LOI in Europe 2022

[pineapple stu]

Never mind my comment there >.>
Nah, you were onto something it seems.

2-1 now. Unlucky.

[CorribsideSteve]

That's a pity.

[sbgawa]

****ing eejits throwing ****

[paul_oshea]

Shameful stuff probably young fans.n find then and ban them

[CorribsideSteve]

Loads of positivity there, but plenty of frustration too. Ludogorets players, especially the goalkeeper were master time-wasters, though he hardly deserved the bottling he got from behind the goal. Rovers showed something tonight that finally said they could play at this level. Onto the EL qualifying, but they should take a lot of confidence from this.

[Dermobohs]

Good showing tonight, hopefully the saints and the other srfc do the business now.

[ontheotherhand]

Disappointing overall but a good performance. Not buying the above comments about approaching the first leg differently. The context isn't the same. The scoreline being so comfortable for them is what allowed us to play the way we did and if we'd pressed them like that away from home they would've cut us apart. Having Burke on from the start was key as well. He's streets ahead of Watts. Away from home everything broke down when it hit Watts, tonight Burke was able to hurt them.

Gives me some hope against Skhupi any way. Hopefully we have one of Pico or Jack back.....doubtful though.

[Nesta99]

****ing eejits throwing ****

That p!ssed me off! I'd gotten to the point of getting over any rivalry and being disappointed at the conceded goal at 2-0 after wanting a barnstorming finish, only to then feel fook it when a bunch of Rovers fans started firing things on the pitch. Not fair to tar all the same but its now a talking point rather than full focus on the game.

Similar to last year, i feel Rovers are too conservative, give too much respect to these sides in the 1st leg and they then show that they could possible have been fully in the tie all along.

[Dermobohs]

Disappointing overall but a good performance. Not buying the above comments about approaching the first leg differently. The context isn't the same. The scoreline being so comfortable for them is what allowed us to play the way we did and if we'd pressed them like that away from home they would've cut us apart. Having Burke on from the start was key as well. He's streets ahead of Watts. Away from home everything broke down when it hit Watts, tonight Burke was able to hurt them.

Gives me some hope against Skhupi any way. Hopefully we have one of Pico or Jack back.....doubtful though.

You need that “doubtful “to be a Paul Osam doubtful, certain starters and scorers.

[joey B]

Rovers lack pace and it gets shown up in Europe where it doesn’t in the league,need Farugia,Gaffney and Emakhu to hopefully bring more of that in the Europa league stage,Byrne is a big miss for them aswell….

[sbgawa]

honestly think if jack and burke play both legs we win.
have to pray they both make it for next week.
home leg first , lets tear into them

[Calcio Jack]

At least 20 bottles thrown by the so called fans in the South Stand - no reaction by Gardai or Security staff as us usual …. Utter *****s who dont deserve the benefit of all the effort that allows for big European nights … as an aside two bottles thrown back at the fans by Ludo players…. The players that did that should of been arrested at full time and jailed for a few nights … utter cnuts the way Ludi carried on or neutrals might call professional killing the game

As for our performance ; it was fantastic and a credit to the team and Bradley and his management

[Nesta99]

At least 20 bottles thrown by the so called fans in the South Stand - no reaction by Gardai or Security staff as us usual …. Utter *****s who dont deserve the benefit of all the effort that allows for big European nights … as an aside two bottles thrown back at the fans by Ludo players…. The players that did that should of been arrested at full time and jailed for a few nights … utter cnuts the way Ludi carried on or neutrals might call professional killing the game

As for our performance ; it was fantastic and a credit to the team and Bradley and his management

Or 'game management' and as annoying as it is Rovers need to become masters of the art and use it to progress, especially when team are coming at you that are getting a foothold in a game and could overturn a 1st leg deficit.

[yurt]

All in all a decent evening for Rovers. The most important result this evening was actually in Macedonia. Massive opportunity for Rovers to get the group stage qualification sewn up early and likely also get a glamour tie against a team from a decent league in the Europa (Hearts would be great tie).

