Unless Cook was acting the maggot......

......we have big problems and if tonight's performance represents our best, we will be second from bottom in three weeks. Maybe he was trying to cod Pats for next Friday night but this looked like near enough our first eleven barring Mauro and N'Do. After a bright start, we allowed Pats to boss the game and there was no direction on the team whatsoever. Having been a great fan of Blinkhorn, i am beginning to doubt his ability to ever score and if he doesn't score goals, what is he for?
Will give them the benefit of the doubt for the moment but that show tonight was extremely worrying.

Oh! we have direction alright, unfortunately it is; "forward to Blinkhorn as many times as we can". It is other directions we need.

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Originally Posted by avvenalaf

......we have big problems and if tonight's performance represents our best, we will be second from bottom in three weeks. Maybe he was trying to cod Pats for next Friday night but this looked like near enough our first eleven barring Mauro and N'Do. After a bright start, we allowed Pats to boss the game and there was no direction on the team whatsoever. Having been a great fan of Blinkhorn, i am beginning to doubt his ability to ever score and if he doesn't score goals, what is he for?
Will give them the benefit of the doubt for the moment but that show tonight was extremely worrying.

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Was not at the game but from all my contacts that were there you are spot on avvenalaf, playing the long ball to a striker who so far has not shown his ability to score goals is a waste of time. Never said a word against him before but why the f..k did the manager put out a weak team in Dublin and a full squad in Sligo. It looked crap on Setanta with a small crowd that was due to being three goals behind going into the game. I am very excited about our position in the league but Blinks form is a big worry and we need a lot of focus on better defending. I am not without hope but we need a big performance in our next game as the difference in winning and losing the next game is huge.

Lads, it’s time to be honest here and call a spade a spade. Our club is going nowhere under the present regime. This fixture was lost last Tuesday in Inchicore and the blame solely lies at the hands of Cook. For too long now I’ve read comments on these boards from people making excuse after excuse bailing this chancer out which really is no different or any less a scandal as Fianna Fail bailing out the corrupt bankers. We supporters have to start looking at the bigger picture and not let individual preference get in the way of what’s best for the club going forward. The reinstating of Cook as manager last year was one of the biggest disasters bestowed on our club in its colourful history. Time people woke up and start to smell the rot that’s eventually going to destroy this great club. The clock is ticking, the self destruct button has been pushed, now are we going to sit back and let it happen and have a worthless excuse of explanation or act in the true spirit that supporting a club is all about and collectively call for the change that will make the real difference and save our club from a horrible end.

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Originally Posted by clubman

Lads, it’s time to be honest here and call a spade a spade. Our club is going nowhere under the present regime. This fixture was lost last Tuesday in Inchicore and the blame solely lies at the hands of Cook. For too long now I’ve read comments on these boards from people making excuse after excuse bailing this chancer out which really is no different or any less a scandal as Fianna Fail bailing out the corrupt bankers. We supporters have to start looking at the bigger picture and not let individual preference get in the way of what’s best for the club going forward. The reinstating of Cook as manager last year was one of the biggest disasters bestowed on our club in its colourful history. Time people woke up and start to smell the rot that’s eventually going to destroy this great club. The clock is ticking, the self destruct button has been pushed, now are we going to sit back and let it happen and have a worthless excuse of explanation or act in the true spirit that supporting a club is all about and collectively call for the change that will make the real difference and save our club from a horrible end.

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This is the biggest knee jerk reaction I have ever seen on this forum and really it should be binned. I was critical of the managers decision to field a weak team in the first leg of the Setanta Cup match on Tuesday but I am a fan of the manager, he does make mistakes but generally he has us playing good football. Abusing a manager that has us one point behind the leaders in April is a joke, what is all this crack about a ticking clock and destruct button and a horrible end. You have truly lost the run of yourself and maybe there is a reason other than football for your outburst but it does nothing for Sligo Rovers. I do not mean to be disrespectful but I think you should withdraw your last post clubman.

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Originally Posted by Well Red

This is the biggest knee jerk reaction I have ever seen on this forum and really it should be binned. I was critical of the managers decision to field a weak team in the first leg of the Setanta Cup match on Tuesday but I am a fan of the manager, he does make mistakes but generally he has us playing good football. Abusing a manager that has us one point behind the leaders in April is a joke, what is all this crack about a ticking clock and destruct button and a horrible end. You have truly lost the run of yourself and maybe there is a reason other than football for your outburst but it does nothing for Sligo Rovers. I do not mean to be disrespectful but I think you should withdraw your last post clubman.

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+1
Do you wait in the background for bad results and then post Clubman.
Seems like you take more pleasure from defeat rather than victory, I cant make you out.

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Originally Posted by Well Red

but generally he has us playing good football.

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Hoofing all night long is good football these days? Cook's getting results in the league (although some points dropped that shouldn't have been) but we haven't been playing good football at all this season.

what will be interesting is "who makes way for Ndo?".........I would rest Blinkhorn just to prevent the natural inclination of the defender to hit it long. this may force the players to play a different system.

