| The Real State Of Play... 20:57 - Dec 23 with 23390 views | Cleedale |
OK, haven't posted for possibly years and haven't actually been to a game for about a year, BUT, used to, quite regularly, even though living a long way away. Home & family together with other 'life stuff' has eaten into the bug I used to have and afraid it isn't the priority in my life it once was. However, it still hurts to see poor results.
So, without rabbiting forever, what's happening? Has the style of play been sussed by opps? Have we no longer the quality for Div 1 where I guess some mighty big budgets exist? Is Div 1 a difficult level to blood youngsters (btw, have seen the opportunities Dale give out in that area)?
Are we panicking yet? (I'd see relegation as something that must be avoided at all costs - well, not ALL costs)!
Or, are we just missing a couple of jigsaw pieces? Obviously a Jonah, Lambert, Dawson etc., I think we all know that Dale have had more than our fair share esp. in the last 10'ish years. |  | | |  |
| The Real State Of Play... on 21:09 - Dec 23 with 7164 views | 442Dale |
It's probably really just the last bit. Someone who can manage a game and lead the team on the pitch.
We also have to keep it simple tactically too, get the ball, go forward. Even if it's just moving up the pitch 30 yards and winning throw-ins in the opposition half, it is a basic we achieve when doing well. Hill himself referenced the period when he took over eleven years ago, that side was really good at doing that; someone like Adam Rundle being a perfect example. He wasn't the quickest, but he looked to carry the ball in a progressive manner. Compare that to Williams who too often doesn't trust himself to do the same and turns back to pass the ball. Similar players, different outlook. Change it.
Having a Jones/Stanton/Doolan/Lee Crooks in the side would help this sort of thing no end as well. 2006/07 taught us some valuable lessons. We had 21 points from 20 games that season after Boxing Day, the shift in the outlook was significant. |  |
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| The Real State Of Play... on 21:32 - Dec 23 with 7116 views | kiwidale |
I'm like you having not seen any games I can only view from afar so this is just my opinion. We are just a couple of players away from a very good side theses two players may be at the club already just not firing for whatever reason. Henderson is one obvious player who could spark us a run of games with Heneson on form and scoring would make a big difference the other player could be Done? he has shown that when hes on form goals will come. Daniels at the back could be the right partner for McGahey plus the return of Thompson and what a Christmas present that is, wonderful news, could release Bunney and bring out the best in Him. January recruitment is crucial however all the other teams will have the same opportunity.
I'm not of the opinion relegation would be the disaster you suggest. yes it would be disappointing but the club has made massive strides under Hill and Dunphy the foundations I.E. finances and facilities are in the best state we have ever had. Progress as a club is not just measured by league position bigger clubs than us are currently playing Div 2 who will come back stronger. One thing that is certain we are in a relegation battle no amount of optimism will change that fact its at best 50/50 that we will have enough points come May. I'm not convinced the current squad can turn it around but I'm not in despair yet, a fully fit Keane in midfield could be the answer for the frailties in midfield defending keanne's reading of the game is his strength. Its small margins very small margins, we are not hopeless like under Coleman things can change quickly Its entirely up to Hill, hes under the spotlight, can he turn it around? we will find out after Jan. [Post edited 23 Dec 2017 21:51]
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| The Real State Of Play... on 21:34 - Dec 23 with 7106 views | RAFC1907 |
| The Real State Of Play... on 21:09 - Dec 23 by 442Dale |
It's probably really just the last bit. Someone who can manage a game and lead the team on the pitch.
We also have to keep it simple tactically too, get the ball, go forward. Even if it's just moving up the pitch 30 yards and winning throw-ins in the opposition half, it is a basic we achieve when doing well. Hill himself referenced the period when he took over eleven years ago, that side was really good at doing that; someone like Adam Rundle being a perfect example. He wasn't the quickest, but he looked to carry the ball in a progressive manner. Compare that to Williams who too often doesn't trust himself to do the same and turns back to pass the ball. Similar players, different outlook. Change it.
