LOI in Europe 2022

**ontheotherhand** · 15/10/2022, 5:10 PM

Originally Posted by oriel

But surely this was completely diff, we played the u19's / B team / tea lady managed team and lost 4-0 indeed, but that was a one off game to ensure team was fresh for EL play off. We are talking about 3-4 consistent not having a go displays now by Rovers in group stage.

Ps the A team put the record straight with a 4-2 win v Rovers 3 months later in the cup final, easily the better team after 90 mins and most of ET.

Jaysus oriel I'm not reliving the cup with you! 😅

Do you really think we didn't have a go in the home games? I'd disagree with that. Away from home sure I'd agree but at home we've played well in both games. Points on the board as well which is more than Dundalk got in 2020 or we got in 2011.

What is "having a go" worth anyway? Is the 2020 Dundalk side lauded in song? I'd have almost forgotten you were in the groups to be honest. There were more striking stories coming out of Oriel that year than a few gutsy defeats.

Now the other Dundalk is a different story. They were brilliant and are rightly talked about as the best LoI side of all time. But it didn't last. We are attempting to build something that lasts. Maybe we are getting it wrong but it's odd that people don't see the reasoning at the very least.

**Kingswood Rover** · 15/10/2022, 7:24 PM

I thought we played some really good football against Molde but if you do not take your chances in Europe you have no hope. The 2022 Rovers are very average with perhaps only Andy Lyons out of the Squad playing consistently above average. The League has to be won end of and as we have a decent chance of doing that European Group Stages are secondary to that ambition. Am i pleased with this No but its right for the club in the here and now. Next Season's league will be a lot more competitive with Derry and possibly Dundalk and Pats having ever chance Rovers may then possibly finding themselves deciding to focus on European games and still get well beaten in all bar one or two. Getting that 2nd gold star on our jersey is this years priority folks.

**Shinkicker** · 16/10/2022, 9:32 AM

Originally Posted by CSAD

Oh Rovers definitely won?t be, Nope I have a loathe hatred for teams that accept mediocrity and have no ambition. And I wouldn?t hope if I was you, you?re going to be disappointed and arse will be fine.

Nope wrong and not for the first time.

You really must hate all teams in the league because at the moment they all only want to get to Europe for the money with fixtures close to home to keep expenses down and happy to go out after 2nd -3rd round. If they do make group stage happy to come last. You must be so frustrated.

**EatYerGreens** · 16/10/2022, 12:07 PM

Unless I'm missing somwthing, the problem Rovers face isn't with 'trying'. It's with the fact they're playing teams who are just a lot better than them. The higher you go in football the more that small margins become influential - and that's what you pay for from quality players. The difference between almost putting away a chance and actually doing so.

**A N Mouse** · 16/10/2022, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by CSAD

No tactics just using Wikipedia, which maybe you being an old timer maybe haven?t heard of.

Yes they would have because they actually had a good manager.

What are you even talking about anymore, wise up for once on this forum.

I take that as you saying that two of, in your opinion, the best managers in the league wouldn't have prioritised winning the league over winning hearts and mind in the group stages, should they had to choose. Did I get that right? On the other hand, there was no objection to my earlier characterisation of your previous statement as 'rovers were muck in qualifying, why are they muck in the groups'. Take it you still standby both opinions?

Don't worry about my lack of tech savvy. I'll stick with altavista. Like back in the old days. Do you know, this wikipedia might be useful, will add a bookmark to lynx. Oh, thank you, bless your heart.

I'd also like to thank you for the advice. Now would you be be receptive to some? Seems others have suggested, hinted, implied, told, even hollered about worrying kwibbling from your account and the need to do something about it. I too think you should tone it down. Pause, take a breath before posting. I can't speak for others but it's tiresome. Don't become the type of poster that nobody wants to be seen arguing with.

Of course there room to discuss Bradley's competence, rover's poor showing or perceived lack of ambition or reasons for any of the above. Take your cue from others, and do it without pi$$ing in everyone's lemonade. Users on more modern platforms would be getting mental health advice with their reported posts. Should we be concerned? Everyone should have someone to talk to, and check themself regularly.

The other thing was this great documentary from 2010. Really enjoyable. Of course norway deal better with these things than we do. Link. Looks good after this time,must give it another watch.

**oriel** · 16/10/2022, 4:47 PM

Originally Posted by ontheotherhand

Jaysus oriel I'm not reliving the cup with you! ��

Do you really think we didn't have a go in the home games? I'd disagree with that. Away from home sure I'd agree but at home we've played well in both games. Points on the board as well which is more than Dundalk got in 2020 or we got in 2011.

