LOI In Europe 2025

[pineapple stu]

I wonder who will the Shels players and fans be thinking they'd rather play in the next round. Belfast is such a handy spin so I'm guessing thats the real answer but the Faroes could be a great adventure too and it'd probably be a slightly weaker side than Linfeld.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say they'll want to play either PAOK or Wolfsberger!

[ger121]

Speaking of the ECL PO round. It is 1-1 already in Torshavn after 17 minutes.

[joey B]

Oh dear a bad start for Pats …

[joey B]

This is going to be a painful night for Pats …

[Philosophizer]

Oh dear, indeed. Very disappointing from Pats that the tie is over after less than 15 mins. I know Besiktas are a different level but you’d have hoped they can keep it tight for at least the 1st 20 mins. Anang had a bit of a howler there. I just hope this doesn’t turn into a pasting and undo some of the credit LOI teams have built up in recent times.

[ger121]

Was always going to be that I felt.

[pineapple stu]

Yep. Tammy Abraham being marked by Jay McClelland. Was always going to be tough

Rovers second best in Kosovo early doors so far it seems going off the stats. 4-0 in shots and 70-30 possession. Long way to go obviously

[pineapple stu]

Uh oh.

Double figures incoming over the tie?

[ger121]

I’m only following the Rovers game on UEFA but it seems to be mainly Ballkani so far?

[Kiki Balboa]

Shels against Bohs still going ahead?

Remember last year when Pats were able to postpone the Dundalk game last minute.

Whats the difference this year?

.....

Pats look awful here. Seems to have given up.

[Philosophizer]

The one saving grace might be that Besiktas know the tie is over after 20 mins and take the foot off the gas. You get the impression they could really bury Pats here if they wanted.

[ger121]

Speaking of the ECL PO round. It is 1-1 already in Torshavn after 17 minutes.

Linfield 2-1 down but they seem to have dominated the game so far.

[Philosophizer]

Pats are even getting the basics all wrong. How was the lad left 2v1 from a corner? Amateur stuff. Besiktas only finished 8 points and 1 place ahead of Basaksehir last season so this really shouldn’t be so one-sided. Besiktas are v good obviously, but Pats have been all over the place.

[ger121]

UEFA have Rovers with 0 shots in the first half but from ET’s match tracker it looks like they have had a couple of chances. Probably taking the same approach as they did against Vikingur away last year. Keep it tight and back to Tallaght.

[Philosophizer]

To give Rovers their dues, they’re becoming an experienced European side now and are becoming better at managing ties and staying in games. Pity the same can’t be said for Pats. It’s becoming embarrassing at Tallaght now.

[ger121]

To give Rovers their dues, they’re becoming an experienced European side now and are becoming better at managing ties and staying in games. Pity the same can’t be said for Pats. It’s becoming embarrassing at Tallaght now.

Used to have Tammy in my FPL team. Those are the levels you are playing against here.

[pineapple stu]

Santa Clara 3-0 up in Larne after 35 minutes, so looks like they're no mugs if Rovers get through.

[Philosophizer]

Used to have Tammy in my FPL team. Those are the levels you are playing against here.
Agreed they’re a different level but Pats have been awful. As stated earlier Besiktas only finished 8 pts above Basaksehir and Pats kept them goalless last year for about 2 hours. It’s a worst-case scenario unfolding in Tallaght - a top class foreign team who are v sharp and on form, and the LOI team playing v poorly.

[D24Saint]

This is like the parish chess champion taking on Kasparov. It’s was just chalk and cheese in the first half. If they weren’t giving Pats a hiding , Beskitas would be a pleasure to watch tonight with their movement and finishing. We have to take this on the chin and not let the heads drop in the league and cup.

[joey B]

Rovers 1 down

[pineapple stu]

Europe is mad. From the high of a win away against the Croatian champions to the low of a pasting against Besiktas and trailing in Kosovo - all in 24 hours.

Edit - and speaking of mad, Vikingur Reykjavik have just gone 2-0 up at home to Brondby.

And the comeback is on in Tallaght! 1-4 now

[ger121]

Rovers 1 down

It was coming. They offered little.

[yurt]

Yeah Rovers have looked so average this evening. Been non existent in midfield and haven't had any spell of possession.

Healy, Watts and Mandriou have offered nothing.

[sbgawa]

We haven't been good . Almost dlfeels like we are happy to keep it tight and get back with a 1 nil loss.

[ger121]

Not sure how Linfield lost that match.

[pineapple stu]

Rovers haven't had a single shot all game per UEFA - 12-0 the shot count. That's pretty poor. Santa Clara won't be worried I'd say.

