Thought Flores' effort was awful too - great position and he had a really wild swing at it. It's not that he missed, it's how much he missed by.
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Thought Flores' effort was awful too - great position and he had a really wild swing at it. It's not that he missed, it's how much he missed by.
He's bugging the hell out of me with the 'Dundalk are actually doing well here' etc. It is exactly as you say, patronising stuff. Interesting to see attacking options different from the usual. I have to say Im a bit surprised if the owners really are good with targeting the cup rather than additional EL money. It would be a big positive if they are fully behind that thinking.
Its possibly the worst of the EL performances, all over the place defensively to the point of embaressing at times...nobody taking control then a bunch try to take control and Garts nearly takes Rogers head off. Again not having that real clinical trait that ye come up against in Europe. Slightly overhit passes, rush of blood rather than composure by Flores. Only so often you can say 'a bit of luck' or break of the ball and the picture would be different. The usual bits of good stuff and bit bad. Stringing the good bits together over a full game with no self imploding is still elusive and have that 'complete performance'. Next season!!
I hope of the pro licence course they say that zonal marking is bad!
That's one of the worst misses I've ever seen. Must be close to a 1 on the old expected goals chart!
Edit - actually, Infogol is roughly live, and it is pretty much a 1 on the expected goals. Current expected score is 2.88-0.17.
If Mceleneyor duffy get injured now i dont get it at all
Bring 3 players on when the game is lost with a cup final on Sunday. Another goal conceded from a cross or corner.
Great goal from Flores there at the death to put a bit of a sheen on the scoreline, but that was probably the weakest performance of the group so far to be honest. Could easily have been 4 or 5; the Hoare handball looked a clear penalty (especially under the current rules). You'd worry about Arsenal next week - last match of a strange season while Arsenal are only getting up and running in their season.
Still the alternative is not to have qualified, so can't complain too much!
When he hit a shot that was deflected wide just prior, I was thinking 'didnt know he was still on the pitch' then hits another scorcher. Its what he can do, has the ability to be a lot more influencial but Ive also heard that he thinks a lot of his own footballing ability so will he be here next season? He is still really still on the road to recovery after a car accident and reoccuring injuries so he could probably do with another season before he starts courting Real Madrid. The goal reel might nab him a contract at an Aberdeen though
Not sure of the figures for this season, but last season you got €190k for each draw in the EL Group stage, or €570k for a win. This is over and above any prize money for getting as far as the Group, and the €2.92m Base Fee once you get there:
https://www.sportekz.com/football/ue...e-prize-money/
Though it gives me no pleasure to note that this season, Dundalk are the first team ever to have suffered five losses in an EL Group, with their final game likely to make it six.
That's really what Im getting at. All the talk, team selection etc has been that the cup final on Sunday is the main priority but would be worth a lot less financially than picking up a result tonight. If the owners are on the same page with a trophy trumping a possible 500k well its a positive. As for the EL group results, we were in bonus territory getting through a round considering the state we were in, so to get to group stages - well points and money are good but there was no humiliation and we can only look at the positives of getting there I feel.
Cup Final, qualify for europe, and EL groups stages - not too shabby for a Milanese summer camp coach without a badge!
Rovers rewriting history again??;)
As did Slovan Bratislava in 2014.
And I think Dudelange lost 5 out of 5 and drew their sixth game in 2017.
Ludogorets and Gent also have no points this year. I'm sure lots of teams have lost all group games.
Cup Final, qualify for europe, and EL groups stages - not too shabby for a Milanese summer camp coach without a badge!
Rovers rewriting history again??;)[/QUOTE]
Rovers don’t rewrite history we make it😜
For the record, this is the full list of clubs who have scored no points in a group campaign in the Europa League/UEFA Cup. The UEFA Cup is 2008/09 and back and had five teams, each playing each other once home or away for four games, so it wouldn't come under Ealing Green's stat of "first club to lose five games in the groups", but it's the same tournament effectively, so I've included them here for info. It'd probably also balance out the fact that I've not included sides who lost five games and then won or drew the other.
Four teams have lost all six EL group games, with three others on 5/5 this year. Grasshoppers lost 4/4 two years in a row.
I think it has to be accepted too that Dundalk are surely one of the weakest teams to reach the group stages, having benefitted from a really fortuitous draw. To be honest, last night aside, I thought they've acquitted themselves better than I had expected.
