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Post by phipsy on Nov 9, 2013 17:14:57 GMT
Afraid to report that was a s dire performance as I have seen for a while.
Indeed I cannot remember a game where we didn't create a single chance during the whole match. Any cultured football was played by Rochdale from the first minutes.
We returned to long balls down the middle and unfortunately I cannot recall young McCollum wiining a single ball. Here are my marks for what it's worth.
Rice 8
Tonge 7
Nico 7
Downes 7
O,Connor 7
Man sell 6
McCourt 6
Chappell 6
Azeez 4
Mccalum 4
Benyon 5
Subs. No impact 13 mins to go.
Harley
Cameron
Craig.
No needed money for cup runs.
I am seriously worried for the rest of the season now with that abysmal display.
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Nov 9, 2013 17:25:47 GMT
Afraid to report that was as dire performance as I have seen for a while. Indeed I cannot remember a game where we didn't create a single chance during the whole match. Any cultured football was played by Rochdale from the first minutes. Would have to agree there sir, Couldn't pass to another player in yellow, second to the ball, dawdling on the ball, aimless long balls to no one, subs too late and when it takes 90 minutes to make their keeper work for his shillings you know you ain't gonna win. Reminded me of Leroy's last match in charge.  I just hope beer can turn this day around.  Not did we lose the prize money but lost money by letting people in for £13 not £18.  |
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Nov 9, 2013 17:32:45 GMT
A pity really, we were looking good for a replay until that late goal. Unfortunately we did not create much up front and on the rare occasion when Benyon cleverly slipped Chappell through, he hit his shot high and wide...
Rochdale did pass the ball better and their main plan of attack seemed to be aiming the ball behind Nico a lot of the time. I'm not sure the triple substitution worked but can understand why Knill was trying to force a result. The first goal was a simple tap in after we were exposed on the left. Ricey made a good save for the second from a close range header but the rebound was hit onto the underside of the bar and in...
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Nov 9, 2013 17:32:52 GMT
No needed money for cup runs. I am seriously worried for the rest of the season now with that abysmal display. Indeed. Worried about the club's finances and worried about the team. Our best players were our two centre backs and our keeper. They kept us in it for 85 minutes, during which time I don't think we had a shot on goal. |
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Post by bristolgull on Nov 9, 2013 17:33:41 GMT
Really disappointed, missing out on much needed cash for a second year in a row as well as the potential for an attractive draw to tempt more fans out to support the club. Early November and now we are just left struggling to improve our league position. Not a good day...
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Nov 9, 2013 17:36:01 GMT
3 things are certain in life. Death, taxes and Si's I read that quick and thought you said death, taxes and STIs. |
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petef
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Post by petef on Nov 9, 2013 17:41:34 GMT
Personally I think those marks are excedingly generous phipsy.
That has to go down as the worst FA CUP tie I have ever watched and I have watched plenty in nearly fifty years.
Why have we taken one step forward and three back again is a complete mystery.
Thankfully we didn't make the second round to more than likely be humiliated by some unknown village side so maybe thankful for that at the moment.
It was a truly atrocious and woeful performance and underlines my opinion that the club are Conference bound with this dreadful squad of players who simply cannot string two or three passes together and simply hoof the ball to nobody for ninety minutes. Nobody was prepared to take responsibility and get the ball on the deck and pass it - you could go and watch any pub side playing tomorrow and you will more than likely see a better passing game it really was that bad. McCallum - send him back hes bloody useless didn't win a thing all afternoon and looked just to strole around the pitch thinking that he'd already made it. Robin Stubbs in his late seventies would have done a better job. Again no ball players in the middle just graafters who were at least prepared to put their foot in but give them the ball at their feet and ask that they pass to a fellow team mate and they just elect to blast it back to the opposition.
If Knill cannot organise his team to play ther game as it should be played from the first whistle then he should surely be considering his position we were once again asleep from the first whistle. I have my sympathies with the man but to come out so ill prepared and loo so poor from the off there surely must be something behind the scenes. In the end some mysterious substitutions did for us and you could see it coming with our only thorns in their defence, Benyon and Chapell though neither had great games,removed in the last few minutes to be replaced by Craig and Hawley who are simply not up to speed.
A truly atrocious performance in footballing terms , effort in some quarters yes but this lot simply have no idea how to pass the ball and support each other when in possession , build a move or keep the ball. Sorry but continue in this vein and we are on our way out of this division.
my marks for what they are worth.
Rice 7
Tonge 5
Downes 6
Nico 5
Oconnor 7
Maansell 6
Mc Court 5
Chapell 6
Azeez 3
McCallum 2
Benyon 6
Average 5.2 for the team performance which I reckon is just about right.
