Derry City v Sligo Rovers Match Thread

[eugenio]

Patching looked lazy a lot of the time. He's not the player he was last season and needs dropped to make him realise he's not indispensible. I dont like blaming players but he wasnt the only one who looked lack lustre on Friday night.

He was heavily involved in the first half, probably our most influential player in attack. Less so in the second.

I'm a bit late posting but that was a horrid game

On a side note:
I agree with Steve Bradley's comments about trying to blame the pitch

[youtube][/youtube]
I’m totally totally bemused now Rem the magnificent cup final The win at Tallagh the great games at St Pats and BOHS last season the wins away elsewhere when the games were super Then at home you admit it was horrid Then castigate those who say the pitch is the culprit I know we are stuck with it but it’s horrific So let’s adapt at least hats all we are saying Or. As a v last resort get off it embarrass the Council. Oh sorry they are not easily embarrasssed ` Sorry

[stevebradley]

Patching looked lazy a lot of the time. He's not the player he was last season and needs dropped to make him realise he's not indispensible. I dont like blaming players but he wasnt the only one who looked lack lustre on Friday night.

He was heavily involved in the first half, probably our most influential player in attack. Less so in the second.

I'm a bit late posting but that was a horrid game

On a side note:
I agree with Steve Bradley's comments about trying to blame the pitch

[youtube][/youtube]
I’m totally totally bemused now Rem the magnificent cup final The win at Tallagh the great games at St Pats and BOHS last season the wins away elsewhere when the games were super Then at home you admit it was horrid Then castigate those who say the pitch is the culprit I know we are stuck with it but it’s horrific So let’s adapt at least hats all we are saying Or. As a v last resort get off it embarrass the Council. Oh sorry they are not easily embarrasssed ` Sorry

I also remember some great unexpected wins at home last seaosn - like the opening game of the season against Rovers. I remember how the biggest league victory we've had in decades came at home last season against UCD. I remember how all 4 rounds we played in the cup last year leading up to the final were home wins, including a hugely significant victory over Rovers. And I remember how the dip in form we had in the middle of last season - which probably cost us the league - affected both home and away games at the time.

But yeah - the Brandywell pitch is the source of our problems, and we're only any good when we play away on grass.

[brandyball]

You wonder, if the pitch is so bad and affected our play and responsible for so many injuries, why the club, manager and players aren't more vociferous in their criticism of the pitch publicly?

[jimd]

dont blame the pitch, its the way we play far too slow it needs to change, untill then we will drop points at home

[brandyball]

Interesting aside, on Radio Foyle at Lunchtime Kevin McLaughlin when talking about Institute stated their form at hone was better than their away form.

[Nige92]

Interesting aside, on Radio Foyle at Lunchtime Kevin McLaughlin when talking about Institute stated their form at hone was better than their away form.

Aren't they always playing away from home?

[brandyball]

Interesting aside, on Radio Foyle at Lunchtime Kevin McLaughlin when talking about Institute stated their form at hone was better than their away form.

Aren't they always playing away from home?

No, sure they play @ Brandywell

[Marty]

Interesting aside, on Radio Foyle at Lunchtime Kevin McLaughlin when talking about Institute stated their form at hone was better than their away form.

Aren't they always playing away from home?

Very good.

[joe3576]

He was heavily involved in the first half, probably our most influential player in attack. Less so in the second.

I'm a bit late posting but that was a horrid game

On a side note:
I agree with Steve Bradley's comments about trying to blame the pitch

[youtube][/youtube]
I’m totally totally bemused now Rem the magnificent cup final The win at Tallagh the great games at St Pats and BOHS last season the wins away elsewhere when the games were super Then at home you admit it was horrid Then castigate those who say the pitch is the culprit I know we are stuck with it but it’s horrific So let’s adapt at least hats all we are saying Or. As a v last resort get off it embarrass the Council. Oh sorry they are not easily embarrasssed ` Sorry

I also remember some great unexpected wins at home last seaosn - like the opening game of the season against Rovers. I remember how the biggest league victory we've had in decades came at home last season against UCD. I remember how all 4 rounds we played in the cup last year leading up to the final were home wins, including a hugely significant victory over Rovers. And I remember how the dip in form we had in the middle of last season - which probably cost us the league - affected both home and away games at the time.

