LoI Matches 12th/13th November 2021

[trevy]

Terrible result for Waterford so it is back in Finn Harps hands now. Hopefully Longford put in the same effort as they did tonight. Waterford have only picked up 2 points from last 4 league games so not confident we can even beat St Pats anyway.

[SPXcyan]

We were the better team going forward but once again we bottled it, an awful last 10 minutes to the game for us, deserve to be in the playoff now.

I'd still be confident enough against any First Division club, but one can never know for sure.

[Nesta99]

I think Galway were the side that were most likely to pull off a surprise against the premier division side. Seems more predictable now. Not to knock either Bray or UCD or pass opinion on ability of the sides - just that ye never know what the old War Horse Caulfield could have served up and with the full time set-up there might have been more in the legs to grind out a result.

[D24Saint]

I’d be shocked to see the PD club turned over in the playoff but it ultimately depends on attitude. If heads drop you can’t rule a surprise out altogether.

[joey B]

I think Galway were the side that were most likely to pull off a surprise against the premier division side. Seems more predictable now. Not to knock either Bray or UCD or pass opinion on ability of the sides - just that ye never know what the old War Horse Caulfield could have served up and with the full time set-up there might have been more in the legs to grind out a result.

Anything can happen in one off games,there was 2 wins for first division teams over premier division teams in the FAI Cup aswell as Treaty and UCD running Dundalk and Waterford close,the one legged,neutral venue is also a positive for the first division side…

[D24Saint]

Anything can happen in one off games,there was 2 wins for first division teams over premier division teams in the FAI Cup aswell as Treaty and UCD running Dundalk and Waterford close,the one legged,neutral venue is also a positive for the first division side…

I forget it was a one off match. That throws an extra element of uncertainty into the mix for the premier club. Over two legs the cream normally rises to the top but anything can happen in a one of final.

[oriel]

No chance. Our game in Dundalk is now a dud we needed Rovers to do us a favour. I thought they would to be fair so disappointing in that regard but then as I did say in the “will derry win the league something something” thread there are no good teams in the league this year so hardly surprised that the champions themselves aren’t to be relied on.

Damp squib in Dundalk next week.

Positive note; who needs a few hundred k? Maybe Bohs, certainly not Derry. No Euro distractions next year? 🤔

It won't be for us, will be a near carnival atmosphere with P6 moving out and the club back in local hands, and with ex DFC club people back onboard.

Of course would have been nicer to have a chance of a euro spot to go for, but we just didn't deserve to be in with a chance, you can't effectively start your league season in Sept and 'hope' to be in the mix.

[oriel]

On the bohs rovers game, was underwhelmed by Towell last night. Has he been like that all season? Seemed off the pace.

Was very disappointed when he picked Rovers over DFC in summer, but anyone could see why such was the P6 circus in full flow.

However he seems to have done very little and other MF's there like Mandriou and even Watts, possibly Finn too seem to be ahead of him at the min, plus I'd say he didn't come cheap, and 3 more years too, but he can obviously improve.

[ontheotherhand]

On the bohs rovers game, was underwhelmed by Towell last night. Has he been like that all season? Seemed off the pace.

He's been poor enough. I'm not sure he knows what kind of footballer he is anymore. For a while he was trying too hard to score and it was dragging him out of position and leaving Gary O'Neill with two jobs to do. We got exposed at the back because of that. Now he has become a bit of a headless chicken. Shows glimpses of ability but hasn't really done much of note. McEneff was a far better team player but hopefully Towell sorts it out for next year. We need someone to step up in that role.

[sulywaterfordfc]

Why do you reckon Waterford will improve.
They have new investors ?

Waterford have a new owner and chairman

[Buller]

He's been poor enough. I'm not sure he knows what kind of footballer he is anymore. For a while he was trying too hard to score and it was dragging him out of position and leaving Gary O'Neill with two jobs to do. We got exposed at the back because of that. Now he has become a bit of a headless chicken. Shows glimpses of ability but hasn't really done much of note.

