Rochdale (A) League One, Tues Nov 22nd 7.45pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

The delights of Spotland on a November Tuesday evening await the Saddlers' faithful for a trip to Rochdale, a team currently only kept out of the play-off zone by goal difference. Their goals tally (23/22) is remarkably similar to ours (22/24), and despite their relatively high position in the league One table they've actually lost 2 more games than we have! Manager Keith Hill, on his second spell in charge at Rochdale, has certainly achieved some good results, notably away wins at Millwall and Charlton Athletic, but there are some shockers as well (losing 4-0 at Bradford City and 3-0 at Swindon Town). Their current League One form:

15 Oct Bury (H) Won 2-0
18 Oct Swindon Town (A) Lost 3-0
22 Oct Coventry City (A) Lost 2-0
29 Oct Oldham Athletic (H) Won 1-0
12 Nov Bradford City (A) Lost 4-0
19 Nov Swindon Town (H) Won 4-0

Rochdale haven't had a single 0-0 result all season, which perhaps doesn't bode well for a Walsall defence which has been prone to leakage on too many occasions. The game may incline towards the physical - Rochdale have had four red cards dished out this season plus an after-game ban of 12 games for striker Calvin Andrew (reduced to 9 games on appeal) for an elbow in the Oldham Athletic game, so we shan't be seeing him. The only connection of note that I could find between our two clubs was that Rochdale appointed Alan Buckley as their manager in 2003, only to show him the door later that year.

As for Jon Whitney's plans....who knows? Will he look afresh at the desirability of a one-up-front system where a ball played forward may as well be coming back off a brick wall? Will he take any note of the numerous voices raised with their simple question of "What does Amadou Bakayoko have to do to get a game?". Will any practice have been undertaken on the defensive measures needed to be adopted to prevent opposition crosses coming in? All these questions (and more) will, or probably won't, be answered on Tuesday.

Prediction for this one is (as always) tricky. As already stated, Rochdale don't "do" 0-0 results, so it's highly likely that they will score at some point. The burning question is whether we can do the same. As a lifelong optimist I'll go for a 1-1 scoreline, with Laird showing our strikers how it's done. :D

UTS

[chunkster]

I can't see us getting anything out of this unless JW has either a lobotomy or football brain transplant between now and the game :| so 2-0 to rochdale without getting out of second gear.

[Cheesebag]

All they did in this fixture last season was lump diagonals into the box at every opportunity.

Try it this season and we are done for :?

[IHTC.]

Hope I'm wrong but can see Rochdale having a field day.

Heart says a hard fought 1-1

Head says a 4-1 loss and JW being more annoyingly upbeat than ever

[Ancient Moaner]

Have to admit that I am not confident on this one, Rochdale like the Blades, are renown for wing play and crosses into the box so we've had it. As they showed against Swindon on Saturday, any sign of weakness and they go for the juggler (who will drop all the balls on our six yard line, for shooting practice! :D )
HOWEVER, we might be in luck guys, the weather up here has been like an inland tsunami, if they DO get the match on, it will be like a quagmire minimum, which might slow them up a tad.
Should it go ahead we would be VERY lucky to come away with a point, which would be helpful as we most certainly won't get one on Saturday against this seasons Barnsley!

[SoccerHQ]

All they did in this fixture last season was lump diagonals into the box at every opportunity.

Try it this season and we are done for :?

Pretty sure they did that the season before when Vicenti totally destroyed J O'C who was at RB that night and they won 4-0.

I do like Keith Hill though, a very underrated no nonsense manager.

You could make a case of Dale being this seasons Barnsley AM. Pretty sure they were bottom of the league at the start of December.

Can't say I see much tomorrow night, 2-1 Rochdale.

[Wragbyred]

Positivity abounds on here doesn't it?

2-0 Walsall

[Leatherman]

What he said ^

[Walsallone]

The first of three really tough games against in-form teams. On the basis that we often do better against such teams I think we will get a draw at Rochdale. However we do need to score more and I hope Morris is fit to return which would help a little in that part of our game.UTS

[Ancient Moaner]

Positivity abounds on here doesn't it?

