Originally Posted by
Nesta99
I can see why Long employed such tactics and it wouldnt be so much timewasting, until the last 20mins or so, than trying to keep it scrappy. There are few better teams than Rovers when they build up a head of steam and start playing and the tend to have to play their way in to a game rather straight out of the traps.
Conversely in previous seasons they looked more vulnerable in an attritional game. All teams thrive on confidence of course but it seemed more so with Rovers among title challengers of recent, the heads went down quickly especially in the Dublin Derby, so break up their rhythm at every opportunity, get under the skin doing so and its a bit of a leveller. It's something to get used to as teams seeing Rovers improvement will go in to games to spoil rather than play and hence play to Rovers strengths. Last season teams probably thought that it was possible to nick points v Rovers, this season its about containment. Its frustrating to have teams set up to park the bus, spoil, break game momentum, be physical etc. its a literal hard grind at the expense of game quality, its a backhand compliment also though.