Doncaster Rovers V Swansea City: Battle of the pass masters sure to thrill fans

DONCASTER Rovers manager Sean O'Driscoll admits that his side live in the shadow of Swansea City when it comes to playing the beautiful passing game.

Of all the clubs in the Football League, there are few with better reputations than Rovers for attractive football but today brings one of the rare occasions when they will actually meet their match.

O'Driscoll makes no secret of his admiration for the Swans, who are third in the Championship table and pushing for automatic promotion to the Premier League.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The two clubs won promotion from League One together three years ago and Swansea have preserved their style of play despite the loss of manager Roberto Martinez to Wigan Athletic two summers ago.

Brendan Rodgers, who worked under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, took over as manager this summer after Paulo Sousa quit for an ill-fated spell at Leicester City.

Rodgers has added a defensive mean streak that is currently the envy of the division with the Swans conceding only one goal in their last eight league games.

Seventh-placed Rovers, however, are also in good form and can move within three points of the Swans if they win today's game.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

O'Driscoll said: "We are under no illusions that this is going to be a difficult game. Swansea are a terrific side who play the right way. They are patient and everyone is comfortable with what they do, their fans and their players. If you can get that sort of atmosphere, anything is possible.

"They pass the ball better than us," he admitted. "They have people who are more comfortable on the ball in certain areas which we need. We are okay but we have to mix and match and pull people in so our team is a little more unsettled.

"We want to get to a stage where we are good enough to do what we do and get enough results but I don't think we are there yet," he added. "I know we are not good enough to go out and play the way we want to play. We are not good enough yet.

"We have to look at the opposition, look at their strengths, and see what we need to do," he added. "Their philosophy is a bit more embedded than ours. They are not going to change and maybe we will have to adjust."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rodgers paid 500,000 to sign winger Scott Sinclair from Chelsea at the start of the season and the 21-year-old made his England Under-21 debut in midweek after scoring 12 goals in 16 games for the Swans.

Striker David Healy, meanwhile, is currently the star of the show for Rovers, bagging the winning goals in two of his first three appearances for the club after signing a one-month loan deal from Sunderland.

The Northern Ireland international was brought in to deputise for the injured Billy Sharp, who has returned to full training quicker than expected following a hamstring tear and may even be back on the bench this afternoon.

Brazilian defender Dennis Souza completed his move to Rovers this week after a delay in processing international clearance and Rovers also have winger Simon Whaley available after signing non-contract forms.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Whaley, whose previous clubs include Preston North End, Bradford City and Barnsley was released by Chesterfield last summer after knee surgery. The 25-year-old could be on the bench again today but O'Driscoll says: "If he gets a concrete offer from another club we won't stand in his way because he needs to get his career back on track.

"He sourced his own rehabilitation and treatment and wants to get back into full-time football. We asked if he would mind signing non-contract terms with us last week because we were struggling to fill the bench. Being in the right place at the right time is the secret of everything but this is not a bad place for him to come and ease his way back in."

Of the 10 meetings between the clubs in the last five years both have won three with four draws.

star of the show: David Healy celebrating one of two winning goals the Northern Ireland striker has scored in three appearances for Doncaster since signing a one-month loan deal from Sunderland as cover for Billy Sharp.