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Reply | Swindon Match Thread..
at 16:37 20 Aug 2022
If I was an unemployed manager I really wouldn’t want this squad and club on my CV. Quite possibly the worst squad of players assembled, the dregs of the barrel. On par with Scunthorpe of last year.
Slow, no football brains, no underbelly and no leadership. Sad times. |
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Reply | Stevenage (a) Match Thread
at 22:09 16 Aug 2022
A genuine question should he go….based on what we have seen from the squad to date, have we actually go anything to work with to turn it around?
Henderson has been a passenger. Diagouraga appears a yard off the pace. Ball is one of the worst CM’s we have had. Kelly is still riding on the back of a decent highlights reel from Reading. Landell isn’t fit to lace O’Connells boots.
Ethan is our most gifted and ball playing midfielder and can’t get a look in. Chatman ended the season on a high having been treated like a dog until he got his chance and will be absolutely deflated following his treatment this campaign.
It all just looks and feels broken. I just worry it’s a big job to fix and who would actually take us on? If we leave it any longer, the gap will be even bigger and even less desirable. The board won’t sleep tonight and rightly so… [Post edited 16 Aug 2022 22:12]
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Reply | Northampton Town (h) Match Thread
at 19:28 26 Feb 2022
Brilliant performance. Man for man we stood up to the plate and wanted to win those duals.
As many have already said, I thought Jimmy K was brilliant and you just know what you are getting week in week out. When others may not be on song you need atleast 5 or 6 putting in a solid performance to come away with anything, Jimmy K gets in that 5-a-side team all day long.
Lynch was making noise too, I thought he looked well up for it today.
I wish Dooley would shock us all in the coming weeks and score a 25 yard screamer. Possibly the most shot shy CM I’ve witnessed. But, he does help us tick along and keeps it simple when simple is what is needed.
Credit to the Sandy Lane today. It was refreshing to hear a bit of atmosphere about the place. I’m all for the drum. Keep it up because it’s like an old peoples home most weeks. Granted we haven’t had much to get excited about at home for years.
A win on Tuesday and hopefully we can see the potential in this team on a more frequent basis when the pressure starts to ease. It’s there, we all know it. We just don’t see it frequently enough. |
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Reply | Scunthorpe (a) Match Thread
at 17:24 19 Feb 2022
Much improved second half. No surprise that Newby made the difference and always looks to make positive moves and face forwards. Credit to RS for making the change because it was needed. An odd decision on the face of it to remove your second striker and replace with a winger when chasing the game but I felt everyone knew their roles again from that point forward.
Scunthorpe fell off the wagon big time, they looked a bit like us when we go in front. Not actually sure how to handle it.
Massive 3 points, ugly game but at this stage who cares. A big result on Tuesday and we can get rid of those tense knots between our shoulders and start to play with a bit more freedom. We have ability, just doesn’t get unlocked.
The pitch invading at all levels has grown too much momentum. Cocaine, Stella, Stone Island and a U in your GCSE’s is a vicious cocktail. Unless something changes we will be seeing metal cages/screens installed in pre-season. It ruined the moment for our players. [Post edited 19 Feb 2022 17:27]
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Reply | Scunthorpe (a) Match Thread
at 16:06 19 Feb 2022
My last post was probably about 10 games ago and I pointed out the lack of fight, passion and grit. I’m sat here now, full emerged in a relegation battle wondering why I am witnessing the same drivel.
We have made about 4 passes the final third. The most abject 45 minutes considering our position. Scunthorpe must be sat eating their tangerines thinking this is in the bag and league two survival isn’t beyond them if we are what they have to fight against.
Newby was our best outlet last week and makes the bench this week. Bizzare because when he isn’t in the team O’Keefe looks half the player. The latter I don’t understand the hype on whatsoever. Just a poor man’s Wiseman.
Kelly is due a spell on the bench too. Not up for this type of battle. Spraying balls in a good team is nice when it’s going well but we don’t need that right now. We need ball carriers and battlers.
