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Where I'd expect to be with Treaty.
Cannot compete with the top, and easily clear of the bottom. Playoffs going to the 5th spot in a 9-team division is crazy but hey, we'll probably make the playoffs. Whichever one of Cork and Galway misses automatic promotion should wipe the floor with the other teams in the playoffs.
Disappointing so far from Waterford as we were most people's favourites to win the 1st division. We've already lost a manager and are well off the pace. No news on a new manager being appointed either. Maybe the owner cant afford it as has to probably pay off Bircham and Morris. I can't see us catching Cork or Galway so we'll have to settle for play offs which will be tough. Our record in play offs over the years is dreadful.
Wasn't too optimistic before the season started with the appointment of Gary Cronin as manager and the squad we assembled but we've done better than I expected so far. Our last 2 results, while disappointing, are not unexpected for me. We have an ok starting 11 but outside of that we're struggling for quality.
For example, Michael Barker missing the Galway game on Monday was a huge loss as Mick McDonnell our 3rd choice CB just isn't up to the level required. We also don't have a proper striker (yet). Verdon's done well up there for us so far in the games I've seen but he's not prolific by any means. Hopefully Magurusan can get fit and firing as he seems to be more of a natural striker but the poor lad appears to be made of glass so I won't hold my breath on that one.
Making the playoffs would have been a good season for us at the start of the season and despite our decent run of form for a few weeks there, that remains the target imo. I'd expect the top 2 (maybe 3 if Waterford can get their house in order) to pull well clear of the rest and ourselves/Treaty/Bray/Wexford won't have a hope in the playoffs really as we're all miles off the standard required.
So far, I'd give us a solid 7/10 for our efforts.
Wouldn't agree at all that cork/Galway will wipe the floor with everyone else in the play offs.Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
It’s probably not a good time to be asking this question of Pats fans. Things are bound to look a bit bleak after last week. Up to then I’d say we were doing ok, no more, no less. We were third until fairly recently, so I’m still hopeful that last Friday was just a one off horror show. We competed well against Derry up there, beat Rovers at home, should have beaten Dundalk, so it hasn’t been all gloom and doom. I’d give us a 5/10.
It was going grand until this week!
Overall we are a few sloppy goals to Sligo (3 of them) and Derry off the top of the table. If we keep Bradley id be confident enough we are up there by seasons end. Only Derry and in a few patches Pats have been on top for periods longer than 10 mins against us. To be fair to Derry it was for 45 mins so we will see how the head to heads pan out. Sligo have somehow still dug out two draws so that makes me give us a 7/10. Great to see yet another player go from the ever lauded mgmt of Keith Long to the awful mgmt of Bradley and really struggle like Andy Lyons has done as well. Add him to the list of players who've gone backwards under Bradley I suppose.
For Wexford, the season thus far has been very good and we just need to get one place further up the table for a play-off place which is our only realistic ambition. The management team of Ian Ryan and Lorcan Fitzgerald has been stunningly good since they arrived mid-season last year and have transformed the senior team. Even leaving out the Waterford game which is traditionally our biggest gate, crowds are up by the guts of 100% since the lads took over. Our football, especially going forward, has been a joy to watch. We're probably not as fluent as we were at the very end of last season, but the departure of the excellent Jack Moylan may explain that. New signings to impress this year include Alex Moody in goal who is playing his first LOI season, Joe Manley and Luka Lovic who has recently come in after an injury which kept him out for the start of the season. The key player again for Wexford is Jack Doherty who can cause absolute havoc up front with his unique playing style - low centre of gravity, turns on half a sixpence etc. Mood in Ferrycarrig seems to be generally optimistic as far as can be ascertained.
Pretty Sh*te
Sh1tshow once again.
I think a lot of people are incredibly reactionary to 1 or 2 bad/good results or performances in a row this year. Given how inconsistent all of Pats, Dundalk, Sligo, Bohs, Shels etc are at the moment, you could realistically be changing your season rating out of 10 pretty much every game recently
Absolutely agree with this. Pats are great again after last night seemingly. We were complete rubbish after last week. The truth is somewhere in between.Quote:
Originally Posted by 2 Year Contract
the world will always crumble when you lose tbf. shels have real issues in attack imo but its clear duff has them playing how he wants, its evident enough on the pitch. get another forward in and they'll be fine i reckon as the process in general seems ok.
pats are a weird one for me , have some quality individuals but i dont get the same sense of a style of play when i watch them (mostly highlights tbf) . I cant believe its taken so long to get mccormack into that midfield, the boy has good quality and will help doyle up top no end.
dundalk are the ones i think whove rode their luck a bit upto this point , cant argue with the pts total but i dont think they'll keep up this pace for the remainder of the season. also what happens when bradley goes back to hibs?
sligo are the same as they were last year, average as f1ck. dont create next or near enough to be a serious team contending , not sure how they held onto europe last year.
