QuoteEnjoy the silence in here today🤫
Debate over.Originally Posted by ontheotherhand
Enjoy the silence in here today🤫
Just reading from a match report that Dundalk were so short on defenders that they had to shift Leahy into centre back and Benson to left back during the game. If they’re that short defensively why on earth did they send Mayowa Animashun out on loan about a week ago?
Paaatrick's Agletic
Ended up only seeing the first 10 minutes so was a tad surprised when I got a chance to check in on scores and were 2-0. Bright opening but seems after that its was Rovers picking their punches. Connolly was always the big loss for us but to have Boyle out also and you have very little to work with. It could well be why S[OD did try to push so high as he knew we were sitting ducks at the back no matter so at least try to be effective in attack. We could have tried shutting up shop and hitting on the break but again after Rovers schedule I can see why it was tempting to try and out press rovers and any flatness in energy. Value of hindsight - should have played like a team away from home, keep it compact, keep the ball whenever possible. and then use the last 10-15 minutes to up the tempo hoping for some tired legs. Goals give teams a 2nd (or 3rd) wind. Not unexpected not to get 3 points so it was as much as a free hit as you get - the only people that can beat rovers to the title are themselves and would be a hell of an implosion now. Dundalk cannot let it get to them in any way or lose sight that it is a work in progress that is further along the curve than anyone could have hoped, keep the head and secure Europe and its still job done. Bit if a cup run would be nice just to add some interest to the season with the league all but secured by rovers.
Last edited by Nesta99; 22/08/2022 at 5:57 PM.
Pleaseee please take us with yiz!
I never liked that ball possession % stat rubbish, we had over 60% last night and failed to do the only two stats worth talking about in football, putting the ball in the net and keeping it out the other end!
Can have no argument over the defeat, Rovers were just ruthless on the counter, 3 goals scored by that method and game over well before HT.
I didn't buy into the league winning chances nonsense, we are probably a year ahead of redevelopment on the pitch, the goal at the start of the year was to get back into europe, this summer was the first non qualification after 8 consecutive campaigns, and its badly missed, we are on track to finish top 3, that will be a great turnaround.
On the match itself, I knew we would be in trouble with lack of central defensive cover and it showed, Boyle was a huge miss, frustrating Gartland still injured, but 'thems' the breaks, onwards and upwards.
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), first Irish club to win points in a group stage in Europe (2016).
Just looking at the highlights and 2 shocking decisions from Neil Doyle in the Shels/Bohs game,never a red card for Shels and never a pen for Shels either,
we got a penalty in our game that never was either in a generally all round poor performance from Rob Hennessy aswell......
Irish by birth ,Harps by the grace of god.
Regarding stats you are 100% correct. LOL. I played for a team in Belfast and drew higher opposition in a cup game and won 1-0. The papers were interviewing our manager when a supporter from the other side shouted "the best team lost, you only had the ball for 2 minutes and scored" our manager replied "just imagine if we had it for 6 or 8 minutes" the other guy dropped his head and took the walk of shame. POINT.
The only stay that counts is who put the ball in the net most times.
Rovers normally dominate possession at home the reason Dundalk dominated it in this match was Bradley had targeted the Dundalk highline.
We were giving the ball away regularly hoofing it down the wings knowing that the pace we had and Dundalk didn't would result in chances.
All 3 goals came from us turning the ball over and hoofing it down the wing.
I couldn't believe the way SOD had Dundalk set up and kept waiting for him to change.
When did Dundalk start playing like this or was this a one off?
I dont think there is a set tactic of sitting very high the earlier rounds. Against Derry Sheppard had to a bit of sweeping and getting the head on a couple of long balls by Derry that were dropping just outside the box. So tbh it will only become clear over coming games if there is a notable shift in defensive setup. Its possible with the forced changed at the back but S'OD doesnt seem like a coach that stubbornly sticks to a set formula - its one of the few criticisms of Kenny was that he was like clockwork with changing things that werent working only making changes 70+ minute mark.
Sunday night was not Dundalk's night and it doesn't take an expert to figure out what happened.
Considering what happened with us last year i think its safe to assume that we'll be back challenging at the top of league next year and we prob have a good FAI Cup run left in us.
Fair play to Sham Rvrs,they done us,picked us apart, focussed on our weakness but we'll be back and we're looking good for the future.
If we get Europe it'll be the start of a HUGE revival.
Last edited by ToberonaTornado; 24/08/2022 at 2:49 AM.
Don't disagree with any of that.
Sunday was not SOD finest hour but that was one match in what has been a super first season. If u can hang on to some of the loan signings it would make bringing the squad forward easier. I can't see you not making Europe as while Pats and derry could make it past you even 4th will almost certainly be enough.
It was an interesting game. Bradley showed that he's still a ways ahead of SOD in terms of game mgmt. Holding Towell back from the free hit in Europe so he was fully fresh for Sunday shows exactly why Rovers supporters rate him even if others don't. He gets it and the team were fully ready and prepared to focus on the game that mattered most.
Dundalk looked like they were missing 3-4 players, which they were. They'll only need a few additions to mount a proper challenge. Definitely a pacy centre half and a bit more threat out wide. A cup run wouldn't shock me for them.
Last edited by ontheotherhand; 24/08/2022 at 4:47 AM.
21 leagues and 25 cups.
Yep, and everyone was saying the same thing in the stands too. Even from a distance away you could see both decisions were terrible. And the highlights prove it.
Maybe he even knew itself and felt he had to even things up with the pen.
I think thats been an issue that needs fixing for a while now. I'm struggling to think of the last central defender that you could really consider to have had pace. What we were good at, going back a good few years, was the full-backs drifting across and ready to cover, Gannon was exceptionally good at anticipating those moments and to be such an attacking threat also, well I can see why he struggled to adapt to a wing back when a back 3 was played but then found his feet at Rovers again on the right side of the central 3. Hoare had decent pace now that I think of it, but maybe that was beside Garts lol. Massey also read the game very well so a lack of pace in the centre wasnt killing us.
Tactics aside, when you do lack pace at the back like on Sunday, you just cant have full backs bombing on, even with a keeper like Sheppard who is mobile and confident enough to so some sweeping (and not look like he was going to clatter someone ala Gary Rogers), Leahy looked decent the few times he slotted in at centreback covering injuries/suspensions under Perth x2. Had wondered if he was an option if stuck(?).
On the Derry game in Oriel, the ball over the top did cause problems, turning defenders on a high line, little pace, and the keeper having to take control outside of the box a number of times - where Derry were disjointed was neither pressing those balls or even the keeper and they rarely got to a 2nd ball, flatfooted - maybe why their season has drifted?. Rovers by comparison knew what they were at, wasnt pretty, very effective, sit back, pounce on a bad ball, punish, rinse and repeat and then take it handy. It was textbook stuff couple of days after a European away leg and I'm not the first to call Bradley precise on his tactics but credit where its due. Why we didnt change it up quicker is a bit baffling bar that there just wasnt much of a choice other than stick and hope for a way back in which would have been luck or calamity moment and there wasnt enough pressure on for that to happen.
Anyways, cup weekend which I think is a good time for Dundalk to get a break from looking over the shoulders in the league, unless of course Wexford upset the bookies.
Last edited by Nesta99; 24/08/2022 at 11:50 PM.
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