What is "having a go" worth anyway? Is the 2020 Dundalk side lauded in song? I'd have almost forgotten you were in the groups to be honest. There were more striking stories coming out of Oriel that year than a few gutsy defeats.

Now the other Dundalk is a different story. They were brilliant and are rightly talked about as the best LoI side of all time. But it didn't last. We are attempting to build something that lasts. Maybe we are getting it wrong but it's odd that people don't see the reasoning at the very least.

Singular term - POINT

**ontheotherhand** · 16/10/2022, 6:23 PM

Originally Posted by oriel

Singular term - POINT

Well now that we've lost the league we can focus on getting a second.

**ger121** · 27/10/2022, 12:29 PM

Well with the shackles fully off I expect Rovers to really go for it tonight. Gent are bang average in the league and their only win in Europe in 6 games was in the reverse fixture. Away from home in general they seem to be poor.
Rovers have created chances in the group games, they just haven�t been clinical so far. They need to take them tonight.
I fancy them tonight and would not be surprised if they sneak a win. Having said that, I went for 1-1 in the UEFA prediction league.

**pateen** · 27/10/2022, 12:46 PM

Big money still at stake too

**EatYerGreens** · 27/10/2022, 1:07 PM

You'd assume the Rovers players are on some sort of bonus structure for European results. This is essentially their last game of the season and a cup final for them, so they should be going all out to get at least a draw. One game tonight has the potential to earn them massively more money than 36 games in the league did. So they'd be daft not to go all out for it tonight.

**placid casual** · 27/10/2022, 1:41 PM

Finn and O'Neill are injured and Burke and Byrne are doubtful.
Think a draw is about the limit of our ambitions tonight.

**WeAreRovers** · 27/10/2022, 2:06 PM

Originally Posted by EatYerGreens

Unless I'm missing somwthing, the problem Rovers face isn't with 'trying'. It's with the fact they're playing teams who are just a lot better than them. The higher you go in football the more that small margins become influential - and that's what you pay for from quality players. The difference between almost putting away a chance and actually doing so.

Haven't looked at this thread in a while funnily enough but the quoted post sums up the entire Rovers in Europe argument for me and applies right across Europe to the CL, EL & ECL group stages.

Rovers join the likes of Celtic, Rangers, Viktoria Plzen, Marseille, FC Zurich, Dynamo Kyiv, Helsinki, Malmo, Omonia, Olympiacos, Steau, Austria Wein, Vaduz and more in being thoroughly outclassed in this year's group stages.

Sometimes you're just not as good as the opposition and the job in that context is to qualify consistently and make incremental improvements year on year. Ange Postecoglou and Stephen Bradley among many others face the same challenge - translating domestic dominance into competitive European group stage campaigns.

**2 Year Contract** · 27/10/2022, 2:43 PM

Originally Posted by WeAreRovers

Rovers join the likes of Celtic, Rangers, Viktoria Plzen, Marseille, FC Zurich, Dynamo Kyiv, Helsinki, Malmo, Omonia, Olympiacos, Steau, Austria Wein, Vaduz and more in being thoroughly outclassed in this year's group stages.

I see your overall point but with one CL group game left Marseille can top their group if they win coupled with a draw in the other game.

On rovers, the gap between them and Molde/Gent/Djurgardens isn�t/shouldn�t appear to be anything like the gap between Rangers and Liverpool/Napoli/Ajax. Ludogorets (who rovers ran close and are currently lie in 2nd place in their group, 3 points above Roma) would be a better side than any of rovers group opponents but the group stage performances from rovers haven�t been near that Ludogorets 2nd leg performance level or even the 2nd leg performance level of the win against Ferencvaros who are current top of a group with Monaco/Trabzonspor/Red Star Belgrade and would absolutely stroll past the 3 sides in rovers group if they were paired with them

**MichaelCherrito** · 27/10/2022, 7:10 PM

Perfect start for Rovers.

Cannot believe bookies were offering 6/1 for a home win.

**ger121** · 27/10/2022, 7:16 PM

Originally Posted by MichaelCherrito

Perfect start for Rovers.

Cannot believe bookies were offering 6/1 for a home win.

I could always see why the LOI was big for overseas betting.Some of the odds in games are ridiculous and show a lack of knowledge of the game here, even by the �local� bookies.

**pineapple stu** · 27/10/2022, 7:31 PM

Great start from Rovers. Gent getting back into it though and - famous last words here! - you can't see Rovers keeping them out for 90 minutes really.