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The bigger pitch will better suit Bohs, if they knock it about like they did the Icelandics they can exploit the space, from the little I saw of the game today it looked like a 3/4 size youth pitch and very compact.Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
Now you mention it, no, they don't.Quote:
Originally Posted by ger121
Both clubs have gone full-time, as have the Glens* and Crues.
While Coleraine, who were competitive against Velez Mostar in twice losing 2-1, are still part-time.
* - For all the good it did them this season. :(
1.500 earned so far this season in Europe. Some winnable games ahead I think. You would hope we could get up over 2.000, which would go some way to replacing the big year (2016) we are losing for next year.
In fairness the Northern Clubs have been performing very well in Europe in recent years. Started with Linfield and then others started chipping in too. 2 excellent wins tonight.Quote:
Originally Posted by EalingGreen
Yeah its nice to have other clubs help chip in with the co-efficient now and again, LoI badly needed to share the burden better!!Quote:
Originally Posted by ger121
Dundalk on another night could have lost 4-1 OR won 3-2. Crazy opening 30 mins where they were so ridiculously open and vulnerable.Zahibo was the main culprit for both goals conceded I feel. My old man has a 1970s Massey Ferguson that's faster than him, and I hope that was one of his last games for the club.
Great credit to them though for not capitulating, and for the most part, finishing as the stronger team. What a player Patching is. How come it didn't work initially? His time at Derry really seems to have driven him on. McMillan though, ice cool finisher as always. He is so reliable.
Abibi to be fair to him could do little to prevent either goal, and some of his passes were actually very good, playing out of defence. How unlucky was McEleney with the mazy run he went on late in the match. I fancy them to beat Levadia next week, as long as Sloggett starts, and Zahibo is kept well away from proceedings. The commentator mentioned how Shields may have been holding him back, casting a big shadow. Thoughts on that Dundalk fans? You could tell too though that they really missed the trickery of Duffy, whom I hope will be right for the return game.
Regarding the various penalty shouts; the first one where (McMillans?) ankle seemed to be tapped in the box was a stonewall penalty IMO. The other shouts were less convincing, including the incident where the Dundalk player appeared to be barged in the back during a corner; you see that fairly often, where it'd be in the favor of the defender over the attacker.
Thank Jebus for no more away goals though. Its turning every game into an FA Cup style scenario.
Solid win for Bohs too. Luxembourg teams are no longer considered an easy game, and delighted that they will get such an attendance for the return leg at the Aviva.
Should be noted there's a bit of rating inflation now with the new formats - particularly with the CL losers transferring from the first round, and now potentially being able to lose twice and still get another draw. The bottom 20 or so nations used to average a steady 1.0 per year, but the last couple of years that's gone up to 1.3 and then 1.5 last year. This year it's already 1.1. The bottom 20 nations, on average, have a coefficient 1.15 higher than they did five years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by ger121
2.000 ain't what it used to be!
We loss 2016 results last year - only the last 5 years result that count. At the moment if it stop now we move up to 43th placed in the table but some countries above us are losing big scores this year. We do need to positive results next week to push the league up further the table.Quote:
Originally Posted by ger121
Well, we had the 2016 results for this season's seedings. We lose it for next year's.
Although the national ranking doesn't do much in practical terms - we've a long way to go to start at a later round, and club rankings determine seeding.
Some countries around us are losing big scores this (ie next) year, but others are losing low scores. The Bert Kassies site lets you jump a year ahead - we go from 43rd to 42nd by dropping off 2017/18 scores
Sorry, my fault, taught we jump up more that that.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Yeah, we pass Albania, North Macedonia and Moldova, so it looks good, but the Faroes and Georgia lose very low scores.
Long way to go yet this season though, for everyone. (And of course those rankings would be missing next year's figures too) We've passed out Liechtenstein for example, but they're weird as they only have their Cup winners in Europe, so one win for Vaduz next week and could they go up 8 places.
For what Zahibo is costing its almost criminal, its past the point of not being fit now, he doesnt have any pace, but maybe there is something in the role he is being used or system that doesnt suit. Either way if he isnt effective thats the bottom line. Playing Sloggett and Shields in the same side jut didnt work that well, too similar, both right sided players so Sloggett now being deployed in the Shields role, the role that suits him would always have meant some improvement in his performances (Lampard and Gerrard like conundrum :D). Stanton is left sided so played with Sloggett I think could be a handy combination and both have a good engine too. It was said somewhere that Patching was a bit too laid back when he arrived which I think was a nice way of saying he was late for training and a bit on the lazy side. FG must have put the foot down, obviously an error and showed some lacking in man management. For whatever reason he pulled his socks up at Derry and has carried that back to Oriel Park and is now showing the form that was his potential when signed. Its time to knuckle down and get people the likes of Patching signed up for next season as he will be in demand. If he went back to Derry, with McEleney and Duffy well it wouldnt be a bad start to Higgins rebuilding.Quote:
Originally Posted by CorribsideSteve
Zahibo was supposed to be really highly-rated, wasn't he? Or was it that he did well in his first couple of games?
The Dundalk policy the last 18 months or so seems to have been to sign random foreigners who flop, while losing the decent Irish players. It's weird.
Any word of the rumoured summer transfers; think a couple of players were likely to be departing?
