Dont count Sligo out of that play off spot either......Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
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Dont count Sligo out of that play off spot either......Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
We look like a completely different team the last few weeks. Much more solid defensively, limiting teams to mostly not great chances. Jimmy Corcoran looks much more confident than he did at the start of the season, and we're playing some really nice passing football at times. Sometimes too much and its taking getting used to as we play it out from the back.
We're still not a great team, but a month ago I thought we had 2, maybe 3 Premier Division players (Keating, O'Brien-Whitmarsh and Honohan) but now the team as a whole are holding their own.
We're not out of it yet, and we won't keep up this form, but we're at least in the fight now.
Pats 2 up in Inchicore,Derry have been diabolical….
*And then a goal back from Derry …
Also... Bohs fans climbing out of the away section, to give it large to City fans in the Derrynane stand of all places, after their goal, only to concede immediately is one of the objectively funniest things to happen in the League of Ireland in years.
Seriously, the Derrynane is at best full of snarky fans who like to make mildly funny comments to away players as they take throw ins. Its a weird group to get upset at.
Rovers were excelent up in Sligo and well worth the 3 nil.
Sligos keeper kept the score down.
If we can win our next 3 against UCD, Bohs and Derry we will be in pole position......big ask but a big oppurtunity
Not looking forward to that trip to Tallaght in fairness...
Drogheda 1-0 up on Shels; dumps Cork back into the playoffs. Cork v Dundalk on Friday is a big game now; you'd have to have Cork as slight favourites based on recent form. That would make things even more congested in the bottom half
Pats excellent this evening,also Jamie Lennon is a sensational DM,really good….
Derry had the opportunity 8 days ago to put 4 points between themselves and Rovers. They've managed to do that, but not in the manner of a team professing to be going for a title. The quality of players at derry would lead me to think the problem is on the dugout not on the pitch.
Good win for Rovers against a sligo team with lots of injuries apparently.
On we go.
Derry gave up after Pats 1st goal. We were actually the better team before that but just seemed to give up!Quote:
Originally Posted by joey B
Well beaten.
That'd fit with PCs thoughts on there being issues with management and not a lack of ability on the pitch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Candystripe
Higgins under a bit of pressure now? I'd imagine he will get to the end of the season but that's a bad run of games. More injuries tonight as well.
Rovers were very comfortable against Sligo who were way off the levels they showed in Tallaght. Lot's of players missing for them and it was more like a training match for us in the end. 3 lovely goals to cap a nice weekend of maximum points with clean sheets. It slightly clears the head of last weeks games.
The turnaround in the cork/bohs game was something else. Delighted for the few gob****es who charged the seated Cork fans only to miss the winning goal going in.
If Rovers don’t start to pull away now, they never will. No consistency from anyone else bar a resurgent Pat’s and that won’t last.
If I was Cork, I’d stay managerless. Bucko doing something right down there.
Genuinely could have put about 8 past Derry tonight. Some going from the lads, especially with the worry going into it over all the defensive absentees.
Pats Bohs and Dundalk all with tricky away matches next weekend, Shels could be right in the battle for Europe if they beat Sligo next week in Tolka.
Boyd being back seemed to give them something of a goal threat, not just the one he scored but the distraction from other players
Maybe from some fans, but unlikely the board.Quote:
Originally Posted by ontheotherhand
He has made mistakes this season and last, and probably most concerning is the consistent failure to create chances. Leaving an isolated striker up front just isn't working. We may as well not play on, as we have done in somes games this year.
On the last run of games, it's one goal in three games. Shocking stuff, and presumably that's any pretence of league challenge gone.
Added to that, it's our biggest loss is years.
I don't even know if Pat's were that good tonight, or if it was a case of us gifting them goals.
Worried for the Bohs match in the Brandy on Friday now.
Jaysus your 4 points behind with 16 games to go....i thought Rovers fans were bad :)Quote:
Originally Posted by brendy_éire
TBF, I never thought we had any chance to begin with!Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgawa
We're definitely not as good as Shamrock Rovers, and we haven't taken advantage of any of the chances we've been given.
Rumours that Paddy McEleney has done his achilles, Dummigan his hamstring and Micky Duffy his ankle. Horrible stuff.
Not sure I’d agree you were the better team before we scored. Eoin Doyle had had an easy lob over Maher but put too much on it, Adam Murphy had squared when the finish was on, and I don’t remember Lyness having a single save tk make.Quote:
Originally Posted by Candystripe
The real difference tonight was workrate. The effort from Pats was phenomenal and I worried they’d run out of steam in the heat but in fact they finished the stronger.
The difference in Pats since earlier in the season is remarkable. It’s partly about new players finally finding their feet at last but it’s also about better tactics, better game management and clearly better motivation. Happy days.
Sounds just like a good old Dundalk injury list!!Quote:
Originally Posted by brendy_éire
Agree with all of that. I think we were the better team from the off. Especially agree about the work rate, to a man the team were phenomenal. A very satisfying night.Quote:
Originally Posted by patsdad
Finn Harps were truly dire tonight, we didn't have to get out of second gear. Their players looked like they hadn't a clue what they were at, they're a very poorly coached side. If we wanted to, we could've scored double figures tonight, but Caulfield rotated the starting eleven and cleared the bench.
We have a tough game on Friday now away to an improving Wexford team.