[MoydowMonty]

Johnny McDonnell is a f**kin embarrassment on commentary btw. I'm not even watching that match but I saw the goal and I can't stand his roaring, been doing it for weeks

[ger121]

Rovers haven't had a single shot all game per UEFA - 12-0 the shot count. That's pretty poor. Santa Clara won't be worried I'd say.

I’m not sure if it is MacDara Ferris doing the ET match tracker but he’s had Rovers with a couple of shots on target. They don’t need to worry about Santa Clara yet.

[ger121]

Celje 5 nil up away to Lugano. The more I see of them, the better that result seems Rovers got last year.

[ger121]

Europe is mad. From the high of a win away against the Croatian champions to the low of a pasting against Besiktas and trailing in Kosovo - all in 24 hours.

Edit - and speaking of mad, Vikingur Reykjavik have just gone 2-0 up at home to Brondby.



3 nil now

[Philosophizer]

I’m not sure if it is MacDara Ferris doing the ET match tracker but he’s had Rovers with a couple of shots on target. They don’t need to worry about Santa Clara yet.
Yep Rovers have worked the keeper at least once. Keeper made a great save from Honohan at the end to secure the win.
Ref was a total homer too. Balkani players were hacking Rovers players down on numerous occasions and avoiding cards. Some of the stuff they were getting away with was insane.

[Philosophizer]

Celje 5 nil up away to Lugano. The more I see of them, the better that result seems Rovers got last year.
Didnt Johnny Ward say something like they wouldn’t even finish in the top half of the LOI. Lol

[ger121]

Didnt Johnny Ward say something like they wouldn’t even finish in the top half of the LOI. Lol

For a LOI man, Johnny Ward knows very little about the LOI, nevermind teams from other leagues.

[Philosophizer]

Johnny McDonnell is a f**kin embarrassment on commentary btw. I'm not even watching that match but I saw the goal and I can't stand his roaring, been doing it for weeks
He’s awful on commentary. Not sure how he keeps getting the gig. They must be desperate.

On a similar note, the camera operator in Kosovo must never have heard of the zoom function. I could barely make out the ball when it was on the far side of the pitch - farcical production standards.

[D24Saint]

I’m happy we put in a performance in the second half. The team showed a lot of fight against a top class opposition.

[sbgawa]

The stats are nonsense. I etched the Rovers match on loi tv. Had several shots and keeper made at least 3 decent saves , two great saves from honahan and that's just what I can remember off the top of my head

[placid casual]

Dire from Rovers, against a very, very ordinary side. It's one thing getting beaten by a team above your level but Rovers has the mindset of get a nil all draw away no matter who they faced. Completely out muscled in midfield and played into the oppositions hands time and time again.
Bradley needs to accept he set up the team wrong. No Burke or Byrne to cause them problems.
Ref was beyond a farce,he was frankly LOI standard he was that bad.
Work to do next week for sure.

[geysir]

Based on what I've seen of a few Kosovar teams this year and last, I think SR will dominate the home game and win through.

[ger121]

The stats are nonsense. I etched the Rovers match on loi tv. Had several shots and keeper made at least 3 decent saves , two great saves from honahan and that's just what I can remember off the top of my head

UEFA’s tracking did seem off in that game.

[ger121]

Dire from Rovers, against a very, very ordinary side. It's one thing getting beaten by a team above your level but Rovers has the mindset of get a nil all draw away no matter who they faced. Completely out muscled in midfield and played into the oppositions hands time and time again.
Bradley needs to accept he set up the team wrong. No Burke or Byrne to cause them problems.
Ref was beyond a farce,he was frankly LOI standard he was that bad.
Work to do next week for sure.

It did seem he was trying to repeat the formula that worked away before. Also missing some big players did not help either when you are chasing a game. Rovers at home are a different animal.

[ger121]

Based on what I've seen of a few Kosovar teams this year and last, I think SR will dominate the home game and win through.


A good night for your teams.

[2 Year Contract]

I’m happy we put in a performance in the second half. The team showed a lot of fight against a top class opposition.

Thats it exactly. I feared 7s and 8s by full time during the first half but the second half change in shape worked wonders and Melia really should’ve scored to make it 4-2 in the end, a good second half performance from all, with the large caveat that the game was obviously over at that stage. Now then, all we need to do is convince UEFA that winning a quarter of the tie is worth a few coefficient points and a bit of spare change from the aul prize money pot ;)

[geysir]

A good night for your teams.
Not bad so far in this 3rd round. Breidablik managed a draw against a very fancied Croat team in Bosnia, one that had defeated them 6-2 some 2 years ago. 'Blik for the first time ever that I have seen put 5 in defence, in contrast to the manic enthralling Shels game this one was as exciting as an IKEA wall picture, the reporter covering the game for local media wrote "good result but thank god for coffee".

