Rochdale (A) The Underhill and Dale Match Thread

[Beesting]

I don't think there's much of an over reaction at all, people are just reacting to a defeat. We're going to lose games but its the manner of them when we do lose. We need to know when it's not going our way and manage games better and change tactically to become be a bit more compact, especially away.

[ETBee]

Reading the above messages it seems to me that the problems may be clear for DB to identify and, if so, he should be able to focus on rectifying them.

[Roy57]

The overreaction from some people is as ridiculous as it was predictable. Let's drop half the team shall we? Let's give Rochdale no credit?

I was there, it was disappointing. But Let's keep a sense of realism.

Totally agree, one poor game and seen comments saying players should go, or Walker should be dropped, wow. I feel it was more a fact of how we set up and playing the same approach as previous games, but there are games were you set up first as hard to break down and then build from there, not press high with high back line against certain teams, today was one, and there will be at least another five or six were we need to manage and set up tighter and not so gun Ho, but panic no we are long way off from that. Onto the next game and pick up three points.

[becbee]

I think we had more good play over the 90 minutes today than we did v Dag and Red, difference being Rochdale had some incisive moments which D+R never had.

[PBBee]

As others have said - what an overreaction. Sounds like Dagenham ii - move on, we’ve got 2 home games this week!

Unfortunately Chesterfield are just cracking on but top 3 was surely always our aim this season?

Funny the different perspective you get actually missing a game - the lads won’t perform to 100 every game so just write it off & move on.

[ninestein]

Bigger picture needs to be seen. One bad result and the keyboard warriors awaken from their slumber. Sums up everything that is wrong in this digital age. Have some patience and enjoy football for what it's supposed to be... a release from the rigours of the working week. Onto the next fixture...

[PBBee]

Bigger picture needs to be seen. One bad result and the keyboard warriors awaken from their slumber. Sums up everything that is wrong in this digital age. Have some patience and enjoy football for what it's supposed to be... a release from the rigours of the working week. Onto the next fixture...

Amen!

[PBBee]

Hartigan is a liability

- honestly I missed this. Top 3 players so far.

[pletch99]

I see lots on here about what went wrong today and it's true we did make mistakes, but we also played pretty well at times. I think we also need to acknowledge that on the day Rochdale played well and were absolutely clinical on the counter attack. Despite that, the first twenty minutes aside we had the majority of the ball and moved it around pretty well, but the goals aside our crossing wasn't up to recent standards. I have to say I thought Rochdale had done their homework and did an excellent job of keeping both wide players wide and exploiting the space behind our Wingbacks. Tactical adjustments should have been made, even in the first half - we needed fullbacks, not wingbacks.

I'm really puzzled by some of the comments on here. I really didn't think Walker did anything wrong today - he had very little chance with any of the goals. For the first goal he had no choice but to come out and had the Rochdale forward tried to take a touch he would have been in a good position to block with his legs. Unfortunately, the Rochdale player took the difficult option to hit it first time and produced a really well judged lob. It made Walker look bad, but he really couldn't have done much about it, 9 times out of 10 in this league the ball would have ended up in the stand. The damage was done when the forward was allowed to run clear of the defence.

I also find it strange the people are criticising Collinge for a bad game against Sinclair. Sinclair spent most of the first half hugging the touchline and I would have said it was Wynter who SHOULD have been looking after him, but actually ignored him completely. That put Collinge in a position where he was trying to cover two positions.

Wynter aside, I didn't think anyone had a terrible game but equally we weren't at our best. Obviously Pritch made a bad error for their third, heading the ball straight to their player, but he did contribute an excellent assist for our second a little while later. He's not been anywhere near last seasons form and it might be time for him to have a rest. I'm pretty sure he'll come good in the long run.

