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Haven't noticed much comment on Dale's next opponents. Mansfield's midweek defeat - https://www.skysports.com/football/mansfield-town-vs-bradford-city/468467 - means only one point gained from their last four league matches. But Nigel Clough knows how to bounce back (often, it seems, versus Dale).
I thought that we flattered to deceive early on and unlocked their defence a couple of times down our left hand side. It took a tremendous block to stop a shot from Rodney on one occasion. After that though there was nothing creative at all. Ball is a decent player but doesn’t seem able to play past the hour mark. He looks like Tarzan but plays like Jane a lot of the time. Sinclair looked punchdrunk after halftime but was this the result of some hefty attention from his former team mates? I’m not sure who could have been utilised from the bench. Malloy doesn’t look the part, ditto Tulloch so, shorn of Quigley, Odoh, Kelly and Campbell we’re desperately short of attacking options. So desperate that we’re reduced to gambling with a 15 year old. Poor old EBJ has been given no options by wretched recruitment before he arrived. The one sub which did make sense to me was Seriki for SAJ in an attempt to get us moving forward. Jimmy is a great pro but his first inclination always seems to be to pass sideways or backwards. Perhaps it’s because there’s no movement upfront? Perhaps he needs to revert to midfield where he made his name in this country? Plus points? The defence does look solid. We don’t concede many but teams know that if they score one goal then they have a real chance of at least one point. We’re more than matching the likes of Salford, Mansfield and Walsall but are completely toothless. The fact of the matter though is, given the fixture list, it’s imperative that at least two home games are won before Christmas. If not we will be in the bottom two and rightly so.
Has there ever been a more 1 sided set of highlights? Truly depressing for a home game.
Maybe I should have given the team talk. My journey to see today's match include a 45 minute replacement bus journey driven by a driver with a death wish.
'Only happy when you've got it often makes you miss the journey'
Maybe I should have given the team talk. My journey to see today's match include a 45 minute replacement bus journey driven by a driver with a death wish.
I thought that we flattered to deceive early on and unlocked their defence a couple of times down our left hand side. It took a tremendous block to stop a shot from Rodney on one occasion. After that though there was nothing creative at all. Ball is a decent player but doesn’t seem able to play past the hour mark. He looks like Tarzan but plays like Jane a lot of the time. Sinclair looked punchdrunk after halftime but was this the result of some hefty attention from his former team mates? I’m not sure who could have been utilised from the bench. Malloy doesn’t look the part, ditto Tulloch so, shorn of Quigley, Odoh, Kelly and Campbell we’re desperately short of attacking options. So desperate that we’re reduced to gambling with a 15 year old. Poor old EBJ has been given no options by wretched recruitment before he arrived. The one sub which did make sense to me was Seriki for SAJ in an attempt to get us moving forward. Jimmy is a great pro but his first inclination always seems to be to pass sideways or backwards. Perhaps it’s because there’s no movement upfront? Perhaps he needs to revert to midfield where he made his name in this country? Plus points? The defence does look solid. We don’t concede many but teams know that if they score one goal then they have a real chance of at least one point. We’re more than matching the likes of Salford, Mansfield and Walsall but are completely toothless. The fact of the matter though is, given the fixture list, it’s imperative that at least two home games are won before Christmas. If not we will be in the bottom two and rightly so.
We've only got two home games before Christmas!
I would say it's imperative we get at least one win in the next two games, before all else.
When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf?
I thought we looked really, really poor yesterday.
Looking 'defensively solid' is OK if we are consistently creating & taking chances. We're not. So do we need to accept the risk of conceding more with the intent of creating and scoring more too?
I've tried to stay away from slating Ball since the Accrington incident, but he was really really poor yesterday. First touch wasn't great, didn't win much in the air, consistenty misplaced passes and looked like he was blowing out of his arse after ten minutes.
The way Mansfield set up also exposed Diagouraga's lack of pace... there were lots of instances of him looking flat footed because he chose not to chase a ball in the middle (knowing he wouldn't get there and that could expose the centre backs) and that left a big hole around the centre circle for them to exploit. Ball should've filled that but didn't.
Brierley shower glimpses of what he can do, and I think I'd be tempted when Kelly is fit to get them in together at the expense of Ball.
I read online that Quigley is out until Boxing Day... that is another four games where we need to find a way of playing & scoring without him.
EBJ's post match interview was interesting too - I read into it that he is challenging the board to back him in January. Talk of lack of depth, 18 year old starting and bringing on a 15 year old etc all sounds like a call to arms to back him to do what is necessary. We've had the new mamager dead cat bounce, others around us may still get that later in the season, so smart and efficient January recruitment is needed in January. Get the business done early, get them fit and get the season going.
I thought we looked really, really poor yesterday.
Looking 'defensively solid' is OK if we are consistently creating & taking chances. We're not. So do we need to accept the risk of conceding more with the intent of creating and scoring more too?
I've tried to stay away from slating Ball since the Accrington incident, but he was really really poor yesterday. First touch wasn't great, didn't win much in the air, consistenty misplaced passes and looked like he was blowing out of his arse after ten minutes.
The way Mansfield set up also exposed Diagouraga's lack of pace... there were lots of instances of him looking flat footed because he chose not to chase a ball in the middle (knowing he wouldn't get there and that could expose the centre backs) and that left a big hole around the centre circle for them to exploit. Ball should've filled that but didn't.
Brierley shower glimpses of what he can do, and I think I'd be tempted when Kelly is fit to get them in together at the expense of Ball.
I read online that Quigley is out until Boxing Day... that is another four games where we need to find a way of playing & scoring without him.
EBJ's post match interview was interesting too - I read into it that he is challenging the board to back him in January. Talk of lack of depth, 18 year old starting and bringing on a 15 year old etc all sounds like a call to arms to back him to do what is necessary. We've had the new mamager dead cat bounce, others around us may still get that later in the season, so smart and efficient January recruitment is needed in January. Get the business done early, get them fit and get the season going.
Where did you read online that Quigley is out until Boxing Day? I haven't read that or heard it, officially at least.
When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf?
What strikes me most about the game strategy is that we never start and look like the home team. Most home teams start with pressure and energy. We start so slowly. This has been happening all season. It is our home form which is killing us.
I`m not going to keep on repeating this statistic as I`m fed up of hearing it myself. We are the worst team in the whole EFL for home league wins over the last 3+ seasons - only 18 wins in that time Only Wimbledon are anywhere near us and they are now 2 better. Most teams average30 to 40 wins, some more.
When we have tried pressing the opposition in the past and adopted a full attack strategy it has often worked- even BBM tried it, then lost interest once it worked.
Hendo is a "fox in the box" player If you watch his 130 goals video most of them are from less than 6 yards from goal often capitalising of goalkeeping errors and he has the knack of just being in the right place to finish when the ball is bouncing about, so the first thing required is to get the ball into the box and cause some mayhem. Add a "big lad" alongside to get the attention of the centre halves and you create the conditions he needs.
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