View from Rochdale

[s4-blade]

Sorry Roygbiv, in the absence of the view from thread I've stolen your gig for this week.

been listening to Dale player. Their verdict: proud of a Dale team that didn't deserve to lose.

Yep, by the sounds of it a good performance - we more than matched them and they won with a flukey goal. Most games like that we would have won and will - Hendo's shot that hit the bar, along with their deflected goal, summed up the margins that decided it. Wasn't at the game but judging by the commentary Blades, bookies favourites for the title, sounded average at best.

very,very fine margins.
Onwards........to Tuesday at home.

Very unlucky today, a mention of the home fans, so quiet for most of the game. Dale fans outsung the home fans easily

I can't believe that we got nothing from the game today. I wont blame the ref for anything. Campbell Ryce was their best player by miles but with no end productof note but that goal he scored was such a crap cross it was untrue. The jammy jammy gits

The referee was absolutely terrible. He was inconsistent

Oh he was consistent! Consistently bias, what was the foul count?

Fine margins. Hendo rattles the bar, their goal looked to take a wicked deflection off TK which looped over Logan who had any normal shot covered. Very proud of the lads today, and they deserved the reception they got at the end of the game. Walking back through the city centre afterwards, overheard more than one Blade saying how solid we looked. We matched another team who'll be challenging at the top end of the table. Best leave any comments on the ref to others.

Was it just me who thought the ref wasn't that bad? The main decision he got wrong was not allowing play to continue when Henderson had a glance after a foul on the edge of the box. What irked was that he'd always let play continue after previous fouls to see if there was a possible advantage, then blown for a foul if not. This time he chose not to, mystifying.
But apart from that, he got most things right. There were times people went down too easily, but there was also a reason for him so give a foul, so he did. The one with Dawson in gpfront of the away end being the best example of this.
Anyway, a very positive display and we caused them real problems with our movement although we didn't create enough clear cut chances from good situations. We look really solid at the back now, so few worries there. Be interesting to see what midfield is employed on Tuesday as although I can see why Dawson is used away, we missed the rapid passing and ball carrying abilities of Hery in conjunction with Allen - that's something we'd probably want when playing at home.

I can't remember the last time I came away from a game so annoyed that we didn't get something from the game. We quite simply didn't ever deserve to lose that game.
First half, Sheffield United shaded and had a couple of decent chances but so did we. Campbell-Ryce and Baxter were outstanding for the home side but we dealt with everything that came our way. When we got going, we played really well.
Second half we came out and were absolutely outstanding for pretty much 48 minutes. Stephen Dawson was magnificent I thought, easily our best player ahead of Allen and Ashley Eastham, both of whom were excellent. I'm can't really find criticism for any Dale player but we were calling for Bennett to be replaced by Hery for a fair chunk of the second half but understood why Hill didn't want to change anything.
Henderson's effort that smashed the bar would have won every goal of the season competition going had it been an inch lower and the scandalously poor decision to blow for a free kick 30 yards out when Vincenti was practically one on one with Howard could also have cost us dear.
The officiating was horrendous. People who stand with me will tell you I show no bias towards officiating when I watch Dale and call everything as I see it but today, you could genuinely sense that the referee was giving us nothing and giving everything to the bigger club. The fact that their only booking was for the goal celebration says everything. Awful! No idea who the referee was but I don't want him officiating another Dale game.
Very annoyed to not have been rewarded with at least a point but very proud of the players who gave everything and deserved a lot better.

A much better performance than the only other game I've seen (Chesterfield away) but the Blades probably shaded it. Great atmosphere at the Dale end in a grand old city centre stadium. Campbell Ryce, man of the match in my book, scored what looked like a worthy winner, but obviously took a deflection which I didn't see from my seat in the Jessica Ennis Stand. We looked to play with confidence and organisation. Eastham and O'Connell very good at the back and Tanser impressed me again. Raff up against Campbell Ryce and struggled. Not convinced by Rhys B in the holding role, although worth persevering with. Great we have so may versatile players. Jamie Allen covered so much ground and played well as did Dawson I thought who adds bite to midfield. Hendo's shot which crashed against the bar was the pick of our efforts. Enjoyable fare and bodes well for the rest of the season.