Code:Team Country Year P W D L F A GD Pts
Grasshopper Zurich Switzerland 2005/06 4 0 0 4 3 7 -4 0
Utrecht Holland 2004/05 4 0 0 4 2 7 -5 0
Larissa Greece 2007/08 4 0 0 4 4 10 -6 0
Ludogorets Razgrad Bulgaria 2020/21 5 0 0 5 6 13 -7 0
Metalist Kharkiv Ukraine 2014/15 6 0 0 6 3 10 -7 0
Red Star Belgrade Serbia 2007/08 4 0 0 4 2 9 -7 0
Partizan Belgrade Serbia 2008/09 4 0 0 4 1 8 -7 0
AEK Athens Greece 2004/05 4 0 0 4 4 12 -8 0
Gent Belgium 2020/21 5 0 0 5 3 11 -8 0
Austria Wien Austria 2006/07 4 0 0 4 1 9 -8 0
Maccabi Petah Tikva Israel 2005/06 4 0 0 4 1 9 -8 0
Dundalk Ireland 2020/21 5 0 0 5 6 15 -9 0
Gabala Azerbaijan 2016/17 6 0 0 6 5 14 -9 0
Feyernoord Holland 2008/09 4 0 0 4 1 10 -9 0
Rennes France 2005/06 4 0 0 4 1 10 -9 0
Heerenveen Holland 2008/09 4 0 0 4 3 13 -10 0
Dinamo Tbilisi Georgia 2004/05 4 0 0 4 2 13 -11 0
Halmstad Sweden 2005/06 4 0 0 4 1 12 -11 0
Grasshopper Zurich Switzerland 2006/07 4 0 0 4 3 15 -12 0
Amica Wronki Poland 2004/05 4 0 0 4 3 16 -13 0
Beveren Belgium 2004/05 4 0 0 4 2 15 -13 0
Shamrock Rovers Ireland 2011/12 6 0 0 6 4 19 -15 0
Slovan Bratislava Slovakia 2014/15 6 0 0 6 1 20 -19 0
The win / draw bonus of 570k / 190K for this Dundalk team was of course availabe but apart from first half home to Molde / second half home to Rapid and good spells of the away game also to Rapid, this was never in scope. In those 3 games, maybe there was a chance to have gone for the bonus, but very poor mistakes and beaten by far better quality, notwithstanding this is the 2020 team and not 2016, all put paid to that little dream.
I think on reflection, Dundalk were quite fortunate to make the EL group stage, granted two away trips on the trot before (3 if you count CL in Hungary), and a great display away in Moldova too, however you would have thought over two legs that the likes of Sherrif would have found a way past to qualify. Equally meeting the Faroes in the play off was an unbelievable stroke of luck, as was it for them to have got a 3-0 walkover v Slovan, and maybe also that 5-1 win v a Covid ravaged Tblisi side, throw in Andorra away, and it was almost as if every door was opening.
The doors kept firmly closed for the group stage mind, last night was no more than a training game for Molde, some really dreadful displays, Hoare will have done himself no favours to get a contract at DFC or anywhere with that type of effort. The other two central defenders hardly won any headers all night, well maybe Gartland did. I think Sloggett was also very poor in MF, Flores just ok, this meant Molde had a free run, but what a strike at the end to finish the match at least with a tiny bit of light. Have to say though, there was little enthusaism locally for the game, most eyes were on hoping for lesser side to be picked, and no injuries, all focus on the cup final really.
With no fans being allowed in, and no trip to Arsenal away or the wonderful city of Vienna for example, there will be little memories of the 2020 euro season for Dundalk fans, and we certainly did look to be the weakest side of 2020 in it. Still the owners will still pick up the €2.92 base fee though and the monies earned before this stage, so the bank balance will be boosted, what they leave in to fund the football side of things for 2021 will be interesting.
Looking at a probable loss for Dundalk to Arsenal next week, it will mean LOI sides have played 18 matches in the Europa League group stages and lost 16 of them. We're just not good enough unfortunately. I presume (I've found it incomprehensible and baffling trying to research this) that from next season Irish clubs will end up - if they qualify at all - in the Europa Conference League, and that will be more our level.
I've enjoyed watching Dundalk's adventures in Europe this season. The games have been entertaining with lots of goals, and they haven't been humiliated. And to see Irish clubs play in 'proper' stadiums is a bit of a thrill.
Also - Flores' goal last night was breathtaking.
The path next year is simple enough.
Rovers
If Rovers win there first CL round they are guaranteed 3 more rounds
If they win CL1 then they go to CL 2nd qualifying round (if lose that) they go to EL 3rd Qualifying (if lose that) they go to ECL playoff round
So provided they win their first round match they will have 3 more rounds and if they win one of those 3 they would be guaranteed Group stages as instead of dropping into the ECL 3rd qualifying round they would finish in group stages of the ECL .
If they lose their first round CL match they drop into the ECL and no champions path (which they would have in the EL if they win their first CL round).Bottom line winning the first match is HUGE as it guarantees 3 more rounds and a champions path (which we saw with DFC this year can work out well).
Seeding is questionable but not impossible for CL1 for Rovers
Boh's , Dundalk, Sligo straight into ECL.
Above sounds spot on sbgawa, but I`m sure I looked earlier in the year, and its almost certain that Rovers will be unseeded for CL R1 in 2021.
I think Dundalk will be the only one seeded next season, with a cooefficient of around 8.0.