It’s funny what a win can do for the mood at a football club. Things could have been extremely different for Bristol Rovers going into this weekend’s trip to Burton Albion had the Gas lost a fifth consecutive match at home to Charlton Athletic on Tuesday night. Instead, Rovers produced their best performance of the season so far to stop the rot. The key now is making sure it wasn’t a one-off.
Naturally, one win isn’t going to completely eliminate any pressure on a manager but you would hope that Tuesday’s victory will act as a springboard for Matt Taylor to turn his side’s form around and subsequently ease any concerns regarding his position.
Fans will see this weekend’s game as a great opportunity to make it back-to-back wins with Burton still yet to taste victory in League One this season. However, there’s always the major danger in circumstances such as this that you’re the side against whom they put an end to their woes.
Only bottom side Cambridge United are also still yet to win in the league but Mark Robinson’s side do have four points to their name having drawn half of their opening eight matches. Rovers certainly need to tread carefully as they go into this one.
Of course, the Brewers have also fared the better of the two sides in recent match-ups, winning the last three meetings including a 4-1 win the last time the Gas visited this part of Staffordshire almost exactly a year ago. Incidentally, it proved to be Joey Barton’s penultimate game in charge.
But what exactly can we expect from a Burton side who broke the English record for most signings in a single transfer window over the summer while also being under new management and new ownership? Bristol Live spoke to the Burton Mail’s sports writer Colston Crawford to find out more…
How would you assess Burton’s start to the season? Are there any games in this winless run that they could/should have won?
It’s too easy to do hard luck stories but a string of pre-season injuries to the new squad have stalled Burton’s start. And they really have been dealt some bad cards so far. Arguably, Lincoln City’s winner on the opening day should have been ruled out; a soft last minute penalty gave Mansfield Town a point in the second game and they have seen three very clear penalties denied so far. Yes, they could easily be looking at three wins so far.
However, you also have to make your own luck and the not winning has shown signs of weighing on the players in the last couple of games.
A record for most players signed in a single transfer window – what was the thinking and what were the reasons for such a major squad overhaul?
Ben Robinson sold the club in the 49th year of his involvement. The new owners, the Nordic Football Group, are an ambitious group with wealthy backing but do not intend to spend wildly. They have made a big impact off the field. Sporting director Bendik Hareide is the son of Iceland’s manager, Age Hareide, who played for Manchester City and Norwich City.
So, they have also started with a blank canvas and retained only five of last season’s squad. It’s great in theory but the gelling of 23 signings cannot be instant. The long-term future looks bright.
What are the early assessments of Mark Robinson?
Robbo, as he is happy to be called, would be on the list of “nicest men in football”. He is a modern coach and talks plenty of sense but the strain of not having won in the league is starting to show. The players seem to believe in him and, hopefully, the owners to. He was their pick.
Who have been some of the stand out players so far? Who do Rovers need to look out for?
The stand-out player has been Billy Bodin. The experienced forward started with a roaming role behind main striker Danilo Orsi and scored three goals in the first two games. But a calf injury has kept him out since the fourth game. The passing of captain Elliot Watt in midfield is a key factor, while Kegs Chauke, ignored by the previous management in his first season, has been one of the few retained and shows a huge capacity for work in midfield.
Bristol Rovers Live on Whatsapp
Join Bristol Rovers Live’s Whatsapp community for all the biggest Bristol Rovers stories sent straight to your phone
Bristol Rovers Live is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.
Through the app, we’ll send the Bristol Rovers news, live match coverage, team news, transfers, fixtures, analysis and more straight to your phone.
To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select ‘Join Community’.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Bristol Live team.
We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out at any time you like.
To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘Exit group’.
If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
What have you made of the Gas’ start to the campaign as an outsider?
The perception from afar, rightly or wrongly, is that the Gas have wealthy owners, have spent, and would be expecting to have started much better than this.
How do you see the game going?
I think early season games – and it is still early season – are especially hard to predict but this one even more so. Does a first win in a while for the Gas mean they kick on or does it prove a false dawn? Is this the game in which the Brewers can break their duck? A draw would not surprise me. Expect Burton to line up 3-4-1-2 something like: Crocombe; Bannon, Sweeney, Williams; Akoto, Chauke, Watt, Kalinauskas; Cooper-Love; Orsi, Whitfield (or Donovan).