Fed-up with referees like today's - always seeming to favour the 'bigger club', and reacting to big home support - their player goes down easily or dramatically and free kick awarded instantly. Few decisions in our favour, and even then they often don't give us any advantage!

I heard a guy on radio Sheffield ,after the game and he said it could have gone 1-0 either way ,and he would have had no complaints. He slagged Sheffield for not spending any money on a forward. Me personally was very happy with our performance ,shame about the ref .

Great performance today. Never deserved to lose that game in a million years, but it fills me with optimism for the season.
Special mention to those that made the trip. Great support from start to finish. Great atmosphere

 

[Lazenblade]

I actually agree that the ref was a bit favourable of us today. I'm glad JCR had a good game because no-one else did.

 

[JohnDenver]

I actually agree that the ref was a bit favourable of us today. I'm glad JCR had a good game because no-one else did.

We got the best of the decisions but frankly they needed to pack in fouling us too.

That last minute decision to award us a corner was hilarious.

 

[secretchief]

We got the best of the decisions but frankly they needed to pack in fouling us too.

That last minute decision to award us a corner was hilarious.

That was a corner!

 

[Pinchy]

I actually agree that the ref was a bit favourable of us today. I'm glad JCR had a good game because no-one else did.

Yes they did. Howard, McEveley, Baxter and Doyle all played very well.

 

[axel smeets]

Wankers.

 

[Bladesman]

I actually agree that the ref was a bit favourable of us today. I'm glad JCR had a good game because no-one else did.

It sounded like we had a fair bit of the ball on the radio.

It just seemed like once again we were not clinical enough in front of goal. We are still crying out for a decent striker to link up with the attacking play.

 

[moDtheGod]

So the ref was biased and reacting to a big home support, but at the same time our support was quiet and we were outsung. These threads have taught me that all football fans, and I include us and myself in that, are blinkered know nowts.

 

[Woodwardfan]

So impressed with Rochdale, their mobility and athleticism, their togetherness and a number of their players especially the forwards. No.7 was the MOM.

Having regularly listened to the ramblings of Keith Hill on Radio Sheffield while he was at Barnsley it's hard for me to believe the man can produce such a good squad at somewhere like Rochdale in such a short time. I recall seeing us win 4 or 5 nil over there a couple of years ago and they looked a rag bag outfit.

They had a good following too and you can tell their fans have belief and excitement.

 

[Punk Blade]

I think they were incredibly unlucky to come away with nothing. For once the fine margins that decide a result were in our favour, they hit the bar and we scored a fluke. Could easily have been 1-0 the other way and I don't think we could have had any complaints if it had.

I thought by usual League One standards the officials were pretty good. Often a game is ruined or a result decided by a halfwit in the middle, and the only thing I think he got wrong was failing to book the guy who injured Murphy. I don't feel he favoured us overall with decisions, but he was suddenly very consistent with giving us correct decisions in their half after we went in front, which helped us see the game out (and provide some comedy moments with them arguing a string of obvious fouls and the goalie at the end!).

Overall Dale look to have come a long way from the relegation fodder they were last time at this level, and on that showing I think they should be safe in mid table come May. Good luck to them.

 

[tom foster]

my first trip to bramall lane. Firstly id like to say what a stadium!!! Real traditional ground and over 19,000 for league 1 is impressive.

i always like to have a look on other fans forums to get another view on the dale. Overall i thought it was fairly even game and thought we could of got something when Henderson hit the bar.

I think sheff utd will be promoted this year especially with nigel clough. What i couldnt believe is what i heard when in the car and tuning into a local phone in on radio sheffield. Sheff utd fans moaning about victory against rochdale, dont get me wrong i appreciate where not the biggest team but just to turn and expect to win is not the way


Comments i couldnt beleive were 'we should be beating teams like rochdale' well you did. I think your fans are gonna have to realise teams raise there game when coming to places like bramall lane and will be very difficult times and if united can grind it out like they did today you will be there or there abouts come what may. Sorry for the long post and good luck for season

Up the Dale

 

[Woodwardfan]

So impressed with Rochdale, their mobility and athleticism, their togetherness and a number of their players especially the forwards. No.7 was the MOM.