Vikingur R. have Gylfi Sigurdsson on their books this year and even at 35 years he's their outstanding player, ran the midfield. Not only did the Danish press go into meltdown afterwards at the humiliation of the 3 nil defeat but 200 Brondby fans at the game totally disgraced themselves and their club. They caused about Eur 35k worth of damage. A small police unit managed to pepper spray them out of the grounds. What sky kissing arrogance from those "fans" of a full time pro league club, to travel to a fellow (but tiny) Nordic nation, to a members owned semi pro club and act in such a primitive brainless thuggish manner just because their team were played off the park.

[EatYerGreens]

Pats are even getting the basics all wrong. How was the lad left 2v1 from a corner? Amateur stuff. Besiktas only finished 8 points and 1 place ahead of Basaksehir last season so this really shouldn’t be so one-sided. Besiktas are v good obviously, but Pats have been all over the place.

The top teams in Turkey are light years ahead of anything in Ireland when it comes to resources, finances, professionalism etc. Pats fans going to the game next week will see a phenomenal stadium - for what is still only the third-biggest club in Istanbul !

There is then quite a sizeable drop off after the top 3 (Galatasary, Fenerbache and Besiktas) to the rest of the Turkish league. In some ways not disimilar to the situation in Scotland. But in other ways even worse than it is there. For example - some of the teams in the Super Lig get fairly shocking attendances. Eg. Eyupsor in Istanbul finished 6th last season and just missed out on Europe by 1 point. They ground share with Kasimpasa, and crowds at some of their games would literally be counted in the hundreds. That's for the 6th best team in Europe's most populous country (fcuk Russia), based in a huge city.

[Dermobohs]

Dire from Rovers, against a very, very ordinary side. It's one thing getting beaten by a team above your level but Rovers has the mindset of get a nil all draw away no matter who they faced. Completely out muscled in midfield and played into the oppositions hands time and time again.
Bradley needs to accept he set up the team wrong. No Burke or Byrne to cause them problems.
Ref was beyond a farce,he was frankly LOI standard he was that bad.
Work to do next week for sure.
Harsh that, a bit unlucky not to get a draw in the end I felt, although Bradley is ultra cautious .

[outspoken]

I thought Rovers did ok, Pico Lopes absolutely woeful for the goal,. rushing out and leaving a huge gap in behind, but aside from having to weather a small storm after that, Rovers looked comfortable enough and almost got an equalizer, would be hopeful they can take these boys next week

[placid casual]

Harsh that, a bit unlucky not to get a draw in the end I felt, although Bradley is ultra cautious .
I was factoring in the opposition,and the fact that they had 2 glorious chances to put the tie to bed.
Rovers weren't good enough, partially because the set up was wrong by Bradley and also because Watts and Healy were very meek in midfield and we had no threat going forward.
I'm hopeful rather than confident of next week but it needs Burke back from Injury to make the difference imo.

[ger121]

I was factoring in the opposition,and the fact that they had 2 glorious chances to put the tie to bed.
Rovers weren't good enough, partially because the set up was wrong by Bradley and also because Watts and Healy were very meek in midfield and we had no threat going forward.
I'm hopeful rather than confident of next week but it needs Burke back from Injury to make the difference imo.

When you can’t put Burke and Byrne on the pitch for any minutes in a European game, you are not going to be as creative or dangerous in the final third. When you couple that with Bradley being ultra conservative away from home, the best result was probably going to be 0-0 or a 1-0 loss.

[sbgawa]

on reflection i can see us being a lot better in Tallaght on Thursday and i saw enough to know these arent world beaters but they are decent enough
They won the last round at home 4 to 2 having gone 2 nil down and then won away as well so they arent mugs either
Hopefully we can do it on Thursday with Burke and hopefully Jack playing a part
That being said Santa Clara smashing Larne 3 nil by half time and then shuting the game down and playing it out doesnt fill me with confidence that we will be anything other then strong odds against if we make the PO round

[Martinho II]

He’s awful on commentary. Not sure how he keeps getting the gig. They must be desperate.

On a similar note, the camera operator in Kosovo must never have heard of the zoom function. I could barely make out the ball when it was on the far side of the pitch - farcical production standards.

no wonder RTE wont let JMCD go on cocomms!