Yeah agreed! I remember him playing for Dundalk as a winger where he was far more comfortable than floating around center mid. Farrugia was played as a winger at UCD and adapted very well by working on his defending and slotting in at Wingback. Couldn't see Towell in that position. He has so much ability, I just dont think our system suits him.

[Nesta99]

Really? He may have played on the right side of a 3 midfield but dont recall him playing on the wing. His real strength was arriving in to the attacking areas late and so was a prolific goal scorer from midfield. He brought energy and drove the team on and was very mobile so he may have popped up on the wing but I dont think he started out wide unless he was covering an injury to one of the wingers!?

[oriel]

Yeah agreed! I remember him playing for Dundalk as a winger where he was far more comfortable than floating around center mid. Farrugia was played as a winger at UCD and adapted very well by working on his defending and slotting in at Wingback. Couldn't see Towell in that position. He has so much ability, I just dont think our system suits him.

Richie T never played on the wing for Dundalk, maybe right side once in an emergency, but almost every game central, attacking role.

[Buller]

I stand corrected! Always used to think he played Right Wing for Dundalk going by players and crossing. Daryl Horgan played left wing?! ...
I'll let myself out.

[Bunny Kelly]

I hated the Rovers signing of Towell, signing players over 25 returning from England always seems such an expensive mistake. Andy Boyle, Chris Forrester are other examples, those two may have been better this season but are they worth their contracts?

Rovers best signings of the last few years have largely been hoovering up the best young talent with potential & if they keep doing that they will be hard to stop, as opposed to overpaying wages on players with their best years behind them.

They should be going after the likes of Colm Whelan over the likes of a Rory Gaffney, all signing can fail but if you click with the young talent there is also money to be made

[WeAreRovers]

Gaffney's been outstanding this season, Joey O'Brien leaves as a club legend with medals galore, plus I'm confident that Towell will come good next season with a rest and then a full pre-season - he's a deep-lying playmaker now, not an attacking midfielder.

In other words each signing stands on its own merits, some work, some don't, there's no hard and fast rule. Rovers will always need to make experienced signings as part of the mix as our best young players will be sold - Bazunu, Scales, and now likely Mandriou.

Hopefully Whelan will come in and then we'll flog him in a couple of years for a decent fee after he wins some trophies - that mix of experience and youth is our business model and it works.

[Bunny Kelly]

Gaffney's been outstanding this season, Joey O'Brien leaves as a club legend with medals galore, plus I'm confident that Towell will come good next season with a rest and then a full pre-season - he's a deep-lying playmaker now, not an attacking midfielder.

In other words each signing stands on its own merits, some work, some don't, there's no hard and fast rule. Rovers will always need to make experienced signings as part of the mix as our best young players will be sold - Bazunu, Scales, and now likely Mandriou.

Hopefully Whelan will come in and then we'll flog him in a couple of years for a decent fee after he wins some trophies - that mix of experience and youth is our business model and it works.



I totally agree the mix of balance of youth & experience is what you need & by an large rovers have managed it really well, but in the last 12 months or so it has felt like they have gone for more experience over youth. Gaffney & McCann are players who are more than fine but ideally you don't want too many players on the tail end of their career when you already have the experience covered through Mannus, Finn & plenty others.

I look at Ajax as a model for someone like Rovers could be, they have the senior players but also make sure they dont have too many to stifle the chances for younger players coming through, having McCann over a Nugent maybe as 4th choice isn't really necessary for the clubs long term development

[WeAreRovers]

It's a balancing act and you need to be constantly aware of the age profile but we wouldn't have won the league without Gaffney this season. Emakhu has come in and done brilliantly recently without a heap of pressure on his shoulders and hopefully will be able to step up next season.

Same for McCann who, while not as influential as Gaffney, has provided much needed experience in the run in - see the Bohs 1-1 draw in Tallaght, he turned that game in a way a Darragh Nugent probably couldn't just yet.

Six academy players made their senior debuts this season, judging the right time to introduce younger players is one of the many things Bradley has got right again and again.