 | Forum
Reply | Refwatch - Rochdale v Southend United
at 21:46 28 Jan 2026
As someone commented up-thread, winning is everything.. do I get bored watching the side to side shuffle ? Yes I do. Do I wish we had a winger who could race past a fullback and leave him for dead? Absolutely, and a re- make of Murray, Holt or Lambert to get on the end of his crosses would be wonderful... proper football, BUT.. getting into the car and driving home with a big grin on my face and not wanting to kick the next-door's cat when I get there is brilliant. Winning isn't quite "everything" but its the best thing as far as football is concerned. At long last we may well be able to tell others about the season we won game after game and lifted a trophy.....and noone will give a toss about how we did it... |
| Forum
Reply | Refwatch - Rochdale v Truro City
at 12:43 27 Jan 2026
Given that Goalkeepers seem to keep records on the preferences of penalty takers in terms of which side and at what height they put their penalties, it strikes me that the system needs to be randomised from the perspective of the taker...
So, there are 5 target zones bottom left, top left, centre top, top right and bottom right, call them 1-5 . If, pre-game , the penalty taker chooses a ball maked 1-5 out of the bag, and aims to hit that spot, the keepers attempt to know the takers preferred target is somewhat nullified. Also, the taker is relieved of the requirement to pick his own spot. He simply has to concentrate on hitting the pre-chosen spot....
"As well as not rushing, players are advised to pick a spot and commit to it. Changing your mind leads to uncertainty, stress and poor technique. Some players leave it to the last minute and wait for the keeper to dive before hitting it to the other side. However, this is a high risk strategy and is associated with a greater number of missed penalties.
Penalties that are on target and high in the goal are rarely saved. This is because it is very hard for goalkeepers to reach these areas." Excerpt from Sports Psychology |
| Forum
Reply | Refwatch - Rochdale v Truro City
at 20:14 26 Jan 2026
There were several times on Saturday when Henderson, McBride or Barlow were alongside the centre halves and on the half-turn with an open run on goal; a quicker delivery from Hogan would have released them, but it simply wasn't forthcoming. I understand the notion that at 2-0 you just slam the door and kill the game especially with the games coming thick and fast but it seems counter-intuitive when the crowd is up by 1000 or so...I guess we have to accept its a means to an end, |
| Forum
Reply | Refwatch - Rochdale v Truro City
at 21:25 25 Jan 2026
It's becoming a question of pressure... who has the desire and who hasn't. This is where we find out who has the cajones and who does not, when the going gets tough and all that.
So far the plan has worked brilliantly, and I guess the plans of the teams around us have worked for them too, but now it's getting to the nail-biting bit, and this is where we make History or do a "Dale" and leave everyone frustrated, per the previous 119 years... our expectations are perhaps lower than they should be, but, we can only do our best from the stands and hope that the assembled group on the pitch knows what is required and is prepared to carry the weight of history like a feather.
"History is Bunk" .... "We want to live in the present, and the only history that is worth a tinker's damn is the history we make today". Henry Ford in 1916.......Write that on the dressing room wall Jim. |
| Forum
Reply | Update on the pitch
at 13:14 19 Jan 2026
" on time and under budget," that must be a first.....and what a relief to know that postponements because of rain should now be a thing of the past....no more wasted journeys and wasted money for the foreseeable future....well done everyone... Now, lets get promoted...... |
| Forum
Reply | Dale Closing In On Bilongo?
at 16:27 15 Jan 2026
33 years old and we are something like his 24th or 25th club .... well I guess he brings some experience... replacement for Amantchi presumeably, maybe he will teach Smith a trick or two.... |
| Forum
Reply | Dale Closing In On Bilongo?
