I withdraw my statement 😀
Ferencvaros will do quite well in the Europa League by the looks of it. You have to take in to account all the injury issues that Rovers had to contend with, but even still, the gulf in class was very evident. Reminded me of the Qarabag-Dundalk game a few years back, where Dundalk were sliced open with frightening repetition, and a hapless defensive error gifted an easy goal to the opposition, and it happened again tonight for Gannon. They were always up against it 2-0 down, but he performed the archetypal LOI in Europe defensive howler that consistently seems to be in our sides. The 4th goal is cruel in a way, as Rovers had been playing much better with the introduction of Byrne at 3-0, and for the way it bounced its way despairingly away from Mannus. Truth be told though, if they were even more clinical than they showed at times, Ferencvaros could have won 6-0 with hitting the post twice and multiple fine saves from Mannus. Rovers were unfortunately outclassed everywhere. A brutal lesson in quickness of movement, technique, pace, passing and finishing, and an eye opener ahead of the Conference League. You'd just hope that they could win on the night in Tallaght or at least not lose with Byrne playing 90 minutes to lift the morale again ahead of the Conference group stages. Rovers immediately looked better with his introduction.
Last edited by CorribsideSteve; 18/08/2022 at 8:10 PM.
ferencvaros were miles better in every department except goalkeeper as theirs was never tested to make a comparison. It could easily have been 7 or 8 if they didn't dick around in front of goal. I think overall irish football isn't just ready for group stages. It's better to go out now than get to the group and get tanked 6 times. Although it would be experience for players it could also have a negative effect. I know the money is great but it's better to go out now and say you've had a good run and a big distraction from the domestic game. That game left Rovers looking tired and leggy and could be detrimental to their league campaign.
Fair assessment of a tough night.
If Byrne and Burke were fit I think we could have hurt them or at least kept the ball better and avoided coughing up so many chances. Without either to take the ball in congested areas we just kept giving up possession. And they were very sharp with it. Should have scored more. Still would have beaten us with our best 11 out there I think but we might have kept it to 2 goals and been alive for the home leg.
It reminded me of the Flora game with our two central mids completely lost and the back 3 very exposed. Need to sign a younger version of Chris McCann for Europe next season. And wrap Jack and Burke in cotton wool for half the year....
21 leagues and 25 cups.
There was a great interview this week from a pundit that follows Hungarian footie on between the stripes podcast - she really gave a great insight on how strong Ferencvaros are - they have a very successful history domestically and lots of experience in a Europe - after hearing it I thought Rovers were really up against it.
Drogheda United in this together
When I saw they smashed Fehervar 4-0 the other day (who are 2-1 up away to Koln) and Adama Traore is scoring for fun since he joined, I did worry for Rovers. Then when I saw it was 36c up to KO, I thought they could get a hiding. These guys had already done 3 rounds in the CL and are a EL group side all day long.
Not sure I agree with the OP about dropping out now and saving getting smashed in 6 games. You want to be in the groups and the more times you are, the better you will get. Experience in games at this level and then some consistency in getting to the groups, are only good for a club’s progression. Maybe they will lose all 6, maybe they won’t, but you have to be in it to have a chance.
And most surprisingly, CSKA have won 1-0 at home to Basle!
If you ever wondered why Bradley is seen as a bit of a poser outside of Rovers, tonights game was an example.
You can't complain about missing players, but then try to play the exact same way. Far too rigid in being unwilling to change the system. The game was over at half time, totally non-competitive. They just rolled over.
Gannon is a terrible RWB.. maybe he is still a decent full back, i dont know ... but it has been clear as day he is a terrible wing back. Why not play a flat back four to make him a bit more comfortable? Lyons, Cleary and Hoare were all playing in back 4s until recently.
Why not try to pack out the center midfield, adding Towel in there for some energy? I have zero idea why they would start greene and Gaffney- and have a light weight Watt in midfield.
Ferna were always going to win... But Rovers just made it so easy for them. Again, its not like this should be shocked , they should have learnt from Ludograts. They didn't. Ferna could have hit them for 6 or 7.
Nobody inside Rovers really gives a ****e what those outside think to be honest Kiki. We like success and that's what he's brought to the club.
21 leagues and 25 cups.
A bit of a reality check is in order here. Not every team in the EL group stages is as good as Ferencvaros. They're CL regulars. And Rovers were missing more than half their team.
Dundalk got into the group's in 2016 and 2020 and didn't suffer any drubbings that bad. They actually got a few points. Even the matches they lost in 2016 group stages there was never more than 1 goal in it.
And in 2020 they scored plenty of goals in the group too and came very close to getting results. The 3-4 away match against Rapid Wien especially could have gone either way.
If Rovers had a fully fit team tonight they probably would have still lost but it wouldn't have been anywhere near so one sided.
any team with sean hoare at cb once at this stage of europe is on for a hiding. until irish clubs can offer better wages for foreign talent we'll not lay a glove on teams like this, only hope is a lucky draw.
Prior to tonight's match, trying to work out the gap to EL group stage or finishing 2nd in the ECL group stage.
I'm sure LoI clubs in the league path will have ambition to try and improve on the 3rd qualifying round. Difficult but no harm in ambition with grounded reality that even getting past the first two rounds is fraught with danger.
Many will have seen Rovers getting past the CL first round, making the EL playoffs and ECL group stage as achievable. So it has transpired.
Just as there is a gap in the league path from Q3 to playoffs, there is a gap in the champions path to the EL group stage and there will also be a gap to 2nd in the ECL group stage.
Tonight's result gives a clear picture of the task Rovers will have in trying to finishing higher than 3rd. Should LoI league champions go forward with no ambition to try and close that gap?
https://foot.ie/forums/117-Kerry-FC
A Championship: 4 years - 8 first teams - 0 financially ruined. First Division '14: 7 first teams.
Opportunity lost for new clubs/regions to join the LoI family.
Yeah, you can't really judge how a whole group might go based on that. Though on the other hand, they might (2011 didn't go great for example).
Redundant for the moment anyway.
The coefficient update is that we're back down to 38th as sides from Finland and Bosnia both won tonight. But what's more important is who's likely to be in the group stages where there's more points to be had (given that Rovers already are there). Of the sides below us, Armenia and Lithuania are in the Conference League at a minimum. Malta and Luxembourg won't reach the groups, Liechtenstein might after a 1-1 home draw but it's odds against, the viciously dangerous Shkupi lost at home to a Kosovan side so against odds against there, and Linfield are probably slight favourites despite conceding twice in injury time.
Above us - Belarus' crash continues; all their teams are out of Europe already. Finland have qualified, but the Bosnian side have to go to Slovan Bratislava and hold on to a 1-0 lead next week to get there. Moldova have qualified, Kosovo and Latvia we've seen above (v North Macedonia and North Ireland). There's a big gap then to Slovenia - Maribor are 0-0 after the home leg against Cluj, which isn't a great result, but at 2.875 ahead of us, I think we're unlikely to bridge that gap.
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