What is he actually costing?Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
Its not so weird when you have a person who pulls the purse strings completely trusting of a player agent, in the way that agents have roles in US sport. Of course this isnt US sport and any agent here will take every opportunity to 'recommend' their players - if they get a cut of the transaction they'd be foolish not to seek as much money as possible - if people at a club that protest or try to put the breaks get sidelined as the agent has the ear of the money man well there is little weird about it, falling standards more fait accompli. Supremely naïve!! It would make you question the business acumen of owners when its allowed to pay over the top for new signings at the expense of tried and tested players. Now maybe those tried and tested have had their wages creep up significantly over the years so are on a premium wedge too but taking some pretty random punts has been false economy. If the money man was actually spending his own money directly rather than say prizemoney, you'd have to wonder whether things may have been different. It is unfortunate that one person seems to have seriously damaged a club and im not necessarily referring to a chairman. It would of course deprive some fans of other clubs p!ssing themselves with excitement at the prospect of a fall from grace which would be terribly unfair though they may be disappointed yet so should hold their water!
In total, well Richie Towell would be an absolute bargain, maybe throw in Watts on top.Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
Interclub from Andorra beat Teuta 2 nil last night in Albania so looks like Rovers will be playing them in the 3rd round.
Think it was, as is often the case in LOI, the level of club and league that he had played in before that generated the excitement rather than anyone actually knowing anything about him. Including Dundalk most likely.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Its the footballing equivalent of the Peter Principle.
Players transfer to a big club then a bigger club etc until they fail.
Then everyone says well look at that big club he played for he must be great , in actual fact he proved he wasnt good enough at that level hence he was let go
Well he did play in La Liga (twice...in 2015), so he has to have had something about him at some stage. And played regularly in the MLS too, although that's notoriously variable with regards the players in it. A few marquee players and the rest complete journeymen. Still wouldn't have expected him to be playing quite as badly here as he seems to be.Quote:
Originally Posted by Longfordian
LoI tougher than MLS!! Progress in standards....
When Trevor Anderson became manager at Dundalk there were a lot of people excited as on paper his rep was high and he ended up arguably the worst manager in the clubs history. From that alone we should be cautious on what are relative unknowns. FG can be scapegoated for these signings but Im not convinced that an agent didnt exploit an opportunity to get their dross contracts. Maybe Zahibo could come good but for the money supposedly involved it could go a good way to keeping Patching, Stanton and maybe even Sloggett!
Next weeks game could be pivtol and could determine the future involvement of Peak6. Win and it justifies some of their initial reason for buying the club, an average Dundalk side picking up nearly 1mil, added to last year, well if they are losing money thats their own doing. It's a pity there's a cup game this weekend. It could be our only way to qualify for Europe so must be held as very important but then so is progression next week. Tight on numbers so not really able to rest a whole lot of players and Treaty will be no mugs and will make it difficult. Probably the one time I dont want energy zapping heat in Ireland!
I woudnt call Rovers next opponents just yet but either way they should be in the PO round!
Yeah I'm not saying there wasn't some reason to be optimistic as fans like to be. Just that there's often more intangible things that will determine if they will be a good signing or not. What's his attitude like being a big one. Maybe they got good references in that regard from people other than his agent but it's hard to know with the current regime in Dundalk.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
The one absolute is that it damages other players' morale/attitude or whatever. Its an issue with any club, at any level, when a player comes in on better terms than the rest of the squad. But if they come in and are not up to scratch, in ability and especially in effort, then it disrupts the dressing room. I dont know what Zahibo is like as a personality or as a professional in training but if I were earning €500 and bossing games and another chap is on multiples of that and walking around in games, it would bug me. There is the nonchalant type player and then there is the disinterested - not being able to get to games its not so obvious which Zahibo is but we were definitely in better control of midfield when Zahibo was subbed last night with sustained pressure and less sloppy in midfield. It's probably not fair to take that half hour in isolation but there is little to suggest that previous games were much different. Again its not so much the player as it is what you are getting, so far, for the outlay.Quote:
Originally Posted by Longfordian
Yeah, that kind of sums things up alright. If it was a one-off, you'd say it was unfortunate, but it seems to have been the case with most of their imports. The Korean lad was talked up too and seems to have flopped.Quote:
Originally Posted by Longfordian
I found this online actually which says Zahibo's 2019 salary with New England Revolution was $583k (MLS publish all salaries). That's roughly €9k/week. I doubt he's on that with Dundalk, but I doubt he's on a grand a week either.
The 1st Korean target was talked up but not so much Han. That was just very random imo!!? I dont think he is a bust mind, he could be a good signing but needs time moreso than some of the other signings. More potential than Mitdtskogen I think, unless we are playing with an out and out target man.
You're in dreamland if you think he's on less than a grand. I've heard figures mentioned close to 5k per week.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
I don't think he's on less than a grand. That was sarcasm
My mistake so.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Teuta 1-0 up in Andorra after an hour - the comeback is on!
Winners play Rovers next
2 nil now. Probably go to ET. Hard to know who they would want in the next round
You would have to imagine that playing the Andorrans would be preferable. That game gone to ET now, hopefully they can squeak through somehow.
In the Champions League games it's good news for Rovers so far as it looks like there's no upsets on the cards. Will be teams from Estonia, Finland, Cyprus and Lithuania will be 4 of the 10 teams playing in the Europa League PO with the losers of that round being the possible opposition to Rovers in the conference league playoff round should they make it.
3 nil now. Looks like Albania
Tricky tie.Quote:
Originally Posted by ger121
After last weeks performance I really wasn't expecting that at all.
They were hammered 5-0 over two legs by Sheriff and lost at home 2-0 last week. Hard to know what side will turn up vs Rovers but no doubt a more difficult tie than the Andorrans.
Any of Thursday's games on the box?
The Dundalk game is on LOITV.
How are ticket sales going for the Bohs game at the Aviva tomorrow, will it be an 8,000 sell-out, hopefully after the first leg result there should be a demand!
It sold out last week an hour or so after general sale.Quote:
Originally Posted by nr637
Both games on LOI tv. I think Dundalk will go out, but Bohs will scrape through with a draw.