QuoteJesus Maher is shocking for Sligos second,what is even doing???
We've been kind enough to relegate ourselves but it was nice of Sligo to turn the screw on us tonight.
Putrid, again.
Jesus Maher is shocking for Sligos second,what is even doing???
Irish by birth ,Harps by the grace of god.
Yes, yes we are - fully expect a well-coached Sligo side to catch one, if not both, of us.Originally Posted by Shinkicker
Looks like a near impossible task now for Cork to avoid the automatic drop. To get 9 points more than Sligo when they have only got 15 so far with two thirds of the season done, would require a near perfect final 3rd and/or a complete implosion from Sligo. From a purely selfish pov i was half hoping Sligo would finish bottom just for a handy away trip next season for Harps
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Derry were sloppy last night, bad touches, passes not sticking etc. But despite that, I though their overall play in trying to break Sligo down was better than we might have seen last year. And Sligo were very deep for a while after scoring (which they've every right to be). There was a point on about 35 minutes where Derry had every player in Sligo's half, most of them in the final quarter, and Sligo had every player in the box bar one or two who were maybe 20/25 yards out. Second half was different, the game seemed to open up again.
But it's far, far too easy to score against Derry by just landing a ball on top of Maher, or near the six yard box. I've always liked Maher as a shot stopper, but think he can be indecisive and doesn't seem to know whether to come for balls or not. Not helped by the fact that he's on the short side for a keeper.
Great shot stopper, mind. Great with his feet, too, and I've always admired the intelligence of his distribution. Wants to play football instead of just getting it out.
Dunno, maybe I'm being unfair singling out Maher. He was obviously at fault for the second, but there's enough big units in that defence that you'd hope they'd have some plan for balls in from wide. It happens too often.
Another big difference from last year is that Lynch always seems willing to change things when they aren't working. It's pretty usual this year to see two or three different shapes being used across a game, where Higgins' approach was very much "play 4-2-3-1 against everything and just hope that you're better than them." I disliked this tinkering at the start of the season because I thought it seemed a bit desperate, like he didn't know his team and was chucking stuff at the wall to see what sticks. Now I've a bit more faith and I'm coming round to the idea that possibly the experienced, professional football manager has a better eye for tactics than I do...
If you're saying Waterford and Galway then Pats are also in that conversation- no league win in 6 games, can't score a goal, one game more played.. Sure, they have the players, but it would be some turnaround after Europe to get top 4 for them. Just as likely to continue in the current vein..
I think Pats have the players to safely stay up, but it's probably too late to get fourth place. Most likely and in no particular order Rover's , Bohs, Derry and Shels
In reality there is only one relegation place, the play-offs currently are a formality and give 1st division sides something extra to play for. Dundalk could well be in the play-off mix and we wont beat the sides mentioned. Whatever about a cup upset not in a play-off. Cork we'd probably give a good game but that doesnt say too much.
You haven't told us anything we don't already know. Its standard Derry City behaviour. When people start talking about them looking like a team they wilt. Its the DNA of this club, It has been for a long long time. You just get used to it after a while.
The FD team has won 7 of the last 10 playoff finals against PD opposition. Not saying I'd fancy this year's FD representative to beat Sligo/Waterford/Galway by any means, but it's certainly not a formality either, especially in a once off game on neutral turf.
Maybe Lynch is the manager to change that narrative. It's a topsy turvy league and things can change. If that shels team last year can win a league then this seasons derry team can certainly win one.
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I know the stats dont back up what I think historically so why im talking currently. There is the momentum element where a side potentially on the way down is losing and the promotion chaser has a winning habit, but Id be really surprised if the 1st division club could lay a glove on the premier side this season from what Ive seen. The quality of a winning Dundalk side hasnt needed to be paricularly good this season so far, a long way off a Sligo or Waterford. Id take a Waterford play-off as they just dont know how to win one without trawlig player registrations. But nah its automatic or nothing this year.
I agree that Shels winning shows that it is a bit of an open league but that Shels team were all pulling in the same direction. If that's the case at Derry then no doubt they can mount a serious challenge this year but with the amount of ins and outs rumoured it's probably a bit difficult to all be pulling in the same direction, at least this year.
Know it’s only one game but Shams the week before looked a lot better then Derry and thought we were comfortable enough. Couple of scares but not the level of pressure Shams had us under. Going in 2 ahead at half time helped a lot mind.
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