LOI Series 21 & 18- Premier & First division fixtures.

[Town Legend]

3-3 now

[Longfordian]

FFS. Indiscipline costing us. 4-3 ffs.

[Town Legend]

4-3 cobh

[Keen2win]

Cobh winning

[Town Legend]

Another cracker down south but cobhs turn to come back this time!

[Acornvilla]

God blessus, I go away for 30 minutes and this happens!

[Keen2win]

we gonna get **** crowds and win nothing for ever

[ATFC-1887]

Sorry but :D :D :D

[Charlie Darwin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuKQkj4AN2w

[Town Legend]

I know we're top of the league but Cousins doesn't seem to have a plan b when things don't go to plan. He could be looking over his shoulder after tonight.....a possible re-appearance of Mathews out the Strokestown Rd could materialise!!

[Longfordian]

I know we're top of the league but Cousins doesn't seem to have a plan b when things don't go to plan. He could be looking over his shoulder after tonight.....a possible re-appearance of Mathews out the Strokestown Rd could materialise!!

How bizarre I just had the exact same conversation over the phone with my father. Even down to speculating on Mathews coming back. You're not my oul lad are you TL?! Tony seems a nice guy but I have no faith in him getting us up. He has never been able to organise a defence in his time with us.

[adamd164]

Jaysus could Roddy win the league yet!? Looks like a midlands showdown for the title.

[Charlie Darwin]

How many Clasicos are left this season?

[gormacha]

Looks like a midlands showdown for the title.

<coughs>

[Town Legend]

Haha unless I have a love child running around that I don't know about then I highly doubt it. Agree with ya 100%, he's a sound lad and always has time to talk to the supporters but I just don't think he's the man to get us up. I know last season we suffered a lot of injuries at the tail end of the season but we did drop points to teams we really shouldn't be. And here tonight, I know we were down to 10 men but we were 3 up! We went down to 10 men in Mervue and Wexford and ended up scoring and winning them games when down to 10. I've been told Hanley and Mathews still are on great terms so he would be an obvious choice. We have a good squad of players there (quite possibly the best in the league) but the last 4-5 games things haven't gone as they should have...and even when we were winning we didn't look like league favourites. Mervue next week could determine whether he stays or goes.

[Longfordian]

How many Clasicos are left this season?

Two left. Next one in Longford.

[Charlie Darwin]

Two left. Next one in Longford.
Ah, that should be tasty then. Roddy's teams certainly seem to get stronger as the season goes on, while Cousins' sides seem to start well and then taper off. It will be interesting to see if they buck the trend this year - I'd love to see Longford back in the premier.

[atfconline]

Two left. Next one in Longford.

And the other, last day of the season in Athlone. :)

[Battery Rover]

Big match for Athlone next week in Waterford. The last time we won down there was on the 8th March 2002 when Glen Fitzpatrick scored twice for us.

[Longfordian]

Ah, that should be tasty then. Roddy's teams certainly seem to get stronger as the season goes on, while Cousins' sides seem to start well and then taper off. It will be interesting to see if they buck the trend this year - I'd love to see Longford back in the premier.

See the no Plan B comments above. Teams seem to figure us out over the season. Especially when you play everyone four times. We'll get back up eventually I just don't have the belief that Cousins is the man to do it.


And the other, last day of the season in Athlone. :)

Ye'll be up by then..

[Charlie Darwin]

But if you're so predictable how come it takes half the season for them to figure you out? A team consistently tapering out over the course of the season sounds more like a fitness and quality issue.

[Longfordian]

But if you're so predictable how come it takes half the season for them to figure you out? A team consistently tapering out over the course of the season sounds more like a fitness and quality issue.

We play the same system in every game. Each season we bring in new players and it takes a while to work out their weaknesses. Even when we were getting good results we were lucky in a fair few games too. O'Sullivan won games on his own.

[gormacha]

I've been banging this drum all season - the division and its teams are wildly unpredictable. Trying to predict anything in the division is pointless.