Clarke is crossing from far too deep and Dooley is probably the most shot shy player in the league when he gets in decent positions.
Dorsett keeps finding claret with hopeless long balls.
A big 45 minutes needed to prove to the fans they are up for this. Actions speak louder than words Robbie but this is your team. If you can’t fire them up then we are heading down a dark dark hole.
Scunthorpe look well organised, authoritarian and desperate to win. The togetherness when their centre half blocked Balls attempt at a shot on the penalty spot summed them up brilliantly. They know they can beat us and it’s the only thing in their heads. |
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Reply | Bristol Rovers (a) Match Thread
at 12:44 12 Dec 2021
If you are happy with 5 wins in 21 then each to their own. I don’t recall draw specialists making much ground in football either. |
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Reply | Bristol Rovers (a) Match Thread
at 11:34 12 Dec 2021
The point was… pitches are deteriorating. Whether you think Hartlepools was fine or not I don’t really care it’s been and gone. Apologies for not raising it on the night. I tend to only comment when I have residual time.
Why I mentioned it was focused on one thing. We have Dooley, Newby, Morley, Kelly, Odoh etc who’s game is all very similar. Neat on the ball and play a pass and the odd little twist and turn. As we approach the winter that will be even less effective than it’s already been on perfect summer surfaces. We can’t win midfield battles in the summer and autumn months so I am worried about winter when sometimes the tippy tappy isn’t an option.
As mentioned. Our midfield are like teenage boys. If you are a box to box experienced central midfielder you are licking your lips playing against Morley and Kelly.
My point throughout was I don’t see any grit and fight in the team. Everyone can run around looking busy and therefore you can’t question their effort. Joe Thompson was the best example of that. But what they contribute with is what’s important. And right now we need to get a better grip of games and do the ugly side better. We are too easy to beat.
Changing the system could be a temporary stop gap that could steady the ship to buy time to recruit. The problem is Stockdale won’t do that and we are shipping points without trying alternatives. What do we have to lose when it’s we are getting beat regularly and the fans are bored of the same pattern? |
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Reply | Bristol Rovers (a) Match Thread
at 22:08 11 Dec 2021
I thought it was very bobbly. On quite a few occasions the ball skipped over players feet. It wasn’t bad, but wasn’t a bowling green like some. It just means players think about their first touch that little bit longer which can lead to being caught in position due to the second or so hesitation. Morley doesn’t need a bobble in the pitch for that though… just part of his game.
I thought it impacted Kellys performance though. |
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Reply | Bristol Rovers (a) Match Thread
at 19:42 11 Dec 2021
My critsm on the lack of battle hardened performances and not wining individual duals was echoed by the man himself in the post match interview after I had already made my observations on the game and recent games.
So, back to the point. I think Stockdale can do more to combat that and he will. More importantly so can the players. My frustration is a lack of fight and battle. Which I don’t think requires skill and technical ability just hard work, determination and grit.
If you think differently, I accept that. Opinions are what makes sport wonderful.
I like Robbie, he says all the right things. But currently some of the players are probably letting him down in my opinion. |
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Reply | Bristol Rovers (a) Match Thread
at 19:15 11 Dec 2021
Google him.
Effort and fight are two different things. My point was regarding fighting spirit and ensuring your opponent has a miserable game.
Anyway… I shall eagerly await Jan like the rest of us. Hopefully some of the deadwood moves on, the unsuccessful loanees get returned and as others have stated, we bring in some experience. God only knows from where?! |
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Reply | Bristol Rovers (a) Match Thread
at 18:39 11 Dec 2021
I assume Kelly isn’t miles away from that number. Having played championship, Feyonoord and Oxford he won’t be on peanuts I am sure. Whether it’s £2k or £3k the points the same. Did they leave it all on the pitch?
