double pivot, or even Whelan for that matter, but, at home, and with the manager tending to err on the adventurous side against the better teams in the division, he may see such a selection decision as an admission of defeat.
In that context, Ward will start with Bogarde and Whelan on the bench and the Rovers boss will want creativity and drive from midfield in the form of Antony Evans and Luke McCormick with both needing to deliver performances befitting of their respective places in the squad.
Attack
Unfortunately for Barton the one area where he does have options is the one part of the team in which he is most unlikely to make any changes; Aaron Collins and Josh Coburn remain his preferred pairing and are the x-factor in the team at the top of the pitch.
The goals have dried up for the Gas - Collins’ consolation at Morecambe, their only in 450 minutes of action in league and cup - but it’s impossible to leave the Welshman out, given what he’s capable of, while the best individual to compliment him on the field remains Coburn.
That leaves John Marquis in reserve, although with Ryan Loft suspended following his red card against the Imps, the 30-year-old can feel confident of getting some pitch time as he’ll be the first option off the bench in attack. That is, unless Barton elects to switch systems and then Sinclair could be deployed in a more offensive role.
Bristol Rovers (3-5-2, probable): Ellery Balcombe; Jarell Quansah, James Connolly, James Gibbons; Harry Anderson, Antony Evans, Grant Ward, Luke McCormick, Lewis Gordon; Aaron Collins, Josh Coburn
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