| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN 14:04 - Sep 28 with 16576 views | Edindale |
Hoping for entertainment and a good home win.
Important that we don't underestimate them. |  | | |  |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 14:44 - Sep 28 with 10627 views | Yorkshire_Dale |
Correct...as that great orator Jose Mourinho once said..."You don't win anything in September"
Just get behind the lads and hope they get the results. | | | |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 17:15 - Sep 28 with 10202 views | isitme |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 14:44 - Sep 28 by Yorkshire_Dale |
Correct...as that great orator Jose Mourinho once said..."You don't win anything in September"
Just get behind the lads and hope they get the results. |
A win is a win. Not great but if we are chasing a spot in the top 7 then these are the games we need to win. McNichols played well but bar the goal and a few chances from set pieces we didn't create much.
I thought we missed another central midfielder. Burger tried but hopefully Henry is back next week and that longer term Gilmour isn't injured for too long. |  | | |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 17:31 - Sep 28 with 10048 views | 442Dale |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 17:15 - Sep 28 by isitme |
A win is a win. Not great but if we are chasing a spot in the top 7 then these are the games we need to win. McNichols played well but bar the goal and a few chances from set pieces we didn't create much.
I thought we missed another central midfielder. Burger tried but hopefully Henry is back next week and that longer term Gilmour isn't injured for too long. |
Midfield options were limited today. Neither East or Burger impacted the game enough and the lack of movement there and ahead ensured a ponderous build up for too much of the game. We look a functional side when we retain the ball but we look a good side when we play with pace. Playing without pace will allow the opposition to gain confidence and fair play to Braintree who caused us issues down the sides.
The formation will have to be looked at soon, Rodney’s part in the goal illustrated how much more he can contribute when playing centrally. Apart from that he’s on the periphery too much.
Really liked the short glimpse we got of Hogan. Headed it, battled and cleared his lines. Think we’ve seen the option to bring him on to see out games either in a back five with Gordon going to RWB or in a change to a back four with the wider central defenders becoming full backs. Unfortunately with midfield options low, Gordon had to go in there today and not sure he’s able to do that. We need Henry back soon or another short term option will need to be looked at.
A 6/10 performance, an 8/10 result. |  |
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 18:23 - Sep 28 with 9558 views | Yorkshire_Dale |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 17:15 - Sep 28 by isitme |
A win is a win. Not great but if we are chasing a spot in the top 7 then these are the games we need to win. McNichols played well but bar the goal and a few chances from set pieces we didn't create much.
I thought we missed another central midfielder. Burger tried but hopefully Henry is back next week and that longer term Gilmour isn't injured for too long. |
8 weeks!........see him at Christmas with a bit of luck.
Need a bit more back up me thinks? | | | |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 18:23 - Sep 28 with 9448 views | frequency |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 17:15 - Sep 28 by isitme |
A win is a win. Not great but if we are chasing a spot in the top 7 then these are the games we need to win. McNichols played well but bar the goal and a few chances from set pieces we didn't create much.
I thought we missed another central midfielder. Burger tried but hopefully Henry is back next week and that longer term Gilmour isn't injured for too long. |
Gilmour out for about 8 weeks |  |
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 18:25 - Sep 28 with 9522 views | TalkingSutty |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 17:31 - Sep 28 by 442Dale |
Midfield options were limited today. Neither East or Burger impacted the game enough and the lack of movement there and ahead ensured a ponderous build up for too much of the game. We look a functional side when we retain the ball but we look a good side when we play with pace. Playing without pace will allow the opposition to gain confidence and fair play to Braintree who caused us issues down the sides.
The formation will have to be looked at soon, Rodney’s part in the goal illustrated how much more he can contribute when playing centrally. Apart from that he’s on the periphery too much.
Really liked the short glimpse we got of Hogan. Headed it, battled and cleared his lines. Think we’ve seen the option to bring him on to see out games either in a back five with Gordon going to RWB or in a change to a back four with the wider central defenders becoming full backs. Unfortunately with midfield options low, Gordon had to go in there today and not sure he’s able to do that. We need Henry back soon or another short term option will need to be looked at.
