St. Pats V Rovers - Game 1 (3-1)

Can't wait for the season to start, a very tough opener but you never know what could happen. we all went to galway last season for the first came thinking the worst and we got a good win. it'll be much tougher friday night but no reason why we cant get a result it the lads stand up and give their best. imo st. pats have maybe strengtened their squad better than any other club, o'cearuill is an u21 international, and have another 5 new signings, they'll be looking to impress the home crowd. they usually start well in a season and fade away, lets hope they dont start just as good this year. id be thrilled with a point personally.
will be interesting to see wheteher we go with jennings or brush for a start, id go with brushy myself but that probably because we know him and know he's reliable enough in the nets.
back four id imagine could be murphy or raff right back, butler left back and mckenzie with almeida in the middle, i think butler had a knock during the week in training.
midfield cash, murphy ir raff on the right depending on who plays right back really, ogrady and id say moore or boco in the middle, doherty on the left and then faz alongside either judge or boco
a big pity the 3 lads are suspended, 2 of our best players included in that, and ventre would possibly be starting aswell.

i'll go with 1-1 with doherty to score :cool:

2-0(anto,boco) to score

Id put Feeney centre half instead of Almeida and have O Grady in a very defensive role,Brush no.1 and Faz and Rommy up top.Wherever Anto is he will be well up for it

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Originally Posted by deecay

Id put Feeney centre half instead of Almeida and have O Grady in a very defensive role,Brush no.1 and Faz and Rommy up top.Wherever Anto is he will be well up for it

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i just think judgy has so much football in him i wouldnt leave him out. he created alot last night scored a top class goal aswell, even his finish against harps was brilliant, for the dissalowed goal.
i think he gets too much stick from some sections

Brush

Bulter
Almeida
McKenzie
Murphy

Doherty
O'Grady
Moore
Cretaro

Judge
Boco

Cash to make impact as a sub, 2-2 draw.

I have a feeling we're gonna shock a few people in this match. I could see us sneaking away with a win against an un suspecting Pats team, but a draw is more likely.

1-0 or 1-1.

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Originally Posted by sligoman

Brush

Bulter
Almeida
McKenzie
Murphy

Doherty
O'Grady
Moore
Cretaro

Judge
Boco

Cash to make impact as a sub, 2-2 draw.

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you'll have to get over this faz thing

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Originally Posted by feo123

you'll have to get over this faz thing

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Do I? He hasn't impressed in pre-season imo and also, he doesn't want to be here. Besides I think himself and Boco are similar enough so no point having 2 of the same, Judge is different so he can work better with Boco, who looks a lot better than Faz.

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Originally Posted by sligoman

Do I? He hasn't impressed in pre-season imo and also, he doesn't want to be here. Besides I think himself and Boco are similar enough so no point having 2 of the same, Judge is different so he can work better with Boco, who looks a lot better than Faz.

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faz is still one of our best players no matter what went on in the off season

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Originally Posted by feo123

faz is still one of our best players no matter what went on in the off season

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We'll see;).

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Originally Posted by sligoman

We'll see;).

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yeah, we will!

Whatever about people not liking Faz, i reckon Judge would work better along side Boco up front, than Faz.

feck it lads stick the three of them in together, with ogrady in a defensive midfield role. I'd be fairly sure that the team which started against athlone will start against pats cos seamie,peers and ventre weren't on the bench. I'd rather have butler and brush in there if they are fit and if brush is fit he will start cos cookie said it at the Q&A a few weeks ago.

I can't wait for this game though.I dunno how we will do but I'd be delighted with a draw, lads we have improved greatly but pats do have an excellent team and we will miss peers and coleman badly. Prediction: 1-1 draw, faz to equalize in the 62nd minute!!

Boco and Judgy seemed to suit each other when moving the ball into the box.

Some neat close foot work look impressive.

However, this is going to be a very strong Pat's team. I'm surprised they signed O’Cearuill, this lad is talented and will perform well in the Eircom league.

Rommy is a bigger signing than this O Cearuill lad, sounds like another Mansaram to me.

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Originally Posted by Rovers1

Rommy is a bigger signing than this O Cearuill lad, sounds like another Mansaram to me.

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touché!!!!!!!!!!
;):D;)


The only time I saw O’Cearuill play was in the states with the Rep. But he has been getting great write up's in the press over the last number of years.

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Originally Posted by Rovers1

Rommy is a bigger signing than this O Cearuill lad, sounds like another Mansaram to me.

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Except O’Cearuill is a defender;)

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Originally Posted by sligoman

Except O’Cearuill is a defender;)

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yeah i know, but he just sounds like the kind of player who is only using LOI to get back to England....hope he gets stuck here too like Darren!!! :D:D

i was talking to seamie before the game and he said they werent playing cause they are banned for the pats game

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Originally Posted by Rovers1

yeah i know, but he just sounds like the kind of player who is only using LOI to get back to England

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Hehad a contract in England, and we paid a transfer fee for him. The LOI wasn't his last resort

o'cearuil will be a great addition to pats, i was suprised to see him coming to them, thought he might have moved up a notch in england

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Originally Posted by sligoman

Brush

Bulter
Almeida
McKenzie
Murphy

Doherty
O'Grady
Moore
Cretaro

Judge
Boco

Cash to make impact as a sub, 2-2 draw.