It does seem like a few are jumping the gun but they always do. Can't believe some of the negative stuff I've read around Clancy at this early stage. He's only there a wet week and came in during a bit of a strange situation. If he gets you to the levels you hit in the President's cup you'll be grand. I did expect him to get more out of Doyle though to be fair. What's your take on his start?Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyD
I think he’s working very hard, has a good touch, holds the ball up well and is beginning to find the net now. Took his goal very well last night ( offside claims notwithstanding.) What I find frustrating watching him is that in my view he spends too much time going wide and dropping deep. Not sure if this is under instruction, but I’d like to see him concentrate on staying in and around the box.Quote:
Originally Posted by ontheotherhand
Edit. Presumed you were talking about Eoin Doyle there. If you meant Clancy, then it’s been a mixed bag. I’d say he’s doing ok. Far to early to be making definitive judgments. Stephen O’Donnells first season at Pats was very ropey, but he improved in the second year
Trying to make too much of an impact with the hype surrounding his name maybe? Jack did the same for us for a while. He's found a better balance of finding the right space and time to get on the ball now I think. Rather than just going to get it in any area.Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyD
Going clear into 3rd place week probably flattered us, 4th is more our scene this year, that said I don't think the quality competing for 3rd is that high, its fairly open and I see this position changing hands many times this season, not sure if Sligo will be in the running for it mind, which makes a trio of Pats, Dundalk and Bohs imo.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jd2793
Good man Stu, good thread. With you completely on UCD, this team should be at least as good as the last one when we were in prem. Arguably with Whelan and Kerrigan we have more guns this time. So let's have a look at the comparisons on both seasons after 14 games ;
2019 - Played 14, W3/D1/L10, 10 pts, GF13, GA26
2022 - Played 14, W0/D5/L9, 5 pts, GF 9, GA32
We've lost 1 less, but that's about the only stat that isn't dismal by comparison. Winless in 2022 and 5 points worse off at same stage. Playing mostly a long ball hit and hope game. Next week we will be the team in Finn Park playing like Finn Harps ! When this squad implodes as it will this summer, I fear for the lads still there for rest of this season and next, and long dark wilderness period whenever the Myler/OConnor ****show finally comes to an end. There will be a huge rebuilding exercise for whoever comes in, in terms of rebuilding the football culture at the club.
Well that's a huge positive too - we're finally going to get our own dedicated training facility and base for the academy - it remains to be seen how much this facility "belongs" to the club - I suspect it may end up that we have to pay rent on it - which would be a bit underhanded by the Comers if that's how it plays out - but even in that scenario it's much better than where we're at now.Quote:
Originally Posted by EatYerGreens
I would also say that outside of a few of the Dublin clubs we probably have the best academy in the country so things are looking very positive both off and on the pitch.
Whichever one doesn't win the league, assuming Waterford don't get themselves back into it, which I wouldn't totally rule out, will be hugely disappointed if they don't make the playoff final.Quote:
Originally Posted by outspoken
Longford have taken points off all of the "big 3" this season and on their day can be ok and should be comfortably 4th in the Division but over 2 legs I would be surprised if they beat either Cork or us.
In saying that we played Bray over 2 legs last season and were beaten in the quarter-final - I'd have been confident that we'd have gone on to beat UCD as our style matched up well against them last season, whether we'd have beaten Waterford, who knows, we'd likely have been too cautious unlike UCD who went to outplay them.
If we get promoted this season we'll be in a better position starting the 2023 season in the Premier than we would have been for this season so it may work out for the best.
Average Points per Game over the last 3 full Seasons (21, 19, 18)
- 1st=2.32
- 2nd=1.93
- 3rd=1.66
- 4th=1.57
- 5th=1.42
- 6th=1.28
- 7th=1.19
- 8th=1.14
- 9th=0.90
- 10th=0.48
Average Points per Game so far in 2022
- Shamrock Rovers= 2.17
- Derry City= 1.78
- Dundalk= 1.82
- St. Pats= 1.56
- Sligo Rovers= 1.33
- Shelbourne= 1.41
- Bohemians= 1.30
- Drogheda United= 1.12
- Finn Harps= 0.59
- UCD= 0.47