Having regularly listened to the ramblings of Keith Hill on Radio Sheffield while he was at Barnsley it's hard for me to believe the man can produce such a good squad at somewhere like Rochdale in such a short time. I recall seeing us win 4 or 5 nil over there a couple of years ago and they looked a rag bag outfit.

They had a good following too and you can tell their fans have belief and excitement.

With a bit of time to spare this morning I examined the Rochdale squad and they are a group of journeymen footballers who Hill has gelled together to make a successful team. Such as Vincenti, Henderson and Done, all of whom we allowed to look like real quality performers yesterday, have unremarkable careers with modest goal records. Released by such as Accrington and Colchester, the lads were signed on short term contracts last season and have been rewarded with 2 year contracts at Rochdale.

Strikes me Hill knows what he's doing at this level. Didn't he earn his club good money for another striker recently too.

 

[super_pig]

thought Dale were good value for a point and we got lucky.. it doesn't happen very often though does it. i can't remember the last time this happened.. Done looked a good CF. how much did he cost?

 

[Northyorksblade]

I thought by usual League One standards the officials were pretty good. Often a game is ruined or a result decided by a halfwit in the middle, and the only thing I think he got wrong was failing to book the guy who injured Murphy. I don't feel he favoured us overall with decisions, but he was suddenly very consistent with giving us correct decisions in their half after we went in front, which helped us see the game out (and provide some comedy moments with them arguing a string of obvious fouls and the goalie at the end!).

I agree, he played advantage for most of the game, which I like. Apart from once when Dale were on a good run and he blew straight away for a free kick just outside the box. Also the corner at the end which he gave us, looked like a goal kick. Made me laugh though as their goalie jumped up and down in protest and then got booked for his trouble. And why oh why do players take their shirts off when they know they're going to get booked.

 

[super_pig]

I agree, he played advantage for most of the game, which I like. Apart from once when Dale were on a good run and he blew straight away for a free kick just outside the box. Also the corner at the end which he gave us, looked like a goal kick. Made me laugh though as their goalie jumped up and down in protest and then got booked for his trouble. And why oh why do players take their shirts off when they know they're going to get booked.

i think the keeper got booked for throwing the ball away. it was about 6 inches from our player! very unlucky. i think the ref lost his rag with him.. never really noticed the ref tbh. which is usually a good thing

 

[oaklandrdblade]

Thought he should have booked their No. 7, lots of niggly little fouls. First half there were a lot of little nudges on Alcock as the ball was in the air towards the two of them, and I thought it was him who brought down one of ours in the 2nd half in a pretty cynical way. Think their keeper getting booked was probably as much the fact that he was their 3rd player who had a real strop at either the ref or linos.

 

[Trigger Blade]

my first trip to bramall lane. Firstly id like to say what a stadium!!! Real traditional ground and over 19,000 for league 1 is impressive.

i always like to have a look on other fans forums to get another view on the dale. Overall i thought it was fairly even game and thought we could of got something when Henderson hit the bar.

I think sheff utd will be promoted this year especially with nigel clough. What i couldnt believe is what i heard when in the car and tuning into a local phone in on radio sheffield. Sheff utd fans moaning about victory against rochdale, dont get me wrong i appreciate where not the biggest team but just to turn and expect to win is not the way


Comments i couldnt beleive were 'we should be beating teams like rochdale' well you did. I think your fans are gonna have to realise teams raise there game when coming to places like bramall lane and will be very difficult times and if united can grind it out like they did today you will be there or there abouts come what may. Sorry for the long post and good luck for season

Up the Dale

Welcome to the forum tom.

I don't know which radio station you were listening to, I didn't hear anybody saying that we should be beating teams like Rochdale, but given our respective resources, we really should more often than not. There were a lot of our fans talking about how many goals you'd scored in three away games and none of us thought a win was a formality.

We are now in our fourth season in this league, so when you say we have to realise teams will raise their game at Bramall Lane, do you think that's an original thought and it's never occurred to the 18000 faithful? If so, thank you, I'll spread the word

 

[Harry's Game]

Dale played well in the middle periods of both halves but were at time predictable, the long cross field ball to the big lad who gave Alcock problems was used far too much and never lead to clear chance for them.

