Originally Posted by
Nesta99
Rovers will absolutely be fine, there is no doubt about that. Maybe complacency isnt exactly the right word but the longer an unbeaten run continues the greater the expectation that it will come to an end, usually just as a result is simply expected. As you say a loss or 2 is the motivation to reset and kick on 2nd half of the season. The timing of a defeat can be handy if its coming in to the run in and players knuckle down. Graft is one part of it but making sure the right things, the basics done well, like putting the ball in the net. How different things would look for Dundalk with 'luck' in front of goal, from Tallaght 1st round to Harps last week. Graft I dont think was an issue more than lacking in confidence made everything slow and laboured and then missing sitters too, shots off the woodwork ala Burke is unlucky with the fine margins but Greene's missed header was almost criminal waste - in Europe that could be €100k's worth of a miss.
Apart from the overall better cohesion in Dundalk's play it was good to see some proactive if slow changes made to limit Rovers easy raiding down the right wing. Gannon is a loss playing a flat back four when you consider that danger 1st half. Kelly being pushed on to use his pace so central defenders were reluctant to push on and throttle never mind squeeze the short ball out from the back. There was a mixing up of that too and no harm where the keeper went long sometimes and not strictly rolled out every time and I think it helped take the squeeze off for when it was played short. Dundalk did press better as a front 3 unit and it disrupted things enough. We did ride our luck obviously with Rovers close misses but weve had plenty of our own so some balancing out there. Important now to kick on, poor timing of the break possibly for us if we string back to back wins together, though will help with getting injuries sorted.
