Two thirds season evaluation

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14/08/2006, 6:04 PM
Poor Student

Two thirds season evaluation

Derry City 0-2 (0-0)
St. Pat's 0-1 (0-0)
Waterford 1-0 (2-1)
Cork City 0-0 (0-1)
Bray Wanderers 4-1 (1-1)
Drogheda United0-1 (0-0)
Shelbourne 1-2 (0-6)
Bohemians 1-2 (0-1)
Sligo Rovers 3-0 (1-0)
Longford 2-2 (0-0)

1st round
Won 3 Drawn 2 Lost 5 For 12 Against 11 Points 11

2nd round
Won 2 Drawn 5 Lost 3 For 4 Against 10 Points 11

It doesn't tell the tale of second round form entirely as the first Longford game was postponed until well into the second round. We're scoring less in the second round of matches but we're conceding less too, that's counting the total freak anomaly of the Shels result. I think our play has picked up in the second round and we're harder to beat unfortunately the breaks just aren't going our way. I think we could have a strong enough finish to the season with the squad strengthened and the coming through of young Finn.
14/08/2006, 8:22 PM
pineapple stu

Jesus - four goals scored!! Knew it was low - one in the last five - but didn't think it'd be that bad!

Some defensive record. If only we could score more...
15/08/2006, 8:14 PM
CollegeTillIDie

Quote:

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Jesus - four goals scored!! Knew it was low - one in the last five - but didn't think it'd be that bad!

Some defensive record. If only we could score more...

If we could score more pineapple, we'd be some other team :D
16/08/2006, 10:29 AM
DmanDmythDledge

The season hasn't been good so far whatever way you look at it. Points have been dropped all over the place. There are very few positives to take from the season to date. We have lacked a cutting edge throughout the season. We have been too negative for most of the season and this will not get you up the table. 6th place was a realistic goal at the start of the season, and with the way other teams have done 5th wouldn't have been out of sight if we had performed to the levels expected of this team. We shouldn't be content with drawing with the likes of Longford and Bohs. If you play for a draw you are either going to draw or lose- you won't win. If you don't win games you aren't going to get anywhere. We have a team capable of getting into the top half of the table. The manager is holding back the team with a backwards mentality that 7th/8th is good. It's not- it's sh!t. We've proved we can match the top sides in the league by taking points off them. From what I've seen from Drogheda this season they are not a lot better than us, when we perform(or allowed to perform). Sligo are in 5th position and we have outplayed them on two occasions and those performances were certainly no fluke. We have got to take the game to our opponents like we did against Sligo and not play for a draw. We are at our best when we play to our strengths and that is playing a passing game. I don't care if we were playing Shelbourne, Barcalona or Chelsea you play to your strengths. I still have doubts over Mahon as manager but he still has one round of games to try and win me over.

We should be looking at something close to maximum points from our home games. Wins against Pats, Bray, Sligo and Longford we will be expected to get. Geting 3 points from Cork isn't out of the question but I wouldn't be too dissappointed with a point. We would be doing well to get a point out of Shelbourne. Away from home 6/12 points would be a decent return.
16/08/2006, 10:37 AM
sligoman

Quote:

Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge

Wins against Pats, Bray, Sligo and Longford we will be expected to get. Geting 3 points from Cork isn't out of the question but I wouldn't be too dissappointed with a point. We would be doing well to get a point out of Shelbourne. Away from home 6/12 points would be a decent return.

Really?:confused:.
16/08/2006, 10:39 AM
DmanDmythDledge

Quote:

Originally Posted by sligoman

Really?:confused:.

Well that's what I think.
16/08/2006, 12:52 PM
pineapple stu

Quote:

Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge

The manager is holding back the team with a backwards mentality that 7th/8th is good.

Where has he said that?

Even if you can find a quote from him on that, you wouldn't want to read too much into it. In the First Division, Mahon was publicly talking about consolidation when in reality he expected us to p!ss the league, which we did (only Harps did too...). Our aims for this year were to finish as high as possible, with the added impetus that the higher we finish, the harder it'd be for the FAI to screw us over.

Amount of draws this time has been very frustrating - should have turned two or three of those into wins, which would propel us up to fifth or so. Thin line...
16/08/2006, 1:00 PM
DmanDmythDledge

Quote:

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Where has he said that?

He's never said that but he seems to be happy to play for a draw against the likes of Longford. Drawing against teams who are near you in the league won't get you anywhere. Sure you don't lose ground but you don't gain ground either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Even if you can find a quote from him on that, you wouldn't want to read too much into it. In the First Division, Mahon was publicly talking about consolidation when in reality he expected us to p!ss the league, which we did (only Harps did too...). Our aims for this year were to finish as high as possible, with the added impetus that the higher we finish, the harder it'd be for the FAI to screw us over.

Amount of draws this time has been very frustrating - should have turned two or three of those into wins, which would propel us up to fifth or so. Thin line...