Real shades of the Tallinn tie with this one. Rovers have no divine right to be putting away sides from these countries but it's what needs to be done 9/10 if we're ever going to progress to being in a mid-ranked league.

[Philosophizer]

The European teams are all masters at cynical play. I remember Bate at it the year they beat Dundalk and also Legia as well at the Aviva were cynical A F at times.
Only way around it is to beat them at their own game. Get ahead and be cynical to them and they won't be long about getting frustrated.

[Kingswood Rover]

While there is no excuses for the plastic bottles being thrown their keeper really goaded the south stand when they scored, i was watching and waiting thinking dont get sucked in, cont get sucked in thinking wow he is not going to get something pegged at him but the weak minded succumbed one was thrown and then the following 20. Their players were all looking for Hollywood roles hitting the deck at every opportunity. The ref tbf was having none of it. At the final whistle again the keeper began goading but was pushed up the pitch and away by a big ball hopper. Anyway aside from our 20 or soon weakminded goons what a night so proud of that team.

[Knocklyonhoop]

Reminds me of a lad I used to share a house with about 15 years ago that said he was going to play 5 a side with some mates to try get fit, but had fish and chips on his way home after every session.

i used to work with a fella who typically had a quarter pounder meal on the way home from the gym.

[Knocklyonhoop]

Or 'game management' and as annoying as it is Rovers need to become masters of the art and use it to progress, especially when team are coming at you that are getting a foothold in a game and could overturn a 1st leg deficit.

all teams have some ‘game management’ but tonight was beyond a joke. In the last 20 every time the whistle blew one of them was on the floor. In agony. Every time!

[passinginterest]

Overall, great effort from Rovers and atmosphere was brilliant. Sad to see the bottle throwing and the fine that will inevitably come with it. Took away from a very creditable night.

Rovers game management was actually really good up to the sending off. They needed to score quickly after it but had run out of steam a bit. They had to make the changes but it killed momentum, they lost shape and Ludo started to create chances and kill the game at every opportunity.

Second goal came just a bit too late and then Rovers got caught throwing everything forward carelessly. The result should give some confidence and belief, but there’s no guarantee in these games.

[Nesta99]

all teams have some ‘game management’ but tonight was beyond a joke. In the last 20 every time the whistle blew one of them was on the floor. In agony. Every time!

Was it effective?

[EatYerGreens]

****ing eejits throwing ****

Well Rovers do have a reputation :( If the referee puts that in his report you could be in for a fine.

[Nesta99]

They werent long forgetting a bcd (suspended)threat

[legendz]

Brave effort. The third goal in the first leg gave too much of a mountain to climb.

[DCWA]

Very impressive standalone performance and result from Rovers last night - unlucky.

I said this about Tallinn last year and seemed to be in the minority opinion although their subsequent performances seemed to back it up and I hold the same opinion about Shkupi this year - they are a better team than will generally be recognised and I still think it is a tough ask for Rovers.

[paul_oshea]

Disappointing overall but a good performance. Not buying the above comments about approaching the first leg differently. The context isn't the same. The scoreline being so comfortable for them is what allowed us to play the way we did and if we'd pressed them like that away from home they would've cut us apart. Having Burke on from the start was key as well. He's streets ahead of Watts. Away from home everything broke down when it hit Watts, tonight Burke was able to hurt them.

Gives me some hope against Skhupi any way. Hopefully we have one of Pico or Jack back.....doubtful though.

Disagree totoh, ludogris lads showed they were bad tempered, Ill disciplined and both niggly and late challenges. Sure they looked good 1v1 or in the case last night 3 v 3 but the blind man and his dog on the street know LOI sides can't defend 1v1 and they aren't good enough to sit back and soak up pressure so you counter than by pressing high in your own half closing off the space and limiting the slide balls in behind your full/wing backs. And that's exactly what rovers did last night bar when they had to go gung ho and play with 3 or 4 strikers on. If towell had scored instead of falling over and been caught for pace im sure last night would have been a different result. Don't get me wrong ludogorets are a good side but like slovam they were more than beatable over the two legs. It's another case of slovan - and yes pretty much everything has to go right on the night and over two legs.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Very good performance in general. As said already lack of pace killing then in Europe I think. Shocking dive from Towell. Was clean through and all. Bradley then comes out complaining it’s a red card.