Having a Jones/Stanton/Doolan/Lee Crooks in the side would help this sort of thing no end as well. 2006/07 taught us some valuable lessons. We had 21 points from 20 games that season after Boxing Day, the shift in the outlook was significant. |
I think if the board are serious about remaining in this league its time we invested in some quality players, its hard with our budget but why not put £200,000 for a out of sorts striker in the championship/top 10 in our league give them a 3 year deal and see where he takes us.
I doubt we will though, although Paul Connor was probably one of the best strikers we paid for.
Hill might have to give Bunney the odd game up front again as when he has played there he has scored a couple. | |
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| The Real State Of Play... on 21:49 - Dec 23 with 7073 views | MoonyDale |
At the moment I think we are one or two players away from being an ordinary side... |  |
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| The Real State Of Play... on 21:54 - Dec 23 with 7055 views | kiwidale |
| The Real State Of Play... on 21:49 - Dec 23 by MoonyDale |
At the moment I think we are one or two players away from being an ordinary side... |
We don't need any more players to be an ordinary side the league table is proof we are less than ordinary we are poor. | |
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| The Real State Of Play... on 22:10 - Dec 23 with 6995 views | DaleFan7 |
| The Real State Of Play... on 21:54 - Dec 23 by kiwidale |
We don't need any more players to be an ordinary side the league table is proof we are less than ordinary we are poor. |
I think that was their point. | | | |
| The Real State Of Play... on 22:13 - Dec 23 with 6984 views | MoonyDale |
Exactly.... | |
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| The Real State Of Play... on 22:28 - Dec 23 with 6923 views | midlandsdale |
Its rather ironic that in the year we got our biggest payout for a former player, we are having the worst season in Hill's tenure! |  | | |
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| The Real State Of Play... on 03:30 - Dec 24 with 6698 views | Bazzanne |
Halfway through a season that I began with enthusiasm and now I'm full of disinterest. This squad is dismal. Although I admire KH for what he has done for this club, at the end of the day these are players chosen by him. The defence is dismal, the midfield is woeful and the attack is nonexistent.
I can't think of one player that I would be sorry see leave, they could all go for me except our up and coming talent in Morley, Adshead and Gillam. This squad reminds me of the horror of the Coleman era. When we go back to League 2 and that's when not if, if we recruit as we have this year we only be leaving one way, and that ain't up. | | | |
| The Real State Of Play... on 03:46 - Dec 24 with 6688 views | kiwidale |
| The Real State Of Play... on 03:30 - Dec 24 by Bazzanne |
Halfway through a season that I began with enthusiasm and now I'm full of disinterest. This squad is dismal. Although I admire KH for what he has done for this club, at the end of the day these are players chosen by him. The defence is dismal, the midfield is woeful and the attack is nonexistent.
I can't think of one player that I would be sorry see leave, they could all go for me except our up and coming talent in Morley, Adshead and Gillam. This squad reminds me of the horror of the Coleman era. When we go back to League 2 and that's when not if, if we recruit as we have this year we only be leaving one way, and that ain't up. |
A massive over reaction and just not true I expect you will get slated for this. | |
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| The Real State Of Play... on 03:58 - Dec 24 with 6686 views | Bazzanne |
| The Real State Of Play... on 03:46 - Dec 24 by kiwidale |
A massive over reaction and just not true I expect you will get slated for this. |
Who cares, what are they going to do? Come and burn my house down! I have my opinions and at the moment this is how I feel. I am sick of the disappointment. After many years I am losing interest slowly and need something to rekindle it. I can't see that happening with this squad. | | | |
| The Real State Of Play... on 08:08 - Dec 24 with 6604 views | hxdale |
Totally agree. These players are not good enough. Are maybe is it the tactics they being asked to play. We have haven't recruited correctly which is now proving costly. We are wanting to attract new supporters. How do you attract supporters by having the players who have skill. Mendez Laing.. has he been replaced Jamie Allen has he been replaced Matty Lund? They were all excellent footballers who I enjoyed watching week in week out. |  | | |
| The Real State Of Play... on 08:41 - Dec 24 with 6545 views | D_Alien |
| The Real State Of Play... on 08:08 - Dec 24 by hxdale |
