LOI Fixtures 14th - 17th August 2015

**Dodge** · 19/08/2015, 9:15 PM

Smart finish yeah but Pats line was all over the place. If one they may have got him offside. Hoare definitely needed to stand for the 3rd rather than track him

Couldn't knock him for anything on Monday

**Ezeikial** · 19/08/2015, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Stand by every word about McMillan. He simply isn't a top LOI striker. He played well the other night but.......

You have consistently derided him as "a very limited player". I would not expect you to change your stance, irrespective of his goal scoring record.

He had an outstanding goal to game-time ratio last season and is in double figures again for this season

Originally Posted by Dodge

........ but I dont think anyone could argue that Pats defence was anything but shambolic for all 4 goals

The brutal truth is that Pats were outclassed all over the park

Originally Posted by Dodge

I also said Dundalk would win the league even with him as striker but no one every brings that up...

Hardly a astute long-shot prediction - but did you back it up in the bookies?

**Charlie Darwin** · 19/08/2015, 10:11 PM

To be fair, McMillan confuses me too. His all-round play is nothing special and he's not a very good finisher, yet he still scores a lot of goals. I wouldn't have expect him to hit 10 goals either.

**Nesta99** · 19/08/2015, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

To be fair, McMillan confuses me too. His all-round play is nothing special and he's not a very good finisher, yet he still scores a lot of goals. I wouldn't have expect him to hit 10 goals either.

I agree you are confused as the post is a total oxymoron - not a good finisher but scores a lot of goals?? Not expecting to hit ten as the no. 1 striker this season yet he hit double figures with limited game time last season? There is lttle logic here really - 20 from 57 and 20 from 34 at 2 spells at UCD, double figures with Dundalk for 2 seasons. Spell with sligo with only 13 appearances was poor and with pats his 6 in 28 games is mediocre but wasnt he often played out wide? Overall his successes at clubs outweigh his poor seasons by a lot. I can see why Pats fans may have a distorted opinion of his ability but he did also sore some important goals that season too.

**Charlie Darwin** · 19/08/2015, 11:26 PM

I don't know why you'd say it's an oxymoron - if a player scores 20 open goals it hardly makes him a great finisher. Not that that's all McMillan scores - he's got a couple of very good goals from memory - but he misses decent chances more often than he scores them, in my opinion. There are lots of strikers like that - they get goals but you'd never be hugely confident of them scoring a particular chance, like Shane Long.

**oriel** · 19/08/2015, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Stand by every word about McMillan. He simply isn't a top LOI striker. He played well the other night but I dont think anyone could argue that Pats defence was anything but shambolic for all 4 goals

.

I think you are being more than harsh on McMillan to be fair. That's 4 league goals he has scored v Pats this season and you can't blame your defence for being shambolic for every goal. He has improved his game this season and was excellent in the highest standard match any LOI player could have played in this year, away to BATE.

Besides i think I'd only put your defence at fault for one, the first goal, (by Gartland) was dreadful marking. The second goal you were ripped apart and that was was after a five man move. Goal number 4 was caused by a careless back heel by midfielder, Bolger (who was subbed at HT), maybe Pats could have done better with McMillans second and Dundalks 3rd but it was a decent finish on his weaker left foot.

There seems to be an 'atttiude' from both the Pats players and fans after Monday night, and one that appears to be consistent with recent visits to oriel park, the scores this year would suggest Pats should have no complaints, as that was 3 comprehensive league defeats this season, 3-0, 2-0 and 4-1.

**bennocelt** · 20/08/2015, 6:03 AM

I might throw it in there too, I am also not a fan of McMillan. He always looks wasteful, and is kind of an Andy Cole, misses a lot of decent chances.

Sorry Dundalk boys, but I did back yis at the start of the season (and already cashed out!)

**White Horse** · 20/08/2015, 8:17 AM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

I might throw it in there too, I am also not a fan of McMillan. He always looks wasteful, and is kind of an Andy Cole, misses a lot of decent chances.

McMillan hasn't been wasteful for Dundalk. He did miss a sitter against BATE but I'm am struggling to recall another example.

His general play when the ball is on the ground is excellent and he works his butt off closing down defenders.

The shortcoming in his play is when we need to play it long. This was noticeable when under pressure from a superior BATE side. He will not get even 10% of anything knocked long to him in the air.

**Ezeikial** · 20/08/2015, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I don't know why you'd say it's an oxymoron - if a player scores 20 open goals it hardly makes him a great finisher. Not that that's all McMillan scores - he's got a couple of very good goals from memory - but he misses decent chances more often than he scores them, in my opinion. There are lots of strikers like that - they get goals but you'd never be hugely confident of them scoring a particular chance, like Shane Long.

