D 0-0 Rochdale (H) - League Two - Sat 20th November, 3pm

Match Centre Archive Match Centre 21/22
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We’ve got to use this as a reset - Matt Taylor post-Harrogate.

And what a chance to get this reset off to a good start with another home game in the league, this time as we welcome Rochdale to The Banks’s Stadium.

Rochdale

The Dale are led by Robbie Stockdale, who is in his first outright managerial position (having had a couple of stints as caretaker at Sunderland in the past), and he currently finds himself sitting 13th in League Two with his side following an inconsistent start to their campaign.

Off the field issues have also played their part in things, more details of which can be found here - Rochdale: Why League Two club's future is at a crossroads - BBC Sport

Rochdale’s last six games have provided the following results:

23rd Oct - Sutton United (H) - Won 3-2
30th Oct - Barrow (A) - Won 2-1
2nd Nov - Bolton Wanderers (A) (PJT) - Lost 3-0
7th Nov - Notts County (H) (FAC1) - Drew 1-1
13th Nov - Leyton Orient (H) - Drew 2-2
16th Nov - Notts County (A) (FAC1R) - Won 2-1

Onto The Saddlers, who this week have welcomed back both Liam Kinsella and Conor Wilkinson into training following injury in what is sure to be a boost to manager Matt Taylor as he looks to start another unbeaten run following last Saturday’s 3-1 reverse against Harrogate Town. Another positive for the Gaffer is that captain Joss Labadie returns from suspension and will surely take his place back in the starting XI.

Labadie
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Missing from this game will be Rory Holden (injury) and Hayden White (suspension), so there is an opportunity at right-back that you would assume will be filled by either Tom Leak or possibly new boy Otis Khan.

As I wasn’t at the game last Saturday I cannot possibly comment on who should be starting on Saturday, so in your opinion who would your starting XI be, and would there be much change from that team that started the last game?

Away from the on-pitch activity, this game will see an extra 1600 in attendance via the schools partnership offer (will we have enough food and drink?!), and some ex-Saddlers legends will be in attendance at half time, including but not limited to Jorge Leitao and Pedro Matias and it will be good to see them grace the Bescot turf briefly once again.

Pedro
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Hopefully an action packed day that results in three points for The Saddlers ahead of a much anticipated local derby against Port Vale on Tuesday.

Walsall vs Rochdale - Match Result
  • Walsall Win
  • Draw
  • Rochdale Win

0 voters

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Losing this one. We hardly ever win school promo games.

3

How do teams like Stockport end up with players like Paddy Madden Oli Crankshaw and Quigley madness I’d take all 3 right now.We will bounce back with the millennium legends in attendance 3-0 win.

3 Likes
4

They certainly deserve to be playing in a higher division

1 Like
5

Not until they achieve it. That is the beauty of the football pyramid, teams end up where they should be eventually.

It was a cracking game of football though and they have got some very tidy players. I think what it really does highlight is that if we ever did go down there, it would be very hard to get back up.

4 Likes
6

I think we have found that out where we already are :wink:

5 Likes
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The current board of Walsall FC are very “capable” of taking us down at least another two levels IMHO. They are also, at the top end of their game, with a slice of luck and others being somewhat shyter, capable of keeping us just above that all important first drop.

2 Likes
8

Absolutely and I said exactly the same last night I think I over heard the commentator say it’s almost a decade since Stockport were a football league side which proves your point perfectly.That league has bigger spenders than us in it Wrexham Solihull Stockport Notts County then sides like Dag and Red etc very tough league and if we do go down my exact words were “I’m 40 and if we did go down I’ll be dead before we get back up”(something nice and cheery for you there :joy:)

2 Likes
9

On the plus side, there would be some proper away days, to proper clubs instead of the Salford’s of the league that we now face.

10

It’s a big test this. The only team above us we’ve beaten is Sutton and largely looked second best in that game. All of our other wins are below. That says to me we’re exactly where we deserve to be and exactly as good as our position suggests.

Rochdale are a point above us so this is pretty much an even match up in terms of quality, but being at home we may well get a turnaround performance. That’s the important thing for me, I’m not interested in the bloated “good run”, I haven’t seen a good performance out of this team for 5 games now so hopefully that changes.

2 Likes
11

Can’t see Kinsella and Wilkinson being available if they’ve only just started training.

1-1 for me.

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I do think some of the stick he’s had is over the top, but it would be nice if he could show it once in a while.

1 Like
14

He’s a 6/10 most weeks, however due to his lack of pace he has no scope to improve.

I’d like to see Khan replace him.

15

I think that’s a waste to be honest. He looks like he can make things happen in the final third.

I’d like to have seen us sign another full back 5 months ago but perfect worlds!

1 Like
16

Melbourne should have been signed

6 Likes
17

Ward plays every week because he has no competition for his place he doesn’t get forwards as much as he probably use to but that happens at 36 and I agree about Khan it would slow his progression as a footballer in my opinion sticking him at left back he’s much better marauding forwards through midfield like he did in flashes Saturday he’s one of the only players that do.

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19

They’ve won on their last 4 visits to ours, and we’ve won 1 in their last 10 visits.
A bit like Scunthorpe, a team we tend to do very badly against at home, whist doing ok away (for some reason).

1 Like
20

If we are serious about increasing our support we really do need to capitalise on these community days. My expectations remain low.