Cambridge United vs Bristol Rovers tips: Patient Gas to find a way through physical U's
- George Dempsey
- 18 August 2023
Cambridge United have made a strong start to the League One season but may face their toughest test yet when they face Bristol Rovers on Saturday.
Cambridge United and Bristol Rovers will meet at the Abbey Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
League One betting tips
Cambridge United vs Bristol Rovers betting preview
Cambridge United suffered their first defeat of the season midweek as they were beaten 2-1 at home by Steve Evans' high-flying Stevenage.
The U's kicked off their League One campaign with a 2-0 victory over promotion hopefuls Oxford United beating Fleetwood by the same scoreline on their travels.
Bristol Rovers have defied expectations so far this season, although not in the eyes of Planet Sport who have tipped them for a
top-six finish in League One.
Joey Barton's side bravely battled to 1-1 draws against Portsmouth and Barnsley, and probably should have beaten the latter, before winning 2-1 away to Charlton earlier this week.
Mark Bonner said in his pre-match press conference that he expects the Gas to be a 'real force in the league this season' but insisted his side will take the game to the visitors as best they can.
His side has looked adaptable in the early stages of the season, dominating possession in their 2-1 loss to Stevenage but also allowing Sutton and Oxford to control the ball.
Bonner's side will likely line up in a 4-2-3-1 system again with Gassan Ahadme, Jack Lankester, James Brophy and Elias Kachunga offering qualities on and off the ball in a front four.
Kachunga looks capable of causing problems for Luca Hoole, who hasn't found his feet defensively this season, although he could be afforded a rest with Jack Hunt arriving on Thursday.
The U's like to press aggressively, highlighted by the fact that striker Ahadme (4.7) has committed more fouls per 90 minutes than anyone in League One, and Brophy (3.3) is in the top 10 for tackles.
Much of their creative threat comes from George Thomas who lurks a little deeper in a midfield two alongside Paul Digby and has already made nine key passes in three appearances.
That said, only three teams have made fewer pass attempts and only one side has played more successful long balls. This is a very direct team, something Rovers should be able to cope with.
The biggest key to victory will be winning those individual aerial battles, particularly against Ahadme, and playing forward quickly after winning the second ball.
Digby's numbers match up to those produced by Bristol Rovers forward Aaron Collins and midfielder Anthony Evans so far this season, both of whom rank top 10 in League One for key passes.
Collins is versatile but likely to be deployed on the right again, with Scott Sinclair or Luke Thomas flanking Evans on the other side and John Marquis continuing in attack.
If Barton's men can find those players quickly in transition, before the home side can get back into their block, then the visitors should be able to expose suspect individual defending.
To have averaged 48% possession against three promotion contenders highlights where Rovers have improved. The midfield pairing of Sam Finley and Grant Ward is getting a firm grip on games.
The clear shift in tact from Barton has been made possible by the arrivals of Tristan Crama, Connor Taylor and Matt Cox, all of whom move the ball well under pressure.
If the visitors can move the ball as sharply under pressure as they did against Barnsley and Charlton, then there's an obvious blueprint to play around the U's press and create danger.
United conceded 68 goals in 46 matches last season, narrowly avoiding relegation by one point. They've persisted with much of the same defence, except Daniel Andrew who arrived in the summer.
The next step in Bristol Rovers improvement arc is to show they can consistently win games of their travels and this looks like a game you want something from if you have top 10 ambitions.