2-0 Walsall

What have we to be positive about? We are crud, we run around a lot, can't defend, have yet to find a 'team' from a squad, and have a manager with the nouse of a five year old, apart from that we are diving headlong toward the relegation zone, so, everything is rosy............bring on 'optimistic' to show us all the error of our ways!
I'll be there tonight (if it's playable) hoping, just hoping, that we show some inspiration, some quality, some imagination.........some goals would help! :mrgreen:

[Mazza01]

no one expects a win so ill go 0-2 Saddlers..

Coupon breaker

[Ancient Moaner]

Imagination running riot here, but I get the thought of fat Frank (cus he WILL pick him again, as he will Jackson up front on his own) ploughing through the cloying mud, dancing round a static Rochdale back line to score a hat trick!
Must stop taking those uppers that I got from 'Doc' Darren in that ginnel the other day! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[cumbria-saddler]

2-2 draw in a scrappy game. Ginnelly and Makris with a late equaliser.

Can't make the game, which usually means we do ok.

[derbysaddler]

Rochdale away on a Tuesday in winter? yeah this is a standard loss.

3 nil to Dale

[dobbster71]

3-0 Saddlers.
Makris hat-trick.

[Ancient Moaner]

3-0 Saddlers.
Makris hat-trick.

Do I detect a glimmer of sarcasm there?

OK then, I'll go for 7-0 to the mighty Saddlers.....ahem....big Frank with three and Messi with his usual 35yard screamer.

[aaaae]

All they did in this fixture last season was lump diagonals into the box at every opportunity.

Try it this season and we are done for :?

Not just this season, it's ever since Andy Butler left.

[dobbster71]

He's due 1 so why not make it 3? :D

[IHTC.]

Unchanged from Saturday, I bet that has thrown a spanner in Rochdales preperations :roll:

[wednesburysaddler]

same team same formation same result as Saturday 2-1 to Rochdale after the game being winnable
but we don't make a sub until we go 2-1 down with 5 mins to go
rinse and repeat

[Kevlar]

I'll stick my neck out .


I predict a 3-1 win , and it's automatic promotion a possibility.


Or a 1-1 draw , which I s'pose will do.


Or a 1-0 defeat or worse , and he's gotta gew.

[tinned]

3-0 Saddlers.
Makris hat-trick.

Do I detect a glimmer of sarcasm there?

OK then, I'll go for 7-0 to the mighty Saddlers.....ahem....big Frank with three and Messi with his usual 35yard screamer.

In UTS law you can't predict a 7 - 0 win without finishing off with "Shabba".

[BathSaddler]

Rochdale 3 Walsall 1 (2,235, including 192 Saddlers).

[Welsh_Saddler]

Goals few and far between so far tonight,,,

Southend Utd 1 Swindon Town 0

Peterborough 0 Scunthorpe 1

[Optimistic]

Positivity abounds on here doesn't it?

2-0 Walsall

What have we to be positive about? We are crud, we run around a lot, can't defend, have yet to find a 'team' from a squad, and have a manager with the nouse of a five year old, apart from that we are diving headlong toward the relegation zone, so, everything is rosy............bring on 'optimistic' to show us all the error of our ways!
:mrgreen:

Well this must be the first time we will agree this season AM..................................I will show you the error of your ways, regardless of the result tonight the above comments are way off the mark and in fact the opposite of the truth.

We probably have the best squad we have had for a while especially if you take the age of the squad into account. It is far too early to write them off at the moment.

[Exile]

The first of three really tough games against in-form teams. On the basis that we often do better against such teams I think we will get a draw at Rochdale. However we do need to score more and I hope Morris is fit to return which would help a little in that part of our game.UTS

Rochdale below us on the current league form table (6 games). Bit of a slump there. I'm hoping for a snatch and grab!

[Welsh_Saddler]

Bristol Rovers 0 Charlton Athletic 1

MK Dons 0 Chesterfield 1



:( :( :( Rochdale 1 Walsall 0 (34 min)

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: Make that 2-0 ........

[saddla]

1-0 Dale :evil:

[boringteacher]

We sound shite on dinglefm

[Exile]

We sound shite on dinglefm

Could be worse. Could be on the telly, or at home on a family fun day! :D