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Not a clue!

hard to select the first 11, which is a good thing, shows we have a good squad.I'd probbaly go with

Jennings (simply because Brush has very little match practice)
Ralph
Almeida
Butler
Murphy

Doherty
O'Grady
Moore
Faz

Boca
Judge

I think Cookie will go with the same team that started the Athlone game

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Originally Posted by gustavo

I think Cookie will go with the same team that started the Athlone game

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well it all starts on friday for cookie. It's his team now - a point on friday would be good. need to get off to a good start considering how the form dropped away in the last 9 games of last season (for a host of reasons). going to be a scrap this season so need to stay away from it all at the bottom. looking forward to friday !!!

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Originally Posted by akearins

hard to select the first 11, which is a good thing, shows we have a good squad.I'd probbaly go with

Jennings (simply because Brush has very little match practice)
Ralph
Almeida
Butler
Murphy

Doherty
O'Grady
Moore
Faz

Boca
Judge

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You couldnt leave your top scorer from last season in midfield, i would start Faz up front and play Boco behind him and leave grady fit in front of the back four and drop judge for this away game and play five across the middle as pats are very creative in this department. i agree with Jennings aswell, was impressed with him on Saturday nite. we all know what Brush is capable of so lets see if Jennings is up to it.

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Originally Posted by villarover

lets see if Jennings is up to it.

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I think he's already proved he's not, last season. If Jennings starts this we will definitely lose.

don't know if its just me but ye seem to rate this Butler fella good enough to make the starting eleven.Now I have only seen him play once.That was against Harps.Didnt look up to it, imo.I think he will at least pickup a yeelow card a game.Raph looked far more comfortsble playing there at left back against Athlone.

Brush

Anto
Feeney
McKenzie
Bulter

Cash
O'Grady
Moore
Doherty

Judge/Faz
Boco

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Originally Posted by Shiba

don't know if its just me but ye seem to rate this Butler fella good enough to make the starting eleven.Now I have only seen him play once.That was against Harps.Didnt look up to it, imo.I think he will at least pickup a yeelow card a game.Raph looked far more comfortsble playing there at left back against Athlone.

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With all new signings they have to be giving time, in fairness not alone are they just after joining a new club but also a new league and prob not knowing nothing about it, it would take at least until the second series of games are played until you make your mind up on a player, then at least they have came up against the same winger/striker twice then and have a far better idea how to play them or handle them. These are young lads coming to a different country and hopefully trying there best for the club and develop as a player, and its my view that we give them all the help we can from the sidelines.

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Originally Posted by sligoman

I think he's already proved he's not, last season. If Jennings starts this we will definitely lose.

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Last season in fairness he was at another club and another back four in front of him which has alot to do with a keeper confidence. This move could be the making of him!

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Originally Posted by deecay

Brush

Anto
Feeney
McKenzie
Bulter

Cash
O'Grady
Moore
Doherty

Judge/Faz
Boco

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there is no question that faz is an automatic. you cannot drop your best player.... despite sligomans reservations/muleish tendencies. put him in midfield ahead of cash moore doherty or even o grady at a last resort. creativity is our shortfall not application(of which faz has improved immensely).
watch berbatov at spurs... fergie admires his qualities(like cantona) .
some fans dont like his attitude but no genuine spurs fan wants him out of the team. get over the form of two seasons ago(connor played him as a defensive midfielder)... as far as im concerned he gives his all for rovers every time.
its the sign of a great player if drogs (champions) will pay the highest ever transfer fee for a rovers player to secure his services ... and some begrudgers question his first team place with rovers. thats ridiculous.

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Originally Posted by sligored

thats ridiculous.

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No it's opinion, get over it! Faz has shown he's not commited and hasn't impressed me in pre-season, simple as that. That's just me, I'm not the one picking the team...though neither are any of ye.

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Originally Posted by sligored

its the sign of a great player if drogs (champions) will pay the highest ever transfer fee for a rovers player to secure his services ... and some begrudgers question his first team place with rovers. thats ridiculous.

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is this correct?

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Originally Posted by Sligored
there is no question that faz is an automatic. you cannot drop your best player.... despite sligomans reservations/muleish tendencies. put him in midfield ahead of cash moore doherty or even o grady at a last resort. creativity is our shortfall not application(of which faz has improved immensely).

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100% Correct

i think people are entitled to have concerns over faz and his selection in light of his transfer request and at the beginning i thought we should sell him rather that let him go for nothing and risk having him for a season where he puts in uncommittted performances, however as someone pointed out he is a professional footballer and if he has ambitions of moving on he should want to maintain his standards from last season and impress other clubs, Think we have to give him the benefit of the doubt and hope he plays to his potential, should have a clearer idea of this after first few games ,
with regards to the game itself against pats am really looking forward to it, have a sneaky feeling we could get a decent result- am going with a 1-1 draw

I think he hasnt preformed over the 4 games ive seen him,he was losing the head when things didnt go right for him in some of thses games,he handed in a request after being threated so well by Cook.Id ease him back in

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Originally Posted by Redie

100% Correct

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No, I meant that Faz would be our most expensive player sold if we were to sell him to Drogs for 40K

Good Eircom league pullout in the Sun today. Interview with Mr Boco......

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Originally Posted by akearins

hard to select the first 11, which is a good thing, shows we have a good squad.I'd probbaly go with

Jennings (simply because Brush has very little match practice)
Ralph
Almeida
Butler
Murphy

Doherty
O'Grady
Moore
Faz

Boca
Judge

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First 11 picks itself alright for Friday due to the suspensions in the back 4.

Not much on the bench attacking wise though IMO again this season.

I feel we have a good 16-18 players when all available though, overall a better panel than last year.

Hopefully the injuries and suspensions dont come too thick and fast.

Where is that Witch Doctors number again......