A real benchmark performance for Pats tonight. It’s a long time since I’ve seen a manager get that level of work rate out of a pats team. Brilliant to see, Daly is doing a lot so far to prove the doubters (myself included) totally wrong. Night and day from the 6 winless games against Derry under Clancy in which the game plan showed far too much respect to Derry and were all unbelievably defensive performances.
Forgot to mention also, Pats are absolutely flying on set pieces, that’s a 10th goal of the season from corners alone
Not too sure on Wexford given their display this evening ,very lucky to get out of the Markets Field with a point...Treaty dominated second half and passed up numerous chances with Wexford looking no better than a local junior outfit so much so Treaty were allowed to look far better than they actually are.Fair play to the 30 or so fans who travelled ,crowd around 350.Q an interview with Tommy Barrett now given he went into hiding after the Waterford drubbing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Olander
Enjoyed the game in Inchicore tonight. Thought Pats were the better team from start to finish and was overall quite disappointed with a fairly lifeless Derry team. It was odd to see Eoin Doyle shoot past the high line so often. Thought Lewis did very well for Pats at the back, which I know isn't always the view after he starts. The injury mini-crisis might have helped Daly pull a team together, in a way. Will be very interested to see where Derry go from here.
4 years??! It must have been some interview....Quote:
Originally Posted by Olander
Yup very good performance. We’re missing too many players these days and some of Russell’s signings from outside the league have not worked. Hopefully we can have some centre backs available for Friday for a start.Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgawa
He seems to be a bit of a bluffer to be honest... obviously Finn Harps have cut back significantly this year, but they're not exactly paying pennies either. They signed several players on two year deals that I wouldn't even have pegged as half decent First Division players. They looked really rudderless and disjointed tonight, they weren't able to do the basics and tactically they were all over the shop.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
They were so easy to beat, if we really wanted to, we could easily have banged in a few more goals tonight. They have a few players that have played at a decent level, but for Harps to find themselves second last after being in the Premier Division last season, irrespective of the fact that they're only 3 points off Wexford in 6th, it has to be seen as disappointing.
Rogers talks a good game, but it seems confidence and patience are wearing thin with him now. That Harps team won't get into the play-offs unless they make significant signings in July.
Pats looked on a different level to Derry last night although losing mceleney, Duffy and dumingan would test any side. If Derry lose to Bohs on Friday Derry could be 4th at the break. Seeing how the managerial changes have worked at cork and pats you'd wonder is Higgins safe. Objectively losing 4 to 1 is very poor for a side with championship ambitions. Could be harsh though as Higgins has been persecuted with injuries since day 1.Quote:
Originally Posted by cláirseach
We were getting worse and worse. We won't be anywhere near the playoffs.. Fighting with treaty for 8th I'd say. I thought this season would be a struggle but we'd at least attempt to play some football. Had a feeling we'd be naive but there would be some excitement along the way. We play worse football now than ollie's tenure. Injuries have played a part tbf.Quote:
Originally Posted by Olander
I would say the two treaty games, parts of galway home and the first half at home to Cobh have we looked like we can compete. We're lucky we got fortunate wins in Longford and wexford as we'd be cut adrift with a Kerry side that we can't beat without them
He has been really unlucky in that regard, but we don't seem to have a Plan B, other than a long ball over the top.Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgawa
Maybe even more worrying is the fact we are often boring to watch. We're not playing an exciting brand of football, and it'll affect attendances. It was partially the reason for Decky Devine being sacked the first time round.
Higgins has spent a lot of money, and will need to have closed the gap by the end of the season, or he'll be in bother.
It's probably worth noting that the change in the assistant managers may have had an impact, and, on a personal level, the loss of his brother must be incredibly hard to deal with.
Hadnt heard about his brother! Not a nice time for Higgins at all. Cant really agree with Derry not being bothered by injuries - but they did sign a player with a long term injury in Duffy and McEleney hasnt had an injury free run in a long time, just as a couple of examples of losing key players though they have the finances to have a squad that to cover and topping the league so not a vaild argument imo. Rovers just know how to keep things ticking over even if ropey themselves with suspensions.
Dont know what to make of the Harps situation. Rogers was a real possiblity for the Dundalk job under the mad men, he must not have said 'analytics' enough at that interview!! I can see why Harps gave him a punt, its the 4 year contract that is a bit baffling. What they are spending is relative, as suggested by Olander, and if there isnt incremental improvements as the season progresses ye have to worry - even kids can be organised and doesnt take years to show if coached properly.
Fair points on Harps, the table shows there's nothing between them and LTFC but Town haven't taken a pasting in any game, have been very hard to break down despite missing over 11 players through injury and having suspensions on top of that. Harps look all over the shop at times.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
Agree. Thought we were excellent and really got after Derry from the start. Last season they came to Inchicore and gave us a real hiding. Nice to see the positions reversed last night. Was concerned going into the game without Redmond and Grivosti, and potentially McCarthy as well, though he played in the end. Easily the best we’ve played this season. Daly hasn’t really put a foot wrong so far. Long may it continue. Even starting to feel optimistic about Europe again, though I think we will need Joe Redmond back for that.Quote:
Originally Posted by 2 Year Contract
Just read the interview with Higgins in the independent. Really opens up about the brothers passing. Heart goes out to him. Must be incredibly hard to do a job like his when grieving a loss like that.Quote:
Originally Posted by brendy_éire