SPA V City - make or break [Archive]

Pablo

03/08/2004, 2:10 PM

i cant help feeling we need to beat Pats next friday or realistically we'll be out of the title race. I know theres plenty of games left but with the 10 team premier being so tight i cant imagine a big points gap like that being made up.

And with shels in town the following week............

Peadar

03/08/2004, 2:15 PM

i cant help feeling we need to beat Pats next friday or realistically we'll be out of the title race.

That would be a terribly negative view considering the number of games remaining and the very nature of football. We wont be the only team in the top 4 to drop points and I'm certain they'll all take points off each other.
That said however, it is vital that we win on Friday to get our away record back on track again.

namloc

03/08/2004, 2:15 PM

Big performance is needed next week against Pats. We still have 3 games in hand over Drogs but we have to start winning them starting with Pats friday!!!

patsh

03/08/2004, 2:16 PM

Our season could be over with almost 4 months to go....:eek: :(

wws

03/08/2004, 2:19 PM

it has turned out to ne a massive game for both teams - pats will want to keep winning ways going and cork cant afford to let another 3 points slip

real crunch game, could be anyones - i'll take a draw

namloc

03/08/2004, 2:20 PM

The $h€l$ game the week after is also a must win!!

City Hero

03/08/2004, 9:32 PM

It comes up about this time every season, and we keep saying that Shels will drop points towards the end of the season, and every team goes through a bad patch etc., but the reality is that even if Shels drop points, nobody will capitalize enough to catch them, and they are going through their bad patch right now (2 draws and 1 loss), and it won't last too much longer (unless they have a massive euro hangover). So now is the time to be catching them.

Drogs are close, but how long can they stay close? We have to catch up as quickly as possible and the next two games are the best possible opportunity.

If we are within a couple of points going into the last couple of weeks, I think we could do it.

Éanna

03/08/2004, 10:40 PM

being honest I think the drogs result could work for us too. takes the pressure off a bit, cos no-one expects us to challenge now. I'm very confident we'll finish 2nd, whether we get a result on friday or not. the break from friday to the shels game will be a huge help to the lads too.

thecorner

03/08/2004, 11:21 PM

we are only barely gone though half of the season

still a lot of points 2 be played for

not gonna start losing heart yet.

if we still win the rest of our games in hand and beat shels twice we still go above them

harry crumb

03/08/2004, 11:25 PM

But from here on in every point is vital.

At the end of the season we could come second by 1 point.

Pablo

04/08/2004, 11:27 AM

lets face it Pats are poor this year so if we dont beat them we shouldnt win the league anyway

Eric

04/08/2004, 1:58 PM

I reckon that our league challenge IS over!!!

Inter-toto again next season :D :D

Pablo

04/08/2004, 2:26 PM

I reckon that our league challenge IS over!!!

Inter-toto again next season :D :D

I hope you are joking?

cathal

04/08/2004, 2:34 PM

I hope you are joking?

maybe but he's right. the football we have played in the league is far from championship quality. too many "ifs" from a lot of supporters. fact is the losses to bohs and drogs shows our team is incapable of winning the crunch games, a problem that has dogged city teams for years.

wheather we like or not shels have one hand on the trophy but the really galling thing is that pat dolin can take a poor team and have them pushing for top spot. we on the other hand can't despite all the money we spend- i think we lack that mental hardness that charcterised Dolans SPA team of the past. besides it's about time george stuck one in the onion sack

Peadar

04/08/2004, 2:39 PM

our team is incapable of winning the crunch games, a problem that has dogged city teams for years.

I beg to differ.
Surely the Waterford game was the "crunch" game for us?
The Drogheda game was a though contest against a good side which came a few days after a physical Munster derby.

Our next "crunch" game will be against Shels on the 14th.
Let's see how we do then, shall we?

Neil

04/08/2004, 3:21 PM

maybe but he's right. the football we have played in the league is far from championship quality. too many "ifs" from a lot of supporters. fact is the losses to bohs and drogs shows our team is incapable of winning the crunch games, a problem that has dogged city teams for years.

wheather we like or not shels have one hand on the trophy but the really galling thing is that pat dolin can take a poor team and have them pushing for top spot. we on the other hand can't despite all the money we spend- i think we lack that mental hardness that charcterised Dolans SPA team of the past. besides it's about time george stuck one in the onion sack

Dalo, Dalo, Dalo! :rolleyes:

Peadar is right. Waterford was a crunch game. Nijmegen was a crunch game. Have you forgotten about these in your little rant? Bohs was a game two days after Malmo that even the Shed found hard to get excited about.

I think if we can draw against SPA, we'll then have a proper rest period (for the first time in about 2 months) and we can really give the Cheats a game.

Peadar

04/08/2004, 3:27 PM

the really galling thing is that pat dolin can take a poor team and have them pushing for top spot.

Paul Doolin, even?

cathal

04/08/2004, 3:28 PM

neil, neil, neil :rolleyes:

maybe you are right maybe we may win d league but do fans think we are really playing well enough for it to happen?

hopefully we will do what bohs did a 3 years ago and go on a super winning run but even the most ardent supporter would have to admit the drogs result was a sickener.

of course the pat's and shel's games will tell us a lot.

razor

04/08/2004, 3:31 PM

Dalo, Dalo, Dalo! :rolleyes:

Peadar is right. Waterford was a crunch game. Nijmegen was a crunch game. Have you forgotten about these in your little rant? Bohs was a game two days after Malmo that even the Shed found hard to get excited about.

