Last Sunday was as simple as
Problem no 1- Shots not on target. Kicking simple shots inside the '50 right up the '14 yard line need to be practised by every forward. Lack of pracise highly evident!
2-Forwards not TAKING ON their opponent. For all Niall Mac and James Coughlan's skill they either can't or refuse to do this on numerous occasions. Often times the forwards would be on course for goal and then pass it across just becuse their running into difficulty, a player is shadowing them. Whats the worse that could happen lads? Take them on, pass it if your in dire straits, chances are high though if you DRAW THE FOUL!
3 Management Skill. At an all time low on Sunday. Anything the players have achieved so far it was by themselves and NOT because of Kevin Kilmurray. Didn't bring his thinking cap at all. I wonder has he got a brain. taking off the freetaker who was consistent and setting up attacks. (There was no sign of Colm Quinn slowing down, no excuses) bringing on John Kenny to inject fire and pace into the attack , some joke, he wasnt we needed! At that stage of the game we needed someone to come out and take the ball as the inside forwards were HIDING!! He told Paschal to stay at the edge of the square, not to move at all, and to catch the dropping high ball. This was ridiculous, thats just hitting and hoping, with a 50/50 chance of succeeding. Paschal should have been moved to his more favoured centre half forward position where he could of helped out midfield and take the ball through. If he couldn't last the game doing so Roy Malone play this role all throughout the year last year and WAS fit to participate. Niall should have gone, his being overplayed and its evidently taking its toll on his performance, remember he's an injured man. Furthermore, they played him for the game v Roscommon and didn't give subs a chance to prove themselves at all when he could, now come championship he's afraid to play them. Damien Huunt was good enough in their estimation to play a full game in Navan, not good enough for 10 seconds now?
4. McManus. The man needs to be sorted! Give him 2 frees, if he kicks them wide, give him no more!!! For all his experience he needs to be taught howto be calm and strong on the ball. 14 yards out instead of drilling with all his power the more sensible of option of calmly tapping the ball over the bar with your fist was all that was needed. Yes by the way he kicked it wide. He CANNOT TELL OTHER PLAYERS WHAT TO DO, OR THE MANAGER. He should of not taken that free from Niall when he knew he wasn't on form. He has to learn he can't do it all! He just Can't! Replacing him sunday and I feel we could of won the game. Has given great service but wound up and excited he is a LIABILITY.
FAIR PLAY TO BACKS AND MIDFIELD, COULDNT BE FAULTED. Goals like that will happen, thats not where the game was lost.
Am i right or am i right? and what are the solutions?
The problems. what are the solutions?
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Lone Shark
- All Star
- Posts: 5378
- Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2004 5:21 pm
- Club: Ferbane
- Location: Roscommon
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Regarding the various points......
(1) The shooting we've covered in great depth. I mean savage depth! At the end of the day though, these lads can shoot and are doing it for their clubs. I fully expect to see Jimmy and Niall score six or seven points each at the weekend. There are reasons why it's not happening on the field, and that is a management issue.
(2) I've mentioned this elsewhere. Niall is not fit to, and that's not Jimmy's game. Paschal is a lot of things, but he's not fast either. Jimmy looks to just make a yard and shoot - that's what he does. You either pick him to do that or you don't pick him. The variation that someone like David Egan/Roy/Neville etc would give you inside is of merit - whether it's worth sacrificing the one of two best scorers in the county from the start is another matter.
(3) I'm struggling to shake the notion that the first manager we've given real job security to is the worst guy we've had in over a decade. Nothing in his nature as a player would suggest manager, nothing he did managing clubs would suggest he's ready for this, the players stories about him would worry you, and his ability to read a game tactically if it exists has not been seen in any game so far. Basics like slowing a game down when we have the lead, poor choice of substitutions, obvious substitutions not made, an inability to see disaster looming, these are all aspects we've seen. If Roy was fit, and I suppose at the end of the day only Roy and the physio knows this, then from about five minutes into the second half that game was made for him and he should have played. My thoughts on Hunt are well known - I think he would have been another worthwhile swap. I agree re: Niall and Mac as well.
(4) How can you seperate the Dancer from the Dance? If the man is headless at 29, he's not going to learn now. Take him away from the frees, and play him at centre back I reckon. The only way forward. Take him off when he's having a game like that. However he can't take himself off. Leads us back to management again.
Notice how all the problems seem to have the same solution?
(1) The shooting we've covered in great depth. I mean savage depth! At the end of the day though, these lads can shoot and are doing it for their clubs. I fully expect to see Jimmy and Niall score six or seven points each at the weekend. There are reasons why it's not happening on the field, and that is a management issue.
(2) I've mentioned this elsewhere. Niall is not fit to, and that's not Jimmy's game. Paschal is a lot of things, but he's not fast either. Jimmy looks to just make a yard and shoot - that's what he does. You either pick him to do that or you don't pick him. The variation that someone like David Egan/Roy/Neville etc would give you inside is of merit - whether it's worth sacrificing the one of two best scorers in the county from the start is another matter.
(3) I'm struggling to shake the notion that the first manager we've given real job security to is the worst guy we've had in over a decade. Nothing in his nature as a player would suggest manager, nothing he did managing clubs would suggest he's ready for this, the players stories about him would worry you, and his ability to read a game tactically if it exists has not been seen in any game so far. Basics like slowing a game down when we have the lead, poor choice of substitutions, obvious substitutions not made, an inability to see disaster looming, these are all aspects we've seen. If Roy was fit, and I suppose at the end of the day only Roy and the physio knows this, then from about five minutes into the second half that game was made for him and he should have played. My thoughts on Hunt are well known - I think he would have been another worthwhile swap. I agree re: Niall and Mac as well.
(4) How can you seperate the Dancer from the Dance? If the man is headless at 29, he's not going to learn now. Take him away from the frees, and play him at centre back I reckon. The only way forward. Take him off when he's having a game like that. However he can't take himself off. Leads us back to management again.
Notice how all the problems seem to have the same solution?