Rochdale fanbase and the towns attitude in general will always be a blend of ‘it will do’ and ‘what do you expect’. I just got told from a young age that nothing worth having comes easy and hard work is the only route to the top. As a unit, we don’t work hard enough. We wouldn’t be shipping goals for fun if that was the case. And if four and a half hours of football in 6 days is a step too far for them then strength and conditioning should be a priority for our sports science team. Draft Kevin Sinfield in… he can talk about hard yards I’m sure. [Post edited 11 Dec 2021 18:46]
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Reply | Bristol Rovers (a) Match Thread
at 18:17 11 Dec 2021
Rathbone in this team and we are in the top 10. I think that’s why frustrations boil over because over recent years it’s always been nearly but not quite.
And, your point regarding Stockdale stating he wants us to be more battle hardened. He has just said similar post game. The ‘if you aren’t playing well make sure they don’t play well too’ jumps out. 1 to 11 I think aside from Dorsett and O’Connell (the latters performances from 4 games ago as recently he is also part of the problem) just don’t win physical battles. We are very nice to play against, I don’t know how he fixes that I’m to be fair. Some of these players need go to same preseason camp as Luke Matheson. A high protein diet and plenty of squats and work on their core. All of a sudden the second balls that we rarely win seem to start landing at your feet.
Pitches are deteriorating too and I think our form will continue to follow that trend when possession based football becomes harder to maintain. Hartlepools pitch on Wednesday helped them to victory in my opinion. The bobbles and lack of speed in the pass just doesn’t work for arty farty players like Morley, Newby, Dooley, Odoh and Kelly. They looked terrified. The pitch was fine today but they didn’t cover the hard yards needed, and to be fair after a long week I’m not surprised but from my basic logic, £3k I expect them to run through brick walls for the cause and fall asleep on the coach having left it all on the pitch. I don’t get those vibes from this team. [Post edited 11 Dec 2021 18:20]
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Reply | Bristol Rovers (a) Match Thread
at 17:35 11 Dec 2021
A the beginning of the season I said to my old man I was looking forward to season where we could just play some football, under very little pressure and enjoy the ride of a mid table season while we stabilise off the field and nurture some of youth on it.
A positive start, some tidy football played and some entertaining games. Some went our way others didn’t. Pretty much as expected and felt like being back in the Rochdale decision after so many years ‘punching above our weight’ was the relief we struggled to accept but probably needed.
Now, ultimately I feel like I did at this stage for the last two seasons under BBM. Constantly frustrated, watching us causes me stress due to the fact that half the things we do in matches really doesn’t seem to make much sense or is completely avoidable and most importantly and the most worrying is I am turning up expecting as much. I don’t embark on watching a game thinking we could win, I am watching through habit and clinging on the fact a clean sheet would be an enjoyable afternoon/evening.
Our fan base is thread bare, and those 500 - 800 that sit on the fence and take our gates from 2,200 to nearer 3,000 I have never quite understood. I thought being a ‘true fan’ was all about giving it your commitment and what will be will be. But after years now of utter crap to put it bluntly, I feel myself sort of understand those ‘fencers’. If you have something more productive to be doing or something clashes with a Dale match and you would typically make an excuse or try and rearrange so you can do both… all of a sudden you put up less fight. Simply because I don’t feel that fight in return on the pitch. I can accept not being good enough or being beaten by a quality team but this league is god awful and so are we. We have no grit or fight. If you can’t match quality you can match work ethic and more often than not work ethic is enough in this league. But we have neither, we have team of wimps with no under belly and I really find that hard to watch.
Stockdales harshest lesson is how he hasn’t prioritised a battling midfielder. It’s a is a catastrophic failure. Liam Kelly for his technical ability will actually struggle in this league, the lower down the ranks he does the less effective he is/will get. I would take an Ethan Hamilton, Cavanagh, S Dawson over him every single day of the week. We have a threadbare squad and we have too many lightweight players who would be squad players anywhere other than Rochdale.
O’Keefe is another example. Gets lots of hype but again for me a Wiseman/Rafferty type player pops him all day long. I want my wing backs to be able to defend as part of the defensive unit as the priority as opposed to clipping his own ankles in the opponents box in the hunt for penalty.
