LOI in Europe 2023

[DCWA]

Crues through. The Finnish sides hardly world beaters this year either. Derry should be trying to get through in the one.

Derry have no chance against the Finns… HB Torshavn are a very, very poor team.

We could have had a few goals 1st half but reverted to Higgins ball 2nd half and sat in on 1-0 for the entire 45, any decent team would have punished us multiple times. It was a poor showing against very low quality opposition.

We will lose home and away to KuPs.

[EalingGreen]

Hard Luck. Really thought it might be your night after that late late equaliser.

Thanks.

Why do you think the Northern clubs are doing so well in Europe this season?

With 3 of this season's European entrants now being f-t, plus Crues hybrid f-t/p-t, it could be that that helped us. (I believe Linfield had a pre-season training camp in Spain, for instance)

Or it could just be that they're taking Europe more seriously than previously.

Or it could be what I posted on here last week after the first legs:
"The four LOI clubs had (generally) poor results, while the four IL clubs had (generally) good ones.
What can you tell from that? Well imo nothing much actually. We might know a bit more after the return legs, when who knows, the LOI teams could turn things round and/or the IL teams could stumble. But even then you might just be misled by a couple of teams which "deserved" to go through but somehow didn't, or teams which didn't deserve it who sneaked it.
For football is the most random of games, meaning four matches is far too small a sample size to reach any firm conclusions, one way or another."

Or some combination of the three.

[EalingGreen]

Has there ever been a shootout where all 22 players scored?

A new UEFA record was set as Malta's Gzira United beat Glentoran 14-13 on penalties in a UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers.

Up until the night of 20 July 2023, it was hard to imagine that there would be a more remarkable UEFA competition shoot-out than the one that decided the 2021 UEFA Europa League final. On that occasion, Villarreal ran out 11-10 winners against Manchester United; the first 21 kicks in the match in Gdansk were successfully converted, before Gerónimo Rulli saved the 22nd, which was taken by United goalkeeper David de Gea.

However, in a UEFA Europa Conference League first qualifying round decider in Belfast, Malta's Gzira United and hosts Glentoran went a good distance further. At The Oval, the first 27 kicks were scored (14 for Gzira, 13 for Glentoran) before Gzira goalkeeper David Cassar saved the 28th, taken by Leon Boyd (one of six players who ended up taking two penalties).
https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaconfe...hoot-out-ever/

Note: This was the highest scoring, but not the longest shoot-out in UEFA competition - The 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship semi-final between the Netherlands and England had 32 attempts before the Dutch hosts prevailed 13-12.

[ToberonaTornado]

Folks, have just read this thread through from where I left off about 10 days ago until now. WOW! What a thread ? loved every minute off it.Some great arguments, counter arguments,spats,facts,press clippings, game action and loads more besides.Who said forums are dead?

Foot.ie is back baby ???

[ontheotherhand]

Folks, have just read this thread through from where I left off about 10 days ago until now. WOW! What a thread ? loved every minute off it.Some great arguments, counter arguments,spats,facts,press clippings, game action and loads more besides.Who said forums are dead?

Foot.ie is back baby ???

I completely disagree. It's 10 pages of utter dross and foot.ie is as dead as Rovers in Europe.

[osarusan]

Is there some new rule in penalty shootouts which means that teams don't go through all 11 players before a player takes a second penalty?

[SPXcyan]

The Oval looked fantastic last night, hadn't watched a game from that venue since the Setanta Cup, a proper ground that!
Any details of an upgrade I wonder?

Glad to see both Dundalk and Derry at least getting through their games, can't see them progressing any further however.

[nr637]

What was the attendance at the Oval last night as the seating capacity is around 2750 in the Main Stand and 2,000 in the covered stand opposite!

[ger121]

I completely disagree. It's 10 pages of utter dross and foot.ie is as dead as Rovers in Europe.

And yet, here you are!

[Philosophizer]

I completely disagree. It's 10 pages of utter dross and foot.ie is as dead as Rovers in Europe.

Nice!

[paul_oshea]

Watched 6(5-6 two eyes) of the 8 games and its the poorest fare I've seen from a collective set of teams in a long while. It wasn't like the 00s though, that story was quite different 60-70 mins of good organised and disciplined football until the inevitable lapse of concentration or dopiness from one player causing a goal then finishing with a 2 or 3 goal loss. This year was not like that, those lapses were happening from fairly early on.

