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Reply | Refwatch - Rochdale v Liverpool U21 (EFL Trophy)
at 10:18 23 Sep 2026
disappointing to not see the game out and I hope that doesn't create any sort of hangover for Saturday.
However - the big positive for me was Henderson, who has shown why he is not just there to make up the numbers. I really don't see how Watson isn't putting him in every match day squad. His movement, vision, passing and touch puts him head and shoulders above the other forwards and more than makes up for any shortcomings he might have due to his age. Put another way - do you think any of the other forwards would have scored the two goals he did?
He creates things from nothing, which means he can score goals which change games. He moves off the ball putting himself in great positions to receive it and/or pulling other defenders out of position. A couple of times he got the ball around the edge of the box and put great balls into dangerous areas. He's in the right place at the right time for his first goal (has anyone else been for any of the other goals we've scored this season?) and the second one was classic Hendo. No-one else offers that. There is absolutely no reason not to play him more often. |
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Reply | Refwatch - Rochdale v Oldham Athletic
at 14:32 19 Sep 2026
Massive three points which you have to say owed an awful lot to Oldham’s poor finishing. We dug in though and I think the subs worked well to strengthen things up at the back. Good goal from Brown. Didn’t go into the game feeling optimistic but that is clearly a step in the right direction. |
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Reply | Refwatch - Rochdale v Oldham Athletic
at 13:22 19 Sep 2026
Good start with the goal. Lively move, quick first time cross, little flick and Mossy did well to control it and bang it in. Player of the season so far is Moss.
Smith looking lively but not convinced by him on the right. He got into a great position in the box and seemed twice to choose the wrong option which was heavily influenced by him being unable to go onto his right foot and whip it across. Switch him to the left and see what happens there.
I think Flint is solid - he’s one of those defenders who will track the ball over the top and make sure he gets in the way. Would trust him to get his head on things when there’s a free kick or corner. Not convinced at all he has the ability to distribute it out the back in the way EEL has always looked comfortable. Wilson also seems less than convincing.
But the real liability is Ramming. What the hell he was doing to lose the ball in his own box - only helped out by an atrocious non finish by Fondop.
We have been shooting ourselves in the foot and playing ourselves into trouble. Noticing that quite often we’ll get the ball into midfield and there is no player in space showing as available so the man in possession has no choice but to keep the ball and try to look around and then they get dispossessed. They’ve got to move about more and find some space.
No idea how the second half will go but Oldham will have to fancy getting something. We did at least start well which at least felt like something of an improvement, despite all the other issues. Maybe dropping Mani D is the right move for now. Would be enormous if we can hold on. |
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Reply | Watson.....
at 19:14 9 Sep 2026
I’ll rephrase it then - I really hope I’m wrong but I don’t think I will be. |
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Reply | Watson.....
at 18:38 9 Sep 2026
I’d have got rid of him on Monday after the Gillingham debacle and started the search for someone with more experience.
I imagine the Board are going to give this at least another 5 games, given their resounding vote of confidence today.
Those games are against: Walsall (5th) Oldham (10th) Fleetwood (6th) Swindon (2nd) and Tranmere (4th).
We maybe eek out a draw against Oldham if it turns into one of those horrible niggly derby games, but I can see it more likely a humiliating drubbing, same as the other 4 fixtures.
That would undoubtedly see us in 24th place in the league and already a few points adrift.
The atmosphere in the stands is hardly likely to have improved meaning even more bad vibes and toxicity.
At that point we’re looking at needing at least 41 more points from the remaining 36 games (with the average over the last 10 years to avoid the drop being about 44 points) - thats having to win a third of all remaining games.
Even if we change managers at that stage - we’re now looking at someone not addressing a poor start but needing immediate turnaround and pretty great form just to avoid relegation, when the bond between fans and players will be badly damaged and the team will be demoralised and devoid of confidence after achieving just 1 win in 10.
None of this seems far fetched but going off the performances so far, pretty inevitable.
I think the writing is already on the wall and delaying the decision will only cost us. Would love to be proven wrong. |
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Reply | Watson.....
at 16:19 9 Sep 2026
He doesn’t appear to have a Plan B or C at Rochdale.
He’s been criticised after several games for leaving substitutions until far too late. Can anyone think of any game where he’s made a sub that has changed things around?
If he can do all this elsewhere then it only confirms that he’s totally out of his depth here.
Can we afford to wait for him to find his feet? |
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Reply | Unacceptable
at 14:24 7 Sep 2026
I’m not sure we can rely on Simon Gauge to make any sensible decisions here.
It was him in charge for the Robbie Stockdale appointment. You might have thought that debacle would have put him off appointing a young inexperienced manager again, but here we are.
I’m actually surprised the Ogdens have kept him around as he had no football experience to begin with and doesn’t seem to have learnt too much in the past few years either. |
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Reply | Watson.....
at 12:49 6 Sep 2026
I agree we need 2 or 3 points from the next two games but I also think thats absolutely never going to happen. Walsall sit 5th and haven’t lost a game yet. Oldham have started decently and will be well up for the derby game. Will our players? Not on the showings so far.
If the test is how things will be in another 2 games then we are simply delaying the inevitable. |
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Reply | Refwatch - Rochdale v Shrewsbury Town
at 22:43 1 Sep 2026
Much improved performance although difficult to know how much it means against a Shrews team who didn’t look great, but with better finishing could easily have had a couple themselves. It’s crucial we keep the momentum going and pick up another win on Saturday against another team that have started off the season poor. If we do that, we give ourselves a much better chance when we start to face the tougher opposition.