A 6/10 performance, an 8/10 result. |
A ugly win, excellent three points though. McNulty wants us to play like that at home, the tempo was the same as the Solihull game, slow and ponderous. It's a world of difference from what we saw against Salford and Carlisle in the pre season games and also against Woking. He'll point to the three points but against the better teams in this league we won't get away with it. Braintree will be wondering how they failed to win that game. |  | | |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 18:31 - Sep 28 with 9439 views | 442Dale |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 18:25 - Sep 28 by TalkingSutty |
A ugly win, excellent three points though. McNulty wants us to play like that at home, the tempo was the same as the Solihull game, slow and ponderous. It's a world of difference from what we saw against Salford and Carlisle in the pre season games and also against Woking. He'll point to the three points but against the better teams in this league we won't get away with it. Braintree will be wondering how they failed to win that game. |
He does want us to play like that, but with the pace seen in those games and in the goal we scored. He has to find different formations within games that will disrupt the opposition.
As Ferguson illustrated when he did go longer, especially in the second half, it creates situations that the other team have to defend. That’s chaos theory.
The lack of midfield and forward options for a pass was visibly having an effect on defenders. Those further forward and their manager have to come up with better solutions when we can’t go wide. And that includes the free scoring Mitchell especially. | |
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 18:48 - Sep 28 with 9275 views | TalkingSutty |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 18:31 - Sep 28 by 442Dale |
He does want us to play like that, but with the pace seen in those games and in the goal we scored. He has to find different formations within games that will disrupt the opposition.
As Ferguson illustrated when he did go longer, especially in the second half, it creates situations that the other team have to defend. That’s chaos theory.
The lack of midfield and forward options for a pass was visibly having an effect on defenders. Those further forward and their manager have to come up with better solutions when we can’t go wide. And that includes the free scoring Mitchell especially. |
Yes, a difficult situation for the manager and the team, the midfield has been decimated. By hook or by crook we won the game, the players found a way and the manager used his subs well. Hopefully we'll look back on it as a very important three points come the end of the season. | | | |
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 18:58 - Sep 28 with 9175 views | 442Dale |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 18:48 - Sep 28 by TalkingSutty |
Yes, a difficult situation for the manager and the team, the midfield has been decimated. By hook or by crook we won the game, the players found a way and the manager used his subs well. Hopefully we'll look back on it as a very important three points come the end of the season. |
Yeah, the subs lifted us at various stages. At least McNulty’s interview acknowledges we were below par, midfield aside his main contribution to that is finding a different set-up at times. Switching the wing backs isn’t one of them! | |
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 19:08 - Sep 28 with 9092 views | seasidedale |
I know we need to look at central midfield options but what about Barlow, only had a 5 minute cameo | | | |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 19:25 - Sep 28 with 8970 views | mikehunt |
You mention when we can't go wide but we had the situation of Rowling stood, unmarked on the wing and the preferred pass was sideways or back to the keeper. Happened loads of times. I don't get it. |  |
| The worm of time turns not for the cuckoo of circumstance. |
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 19:25 - Sep 28 with 8942 views | isitme |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 19:08 - Sep 28 by seasidedale |
I know we need to look at central midfield options but what about Barlow, only had a 5 minute cameo |
In our system Barlow is more suited to the role McBride and Rodney are playing. It was telling that Edwards was on the bench ahead of him. We are a bit overloaded with wide forwards. | | | |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 19:36 - Sep 28 with 8868 views | 442Dale |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 19:25 - Sep 28 by mikehunt |
You mention when we can't go wide but we had the situation of Rowling stood, unmarked on the wing and the preferred pass was sideways or back to the keeper. Happened loads of times. I don't get it. |
They looked to force us down the other wing - their manager says this was their tactic in his interview. We weren’t quick enough to shift it back his way to throw them off how they were set up.
Apart from the time Rodney came infield and created something different and we scored. That it happened so early and we didn’t look to recreate that was strange. The only other option to get it out right was a longer ball from defenders and Braintree then doubled up on TAR. It won us a few thrown ins and then we switched the wing backs over.
Credit to the opposition for this but also we need to have better options centrally to create space out wide. If not, that’s when we have to slow everything down and it’s kept too long at the back. | |
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 20:26 - Sep 28 with 8578 views | EllDale |
Used the get out of jail card to a certain extent this afternoon.
Once that early goal went in I half expected Dale to settle down and score a couple more but…..
Braintree were relentless in pressing down our left hand side and the fact that there is space there under the current system was mentioned a couple of times earlier in the season. No hiding place in this day and age with video analysis.
BJ tried to compensate for this by swapping the wingbacks with only partial success. When we retreated to what is effectively a back five they had the run of midfield.
