Rovers V Drogs Game (0-0)

[Only1Rovers]

Reasonable game. Peers off injured again - he's easily crocked, it seems. Up front, we didn't do a whole lot to be honest. We would have been fortunate to win.

My big concern is Almeida at the back. Although not a whole lot gets past him, his "just hoof it away" attitude needs to be worked on. How many times did he give the ball straight back to Drogheda last night? Also, one of my criticisms from last year has remained - why don't we play the ball out from the back and use our full backs to get forward? Why does Brush always just whack it downfield?

I think considering the state of the pitch, there is a lot to be said for the agricultural approach to defending.

I was critical of him hoofing it last night, but on reflection, on the night it was effective. Sure, he nearly got caught out once or twice, but result is what matters. Maybe he needs time to build confidence, he is only in the door.

As for Peers, saying he is "easily crocked" is unfair. He is easily one of our most important players. when Peers plays we are a much more better team.

[sligoman]

Not a bad game considering the mess the pitch was in. Draw was definitely the fair result as either side had the chances to snatch a win. I noticed Faz putting in a bit more effort last night but I'll wait to see if he does the same against Bohs next week before I say something about it. Ventre was very good in the middle and as usual Coleman and Raf gave everything. It's great to have Brush back too, defence can be a lot more confident he's behind them than Jennings. Almeida did very well but he does hoof a lot(which is excusable given the state of pitch). Overall, a better performance than Pat's game and I think Drogheda were better in first half and us in the second. Sets us up nicely for the Bohs game!

Cathal and Hughes were quite.

quite what?

[Only1Rovers]

quite what?

Sorry that should be "QUIET"

[rovers77]

Great performance by Rovers overall. Thought Brushy was very reasurring in goal and Seamie as usual was class.

I used to think (maybe unfairly) that Raf shouldn't have been a starting XI player (but great impact sub) but on his second half performance last night, I changed my mind, he played a blinder, got stuck in to everything.

Almeida, although he did clear the ball a lot by hoofing up the field or over the stand, (Dykesy style!) he still looked like a good composed center half.

Just a bit dissapointed by O Grady, he just didn't seem to be too involved in the game as it went on. But in saying that he did cover a lot of ground during the match.

The refferee was terrible, refused to let the game flow. He blew the whistle at the mere sign of a tackle and spoiled a couple of Rovers attacks when he should have played advantage.

Also, it's a pity about the pitch, I suppose now the season has started that there is not a lot that can be done about it so we might as well get used to it.

[sligoman]

I also think we should have had a penalty in the 2nd half when a Drogheda player clearly handballed it.

[Rovers fan]

Great performance by Rovers overall. Thought Brushy was very reasurring in goal and Seamie as usual was class.

I used to think (maybe unfairly) that Raf shouldn't have been a starting XI player (but great impact sub) but on his second half performance last night, I changed my mind, he played a blinder, got stuck in to everything.

Almeida, although he did clear the ball a lot by hoofing up the field or over the stand, (Dykesy style!) he still looked like a good composed center half.

Just a bit dissapointed by O Grady, he just didn't seem to be too involved in the game as it went on. But in saying that he did cover a lot of ground during the match.

The refferee was terrible, refused to let the game flow. He blew the whistle at the mere sign of a tackle and spoiled a couple of Rovers attacks when he should have played advantage.

Also, it's a pity about the pitch, I suppose now the season has started that there is not a lot that can be done about it so we might as well get used to it.

Yeah I'd agree with most of that,raf(who i also used to criticise) deserves his place but maybe ogrady might lose his place to ventre . Ventre was way better imo and when we are against weaker teams the both of them wont be playing in the middle together. Your totally right about the ref as well he was blowing his whistle every few seconds.

[Redie]

Judge has to start next game. He will have to move either Boco or Faz back to midfield at the expence of O'Grady or Murphy. Almeida missed one tackle in the whole game and Bates should have scored from it otherwise he was a contender for man-of-the-match along with Raf. Peers is pure class, as if we didn't know. My biggest worry about Boco's performance was that at times it looked as if he did not really want the ball, I'm sure I'm wrong and he will come good.

[Guts&Glory]

Any ideas of attendance figure ?

Rovers website still to post report.

[forza rovers]

Judge has to start next game. He will have to move either Boco or Faz back to midfield at the expence of O'Grady or Murphy. Almeida missed one tackle in the whole game and Bates should have scored from it otherwise he was a contender for man-of-the-match along with Raf. Peers is pure class, as if we didn't know. My biggest worry about Boco's performance was that at times it looked as if he did not really want the ball, I'm sure I'm wrong and he will come good.

o'grady has bein one of our most consitant players if you ask me drop faz for a game as he has not showed much desire.judge is a better sub and makes a better impact as ye saw yesterday.

