Series 25 & 22

[White Horse]

Two horse race now do you think ? Or is it too early to write off Sligo and/or Derry ? Fantastic run of results from Dundalk btw. I must confess I've been one of those who kinda expected them to falter eventually, but it looks like they're in it for the duration now. September 20 at Richmond is shaping up to be quite a game.

It's too early for it to be a two horse race. I expect a few more twists and turns.

[Fivesilver]

Dundalk were noticeably the fitter team as the game wore on. I was surprised to see Sligo fading.

I wasn't. And this is something that worried me all season. The lads were tweeting a lot in pre-season about the amazing fitness programmes they were on. I said to someone at the time that I was worried they might be overdoing it. The start we got, overpowering teams for a couple of months, didn't do a lot to allay that fear. If you've watched us closely this season, what has hurt us the most - in my opinion at least - has been the inability, due to injuries, to field anything resembling a settled first 11. Simply training harder isn't enough - it's like going off on a sprint at the start of a marathon. I've seen it happen to teams before - one in particular that did preseason as if they were planning to invade Afghanistan and losing three key players to knee injuries in the first month of the season.
I might be completely off the mark, and the injuries might be sheer bad luck, but it's worth the club looking into when planning the preparations for next season.

[jinxy lilywhite]

I think it is far to early to call it a two horse race. I think Derry though have lost too many games to win the league. so a 3 horse race for me
Sligo are still in it but they need to win every match. if they did that I think they could do. neither Dundalk or pats are going to win all their remaining matches

I was thinking last night how disappointed I was at Sligo and their lack of fight. I also thought the same of shamrock rovers when they were here 2 weeks ago but it wasn't their lack of fight, its the way we dominate teams from back to front that was apparent to me. O'Donnell & Towell and then when Shields came on completely stopped any movement and eliminated an threat that Ndo & Peers might of caused us.

Without winning anything yet and irregardless of where we finish this is the best Dundalk team I have ever seen play and imo so much superior to the '88, '91 & '95 teams.

[Bohs11]

Edit.

[Ezeikial]

It's hardly a 2 horse race at this point.

Derry can potentially finish with 72 points, Sligo potential is 73 points. It would take a fantastic run for either to bridge the current gap of 7/8 points to St Pats with 9 games remaining while also overtaking Dundalk.

There are some crucial games to come - Derry meet Pats home and away, while Sligo and Dundalk both go to Richmond

Pats are understandably the bookies favourities but there is a lot of football to be played yet.

Have Pats the bottle under pressure?

[Dalymountrower]

Rovers should really have hammered bohs last night , but croly has the team set up to defend. needs to learn fast or he'll be out of a job.

not great from bohs fans giving zayed racist abuse after the game was over.no need for that kind of mornic behaviour.

Please report any evidence or claims to the club.

[placid casual]

Eamon Zayed ‏@EamonZayed 1h
@fingertwitchin wasn't rovers fans..Was fans staying behind celebrating their victory which is fair enough but again resort to wrong abuse!

[TonyD]

It's hardly a 2 horse race at this point.

Derry can potentially finish with 72 points, Sligo potential is 73 points. It would take a fantastic run for either to bridge the current gap of 7/8 points to St Pats with 9 games remaining while also overtaking Dundalk.

There are some crucial games to come - Derry meet Pats home and away, while Sligo and Dundalk both go to Richmond

Pats are understandably the bookies favourities but there is a lot of football to be played yet.

Have Pats the bottle under pressure?

Have you seen anything to suggest we haven't ? (Of course, Stewie Byrne thinks the cold weather will get us ) I could throw back the same question about Dundalk. They've been under the radar up till now, but no longer.

It's definitely in our own hands anyway. Derry to play twice, Dundalk and Sligo at home as well. Don't think we'l win all those, but don't think we'll have to. As you say, we've a lead of 7 and 8 points over Sligo and Derry respectively, and they won't win all their remaining games any more than we will. Dundalk are the big danger for me now. But if we beat them at Richmond then i think that could be the crucial result. That's why I asked about a two horse race. Derry/Sligo have a lot to do now I think.

[Dalymountrower]

Eamon Zayed ‏@EamonZayed 1h
@fingertwitchin wasn't rovers fans..Was fans staying behind celebrating their victory which is fair enough but again resort to wrong abuse!

Again resort? Iheard all of the besuited Rovers players get slagged when they walked across the pitch to their cars with their gear trollies trundling behind them cabin crew style.Thankfully there were loads of people around so there were plenty of witnesses as to whether any abusive comments ofa racist nature were made. Everyone immediately assumed that he was referring to repeated claims of racial abuse from Rovers fans.Hopefully he details his claim so that it can be fully investigated.

[Ezeikial]

Have you seen anything to suggest we haven't ? (Of course, Stewie Byrne thinks the cold weather will get us ) I could throw back the same question about Dundalk. They've been under the radar up till now, but no longer.

I think there is a world of a difference in the pressure and weight of expectation on St Pats as opposed to Dundalk.