 

[Roygbiv]

Thanks for doing this mate. I went straight out after the match and didnt get in till 2 this morning so had no time to put it together. Im gonna post this thread on Bladesmad to make up for my absence on there too

 

[mattbianco1]

All of these "view from" threads are great. Every week it's bitter opposing fans saying how poor united are and how their shitty team should've won...

When we lose - our fans slag off OUR TEAM. When we win, our fans slag off OUR TEAM. None of us give a toss about what shitty little team we've just played. All I'm bothered about is that we got 3pts and played poorly. Wait till we start playing well

 

[tom foster]

Welcome to the forum tom.

I don't know which radio station you were listening to, I didn't hear anybody saying that we should be beating teams like Rochdale, but given our respective resources, we really should more often than not. There were a lot of our fans talking about how many goals you'd scored in three away games and none of us thought a win was a formality.

We are now in our fourth season in this league, so when you say we have to realise teams will raise their game at Bramall Lane, do you think that's an original thought and it's never occurred to the 18000 faithful? If so, thank you, I'll spread the word

I wasnt have dig trigger but your comments say about everything i was trying to say. what i couldnt understand was all the negativity about a win so it makes me wondered what radio station you was listening too. But as you mentioned it as well this is your fourth season in league 1 so you probs know best. If the dale won like that every week i wouldnt be moaning but yet we dont have the respective resources you said you have. So i think it would be best if you maybe did spread the word

All the best

 

[Pinchy]

I see English Language is taught as sparingly in Lancashire as it is in Sheffield.

 

[MBoreman]

my first trip to bramall lane. Firstly id like to say what a stadium!!! Real traditional ground and over 19,000 for league 1 is impressive.

i always like to have a look on other fans forums to get another view on the dale. Overall i thought it was fairly even game and thought we could of got something when Henderson hit the bar.

I think sheff utd will be promoted this year especially with nigel clough. What i couldnt believe is what i heard when in the car and tuning into a local phone in on radio sheffield. Sheff utd fans moaning about victory against rochdale, dont get me wrong i appreciate where not the biggest team but just to turn and expect to win is not the way


Comments i couldnt beleive were 'we should be beating teams like rochdale' well you did. I think your fans are gonna have to realise teams raise there game when coming to places like bramall lane and will be very difficult times and if united can grind it out like they did today you will be there or there abouts come what may. Sorry for the long post and good luck for season

Up the Dale

You speak more sense than most on here so feel free to stick around.

There's generally a 'surprise' team each year in this division and off yesterday I wouldn't be surprised if that was Rochdale this season.

Rochdale away when we won 5-2 remains one of my favourite away days, partly down to the nature of the Dale fans as well as the win.

Am I right in thinking Rhys Bennett is usually a defender? Didn't look great in midfield.

 

[s4-blade]

Thanks for putting it up on BM Roygbiv , I can't post on there as my account hasn't been activated yet even though I signed up over a year ago.
Here's a few more...

Think I may go into temporary retirement from Dale games as I'm starting to think my presence is having a negative impact on our results! 5 defeats, 1 draw and just the 1 win from my last 7 games is sackable form-especially when you consider we've only scored in one of the games! (Despite Henderson hitting the post on 4 separate occasions when the match has been 0-0)

Onto the game today and I can only repeat what has been said above in that it was a fantastic team performance.I thought we went toe to toe with them for 90 minutes and a draw would have been a fair on the balance of play.The last time I saw us play Sheff Utd was in our relegation season and there could have been 10 divisions between the two teams such was the gulf in class, today was a case of two league 1 teams competing in an even game and I wouldn't be surprised if we're playing this fixture again next season.

I thought the midfield three, inspired by Dawson, were brilliant. He seems to have a real presence on the pitch that we haven't seen since Jones and he's worth having in the team as he seems to get an extra 5% out of his teammates. Vincenti for me is at his best when in the opposition's third of the pitch, he hasn't really got the pace to hurt them on the break but won virtually every header aimed to him in their penalty box. The two centre backs were superb. I really like the look of Eastham, he's really stepped up and filled the void since Lancashire's injury and deserves his place in the side. He also seems to be a great professional- I remember seeing an interview with him last year where he said his Dale highlight was the Leeds home game- which he didn't even play in! Done and Henderson both put in great shifts- the amount of running both do to pressurise the opposition and to help our team when in possession is superb.