[ndrog]

fair result as both teams were crap tbh .You shouldnt be allowed to play football on that pitch .How do you get a licence with the state of it

[feo123]

fair result as both teams were crap tbh .You shouldnt be allowed to play football on that pitch .How do you get a licence with the state of it

there's nothing we can do about it though, we just simply can't afford to get a new pitch!!
conor ogrady would be one of the last players id leave out of the side. he was maybe our best player last week against pats, and has always been good for us, his passing may need improvment alright but he makes up for that in other areas.

[clubman]

fair result as both teams were crap tbh .You shouldnt be allowed to play football on that pitch .How do you get a licence with the state of it

Like you lot we apply for the licence.
No club is perfect.
We have a poor surface whereas ye don't have enough seating to meet criteria yet ye like us get a licence. The mind boggles, but hey, we're not complaining now are we?

[showgies]

fair result as both teams were crap tbh .You shouldnt be allowed to play football on that pitch .How do you get a licence with the state of it

Is the pitch really that bad that would prevent the awarding of a licence? I don't remember you complaining about it last season!!

Isn't is amazing what one league championship does to a team and its supporters. One bought trophy seems to entitle you to dictate what is acceptable or not in the league.

ndrog you would be better complaining about your fickle "fans" who booed some of your players off at full time.

[red bellied]

Doolin not happy with Showgrounds pitch. He described it as shocking and horrendous and it has not improved since he made his debut there 27 years ago.

Cook said "the pitch is our pitch and we cant help that. We'd all love to have Wembley as our pitch. We cant do anything about the pitch. The Showgrounds is our ground and we are proud of it"

Good old Cookie, loyal to the last!

[clubman]

Doolin not happy with Showgrounds pitch. He described it as shocking and horrendous and it has not improved since he made his debut there 27 years ago.

Cook said "the pitch is our pitch and we cant help that. We'd all love to have Wembley as our pitch. We cant do anything about the pitch. The Showgrounds is our ground and we are proud of it"

Good old Cookie, loyal to the last!

Cookie quoted in the Sun ........ won't go down well in Liverpool

[Fivesilver]

Perhaps if we had the geographical location of Dublin-lite clubs like Drogheda, Longford etc we might benefit from having big businessmen throwing cash our way. The unalterable fact is that we're a club in a smallish northwestern town that has a good record of punching above our weight. Typical corporate Ireland nonsense to try to turn unhappiness with the pitch into a licensing issue - the same kind of rubbish that gets Galway promoted without getting enough points and makes them a member of the 'big five'.
It's not what football, or sport, is all about though. Rovers do our best with the resources we have, and I'm proud of that. I'd love to see Faz, Rommy and Raf playing on a pitch like a carpet, but I'm far happier to see them continue to go out and give everything for the Bit o' Red.

[clubman]

Perhaps if we had the geographical location of Dublin-lite clubs like Drogheda, Longford etc we might benefit from having big businessmen throwing cash our way. The unalterable fact is that we're a club in a smallish northwestern town that has a good record of punching above our weight. Typical corporate Ireland nonsense to try to turn unhappiness with the pitch into a licensing issue - the same kind of rubbish that gets Galway promoted without getting enough points and makes them a member of the 'big five'.
It's not what football, or sport, is all about though. Rovers do our best with the resources we have, and I'm proud of that. I'd love to see Faz, Rommy and Raf playing on a pitch like a carpet, but I'm far happier to see them continue to go out and give everything for the Bit o' Red.

Well said!!!!!!!!!!!!

[avvenalaf]

No. No. No. The provision of a BASIC playing surface should be a given for any club playing senior football and our pitch is an absolute disgrace. We have players at the club at the moment who are crying out for a decent surface and this was quite clear on the occasions when we put the ball on - or as near as possible to - the ground on saturday.
When Steve C was manager at the club, our pitch was excellent. What has happened? Why has it been allowed to fall into this state? We will be the laughing stock of the league and every club who we beat at home this season - and that will be the most of them - will have a perfect excuse.
Less stiltwalkers and jugglers and more groundsmen.

[red_away]

Avvenalaf - i agree with you that the pitch is poor but once we beat someone they can whinge all they want, personally i love it when they leave whinging - it a goose and the gander situation but its gonna stay like this ofr the foreseeable future as we dont have e200k or a three month window to properly fix the situation.

That said we desperately need it!

[feo123]

as cookie says, the pitch is our pitch, nothing can change it now! nothing can be done its just too much money and the seasons already started, we should try and take advantage though.

imo at our home games now this year we already have a mental advantage over the opposition. they'll arrive at the ground and go straight to the pitch for a walkaround, and all they'll be thinking of is the state of it....they'll all be talking about how bad it is and that'll distract them from the game ahead, whereas we know what its like and i think it could be an advantage for us in some games