This is horrible. Just, horrible.
For the last however many years, massive tuesday night fixtures like this would take over my day. An average day in school or college would turn into a largely unproductive day in school or college, as my mind would often be focused on the much, much more important events that would take place later that day. All I’d be able to think about would be pushing through that turnstile, and taking my regular seat in the Main Stand, clapping the lads on to the pitch and cheering them on.
Today is a bit different. Today I still have the start of that routine – University has suddenly become a little harder to concentrate on – but I cannot be there tonight. I cannot take my seat next to the familiar faces. I am forced to lock myself in my room, turn the volume of the Daleplayer up, close my eyes, and hope – similarly to how I did on Saturday.
God only knows what the people in the flats connected to mine thought as I shrieked with delight as we took the lead, groaned “here we go again” as Reuben Reid brought Oldham back into the game, and danced around my room with glee when the final whistle was blown to leave us a chance of surviving relegation.
So tonight will be the last home game I’m likely to miss for a few weeks, with the upcoming easter break meaning I’ll be able to attend games like Walsall and Sheffield United at home. All we can do is support the boys, and hope that such games will still mean something.
As for the squad, we’re starting to see some of Eyre’s sketchy plans actually come to fruition under the guidance of Coleman. We all could see the quality of players such as Ashley Grimes and Andrew Tutte, but now they finally have a tactically competent manager, these players are improving their game and starting to fulfill their true potential, with Tuttey even mentioned as one of our better players in the last two games.
The signing of Obedayi isn’t exactly inspiring after he failed to capture the imagination of the Dale support in his loan spell during the promotion year, but as was mentioned on the Daleplayer and on the messageboard, his pace will always be a threat to opposition backlines, and it’s another string to our attack-minded bow. However, I fail to see him fit in to the starting eleven should JLAA be fully fit.
And rightly so might I add. From the snippets of games I have been able to attend, Jean-Louis has stood out as our most energetic and creative player. His pace and trickery are a constant thorn in the side of the opposition and his work-rate is phenomenal for a player of his kind. It’s this kind of player that we need to look at for inspiration in this dogfight we have found ourselves in.
Defensively we’ve seemed solid since Coleman came in, but the last two games have seen us conceded two goals in both. Whilst I don’t mind Holden, the return of Amankwaah could see us really kick on when he is fit from injury. The solid backline that could produce clean sheets versus Wednesday and Colchester, plus the rhyming front two of Grimes and Symes that brought us three goals against Oldham. When Amankwaah is available to slot in next to Kevin Long, we could find ourselves with a team capable of picking up the required points to keep us in this league.
So today I’ll walk the streets of Wearside wearing the club colours proudly. Cheer the boys on to victory so I can do the same tomorrow, and look forward to the next few weeks with some hope.
Up the Dale!