Being top of the table for such a considerable length of time, along with being the bookie and media / pundits favourites brings with it an expectation from supporters and all others attached to the club. The fact that Pats would have to "mess up" to lose the title can create an enormous pressure if things start to go wrong in any given match.

On the other hand at Oriel, it's like something surreal is happening and we all can't quite believe it after last seasons debacle. There is great hope and optimism but no real expectation or pressure. Maybe that will change if we beat Pats for the 3rd time in the league.

As regards Derry and Sligo the pressure is off both of them as supporters and media probably think the league title is now a long shot.

All the pressure and expectation is firmly on the shoulder of the St Pats players and management

It's definitely in our own hands anyway. Derry to play twice, Dundalk and Sligo at home as well. Don't think we'l win all those, but don't think we'll have to. As you say, we've a lead of 7 and 8 points over Sligo and Derry respectively, and they won't win all their remaining games any more than we will. Dundalk are the big danger for me now. But if we beat them at Richmond then i think that could be the crucial result. That's why I asked about a two horse race. Derry/Sligo have a lot to do now I think.

If Pats manage to avoid defeat against Dundalk in Richmond it could be a major step to winning the league. But the 3 matches against Derry and Sligo are also big hurdles, in addition to other potential banana skins.

[dong]

What's Sligoman's take on this title challenge of Dundalk's now?

[Longfordian]

A win for Longford? Jaysus. It was only Salthill but it doesn't do any harm to knock in a few anyway.

[sligoman]

What's Sligoman's take on this title challenge of Dundalk's now?

What title challenge? Pat's wrapped it up weeks ago.

[Fivesilver]

He's obviously a closet Dundalk fan - struggling manfully to keep the pressure off them. (:

[Nesta99]

What title challenge? Pat's wrapped it up weeks ago.

Nope that was Dundalk -We are the Champions!!

[Dalymountrower]

Eamon Zayed ‏@EamonZayed 1h
@fingertwitchin wasn't rovers fans..Was fans staying behind celebrating their victory which is fair enough but again resort to wrong abuse!

Reliable acccount that someone shouted" shoe bomber" at Zayed when he was leaving the ground.Club will.try and id the culprit.Apologies to Zayed should also be made.

[oriel]

I think it is far to early to call it a two horse race. I think Derry though have lost too many games to win the league. so a 3 horse race for me.

Without winning anything yet and irregardless of where we finish this is the best Dundalk team I have ever seen play and imo so much superior to the '88, '91 & '95 teams.

I would agree its a 3 horse race, but Sligo really do need to win something 2 or 3 in a row to get back into it. Pats game in hand is away to Derry, and Sligo is also away, to Drogs, very tough games.

Pats def favourites though, if they win 6 more that might even be enough, I think first to 70 points will take it, but we have a great chance still. Momentum is building with every game.

Jinxy, I think our championship winning side of 1995, the last time we won it was probably one of the worst standards I have ever seen for any team to win it, we lost something like 7 or 8 games and were hammered 3-0 by Rovers that year. Even though we won it in the end, i really cant remember that many good games, and its not a season i look back on much. If that season had gone on a week or so more, we might have even finished 3rd.

I think the current side is more comparable to the 1982 or 1988 team who won previous leagues. I was working abroad for the 1991 title, missed that season.

[SwanVsDalton]

Yous were very impressive against a good Tranzonspor side. I'd put it down to too many games rather than lack of quality.

Don't agree. Lost 7 our of last 9 since the start of July. Excepting the Trabzonspor games, it's five defeats in all competitions. We lost four in all comps between March and June. We're playing absolute chronic muck and attempting seemingly nothing to change that.

Opposition fans who've watched this season - ever been too impressed with us? Even when on a good run, we didn't attract much notice in terms of quality and for two months (Trabzon excepted) our play has been largely woeful. Unfortunately our good early season results appear to be the exception rather than the rule.

was it worth owing us compo for griffin then...looks like we got a better deal in signing hoban as his replacement!

Increasingly likely Griffin will go down as shorthand for the worst aspects of this season. Horrendous deal at the moment.

[Charlie Darwin]

Opposition fans who've watched this season - ever been too impressed with us? Even when on a good run, we didn't attract much notice in terms of quality and for two months (Trabzon excepted) our play has been largely woeful. Unfortunately our good early season results appear to be the exception rather than the rule.

You were muck against us in Tallaght alright but you played some fantastic stuff in the televised games. Some really quick transitions against Bohs, looking very fluid. I also thought you matched Trabzonspor in many facets in both games and only fell down to elementary errors.

[SwanVsDalton]

You were muck against us in Tallaght alright but you played some fantastic stuff in the televised games. Some really quick transitions against Bohs, looking very fluid. I also thought you matched Trabzonspor in many facets in both games and only fell down to elementary errors.

There's some truth in that - but it makes it even worse. The Trabzonspor games were light years ahead of the football we played before or after. In general (Trabzonspor discounted) we've been consistently awful since the start of July. And even before then, we flattered to deceive on plenty of occasions.