Even if EEL is fully fit I’d want Watson to be brave and keep him on the bench. Would like to see that first half 11 once EEL left as the team to start on Saturday.
Well done to Watson who has faced plenty of criticism from me this week - now we’ve seen what his teams can do. But that brings its own pressure as the fans might expect to see performances like that every game. If we do, then we’ll be more than fine this season. For the first time this season I have some hope, and a reason to believe Watson might be the man for us. Keep it going. |
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Reply | Refwatch - Colchester United v Rochdale
at 10:16 30 Aug 2026
It’s a fact that Watson had exactly the same amount of first team managerial experience in the EFL as Hill, BBM and McNulty - none.
The big difference with those appointments though was that Hill, BBM and McNulty had spent most of their careers in the EFL as players with hundreds and hundreds of games of experience. Watson as a player never played above the 6th tier. He has never played a single game in the EFL.
Hill, BBM and McNulty also had years of experience at Rochdale - they knew the club and the squad inside out when taking over. Watson obviously had no connection with the team at all.
It’s also a fact that Rochdale has never been in this position before of being newly promoted from the National League. What might have been acceptable for previous appointments is irrelevant to the unique position we found ourselves in. Appointing a manager with no playing experience in the EFL, no managerial experience in the EFL and only one season as a first team manager of any sort is so self evidently a massive risk that I can’t believe anyone is out there still defending it. |
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Reply | Refwatch - Colchester United v Rochdale
at 22:28 29 Aug 2026
I agree with most of this except the line that Watson’s appointment looked good on paper. I have to disagree.
This is someone whose playing career was limited to non league football and had only a single season as a first team manager - in the 6th tier - where he ultimately achieved nothing.
I’m not sure how those can be considered credentials suitable for an appointment to our club. |
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Reply | Refwatch - Colchester United v Rochdale
at 17:01 29 Aug 2026
I think it’s highly likely that after 5 games we will still be on 0 points. The question is how long can the board leave it before they admit they made a mistake with this appointment. Nothing from any of the games he’s been in charge have provided reasons to think this is going to get better. |
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Reply | Refwatch - Rochdale v Crawley Town
at 17:34 22 Aug 2026
Well I do think it was better than last week (not hard) but it was still miles off where we need to be. Not sure what Silcott-Duberry did to deserve nothing but a few mins cameo. He was one of the better players last week. Subs made little difference so why leave it so late? Other than a spell at the start of the second half we never got going. Lose next week and there needs to be serious questions asked about Watson. |
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Reply | Refwatch - Rochdale v Crawley Town
at 15:55 22 Aug 2026
Better than the first half last week but that’s not really saying much. Not sure what our plan is for getting the ball forward and into the box. How exactly are we planning on scoring a goal? Should have done better for their goal and they don’t appear to be trying too hard. Can’t help but feel that we’re miles off it here. |
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Reply | Refwatch - Newport County v Rochdale
at 08:38 16 Aug 2026
I think it’s the opposite - a weak manager sticks rigidly with a system even when it’s not working because they don’t have any other ideas (hello BBM). The best managers find a way to win. Next week will therefore be a big test for Watson - does he stick with a system that has spectacularly failed in the first game (and in pre season) or does he adapt and try something different. He may think it’s too early in the season to throw it all in the air and try again but I would argue the performance yesterday warrants exactly that. Managers need a plan B and a plan C. There will always be injuries, players running out of form/confidence. Managers have to be able to adapt as the priority is winning games, however it’s done and whatever formation is deployed. I would have a huge amount of respect if Watson showed the pragmatism, flexibility and humility to make some serious changes next week. The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. |
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Reply | Refwatch - Newport County v Rochdale
at 15:29 15 Aug 2026
Post match interview from Watson doesn’t fill me with confidence. Yes he says the game was poor but he talks up an improved second half that saw us have no shots on goal. I’d agree we played better but by then the game as a contest was over and Newport knew they didn’t need to move out of second gear.
If Watson is right and we won’t see another performance like that again then great. But I wouldn’t bet my house on it. |
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Reply | Refwatch - Newport County v Rochdale
at 14:28 15 Aug 2026
Worse than the team that got relegated. The concern is quite how much needs to improve by next week. I’m also getting that Steve Eyre vibe from that display - a man woefully out of his depth who produced a team that looked like they’d never played the game before. Watson has an absolute mountain to climb here. |
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Reply | Refwatch - Newport County v Rochdale
at 13:10 15 Aug 2026
Absolutely awful this. If we’re playing this badly and losing this comprehensively against a team everyone has tipped for relegation then we are in big trouble. |
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Reply | Rochdale Lg 2 Finish position - board predictions and comments
at 12:15 12 Aug 2026
before McNulty left I was thinking a top half, but only just, finish - 10th to 12th region. But with him gone, several of our best players from last season gone too, new manager and new players to bed into a new system, some of last season's players looking like they might struggle with the step up to L2 - I'm going lower and in the region of 16th to 18th.
What I do think we have in our favour are owners who will do whatever is necessary to keep us in the league, given everything that went into getting us here and the huge loss in revenue if we drop out again. So I'm not concerned about a relegation fight, but also don't think we'll be amassing 106 points again.
I'd be happy with almost anything that keeps us up though. |
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