And the midfield spluttered. Burger is a neat little footballer but was hustled off the ball a couple of times. Gilmour will out for a while - he was watching today wearing one of those surgical boots.
A few people have mentioned going out and signing a midfielder but I’m not sure where BJ is with the budget?
There are three goalkeepers in the squad now and several wingers who are struggling to get a game.
The positive is that it was a win albeit a scruffy one.
On another matter, the topic of matchday hospitality was raised a few weeks ago.
My wife and I were booked in for this today and enjoyed the experience.
Food was good, staff were great and City/Newcastle was on the TVs. And Andy the commercial manager was really helpful. Scott Warner was an entertaining speaker too.
The room was pretty empty though. There were only five on our table and only another two tables were occupied.
Last time I went in there (albeit pre-COVID) the room was full.
The only quibble I had was the itinerary. We were told to arrive at 12.30pm but were the only people in the room at 12.20pm. Another table didn’t fill up until after 1.00pm and the food wasn’t served until we’d been there an hour. And at quarter past two some more people drifted in, sat at one of the empty tables and proceeded to eat pie and chips which were produced from somewhere which we thought was a bit strange! | | | |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 10:02 - Sep 29 with 6940 views | Dalenet |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 18:31 - Sep 28 by 442Dale |
He does want us to play like that, but with the pace seen in those games and in the goal we scored. He has to find different formations within games that will disrupt the opposition.
As Ferguson illustrated when he did go longer, especially in the second half, it creates situations that the other team have to defend. That’s chaos theory.
The lack of midfield and forward options for a pass was visibly having an effect on defenders. Those further forward and their manager have to come up with better solutions when we can’t go wide. And that includes the free scoring Mitchell especially. |
The Board need to talk to McNulty about the need to attract new fans. I was disappointed that only 2550 or so home fans were there yesterday for a club that is doing well this season. But of course we could so easily be sub 2000 so maybe I have too high an expectation. But there were new faces there yesterday and I want them to come back every week - and they want to be entertained. This team is capable of playing with more tempo and I don't see why Jim is so stubborn about that. The interaction between Hogan and Ferguson was so funy when Hogan came on - Hogan telling Ferguson to get it forward, and Ferguson seemed to be telling Hogan to always pass it back to the keeper. Of course you are right, midfield was decimated and we should acknowledge the challenge that brought. East seemed to have a bit of an off game too. Braintree didn't give up and will be desperately disappointed with their misses. | | | |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 10:16 - Sep 29 with 6819 views | 442Dale |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 10:02 - Sep 29 by Dalenet |
The Board need to talk to McNulty about the need to attract new fans. I was disappointed that only 2550 or so home fans were there yesterday for a club that is doing well this season. But of course we could so easily be sub 2000 so maybe I have too high an expectation. But there were new faces there yesterday and I want them to come back every week - and they want to be entertained. This team is capable of playing with more tempo and I don't see why Jim is so stubborn about that. The interaction between Hogan and Ferguson was so funy when Hogan came on - Hogan telling Ferguson to get it forward, and Ferguson seemed to be telling Hogan to always pass it back to the keeper. Of course you are right, midfield was decimated and we should acknowledge the challenge that brought. East seemed to have a bit of an off game too. Braintree didn't give up and will be desperately disappointed with their misses. |
I don’t think McNulty is stubborn about it and wants us to play with tempo, because we do! He acknowledged we didn’t play well. His job is to come up with more ways to allow us to play more quickly when it does get stuck in a rut as it did yesterday.
At no stage should this come across as defending the manager, it isn’t. It’s looking at the bigger picture that he has a way of playing that he wants to implement to play as effectively as we can more often. His selections and formations need to improve as does the ability to change it during games. To his credit he did that yesterday and we improved after the subs were made, I only wish he could identify and do something about it more quickly. He’s not going to change his philosophy though, after 18 months we have to accept that.
Not sure about the Hogan-Ferguson thing as he was talking to everyone as soon as he came on. McNulty will be under no illusions about how he defends and if he can get others to ensure that defending a lead late in games means clearing out lines, then the younger defenders will only improve.
We were saying yesterday that 2500 appears to have been where crowds have settled at the moment, most of whom there have a connection with the team. It’s how we can get more to come and more regularly. An age old problem that requires real change. | |
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 10:46 - Sep 29 with 6660 views | NorthernDale |
Yesterday was not a good performance, we started well and Mitchell took the goal well, then we seem to sit back and started passing it backwards and sideways, but the positive is, last season we may have conceded, under the pressure Braintree applied. It was, as somebody said an ugly win and I will take them if it helps gets us wins and keeps us in the playoffs.
