Is it sacrilege to question Paul Cook's tactics?

**avvenalaf** · 21/08/2007, 11:39 PM

Afraid tonight raised some questions for me. Firstly, where did he get the notion that you can get away with a right footed player playing at left back and what is the problem with Foyzer. I have seen Foy fat and thin (well, less fat) and I can state with conviction that neither of the two balls which caused the Waterford goals would have got into th e box if he were playing. Secondly, why did he leave Raf on the field so long when he was quite clearly having an absolute mare and was more of a danger to his own team than to Waterford. Events showed that if Brian cash was on long enough, he could have won it for us.
Fair play to waterford - they hung in there and although we should have been out of sight when they scored their second gaol, we weren't and that's that. In Mark kavanagh they had the best player on the field by a country mile.
No harm to the lads - they left it all out on the field and penos are lotto anyway.
It could be worse - it could have been Bohs.

**sligoman** · 21/08/2007, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by avvenalaf

In Mark kavanagh they had the best player on the field by a country mile.

You didn't notice O'Grady then?

As for Foy, Cook has a personal problem with him but I agree he should be starting. Put it aside Cookie and play him, we need him!

**Red&White Rover** · 21/08/2007, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by sligoman

You didn't notice O'Grady then?

As for Foy, Cook has a personal problem with him but I agree he should be starting. Put it aside Cookie and play him, we need him!

AFAIK there great mates?

**sligoman** · 21/08/2007, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by Red&White Rover

AFAIK there great mates?

Not what I heard

**Red4Eva** · 21/08/2007, 11:53 PM

have to agree about ventre and foyzer. i don't like ventre as a player at all. he's prob a decent rb but he's all over the shop at lb.if only foyzer wud drop some weight we'd be sorted but i'd still start him v galway. his positioning, been left sided etc etc make up for the advantages of danny not being fat and then foyzer's deliveries fom set piece puts him way ahead of danny IMO. we never score from set pieces like we did last year&that's because we've no foyzer. i might be proved wrong but i'd like to see foyzer start a game

**feo123** · 21/08/2007, 11:57 PM

even if there great mates, its a totally different thing on the pitch

**sligoman** · 22/08/2007, 12:01 AM

Well Ventre is suspended for Friday so if he doesn't start Foyzer then their is something seriously wrong!

**feo123** · 22/08/2007, 12:04 AM

he'll start Raff left back, cash on the right, thats it

**avvenalaf** · 22/08/2007, 12:52 AM

Sligoman, I did notice Conor - he was outstanding but Kavanagh was carrying a full team on his back.

**feo123** · 22/08/2007, 1:03 AM

Originally Posted by avvenalaf

Sligoman, I did notice Conor - he was outstanding but Kavanagh was carrying a full team on his back.

which fella was he? what number? 8?

**roversforever** · 22/08/2007, 6:32 AM

he's not playing foyzer because he's making no effort to lose weight.he has no interest in putting in the extra bit of effort he needs to put in...i would start him if your going by who is our best left back but he has to show that he wants to play and earn his place in the team and at the minute he's not doing that.

**Shedzer** · 22/08/2007, 7:41 AM

cant get on to the manager....luck didnt go our way
Ventre did ok, they tried very hard
The subs, Manson and Cash had an impact, beating their men and looking good

It was penos after all

**Fivesilver** · 22/08/2007, 7:47 AM

Originally Posted by Red4Eva;

we never score from set pieces like we did last year

**Red4Eva** · 22/08/2007, 8:48 AM

Originally Posted by Fivesilver

i mean from corners and frees into the box not shots on goal from faz which he's absolutely brilliant at but his frees from wide areas are pretty poor.

**gustavo** · 22/08/2007, 8:48 AM

Originally Posted by feo123

he'll start Raff left back, cash on the right, thats it

Would he not play Meredith seeing as he will be eligible after so long

**akearins** · 22/08/2007, 8:54 AM

Maybe a bit early in the morning but "The subs, Manson and Cash had an impact, beating their men and looking good

Yeah both had an impact.Cash's was positive but Manson's wasnt.
He played right in front of us in the blue stand for extra time and some of his play was atrocious.He passed the buck too many times pointing at areas for Ventre to mark instaed of going it himself, he didnt even mark his own man, left thrower unmarked and pulled out of tackles etc......

When he stood up for the peno the whole ground know he was going to miss .
Never like to be critical of our own players but lets call a spade a spade.He is simply not good enough.

As for questioning Cooke lets not get carried away.We could be up in the showgrounds still and we wouldnt score.I have never seen a game like it you sort of knew when we missed the extra time chances it wasn't going to be our day.Cookey has said we rode our luck in a lot of games and it simply ran out last night.Still in shock and many more miles of debate to get form last night.
So we move on and try and keep our league performance going.
It will be hard to pick the lads up but wallowing in it will not help us beat Galway on Friday.We played some good football last night, was a great game,great crowd and no reason why we cannot continue where we left off against Bray.Onward and upwards

**showgies** · 22/08/2007, 9:20 AM

I don’t think we should be too critical of anyone last night. After a poor enough first half the game turned into a great entertaining cup tie witnessed by a large crowd.

Our luck certainly deserted us last night and after witnessing the types of chances we had last night, I sensed that it wasn’t going to be our night. Although, they gave us one glimmer of hope when we pulled the penalty shoot out back to 2 all.

In defence this season we have being at times unsteady and always likely to concede in most games. There seems very little composure and we seem happy to swipe at the ball just to get it out of the box. Strangely though, this season has seen the emergence of Coleman, a new defensive hero in Peers and a huge improvement in Jamie (although he has a bit to go to totally convince me). Left back is certainly our problem area, as is communication between Brushy and his defence. Will our new signings be the answer? Time will tell.

I don’t think we should feel too disappointed after last night’s entertainment. We are still in a good position in the league and Europe is a possibility. If you had offered that at the start of the season we would all have taken it. We have received quite a bit of good profile this season and Rovers are recognised as one of the most entertaining teams in the league, with players signed for next season that are coveted by so called “bigger clubs”.

Last night wasn’t our night, but the season may yet leave us smiling.

**avvenalaf** · 22/08/2007, 10:53 AM

All the usual 'look forward' 'not our night' 'unlucky' sh ite being wheeled out when we are looking at a situation where we should have beaten Waterford off the field. The reality is that by playing a right footed player at full back we handed an area of the pitch to the opposition where they could hurt us. Did anyone not see the interview Gareth Cronin gave TV3 after we beat them down there when he was livid at the fact that his team did not carry out his instructions to target Ventre for that very reason.
The reality is we are out of a competition which we were second favourites to win - beaten at home by a side fighting relegation and if we don't admit why we were beaten then we will be beaten again. What's the point in getting onto Stephen Manson - he'a an easy taget and after all he was put on.
I don't want to put out major criticism when the season has gone so well from a disastrous opening but the coffee is brewing whenever you want to wake up, guys. Smell it.
Onwards and upwards by all means but with lessons learned.

**red bellied** · 22/08/2007, 11:34 AM

There is no football played at the back. Its all simply get it the frig out of there as quickly as possibe. This leads to conceding possession and Waterford had a fair bit of it last night. I dont think McKenzie and Ventre have the ability to play it from here anyway so there is no proper balance. Hopefully these positions will be sorted for next season. Ventre is a liability at left full, not his natural position I know but even when attacking with the ball last night, he ended up going back to his own half and passing back to Brush.