LOI in Europe 2022

[pineapple stu]

At least they've hit the bar - better showing than the entire group stage so far.

[sbgawa]

This thread has become a bit tiresome but faintly amusing as well at the poorly disguised twisted bitterness.
Please God we take 3 points in Drogheda or it will become the "how did Rovers manage to blow an inpregnable 5 point lead (with Derry to play) when the league was over" thread.

[A N Mouse]

For beating the champions of Macedonia & Malta?while getting their ass penitrated repeatedly by any side that was in any way decent?for you?re own sake don?t even dare celebrate that like it?s some achievement, the champions of Ireland should be expecting to make Europe with the route they had and to say otherwise again speaks of the minnowism this Rovers side posses.

No one said set the world alight?trust me Rovers have been on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, all that was wanted was Rovers to be respectable in the games regardless of the results?instead they have been an absolute disgrace from start to finish, and no the sides they are playing aren?t amazing?Rovers just make any side look amazing with how terrible they?ve been.

Exactly they are and that shows why Bradley isn?t up to scratch, any side with ambition would have sacked him ages ago.

Away back under your bridge, and rant about she-hulk to your muckers.

Despite myself, I am impressed though, you've simultaneous managed to misrepresent everything quoted while totally failing to address it.

But in summary your argument seems to be "Rovers were muck in the qualifiers, why can nobody see that? Rovers should be good now they're in the group, why are they trying to improve their odds of qualifying for the group next year instead of not being muck against these better teams?"

Oh, and the champions of Ireland get into Europe (almost) every year (generally not when they're relegated), they still have to do something to get into the groups. This lazy tired $hite about 'should be' beating teams from X, Y or Z is in fact minnowism. It's how articles about your 'summer holiday' end up on dressing room walls or you get thumped by Cyprus. If things worked like then we should have given up on european competition years ago?

And if you're looking words take your vulgar vacuous vicariousness with you.

[ger121]

This thread has become a bit tiresome but faintly amusing as well at the poorly disguised twisted bitterness.
Please God we take 3 points in Drogheda or it will become the "how did Rovers manage to blow an inpregnable 5 point lead (with Derry to play) when the league was over" thread.

I would like to think that you are not tarring everyone on here with the proverbial same brush. Most of us I?d say, are just interested observers in the annual European Journeys of LOI teams and like to post those observations with no ill will intended.
Rovers are right to prioritise the league. I seem to recall Flora picked up 5 points in the groups last season but lost out on the league to Levadia at the same time. They subsequently went out in the 1st qualifying round of ECL.
Anyway, balancing league title challenges and group stage football are nice problems to have. Beats having no challenges at all?

[placid casual]

The age old LOI problem of not having a European football quality striker emerges again.
I personally think Rovers are getting a bit overpraised for the performance last night as Molde were clearly the better team. Greeners miss in the first 5 mins summed up our lack of quality up front.
The officials were dire but that can happen.
My hope is that all of this is valuable learnings for Bradley in terms of Europe for next season and how to approach.
If it wasn't for those pesky derry kids and their meddlin we would have wrapped up the league and concentrated on Europe 😜.

[paul_oshea]

THey'll have to look at bringing in a striker and paying that bit more to get him if thats the next progression in Europe and if they are really serious about it at some point its a gamble they will have to take. A good scouting network might be an investment worth looking at for the longer term. For all the good underage structures, bazunu excepted, the moves and players coming through aren't setting the world or even league alight. Sometimes it takes out of the box thinking.

I remember mentioning on here about 10 years ago about forming scouting networks in South America or other places, an investment sure that seemed ridiculous given how underfunded and strap cashed clubs were, but when you look at Norway and Sweden this is what has set them apart and funds them year on year. It might not be the most morally responsible or right thing to do raiding AFrica for its best prospects but its working.

Oh and that whole thing about a good league and well run league makes for a good international team is clearly not always right. Norway are only a few places above Ireland in the international rankings but their league is miles ahead.

[sbgawa]

I would like to think that you are not tarring everyone on here with the proverbial same brush. Most of us I?d say, are just interested observers in the annual European Journeys of LOI teams and like to post those observations with no ill will intended.
Rovers are right to prioritise the league. I seem to recall Flora picked up 5 points in the groups last season but lost out on the league to Levadia at the same time. They subsequently went out in the 1st qualifying round of ECL.
Anyway, balancing league title challenges and group stage football are nice problems to have. Beats having no challenges at all?