[paul_oshea]

One thing I noticed in the crowd last night which was great was there were some rovers fans( I assume as in beside other rovers fans) wearing headscarves and appeared to be enjoying themselves. Great to see that sort of inclusivity and young fans from diverse backgrounds latching onto a loi side

[pateen]

One thing I noticed in the crowd last night which was great was there were some rovers fans( I assume as in beside other rovers fans) wearing headscarves and appeared to be enjoying themselves. Great to see that sort of inclusivity and young fans from diverse backgrounds latching onto a loi side

yeah noticed that too. Was great to see with the camera panning about before the game.

Blatant dive by Towell and outside the box too but did play well overall. Bradley should have more sense.
Really like Graham Gartland as a pundit, more of that please.

Burke was immense

[joey B]

Were Pats able to get a chartered plane to Slovenia? Just seemed to be trouble for others to get one…

[pineapple stu]

Linfield's first leg lead wiped out in 20 minutes in Bodø - 2-0 and a man down

Ildefons Lima sent off for Inter Escaldes against Cluj - he's 43 in December and scored Andorra's goal in Lansdowne in 2001

[pineapple stu]

Linfield 4-0 down now; half an hour gone

Long afternoon ahead possibly...

[ontheotherhand]

Disagree totoh, ludogris lads showed they were bad tempered, Ill disciplined and both niggly and late challenges. Sure they looked good 1v1 or in the case last night 3 v 3 but the blind man and his dog on the street know LOI sides can't defend 1v1 and they aren't good enough to sit back and soak up pressure so you counter than by pressing high in your own half closing off the space and limiting the slide balls in behind your full/wing backs. And that's exactly what rovers did last night bar when they had to go gung ho and play with 3 or 4 strikers on. If towell had scored instead of falling over and been caught for pace im sure last night would have been a different result. Don't get me wrong ludogorets are a good side but like slovam they were more than beatable over the two legs. It's another case of slovan - and yes pretty much everything has to go right on the night and over two legs.

They would have beaten our press over there though Paul. I think they would have beaten it last night too if they weren't sitting on a cushion. That cushion gave us an opportunity to play the way we did but ultimately they knew they could hit us when we were chasing and so it came to be. We also didn't really sit back and soak up pressure by choice over there. Not sure if you saw the full game but we played basically the same formation. The two major differences were that they wanted goals so they pressed us high up in our half and didn't allow us any time on the ball and we didn't have Graham Burke to give it to in their half so we were turned easily when moves broke down. Second half they had their cushion and we had Burke. Different game. Easy to say now what we could or should have done but they had counters for what we put out either way. Second half over there we played more like you want to see and they still scored.

I do agree with you on Towell (two chances missed badly) and Slovan though. We should probably have beaten Slovan or gotten to extra time. Ludogorets are a different animal. Not trying to belittle our performance and we did have them rattled but I don't think we missed an opportunity based on tactics. We were beaten over two legs by a better team.

[yurt]

I'm a little conflicted on where I stand on supporting the northern teams in Europe. I feel like I want them to do well as some form of increased cross border competition seems like it's inevitable and stronger clubs on both sides is obviously a good thing.

But since the north had briefly over taken us in the co-efficient table and Linfield looked to have a decent chance of going further in the UCL than Rovers it made me realise that I want them to do well but definitely don't want them to do better than the LOI teams.

Also I'd like to think I can separate politics from football but with the scenes from the 12th still fairly fresh in the mind I'm not too upset at all seeing Linfield get stuffed. (tbf Linfield deserve credit for taking a stance on this)

Would be happy enough to see both sides make it to the UCL.

[joey B]

Linfield 6 nil down with a half hour left!!

[ger121]

7-0 now. Ouch!

8-0 now.

[ger121]

Lithuania 45 minutes away from having a team in the groups stages for the 1st time. Malmo not the team they were last season.

