That's that then. How in the hell did it come to this? Not long ago we had one of the better defences in the whole league. It is certainly fitting that relegation was all but confirmed by a defensive capitulation. Of the many catastrophic errors made by Les Reed over the past eighteen or so months the second most important one, after the MP fiasco of course, has been the repeated failures to understand that our central defence was getting dangerously weak (also a right back who can defend would have been good). There is no argument now - yes, we don't score enough but in the heat of a relegation struggle, at those crucial moments you need the defence to stand strong. They did their best - it wasn't lack of effort it was lack of quality. 4 points thrown away in a week by our inability to defend when under pressure. Chelski had 9 minutes of pressure in the whole game and scored 3.

If Les Reed has any decency or honour he will stop drawing his large salary now. That money comes from those who pay to watch, whether live or on tv, he is responsible for what has happened so he should go. A few sensible, and obvious to us all, interventions over the past few months would have seen us safe in mid table. Where was Carillo today? Where was Boufal? If either had been a competent centre back we would have been fine. The general response to our relegation will be that ' you can't keep selling your best players' - of course there is some truth in that but the bigger truth is that footballing matters have been run by a complacent idiot...

9

If we are going to concede 3 each week then its all over.

2

Good to see some organisation at the back and more purpose going forward. Bednarek suddenly looks like turning into the player we hoped he'd be. Ward Prowse, give me strength. This game makes no difference to our situation at all as we had all written this one off as unwindable. We were down weeks ago and nothing has hanged and now the gap is beyond recovery.

4

Fair play to Nick, who highlighted the defensive problem very early on, and, rightly so, told us it would be our downfall - more so than out attack.

2

Les Reed bought Hoedt. Total rubbish. Who would have thought that playing Bednarek instead of Hoedt might have enabled us to stay up. In Les Reed we trust, said complete and utter morons by the hundreds. From comfortable above mid-table to relegation in 2 seasons++++++ sacking TWO managers that HE appointed. Les Reed has destroyed OUR club. Les Reed is the cause and now the effect.

6

Oh dear, that was very difficult to take. We were beaten by a poor Chelsea side (with some pure comedy defending on their part) who were clearly were not up for it. I was sort of happy but worried at half time. At least I had seen some goals and been entertained but surely Chelsea could not be so bad in the second half. They were not. Most of us have realised that we are going down by Xmas time except for the buffoons in charge of the club. If they have any doubts then please look at the table. Hughes has though brought some heart back to the club and full marks to him for taking up the challenge.

7

A win against all the odds - team Rochdale at its best!

0

Caught between feeling sick and carefree. The scrutiny will be off in div 2. Can't forgive the collapse and our soft center has been clear to see for ages. The 75 million pound in the bank can't stop panic and conceding goals. We do create our own problems but the sanctimonious little shit in black handed Chelsea their lifeline. For their first goal the Chelsea player rode the challenge but then was tackled cleanly by Pierre, but he bought the play back for a foul nobody else saw. Both him and the linesman on the kingsland wing were useless. For the second long put a decent challenge but was penalised with a yellow and they scored the equaliser. There are several reasons for our relegation but the main one has to be selling off best players and not replacing them. Losing to shit officiating hurts more than being below par.

5

Oh dear, that was very difficult to take. We were beaten by a poor Chelsea side (with some pure comedy defending on their part) who were clearly were not up for it. I was sort of happy but worried at half time. At least I had seen some goals and been entertained but surely Chelsea could not be so bad in the second half. They were not. Most of us have realised that we are going down by Xmas time except for the buffoons in charge of the club. If they have any doubts then please look at the table. Hughes has though brought some heart back to the club and full marks to him for taking up the challenge.

1

Caught between feeling sick and carefree. The scrutiny will be off in div 2. Can't forgive the collapse and our soft center has been clear to see for ages. The 75 million pound in the bank can't stop panic and conceding goals. We do create our own problems but the sanctimonious little shit in black handed Chelsea their lifeline. For their first goal the Chelsea player rode the challenge but then was tackled cleanly by Pierre, but he bought the play back for a foul nobody else saw. Both him and the linesman on the kingsland wing were useless. For the second long put a decent challenge but was penalised with a yellow and they scored the equaliser. There are several reasons for our relegation but the main one has to be selling off best players and not replacing them. Losing to shit officiating hurts more than being below par.

0