The key is Powell said in the lead up about wanting to play patient football no matter what, it's what we are trying to be built on.
I was in attendance myself IA and felt that we certainly deserved to win - Passed the ball round really well and three great goals from Hollands and Wiggins (Solly / Morrison and Taylor had better get moving because they're the only ones in the 11 who havent scored yet) Ben Hamer - 6 (Didnt have a lot to do, couldnt really do a lot about the first goal, distribution was good) Chris Solly - 7 (Player of the Year so far if he was a little taller he could be a World Class Right Back - Usual solid game) Michael Morrison - 6 (Solid as usual though made a mistake just before Dale's first goal which they should have taken when 1on1 with Hamer) Matt Taylor - 7 (Again solid as usual, dont think I saw him put a foot wrong) Rhoys Wiggins - 7 (Made some good runs down the wing - he's got a lovely shot on him, good thing Powell didnt replace him with Evina) Scott Wagstaff - 6 (Usual game from him with his lung bursting runs down the wing and supporting Solly, just no end product) Danny Hollands - 8 (Man of the Match - two great headers didnt put a foot wrong all game) Dale Stephens - 7 (Typical performance, passed the ball round well hopefully he's not injured as limped off at the end) Johnnie Jackson - 7 (Didnt really notice Johnnie too much yesterday, had he not got an assist I'd have given him a "6") Paul Hayes - 7 (Link up play with Mid / Att was really good from Paul yesterday, some much better touches after Exeter - IMO this guy wasnt brought to score goals!!) BWP - 6 (Quiet game though didnt get much of a service, should have got a Penalty though was nice to see him not diving) ------------------- Referee - 5 (Had an okayish game - Did well to spot the Dale dive in the first half, used the cards where needed but I felt he just protected Rochdale a bit more, failed to give us the pen though view might have been blocked)
I noticed yesterday Oz that you barely saw any Charlton players sliding into tackles apart from Jackson when he got a Yellow (I actually thought he went in studs showing They always seem to just be patient for the opposition to over run it then steal it back that way
It's not too long ago that CP was getting stick for this approach, the argument being that it wouldn't win us games, but now we can see the wisdom of CP's philosophy. And in Damien Matthew he has a coach who thinks along the same lines. I really hope that we never ever revert to being a long-ball team like we were for the previous 2 years.
I think fans just need to learn to be patient during games FHB. There have been a lot of times this season where we've passed the ball round our back four before taking it forwards and people have started screaming for the ball to get up to BWP much quicker (Yet if the opposition dont have the ball they cant score!!) Its crazy as the patient ball is exactly how Mourinho won two titles @ Chelsea and Norwich got out of League One!!
I agree with A4L, even yesterday there were people getting impatient about the passing game. I thought it was great. Also will add that Stephens had an excellent first half, and thought Jackson had a good game. Wiggins looks good going forward and good goal from him.
It's often the fans that need to learn more than the players, Brighton fans had to, Norwich fans had to, Southampton fans had to adjust dramatically after the Pardew experiment. I for one am someone who has never had a problem with the patient approach and am delighted to see it coming together. You won't win every week because of it, but one thing to remember is if you have more of the ball, even across the back four, that gives the opposition less opportunities to score, meaning we may well lose less games than previous
I've been more thn happy with the style. The old geezer who sits next to me though, I don't think is gonna see the season out the way his blood boils up with every sideways pass.
It's definitely an age thing, FR - I embrace different styles of football pretty well, but in the game against Exeter, even I jumped off my seat a couple of times to urge that the play went forwards rather than backwards or sideways. Once I'd popped an Atenolol with my half-time Bovril, I felt much better...
Have to admit parts f that game were very frustrating, mostly because, even against ten men, I pretty much soil my pants until we're 2 goals up. I managed to appreciate it by thinking not too far back to the Sheff Weds match!
Strange. I was sure they announced the attendance as 2,806 yesterday. Looked on the BBC page, and it says 2,909. Rare for clubs to overstate attendance. £5 day coming up, with Chessie and Clarke hitting good form. Bring it.
EXACTLY!! 1-0 = 3 points / 4-0 = 3 points 1-0 up @ home to Dagenham and getting fustrated = 1 point (after 2-2 draw last season)
