Will Have A Go’ – The Verdict On City’s Opponents
An indifferent start to new campaign has seen the Millers lose two and draw one of their opening three games, but Davis saw some positive signs in those fixtures which have provided cause for optimism.
“One point from nine isn’t ideal but Rotherham have been a little bit unlucky,” the reporter analysed. “You’ve got to remember that Rotherham are always pushing above their weight just by being in the Championship, so we don’t judge them too harshly.
“Beaten 4-1 at Stoke City on the opening day, they had a man sent off in the first half but would have lost anyway. Stoke are a good side, play well and I can see them being around the play-offs.
“They needed a response in the next game at home to Blackburn Rovers and got that being 2-0 up early in the second half. The scorer of the second goal, Fred Onyedinma, then got sent off for two bookings in two minutes and I think he was just caught in the moment.
“The game was won with 11 men, but going down to 10 men, Blackburn came back, got it to 2-2 and Rotherham were left hanging on for the last 20 minutes in a game that was there for the taking earlier on. That could be two costly dropped points come the end of the season.
“At Sunderland last week, going in front with a great goal with 17 passes, there was nothing big, strong and direct about that. At 1-0 up, they needed to keep the lead for longer because at Sunderland that crowd is fantastic when things are going well but can be a liability when they’re not.
“Sunderland got their equaliser, scoring early in the second half and Rotherham just didn’t have anything on the bench to change the game. They fought valiantly but 2-1 was about right really. Sunderland were the better side in that second half.”
With Matt Taylor in charge and several exciting summer recruits freshening up the squad, Davis is confident that Rotherham can continue to upset the odds in the second tier and have a successful season.
The journalist explained: “The problem they’ve got at the moment is that they’ve got one of the smallest squads in the Championship in terms of strength in depth. The budget doesn’t match the budget of most other sides and they’ve been hit hard by injuries.
“Rotherham need bodies back if they’re going to have any hope of surviving a second season. They can’t afford to be without half a first team.
“They’ve been a yo-yo club for six years, getting promoted out of League 1 and going straight back down. They stayed up last year in 19th place, six points clear of the bottom three and it was a fantastic achievement. Staying up is a bigger achievement than getting in the division in the first place.
“There’s a new manager in Matt Taylor, with good foundations laid by previous manager Paul Warne. You want to build on that, but all Rotherham have to do this season is stay up again and establish a foothold in the Championship to attract better players and build from there.
“There’s been some good recruitment this summer. Cafu in midfield was at Forest and did well in their Championship side for a couple of years. He’s a better class of player than Rotherham have had before.
“As a playmaker, he’s really comfortable on the ball, doesn’t waste it and is great on set pieces. If he’s playing well, Rotherham tend to play well. I’m quite excited about him. Striker Andre Green looked like he was going to be a sensation when he came through at Villa a few years ago.
“A young kid playing in the Premier League. I think he lost his way a little bit and has rediscovered himself with a two-year spell in Slovenia. He came in on trial and looked the part straight away. He made his debut away at Sunderland and there were some encouraging signs from him.”
The Foxes arrive in south Yorkshire on a four-game winning streak this term, and while there may be a gap between the sides in terms of finances and quality, that can count for little when they do battle on Rotherham’s own turf.
“They won’t be scared,” Davis added. “But they recognise Leicester’s threats. They’re a great club. Matt Taylor has described it as Rotherham’s ultimate test this season. I think he’s entirely right about that. On paper, Leicester should win that game.
“We’ve just made a record signing and it’s less than £500,000. You’re just talking two different levels. But Rotherham are always more than the sum of their parts. They play better football now than some people give them credit for.
“And New York Stadium is a bit of factor. It’s a great place, only 12,000 in capacity but nearly always full. Rotherham fans get behind their team. They’ve really built some good momentum and can knock some good teams out of their stride. Rotherham will have a go.”
