They're a lot stronger than Bohs, Byrne up front is a serious threat and won't be as wasteful as he was when we played them up there.
We'll struggle for 1,000 tomorrow with the combination of junior clubs back training, the ridiculous weather and the likelihood that Bray fans will be at the beach instead of Thomond.
I'll go for an optimistic 2 1 win.
Have to agree with you on the attendance. I'd like to think we could squeeze past them and in all honesty we should. Stringing two wins together means we're definitely getting some form / luck and hopefully that will see us past them.
Kieran Marty Waters and Jason Byrne are the two danger men tonight. Hopefully Williams and Folan can continue to make their partnership stronger.
Really looking forward to tonight with the great weather.
My heart says 2-1 but my head says 1-1.
Lads Kevin o Connor and his bro Danny are back on form and from injury as is Adam Mitchell. Martys pace and Jason finishing things are looking good for bray. 1-2 bray. No supporters bus going because of the change in fixture date.
Harry and Liam, Harry and Liam, Harry and Liam, Harry and Liam.
Don't worry, no bit of me said 4-4 either.Originally Posted by Jofspring
Mental game last night. We were so, so lucky to even get a point out of it.
Bray cut us open on the break time and time again in the first half. It was like an awful version of the Confed Cup final - Limerick, unable to penetrate, were often dispossessed in the final third. Their pressing to regain possession was almost non-existent, allowing Bray to easily play it out and exploit the space behind the defence. Both Bray goals in the first half resulted from situations like this and they really could have had 3 more, only to spurn a few one-on-ones. The odd one-on-one in 3 was a clear foul from keeper Ryan on Akinade that should have resulted in a free and a yellow (there was cover). Instead Akinade was booked. Limerick's goal (and only chance) came from a Tracy free kick (again), parried out by Quigley to the centre of the goal, and converted by Gamble.
Akinade, by the way, dominated our centre back pairing. Playing predominantly up against the diminutive Williams (particularly in the second half), almost everything that was sent his way resulted in a successful flick on, or the ball being successfully held up. The partnership of Folan and Williams looked awful. Folan didn't look comfortable as the blocker, and neither were consistent in covering the space behind the advanced full backs, or even in covering each other. On a few occasions they were caught square with simple through balls.
Second half, Bray dominated territory. Limerick made it 2-2 with a header from a corner early on, after the Bray keeper had collided with Curran, but it was no surprise when Bray went 3-2 up through sub Coombes after Williams was dispossessed outside his own box. Just before this Akinade had a free header at the back post from a cross that should have put them ahead.
Ridiculously though, Limerick would go 4-3 ahead with 2 deflected goals from Curran in 7 minutes. This looked to set us up for the most poxy of victories. Until of course Kevin O'Connor glanced in from a free kick with 2 to go. The free by the way resulted from sub left full Shane Costello being caught up the pitch and having to make a tactical foul. Why the **** would you not instruct your full backs to be more conservative positionally at that stage of proceedings?
Basically Limerick were ****ing ****. This narrow 4-2-3-1 with the inverted wingers and full backs providing the width is still not working, and has the added bonus of making us super vulnerable on the counter attack. Young Rainsford in the number 10 position was very poor and is still not the answer to our problems in that position. The centre back pairing of one full back and one covering defender, both of whom are left footed is not the answer either. Two of our goals came from set pieces (aided by keeper error). Two came from deflections. We had nothing from open play. Bray scored 4 good goals and arguably should have had 7 were it not for poor finishing. Rubbish.
I was at the game last night and it was one of the worst games i have seen by limerick in a long time.robbie williams isnt a central defender,more a left or right back.midfield let bray just walk through everytime.joe gamble has seen better days and dave o leary's form has dipped.the two curran goals were deflections.we have nobody who is sharp enough up front to score a goal.stuart taylor needs to improve the squad whether now or off season.we shouldnt be happy with performances like that.bray should have won the game handy.not a very good advertisement for limerick fc last night.we seem to be happy with just surviving in the league this year rather than trying to win every game and maybe get a top 4 finish.brays akinade was very good last night and our defence couldnt handle him.the whole back 4 last night was poor.a few cups and saucers need to be thrown in the dressing room.Mental game last night. We were so, so lucky to even get a point out of it.
