How Doncaster Rovers boss Darren Moore will use blank midweeks to fine tune his first team squad

Darren Moore, the Doncaster Rovers manager, has taken full advantage of a blank midweek to put his players through their paces on the training pitch.
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The 2-1 reverse at Gillingham on Saturday completed a run of seven matches in 22 games for Rovers who have now entered a four-week period without midweek matches.

And for Moore, the ‘break’ has enabled him to spend some quality time on the practice pitch as he fine tunes his young first team squad ahead of a potential play-off push.

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“What it does it presents us with a good opportunity to work on some parts of the game and try and further improve areas and we have taken the opportunity to do so,” said Moore, as he prepares his side for tomorrow’s trip to out-of-form Shrewsbury Town.

“We've been trying to work on patterns of play; individuals getting better at their roles of what they are doing for the team.”More understanding, in and out of possession of the ball - different areas of the pitch where the ball is, getting that clear understanding; areas in terms of what the opposition is going to throw at you and us having the ability to combat that and deal with that.

“So, there's been lots and lots of things that have been continued. We continue to do it and we keep repeating it because we feel that repetition will add to that consistency.

“We feel that we've got a younger group here, so the more time we can replicate things and show repetition we get more understanding - and by that understanding the players will recognise it and understand it and go from there.”

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And Moore cited his side’s ‘excellent’ performance in defeat at the Priestfield Stadium – where Rovers were beaten 3-0 in the FA Cup in December – as an example of his players absorbing instructions on the training pitch.

Doncaster Rovers manager Darren Moore. Photo: Marie Caley.Doncaster Rovers manager Darren Moore. Photo: Marie Caley.
Doncaster Rovers manager Darren Moore. Photo: Marie Caley.

“I thought the players' response to when we went to Gillingham was a different performance to what it was in the cup. It was chalk and cheese,” said Moore.

“Why was that? Because we learned from previously what we did down there and what we knew what we had to do in terms of going forward, so that aided the understanding.

“I think anybody that watched that game last week would have seen a clearly different team to when we went down there (before) and that's where we are as a squad and that's what we'll continue to do.

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“We'll continue to work and this week has seen us work on both aspects of the game in and out of possession of the ball, and that's what we need to continue to do.

“That will be this week and it will be the same again next week in order to get that understanding and consistency to our game.”