No not everyone by any means.
I cant argue with Bradser benching Gaffney last night and Burke but at the same time i cant see Gaffney missing the chances Greene had.
We have been dissapointing this year in the Groups but im hopeful that next year we can either expand the squad with this years Euro money to be able to fight on both fronts....or maybe win the league earlier
Its hard to keep a big squad happy and we may not have the same level of long term injuries next year which would make it harder again. The amount of games Jack and Burkey missed killed us in the league in terms of drawing or losing gaems we should have drawn or won with them playing.
If i get my wish it would be for the club to go for one or two really top players rather than more of a similer level.
Where are they though?

[WeAreRovers]

They should make this comment the club motto at this point?

I'd rather go with the UEFA's description of Rovers this week as "the undisputed giants of the Irish game."

We were great last night, undone by the ridiculous non offside decision and the lack of a clinical striker.

Mannus yet again proving he's light years ahead of the rest of the keepers in the League. Will be very, very difficult to replace - as difficult as finding that elusive striker.

I see Celtic and Rangers getting the same unrealistic analysis of their European performances that Rovers get from some on here. Takes years of investment, planning, good recruitment and decision-making plus lots of luck to compete at a higher level, luckily the people who matter understand this obvious fact.

[sbgawa]

Leaving Derry out of the equation as your not going to get the likes of Duffy out of there who in the league is the best Striker tht would improve Rovers....keeping in mind Gaffney will probably win player of the year this year but is not prolific...
Hooban? never felt like he fits our style even if we could get him out of Dundalk
Going outside the league is difficult as Dundalk proved rather spectacularly but i dont see that 20 goal striker in the league.

[ger121]

The age old LOI problem of not having a European football quality striker emerges again.
I personally think Rovers are getting a bit overpraised for the performance last night as Molde were clearly the better team. Greeners miss in the first 5 mins summed up our lack of quality up front.
The officials were dire but that can happen.
My hope is that all of this is valuable learnings for Bradley in terms of Europe for next season and how to approach.
If it wasn't for those pesky derry kids and their meddlin we would have wrapped up the league and concentrated on Europe 😜.

I thought you played well. If Gaffney is on the end of that Towell cross, you are 1 up and it?s a different ball game. Once Molde has soaked up that early pressure and came out unscathed, they grew into the game. The first Molde goal was an awful call. Greene?s offside was very tight in my opinion. If VAR was available both those decisions could have been reversed.

[WeAreRovers]

Colm Whelan is the only realistic prospect from within the League, depending both on his recovery and what offers he has.

[ger121]

Leaving Derry out of the equation as your not going to get the likes of Duffy out of there who in the league is the best Striker tht would improve Rovers....keeping in mind Gaffney will probably win player of the year this year but is not prolific...
Hooban? never felt like he fits our style even if we could get him out of Dundalk
Going outside the league is difficult as Dundalk proved rather spectacularly but i dont see that 20 goal striker in the league.

What about Keena? Yes he is in contract but that has not stopped Sligo selling in the past for the right fee. You need a finisher and he has done very well this season in the league. Only 23 and 18 goals across all competitions. Is he worth splashing the cash vs the potential rewards from Europe?

[sbgawa]

What about Keena? Yes he is in contract but that has not stopped Sligo selling in the past for the right fee. You need a finisher and he has done very well this season in the league. Only 23 and 18 goals across all competitions. Is he worth splashing the cash vs the potential rewards from Europe?

He was on my mind when i wrote the original post but hes had 1 good season off the back of 32 appearences for Falkirk over 3 years and 6 goals
That being said Hoooobans and Gaffneys records in the UK were poor so maybe he is worth a shout.
Id actually forgotten about Colm Whelan, it would be unusual i think for him to get a move abroad off the back of a Cruciate injury without making a few appearances so maybe he could be the ansewer for Rovers next year

[pineapple stu]

Tommy Lonergan is outscoring Whelan this year in the Premier and may be in line for a move too.

[oriel]

Saw about 3/4 of the game, thought Rovers were unlucky, and that goal from Molde def offside. That's about as good as it gets, as I still don't think they have taken the group stages seriously and apart from last night have they even had a proper go at it?

Will repeat my comparison, in 2020 EL group stages a DFC team cobbled together with unrest all over the camp, mad cap (quite literally) owners, struggling in the league, and still scored in every game (apart from Arsenal away), and also scored 2 and 3 on other games, should have got a result in Vienna too, as they 'had a go', I`m not sure Rovers did. Plus not buying this cant fight on both fronts, that DFC team went on to win the cup same season.

Plus these are the games that Jack B is meant to really show his class in, has he really?