Recharge plans ahead of Dons
KEITH Hill will use the ten-day break between Rochdale games to rest some of his squad – and get others up to speed for the 14-game run-in.
Dale are home on Tuesday against bottom of the table AFC Wimbledon in a game originally scheduled for today. The Dons involvement in the FA Cup this weekend meant it had to be switched to midweek – but Hill was taking the positives out of that.
His side were beaten 1-0 at home against Coventry City last time out and Hill felt there was a spark missing from their play, particularly going forward. It’s something he’s keen to address and hopes the rest will benefit his squad.
“It gives us a chance to get some of the players up to speed, some of the players need a rest as well,” he said. “It’s important we find a balance to the work and rest. The players have gone through a lot – January was along month. Everybody will be needed and it gives us an opportunity to rest certain players who have been through a lot and allow others to catch up.
“A point last weekend would have given a little bit more momentum to the win at Walsall and a little bit more belief. But I think the belief is there, I really do. But with that belief you have to perform and some of the individual performances in the first half dropped below what I have seen and expected.
“I’m not suggesting there was any fear, there shouldn’t be any fear, but I don’t think the performance levels were where we needed them in that first half so it was a game that got away from us.
“It’s hard to accept but you have to accept it and roll onto the next game It gives us an opportunity to freshen the squad up in the next ten days.
“I expect the performance levels going forward, the passing, the possession – I’m used to seeing us not being dominant in possession but being better – so that we can expose opponents. We didn’t do that against Coventry.
“There was no spark. Defensively we did well to deal with the opponent even when they got in behind us - but when we get up the pitch we have got to be better and that comes down to individuals stamping their personality on their opponent.
“It was better in the second half but we didn’t seem to come up with a formula when we went 1-0 down.”
Hill says it’s important his side respond to that defeat in a positive manner.
“It’s important that we build on what was a negative result because in the grand scheme of things – and you’re never entirely happy as a manager with performances – but it was a wrestle, it was competitive, we defended and recovered at times. I couldn’t see us getting drubbed 5-0 by Coventry,” he said.
“We picked up a gritty performance and result at Walsall and we have got to do that in the 14 games remaining because it isn’t going to be about Brazilian football in the rest of the season.”