[ontheotherhand]

Very impressive standalone performance and result from Rovers last night - unlucky.

I said this about Tallinn last year and seemed to be in the minority opinion although their subsequent performances seemed to back it up and I hold the same opinion about Shkupi this year - they are a better team than will generally be recognised and I still think it is a tough ask for Rovers.

We found some common ground!

[Philosophizer]

8-0 is quite a battering!

[sbgawa]

8-0 is quite a battering!

No character too lose 8 nil.

[SPXcyan]

Indeed the local champions here in Lithuania have pulled off a shock result against Malmö, and none of the natives appear to have any idea.

Not bad for a club that averages roughly 400 through the gate.

[yurt]

Looking at the results in the first leg Rovers were the only team have lost by more than the odd goal. This was one of the sorer points that it was the only tie that was over and the narrative was that we're hopeless at this level.

Now after the second leg and seeing clubs like Linfield, HJK, Dudelange, Bratislava and Olympiacos all take thumping's it's changed the complexion completely.

Huge day tomorrow as both games tomorrow could go any which way. To have any chance of seeded for ECLQ1 next year both teams would need to qualify for at least the next round.

[ger121]

Indeed the local champions here in Lithuania have pulled off a shock result against Malmö, and none of the natives appear to have any idea.

Not bad for a club that averages roughly 400 through the gate.

I’ve said it here before and I’ll say it again, there is a lot of investment going into the 3 Baltic countries and you can see the improvements in their European results. Mind you in some of those countries, they have a club boom bust cycle that would put the LOI to shame. Latvia is an absolute basket case League. I suppose the Russians have to put their money somewhere.

[TonyD]

Were Pats able to get a chartered plane to Slovenia? Just seemed to be trouble for others to get one…

Yes, the team got a private charter and it seems the trip went very smoothly. They were looking to charter one including fans but that didn’t work out. Interviews with Jamie Lennon and Tim Clancy online and they seem happy with the preparation. Were going to train on the pitch this evening at the same time as KO tomorrow. I think it’s a big ask for us to get through tomorrow, but we live in hope. (It’s the hope that kills you, not the despair - to quote John Cleese.)

[placid casual]

Which version of sligo will turn up tonight? The determined, professional looking performances that saw them beat Bala and Motherwell away, or the weak, unconvincing stuff that was their last few home European games - they have a great chance tonight to shut up the comically over rated scots league.
If Pat's have ambition they can do similar tonight - Baz Cotter to have a stormer, score at both ends of the pitch!

[sbgawa]

Would love to see Pats and Sligo do the business tonight. If I had to bet I'd go with pats as sligo have been so bad at times recently

[D24Saint]

Would love to see Pats and Sligo do the business tonight. If I had to bet I'd go with pats as sligo have been so bad at times recently

Big ask to turn up in these places and knock them out. I reckon we will be up for the game but wouldn’t go as far as being confident. Hopefully the weather is like last night the temperature was mild around kick off time. Very quiet town, lucky to get one boozer to open past nine bells. Looking forward to the game.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Which version of sligo will turn up tonight? The determined, professional looking performances that saw them beat Bala and Motherwell away, or the weak, unconvincing stuff that was their last few home European games - they have a great chance tonight to shut up the comically over rated scots league.
If Pat's have ambition they can do similar tonight - Baz Cotter to have a stormer, score at both ends of the pitch!

I have full faith in the home Bala performance levels turning up

Reading the previews in both the times and the indo and disappointed that both papers don’t mention that the 2 games are on LOITV tonight. They say our game is on Premier Sports but that’s only available in the UK (unless you’ve a dodgy box of course)

[thebronze14]

Best of luck Pat and Sligo tonight. Have a bad feeling neither will make it through. If one does then it's a decent showing

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

I have full faith in the home Bala performance levels turning up

Reading the previews in both the times and the indo and disappointed that both papers don’t mention that the 2 games are on LOITV tonight. They say our game is on Premier Sports but that’s only available in the UK (unless you’ve a dodgy box of course)

Premier Sports showing it in Ireland as well now

[Burnsie]

happy days - much handier to double-screen now