Bristol Rovers fans making their way to the Midlands have been denied another Darrell Clarke reunion but it will offer an opportunity to reminisce one of the highlights of last season as the Gas secured a 3-1 win over Port Vale to push themselves right into automatic promotion contention.
Rovers’ League One status isn’t quite mathematically secured yet - albeit with the chances of Cambridge United making up a 12-point difference and 19-goal deficit highly unlikely - but that could be secured by full-time today.
Having given Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday a right good go, frustratingly emerging with only a point, Joey Barton will be conscious that Rovers have developed an encouraging but also annoying (and restricting) habit of performing well against the better teams, but have regularly underwhelmed and dropped points when faced with bottom-half opposition.
Managerless Vale therefore represent an opportunity to alter that impression with Clarke’s now former club in a horrible downward spiral - winless in eight and only six points above the drop zone. Here’s how we think the Gas will line up…
Goalkeeper and defence
Barton was pretty forthright on Thursday when he declared that Jed Ward will start a game between now and the end of the season. The question is when, who and how many? As to when the teenager is dropped into the team will determine the latter as we could be looking at a solitary appearance against Bolton Wanderers on the final day of the campaign.
However, there is a case for Barton starting him this weekend against a relatively non-threatening opponent, certainly more so than Plymouth Argyle next week, and seeing how he fares in a largely no-pressure contest.
Then again, James Belshaw hasn’t done a lot wrong of late, so will feel slightly aggrieved if he has lost his place but, at the same time, Ward’s inclusion will be purely for experimental and judgemental reasons rather than possessing a true threat on his status, at least not yet.
In front of his goalkeeper, we’re back to the three vs four debate in defence and you make a decent case for either system to be deployed at Vale Park. Barton matched up with Sheffield Wednesday’s three in midweek having gone with a back four against Derby County.
There were some cracks at the back when trying to combat the Owls and while Vale don’t possess the same level or quality of attackers, you sense a return to a back four.
Full-backs Luca Hoole and Lewis Gordon have been very good of late and deserve to keep their spots, while Lewis Gibson is a near-automatic selection when fit which leads to the Jarell Quansah vs James Connolly debate again.
Barton has probably already shown his hand by immediately selecting the Liverpool loanee on Tuesday after a long lay-off through suspension which indicates how valued he is. That said, he was slightly culpable for the second Wednesday goal so it will be interesting to see if that plays against him.
Assuming Connolly moves to the bench, alongside him providing defensive cover will be James Gibbons while Calum Macdonald waits for another opportunity to show what he can do, the unfortunate victim of Gordon’s form.
Midfield
Barton surprisingly omitted Sam Finley from his starting XI as he looked to match up to Wednesday’s raw physicality and there can’t have been too many times when the midfielder has been deliberately not selected.
The fact he came on at half-time shows the manager perhaps got that decision a little wrong and it will be a surprise not to see him in the engine room from the start in the Potteries. Lamare Bogarde has cemented his role in that area and may well get the nod ahead of Grant Ward as Vale represent a team that Rovers can go after.
That would give the impression therefore that Antony Evans deserves a shot having made three successive appearances as a substitute, making a very clear impact in the last two, and he and Finley can get the Gas playing on the front foot with Bogarde sitting as cover.
Paul Coutts and Jordan Rossiter, of course, remain out but Barton was optimistic we may see Josh Grant in Rovers colours again this season. A starting berth is highly unlikely but over the next week he could make his way into the matchday 18.
Luke McCormick remains out of the conversation from a starting XI point of view and if we’re working on the assumption it’ll be a narrow 4-3-1-2 (which we are) that probably prevents a place in the team for Harry Anderson or Scott Sinclair.
Attack
Aaron Collins was on target against the Owls and his 20-goal quest is one of the remaining primary storylines for Rovers this season. It’s also something that can help the team see the campaign out without any complacency or lack of punch in attack.
The Welshman is four goals shy of the mark and given the challenges that lie ahead at Plymouth, Peterborough and potentially Bolton at home, Vale - who have conceded at least two goals in six of their last seven games - will be an opponent he has an eye on boosting his tally.
Collins will likely continue to play that slightly deeper, looser free role leaving the manager to select two strikers from Josh Coburn, John Marquis and Ryan Loft. The latter probably didn’t quite do enough on Tuesday to justify selection again, and Barton has tended to like Coburn’s legs up front to stretch defences.
Marquis, meanwhile, has proven to be a reliable figure to turn to and unless Barton wants to give Loft another go - which is wholly possible - the 30-year-old should get the nod.
Bristol Rovers (4-3-1-2): James Belshaw; Luca Hoole, Jarell Quansah, Lewis Gibson, Lewis Gordon; Lamare Bogarde, Sam Finley, Antony Evans; Aaron Collins; Josh Coburn, John Marquis
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