Bray cut us open on the break time and time again in the first half. It was like an awful version of the Confed Cup final - Limerick, unable to penetrate, were often dispossessed in the final third. Their pressing to regain possession was almost non-existent, allowing Bray to easily play it out and exploit the space behind the defence. Both Bray goals in the first half resulted from situations like this and they really could have had 3 more, only to spurn a few one-on-ones. The odd one-on-one in 3 was a clear foul from keeper Ryan on Akinade that should have resulted in a free and a yellow (there was cover). Instead Akinade was booked. Limerick's goal (and only chance) came from a Tracy free kick (again), parried out by Quigley to the centre of the goal, and converted by Gamble.
Akinade, by the way, dominated our centre back pairing. Playing predominantly up against the diminutive Williams (particularly in the second half), almost everything that was sent his way resulted in a successful flick on, or the ball being successfully held up. The partnership of Folan and Williams looked awful. Folan didn't look comfortable as the blocker, and neither were consistent in covering the space behind the advanced full backs, or even in covering each other. On a few occasions they were caught square with simple through balls.
Second half, Bray dominated territory. Limerick made it 2-2 with a header from a corner early on, after the Bray keeper had collided with Curran, but it was no surprise when Bray went 3-2 up through sub Coombes after Williams was dispossessed outside his own box. Just before this Akinade had a free header at the back post from a cross that should have put them ahead.
Ridiculously though, Limerick would go 4-3 ahead with 2 deflected goals from Curran in 7 minutes. This looked to set us up for the most poxy of victories. Until of course Kevin O'Connor glanced in from a free kick with 2 to go. The free by the way resulted from sub left full Shane Costello being caught up the pitch and having to make a tactical foul. Why the **** would you not instruct your full backs to be more conservative positionally at that stage of proceedings?
Basically Limerick were ****ing ****. This narrow 4-2-3-1 with the inverted wingers and full backs providing the width is still not working, and has the added bonus of making us super vulnerable on the counter attack. Young Rainsford in the number 10 position was very poor and is still not the answer to our problems in that position. The centre back pairing of one full back and one covering defender, both of whom are left footed is not the answer either. Two of our goals came from set pieces (aided by keeper error). Two came from deflections. We had nothing from open play. Bray scored 4 good goals and arguably should have had 7 were it not for poor finishing. Rubbish.[/QUOTE]
It is awful and it is very disappointing that Taylor has not changed it yet. Our style of play is not great tbh yes we are trying to play a bit but we are massivelyover doing it and often in the wrong positions.
[/QUOTE]
Why would we not be happy to stay up its our first year up. Top 4 first season up i think your buying into the mega rich Limerick talk that goes around staying up this season will be a good season and exactly what most people wanted at the start of the season.
A simple change, which I've been saying all season, is to play Galbraith permanently wide left and instruct him to stay close to the touchline. He switched to that side for a spell in the first half and it resulted in our only half chance of that period (other than the goal obviously). He dragged both Bray right sided players to the byline (remember that? It's at the end of the pitch. Wingers go there to put crosses in would you believe?). Shane Tracy was supporting, not overlapping. Galbraith played it back to him. He crossed it and Bossekota, now on the right, headed just over coming in at the far post.
It was simple football.
Bray were using the same shape as us, except with the wingers on their traditional sides. And they were way more direct in possession. Two lessons that we could learn from.
a point very much gained,but hardly deserved,poor effort all round incl taylor who in this game made plenty of errors.poor defensive performance not only from our back four but gamble and o learys efforts off the ball were shocking.having mentioned regularly that taylor needs the ..plan b ...our sustained game approach since the start of the season is easily countered with bray the latest to exploit it though they will be kicking themselves at not getting the 3 pts.while its great to see us score four goals,many of them are setpiece based and even the hardworking currans goals were deflected..we are not producing ourselves it is rare we get behind teams and given the managers stated philosophy of playing from the back this needs to be addressed.as for our aims this season given the budget available it is surely reasonable to expect a bit more from what is essentially a fulltime group,what is also mind boggling is to hear fans assertion after our recent 4nil mauling in the LC LAST8 that...glad it was only the cup and not the league...wonder where all the ones we have won are hiding?