Longford have been winning lots of games when they weren't playing particularly well (by their own supporters admission) and often by the odd goal. To get this far into the season with that happening a lot takes some doing, but it can't go on forever. And it's not. They aren't falling apart though, they're regressing to their mean. The question remains though, where is that mean?

Equally, Waterford couldn't go on playing as awfully as they were at the start of the season, and that too is beginning to equal itself out. However, where their equilibrium lies is equally hard to know. Athlone have probably been the most consistent side, but should they lose away to Waterford next week (where their record is poor), they'll only be a point clear of them [us].

Mervue are still a decent team too, as their latest 4-0 win suggests. That's not the first time they've given a side a drubbing this season.

You can perm any three from these four to occupy the business positions at the end of the season. The order? As long as everyone bar SD is capable of beating everyone else, then your guess is as good as mine.

[ATFC-1887]

[QUOTE=gormacha;1699272]

Equally, Waterford couldn't go on playing as awfully as they were at the start of the season, and that too is beginning to equal itself out. However, where their equilibrium lies is equally hard to know. Athlone have probably been the most consistent side, but should they lose away to Waterford next week (where their record is poor), they'll only be a point clear of them [us].

2 points

[Comic Book Guy]

Crazy game, those who stayed away deserve a boot up the a***! Davin O'Neill's winner was as good as I've seen in a long long time, second pen was soft! I couldn't for the life of me figure out how longford were 3 up, we missed 2/3 great chances before that. All told longford are still the strongest team we've played and I think will still do enough to get up.

[De Town]

We were poor in the first half, but had 3 attempts on goal and all 3 went in. Cobh actually played well but it looked like the 3rd goal knocked the stuffing out of them. Then getting the penalty and red just on half time gave them life again.

We understandably set up to hold onto what we had in the second half with 10 men, and were completely comfortable until the 2nd penalty. Cobh had all the ball but posed no threat whatsoever. On the penalty, the ball looked to have gone out of play on the touch line to me and then the Cobh lad went down quite easily. These things happen. What can't be excused is the complete collapse from us. We were doing well up until the penalty, why we didn't just continue what we were doing after it bemuses me. Instead we self combusted. In fairness, Davin O'Neill's winning goal was worthy of winning any game, volley from about 25 yards into the top corner.

Unless something remarkable happens in our remaining away games, Cobh will have provided us with our best and worst away day this season.

[Longfordian]

Roy Keane was playing centre mid for them and scored the equaliser according to LOI Blog. I knew he'd been back to Cobh recently but wasn't aware he'd been registered to play.

http://www.theloiblog.com/NewsStory.aspx?n=651


The glorious Cobh Ramblers equalizer came from a simply superb header from midfielder Roy Keane as he rose above his man inside the Longford penalty area to loop the ball over a despairing Chris Bennion and if Longford fans were hurting now they would be on their knees in just a couple of minutes as Davin O'Neill took the ball on his chest before unleashing a sublime volley which again gave Chris Bennion no chance in the Longford nets. The scenes that followed must go down as the Ramblers greatest moments since returning to the LOI this season. The Longford fans looked on thinking "that was us just four months ago", reality of a four hour bus journey home had just hit "De Town" faithful, they were going back to the Midlands empty handed.

[outspoken]

Roy Keane was playing centre mid for them and scored the equaliser according to LOI Blog. I knew he'd been back to Cobh recently but wasn't aware he'd been registered to play.

http://www.theloiblog.com/NewsStory.aspx?n=651

Should read Roy Kenny, sorted now, cheers for pointing that out.

[outspoken]

How bizarre I just had the exact same conversation over the phone with my father. Even down to speculating on Mathews coming back. You're not my oul lad are you TL?! Tony seems a nice guy but I have no faith in him getting us up. He has never been able to organise a defence in his time with us.

No matter what happens I honestly can't see the club axing TC. His contract is up this season so theyl wait till then to see what happens. As for Matthews while I believe he could get us up (and maybe a good cup run too) in the long term would he be the best appointment? I know Cousins football is bad but Matthews teams are all long ball sides, would it turn people away? Then again it might bring some of the old guard back, it's very hard to know.

