I was thinking this one is hard to sum up, but then read Ben’s interview and he summed it up perfectly.
We started brightly, particularly Nicholson.
With lead we took foot off gas, stoped doing the effective things.
Awful goal to concede, shouldn’t happen.
Harsh words half time, better press, tempo and territory second half.
What I would add to that.
Our task was harder by home side treating it as away game and not coming out to play. Maybe this was reason for too much rubbish hoof ball, but too much ineffective hoof ball there was.
Our performance is chalk and cheese simply on how deep or high we can get the wingbacks up the pitch.
Nicholson’s start impressed me. What was his position and role, seemed straight swap. But I totally disagree with every gas head, reporter, headline and manager who said we scored a good goal. Nicholson attacked with pace and intent, placed well with requisite power. But it was abysmal goal from Rochdale point of view. They opened like the Red Sea. They put no pressure on him. They did their (excellent) goalie no favours at all.
One big negative becoming clearer all the time. We didn’t beat Burton, didn’t beat dale, lucky to get cleanie at shrews, but when we come up against likes of Ipswich, donny, hull and Peterborough we are too far away to take anything from them. Our lack of cutting edge to win the Burton and dale games is ominous for the months ahead.