All in all a disappointing result but one that doesn't really ruin what was a brilliant Rochdale performance. Been said a hundred times by others but this season is all about stability, I think everyone on this forum would take 20th place come the end of the season and on the performances I've seen this year I think we should be able to achieve that. Listening to Hilly's interviews over the past few weeks it really does seem that as a club we are on the cusp of something very special in terms of bringing through players for next season. Hill named 6 players in his pre-match interview who are currently YTS players who he believes could be key first team players in the next season or so, with players like Nyal Bell being touted to potentially break into the squad by January. Whilst occasionally there will be disappointing days, the structure seems to be in place to suggest we'll be winning more games than losing in the long term.

Didn't go today but proud of how the team matched SU and apart from a bit of misfortune would have got a point. Considering their weekly wage bill is probably bigger than our transfer budget is brilliant.

We lost due to a deflected cross, end of story.Win lose or draw today the ref was atrocious,his best bit of reffing was to blow up for a free kick when we had the clearest advantage ever had he let play continue another second or so,a couple of the free kicks he gave us have never been a foul in a million years either though

The lad (JCR) looked to be from a different league from the rest of the players on the pitch, we had three players around him at times today and still couldn't stop him playing.

He (JCR) was the decisive difference. We lost 1-0 and he scored.

 

[stringjunior]

Wait till we start playing well

This ^^^^

 

[SandyMcBlade]

The "we should be beating teams like this" brigade must be the silliest fans in football.
Losing to teams you shouldn't, just like beating teams you shouldn't is what gives football it's magic, without that what's the point, wheres the competition ?
I don't remember any Blades coming on here to complain about us beating West ham, but we shouldn't be beating teams like that should we .....

 

[Bladesway]

All of these "view from" threads are great. Every week it's bitter opposing fans saying how poor united are and how their shitty team should've won...

When we lose - our fans slag off OUR TEAM. When we win, our fans slag off OUR TEAM. None of us give a toss about what shitty little team we've just played. All I'm bothered about is that we got 3pts and played poorly. Wait till we start playing well

is that really what you read? They sounded far from bitter to me. Sounded like they could have easily won and these are the fine margins on which football matches are decided.

I like Rochdale and like their fans. Fuck all to celebrate until the last couple of seasons and they seem a realistic bunch.

 

[Sheff de party]

It never ceases to amaze me how football fans go away to a bigger club, lose and prattle on about out-singing the home fans.

Seriously, who cares? It matters not a jot and anyway sitting among your own pissed up die hards on a day out fully 200 yards away from people who probably brought the kids after a trip to Meadowhall is no place to judge the decibel level of 20, 000 people.

It's like going to a brothel, getting the ugly one and claiming you gave her more fun than the guy in a room at the other end of the corridor to make yourself feel better about not finishing when the bill arrives.

 

[itsinyerblood]

It never ceases to amaze me how football fans go away to a bigger club, lose and prattle on about out-singing the home fans.

Seriously, who cares? It matters not a jot and anyway sitting among your own pissed up die hards on a day out fully 200 yards away from people who probably brought the kids after a trip to Meadowhall is no place to judge the decibel level of 20, 000 people.

It's like going to a brothel, getting the ugly one and claiming you gave her more fun than the guy in a room at the other end of the corridor to make yourself feel better about not finishing when the bill arrives.

Sheff, Sheff, that last paragraph.....it's not one of those "I've got a mate" stories masquerading for your own adventures is it? I've lived what you might call a colourful life, but I've never had to part with cash, so I'm curious Sheff, is there are menu, is VAT included, are you allowed to shout "Come on you red and white wizards"? etc.....of course, if it really was an apocryphal tale then I apologise for any inference.

 

[WhiteHawk]

I thought it was a decent game. End to end stuff at times. Rochdale looked a good side.

The ref did seem to favour us at times but he was also poor at times. I thought Baxter was lucky to not be booked after throwing the ball away twice.

That last minute decision to award us a corner was hilarious.

Looked to me like it came of the Rochdale players chest.