I think if we can draw against SPA, we'll then have a proper rest period (for the first time in about 2 months) and we can really give the Cheats a game.
I got the impression Cathal was referring to back along.
City are totally renound for getting in the big crowds for the big occasion and ****ting the bed.
Those 2 home games against Pats a few years back spring to mind and the worst of all was Dundalk in 91.

I must say though the day we won the League in 93, I never thought we would lose, even after Shels came back twice, i knew it was going to be our day. Nijmegen was the first game in recent times I can ever recall this not happening and what a day we had.
cathal has a point in what he says but he is certainly emphasizing the negative.

Peadar

04/08/2004, 3:33 PM

even the most ardent supporter would have to admit the drogs result was a sickener.

No one is denying that Cathal.
But the difference between you and many other supporters is that we are realistic enough to know that during the course of the season we will lose games. Every team will lose games.
It's unfair to dismiss our league ambitions however, when a tired team is beaten away from home by a well diciplined team who are on a bit of a run.
They took two of their chances and we didn't.
It doesn't suggest that we were played off the park or that Drogheda will win the league.

Those 2 home games against Pats a few years back spring to mind and the worst of all was Dundalk in 91.

Yeah, Devine was brutal that day and Bennett was at fault for the first goal :rolleyes:
Stop living in the past.
New team, new backroom staff, same ambition, still too many negative fans.

Neil

04/08/2004, 3:36 PM

I got the impression Cathal was referring to back along.
City are totally renound for getting in the big crowds for the big occasion and ****ting the bed.
That's fair enough and I wouldn't disagree. But that was back when our star players were plumbers and sales reps. For me, the Nijmegen game was very satisfying in so far as it was the first time we entered a huge game where our players looked confident, organised and despite the crowds and pressure, played ball.
I don't want to jinx it but dare I say we've turned a corner? And when we are challenging for the league NEXT year it should stand to us.

niamh

04/08/2004, 3:57 PM

I totally agree.
City have not performed to their abilities so many times in front of big crowds, Nijmegen was great.
The Intertoto Cup adventure will stand to the team once they get through the backlog and the tiredness.

pete

05/08/2004, 9:28 AM

Of the 3 post Inter Toto matches i'd sum it up like this:

UCD - badly missing possibly our 3 best players. Unlucky cup game was first game back.
Waterford - team really upped its game by not allowing be brought down to hacker level & easily could have won 4 or 5 nil in 2nd half. Very impressive footbalk & result.
Drogheda - Tight game on tight pitch, Drogs played very well, we didn't play too bad but struggled to breakdown gome defense when a (dubious offside) goal down.

We have certainly performed better than Pats & Rivers did when they returned from Inter Toto Cup duty in recent seasons.

Pablo

05/08/2004, 1:02 PM

We have certainly performed better than Pats & Rivers did when they returned from Inter Toto Cup duty in recent seasons.

As i say tomorrow will be the acid test. we need to keep the pressure on knowing that 3 points tomorrow and a win against shels next week at home and we are back in the title hunt

pete

05/08/2004, 1:33 PM

Shels euro exploits are definitely gonna cost them some points although can't know how many yet. Big chance for city to start anrrowing the gap & then big win live on TV to annonce ourselves are serious contenders.

Pablo

05/08/2004, 1:39 PM

Storysham

05/08/2004, 7:47 PM

Osam is doubtful, according to the echo tonight. Made me laugh anyway.

Peadar

06/08/2004, 9:03 AM

Osam is doubtful, according to the echo tonight.

Pat Dolan probably told the echo that :D
Have we anyone "doubtful"?

Flynninio

06/08/2004, 9:51 AM

we go above bohs if we win tonight - drogheda next :D

DolansWaistcoat

06/08/2004, 10:31 AM

Then just Shels after that and the league is ours,simple as that. :D :cool:

Dodge

06/08/2004, 10:36 AM

Lads you're closer to us than Shels... calm down on the championship thing

Peadar

06/08/2004, 10:44 AM

Lads you're closer to us than Shels...

Only on points.
In terms of quality and strength of squad we're miles ahead of you and not far off Shels. We'll see where your lot are at the end of the season.
Lucky for you only one team goes down this year.

Eric

06/08/2004, 12:19 PM

Pablo I wasn't joking, I reckon our league challenge for this season is over.

Big gap to overhaul shels, very young team with no championship experience, fatigue at the moment.

Next year will be our best chance to challenge for the league but with Shels getting so much money from Europe it may be impossible to overhaul them for a couple of years.

I'm saving for the inter-toto again anyway!!! :D :D :D

wws

06/08/2004, 12:22 PM

the question i have is what happens when (inevitably) you dont challenge for the league next year???

Everyone knows you wont even trouble Drogs for second place this year but dolan will have to summon all his powers of spin to talk his way out of next season houllieresque 3 year plan bs

it aint happenin lads, face facts, we'll probably finish higher than yee this season and we're fckd financially

Peadar

06/08/2004, 12:27 PM

we're fckd financially

:D

Sorry!

:D

Bye, bye...

DolansWaistcoat

06/08/2004, 2:12 PM

Lads you're closer to us than Shels... calm down on the championship thing

A bit of optimism never hurt anyone. :D

Our next two games are vital to our title hopes.Win em both and we're right back in it.Don't win either of them and thats us gone for another year.