[Archived] Rochdale away - 20th July

[yoda]

It was closed. Absolute joke. I even missed lunch for it!

sounds like an opportunity for venkys xpress

[Majiball]

thanks Tyrone.

[West Yorks Rover]

Midfield quality is whats required, a lot of the other stuff will fall into place, if they sort out this most important area of the team.

IMO of course.

Replacing Dann might be a good idea too.

[The Rover of Finland]

Where you there today ? They both passed the ball back more than they passed it forward. Anyway that's my view of the game. We'll see what the story is at the end of the season. Any Burnley fans there would be rubbing their hands. Somebody else mentioned the black left back that came on later. He looked a good little player , quick into the tackle and confident on the ball.

The goals, one was a goalmouth scramble and the other was a Peds free kick. Rochdale's goalie made a balls of the wall and Peds just chipped it into an unguarded bit of the net.

The ' dales two both came from the left side of our back four still being out to lunch. Their right winger just gathered the ball in acres of room and beat Kean from about 15 yards both times.

I´m sorry for being sarcastic. Lowe can´t pass the easiest pass. The left back might have been Raheem Hanley.

[Cherry Blue]

How many Rovers fans there?

[K-Hod]

We certainly need improvement, but it's pre season. Folk need some perspective.

Best and Rhodes had nothing in terms of service, so it's hard for them to work miracles from that. Too much long ball today, it was meat and drink for Rochdale's defenders. Though I suspect it wouldn't have killed Best to graft a bit harder....

[West Yorks Rover]

We certainly need improvement, but it's pre season. Folk need some perspective.

Best and Rhodes had nothing in terms of service, so it's hard for them to work miracles from that. Too much long ball today, it was meat and drink for Rochdale's defenders. Though I suspect it wouldn't have killed Best to graft a bit harder....

I really don't get this long ball stuff, thought we would have moved-on from that, especially as we don't have the type of forwards to play that style.

[Muddboy]

Went this arvo.

Very curious decision to play Marrow and Lowe in the same line up. Two defensive midfielders in the middle is not going to bring creativity and if Bowyer is relying on Taylor and Judge to provide that, we're going to struggle.

Judge was very poor IMO. Provided no width whatsoever and Kane had nobody to give the ball to down the right hand side. Taylor looked a bit of a headless chicken and doesn't look the 'tricky winger' I thought we'd signed.

Dann was also poor today. Lots of misplaced passes and aimless long balls. Leon Best was a waste of a shirt. Didn't look interested for much of the game and just strutted around, swearing to himself and blaming everyone else.

The rest of the team was fairly average.

The biggest plus for me today was Raheem Hanley at left back. This was the first time I've seen him play and looked very assured – albeit playing out our position. Pacey, good at defending and good going forward. A bit lightweight but I'd say he could be the solution to our left back headache (assuming Kilgallon doesn't play there).

[neophox]

With the players available I would play like this at the moment.

Kean

Kane, Dann, Hanley, Kilgallon

Williamsson, Marrow, Taylor

King, Rhodes, Rochina

With Fabio Nunes and DJ very near the team and a joker in Raheem Hanley.

[Amo]

Still not sure what some people see in Best. He's never been prolific at any club and he's crocked to boot.

[RussP]

He's got a bad back, he's got a bad backkkkk, Number 2, he's got a bad back!

Funny as @#/? today.

[roversfan99]

Thought Best was disinterested, Kane was shaky, Dann was very poor, Rhodes was not involved baring a chance he should have scored, and Morris was shaky but Lowe was the worst player, his free kick summed him up.

Judge was fairly creative, Marrow was OK, whilst DJ Campbell and Josh King had a big impact when they came on.

[cn174]

Pedersen's goal

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cn174/9327578193/sizes/h/in/photostream/'>

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cn174/9327578193/sizes/h/in/photostream/'>MGP Free Kick by cn174, on Flickr

[Stuart]

Great shots Claire!

[m1st]

I'm with Tyrone on this one.

I live a bit further away from Spotland than he does but I've been to quite a few games there since the Trust sold us. I was sitting in the main stand, across from where the BRFC contingent were sitting, and met with a few former work colleagues of the Rochdale persuasion, one of whom took great joy in telling me at half-time that this could be a League One fixture in season 2014/15. It was difficult to argue with him, given that the only real chance we'd had was Judge's free-kick which hit the post. Rochdale looked more motivated, fitter and "up for it", than we did.

I don't often do this but I left before the end when we were 2-1 down so missed MGP's equaliser.

[Colt Seavers]

With the players available I would play like this at the moment.

