Post-Match Thread and Ratings Southend United 1-1 Rochdale

[Zeuss]

It looked like we did. I think the main gripe is whatever formation is played we tend to have an overload in defensive minded players who don't make forward runs or overlap (Rochdale were actually great at this first half because they had no concerns about needing to cover backwards). There isn't a golden tactic that works in football but I can understand than clamour for 3 forwards because it means Kev naturally increases the amount of attacking options. At least he recognised we were going to get nothing from the game leaving it is it was and changed it. I did see Curry have a long convo with him just before the subs (not trying to start a conspiracy theory ;-) )

Ok so Maher did eventually realise that the starting line/up he’d weirdly decided upon—slow Hopper not star player Bonne,out-of-form Coker….—was failing miserably but did he change it at ht (we’d probably have won ,Rochdale weren’t anything special !)—no ! Not till less than 25 minutes remained.Clueless.

 

[Sammy Shrimper]

Rochdale’s highlights below.

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

I'm sure we'll look back on this at the end of the season and agree that it was a point gained rather than two dropped. Rochdale aren't a bad side at all but we stuck to it and the subs enabled the equaliser and a potential winner.

POSITIVES:

• As said above, subs made the difference. Great that we actually have proper strength in depth.
• Great ****housery from Bonne; fired up the crowd and the team; got his reward with a great low, hard cross.
• Morton dictating games - sweet left foot and growing in confidence.
• Attitude from the whole team was spot on. Never gave up.
• KAF needs to start IMHO; actually runs with the ball.
• Leon is a baller. We've got a prospect there.

NEGATIVES:

• Starting midfield three doesn't work for me. All very similar and one paced. One will need to be dropped (won't be Morton) to give a bit of drive there.
• Subs still need to be made earlier. With five allowed from seven, you can gamble a bit more earlier in the game and reset if you need to.
• Second balls were going begging in the midfield. Turned over possession too often.

Onto Tuesday - I'll be there, will you?

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Looking at the highlights, I don't know why Ralphy didn't head over the bar instead of straight to their striker. And as I said before, that Walker miss at the end is one of the misses of the season. The goalie is out in no mans land, and Walks only has to get it on target from close range. Having said that, with 10 mintutes to go, I'm sure we would all have settled for 1-1.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Wistful thinking Yorkie mate?

Ah, it was Halifax wasn’t it.

These northern teams all merge into one.

Think today summed up why we are no more than a mid table side at present. Against a well drilled Rochdale we had moments where we clearly competed and were on top ,but we just don't dictate games from the off yet like a top side would and score the goals needed to win games .

Rochdale rank 4th in possession in the division. They also will go 4th if they win their games in hand.

When York played Rochdale in December, York had a relatively even 52% possession to 48% and 9 shots to Rochdale’s 8.

When Forest Green played Rochdale at home in January, Forest Green had 32% possession and shots were a relatively even 11-8.

When will Forest Green and York dominate games from the off and dictate play like a top side would? They are clearly no more than midtable teams at present with no chance of getting promoted.

 

[TVOS1907]

They haven't, the council developed their ground.

Actually doing a bit of digging, the council can no longer afford to run the ground and are looking to sell it which could be bad news for them

We (Rochdale) own and run the ground. It has nothing to do with the council anymore. Also, they didn't develop it for us. There was a 'Stadium Company' formed, with 45% input from both Dale and the egg-chasers and 10% from the Council. The redevelopment of the ground was largely funded by the football club, using funds from the sales of players to higher level clubs and subsequent sell-ons (Think Adam Le Fondre, Stephen Bywater, Glenn Murray, Craig Dawson, Chris O'Grady, Grant Holt, Rickie Lambert, and many others I've forgotten), along with financial input from the directors at the time.

 

[TVOS1907]

Ah, it was Halifax wasn’t it.

These northern teams all merge into one.


Rochdale rank 4th in possession in the division. They also will go 4th if they win their games in hand.

When York played Rochdale in December, York had 28% possession and 8 shots to Rochdale’s 28.

When Forest Green played Rochdale at home in January, Forest Green had 32% possession and shots were a relatively even 11-8.

When will Forest Green and York dominate games from the off and dictate play like a top side would? They are clearly no more than midtable teams at present with no chance of getting promoted.

Can I ask where you've got your stats from YB? We played York on 20th August for starters.

 

[Rob Noxious]

Apologies if it's already been said elsewhere but hats off to TBV in block W of the West for the Macauley Bonne Bonne Bonne chant. It's the first time I've seen him play and I was really pleased to hear that after what he's experienced of late. It was great to see his energy and determination to harry the Dale defence and feel his joy at the goal. It was an exciting finish to the game which was marred by the time-wasting but we certainly looked much more at it. That ball by Parillon to Walker was a beauty. Hoping to see more of him as he gets used to full-time playing.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Can I ask where you've got your stats from YB? We played York on 20th August for starters.

Thanks- fixed it. Not sure what happened there.

It’s Sofascore btw

 

[Boreham Blue]

Looking at the highlights, I don't know why Ralphy didn't head over the bar instead of straight to their striker. And as I said before, that Walker miss at the end is one of the misses of the season. The goalie is out in no mans land, and Walks only has to get it on target from close range. Having said that, with 10 mintutes to go, I'm sure we would all have settled for 1-1.