at 14:27 15 Jan 2026
Signed on a one and a half year deal, left side defender , 6 foot 3" tall.... |
| Forum
Reply | Refwatch - Tamworth v Rochdale (FA Trophy)
at 22:00 13 Jan 2026
Lost on sudden-death penalties, Myles didnt get a touch on any of them according to the commentary...Decent effort considering the team we put out, just the league to focus on now....probably a good thing all in all. 100% focus now... |
| Forum
Reply | Loanees Leave
at 15:16 8 Jan 2026
Salford City have signed forward Callum Morton from Fleetwood .. O'Rourke reckons its £400k plus add ons so I guess Jay Bird is even further down the pecking order....wonder if they would like to save a wage? |
| Forum
Reply | TVOS Preview - Rochdale v Hartlepool United
at 23:41 31 Dec 2025
Didnt say he has a blind spot .. I said I sometimes wonder IF he has...Bird and Mani have been reasonably successful but Mitchell and Amantchi were underwhelming, I will elucidate...I happen to think a quality centre forward is as essential as a good centre half and a good central midfielder in a successful side, It was clear that Amantchi was not an adequate replacement for Mani, hence we would suffer during a Mani injury... I think that is exactly the current case. A 40+ year old Henderson would be better than OK even 5 years ago but he really isnt a centre forward so last night we started with Smith, who will never be a centre forward and needs one to play off. I thought that was a mistake as indeed Henderson proved in his short but effective cameo in the second half...hence the blindspot question... The spine breaks down when there is noone at the top of the spine to hold the ball up and cause the opposition centre half some grief, good centre forwards score goals and also make opportunities for others, we need two plus Henderson, someone who can do what Mani does and puts his place under pressure or allows for fresh legs when Mani is struggling, we currently dont have that person and haven't really had for the last two seasons so, "does McNulty have a blind spot at centre forward"? Its a fair question you dont seem to think so, I do, opinions eh? ...Maybe there will be an arrival soon.. I sincerely hope so.... |
| Forum
Reply | TVOS Preview - Rochdale v Hartlepool United
at 20:29 31 Dec 2025
Do you think we will add anyone? It seems clear we need to at least replace Amantchi, I sometimes wonder if McNulty has a bit of a blind spot where centre forwards are concerned... We certainly can't afford to have another Brackley nonsense on Saturday. |
| Forum
Reply | (No subject) (n/t)
at 16:12 31 Dec 2025
Does anyone know why they trained on Avro's pitch recently? [Post edited 31 Dec 2025 16:32]
|
| Forum
Reply | TVOS Preview - Rochdale v Hartlepool United
at 23:38 30 Dec 2025
Agreed. Smith was lost without a target man, McBride was way off the pace as was Pritchard... TAR has been poor offensively since the end of October...
The pitch was a little tighter than we are used to but no excuse, we were bullied for the first 45 minutes 'Pools were stronger, bigger and pacier and made it count..Broome need half time to sort his head out , there was nothing moving up top so no outlet and was getting unwarranted stick. The lack of a target man was critical... no outlet and the pressure simply did not stop...Henderson should have been on from half time. In fact, Hendo, Pettit and Burger should have been on from half time ...The subs changed the game, we moved 20 yards up the pitch and started to get the ball in their box at last....
We are down to the bare bones but McNulty has to go for Brackley's throat on Saturday no matter who is available... square pegs in square holes as far as possible and foot on the gas...by the time we get back to the COA we will effectively have played 8 games away from home, 7 league 1cup , we have to get positive results from the next 4 games and stay in the race.... they are all winnable and 6 wins from 7 league games would be an excellent outcome at this time of the year and in the current circumstances.....time to play like the top team we are and let the others do the worrying. |
| Forum
Reply | Pitch video
at 21:02 15 Dec 2025
Rochdale is wetter than Blackburn , Burnley Oldham, Burnley and Bury , it also has more wet days than those places, not huge amounts but significant amounts. Bury's pitch was built on a plinth as is Manchester United, hence higher than the surrounding track, clearly Burnley and Blackburn probably have means to work more extensively and more often than we do and Oldham rebuilt their pitch a couple of years ago with help from the Council. ..The point is that pitches in this part of the world have to cope with the pitch being wet more often and with more precipitation than pitches almost anywhere else in the top 5 divisions with the exception of Barrow...
So, why does Spotland seem to hold more water than local pitches.. probably because the water is effectively held in a "bath" made up of the 4 stands and their foundations, hence the importance of under-pitch drains. As for places like Lenny Barn and Firgrove, I am not aware of them ever having had major work , but then I have memories of playing 4 games in a week.Sat. Tues. Thurs and Sat again on Firgrove in May because so many games were called off during the season but to be fair that was 50 years ago...
Location Average Annual Rainfall (mm) Source Information
Rochdale 1,197.2 mm 1991–2020 data from Met Office and Starlings Roost Weather
Burnley 1,113.8 mm Data based on weather reports collected during 2012–2021
Blackburn 1,009 mm Long-term climate trends
Oldham 780 mm Data from NearWeather, specific timeframe not stated
Bury 736.6 mm Data from Weather Spark based on reports collected |
| | 49thseason
|
Site Scores| Prediction League: | 0 | | TOTAL: | 0 |
|
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.