[11bee717]

I see lots on here about what went wrong today and it's true we did make mistakes, but we also played pretty well at times. I think we also need to acknowledge that on the day Rochdale played well and were absolutely clinical on the counter attack. Despite that, the first twenty minutes aside we had the majority of the ball and moved it around pretty well, but the goals aside our crossing wasn't up to recent standards. I have to say I thought Rochdale had done their homework and did an excellent job of keeping both wide players wide and exploiting the space behind our Wingbacks. Tactical adjustments should have been made, even in the first half - we needed fullbacks, not wingbacks.

I'm really puzzled by some of the comments on here. I really didn't think Walker did anything wrong today - he had very little chance with any of the goals. For the first goal he had no choice but to come out and had the Rochdale forward tried to take a touch he would have been in a good position to block with his legs. Unfortunately, the Rochdale player took the difficult option to hit it first time and produced a really well judged lob. It made Walker look bad, but he really couldn't have done much about it, 9 times out of 10 in this league the ball would have ended up in the stand. The damage was done when the forward was allowed to run clear of the defence.

I also find it strange the people are criticising Collinge for a bad game against Sinclair. Sinclair spent most of the first half hugging the touchline and I would have said it was Wynter who SHOULD have been looking after him, but actually ignored him completely. That put Collinge in a position where he was trying to cover two positions.

Wynter aside, I didn't think anyone had a terrible game but equally we weren't at our best. Obviously Pritch made a bad error for their third, heading the ball straight to their player, but he did contribute an excellent assist for our second a little while later. He's not been anywhere near last seasons form and it might be time for him to have a rest. I'm pretty sure he'll come good in the long run.

It was so weird the way we defended Sinclair, it was genuinely like Wynts had been told to leave him free. Numerous occasions he had a ridiculous pocket of space

[DSM]

Chesterfield look very strong and whilst we should aim for top spot I agree top 3 and 1 home match from Wembley should be the minimum attainable goal

Too many off players yesterday. Pritchard & Hardigan especially. Hope the formers sliding cross for our 2nd may have given him a bit of confidence to push on.

Think DB has done an unbelievable job for us and will continue to. Just 2 choices he consistently makes which I don’t understand, always subbing Gorman who yesterday I felt was one of the better players and giving limited game time to Armstrong. The latter is no longer a project, he’s 25 in January. Oluwo is younger and also came from NLS.

Thought Oluwo was our best player on an average day. Lots of fans got on Pritchards back in the 2nd half, I get why, he was poor but not sure ultimately it will help.

[jerroll]

We weren't at the races for large parts of 1st half but were getting into the game prior to the break when they scored their 2nd, which came from a lack of an offside call when ball was threaded through to their right winger - i was dead in line unlike the lino and he was well off. get in at 1-1 it could have been o so different.

[letchbee94]

Agree with John first 20 mins or so we was not really awake but then did well to respond quickly to going a goal behind.

If Hall effort does not get clear off the line it then goes to 3-3.

Defending obviously should have been better but unlike at Daggenham we looked lively going forward.

[beew]

https://youtu.be/YGir0FtutT4?si=X0p3Wult2dyun-Mk

Highlights

[WillesdenBee]

https://youtu.be/YGir0FtutT4?si=X0p3Wult2dyun-Mk

Highlights

Easy to break down their goals:

First goal - No idea how Oluwo has not tracked the man 2 years away from him. Walker in no man’s land, should never be in that position on a bouncing ball.
Second goal - It’s a good goal from their perspective but once the ball ends up wide, Collinge was sucked in too far as Oluwo was too far over marking no one. Oluwo should be more central. All comes from Wynter being miles out of position though.
Third goal - Pritch poor header but in my opinion, Laurie needs to intercept that cross though. It’s 3 yards out
4th - Not a clue why we have everyone forward. Shocking ball in from AH, Okimo probably could intercept Sinclairs pass but can see why he didn’t commit. Walker too far out, gave himself 0 reaction time. Made it easy for Henderson to put it past him.

All avoidable but all east fixes that we will work on. Little things cost goals against good teams. As said, if RHJ chance goes in, we probably win the game!