I was thinking similar at the match. The absolute embarrassment I’d get if pats were 3-1 down at home to Bohs and then the announcer decided to let everyone know during the match that rovers were losing 2-0. Proper small time behaviour
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A declining Rovers are still the best of a poor bunch four seasons into their run says it all for me
In terms of LOI premier division it's a strange one for me on the quality. Fitness levels are the best I've ever seen, more players all over the pitch comfortable passing the ball but I see very little standout quality in attack and in defences across the division
Pats also played us off the park last season in the Presidents Cup. Last night it was really tough with Shels executing there game plan very efficiently ie park the bus, press the bejayus and lump and run. They got a lucky enough first goal but their second was as good a breakaway goal as you would see anywhere. Shels sat so deep that we could play ot out from the back with ease. Ferrugia standing start was 10 yards inside a very compressed shels half. As soon as he got the ball he was swamped with 2/3 shels players In all other games he is usually positioned well inside our half and when he receives the ball he has space and time to start a run. Much better 2nd half with Towell on. He di really well to get on the end of a cross but just did not get enough on the header. Kenny when he came on was a bit annoying giving out to more senior players at times missed a sitter header at the end to. If we are going to win this season it will be some achievement given our start. But that point gained on Bohs means its back in our hands.
Pats have had some stinkers of games, so I wouldn’t say we’ve been the best team. I also don’t agree that Clancy would have been sacked if we’d lost in Tallaght. Pats are traditionally pretty patient with managers. New goalkeeper has made a big difference I think. We’ve won every game since he came in, bar Rovers away. He needed to make some big saves last night too. To be honest I’ll take a tight competitive league with a “terrible” standard over one team absolutely romping away with it. Much more interesting. We’ve gone from 3rd bottom to second in just a couple of weeks. Great fun.
Honestly the worst refereeing performance I've ever seen. Flores red was 100% correct and I don't think he even called for a fou/advantagel and when the ball went dead gave a throw to Bohs which was correct. After the card he seemed to try to make up to Pats for missing the foul by reversing the throw in decision to give it to Pats? Pats got away with plenty of cynical fouls without a card and Bohs got away with a few mistimed ones as well. I know refs are human and will make mistakes but there has to be a limit to how many mistakes are acceptable. Even Pats sending off was a bit dubious. He had let other pats players away with similar fouls for both cards a few times but decided to try to stamp his authority in added time? Just nonsense.
Overall can't complain about the result. Defense was poor all night especially Radkowski who had his worst game all season. Talbot and Bucko both need to be dropped for a while as neither are up to their normal level and holding the team back. Hopefully Devine has the guts to do what is necessary as a midfield with Clarke, Coote(when he's back fit) and McDonnell would be full of energy and each play actually able to add an attacking threat. Up front Afolabi and Williams both need to start. Williams is adding the goals that Afolabi isn't and Afolabi can do very well linking up/ wining headers/ holding up the ball that Williams just isn't physically able to do.
Clarke was a revelation deeper in midfield last night. We're a bit spoilt for choice in that position this season but hopefully Clarke gets a bit of a run in there with Flores out for a while now.
Thought John O'Sullivan looked terrible when he came off the bench and slowed all our attacking play down when the ball went near him. He really should've been one of the lads released over the winter, don't see what he brings to the team.
https://twitter.com/zopolite/status/1646969741142118427
That's their COO to the left of the tunnel taking control of the remote controlled "bus" and driving it into the referees legs after the ref decided not to let the "bus" take the ball out. Completely normal stuff.
Ah stop, between the mini bus pettiness, the rovers scoreline announcement and their fans pleas for the game to be abandoned at half time because they were getting battered (see below), it really was a night to forget for ‘the big club’
https://twitter.com/mcdonnelldan/sta...126166568?s=46
I almost miss the standard of refereeing in the Premier Division when you see the shambles of a standard of refereeing in the First Division.
Ryan Flood on the edge of the box about to have a shot...referee calls back says no advantage.
Daniel Okwute called offside on the halfway line. Treaty lad sets the ball down 6 yards into the Harps half, ref, linesman and 4th official all say nothing despite protests from Harps. You cannot be offside in your own half..not sure why they can get a free inside the Harps half in this case.
Several other just completely bonkers calls from the ref through the game. It's almost as if they just don't know the rules sometimes.
Actually you can get a free for offside inside the opposition half (as Paul Osam pointed out to me in Cobh one time when I had the exact complaint you did)
It happens when a player was in an offside position when the ball was played, but the free is awarded where the player received the ball or otherwise interfered with play, which can be in his own half (having retreated from an offside position)
It's clearly called out in the Laws of the Game - https://www.thefa.com/football-rules...w-11---offside
Quote:
If an offside offence occurs, the referee awards an indirect free kick where the offence occurred, including if it is in the player’s own half of the field of play
Tis a mad mad league this season. Almost anyone can get a result on the day against each other.
Are Dundalk in the relegation picture? They dont look very good anyway.....
Too early to say that I think when any win seems to lift you halfway up the table.
But certainly five defeats in a row would have to be a worry. Especially with a Euro campaign coming up.
Hoban not making any impression this season?
It's too tight in the middle of the division at this early stage of the season before things start to flesh out after the mid-way point
Even if Dundalk lose today their next 5 fixtures may be the against the 5 weakest sides in the division. Pats and Tim Clancy best example of this a few weeks ago 'struggling' then they had UCD, Cork, Drogheda in their 3 games and now in 3rd spot things all great again for them before the next bad run comes up
Dundalk are grand lads,in the European mix :D :D
Two goals in a minute and Dundalk are a point off third and Derry are the ones on a losing run
Really surprised to read the bit about the goalkeeping. Talbot was poor again tonight, was poor against rovers and has looked jittery the few games I've seen this season. Even in the warm-up vs Rovers he looked dodgy. I'd be on the verge of dropping him to be honest.