Paul asks strikers to produce in front of home crowd.
Paul Dickov’s pre-match team talk will be fairly simple to his troops: “bring it home”.Rovers have won a staggering ten games on the road this term, but only one at Keepmoat Stadium and that will need to change when Notts County visit tonight if the hosts want to progress to the area semi-final against Preston North End.
“People keep talking about our away form, and it is fantastic but it will be nice to be back at home again. We’re in good form; we’re playing well at the minute and with a lot of confidence and resilience. We want to start getting results here as well as on the road,” Dickov said.
“Notts County are playing really well at the minute and they’re a good team. I don’t think they’ll come here and sit back; they have some good attaching players. We know we have a tough test ahead of us, but we feel that we’re a good team at the minute as well.
“Results are starting to come because we have a group of players who are consistently playing and playing well, it’s no secret that our form has come good when nearly all of the squad are fit and healthy. The majority of our starting eleven have played in all games so far this season.”
Rovers overcame League Two Burton Albion in the previous round and Dickov has called for more ruthlessness in front of goal to avoid the possibility of a penalty shootout.
“Defensively we’ve been excellent the last few games, we just need to be a bit more clinical in front of goal. I believe in the squad that we’ve got and we can get results if we keep playing how we have been,” he said.
“I love working with strikers, especially being a striker myself. It’s important to mix it up and make it enjoyable but it seems to be working well at the minute.
“I know how important it is when you’re playing well and scoring goals, what that can do to your confidence is wonders. On the flip side I know how hard it is when you are lacking confidence and struggling in front of goal.”