I was wondering why Barlow was not on the bench, because McNulty has said now't about him being unwell or having a knock. It is a pity that Gilmour will be out for around eight weeks, he as been unlucky season with injuries. Hopefully Henry will be back next Saturday
I will give credit to Braintree, they played well yesterday and actually deserved something from the game. [Post edited 29 Sep 11:03]
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 11:07 - Sep 29 with 6518 views | Dale_4_Life |
Positives..
Dale might climb to second in the table with an away win on Saturday.
Always happy with a home win and a clean sheet with Mitchell continuing his hot streak. We have found a way to win 7 games from the opening 12 played and sit 4th. The players look "Together" a good set of lads who look committed to giving the club a really good season on the pitch. Over 2500 home fans can the club look at the next two home games and come up with some initiative to attend?.
Saturday 19th October Home v Southend
Tuesday 22nd October Home v Halifax
Negatives..
Another pedestrian display similar to Solihull. An identical keeper pass to a defensive midfielder who gets dispossessed on his own 18 yard line only this time we get away with it with a save the keeper should never have to make.
Dale look a threat when Gordon and Tar move the ball quickly down the right hand side they have a brilliant understanding and we just did not see enough of it yesterday.
Dale looked second best for the majority of the second half. Fair play to Braintree they will be both mystified and a bit gutted they did not get something from yesterdays game.
Big Jim obviously has a style of play that he will keep persevering with, I cant work out the difference between Woking when we looked superb and a real handful for 90 minutes versus Soilhull and Braintree when we look slow / pondorous and second best. If this is working progress to reach Woking heights then fair enough we have young lads who will obviously not get it 100% right every game. If we see more of yesterdays type performance at home we will get found out and attracting more than 2500 home fans will be a struggle.
Special mention to Hendo who gave a lifting cameo yesterday when he came on.
We have a squad very capable of a top 7 finish this season looking forward to Henry returning and hoping he has the key to the more exciting door. | | | |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 11:17 - Sep 29 with 6473 views | 442Dale |
Note Rodney’s position and contribution to an incisive move. We have to find a way to get him more involved in games. | |
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 14:49 - Sep 29 with 5719 views | tony_roch975 |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 11:17 - Sep 29 by 442Dale |
Note Rodney’s position and contribution to an incisive move. We have to find a way to get him more involved in games. |
yes but if he does go inside as yesterday he leaves more space on our left (as Elldale noted above) - and Burger (who's not the strongest tackler) moving wider also extends his distance from East - there are down sides to every up; a change to 4 at the back & 3 in m/f might regain the initiative against sides who match us up (Solihull/Braintree). [Post edited 29 Sep 14:58]
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 14:52 - Sep 29 with 5695 views | tony_roch975 |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 11:07 - Sep 29 by Dale_4_Life |
Positives..
Dale might climb to second in the table with an away win on Saturday.
Always happy with a home win and a clean sheet with Mitchell continuing his hot streak. We have found a way to win 7 games from the opening 12 played and sit 4th. The players look "Together" a good set of lads who look committed to giving the club a really good season on the pitch. Over 2500 home fans can the club look at the next two home games and come up with some initiative to attend?.
Saturday 19th October Home v Southend
Tuesday 22nd October Home v Halifax
Negatives..
Another pedestrian display similar to Solihull. An identical keeper pass to a defensive midfielder who gets dispossessed on his own 18 yard line only this time we get away with it with a save the keeper should never have to make.
Dale look a threat when Gordon and Tar move the ball quickly down the right hand side they have a brilliant understanding and we just did not see enough of it yesterday.
Dale looked second best for the majority of the second half. Fair play to Braintree they will be both mystified and a bit gutted they did not get something from yesterdays game.
Big Jim obviously has a style of play that he will keep persevering with, I cant work out the difference between Woking when we looked superb and a real handful for 90 minutes versus Soilhull and Braintree when we look slow / pondorous and second best. If this is working progress to reach Woking heights then fair enough we have young lads who will obviously not get it 100% right every game. If we see more of yesterdays type performance at home we will get found out and attracting more than 2500 home fans will be a struggle.
Special mention to Hendo who gave a lifting cameo yesterday when he came on.
