Doncaster v Portsmouth: The Opposition View

The new manager has made a very good impression and everything is positive at Doncaster at the moment.
Doncaster boss Grant McCannDoncaster boss Grant McCann
Doncaster boss Grant McCann

Grant McCann doesn't want his teams to worry about the opposition too much, he'd rather they go out there and really stamp their authority on games.

He's been playing a 4-3-3 formation and likes his full-backs to get nice and high and play almost as wingers.

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It really clicked into gear in the second half of Donny's 3-2 opening-day win at Southend.

McCann's made a co uple of impressive loan signings this summer with two young lads coming in and looking really good.

Herbie Kane is a lad they've got from  Liverpool who's only 19 but looks  like a seasoned pro. He looks quality.

And Mallik Wilks, who's been picked up from Leeds, he's scored in his first three games. He's got something in his locker.

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Darren Ferguson had laid the foundations for McCann and his departure in the summer was something of a surprise.

Fergie started to build a young team and the spine of the team is still there.

McCann has added some more youth and quality to the squad and given them the licence to go out and really express themselves in games.  

Fergie was a little more cautious and structured than McCann, which is actually an unusual thing to say about Darren Ferguson. That's how it played out, though.

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The manager has made no bones about the fact he wants to compete for the top six. He wants them up there and challenging.

I've expressed a few doubts myself about whether they have enough strength in depth to do that.

I'm not sure there is quite enough depth to the quality to last the season at present . 

But the manager wants to push for it and that matches the ambition of the club to push to get out of this division. 

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John Marquis has been the main man here for a fair while, but now Wilks has come along and is looking the part.

It' s set up nicely for the game because Donny won't sit back.

They'll try to go out and impose themselves on Pompey and will be looking for the three points, so I can see i t being quite a good clash.

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