Anyone else very worried about this Carlow game?

[Lone Shark]

I understand that the hurlers have a lot more to be worrying about going in against probably the third best team in Ireland on the back of Sunday's scutching, but I have to say I'm getting very worried about the footballers too.

It's typical of the kind of game we struggle in - away from home against dangerous but not very highly rated opposition who will be thrilled at the chance to scalp a supposedly "big gun". (Amazing how long we seem to be able to hold that despite achieving feck all).

A serious business like team would set to the task early, get a good lead and then slow the game down taking both the heat and the crowd out of the equation. I worry about our ability to do that. We seem to oscillate between league matches where we start terribly and drag ourselves back into it or championship matches where we burst out of the blocks then watch as the opposition slowly reels us in.

Carlow are good around the middle, so we need to compete with them for ball - certainly we've got to put the first few chances over the bar, so we don't end up getting that "here we go again" feeling - if that means keep working the ball in very close and trying to win frees or make sure of easy chances before we go for scores in the first fifteen minutes then that's what we should do.

I'm very feckin worried. Can't help it.

[Ron]

I agree with you there LS, these are the kind of teams that we generally seem to have difficulty in putting away. Normally I'd be of the opinion that a hard fought win can sometimes focus the minds and show that there is room for improvement. This time however I think we need to start the qualifiers with a bang. We need to be efficient in scoring and free taking thus righting the wrongs of our last two outings. (McMadness needs a good game too).

Like I said before we have never really bought in to this qualifier idea, losses to Wexford, Limerick, and close calls against London, and with players walking recently off the panel...

[Kevin]

No doubt about it. Dissent in the ranks, lack of leadership at the helm. I'm worried. HAve to hope the lads can pull together and make it happen.

[The Biff]

Agreed. I take it as a little consolation that the panel-leavers have not drawn big publicity, hoping that this means there is little or no dissent in the rest of the panel.

Carlow will not be a push-over, especially at home. It's our "classic" trip-up scenario from the past, so I too would love to see an emphatic victory on our part. There's a bogey to be buried and now is the time to call the Undertaker.

[Bord na Mona man]

I have a feeling this won't go smoothly.
So long as we don't panic if Carlow get a run on us.
If the home crowd start to believe and Offaly start making silly mistakes, it could be one of those evenings!

[Lone Shark]

So long as we don't panic if Carlow get a run on us.

I don't think we'll panic, but if Carlow get a bit of momentum up then it will require a few things:

(1) To be able to take whatever opportunities come our way to break their run and get some scores of our own. Our forward line is not exactly noted for it's efficient use of chances though.

(2) To be able to see the problems early on the sideline and deal with them before they cost us two or three points rather than after. Again I'm not giving up hope, but I'm not optimistic about our sideline in this regard either.

(3) To win a few balls at midfield and hold possession for a while so that Carlow are chasing the game. Ideal for Jimmy Grennan. But we don't have him any more, or any fielding option on the bench to be honest.


I'm not expecting this to go smoothly either.

[Bord na Mona man]

So long as we don't panic if Carlow get a run on us.

I don't think we'll panic, but if Carlow get a bit of momentum up then it will require a few things:

We've seen it down in Limerick and Wexford, when Offaly start making mistakes. Composure and belief evapourates right before our eyes.
The home crowd, who went in hope more than expectation, get a great lift.
Every Offaly error is greeted by a bigger roar and consequently the mistakes get worse.
Balls getting kicked over the sideline, misplaced passes etc.
Heads start to drop and suddenly the opposition are drifting out of sight and playing inspired football.

That's why we need to be composed and confident against Carlow. Put them away before it turns into a nightmare fixture.

[The Biff]

Fer feck sake lads, ye're giving me the "he-be-ge-be's".

That Limerick performance was one of the worst I ever remember. I've said to myself that we cant play that bad again. After the Laois game, I think I was wrong.

But there have been good performances too, most notably the first half against Kildare last year. On that form, we could take on nearly anyone. So we know the players have it in them. What's the difference? Is it hard to get properly motivated & focussed against what might be rated as a "lesser" team at the time? That is the primary job of the Management team.

Surely the lads have learned this lesson too. They're not stupid. They haven't turned into bad players. They don't WANT to play badly, kick wides or lose the game.

If they can believe they are better players, and that collectively they are a better team, what does it really take to turn that belief in to action and results?

FAITH