Mid Season Assessment - Premier Division

[Ezeikial]

With 18 games being the half-way point in the PD league season:

* Who are the teams performing above or below your expectations?

* What is you assessment of the league title battle - has it become a two horse race, or can any of Waterford, St Pats or Derry City mount a meaningful challenge?

* Who do you think will win the league?

* Who will get the 2 automatic Europa League place (2nd & 3rd in the league)?

* How do you see the relegation battles shape up? Who will be in last place? Who will be in the play-off?

* Who is the league's most effective player so far?

[micls]

* Waterford exceeding expectations. Pat's were below expectations after seeing them first game, but the last few weeks have got on track. Rovers the obvious underachievers.

* 2 horse race, with the proviso that waterford have recruited excellently and if they splash the cash in July and bring in the same calibre players but more of them who knows. Not a lot of games left after the transfer window though. Euro hangovers for the teams above them could play a part too.

* Genuinely think it could go either way at this point. Neither team has hit top form and their euro runs and reactions to them will decide it, along with the final 2 head to heads.

* Bray last, Limerick play off.

* Hard to judge across positions, and only judging on the games I've seen, but probably Duffy in an attacking sense, Watts in the middle of the park, and McLoughlin for us or Cleary for Dundalk at the back.

[White Horse]

With 18 games being the half-way point in the PD league season:


* Who are the teams performing above or below your expectations?

Shamrock Rovers are having a shocking season, I thought that they would right up at the top given their squad. Other than that teas are doing as I expected.



* What is you assessment of the league title battle - has it become a two horse race, or can any of Waterford, St Pats or Derry City mount a meaningful challenge?

Two horse race. No one else is consistent enough.


* Who do you think will win the league?

Dundalk. Getting better and likely to strengthen in the transfer window.


* Who will get the 2 automatic Europa League place (2nd & 3rd in the league)?

Cork and Waterford, as I expect Waterford to spend in the transfer window.


* How do you see the relegation battles shape up? Who will be in last place? Who will be in the play-off?

Bray look doomed, and it is between Limerick and Sligo for the play off place. I would give the nod to Sligo to escape it, narrowly.


* Who is the league's most effective player so far?

Michael Duffy. Head and shoulders above everyone else. Though Patrick Hoban is not far behind.

[TonyD]

With 18 games being the half-way point in the PD league season:

* Who are the teams performing above or below your expectations?

* What is you assessment of the league title battle - has it become a two horse race, or can any of Waterford, St Pats or Derry City mount a meaningful challenge?

* Who do you think will win the league?

* Who will get the 2 automatic Europa League place (2nd & 3rd in the league)?

* How do you see the relegation battles shape up? Who will be in last place? Who will be in the play-off?

* Who is the league's most effective player so far?


Waterford probably doing better than expected ( though I thought they'd do quite well given the squad they have put together. Shamrocks obviously the big under achievers.

Still looks like a two horse race to me.

I'd fancy Dundalk to do it over Cork.

Whichever of Cork or Dundalk doesn't win the league should finish second. For third, if Waterford can keep their squad together or add to it, they will be there, think Pats have put themselves in with a shout now if the recent improvement continues. Derry or Rovers might also challenge.

Relegation looks to be between Bray, Sligo and Limerick. Could be tight between those three.

Hard to say without seeing more of other teams, but probably Duffy for Dundalk.

[osarusan]

Waterford above expectations. The rest are more or less what I'd have expected. Rovers a bit below maybe.


A two horse race, and I think Dundalk will win it fairly easily. Overall, they look stronger than Cork.

Cork and Waterford.

Bray relegated. It's between Limerick and Sligo for the playoff as I'd say Bohs will creep clear. I still think we can catch Sligo as long as they keep their current manager.

Hoban, from what I've seen of the teams. Hery also.

[PartySaint]

Even though they're second last Limerick are doing better than I thought they would be points wise so far this season (still think they'll finish 9th mind you). Waterford obviously the other team exceeding expectations

It's a one horse race for me, Dundalk miles better than the rest.

Cork and Waterford for Europe.

Bray and Limerick the bottom 2.

I've seen each team at least once live and I know it's harsh to judge on one or two games but for me Bray and Sligo are the 2 worst teams I've seen, Bray were absolutely pathetic in Richmond, Bohs are consistently terrible but always seem to pick up enough points to keep them midtable, I thought Rovers played some really nice football in the first half of our game in Tallaght but besides that they don't look much better than a mid table team and as already mentioned, Dundalk miles better than the rest

[marinobohs]

Waterford the over achievers so far with everyone else much as expected (Pats still go from worst to best in League every couple of weeks, so definitely the most inconsistent).
Dundalk to win it from Cork. Waterford, Derry, Shams, Pats all in a bunch under that. Bray and Limerick still favs for bottom two places but Sligo and Bohs still hovering and a long distance from safe.


A lot may change with transfer window, I expect Dundalk and Waterford (think Cork did most of their business pre season) to be the most busy and depending on ins/outs the League positions may still change drastically.

[CorribsideSteve]

Waterford, really are the only ones performing above expectations. Everybody else is relatively playing at the level the Table suggests, apart from Shamrock Rovers, who really have had an awful spring that they are going to struggle all season to recover from. The season's underachievers.

One horse race. Cork are good, and may even beat Dundalk again this season, but they'll drop points elsewhere more often than Dundalk will, and will also not be able to match their goals scored and goal difference stats.

Dundalk to win.6-12 points to spare. That's just a hunch to be honest, as there's hardly any difference right now. I just think that they will pull away from the pack eventually.

Cork and Pats for Europa. Waterford will drop off a little and contest 4th-6th with Derry and Shams

Bray are gone (and as I write this, I wonder if they'll have yet another miraculous escape, but I think not this time). Most likely, it's Limerick v Sligo in the playoff. Bohs will be fine, just about.

Duffy is the most effective player so far, but honorable mentions go to Hoban, Hery and Graham Burke