Totally agree. These players are not good enough. Are maybe is it the tactics they being asked to play. We have haven't recruited correctly which is now proving costly. We are wanting to attract new supporters. How do you attract supporters by having the players who have skill. Mendez Laing.. has he been replaced Jamie Allen has he been replaced Matty Lund? They were all excellent footballers who I enjoyed watching week in week out. |
To recruit/replace championship players, you have to be a club either in the championship or with championship crowds and infrastructure
We're not, so it's pretty meaningless to ask why it hasn't happened
Hill has simply worked miracles for a decade, this season is the first time he's not been able to do so. We can put opinions forward as to why, but it's not through lack of trying. Done, for instance: a player with championship experience, but unfortunately not firing as before
It's not good to watch at the moment, and we're all frustrated with it, but let's stay realistic too. It's realism that we need from the manager; perhaps he always has been, and knew this might happen sooner or later |  |
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| The Real State Of Play... on 09:01 - Dec 24 with 6493 views | Iknoweverything |
| The Real State Of Play... on 03:46 - Dec 24 by kiwidale |
A massive over reaction and just not true I expect you will get slated for this. |
How do you know if it’s an overreaction? By your own admission you haven’t seen us play, so you can’t really have a valid opinion either way. You don’t know who is playing well, who isn’t, what formations work and what don’t, because you haven’t fookin’ seen them. All you have to go on is the opinion of others. Others who have seen us play. Therefore it’s their opinions that warrant listening to, not yours. You’re welcome. Merry Christmas. | | | |
| The Real State Of Play... on 09:06 - Dec 24 with 6483 views | nordenblue |
| The Real State Of Play... on 03:30 - Dec 24 by Bazzanne |
Halfway through a season that I began with enthusiasm and now I'm full of disinterest. This squad is dismal. Although I admire KH for what he has done for this club, at the end of the day these are players chosen by him. The defence is dismal, the midfield is woeful and the attack is nonexistent.
I can't think of one player that I would be sorry see leave, they could all go for me except our up and coming talent in Morley, Adshead and Gillam. This squad reminds me of the horror of the Coleman era. When we go back to League 2 and that's when not if, if we recruit as we have this year we only be leaving one way, and that ain't up. |
Extreme even for this forum,you think we can readily replace players like Hendo,Camps,Done etc with better calibre players and pay them peanuts while we're at it... looks like your Christmas drinking started a bit too early... | | | |
| The Real State Of Play... on 09:15 - Dec 24 with 6457 views | 442Dale |
| The Real State Of Play... on 03:58 - Dec 24 by Bazzanne |
Who cares, what are they going to do? Come and burn my house down! I have my opinions and at the moment this is how I feel. I am sick of the disappointment. After many years I am losing interest slowly and need something to rekindle it. I can't see that happening with this squad. |
This has been posted before, but it needs reiterating again...
Yes, this season has been a big disappointment so far and there have been mistakes made, many of which were avoidable. The squad is in dire need of a couple of additions to improve the mentality of the team in games like yesterday, it is down to Hill to recognise and address this. However, as supporters we have to acknowledge that it is one bad season and clubs everywhere have them. The constructive criticism we are seeing is beneficial because it illustrates we see where things can be improved and want the club to move forward.
At times though we are forgetting what it was like to struggle, as in really struggle, and as fans we need to think about that. Avoid that 90th minute equaliser and we'd have gone into Christmas out of the bottom four and three points away from 14th. It wouldn't have masked the issues, but it may have avoided some of the reactions.
A question: what if this is our future for the next few years? A constant struggle against relegation where the club do their very best to survive the drop. There is success contained within that, but I'm not sure that's enough for some as we've been spoilt somewhat. It's about time we started to be thankful with a book and some beer for Christmas, because expecting a PlayStation every year will leave you disappointed. [Post edited 24 Dec 2017 9:18]
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| The Real State Of Play... on 09:38 - Dec 24 with 6391 views | AReeves |
| The Real State Of Play... on 09:15 - Dec 24 by 442Dale |
This has been posted before, but it needs reiterating again...
