Sligo Rovers V Dundalk

**avvenalaf** · 09/08/2009, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by lowroadrover

wasn't there last night but from the comments its the same old problems,a dodge defence for various reasons thats put under pressure by a centre midfield thats just not there . they aren't challenging, giving the ball away and playing way too deep. We are now in real trouble.

Yeah, the main problem is central midfield and I'll say what everyone on the forum is skirting around saying - Conor O'Grady should be dropped. As Freddie Sheppard said when he sacked Sir Bobby Robson, I feel like I've just shot Bambi.

**rovers100%** · 09/08/2009, 10:41 AM

your right he should be but with 8 signings we still have no one to replace him. richie and connor are not good enough and mcgrath remains to be judged as new but who else do ya put in for a bit of bite. face it we have no one !! ventre flopped there against bohs as deegan ploughed through him several times. i still think cook is to blame. at 3-1 or even 3-2 that midfield was crying out for a fifth man and i said it to fella beside me and when 4-3 he finally seen my point. cook was niave !!!!!! now o still think he is brill manager but latel some decissions puzzle me. i suppose he is still lerning his trade in fairness

**srfc1928** · 09/08/2009, 11:01 AM

At 3-2 we sh1t ourselves, you could see it comming.
We definetly lost it in the middle of the park,
having said that the critisim of O'Grady is a bit harsh,
hes been in their all season with someone different every other game.
weve never really replaced Turner or Hughes

**rovers100%** · 09/08/2009, 11:13 AM

pity we didnt get turner before connors he was awesome last nite, himself and deegan best 2 central midfielders i have seen this season

**dong** · 09/08/2009, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by avvenalaf

Yeah, the main problem is central midfield and I'll say what everyone on the forum is skirting around saying - Conor O'Grady should be dropped. As Freddie Sheppard said when he sacked Sir Bobby Robson, I feel like I've just shot Bambi.

If O'Grady should be dropped then why did we buy McGrath because he's worse than O'Grady on last night's performance? Constantly getting caught on the ball, giving it away and not being arsed to tackle.
I'm honestly baffled by any praise he's getting on here after last night. O'Grady can still hold his own I think but he needs somebody better in there. Maybe it is time to let Boco in.

**rovers100%** · 09/08/2009, 11:28 AM

i dont think boco would solve it we need power and a tackler who is gonna bite at the midfield and boco wont do that and neither is connor. connor does a lot of closing down and chasing but very little putting the foot in. when is the last time ya seen connor putting in a danny ventre style tackle !!!

**dong** · 09/08/2009, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by rovers100%

i dont think boco would solve it we need power and a tackler who is gonna bite at the midfield and boco wont do that and neither is connor. connor does a lot of closing down and chasing but very little putting the foot in. when is the last time ya seen connor putting in a danny ventre style tackle !!!

Well then, as you said in an earlier post, even after bringing in 8 players we have nobody else so it will have to wait til next season and we'll muddle on.
What a mess!

**rovers100%** · 09/08/2009, 11:45 AM

exactly cook brought in more attacking players than anything else and we need a bit of steel now and wont get it. cook needs to redeem himself because against galway he was outdone tactically and last nite he couldnt see what everyone else could. turner was running the show !!!

**showgies** · 09/08/2009, 1:39 PM

It was a weird game. I actually thought we played reasonably well. Up until they scored their 2nd goal it looked like it was Dundalk who had the make-shift centre halves. Blinkhorn and Raff caused them loads of trouble, and for once our deliveries into the box were also causing problems.

I agree that Turner bossed and bullied Conor (sometimes illegally with elbows and trailing legs (a good but nasty little player)) - it will be interesting to see who Cook chooses in the middle of the park on Tuesday. I would be surprised to see Danny and Richie both get the nod!!

Whoever is in there, we need to stop the opposition from having straight strikes on goal. Last night we were unlucky that each strike was a sweet one. Ironically just before Turners winner, Kendrick had a pop which almost disturbed the sleeping crows in the Nazareth House trees.

I still believe that if we can learn to keep a tight defence, we will stay up, as going forward we look dangerous. With Boco & Kendrick getting forward so much there is a real need for someone to hold back in the middle and act as a third defender on break outs - who this man is Cook will have to decide.

**rovers100%** · 09/08/2009, 1:51 PM

this is cooks ime to shine as he will be judged on how he fairs from here. we need to learn how to win ugly as opposed to losing beautifully. we need to be mean bastrds and tackle hard. we are getting no luck but how many big teams said that and were relegated (leeds,forest,newcastle,shams,shels). its a hard time to be a rovers fan cos i believe we are better than galway,bray,drogheds,dundalk and pats. we just need to get a bit of confidence in the back four again and hopefully peers and camano will tighten things up

**roversforever** · 09/08/2009, 1:53 PM

Originally Posted by avvenalaf

Yeah, the main problem is central midfield and I'll say what everyone on the forum is skirting around saying - Conor O'Grady should be dropped. As Freddie Sheppard said when he sacked Sir Bobby Robson, I feel like I've just shot Bambi.