People won’t agree but I’m at a point where I just want to see defenders defend, central midfielders win personal battles, wingers focus on hugging the touch line, being an outlet and swinging a ball in at every chance. And two strikers who can read one and other and be in that box and every single opportunity.
Currently we have defenders who not doing the basics. Wing backs who offer little going forwards and even less defensively, a midfield who all seem to be jockeying for the same ‘I just spray the ball but don’t tackle role’ and strikers who actually rarely strike and come to deep due to lack of service. Regarding the goalkeeping situation, it’s been a problem for years. But at this level, I feel like most of them aren’t very good no matter what team. Sanchez coming for a corner no matter where it was flighted was more important than a goal at times. That was a skill you don’t see very often anymore, hence he’s now number one for Brighton.
I’m not Stockdale out because I know it’s more deep routed than that. But I am worried. I feel like January is still an age away but even when it comes will much change? Have we got any money to makes changes? I still want that mid table finish but on recent showings, I feel very miserable supporting Rochdale. I need more from them, I’m not feeling the love. |
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Reply | Bristol Rovers (a) Match Thread
at 17:01 11 Dec 2021
Don’t worry ‘My LWB [love heart eyes]’ was doing the rounds by the players last week. Summary being, these lot can’t string 3 consecutive performances together. That’s why they play for us. |
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Reply | Bristol Rovers (a) Match Thread
at 15:42 11 Dec 2021
I’m worried. We are consistently failing at the basics.
- We seem to get dragged out of position constantly,
- Struggle to find our forwards with passes to feet, more often than not it’s a hopeful punt in their direction.
- Our midfield all seem to be doing the same thing and have no guile whatsoever.
- Our keeper seems to have no control of his area.
- Our build up play is slow and predictable.
- The amount of times we give away possession with over hit passes or lack of direction is insane.
- We never clear our lines. Somehow our clearances appear to put us in further trouble rather than just hammering it and resetting ourselves.
People are in hope that January will be our saviour but realistically, what will come of it? We are picking from the poorly paid dregs and kids who more often than not are not ready. I’d take 18th this season at this rate, but certainly got a weird deep gut feeling we are getting sucked into the mire and the reasons why are borderline identical to our BBM reasons. |
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Thread | Current Starting 11 & Formation Predictions
at 17:40 2 Aug 2021
So, Max in and Olly likely to be out. Probably one or two further movements before 3pm on Saturday but as it stands what would our best 11 be? Along with formation?
I have the battle year on year trying to explain the ins and outs to my father, this year feels harder than usual as he will have forgotten about the ‘originals’ from 18 months ago which must be said there aren’t many of those left!
I can’t wait to just talk football on Saturday! It’s been draining but the excitement is creeping in.
Daaaaaaaaaaayullllllll. Daaaaaayulll. |
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Reply | Match Thread: Rochdale vs Burton Albion
at 16:48 27 Feb 2021
I miss Calvin Andrew. That’s how bad it’s got. I just want to see some fight from the players who for me are not giving enough on the field. Are they fighting for BBM? Do they care enough? Are they also defeated by him?
This is not a team for survival. I challenge anyone who suggests it is. They all have another gear they could go into but it appears like they don’t want to explore that option. If this game had extra time all of them would finish the game without a glimpse of cramp. It doesn’t feel right. |
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Reply | Match Thread: Rochdale vs Burton Albion
at 16:35 27 Feb 2021
It’s clear for all to see that Morley, Newby, Shaunnessy and Rathbone don’t have what it takes to unlock the doors we need. We miss Jimmy Ryan who keeps us flowing. Morley is a passenger and has been all season. And in his defence, the role he is being asked to play does not help his cause. [Post edited 27 Feb 2021 16:36]
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Reply | Awful game
at 20:52 23 Feb 2021
I thought the lads were brilliant. (In an Irish accent) [Post edited 23 Feb 2021 20:53]
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Reply | Match Thread: Northampton vs Rochdale
at 20:49 23 Feb 2021
Woeful tactic applied by a woeful player. Our midfield is supposed to play in the middle of the field last time I checked? Precisely why we have created zero opportunities all evening. |
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