Massive week ahead

[outspoken]

Right we're off the board after Limerick away and while we were all initially a bit disappointed by the time the bus journey was over I think everyone started looking to bray wanderers at home on Tuesday night with great optimism and excitement. Tuesday is a massive game for the club both on and off the pitch in my opinion and it would be great to couple 3 crucial points with a respectable attendance (not expecting anything more than a few hundred to be honest). Simply put, a win tomorrow night is a MUST.

Galway away on Friday looks as if it's going to be a massive task for us, (hopefully they pick up a few suspensions and concede a few goals tomorrow night to soften them up a bit). Theyl have a passionate home crowd behind them and while wel bring a good crowd Id be delighted with a point from that one which would leave us set up nicely to tackle St pats at home the weekend after.

Id be happy for the same team to start tomorrow night as did in Limerick with the expedition of powell who should be dropped for Deady with Tiddler on the bench ahead of Rossiter as he is a waste of a sub in my opinion. With so many big games coming up I wouldn't mind seeing tom Morris get some sort of a run out either.

Thoughts everyone?

PS: Bus to Galway on Friday filling up nicely just get in touch with me via text message to book your seat, number is on section O Facebook page.

[Darklordsbane]

Id be happy for the same team to start tomorrow night as did in Galway with the expedition of powell who should be dropped for Deady with Tiddler on the bench ahead of Rossiter as he is a waste of a sub in my opinion. With so many big games coming up I wouldn't mind seeing tom Morris get some sort of a run out either.

Thoughts everyone?


is that a mistake or do you mean the brilliant performances we had over there last year, when Gorman's superb ball put Davey thriugh for the winner or when Rice didn't play and we played football most of the night and won 3 nil

personally I would play 4,4,2 against bray (no slight on Hunt but)
goalie Skinner, back 4 of Tyrell, Morris, Flynn, sorry don't know his name but blondie number 3, centre mid Salmon and Gorman, wingers O' Connor and Ben Mohammed, strikers pick themselves
subs Mulhall for last half hour take of Salmon and move O conner into midfield but play Mulhall on the wing last 25 mins Shannon or Cowan for Ben Mohammed
I don't really care who plays to be honest but I would most definately drop Rice and Sullivan, they look to me like they think the only have to turn up to get a game, yes they were good in the 1st division but haven't done anything to warrent automatic selection yet this season including the pre season
everyone needs a kick up the backside now and again we are supposed to have a squad capable of competing for places so what better way for Cousins to make everyone think they have a chance

[outspoken]

Think we've finally learned your identity. You must be tony cousins? O'connor is not a winger and it's ridiculous he's playing out there he's such a good player. Mulhall isn't a winger either so don't know why you'd play him there, TC did it once last season and he was awful there. WTF would you drop hunt for Skinner? Pat Sullivan was our best player bar Davy and O'connor the other night yet you'd drop him for Morris? Even cousins isn't as lakes as you, no offence but that's a ridiculous team selection you've suggested. We've got our first point on the board there's No way TC will chop several first team players out of no where, nor should he.

[DRDoc]

Unless Cousins plays just one up front - the likes of Gorman and OConnor are not going to start games in midfield if Rice and Salmon and fit and available - without those two we would be just far to open in midfield

If we play just two in midfield, bearing in mind most opposition will play 3 in there - Gorman is currently not disciplined enough when we lose the ball or have to defend and OConnor although only 30 ish (is that right lads?), does not have the legs or the aggression or the pace. If we played three in the middle, either of them would have a good chance to flourish though.

OConnor may be used at the moment on the right or left hand side of a four man midfield, but he is not being used as a winger in any sense, he is tucking in and doing a solid job when we do not have the ball - if we are playing 442 that is the only way to fit him into the starting eleven if Rice and Salmon are fit

I agree Mulhall is not a winger either - the only reason he is going to be played there is to hopefully make us a little more secure defending or when we lose the ball - he will not add a huge amount going forward if being played on the right hand side of midfield I do not think

[Darklordsbane]

Yes it's a mad selection but this team needs a big shake up, I would have dropped Salmon too but can't think of anyone else to play there, obviously Kevin but as you guys said he is a good player and can do a job on the wing not ideal,
I think our centre mid pairing of Rice and Salmon just isn't working this season, I think there is a disagreement or something bothering that relationship, has anyone else noticed Salmon doesn't give Rice the captains armband anymore when he is subbed
I agree Mulhall isn't a winger but he loves going forward and it might work, the end product from the wingers who are getting a game is hardly setting the world alight,
Pat Sullivan was good in Dundalk and ok against Shams but annoys the ref too much for me, he didn't play the other night, Morris is good at passing and at set pieces and not a bad centre half
Hunt hasn't done anything to warrant being dropped but I thought Skinner was very good in Dundalk
our midfield pairing keep giving the ball away, and disappearing for long periods during a match, there is no playmaker (if you like) there at the moment thats why I would play Gorman, I would prefer to have Rice in front of Gorman to break up play and give Gorman time and space on the ball to do what he is good at
As I wrote what better why to shake up the dressing room than by dropping the more experienced player/players
no one expects us to challenge for the premiership but survival is a must, I belive if we play some football against the teams who are either playing badly or demoralised and are expexted to be fighting for relegation we should be doing or utmost to win them, not just hoof it up to Gary Shaw and see what happens,
we can go out with 5 across the middle against the top sides if need be and try to nick it on the counter or from a set piece
if we don't get at least a point from Bray tonight, we have Galway on friday who may well beat us regardless of who we select to play
I truely belive tonight is the night for TC to change either the team or the way we play, not expecting either

[outspoken]

Does anyone want to reply reply to that or are you all as bamboozled as I am.

