Rochdale v Torquay United - 14/9/13

[exilegull]

My first and possibly only game of the season today.

First half, after a slightly rocky start we were the better team. Chappell saw quite a bit of the ball on the right and had a few goes at the fullback, but didn't really put in the killer ball. Bodin has the two best chances, one when we won the ball with a good interception tackle in Rochdale's half and a second when he battled past a couple of players. He may have been wider than it looked from where we were but on both occasions it looked like he took the ball too far when he should have hit it earlier - the first chance it looked like he tried to square it for Hawley.

Second half we started slowly and Rochdale had a good 15-20 minute spell, with a couple of good saves from Rice including a point blank header tipped over and then a free header that should have been put away but was headed at Rice. It looked like we had weathered it and were getting back on top again - then Bodin (I think) had a loose touch and lost a ball on the edge of their box, Rochdale played a long ball out, it was awkward for Pearce and he made a mess of it, leaving Rochdale three on one against Downes, Henderson duly finishing well.

After that Downes had a header 6 yards out straight at their keeper, then a nice move down the right Chappell crossed towards the back of the box to Harding who put a header in that looked like it would beat the keeper but a defender managed to head clear. After that the game fizzled out.

Overall I thought they did ok - didn't really look lik relegation candidates but at the same it is another loss without scoring.

Positives - Downes, Chappell and also Tonge I thought did very well supporting Chappell and looked solid defensively. I also thought the front two did ok - both held up the ball fairly well and brought others into play which enabled our good play in the first half. Neither of them really got that killer ball to finish so on this occasion I wouldn't point to them for lack of goals. They work together ok although at times were not on the same wavelength - i think Ball is too queit. Bodin was also decent first half.

Negatives - Riceys kicking. At least 6 straight into touch and another couple too long. Pearce at times look great, very comfortable on the ball but he does also look like he has mistakes in him and it duly came. Nicholson was very poor - we all know he is not the greatest defender but his distribution was awful today, far too many aimless long balls. Harding was also poor - he makes aimless headers, is too slow on the ball and was caught dawdling at least twice, although he and Mansell did look fairly solid today which allowed a platform for better play.

I think we'll be ok - Knill needs time. He's trying to set the team up to be solid and organised and play with pace and width and it worked well for most of today. I don't believe Craig is the answer yet, as I think we will be overrun - I'm hoping Mozika might be. Ball has bot a lot of stick here but I thought he did ok - however I think it needs Benyon in there who will pressure defenders and nick a goal. Hawley can hold it up fine as long as it is not a hoof but a ball into feet or body.

[AustrianAndyGull]

My first and possibly only game of the season today.

First half, after a slightly rocky start we were the better team. Chappell saw quite a bit of the ball on the right and had a few goes at the fullback, but didn't really put in the killer ball. Bodin has the two best chances, one when we won the ball with a good interception tackle in Rochdale's half and a second when he battled past a couple of players. He may have been wider than it looked from where we were but on both occasions it looked like he took the ball too far when he should have hit it earlier - the first chance it looked like he tried to square it for Hawley.

Second half we started slowly and Rochdale had a good 15-20 minute spell, with a couple of good saves from Rice including a point blank header tipped over and then a free header that should have been put away but was headed at Rice. It looked like we had weathered it and were getting back on top again - then Bodin (I think) had a loose touch and lost a ball on the edge of their box, Rochdale played a long ball out, it was awkward for Pearce and he made a mess of it, leaving Rochdale three on one against Downes, Henderson duly finishing well.

After that Downes had a header 6 yards out straight at their keeper, then a nice move down the right Chappell crossed towards the back of the box to Harding who put a header in that looked like it would beat the keeper but a defender managed to head clear. After that the game fizzled out.

Overall I thought they did ok - didn't really look lik relegation candidates but at the same it is another loss without scoring.

Positives - Downes, Chappell and also Tonge I thought did very well supporting Chappell and looked solid defensively. I also thought the front two did ok - both held up the ball fairly well and brought others into play which enabled our good play in the first half. Neither of them really got that killer ball to finish so on this occasion I wouldn't point to them for lack of goals. They work together ok although at times were not on the same wavelength - i think Ball is too queit. Bodin was also decent first half.

Negatives - Riceys kicking. At least 6 straight into touch and another couple too long. Pearce at times look great, very comfortable on the ball but he does also look like he has mistakes in him and it duly came. Nicholson was very poor - we all know he is not the greatest defender but his distribution was awful today, far too many aimless long balls. Harding was also poor - he makes aimless headers, is too slow on the ball and was caught dawdling at least twice, although he and Mansell did look fairly solid today which allowed a platform for better play.

I think we'll be ok - Knill needs time. He's trying to set the team up to be solid and organised and play with pace and width and it worked well for most of today. I don't believe Craig is the answer yet, as I think we will be overrun - I'm hoping Mozika might be. Ball has bot a lot of stick here but I thought he did ok - however I think it needs Benyon in there who will pressure defenders and nick a goal. Hawley can hold it up fine as long as it is not a hoof but a ball into feet or body.

I think for me this is nail hit on head. It should be the other way around and that is why we aren't scoring. Our strikers are being hold up men for midfielders who (Chappell aside) couldn't hit a cows arse instead of the midfielders creating openings for attempts at goal from Hawley et al.

Thanks for the report exiledgull.

[AustrianAndyGull]

This is a consistent tactic in all the games I've seen, that is why Ball tends to be well short of the goals trying to hang onto the ball to free others instead of him having the ball supplied to him in goalscoring positions. Same with Hawley, apart from the goal at Morecambe (which he made himself by creating his own space and shimmying past a defender) he is praised for being as strong as and ox and holding off defenders to lay the ball off. Our two main strikers are effectively providing the service to others who are crap so therefore we won't score many.