No he shouldn't be dropped coz we don't have anybody better to come in. Conor o'grady has never been a technically gifted footballer...you know what you'll get from him,which is hard work,breaking up play etc. That hasn't changed but he's not as effective now because he's not fit enough. Maybe its the difference between full time and part time starting to show.

**lifelong rover** · 09/08/2009, 2:08 PM

Lads we are simply not fit enough at this stage of the season,

**rovers100%** · 09/08/2009, 2:10 PM

but we are one of the few full time teams there is no excuse

**clubman** · 09/08/2009, 4:56 PM

Originally Posted by rovers100%

but we are one of the few full time teams there is no excuse

Like everyone else here I'm totally dejected at the moment. The blame game at this stage is too easy. What went wrong out there last night? We were three one up and wee Seanie was hiding at the back of the away dugout. Many's a time I've seen him in our own dugout when we were on the verge of defeat. But then something, you may call it an inspirational move by the Dundalk bench or just the old-fashioned panic changes. Whatever the changes worked. Management is like playing a game of chess when one man pits his wits against the other. In order to counteract the change Paul had to come up with a counter-measure. This throws up a number of questions on Pauls capablities. The end result was Seanie C won the battle of wits on this occasion. I've read all the excuses here this very day or over the course of the season. Yes there are loads of questions to be asked, this forum is not necessarily the place but Sligo Rovers being Sligo Rovers the answers arn't exactly coming and this only helps tighten the tension. None of us want to go down we all agree on that but on last night's display there's only one way were're going. Blaming the match officials is another outlet used by desperate people and yes at this stage we are desperate.
Not being able to consistantly put out our first eleven is our number one major issue. Not being able to do so adds fuel to the fire of excuses. Firstly we have to look at the reason behind why we have so many injuries. The list is long, too long, why? What are the training methods used? Have we capaple back up staff to attend to injuries as they happen? Are specific injuries identified and treated in time? I'd imagine our club presently are more equipped to handle injuries considering our present Chairman is a Doctor and he surely would have the best contacts possible in the sport injury department. Surely this is the case but then why is our best player on the treatment table for 11 weeks? Ger Rafter joins us in July window plays one game and then he's injured since. Did he join the club injured? Is he injury prone? Are our new players screened for injuries prior to signing a contarct. The best player in the league is no addition to you if he spends more time in the stand than on the pitch. I do believe luck has some say in injuries but I also believe when treated properly injuries clear quicker when dealing with a physically fit person. Are our full-time proffessionals at the peak of their fitness? How many training sessions are conducted each day, each week. Are these training sessions supervisored by properally qualified personell. How many hours do our players attend the gym on a weekly basis? Again are these sessions taken seriousily and supervisored by qualified personall. Fittness is the key when we're discussion professional footballers. Are our players at the peak of their fitness at this stage of the season? Games like last night are lost simply due to a lack of match fitness. Games last for the full ninety minutes but when we have players switching off with 20/15 to go because their bodies aren't able to take it any more is a sure indication that our 'professional footballers' simply aren't fit enough.
As I say questions urgently need to be asked of (1) our players attitudes and (2) of our Management Team as to how dedicated they are to the club and their job.
I think it's best Dr. Kelly as Chairman starts rather quickly to start asking some serious questions. Time is running out. The Galways, Dundalks and Pats of this world are getting their houses in order, it's certainly time we did likewise. Excuses are all good and well but no game was ever won on excuses alone. In order for us to stay in this division some very hard decisions need to be addressed, if not then all we have to look forward to in the forseeable future is trips to Monaghan, Athlone, Kildare. We still have time but have we the men with balls enough to stand up and get us back on track.

