Bettws - we stayed in Merthyr Tydfil on Saturdsy night, then did a rather snowy Pen y Fan on Sunday morning and a very underrated and interesting Big Pit in the afternoon - before driving back to Hampshire. So yes, a great weekend indeed :-)

0

we made them look like Brazil! Only afterwards did I find out that they had not won since october! Wong tactics-no use blaimng the team -the buck stops at JFH

0

KH has completely lost the plot - bizarre doesn't come anywhere near describing his team selection.We were at home against a team in the bottom 3 and he picks a team with no creative midfield player and a sole striker with no support whatsoever. We were gifted our two early goals and after that there was only one team playing football.Substitutions are meant to strengthen the team but the 3 we brought on did nothing at all - Sayers is not good enough and at the moment Vicenti does nothing but stroll about. I honestly wish that I had not bothered last night and can only say that I am glad to be going on hols so miss the next 3 matches after which I expect us to be staring into the abyss of L2.

0

Rochdale v Crewe on a cold wet miserable February night, it must be one of the oldest and most frequent fixtures in the Football League. Not a fixture to get the juices flowing and it certainly didn't, a few hours that we will never get back. It was bad, a bit depressing actually.

The team line up warned us what to expect, a team devoid of any midfield prowess and stuffed with defensive players. It had 'draw' written all over it before a ball had been booted. Actually we started like an house on fire and Bennetts decent header quickly followed by Bunneys bundle had us two nil up in the blink of an eye. It didn't last, with our defenders it rarely does.

So Crewe responded and their first goal was never far away. Shortly after the net bulged, it bulged again. The second goal was notable for the way our defence just let the visitors waltz Into the penalty area unopposed. Nobody in the Stadium was surprised though, it's a defence that bears gifts on a weekly basis and tonight was no exception. I don't like big fullbacks and they don't call Big Jim, Big Jim for nothing. I wanted to see him go all 'modern' and overlap down the wing, that would have made my night. Anyway, he didn't.

So,four goals in thirty minutes sounds like top class entertainment but it wasn't. Crewe retreated thank god and seemed happy with their work. We huffed and puffed and regularly passed it back to Lancashire to hit his long raking diagonals to no one in particular, you know the script. Crewe's goalkeeper was redundant for the remainder of the match, he wasn't required, we didn't have a shot during the second half.

The crowd was poor but credit to the Sandy Lane faithful for trying to rally the troops, it didn't work though. The point wasn't a bad one in the full scheme of things but the team selection and overall performance reflected the weather on the night, it was bloody miserable.

0

Rochdale v Crewe on a cold wet miserable February night, it must be one of the oldest and most frequent fixtures in the Football League. Not a fixture to get the juices flowing and it certainly didn't, a few hours that we will never get back. It was bad, a bit depressing actually.

The team line up warned us what to expect, a team devoid of any midfield prowess and stuffed with defensive players. It had 'draw' written all over it before a ball had been booted. Actually we started like an house on fire and Bennetts decent header quickly followed by Bunneys bundle had us two nil up in the blink of an eye. It didn't last, with our defenders it rarely does.

So Crewe responded and their first goal was never far away. Shortly after the net bulged, it bulged again. The second goal was notable for the way our defence just let the visitors waltz Into the penalty area unopposed. Nobody in the Stadium was surprised though, it's a defence that bears gifts on a weekly basis and tonight was no exception. I don't like big fullbacks and they don't call Big Jim, Big Jim for nothing. I wanted to see him go all 'modern' and overlap down the wing, that would have made my night. Anyway, he didn't.

So,four goals in thirty minutes sounds like top class entertainment but it wasn't. Crewe retreated thank god and seemed happy with their work. We huffed and puffed and regularly passed it back to Lancashire to hit his long raking diagonals to no one in particular, you know the script. Crewe's goalkeeper was redundant for the remainder of the match, he wasn't required, we didn't have a shot during the second half.

The crowd was poor but credit to the Sandy Lane faithful for trying to rally the troops, it didn't work though. The point wasn't a bad one in the full scheme of things but the team selection and overall performance reflected the weather on the night, it was bloody miserable.

0

The second referee gets 10/10 and an oxygen tent

0

Poor first half display when Dale were outclassed and Josh Lillis earned his man of the match award.

Second half substitutions changed the game. Wonderful

0

We got done by the pantomime that is CFC and some awful decisions from the officials.

For the first half an hour we were on top, then let them take control, but against the run of play, scored a great opportunist goal from Long - who anticipated well and finished even better.

2nd half i said to my cousin that we would see the cheating diving theatrics from Chelsea and i wasn't wrong.

Costa shoved VVD in the face and should have walked. The ref just wasn't interested and bottled it. This sparked a 5 min yellow frenzy where any foul from a Saints player ended in a yellow. Willian rolled fully 3 times over to ensure he got Clasie booked but then didn't so much as a talking to, after committing a similar offence minutes later.

Cahill looked to bring down Austin in the box, but if that wasn't a pen, then whilst both he and Austin were on the deck, Cahill blatantly hand balled it - a definite pen and possibly a red for denying a goal scoring chance.

The worst decision for us was when Kennedy kicked out at Cedric. The linesman flagged for this and indicated it was a saints free kick, but the ref played the advantage for Chelsea and of course they went up the other end and scored.

These incidents changed the game dramtically and every one was bottled by the ref and favoured Chelsea.

In saying that though, we should be playing to the whistle, not rising to their antics and concentrating on ball retention. When chelsea had possession towards the end of the first half and most of the second, we all too ofen gave the ball straight back to them, or hoofed it up to Long or Austin. Pelle then gave it back to them with FOUR stupid flicks in a row. So frustrating for everyone, when holding it or drawing a foul was by far the better option. His flicks have not come off for a while now so learn from your mistakes ?

Gutted to lose in the circumsttances and appaulled by the antics and decisions, but especially in the second half, we failed to threaten much. We were far too defensive minded all second half and the likes of Targett and Davis should have been replaced far earlier. Romeu and Clasie were trying to do it all themselves once Long went off (hope he is ok for Tues)

Let's now start another run of undefeated games starting at Bournemouth on Tuesday.

4

Cannot understand our tactics for the second half. You concede space on the edge of your box to the likes of Fabregas, Willian & Hazzard and there can be only one outcome, it's not like they are unknown players you know what they are capable of given time and space (and we gave them loads of that). We closed them down well in the first half so why not in the second?
It was painfully obvious from the Northam that Jordy & Oriol were tiring and needed support/replacing but Graziano & Sadio just have well stayed on the bench.
Very disappointing display and we got what we deserved from that. Best team one IMO

3

Against the likes of West Ham and Swansea you can go 1-0 up and then defend the lead, against the likes of Chelsea, you can't, simply as that!! Continue to take the game to them, be brave, keep the wing backs pushed up, that's the way to go. More exciting for the fans to!

1