 | Forum
Reply | Sutton match thread
at 15:27 10 Nov 2024
Couldn`t go yesterday, so decided to watch the Barnet/Oldham game instead. Very interesting to see how others set up instead of being tied up with the game.
Nothing much in it but better than 0-0 sounds. Noticeable from our games, especially at home was:
Much faster build-up from both teams. Far more forward movement particularly from midfield, Turning with the ball rather than playing square(or back).
Goalkeepers clearing the ball quickly and powerfully-no moving round the area. Some hopeful punts but at least got play into the opponents half while the defence reformed.
None of what some of us call tippy-tappy at the back.
No zonal marking that I could see and one forward left at set pieces (mainly).
Having said that it was a game of few chances and both defences on top. Good to watch for quality of football though.
Suspect both teams will be well up there, but probably not good enough to catch York and Forest Green. |
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Reply | Barnet match thread
at 10:09 27 Oct 2024
Surprised noone has mentioned it but now that Kairo has hit his bad patch, inevitable with any striker, particularly after his spectacular start to the season, why do we have to fall back on a striker coming up to 40 to supplement him. Hendo will always be my hero and was superb yesterday, but there should be alternatives.
All those missed chances. |
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Reply | Halifax match thread
at 18:05 23 Oct 2024
Halifax were better than us in speed, closing down, and I agree with Jim, in hunger.
But their threat was all on the wings. They had very little power in central attack. But still created many more chances.
Allarakhia, Burger, McBride and Robson won the game for us. |
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Thread | Kairo
at 10:58 14 Oct 2024
All this discussion about Kairo`s transfer prospects is very interesting but am I the only one concerned about the current striker crisis?
Kairo now has about 50% of all Dale goals this season. Rodney has 20% and is now injured and looks increasingly an injury doubt. Only McBride with 3 could be said to contributing from midfield.
Ayinde and McBride also injured.
Kairo will be a heavily marked man from now on. The word will be round the managers. Mark Mitchell and Rochdale don`t score.
We now have a run of 7 games:
Southend
Halifax
Barnet
Sutton
Wealdstone
Oldham
Anyone see any easy games there?
Perish the thought but what if Kairo gets injured? We have no other strikers fit. Why has Jim allowed this situation to arise?
Plus there are FA Cup games to come. Fascinating this talk of who we`d like to meet. I would settle for the one with the weakest defence. |
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Reply | T'test series in Pakistan
at 10:11 10 Oct 2024
You were right.
Still cant get my head round it.
As a Lancastrian, even I have to applaud 2 Yorkies.
Olli Pope must be groaning. |
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Reply | T'test series in Pakistan
at 18:21 9 Oct 2024
you do realise a lead of 200 would put the total score at around 800 in the innings. I just cant get my head around that somehow. |
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Reply | Ebbsfleet away match thread
at 10:41 6 Oct 2024
Sorry to keep resurrecting this point, but why oh why didn`t we go for another young striker when all the transfer activity was under way instead of collecting multiple midfielders. Rodney now out for 6 weeks (again) so all the responsibility for goals now falls on Mitchell again.
I suppose Jim now has to flounder around the loan market. Personally I would bring Hendo back into a starting position even if only for an hour or so. |
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Thread | David Robson
at 15:13 11 Sep 2024
What a find. 22 years old. Sign him up quick before somebody else does.
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Thread | Our defence
at 10:18 2 Sep 2024
Surely someone will correct me but is this the youngest and least experienced back line we have ever had.?
Gordon 22 39 appearances
Ferguson 24 29 appearances
Beckwith 22 94 appearances
Gordon has 6 starts for Sheff Utd but all others for all 3 are at NL level.
Considering this what a cracking performance from them as a unit over the last 2 games. |
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Reply | Into The Unknown by Chris Fitzgerald
at 18:02 28 Aug 2024
Your excellent diary and review of certainly the most critical season of the club we love was timely, if only to remind us of how long and drawn out was the gradual fall into a nightmare of uncertainty and despair. I don`t think that is dramatising the off-field events.
Having re-experienced the slide through your simple factual treatment, I have in my mind reassessed what the manager was going through particularly from December onwards. I would not expect him to admit it, but I would imagine his main concern was to avoid relegation issues at all costs and there was a point as I recall where a mere 4 points was the gap. He was a man under pressure whose job, as well as many other staff, was on the line.
How different are things now. |
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Reply | Yeovil away match thread
at 10:49 27 Aug 2024
Not being unfair at all.
Mitchell is 27 now and his learning years are probably behind him. Likewise Rodney. They have both been around the lower leagues long enough to see what works. We desperately need another genuine striker, or maybe Hendo right from the start with a view to replacing him if he runs out of steam. It was noticeable as soon as he came on yesterday that he was running his usual bent lines. But we played up to that point with just one striker.
Lets be honest. For 75 minutes yesterday we were pretty dull, no spark from midfield. Fortunately Yeovil were no better.