It does seem to me that we are missing full backs who are able to overlap. If our full backs are not willing to do so, Doyle and McCabe/Dillon need to take on their defenders more often.

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Originally Posted by sligoman

Hoofing all night long is good football these days? Cook's getting results in the league (although some points dropped that shouldn't have been) but we haven't been playing good football at all this season.

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Then I conclude you have not been at all the games, we have had the whole mixture, some brilliant football and a lot of long ball stuff. My problem with you sligoman is your attitude to the club in your post, you seem to want the Sligo Rovers football club taking apart, how is that going to help us considering the position we are in League wise at the moment. I have said it in another post that i think the manager made a huge mistake fielding a weakened team in the first Pats game, he got it the wrong but I am not resorting to name calling etc. All I am saying sligoman is you are intitled to your opinion here thats what the forum is for and I hope that in hindsight you might admit that you were a bit over the top.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Well Red

This is the biggest knee jerk reaction I have ever seen on this forum and really it should be binned. I was critical of the managers decision to field a weak team in the first leg of the Setanta Cup match on Tuesday but I am a fan of the manager, he does make mistakes but generally he has us playing good football. Abusing a manager that has us one point behind the leaders in April is a joke, what is all this crack about a ticking clock and destruct button and a horrible end. You have truly lost the run of yourself and maybe there is a reason other than football for your outburst but it does nothing for Sligo Rovers. I do not mean to be disrespectful but I think you should withdraw your last post clubman.

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Thank you for your comment, I respect your opinion.
As I stated earlier we must at all times keep the bigger picture in our sights.
On saying that and expecting success for our club there's certainly nothing wrong with?
As we all sadly know Rovers haven't exactly set the world alight when it comes to bringing silverware to the Showgrounds. We've gone heartbreakingly close on occasions and it hurt badly on each occasion but on reflection we can console ourselves when an honest effort has been made to win and put in a good performance.
Reaching the semi-final stage of any competition has to be applauded and there's nothing wrong with expecting/hoping that we might just possibily win this competition. But in order to do so we need our best starting eleven on the pitch from the off. Last Tuesday Cook named a weakened side for reasons only he can explain.
For me it was a statement of total disrespect for the competition and more so for the club and it's supporters.
That's my opinion, sorry if you don't think likewise.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clubman

Thank you for your comment, I respect your opinion.
As I stated earlier we must at all times keep the bigger picture in our sights.
On saying that and expecting success for our club there's certainly nothing wrong with?
As we all sadly know Rovers haven't exactly set the world alight when it comes to bringing silverware to the Showgrounds. We've gone heartbreakingly close on occasions and it hurt badly on each occasion but on reflection we can console ourselves when an honest effort has been made to win and put in a good performance.
Reaching the semi-final stage of any competition has to be applauded and there's nothing wrong with expecting/hoping that we might just possibily win this competition. But in order to do so we need our best starting eleven on the pitch from the off. Last Tuesday Cook named a weakened side for reasons only he can explain.
For me it was a statement of total disrespect for the competition and more so for the club and it's supporters.
That's my opinion, sorry if you don't think likewise.

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He has fielded a weakened squad the whole way through the competition and I don't remember too many people complaining.

Why is it that every time we lose a game there's such a huge knee jerk reaction? Tuesday was poor and last night wasn't much better but with Ndo and Almeida in the team and us hopefully getting the ball down on the deck a bit more I would still be hopeful on our chances this season. But we gotta get it down on the deck. Blinks won nothing last night and nothing up in Fingal and they've been our 2 worst performances of the season purely because we're constantly giving the ball away. Fair enough if the long ball is working keep it up but it obviously wasn't last night so we should have changed it.

Hopefully Conor (great goal of course) will learn how to pass the ball again by next Friday. When we get the ball out wide our wingers do look capable of causing damage and Amond is a very good finisher. My glass if half full.

I'm expecting Inside Man to make a reappearance now

Iarflaith Davoran has proven to date he's more than willing to overlap and get forward, cant explain why he was taken off last night. He was putting in a good shift.

I cant understand people calling for Cook's head. Seven games into the season, we're undefeated and people say he's gotta go? God love the man when we lose a game. I'm now begining to understand why he's giving out about the hard time he's getting from some sections of the fans. I'd imagine he's still trying to find out his best starting 11. Considering the scoreline going into the second leg of the semi-final I'd have been happy to see some more young lads last night. But give Cook a break.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Well Red

Then I conclude you have not been at all the games, we have had the whole mixture, some brilliant football and a lot of long ball stuff. My problem with you sligoman is your attitude to the club in your post, you seem to want the Sligo Rovers football club taking apart, how is that going to help us considering the position we are in League wise at the moment. I have said it in another post that i think the manager made a huge mistake fielding a weakened team in the first Pats game, he got it the wrong but I am not resorting to name calling etc. All I am saying sligoman is you are intitled to your opinion here thats what the forum is for and I hope that in hindsight you might admit that you were a bit over the top.