Ye but it seems that Mahon thinks that the best we can achieve is 7th/8th with the way he plays against certain teams, showing them too much respect.
16/08/2006, 1:09 PM
pineapple stu

It seems that you think Mahon thinks...

Bit of a difference!

Not saying you're wrong necessarily, but there's certainly no way of saying you're right.
16/08/2006, 1:27 PM
Schumi

Quote:

Originally Posted by sligoman

Really?:confused:.

I'd expect us to beat Sligo & Longford at home, not taking wins for granted but I'd be a bit disappointed with a draw in either game. I'd expect a draw with Pats as that's the traditional result but a win is hardly out of the question.
16/08/2006, 4:40 PM
lefty

My 2/3, 1/4, 1/5 and whatever else season review by Professor Lefty esquire

This year has been a joke, the league is a mickey mouse league that i for one have just found it hard to get into the season and stirring up any passion whatsoever in me. Some kangaroo court full of dick heads in suits is going to decide our status for the following year and were being kicked out of our ground without so much as a whimper out of the fans to this.

To be honest i couldnt care less where we finish now as were not going to qualify for Europe or the Setanta through the league so for me personally finishing 5th is no different to finishing 12th. The only thing i care about now and for the remainder of the season is the Cup. It is the only thing that can redeem a frustrating and pointless season, and the only thing that i look forward to as a UCD fan.

As for Mahon, as a person from meeting him i think hes a tosser but as a manager he has done well so far for the club and i wouldnt hang him out to dry right now. This year id agree with dmandwhatever that weve not done great and were a bit boring but then again im not that fussed as this season is pointless. He did well to steady the ship after Doolo, getting us back up the following season, holding onto some of our prospects and getting us into the League Cup Final.

End rant
16/08/2006, 9:46 PM
CollegeTillIDie

Well lefty the thing is..... How often have we been able to field our best XI this season? Our first best XI is as good as anyone outside the top 3, however because of resources we don't have that much depth and a few injuries see you having to play centre backs at left back etc. I think all things considered ,given the injuries we have had and the departures at the end of the last season, we've done ok, yes it has been disappointing League wise, but we are still in the Cup and the season is not dead yet!
16/08/2006, 9:57 PM
CollegeTillIDie

Quote:

Originally Posted by lefty

Some kangaroo court full of dick heads in suits is going to decide our status for the following year and were being kicked out of our ground without so much as a whimper out of the fans to this.
End rant

Two points 1/ The New Fuehrer in the College Hugh Brady wants to build on Belfield Park. His intention is to site some kind of faculty building there. There doesn't seem much point in working one's self into a tizzy about a fait accompli. The government have already grant aided both the UCD Rugby Club and Soccer Clubs , to upgrade Belfield Bowl to the necessary standard required for Premier League soccer next year. And as I discovered recently when I came across an Old magazine called Soccer Reporter from 1978, the Doc always had the intention of moving the Soccer club to the Bowl, it was supposed to happen about 25 years ago but never did happen back then.

2/ UCD have done all they can regarding the Kangaroo court situation. Also the demise of Dublin City FC and possible demise of some so-called more professional clubs before too much longer, has strengthened UCD's position.
Being a well run outfit which doesn't owe hundreds of thousands of Euros to anyone , occasionally pays off. The higher we finish the more likely we are to stay in the New Elite John Delany Fussball Liga!
18/08/2006, 11:26 AM
lefty

As regards to the Bowl, maybe one of you kind people would be able to enlighten me as to the situation with it. As i remember it from last year the name should have been Belfield Sh!t-Hole not Belfield Bowl. Maybe that has changed since i left the bastion of education that is ucd.

Has there been a change as regards to the stand? Not that i would classify what it had when i was there as a stand. Also where are the cars going to park next season? I can see those loverly clampers having a bloody field day when UCD play. Then again maybe not as well be in the EIRCOM ELITE 1ST DIVISION or whatever the f�ck its gonna be called and there will be nobody there. Were probably going to lose some of our huge fanbase over this aswel as its a bit of a bolox to get to.
18/08/2006, 11:29 AM
lefty

Quote:

Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

Well lefty the thing is..... How often have we been able to field our best XI this season?

At the end of the day your not David O'Leary and only he can use that excuse :D
18/08/2006, 12:36 PM
pineapple stu

There's E2.5m going into the Bowl to bring it up to spec.
18/08/2006, 2:49 PM
John83

Quote:

Originally Posted by lefty

[T]he Bowl... [is] a bit of a bolox to get to.

Not really. It's less well hidden than Belfield Park.
18/08/2006, 2:52 PM
lefty

Is it now, how do you suppose people are going to get there. The park is simple to get to, you just go in the fosters avenue entrance and there it is in front of you
18/08/2006, 3:13 PM
John83

I suppose lying beside the road there is a bit too subtle for people?
18/08/2006, 3:22 PM
lefty

I cant see it on that map it must be too small and insignificant

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