Yes, this season has been a big disappointment so far and there have been mistakes made, many of which were avoidable. The squad is in dire need of a couple of additions to improve the mentality of the team in games like yesterday, it is down to Hill to recognise and address this. However, as supporters we have to acknowledge that it is one bad season and clubs everywhere have them. The constructive criticism we are seeing is beneficial because it illustrates we see where things can be improved and want the club to move forward.
At times though we are forgetting what it was like to struggle, as in really struggle, and as fans we need to think about that. Avoid that 90th minute equaliser and we'd have gone into Christmas out of the bottom four and three points away from 14th. It wouldn't have masked the issues, but it may have avoided some of the reactions.
A question: what if this is our future for the next few years? A constant struggle against relegation where the club do their very best to survive the drop. There is success contained within that, but I'm not sure that's enough for some as we've been spoilt somewhat. It's about time we started to be thankful with a book and some beer for Christmas, because expecting a PlayStation every year will leave you disappointed. [Post edited 24 Dec 2017 9:18]
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Poor quality in the squad, no visible leadership on the field, no confidence, lack of fight and passion
Very reminiscent of the Coleman season for me
I dont think its an over re-action
I think we are in serious trouble and struggle to see how / where it will change
Hope Im wrong |  | | |
| The Real State Of Play... on 09:38 - Dec 24 with 6367 views | SalwaDale |
OK, so here's my take. At the moment we are throwing points away. We lack leadership on the pitch and we lack confidence and ideas. We're clearly not too far away but we are carrying far too many players. Our creative players are not really creating. Done looks a shadow of the player he was, Henderson hardly seems involved in dangerous positions, Camps seems a little too deep. I'm not totally sure how we fix it, as a return to form would probably do that. The point about the early days of Hill is very valid, we really did play without fear, and a couple of wins would probably see that happen again.
I'd probably like to see the following team playing fairly soon:
Lillis
Rafferty
McGahey
Daniels
Keane
Bunney
Cannon
Camps
Rathbone
Andrew
Done/Henderson
Or a 442 with defenders who just have to defend. Let's not keep passing back to the centre backs to start the attack. I want to see Dale players with the ball, driving at the opposition. And I want to see someone at the back organising and shouting.
We are now an established league 1 side and that is where we belong. At some point we'll string some results together, hopefully we'll still be in league 1 when that happens. |  |
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| The Real State Of Play... on 09:50 - Dec 24 with 6346 views | 442Dale |
| The Real State Of Play... on 09:38 - Dec 24 by AReeves |
Poor quality in the squad, no visible leadership on the field, no confidence, lack of fight and passion
Very reminiscent of the Coleman season for me
I dont think its an over re-action
I think we are in serious trouble and struggle to see how / where it will change
Hope Im wrong |
One of the big issues with that relegation season was the change in manager from Eyre to Coleman only exacerbated the obvious problems in the squad and the team spirit was almost non-existent.