[Town Legend]

Sure who else would it turn away?? The fans that are there now are the die-hards. Football under Cousins hasn't been great and we've won quite a few matches where we were second best and lucky to win them. Mathews has been our most successful manager and can get the best out of a squad as he did with us. The year we got relegated he almost kept us up only for the points deductions. And we won games we deserved to win! Under Cousins when we're a goal up I don't feel confident at all on holding out cos we just sit back. At least under Mathews we were always confident of holding on and not sitting back when we went one up. I know Mathews had a better squad but I think Mathews would get more out of this squad than Cousins can to be honest. But sure look, it'll prob never happen anyway!! But big pressure game next Sat especially with Athlone playing on the Fri.

[Darklordsbane]

Longford goalie was limping for nearly an hour, don't know if he was pretending to be injured to waste time, but I think he is rubbish good shot stopper but distribution of the ball is shocking only passes or throws 2 or 3 times a game hoofs it mostly to the opposition center halves / goalie or out for throw ins,
I was at the game last night best game Gillespie has played for ages, 2 center mids and strikers were all that stood out for Longford, the right winger for Cobh had at least 20 yards of space nearly all night shocking display by the longford left winger, Cousins has his work cut out getting these guys to keep the ball on the ground let alone play a standard of football.

[avvenalaf]

Matthews is a tool. Lost dressing rooms at Drogheda and Shels and finished as a LOI manager.

[Town Legend]

Just cos you don't like what he did at shels and drogs doesn't mean he's finished as a manager!!! He worked wonders at Longford and is still highly regarded down here.

[ATFC-1887]

Really cant understand this talk about getting rid of Cousins. Ye are top of the league for christ sake

[Acornvilla]

We've all been saying this since last season or earlier, it shouldn't come as any surprise ^^

My own opinion is that he's a nice man, has good contacts which means he can put together a good squad on a small budget. But he's not a very good manager when it comes to tactics and decision making at match day, nor can he coach a defence, it's only a matter of time before he gets let go. Even if we do get promoted he wouldn't survive past the 1st season up there.. Think of it as a similar situation to Skully at Limerick and Shams, a difference being that our players seem to genuinely like the man.

[bennocelt]

We've all been saying this since last season or earlier, it shouldn't come as any surprise ^^

My own opinion is that he's a nice man, has good contacts which means he can put together a good squad on a small budget. But he's not a very good manager when it comes to tactics and decision making at match day, nor can he coach a defence, it's only a matter of time before he gets let go. Even if we do get promoted he wouldn't survive past the 1st season up there.. Think of it as a similar situation to Skully at Limerick and Shams, a difference being that our players seem to genuinely like the man.

Exactly, I am surprised you stayed with him from the start, but I guess if this is the last year of his contract. Tactically he is all over the place.
He has built a tidy team tough. How is Gillespie for yis this season?

[Longfordian]

Hasn't played all that much through injury and suspension. He's been ok when I've seen him, he gives it his all but the legs are gone.

[outspoken]

Hasn't played all that much through injury and suspension. He's been ok when I've seen him, he gives it his all but the legs are gone.

He adds nothing to the team in my opinion. Only positive effect he had on the team all season was when he came on as a sub away to Waterford on the wing and set up the equaliser with a trademark cross. He hasn't been used in this role since. Can't understand it!

[Town Legend]

That's one of Cousins tactical downfalls. He finds a position that a player plays well in and doesn't play him there again. The best I seen Purdy play for us was in the hole in front of midfield. He played him there before he got injured last season. Haven't seen him play there since!

[outspoken]

That's one of Cousins tactical downfalls. He finds a position that a player plays well in and doesn't play him there again. The best I seen Purdy play for us was in the hole in front of midfield. He played him there before he got injured last season. Haven't seen him play there since!

Last season was simply comical. Mick Lee and Tom Crawley were the best left wing partnership in the country, what did he do but move Crawley up front? Played Bermingham (a striker) in central midfield and played Chris Deans at full back. He seems to find new positions for players that they simply aren't.