We have a squad very capable of a top 7 finish this season looking forward to Henry returning and hoping he has the key to the more exciting door. |
maybe the difference is the extent to which the opposition nullify our strengths - "fair play to Braintree" as you say.
Equally I'd agree we need to have a plan B, C etc before and during games against the Solihull's & Braintrees. [Post edited 29 Sep 14:55]
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 15:27 - Sep 29 with 5570 views | 442Dale |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 14:49 - Sep 29 by tony_roch975 |
yes but if he does go inside as yesterday he leaves more space on our left (as Elldale noted above) - and Burger (who's not the strongest tackler) moving wider also extends his distance from East - there are down sides to every up; a change to 4 at the back & 3 in m/f might regain the initiative against sides who match us up (Solihull/Braintree). [Post edited 29 Sep 14:58]
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That or three in midfield and two up top with Rodney or Henderson alongside Mitchell. Burger or McBride can be the third when Henry is back.
Kyron Gordon’s interview touches on the main problem yesterday, we didn’t play as well as we wanted to. The players know that too. [Post edited 29 Sep 15:28]
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| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 20:35 - Sep 29 with 4756 views | jonahwhereru |
I kept in touch the game through game through the medium of bet365 in play. Tellingly immediately after Mitchell scored Dale were 6/1 on to win the game. Those familiar with the betting sites will know as the game and time goes on these odds shorten. Yesterday 10 minutes after the goal Dale where 4-1 on. So that was a clear sign the game wasn’t going to plan. Not until the 55th minute did the odds change to 9/2 on. So I knew we were in a scrap and not on top in it.
So a functional win with not much more to be said. We played better at Eastleigh and lost by two. But that is now seven clean sheets. Will people continue to turn up for 1-0 win’s while getting out played in the main, strangely history says the will. Look at George Graham’s Gunners team. Sure more Woking and less Braintree is needed, but this is now a game where winning is everything.
I”ll be seeing them for the first time this year at Ebbesfleet, who seem to have the smallest pitch and where space is at a premium. Yep i’ll Take a boring 1-0 Dale win right now.
UTD | | | |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 20:42 - Sep 29 with 4713 views | Pearl_v_Sandy |
Pearl 5 Sandy 4 |  | | |
| TODAY V BRAINTREE TOWN on 10:16 - Sep 30 with 3954 views | BillyRudd |
I thought the best team on the day lost on Saturday. But for some woeful finishing they should have had three by half time.
Am in my 59th year of watching the "Mighty Dale" and for the first time in a long while I did,nt renew my season card. Part of my reasoning is that I recently moved away from Rochdale and so a home fixture is now a 200 mile round trip but the main reason was due to JM,s ethos on the game itself. I wanted to see how our new future would manifest itself on the pitch, because quite simply I don,t enjoy games anymore. I don,t blame Jim his walking chess on grass ethos is prevalent throughout the game.Its like a giant fun sponge where I sit waiting for something to happen, punctuated by panic as we adopt yet again the ludicrous tactic of playing out from the back. We were fortunate to get away with it on Saturday again Perversely I think this high risk strategy is at odds with why I think we often (not always)play with such a low tempo. I think it is instilled in the players by Jim that they play no risk football when it comes to passing forward. Hence the back four are slow at releasing the ball as they are reluctant to play any sort of wayward ball. To unlock teams you have to take risks yourselves and yes that does ensure you give the ball away more but it is also what makes a high tempo game, pulling opposition defences out of shape and getting behind them. It has been pointed out many times on here that we play best when we play at a faster pace. We have the ability to open teams up beautifully but we give teams far to much respect when we play this low tempo approach going forward.
Saturday was three points in the bag and judging by the animation at the final whistle at the antics with the players, that is good enough for some. That is fair enough and I understand it. Especially after the last few seasons we have had to endure. However that is enjoyed by the committed. The thick and thins for whom the club is a big part of their lives. Sadly I have to point out that Jims ethos has another consequence, however high we are up the table. I persuaded two friends, who whilst not strangers to Spotland are certainly not bread and butter regulars, to attend on Saturday. Suffice to say that the match post mortem left me in no doubt that it will be awhile before I can entice them to attend again.
As I say I acknowledge that football has changed but that said the walking passionless slow build fare on offer is sucking the excitement out of the stadium. The main stand is like a library nowadays.
On a positive note my two friends where very complimentary to the pies. So I ask myself is a play off spot and a superb steak pie enough to warrant the tedium of Jims ethos? [Post edited 30 Sep 10:20]
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