perspective

[ranting rover]

let's get things in perspective:

the aim for this season isn't staying top all season and getting promoted [although that would obviously be brilliant]. the aim is to be competitive in every match and be in with a shout come autumn. as far as i'm concerned the start to the season has been more than satisfactory - not excellant as we could have/should have beaten dublin city and should have beaten limerick on paper. but we have to be happy with the progress the manager has made.

it's been said on here for months that our strikeforce will let us down this season - at least until the transfer window opens again - and sean connor has said himself that we are a couple of players short. so saturday's performance shouldn't have been that big a surprise - it was bound to come sooner or later. the fact that we took a point from the game when we deserved to get beaten and the fact that we remain unbeaten has to be taken as a positive.

the question is what we are going to do about it to ensure that if teams shut down our crosses then we need a second and third dimension going forward...

[shedhead]

its called Stephen O'Donnell

[redrov2005]

Yeah ! Once Raff went quiet in the second half we didn't have the guile to break them down.

We were steeped to get a draw. O'Donnell will be a huge asset when he comes back and will get amongst the goals.

Any chance of Paul McTiernan having a change of heart ?

The Galway performance was brilliant even thought bringing on Gerry Carr and Gareth Gorman was a negative move.

Alvarez did really well against Galway,but i get the feeling his confidence still isn't right. It's almost as if he doesn't really expect to score.

The athmosphere at the Showgrounds on Saturday night was poor. Talk about silence the crowd in the opening 15 mins and you are in with a chance.

The teams running out on to the pitch practically silenced the crowd !!

[Petmuller]

Basically the Limerick game should act as a wake up call for us all. I think we were starting to lose the run of ourselves with the good start to the season. Under no circumstances are we going to run away with the league this season. Games like last Saturday will be of the norm come next October. Rovers will play bad and win and also play well and lose. Presently we are not strong enough to take games by the scruff of the neck. We don't have the fire power up front to finish teams off, we know that and we knew it prior to the start of the season. Last Saturday's game wasn't just a once off, Limerick had their homework done before the game. They had us watched in Galway and other games and learned our 'game plan' and basically counteracted it and we had no alternative. Just look at our bench and what we have to offer. When Conor had to leave the pitch we totally lost it in midfield. We don't have any depth in our squad and for this I fear.
Next Saturday's game against is going to be a huge test for us. We know we have a sound defence but it's the men sitting in front of the defenders which will be the key if we are to get anything from Cobh. Sean will have to get the formation right. IMO a draw will be a bonus at this stage of the campaign. Are we capable of getting it ... of course we are ... but, we'll need all hands on deck.
Anyone travelling?

[Da Real Rover]

Since there doesn't seem to be a bus going i don't think i'll be going!

[sligoman]

Since there doesn't seem to be a bus going i don't think i'll be going!

Too late for the Cobh game but maybe Athlone if their's enough interest.

http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=23986