Kean

Kane, Dann, Hanley, Kilgallon

Williamsson, Marrow, Taylor

King, Rhodes, Rochina

With Fabio Nunes and DJ very near the team and a joker in Raheem Hanley.

i think this is absolutely spot on!

king looked lively today and that looks our strongest midfield from our current squad.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Kean - couple of decent saves again, can't be faulted for the goals.

Kane - looked a little out of sorts, like all the defence. As usual though, gets forward well.

Dann - almost scored but looked shaky at the back

Hanley - doesn't look fully fit to me. Probably the best of the back line but not terrific.

Morris - defensively poor. I'm more at ease when he's going forward.

Lowe - oh no, Jason Lowe. Added nothing but did lose a ball out of the ground.

Marrow - not sure he's the answer but definitely grew into the game. Above Lowe in the pecking order based on today.

Taylor - didn't get the breaks but worked really hard again, great energy. Would prefer to see him in central midfield rather than wide.

Judge - frustrates the hell out of me. Has talent but looks too tentative. When he goes forward, he looks ok. Hit post with a great free kick.

Best - maybe by name, but that's all. Doesn't look good enough. When he got the ball, it was head down & run before losing it. Like watching a sh1t Rochina.

Rhodes - working hard as usual but not getting the chances. Should have scored with a header but quiet overall.

Subs:

Eastwood - not much to do but did flap at a cross.

Orr - errr, no thanks.

O'Connell - little to do but solid again.

Kilgallon - solid if unspectacular. Will do a job, for sure.

R.Hanley - played well when he came on. Not sure he's ready but we really are light of options at left back.

Pedersen - don't let the goal mask his overall performance. Great free kick but poor from open play.

Rosado - time to move on Diogo. Another sh1t Rochina impersonator.

Nunes - lively, again. Is making a real push for a starting spot.

Formica - forgot about him, unsuprisingly. Didn't do much.

DJ - always a threat, scored almost instantly. Lightweight but sure he has plenty of goals in him.

King - played well when he came on but is lacking that end product.

Take away Rhodes (still time for a last minute disaster swoop) and that team of players frightens the life out of me.

[rovers11]

I expect big things from nunes and king next season. Think they are both very talented players if a little inconsistent. They are both match winners and can produce a little bit of magic.

Woefully short in central midfield still. Need a solid midfielder who puts himself about (spearing) and a technically gifted player who can pick a pass (UAE player). If we can get those 2 players in then I think we'll be very strong.

Surprising that Rhodes hasn't scored in pre-season yet.

[Waggy76]

Midfield quality is whats required, a lot of the other stuff will fall into place, if they sort out this most important area of the team.

IMO of course.

Replacing Dann might be a good idea too.

that has been obvious for 2 seasons ..

[West Yorks Rover]

that has been obvious for 2 seasons ..

Very true and I've been hoping GB would be the man to do something about it finally, well he has 2 weeks to kick-off.

Spearing would do for one, and maybe as rovers11 says above the UAE lad could be the other, he certainly has a bit of skill

and seems to be happy to receive the ball and not treat it like a hot potato, there is a good article just been posted on the transfer

thread about him.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I expect big things from nunes and king next season. Think they are both very talented players if a little inconsistent. They are both match winners and can produce a little bit of magic.

Woefully short in central midfield still. Need a solid midfielder who puts himself about (spearing) and a technically gifted player who can pick a pass (UAE player). If we can get those 2 players in then I think we'll be very strong.

Surprising that Rhodes hasn't scored in pre-season yet.

I wasn't the slightest bit surprised after watching that today. Absolutely no service from midfield, the two lower league stumps that played centre half for Rochdale had Best and Rhodes in their pockets all afternoon.

[G Somerset Rover]

Blimey that central midfield wouldn't look out of place in the conference. HAS to be addressed before the start of the season. Marrow and chuffing Jason Lowe .

No wonder Rhodes hasn't bagged in pre-season.

[Reedy You're A Star]

To be fair to GB, it seems we are trying to address the blatant lack of drive and creativity in midfield with the attempts at signing Murphy and Spearing. Hopefully we'll get someone of that ilk in before the start of the season. God knows we need one, in fact we could do with two for when he inevitably gets injured.

[yoda's brother]

I expect big things from nunes and king next season. Think they are both very talented players if a little inconsistent. They are both match winners and can produce a little bit of magic.

Woefully short in central midfield still. Need a solid midfielder who puts himself about (spearing) and a technically gifted player who can pick a pass (UAE player). If we can get those 2 players in then I think we'll be very strong.

Surprising that Rhodes hasn't scored in pre-season yet.

ah but he only scores when he wants. :lol:

as the chant goes.

[blueboy3333]

http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/plenty-to-work-on-933835.aspx

Take the postives