Most clubs would strongly value any player who scores 20 goals - open or otherwise - on a regular basis

**Charlie Darwin** · 20/08/2015, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Ezeikial

Most clubs would strongly value any player who scores 20 goals - open or otherwise - on a regular basis

I'm sure they would but McMillan doesn't fit that description.

**desaintsno.12** · 20/08/2015, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by jinxy lilywhite

On the incident and watching the clip over and over again I just think it was an unfortunate accident. I don't think he meant it.

.

Wow -- what a ridiculous and pathetic comment !!

You Dundalk lads are horrible winners.

**PartySaint** · 20/08/2015, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by desaintsno.12

Wow -- what a ridiculous and pathetic comment !!

You Dundalk lads are horrible winners.

It was only a matter of time before a comment like that was coming. The next step is they'll be blaming McGrath for being on the ground in the first place. How dare he?

Again if this was the other way around Dundalk fans would be up in arms about it.

**White Horse** · 20/08/2015, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by PartySaint

It was only a matter of time before a comment like that was coming. The next step is they'll be blaming McGrath for being on the ground in the first place. How dare he?

Again if this was the other way around Dundalk fans would be up in arms about it.

For ever Dundalk fans who claims it was innocuous, many more will call it as it was; a dirty and nasty kick.

It suits some posters to ignore that in other to demonise all Dundalk fans.

**PartySaint** · 20/08/2015, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by White Horse

It suits some posters to ignore that in other to demonise all Dundalk fans.

It's more fun that way

**Dodge** · 20/08/2015, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Ezeikial

You have consistently derided him as "a very limited player". I would not expect you to change your stance, irrespective of his goal scoring record.

I think ANY striker would score in that Dundalk team. A top one would have 30 IMO. Since the end of March he has scored in 4 league games. I believe most good LOI strikers would have a better record than that. I believe he is limited, but he works hard and he seems a nice fellah so good luck to him

The brutal truth is that Pats were outclassed all over the park

I don't think you'll find any Pats fan who could possibly disagree with you there, and I haven't seen/read anyone attempt to

Hardly a astute long-shot prediction - but did you back it up in the bookies?

Yes. The point of me mentioning this is that some seem Dundalk fans believed I extrapolated my view of McMillan being limited to the whole Dundalk team. I'm just pointing out it that wasn't the case.

**Duffman** · 20/08/2015, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

I think ANY striker would score in that Dundalk team. A top one would have 30 IMO. Since the end of March he has scored in 4 league games. I believe most good LOI strikers would have a better record than that. I believe he is limited, but he works hard and he seems a nice fellah so good luck to him

he comes across as a great guy and no one has worked harder for the cause this season but I'd say Stephen Kenny probably agrees with you. I think that DMcM would be better with someone with him up front but I'd argue that his tally isn't great, given that there are goals all across the team then it's less relevant this season.

**Yossarian** · 20/08/2015, 12:59 PM

I have to say my opinion of McMillan is that he's a good striker but not at the very best level. I think last year we had a great combination of Hoban running defences ragged and scoring and then McMillan coming on and getting his goals from the bench. I definitely think that if we had Hoban here this season we would be even further ahead. McMillan works hard but has limitations. His first goal on Monday was the type that he is very good at, running into a through ball and finishing it. But he does need a good few chances before he takes one. I think a better striker would have 20 goals already in this Dundalk team.

**Ezeikial** · 20/08/2015, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

I think ANY striker would score in that Dundalk team. A top one would have 30 IMO.

Pat Hoban and Christy Fagan both hit 20 league goals in 2014

Can anyone identify when anyone last hit 30 goals?

**Charlie Darwin** · 20/08/2015, 1:57 PM

Jimmy Gauld in 1955. The highest since the Premier Division was formed was 25, which both Glenn Crowe and Jason Byrne have reached.

**oriel** · 20/08/2015, 3:44 PM

I think since McMillan won POTM for March he went on quite a lean period as he adjusted to the role replacing Hoban, however he has showed a decent improvement since, and 3 in the last 2 games is a good sign. 10 league goals isn't bad either, but goals are spread around this side and he has played his part in setting up a lot, but he probably should have more by now, I would agree with that.

Having competition at last in the shape of Kilduff (2 goals already) and possibly Maguire, although we haven’t seen much of him, will only benefit the team and probably him too. However getting 20 goal a season guys are very rare indeed, Hoban last year was the first time a Dundalk striker was close to this figure in the PD since Peter Hanrahan in 1991.