I think that’s a bit harsh. Looking at the Ralph header, from where he was and running back to goal, I reckon if he had tried to head over it would most likely have ended up in the roof of the net.

 

[in the know]

Let’s be honest we were pretty sh*t today and Rochdale could comfortably have been 3up by half time had Rodney taken his two other very clear cut chances.

Sadly Bridge looks like his legs have gone, couldn’t beat or defend his man and really looked like he couldn’t move very well, he made it feel like we only had 10 men. Is he still unwell?

Husin is another one who seems to just be existing rather than participating. A couple of nice touches / passes but also seems to have lost his spark which is what we all loved, and it’s hard to see what he offers to the team currently?

Goodliffe & Coker looked a bit uncomfortable at times and before the changes the rest looked average.

I think walker could feel hard done by being dropped and I’d expect us to revert to Tuesdays formation / line up for this coming Tuesday. I don’t think we deserved to lose but I don’t think aside from 20 mins at the end we deserved much! I think KM tried to show how clever and flexible he is but just ended up being served another dose of dross!

if we were that flexible adaptable, we'd be 352 when defending and 343 when attacking. I felt Rochdale looked comfortable because we only really pressed with 2. I think we'd have bothered them more with a proper 3 pressing. Didn't feel Coker could in any way be called part of a 3 up top at any time in the game, because he was so deep for most of the game.

I totally get all this respect for the opposition and scared of being over run in in the middle, but we'd just performed well on the Tuesday using 3 up top. scored 3 good goals.We were at home, and with a strong squad. let the away side worry how we are lined up, what we might do to them.
Proactive not reactive please.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I think that’s a bit harsh. Looking at the Ralph header, from where he was and running back to goal, I reckon if he had tried to head over it would most likely have ended up in the roof of the net.

Fair enough comment. Looking at it again and freeze framing it, I was wrong and you are right. He was more under the crossbar than I thought in real time, so he had to head it back. Sorry Ralphy.

 

[Ricey]

if we were that flexible adaptable, we'd be 352 when defending and 343 when attacking. I felt Rochdale looked comfortable because we only really pressed with 2. I think we'd have bothered them more with a proper 3 pressing. Didn't feel Coker could in any way be called part of a 3 up top at any time in the game, because he was so deep for most of the game.

I totally get all this respect for the opposition and scared of being over run in in the middle, but we'd just performed well on the Tuesday using 3 up top. scored 3 good goals.We were at home, and with a strong squad. let the away side worry how we are lined up, what we might do to them.
Proactive not reactive please.

This all day long!

Why the hell are we changing to counteract what another club are doing. It’s Rochdale not Man City. We should have clubs looking at us and trying to counteract what we do.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

This all day long!

Why the hell are we changing to counteract what another club are doing. It’s Rochdale not Man City. We should have clubs looking at us and trying to counteract what we do.

That's because we're Southend - not Liverpool.
Rochdale are one of the better sides in the NL and showed it for all but 25 minutes.

 

[Holy Joe]

if we were that flexible adaptable, we'd be 352 when defending and 343 when attacking. I felt Rochdale looked comfortable because we only really pressed with 2. I think we'd have bothered them more with a proper 3 pressing. Didn't feel Coker could in any way be called part of a 3 up top at any time in the game, because he was so deep for most of the game.

I totally get all this respect for the opposition and scared of being over run in in the middle, but we'd just performed well on the Tuesday using 3 up top. scored 3 good goals.We were at home, and with a strong squad. let the away side worry how we are lined up, what we might do to them.
Proactive not reactive please.

There were frequently far more than 2 in the press. Bridge and Coker often joined in and Husin to

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Eyes down ....

 

[Fairport]

It looked like we did. I think the main gripe is whatever formation is played we tend to have an overload in defensive minded players who don't make forward runs or overlap (Rochdale were actually great at this first half because they had no concerns about needing to cover backwards). There isn't a golden tactic that works in football but I can understand than clamour for 3 forwards because it means Kev naturally increases the amount of attacking options. At least he recognised we were going to get nothing from the game leaving it is it was and changed it. I did see Curry have a long convo with him just before the subs (not trying to start a conspiracy theory ;-) )

Like you many of us have long said that we have too many defensive midfield players. Not enough players apart from GSM get into attacking positions. In the first have we had an attacking set peice with Rochdale bringing everyone back yet we had three players 50 yards from goal marking nobody, absolutely ridiculous. It did improve in the second half though when the non strikers pushed forward more. At the end it was a good point gained against a decent side. Overall we played quite well but need to get rid of some of the negative situations we have when we are in attacking positions.

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

Poor first 65 minutes with the three subs making a big impact turning the game in our favour which was rubber stamped by the introduction of the lad from Slough.

All in all a good point against a very good Rochdale side.

Onto Tuesday night

What game did you go to?

 

[PIERS]

I’d like to see the new lad get a start on Tuesday. Get him up to 60 mins.

 

[Ricey]

That's because we're Southend - not Liverpool.
Rochdale are one of the better sides in the NL and showed it for all but 25 minutes.

Never said we were Liverpool.

But if we are fearing sides like Rochdale we will never get out of this league.