[Town Legend]

Hunt, Mulhall, Sullivan, Flynn, Tyrell, Cowan, Salmon, Rice, Shannon, Shaw, O'Sullivan.

Could play Deady at lb, push Willie in CB and move Pat across to RB if Jamie isn't up to 2 games in 3 days. Wing, if Bin Mohammed is available he could push for a start. Was he in Limerick? I would like to see Rhys play but as said above unless we play 3 in centre mid I can't see him dislodging Rice and Salmon. KOC is not a winger but he will be starting there tonight I imagine. Hoping for a 2-1 win. Shawsy and Davy to score against their old club!

[outspoken]

Hunt, Mulhall, Sullivan, Flynn, Tyrell, Cowan, Salmon, Rice, Shannon, Shaw, O'Sullivan.

Could play Deady at lb, push Willie in CB and move Pat across to RB if Jamie isn't up to 2 games in 3 days. Wing, if Bin Mohammed is available he could push for a start. Was he in Limerick? I would like to see Rhys play but as said above unless we play 3 in centre mid I can't see him dislodging Rice and Salmon. KOC is not a winger but he will be starting there tonight I imagine. Hoping for a 2-1 win. Shawsy and Davy to score against their old club!

Ben Mohammed has put his back out wasn't in Limerick not sure if hel be out long term or not

[Martinho II]

happy with the result tonight. Bray did make it hard for us at times. Don Cowan had a superb game for us. Superb cross for Shawsie and brill in defence with his slide tackles! great to see Flynner get his 1st goal ever for us!

[Darklordsbane]

Happy with that performance not brilliant but a hugh improvement all over, delighted to see Flynn score, best performance from Salmon I've seen for a very long time, credit where it's due Rice was better too. makes you wonder why we didn't play like that in Limerick.
anyway can't complain clean sheet, 2 good goals, team seemed to be happier and confident again onwards and upwards

[Longfordian]

Every team is going to make it difficult for us at times in each game. We've stepped up a level and unlike last year there isn't much difference between us and all the teams around us. Thankfully we have good forwards which could be enough to keep us up. As long as they stay fit.

[Town Legend]

Galway tomorrow. Happy if we get a draw, delighted if we get a win. Big, big game. A win will give us 7 points from our first 5 and I would of took that at the start of the season but it will be a very tough game. Hopefully a decent crowd will travel.

[L.T.F.C.]

Just read that Connolly and Curran are doubts which will be a help.

[Mister X]

Just read that Connolly and Curran are doubts which will be a help.

Heard Connolly went off in the first half v cork due to injury, whatever about Curran, Connolly not playing would be a huge boost for us in midfield as id say 3 games in a week will take its toll on Samo and Rice

[hollocaine]

Anyone looking for a bit of a laugh, check out Pat Flynn's 'Quickie Quiz' in today's Mirror LOI supplement.

[Longfordian]

I saw that on Twitter. Pat Flynn is hilarious, he should get his own column in the programme or something.

[Acornvilla]

I assume Jamie isn't available for us, was playing for Ireland u19's this week.

[Longfordian]

They played yesterday so I doubt he'll be involved.

[Dodge]

They played yesterday so I doubt he'll be involved.

they've games up to Tuesday in Germany so he's defo out

[Martinho II]

I saw that on Twitter. Pat Flynn is hilarious, he should get his own column in the programme or something.

padjoe as hes called on twitter is awful witty!!

[Pauro 76]

I've only just caught on to Pajo's Q&A with the Mirror. Very very funny stuff!

[Keen2win]

link to the article?

[Longfordian]

You can see it here

http://twitter.com/FMcMack/status/581426945658908672

[Acornvilla]

That'll do!!

[Keen2win]

happy... days...

[RonnieB]

happy... days...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7_uJB69qeY

[Longfordian]

Slightly creepy but magnificent.

[Town Legend]

I have to say the updates on extra time were very biased towards the home team! From texts I was getting it was a deserved red card and where Garcia got yellow he plowed Don out of it! Anyone care to tell me who was telling fibs? Great result by the way.

[Longfordian]

Yeah Extratime in fairness often rely on local journalists for their updates and some are not particularly neutral!

[Martinho II]

for galways's 1st sending off it was clearly a sending off as he was the last man back and I think Shawsie would have scored.. in the midst of our celebrations I didnt see ours or theirs sending off!

[outspoken]

Without the red card we would have been in trouble last night, we could have been 3-0 down in the first 15-20 minutes we were a mess at the back and in the nets but as the half came to an end we put pressure on and it resulted in the red card and the goal and once that happened I had no doubt in my mind we would win. We must have had 6 shouts for handballs inside the box in the first 30 minutes of the 2nd half it was crazy, shots blocked on the line, crossbar hit, narrow misses it just didn't look like it would go in then the Don settled it after a magnificent display, one of his best in a town shirt. All in all I think the red card might have papered over a lot of cracks but the momentum and spirit might carry us on to next week and if we get a draw against pats wel he dancing in the streets. Great start to the new season.