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I have missed one game this season, so unless all the 'brilliant stuff' was in that one game then I stand by my comment. Refresh my memory, what games have we played good stuff in? Our play consists of Brush getting the ball and kicking it up to Blinks, we rarely get it down and play.

I want the club taken apart? What are you on about? I don't want Cook out, I'm just disagreeing with your comment that we play good football because so far, we've been hoofing it.

Unlikely as i know it is, there is an outside chance a win would send us top friday if results went our way. With the exception of possibly Bray most teams look capable of taking pts off everyone.

With regard the long ball blinkhorn tactic we really dont have too many options from set pieces kickouts etc..Our midfield is small in comparison to most sides and amond isnt going to out jump centre halves. Unless we have an early option of full back from kickouts brush has to go blinkhorn route more often than not.

Im very hopeful that Ndo will help us get the ball down and passing it better when he comes into side. Theres only been patches this season where we've passed the ball well. In Drogheda we had one excellent passage of play where the ball was moved from back through midfield and we cut them open,with blinkhorn hitting post at end of it.We havnt done enough of that this season but no reason why we cant. team has been bit chopped and changed with injuries. If we can get a settled back 4 with almedia and Ndo in team im confident we will improve and push on.

In regards cook hes brought the club to cup final,europe and we're still undefeated in league this season so i think that says it all.

As for saturdays game, thought we did well first 20 but equaliser knocked stuffing out of us, They are well organised and Mahon has made them tough to break down and getting honest effort right throughout side, and have an attracking threat,so fair play to them for that. Its only the setanta cup so i think most people would prefer a pt/pts friday night. Never held any grudges against pats so its good to see them back strong again from the leagues perspective.

So ya plus 1 glass half full, and hopefully we can get something friday night

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sligoman

I have missed one game this season, so unless all the 'brilliant stuff' was in that one game then I stand by my comment. Refresh my memory, what games have we played good stuff in? Our play consists of Brush getting the ball and kicking it up to Blinks, we rarely get it down and play.

I want the club taken apart? What are you on about? I don't want Cook out, I'm just disagreeing with your comment that we play good football because so far, we've been hoofing it.

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sligoman if you are annoyed at me then you have good reason as my remarks were intended for clubman and not sligoman, sorry about that and I agree with the points you make.:o

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clubman

Thank you for your comment, I respect your opinion.
As I stated earlier we must at all times keep the bigger picture in our sights.
On saying that and expecting success for our club there's certainly nothing wrong with?
As we all sadly know Rovers haven't exactly set the world alight when it comes to bringing silverware to the Showgrounds. We've gone heartbreakingly close on occasions and it hurt badly on each occasion but on reflection we can console ourselves when an honest effort has been made to win and put in a good performance.
Reaching the semi-final stage of any competition has to be applauded and there's nothing wrong with expecting/hoping that we might just possibily win this competition. But in order to do so we need our best starting eleven on the pitch from the off. Last Tuesday Cook named a weakened side for reasons only he can explain.
For me it was a statement of total disrespect for the competition and more so for the club and it's supporters.
That's my opinion, sorry if you don't think likewise.

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Cannot disagree with a lot you have said in this latest post, it was really the first post that annoyed me but as you say we all have opinions thankfully and thats what keeps the forum going. After all there are few enough of us now left on this forum and at the end of the day we all want what is best for the Rovers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Well Red

Cannot disagree with a lot you have said in this latest post, it was really the first post that annoyed me but as you say we all have opinions thankfully and thats what keeps the forum going. After all there are few enough of us now left on this forum and at the end of the day we all want what is best for the Rovers.

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Well Red I don't mean to harp on so apologies in advance but I'm puzzled by your last post.
You say you cannot disagree with a lot I have said in my last post so obviousily you must disagree with some of it?
Can you please inform me what you disagree with and I can get back under my stone :)

Have to agree with alot of the negative opionions regarding the style of play in the last couple of posts. Seen most of the games this season and haven't been impressed. Long aimless balls up to Blinkhorn time in time out. I like Blinks and i think Amond was a good signing, but this long ball biz is last ditch stuff. Get the ball down and at least try to spread it a bit. Mc Cabe has plenty of football in him as does Dillon and the likes, quit this hitting it long cr*p. Sure midfield is a big problem, Richie Ryan is conservative, O' Grady doesn't impose himself enough so we often get out muscled in midfield. Losing Turner has left us well short. That said playing to our positives is the way forward ie: using the pace on the wings, spreading it getting in crosses. Cook has signed some good players so lets start playing.
We have the spine of a good team, we are mostly full time. We may be unbeaten in the league but i'm not convinced.
Also why does cook have to spend most of his energy yelling at the team like a under 15s side. I love his enthusiasm but sometimes it seems a bit more lads club than professional club.