[exilegull]

Yeah, I partly agree with you Andy but also I think it is ok that we can go longer and they can hold it up and develop a move. A couple of times it went direct and they held it up.and brought Chappell into play - I like Chappell he gets in good positions, has skill and a bit of strength as well - but he never really put that final ball in that was there for the attackers to go at. Similarly story with Bodin as well he got in twice but didn't quite get the final ball.

[AustrianAndyGull]

I agree about Chappell, he is by far and away our most exciting and promising attacker but if he fails we've got nobody. I don't buy the Bodin sympathy (apologies for raising this again) it's another game he hasn't scored. We need something tangible and not 'nearly' did this and nearly did that. He's had enough time now, it's getting ridiculous. How much patience do we require. I find it odd people are saying get Harding out he's crap, get Ball out blah blah when Bodin hasn't been much better and he's had about 60 games! It's quite incredible.

(apologies again for the Bodin thing but that is how I see things at this particular moment.)

[AustrianAndyGull]

If he is a talented footballer then i'd like to see it at some point before he retires.

(I feel I may have pushed Dutchgulls patience and goodwill too far with that remark! )

Sorry Dutch!

I've tried to explain my reasons and not just have a random dig at Billy.

[chunkygull]

AustrianAndyGull »
The Bodin thing is a bit of a sticking point with me I completely agree. I sound obsessive about him I know, totally disagree with Nick about me shouting stuff from the stands today if I was at Rochdale. Bodin won't get much better encouragement from anyone on the terraces than what he does from me I can guarantee. That annoyed me a lot. I'm not a moaner at games. I'm very vocal. Bodin probably is a very talented footballer but he doesn't give us any goals and his link up play and other things aren't consistent enough or effective enough to negate this therefore I don't believe he deserves a place in the side. On the flipside to that we have signed Courtney who looks atrocious. Next time i'm going on about Billy just say "Billy again Andy - stop it" and add a smiley and my world will be a much better place!

"Billy again Andy - stop it"

:~D

[AustrianAndyGull]

you bugger!!

[Dutchgull]

If he is a talented footballer then i'd like to see it at some point before he retires.

(I feel I may have pushed Dutchgulls patience and goodwill too far with that remark! )

Sorry Dutch!

I've tried to explain my reasons and not just have a random dig at Billy.

AAAAGGGGHHHH !!!!!!


I do have a sense of humour !!

Jeez we have to supporting this lot !

[The Farmers Friend]

Warmest regards, A knee-jerk halfwit.

Not sure why you took my post so personally. What I had in mind were the likes of a long-term poster who made the ludicrous claim that Roy McFarland was the worst Torquay manager he'd ever seen as results suffered whilst he assembled the core of the team that got promoted under Leroy, or the former poster who took against Leroy when results slid in the second half of his first season in charge and, having made his bed, silently sulked as we stormed to promotion and then waited until the following season to issue his I-told-you-sos.

if his brief is to start off the season with one win in the first seven league games, obtain 6 points in the process and be out of two cups in the first round, thereby ensuring a worse start than last season, then he is doing very well and is fulfilling his brief to the letter. One would hope that the Board have higher aspirations than that though.

I would be surprised if the board had set Knill a target of where they want United to be after seven games.

As others have said, I would hope there is a Plan B on the horizon if things don't start to pick up very soon. Maybe there is no Plan B, maybe Plan B will prove flawed or ineffective? Right now, painful as it may be, I'm prepared to be patient and see. If things are looking no better by the end of October and we are indeed in the bottom five coming up to Christmas, rest assured I will recall that you were right all along...

[hector]

I really do despair with the official site and their way of trying to make everything seem so rosy.

'Only missing a goal' is the headline for yesterday, as if that is just some minor aberration in an otherwise faultless display - an inconsequential nuisance that doesn't really matter.

[brucie]

I think I am right in saying that in league and cup games we have only scored two goals once this season (against Northampton) when we won that game.
So its not hard to see why we are not winning games. Whether its the midfield or the strikers fault you can be debate all you like. I don't think that Knill is at all a negative manager but we are hamstrung by his foot soldiers not being up to scratch.
We probably cannot afford to bring anyone in but the striking department needs urgent attention and at least Knill does have a bit of scope.
Benyon when fit must be given a run in the team. Hawley and Balls return of one goal between them in nigh on ten goals is hopeless - lets be fair.
You only have to look at the likes of our ex players Zebroski and Jarvis for example who manage to find the net with regularity.
I don't understand why Yeoman hasn't had a chance either - after all Knill gave him another years contract.
Knill has to say thanks but no thanks to Ball and has to find something better on loan and when he does pair him with Benyon.
We need to improve drastically and quick - unfortunately it doesn't look like happening.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Hawley WILL score goals, he is the one bit of quality we have in attacking areas other than Chappell. If he gets no service then he WON'T score goals. In each game I've seen he always has his back to goal, holding off defenders left right and centre to try and lay it off. He won't get goals doing this although his workrate is admirable. Nobody can seem to find any sort of pass in a forward direction for him to run onto and basically it's just like watching Rene Howe up there in all honesty. Main danger man spends half his time back to goal fighting off defenders so he can lay the ball off only for the move to break down.

Ball is quite shocking, he is a runner but so are many other big men playing in non league and i'd rather have them for half the cost.

I believe we have the strikers to score goals but the ones that are being chosen to start are being let down by a non existant midfield (Chappel aside) and there are others on the bench that should be starting.

Midfield is shocking and needs addressing or it's Ling-esque football from here on in I reckon.

[PlainmoorRoar]

Could be worse, look at Accrington!

[AustrianAndyGull]

Could be worse, look at Accrington!

Well we all thought that about Hartlepool a few weeks back and now they're only a point behind.