Getting Back to actual Fooball

[wws]

....

I think Shelbourne are flattered by their good start to the season, they've been very lucky in big games coming back from 2.1 down v Pats in Tolka to name but one and have been involved in their fair share of gifted points like down in Longford when the referee and the linesman grabbed all the plaudits for the shelbourne win in the papers next day.

IMHO they haven't really had it put up to them by a team who can play it on the deck and rough it up too. Has Jason Byrne gone quiet? I don't see his name popiing up as often as it was in the first few games, or am I just imagining that or not paying attention?

Anyway I think we could be the first team to really stuff shelbourne tonight and expose their failings hopefully than the league will be 100% open.

also, there hasn't been much comment on it but Tony Bird's goal up in Derry was a real classic

[Schumi]

I've only seen $hels once but they looked good against us. By all accounts they've been less impressive against other teams but for me they've been the best team I've seen this season.

[The Sheliban]

Football? What the hell has this forum got to do with football?

I agree with a lot of your points. Shels definitely have not been firing on all cylinders, which is why we are surprised and delighted to be six points clear.
We have scored a lot of late goals to earn points, that's true. Bohs and Pats spring to mind. Every time we don't win a championship, other clubs accuse us of lacking bottle. I think we've shown quite a lot of bottle this year, which augurs well.
I don't accept the fact that we've been gifted points. We've earned every one. Against Longford, the first goal looked offside, I admit, but the second goal, largely unmentioned, was a cracker. The Longford disallowed goal was a definite handball. Added to which, we ****ed all over them and deserved to win by more.
So apart from getting away with a penalty claim against Rovers, we haven't been gifted anything.
Derry thrashed us a fortnight ago and exposed our failings. That was our wake-up call. I don't see us being thrashed tonight.
Yes, Jayo has been scoreless of late. We're all starting to get a bit concerned for him, even though everybody else is chipping in. He's due a few goals.
Last week, our subs were Dessie Baker, Stewie Byrne and Wes Houlihan. This indicates the strength of our squad. Because of our strength of depth, compared to other teams, I would expect us to have an advantage towards the end of the season. Which is why, being six points clear so early on, we are quietly optimistic about the championship.

[Dodge]

Well IMHO Byrne is the best striker in the league so is liable to score in every game. Tony Bird is on fire this season and looks like scoring with each attack (despite missing a few sitters in Derry, he still lobbed the keeper from 20 yards out) and tonight should be a free flowing game with lots of goals (whch of course means it'll end 0-0 )

Have only seen them v pats this season at the time we were easily a match for you and we've improved since then. We have been dreadfully unlucky and perhaps that'll change but as you said (in other words0 teams make their own luck...

Looking forward to a good game

[Macy]

Originally posted by The Sheliban
Against Longford, the first goal looked offside, I admit, but the second goal, largely unmentioned, was a cracker. The Longford disallowed goal was a definite handball. Added to which, we ****ed all over them and deserved to win by more

You're first by Fenlons own admission was "at least 10 yards off".... Where was the handball for our "goal", and where the fook was the offside that it was disallowed for..... It was a great second goal, but it was only after that that youse were on top - and you could strongly argue that but for 2 diabolical decisions at that stage we would've been one up in a totally different game... Even in the first game in Tolka, we gifted (or rather Dempsey gifted) you the points...

[hayser]

I hate everyone now, well longford are ok i suppose ( if you don`t count the stoppage time equalisers), longford are like the pet dog, a little cute jack russell

[wws]

Originally posted by hayser
( if you don`t count the stoppage time equalisers)

lol

[Éanna]

Originally posted by Dodge
Well IMHO Byrne is the best striker in the league so is liable to score in every game.

Glen Crowe got in the Ireland squad, and O'Flynn is scoring for fun and you still say that?! I like Tony Bird though- good player, always looks dangerous

[Dodge]

Yep, Crowe was better last year when he made the international squad breakthrough. O'Flynn may in time be better, but the best striker i've seen this year has been Byrne.

[Éanna]

I dunno, I've seen Byrne and obviouslt the guys a good player, but to be honest I was just as impressed by Bird and a lot more impresse by Crowe and (obviously) O'Flynn

[The Sheliban]

The problem is that we've all seen our own strikers a lot, but the others only once or twice this season.
On goalscoring alone, O'Flynn is streets ahead this season, but then again, all goals seem to come through him or George. Which seems to imply that Cork's style of play seems to rely on the front two scoring.
Whereas Byrne is often used to holding up the ball or making space for the midfielders to come bursting through.
I grudgingly have respect for Bird, although I think he's a nasty little ****.
If I was a manager though I 'd go for Crowe.
Having said that, isn't the eL better for having all four of them?

[Éanna]

Originally posted by The Sheliban
Having said that, isn't the eL better for having all four of them?

Spot on. Go back a few years and we would have loved to be having this argument

[Dodge]

Absolutely and last year I would have agreed with you about Bird but its no exagerration to say this season he's a completely different player.

4 very good strikers, makes a change from a few years ago when no-one could challenge geoghegan (and I think this lot are better)