I actually think playing him as attacking mid might be worth a try. Always looks dangerous when he comes inside and hasthe pace to get close to the front man. the only problem there is that Gamble and O'Leary have to pick up his defensive duties, which on the evidence of the other night, they're struggling to do.
The system is killing us in Thomond, the pitch is far too big for the players we have. It's not as if we're blessed with pace throughout the team, so once we get even a tiny bit stretched, we look vulnerable. I think a 4 4 2 would cut down the work Taylor is asking the players to get through, and offer something a bit more direct....rather than hoping we get a corner/ free kick.
Also, has gotten us so many points this season that we shouldn't have gotten (doing his job or not, he does it very very well) huge credit has to go to Eddie Hickey for his work with him.
In terms of fans expectations, people said they were happy to just stay up this year, but I think with the money going in to it and bringing players in from the UK, fans are allowed to demand a bit more... We'll be safe this year because Bohs and Shels are awful. I'm holding my tongue until I see what business gets done in the transfer window.
He is certainly the player in the squad with the best chance of filling that no. 10 role effectively. I agree with you.
But our need for genuine width, particularly at home, is greater, and he's the only genuine winger in the first team squad. Hence why I'd like to see him stationed on the left touchline, in a similar role to that which Valencia has played for United on the other side. We need to stretch the play a lot more than we have been doing, in order to create gaps to get in behind and chances from open play. We also need to be more direct. Playing an actual winger would obviously fulfill the former, but also the latter, as Gamble and O'Leary would have a target for a long pass.
I doubt he will try a 4-4-2. He's very concerned with possession and not being outmanned in the middle. He tried a 4-3-3 for a while, but that didn't work either because neither Bradley or O'Leary were capable of adequately supporting the lone striker. Personally, I'd try this:
----------------------Ryan------------------------
Kelly---------O'Callaghan-------Folan-------Williams
-------------O'Leary---------Gamble---------------
Bossekota------------Tracy---------------Galbraith
--------------------Curran------------------------
I know Calla is immobile, but Tuesday showed that we need a blocker in there. He and Folan constitute a far more natural partnership. Bossekota and Galbraith are on their stronger footed side, with Galbraith instructed to stay wider.
The big change there is obviously Tracy. I feel he can do a job in that position if given the chance.
I don't think it's not acceptable to expect to just finish mid table. Barr maybe 9 or 10 players the rest of the squad is under 19's. Compare that to the top 5 teams in the league who all have experience coming off the bench for them we are doing alright and it's clear to see why we are off the pace from them. Pats, Sligo, Shamrock Rovers, Derry and Dundalk all have stronger depth than us. We may compete well in our starting 11 but outside of that at the moment we have nothing to trouble the top teams and our league position reflects that.
A few more signings to add depth should see us push on a bit, if not this season then next. It took Sligo 8 years to win the league. They weren't even competing for it the first few years up.
hopefully limerick will sign a few players in the transfer window.whats lacking all season is an out and out lethal striker,curran tries hard but he is more of a holding player,axel blows hot and cold and gaffney is more of a winger.midfield is lacking too,need a tough no nonsense defensive midfield guy and a defender.we shouldnt accept mediocrity this season.we have proven against some of the top teams we can give them a game.taylors football can be attractive but we need to get back to basics and defend well and push on.lack of goals has been a problem except for the other night and some of them were a bit flukey.thomond park doesnt help sometimes as it hasnt much of an atmosphere with a 1000 or so supporters but we have to make do for now.the surface is excellent though.only for barry ryan at times this season it would be a lot worse,he has been brilliant and made some superb point blank saves,he had another one the other night.i would he is one of the best keepers in the country right now.'' come on the super blues''.
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