Team really took the foot off the gas once 2-1 up versus the Franchise, so would be a nice fillip if they had a bright start tonight! That'd get the whole crowd behind them and give everyone a decent performance and a 3-0 win (BWP, Kermit, Stephens). Slow start and, looking into my Septic Peg crystal ball, I'd go for a scrappy 2-1(and another dry night for the strikers with naff all space created in the final third....again - goals from Hollands & Morro).
Lets be honest here, we should be putting in a good scoreline tonight. Rochdale have scored 1 goal in their last 8 away games, and we've conceded the least at home.
I'd like to see a left-footer (JJ, Evina, Harriott) on the left, and the defence parking their bus on the halfway line for a change, with little threat upfront from a lowly side. 4-0 Charlton.
Right this is a tricky one, I am feeling really uncomfortable about what the scoreline could be. This is the first time all season I haven't been as confident as I should be about us winning. I agree we need a change around with our midfield and forwards. Andy Hughes will definitely get a play if JJ is still injured. But for some reason Chris Powell seems so reluctant to start Wagstaff and Hayes. Which I am really disappointed at. Waggy was amazing for us at the beginning of the season (especially with that goal against Bournemouth). Hayes alos just knows how to find the net, I think maybe he should be paired up with BWP instead of having Kermorgant up there. It is a better partnership. We'll just have to see what happens. Depending on the team I'm going to say we will win 3-1. BWP gets two goals, Danny green gets one.
I'd like to see a left-footer (JJ, Evina, Harriott) on the left, and the defence parking their bus on the halfway line for a change, with little threat upfront from a lowly side. 4-0 Charlton.
What about Hughes on the left? He is more than capable.
Bad feeling about this one. Unless we get an early goal I think we will struggle. Typical top v bottom game at "wrong" end of the season when the confidence can turn. Hope I am proved wrong and the team puts in a performance that shows why we are top of the league. Hard fought 1-0 to the Addicks.
Lets be honest here, we should be putting in a good scoreline tonight. Rochdale have scored 1 goal in their last 8 away games, and we've conceded the least at home.
What JT says, we need to use this game to re-establish ourselves as a footballing side who can take the opposition apart.
Exeter murdered Bury at the weekend unlike ourselves and it will be interesting to see how the MK Dons do against them tonight.
Anything less than 2-0 will not do, we are top of the league and need to start playing like it so we can carry the form up to the Championship with us.
Lets be honest here, we should be putting in a good scoreline tonight. Rochdale have scored 1 goal in their last 8 away games, and we've conceded the least at home.
What JT says, we need to use this game to re-establish ourselves as a footballing side who can take the opposition apart.
Exeter murdered Bury at the weekend unlike ourselves and it will be interesting to see how the MK Dons do against them tonight.
Anything less than 2-0 will not do, we are top of the league and need to start playing like it so we can carry the form up to the Championship with us.
I don't think dropping Hollands would be wise - he's been superb IMO this season and Stephens is one of the most talented players in the squad. I have heard some questions raised about whether they can play together...in the vein of the old Gerrard-Lampard debate (!) but, I say watch this space and see them gel. Hughes has a great engine on him, that can't be doubted, but he can be wasteful in position and is primarily a right-back by trade anyway. Some might argue that he frees up whoever his midfield partner more to go forward but my view is that I'd rather have a midfield pair who can both play both ways with it being up to SCP to ensure the balance in their play is right - the best players should play and the manager should (and will) get the best out of them.
Oh, and I predict a Stephens thunderbolt, Taylor header and BWP putting away a 1 on 1 before a late, scrambled, consolation goal takes a tiny bit of the gloss off the result. 3-1 though happy days!
I seem to be making the same prediction before every game at the moment, but this time its going to happen! 4-0 charlton, bwp x 2, wiggins and hollands with one a piece. Lets sprint over the finish line rather than crawl
We could do with a comfortable win to calm everyone's nerves. I think it might be anothering "stuttering" 2-1 win though, which at this stage of the season, will do.
I think Rochdale will approach this game a bit like Bury did - not offer too much going forwards but try to keep us out and if they get something at the other end with one of their few chances, all the better. I expect they will shoot when they are within or even sometimes out of range.
I think the problem can be for these sort of games that if you go too gung ho - you can leave yourself a bit exposed and you need to be patient. If we get the first we will definitely win IMO and how many we get will depend on how quickly that first comes. If we get caught out like we did against Bury, I can see a similar game.
What we do need to find a way of doing is getting more bodies forwards at times - I think this is part of the problem at the moment because the team defends very well collectively and because that is usually enough to win games at this level, we possibly are focussing a bit more on this than we did earlier in the season. Having said that, not a massive problem having not been beaten this year and disposing of the Sheffields and MK Dons.
I'd expect Rochdale to come and 'park the bus' so to speak and try and nick something on the break. The issue here for me is that we are playing a lot of games in a short amount of time so SCP will need to use the whole squad at some point. Yann is a good candidate for me for player of the season so far but I'd like to see Paul Hayes back alongside BWP at the start and Wagstaff started just to give some fresh legs to the team and give Yann and Danny Green a rest. Also a good point regarding Hughes when he was in the side he made it difficult for the opposition to build anything from midfield so maybe give Hollands a rest as well before Saturday.
Agreed, a tough period with games coming thick and fast but the same for most teams. Powell will be assessing the squad for fitness and knocks and without the information he has, we can't really say who should be playing or not.
Comments
Exeter murdered Bury at the weekend unlike ourselves and it will be interesting to see how the MK Dons do against them tonight.
Anything less than 2-0 will not do, we are top of the league and need to start playing like it so we can carry the form up to the Championship with us.
That said if Powell is gonna change it I would bring in Hughes for Holland, I would like to see Hughes in midfield with Dale.
Keep BWP and Kermit up top and maybe Waggy for Green with Green on the bench.
I would like 2-0 with BWP and Kermit shutting everyone up!!
BWP scores our 2nd to put the fixture to bed.
Hamer
Solly morrison taylor wiggy
waggy hollands stephens Evina
BWP Kermo
4-0 BWP (2) Waggy & Hollands
2-0 addicks, Kermogant and Hollands. Good performance with goals in both halfs and a disallowed BWP goal!
Skin....potential.....banana.
Oops, wrong site.
We could do with a comfortable win to calm everyone's nerves. I think it might be anothering "stuttering" 2-1 win though, which at this stage of the season, will do.
I think the problem can be for these sort of games that if you go too gung ho - you can leave yourself a bit exposed and you need to be patient. If we get the first we will definitely win IMO and how many we get will depend on how quickly that first comes. If we get caught out like we did against Bury, I can see a similar game.
What we do need to find a way of doing is getting more bodies forwards at times - I think this is part of the problem at the moment because the team defends very well collectively and because that is usually enough to win games at this level, we possibly are focussing a bit more on this than we did earlier in the season. Having said that, not a massive problem having not been beaten this year and disposing of the Sheffields and MK Dons.
2 - 0 win for us with BWP and Stephens scoring.
As for the game, a confident 3-0. Would love to see Waggy involved at some point.