There is little argument that we have big problems, that's not the overreaction to which was referred as those are being rightly debated, it's that we have to accept as vans that this season was always going to happen sometime. We either look to battle and find a way out of it - and that is something the manager has to sort both with his tactics and personnel - or we focus on the negatives and accept that relegation is going to happen. Whatever our limitations right now, there is a squad of players that obviously want to turn things round and they need help from their manager and new recruits to do that. | |
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| The Real State Of Play... on 09:55 - Dec 24 with 6333 views | Blueboy |
Wouldn't mind dropping points as much if I was enjoying the football on offer,this season I think the only enjoyable moments were the last 5 minutes against Doncaster,without my season ticket I could not justify spending £22 to watch us at the minute,and yes I've been through all the bad times in the past,and I've also had a few seasons breaks we were that bad, unfortunately we've been spoilt under Keith Hill,so what is happening this season is a shock to the system,I think we can all see what's needed,a strong leader on the pitch,and a return to the quick passing,flowing football with a proper goalscorer( not easy to find I know),I've not seen many good teams at spotland this season,so there should be nothing to scare us,but it is worrying at the moment. | | | |
| The Real State Of Play... on 09:59 - Dec 24 with 6303 views | TVOS1907 |
| The Real State Of Play... on 09:38 - Dec 24 by AReeves |
Poor quality in the squad, no visible leadership on the field, no confidence, lack of fight and passion
Very reminiscent of the Coleman season for me
I dont think its an over re-action
I think we are in serious trouble and struggle to see how / where it will change
Hope Im wrong |
I think it's an over-reaction to suggest we get rid of the whole squad. |  |
| When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf? |
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| The Real State Of Play... on 10:19 - Dec 24 with 6265 views | Bazzanne |
| The Real State Of Play... on 09:59 - Dec 24 by TVOS1907 |
I think it's an over-reaction to suggest we get rid of the whole squad. |
The point I was trying to make was that I would not worry who we lost as against previous seasons when losing some players really hurt. This squad has no-one that I would particularly miss. In that context it wouldn't matter if they all went.
My rose coloured specs have been put away for the duration.
Merry Christmas everyone of Dale's supporters. | | | |
| The Real State Of Play... on 10:39 - Dec 24 with 6224 views | nordenblue |
| The Real State Of Play... on 09:38 - Dec 24 by SalwaDale |
OK, so here's my take. At the moment we are throwing points away. We lack leadership on the pitch and we lack confidence and ideas. We're clearly not too far away but we are carrying far too many players. Our creative players are not really creating. Done looks a shadow of the player he was, Henderson hardly seems involved in dangerous positions, Camps seems a little too deep. I'm not totally sure how we fix it, as a return to form would probably do that. The point about the early days of Hill is very valid, we really did play without fear, and a couple of wins would probably see that happen again.
I'd probably like to see the following team playing fairly soon:
Lillis
Rafferty
McGahey
Daniels
Keane
Bunney
Cannon
Camps
Rathbone
Andrew
Done/Henderson
Or a 442 with defenders who just have to defend. Let's not keep passing back to the centre backs to start the attack. I want to see Dale players with the ball, driving at the opposition. And I want to see someone at the back organising and shouting.
We are now an established league 1 side and that is where we belong. At some point we'll string some results together, hopefully we'll still be in league 1 when that happens. |
Give Keane the captaincy and get him to sit in the middle and release Camps a bit too going forward,stick Hendo back playing where he's spent most of his career and get some genuine pace out wide to cause problems,Hilly has got very cluttered up with formations and how to counteract the opposition,bollox to them let them worry about us again..... we can cause Blackburn problems playing on the front foot but play anything remotely like the home fixture and the result will be similar too.... | | | |
| The Real State Of Play... on 10:44 - Dec 24 with 6212 views | 1907 |
| The Real State Of Play... on 03:46 - Dec 24 by kiwidale |
A massive over reaction and just not true I expect you will get slated for this. |
That was not an over reaction in the slightest.
What I witnessed yesterday was shockingly bad. A guy that sat next to me was attending his first game of the season as he moved down south. He was speechless about how bad we are. He genuinely couldn’t believe how far we had regressed.
We are in dire straights. | | | |
| The Real State Of Play... on 10:54 - Dec 24 with 6173 views | 442Dale |
| The Real State Of Play... on 10:19 - Dec 24 by Bazzanne |
The point I was trying to make was that I would not worry who we lost as against previous seasons when losing some players really hurt. This squad has no-one that I would particularly miss. In that context it wouldn't matter if they all went.
My rose coloured specs have been put away for the duration.
Merry Christmas everyone of Dale's supporters. |
From the players who started yesterday, Lillis, Rafferty, Bunney, McGahey, Camps, Rathbone, Henderson and Andrew all contributed massively to last season's success. It's not so much about the players that are here, it's those who left/weren't replaced well enough. | |
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