**roversman** · 09/08/2009, 5:44 PM

Originally Posted by clubman

Like everyone else here I'm totally dejected at the moment. The blame game at this stage is too easy. What went wrong out there last night? We were three one up and wee Seanie was hiding at the back of the away dugout. Many's a time I've seen him in our own dugout when we were on the verge of defeat. But then something, you may call it an inspirational move by the Dundalk bench or just the old-fashioned panic changes. Whatever the changes worked. Management is like playing a game of chess when one man pits his wits against the other. In order to counteract the change Paul had to come up with a counter-measure. This throws up a number of questions on Pauls capablities. The end result was Seanie C won the battle of wits on this occasion. I've read all the excuses here this very day or over the course of the season. Yes there are loads of questions to be asked, this forum is not necessarily the place but Sligo Rovers being Sligo Rovers the answers arn't exactly coming and this only helps tighten the tension. None of us want to go down we all agree on that but on last night's display there's only one way were're going. Blaming the match officials is another outlet used by desperate people and yes at this stage we are desperate.
Not being able to consistantly put out our first eleven is our number one major issue. Not being able to do so adds fuel to the fire of excuses. Firstly we have to look at the reason behind why we have so many injuries. The list is long, too long, why? What are the training methods used? Have we capaple back up staff to attend to injuries as they happen? Are specific injuries identified and treated in time? I'd imagine our club presently are more equipped to handle injuries considering our present Chairman is a Doctor and he surely would have the best contacts possible in the sport injury department. Surely this is the case but then why is our best player on the treatment table for 11 weeks? Ger Rafter joins us in July window plays one game and then he's injured since. Did he join the club injured? Is he injury prone? Are our new players screened for injuries prior to signing a contarct. The best player in the league is no addition to you if he spends more time in the stand than on the pitch. I do believe luck has some say in injuries but I also believe when treated properly injuries clear quicker when dealing with a physically fit person. Are our full-time proffessionals at the peak of their fitness? How many training sessions are conducted each day, each week. Are these training sessions supervisored by properally qualified personell. How many hours do our players attend the gym on a weekly basis? Again are these sessions taken seriousily and supervisored by qualified personall. Fittness is the key when we're discussion professional footballers. Are our players at the peak of their fitness at this stage of the season? Games like last night are lost simply due to a lack of match fitness. Games last for the full ninety minutes but when we have players switching off with 20/15 to go because their bodies aren't able to take it any more is a sure indication that our 'professional footballers' simply aren't fit enough.
As I say questions urgently need to be asked of (1) our players attitudes and (2) of our Management Team as to how dedicated they are to the club and their job.
I think it's best Dr. Kelly as Chairman starts rather quickly to start asking some serious questions. Time is running out. The Galways, Dundalks and Pats of this world are getting their houses in order, it's certainly time we did likewise. Excuses are all good and well but no game was ever won on excuses alone. In order for us to stay in this division some very hard decisions need to be addressed, if not then all we have to look forward to in the forseeable future is trips to Monaghan, Athlone, Kildare. We still have time but have we the men with balls enough to stand up and get us back on track.

well said all true and yes we need answers to the questions you put
yes luck is not going our way this year i think we used it up last year getting to europe but we are still good enough to get out of trouble but i think its going to be through the playoffs now but we have to keep plugging away and try to catch the teams ahead of us
we are all in this togeather

**Inside Man** · 09/08/2009, 6:36 PM

Its simple. Cook just doesn't have a notion. Was blown out of all proportions last season. Now we see why he was a failure at his previous clubs, indeed he tries to play nice football, but he can't get the team to do the basics.

We will go down, purely because of this idiots incompetence. Should have let him walk at the start of the season.

**Terry** · 09/08/2009, 6:45 PM

Sligo wont go down. Bray will surely finish rock bottom, and I dont think any of the first division clubs are strong enough to win the play offs. Cook might have his faults (in my opinion its just closing a game of defensively), but that will fix itself surely?

It will come good in the end, when all the suspension and injuries are cleared, with sligo finishing midtable. Have faith, he's done a good job. When you look at last season, sligo were by far the best footballing team to watch when the full squad were present.

**rovers100%** · 09/08/2009, 8:35 PM

indeed we played great ball last year and even at times this year but if ya concede more than ya score even a fool realises where it will lead. the most worrying fact is we have signed 8 new players and i dont know where next year the money gonna come to pay for them with no europe, setanta or seamie transfer fee. at start of season we were told no money for transfers and i presume most of them new signings on contract till nov 2010 cos who gonna sign 6 month contract in the current climate. see how a fundraiser will go if we in div 1 and see gates fall and what then. worrying times now to be honest on and off the pitch cos we need to stay up for survival

**Inside Man** · 09/08/2009, 9:16 PM

Originally Posted by rovers100%

at start of season we were told no money for transfers and i presume most of them new signings on contract till nov 2010 cos who gonna sign 6 month contract in the current climate.

All of the new signings are only signed until the end of the season.

**MMVIII** · 09/08/2009, 9:17 PM

Originally Posted by Inside Man

Its simple. Cook just doesn't have a notion. Was blown out of all proportions last season. Now we see why he was a failure at his previous clubs, indeed he tries to play nice football, but he can't get the team to do the basics.

We will go down, purely because of this idiots incompetence. Should have let him walk at the start of the season.

Do us all a favour will you and fcuk off. Your no addition to this forum and all you ever say is "Oh, I told you so". Were you saying that at the end of last season?

No, guessed not. Or did you know this was going to happen.