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Post by Swanny on Nov 9, 2013 17:47:36 GMT
An absolute shocking performance and our dismal cup runs of the last 2 seasons continues. A dismal crowd of just 1,976, 130 odd from Rochdale and that was after today's reduced admission prices. There is very little to cheer about these days. It's just like last season again - out of all the cups at the first attempts and all we have to look forward to for the rest of the season is another relegation battle. Will we even survive it this season, well on today's performance I came away with huge doubts again. All our 4 loanees played today who have all come from higher league teams and yet we could hardly muster a shot or move of note throughout the entire game. It was almost like Rochdale's 2 late goals put us out of our agonies - they came as a relief. We did not deserve anything and the 0-0 scoreline was just masking a toothless and pathetic performance. Sponsors MOTM Downes and indeed it was only centrebacks Downes, O'Connor and keeper Rice who come out with any credit today. Mansell put in a decent shift and it was interesting to see Mansell's and Rice's furious reactions when we conceeded the second goal - at least they showed the passion that they cared. As for our wingers and front 2 - they were pretty non-existent and never got in the game.
I won't comment much on the game as there was so little to get excited about. For the first 10 minutes Rochdale were camped in our half. Somehow we survived when Rochdale looked certain to score on several occasions. Rice pulled off around 4 decent saves throughout the match, Downes and O'Connor had great games in defence. Azeez had a chance in the first half from a great through ball from MacCourt but wasted his chance. Azeez had another chance but their keeper punched his effort clear. The second half just got worse and I cannot recall any shots of note it was that bad. However remarkably the score was still 0-0. After around 60 minutes the game was crying out for us to make subs. However after 75 minutes Knill finally makes a triple substitution. Matters did not improve and all the subs barely got a touch. With 5 minutes to go Nicholson got beaten, the ball got pulled back from the by-line and Hogan slid the ball under Rice from close range. 4 minutes later a corner swung over, Rice made a tremendous save from a header but Vincenti scored from the rebound. The home support shuffled out from an already sparse Plainmoor and you could even hear Mansell having a right go at his teammates (including the odd expletive!). We all knew our cup dream was over for another season.
More worryingly for me is where our season goes from here. Again our performance fell well short today again and you cannot blame a lack of player options. I'm afraid the finger has to point at the performance again of Alan Knill. He does not seem capable of improving matters on the pitch when things are not going to plan. Where was the cup passion and attacking intent today? The second half performance was so limp and not worthy of the FA cup. Why did he not make changes earlier when it was clear we were no threat at all? Why were so many moves breaking down and we hardly strung more than 2 or 3 passes together. The sad thing to report is that even with 4 loanees and a near full strength squad we are seriously struggling. Afterall our only 3 wins this season have been against equally poor opposition.
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Nov 9, 2013 17:54:08 GMT
Where was the attacking intent? You could say that playing four forwards is "attacking intent". The only trouble is that if you can't get hold of the ball, it doesn't do you much good. |
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petef
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Post by petef on Nov 9, 2013 17:57:15 GMT
Hate to say it, and you saw exactly what I saw today Swanny, but have come to the conclusion that the dream ticket of Alan Knill and Chris Brass is simply failing dismally. They have simply run out of ideas and cannot motivate the dross they have brought in.
Unfortunately there is no alternative but to stick with them but once again they failed tactically and failed to motivate for such an important match and for me that's unforgivable.
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Post by Ditmar van Nostrilboy on Nov 9, 2013 18:37:03 GMT
Dear oh dear. Not the result we needed for sure. It had all the hallmarks of a dour war of attrition that matches against Rochdale usually have (apart from the 4-2 and 5-0 in recent seasons). Nothing really between the teams for the 1st 80 minutes. I think Ricey had one save and one catch to make up till the last 10 minutes. Dale clearly had the intent of being tight at the back with 5 across when we had possession and pushing the 2 fullbacks forward to midfield when they had the ball. Downes and OConnor had the Dale attack under control the same way their defence kept ours quiet. Strange how McCallum can go from looking a useful forward in the last 2 matches to not winning a thing today.
I would certainly have to question why on earth Chappers was on the left. I know he has a better left foot than Azeez or Cameron but we lose so much threat with him there. I know he also offers more of a shield for Nico (witness what happened once substituted) but I dont think him or Azeez swapped sides once in the game to try a different approach.
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Post by Swanny on Nov 9, 2013 19:18:19 GMT
Where was the attacking intent? You could say that playing four forwards is "attacking intent". The only trouble is that if you can't get hold of the ball, it doesn't do you much good. Yes, on paper it looked an exciting line-up and one which beat Bury last week. But in practice today offensively there was nothing happening and until the late triple substitution nothing was altered to remedy this. As mentioned above not even the customary swapping of wingers was tried to relieve the boredom. |
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JamesB
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Post by JamesB on Nov 9, 2013 19:38:55 GMT
Apparently the players came out to an air raid siren today - this weekend of all weekends! Graham Duncan, the matchday announcer, was so infuriated by the decision (seemingly made by someone above him) that he has immediately resigned. What a joke. We can't even get that right, let alone anything on the pitch. Why do we deserve to be a League Two club?
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Nov 10, 2013 9:26:51 GMT
Apparently the players came out to an air raid siren today Yes they did - must confess to not giving it a second thought as the minutes silence was well respected. |
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Post by gullone on Nov 10, 2013 10:03:48 GMT
For anybody that wasnt at Plainmoor yesterday, believe me we never looked like we could win that game at any point in the entire 95 mins. Nothing in attack. I wish i could earn two or three grand a week for whatever Benyon does. Nice work if you can get it !
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