In the last 4 games we have scored 2 goals, both from midfield, few shots on target, and generally played the same ineffective passing game from last season.
Yes we had a general euphoria moment when the goal went in. It was a relief. And the way the players celebrated and came towards us was great.
Ferguson was very good and seemed to be sorting out things out with Gordon and Beckwith well, but the loss of EEL to what looked like a bad strain gives even more impetus for the need for team strengthening, Woking have won the last 3 games. |
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Reply | TO-DAYS GAME
at 17:53 25 Aug 2024
The Ogdens will no doubt provide finance and commercial experience which has been a problem for quite some time. They intend to run Rochdale AFC as a sound business over a period of years. They have made it clear that they do not intend to get involved in running the football team on the pitch, and that this is the job of the manager and his staff.
It`s a very good position to be in, particularly after the trauma of recent years.
The manager(coach) has by my reckoning now got a squad entirely of his own choosing with the exception of Hendo and EEL.
The manager is responsible for preparing the players, selecting the team, deciding tactics and responding to onfield events. This is as it should be.
But results are the only things that matter if we are seriously hoping for a promotion push.
For this we rely on the manager. He shouldn`t need to look at the supporters for advice if results are obviously poor. We have had 4 years of very poor home results. Nothing to do with other teams budgets. Why are Accrington, Morecambe, Barrow way ahead of us in performance over an extended period?
The manager needn`t concern himself with style of play: simply get results. Look at Northampton- they sometimes fail but always bounce back.
Maybe also JM needs to be more critical of his players (HIS players). Not suggesting another Steve Evans approach but neither should he treat them as fragile assets. Are Rodney and Mitchell performing to their best ability? Maybe they are, in which case the attack needs to be supplemented by new blood ASAP. There is apparently budget to spend.
I don`t believe any of this has anything to do with the Board of Directors. They have given the manager the job and expect him quite rightly to make a success of it.
The next few matches may well determine the outcome for us this season. |
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Reply | TVOS - Rochdale v Dagenham & Redbridge
at 09:34 18 Aug 2024
Obviously moving in the right direction.
But....
If we dont get hold of another striker, I think it might become a long season for us.
Lesson should have been learnt from last season.
Why the last 2 signings? |
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Reply | Final
at 12:39 17 Jul 2024
The midfield was where it all went wrong in each match.
Bellingham and Foden had incredible seasons at Real and City but were playing in front of incredible midfielders in each club. Mainoo will become a fine player I am sure but it is a bit much to expect him to perform a tournament level after a handful of games. Rice I thought was a big disappointment. I expected him to come through with a future captain`s performance. Instead his passing and ball retention was poor throughout.
Whoever takes over will have to get a grip on Bellingham. He is a special talent but needs to become a team player as well.
I expected the defence to be a problem, but in fact they did remarkably well- see the goals against tally. Credit to Stones and Gehi particularly. Pickford- Pickford is Pickford- I think he did incredibly well. |
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Reply | Released Players
at 12:22 17 Jul 2024
The one disaster last season and IMO the difference between reaching the play-offs and not was the absence of a second outright striker. We were unlucky with Rodney missing for almost the whole season, and we had to rely on Mitchell far too much. He is not the sort of striker to worry seasoned defenders too much.
Is Rodney fit-missing the first preseason is not a good sign?
Even a young inexperienced striker would be a good investment to avoid last season`s experience. |
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Reply | Aidan Barlow
at 14:20 3 Jul 2024
I believe Kyron Gordon has an extended contract taking him to January 2005.
Is this correct? |
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Reply | Rodney Signs New Deal
at 15:22 21 Jun 2024
With the offer of a 2 year deal this presumably puts to bed any doubts about the illness/fitness doubts from last season. |
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Reply | Eng v Den
at 11:11 21 Jun 2024
What is even more remarkable and I am sure is unique is that Kane, Bellingham and Foden have scored 95 goals between them this season.
Kane 44 for Bayern Munich
Bellingham 26 for Real Madrid
and Foden 25 for Man City
Yet their shots on goal in matches against secondary opposition over 2 games has been pathetic.
Defence has been OK so far-better than expected. Midfield woeful. |
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Reply | EEL Stays
at 11:09 8 Jun 2024
As a number 2, I agree.
But we need 3 strikers if promotion is a serious ambition.
Ideally a few years younger ( and cheaper). |
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Reply | EEL Stays
at 10:13 8 Jun 2024
Agree about Mitchell. But the crazy thing about the sta of last season was a squad with only 2 strikers. Losing Rodney in the first game was bad luck, but after that there was no option but to stick with Mitchell through. A player with low confidence and little previous success. Hendon had to cover as a makeweight striker, which is not his strength.
Rodney finished the season6 on fire, a revelation, buy is he still with us. And has he overcome what was the issue through most of the season.
This Imo is the biggest weakness for Jim |
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