Rovers performances were insipid and uninspiring they look totally flat and out of ideas. A tired team with tired ideas. That has to come down to the Manager and coaches. What's happening with the underage structure and the conveyor belt of talent coming through. Those Icelandic players looked fitter, stronger, better conditioned and technically superior to anything Rovers could offer.

The less said on Derry and less so Dundalk the better. But both were unbelievably bad and I have high hopes for O'Donnell.

Pats played good football and really should have won last night, Lux players were looking out on their feet as early as the 75th minute. A lot of poor balls by mulraney and a lot of hit and hope crosses into the box.

Out of any players across the teams and games Curtis looked like a good prospect out of all the young(er) players on show but he's too slow same as Ferizaj last year with Rovers and its no surprise to not see him involved this year based off what I said last year. He got so badly exposed by an average dutch striker for that last goal and yes I'm aware hes only 17 but it wasnt just the early sell it was the lack of pace injection that stood out after more.

Finally that back pocket excuse thrown up here for years about budget, resources, conditioning etc can blown out of the water. When theres a co-ordinated push in footballing structures to lobby the government into fundamental investment into the game in Ireland the government are going to look for a bang for their buck. Where's the value in what's being offered? The rest of Europe has caught up and passed LOI out wheres the guarantee to government its going to pay off.

[geysir]

Dundalk play our old friends - KA.

There are 2 clubs in Akureyri, it was 2nd division Thor who hammered Bohs, KA are the other club, they are Thor’s bigger brother.
KA are currently in the bottom third of the league, there’s much of a muchness betweeen them and Dundalk but KA are more structured in their play. The game will be played in Reykjavik as KA’s ground is being rebuilt anew. KA will be up for this game as not much else of note happens in their football competitive life and their support will travel in expectation.

[pineapple stu]

If it's a European defeat, it must be time for Paul O'Shea to drop by.

Welcome back Paul!

[DCWA]

If it's a European defeat, it must be time for Paul O'Shea to drop by.

Welcome back Paul!

Unfortunately everything he said there is spot on.

[pineapple stu]

I think so too. But it's just a foot.ie ritual - the only time of year Paul leaves the Ireland forum here.

[pineapple stu]

Is there some new rule in penalty shootouts which means that teams don't go through all 11 players before a player takes a second penalty?

I didn't think so? Didn't happen in that game last night. Where are you thinking that from?

[joey B]

Unfortunately everything he said there is spot on.

Everything apart from 'Pats should have won' they absolutely shoud not have won,they were blessed to be still in the game in the second half and 1 of their goals was a complete freak,the Luxembourgers were full value for their win....

[DCWA]

Everything apart from 'Pats should have won' they absolutely shoud not have won,they were blessed to be still in the game in the second half and 1 of their goals was a complete freak,the Luxembourgers were full value for their win....

Ah sorry I didn’t question that part as I didn’t see the game and seen Pat’s were 2-1 up at one stage so made sense that maybe they should’ve won but fair enough.

[paul_oshea]

Everything apart from 'Pats should have won' they absolutely shoud not have won,they were blessed to be still in the game in the second half and 1 of their goals was a complete freak,the Luxembourgers were full value for their win....

I probably should have said "could" there yesterday. Bar the first 20 mins Pats had most of the ball and most of the chances. That Dutch guy was the difference between the two teams really and that proved in the end. They had more than enough of the ball and with a bit more composure and accuracy of delivery they would have. They should have gone ahead(on the night)through Carty he had a free header 6 yards out and no man near him. That goes in there was only going to be one winner - so call it could or should up to you.

[ger121]

There are 2 clubs in Akureyri, it was 2nd division Thor who hammered Bohs, KA are the other club, they are Thor’s bigger brother.
KA are currently in the bottom third of the league, there’s much of a muchness betweeen them and Dundalk but KA are more structured in their play. The game will be played in Reykjavik as KA’s ground is being rebuilt anew. KA will be up for this game as not much else of note happens in their football competitive life and their support will travel in expectation.

Ah ok. Thanks for clarifying. Impressive there are 2 clubs in a small place like Akureyri.