But yeah - the Brandywell pitch is the source of our problems, and we're only any good when we play away on grass.

Steve. Our home record at home on the 3G going back over the 5 years it is down is not good.

Most home games are dull and not very exciting.

I have spoken to players who hate it.

I have spoken to opposition scouts, who say Derry away is relatively easy to prepare for as the pitch is so bad and Derry never change their system.

3 home games into this season and I see little change on last season except now we are picking up an injury per game on the pitch also now.

I will still say - the pitch could very well cost us the league this year too.

If you are seriously trying to say that beating UCD, Oliver Bond, Treaty United and a rubbish Cork team - justify the pitch - then you are deluded.

The results over 5 seasons speak for themselves, our home form over 5 years is poor. It was not good enough last year for us to challenge for the league when our away form was the best in the league - so if that doesn’t change this season then how possibly can we win the league ?

We are 3 games in, and again we cannot beat Dundalk and Sligo at home - as we didn’t do last year either ! So I worry how we can win the league if our home form last year prevented us from winning the league, and already this year the home form shows no signs of changing - either in results or in performance either.

How do we then win the league - explain that to me ?

[stevebradley]

I have spoken to opposition scouts, who say Derry away is relatively easy to prepare for as the pitch is so bad and Derry never change their system.

You should have stopped there to be honest, as you've answered your own question.

The problem is that we're utterly predictable at home, and teams know what to do to frustrate us. That's about tactics - not the pitch.

As an aside - I can't see how a 'terrible' pitch that opponents only play on once or twice a year is somehow easy for away teams to prepare for but not the home team, who play on it over 20 times a year. That makes no sense at all.

I hope to god the council does change the pitch for next year - if only to see what excuses get trotted out instead when we're not serving up champagne football at home every fortnight Maybe it'll be the wrong kind of grass to blame then ?

[Keyser Soze]

Correct Steve.

People seem to think the pitch is the only factor to be considered.

Playing at home and playing away in football are two completely different attitudes and sets of tactics. You often have to prepare differently.

I agree the pitch is poor, but it's not the only factor.

[marcoloco]

To be fair we did outscore Sligo but the ref got it wrong.

As for Dundalk we rarely beat them home or away so I wouldnt read too much into that fixture.

When we did beat them for the first time in many years it was at the Brandywell. So what do that tell us?

[joe3576]

Lads - I don't think you all realise but practically every senior team in Ireland train on 3G 3-4 times a week.

So preparing to play Derry on 3G is actually quite straightforward for most teams. They are playing on the same surface that they play on all week!

In the Irish League for example -

Linfield train on their own Midgley park training pitch - 3G
Glentoran train at H & W welders new pitch - 3G
Cliftonville train on their pitch - 3G
Larne train on their pitch - 3G and also at Sandy Bay - grass
Ballymena train on their training pitch behind the showgrounds - 3G
Coleraine train on their pitch - 3G
Dungannon train on their pitch - 3G
Glenavon train at Lurgan Town - 3G
Carrick Rangers - train on 3G pitch behind away stand
Crusaders train on their pitch - 3G

LOI

Dundalk train at Oriel - 3G
Rovers train at Roadstone - 3G
Shels train at the AUL - 3G and Grass
Bohs - train at DCU - 3G
Sligo train on the 3G pitch beside their main pitch
St Pats train at Ballyoulster United FC - 3G
Cork City - train at Bishopstown - grass
UCD - train on University 3G pitch


So all the more reason that we are playing into teams hands - we should be training on it but playing on a grass pitch for games.

Our tactics also don't help, as we never ever change.

[rodgers]

When we did beat them for the first time in many years it was at the Brandywell. So what do that tell us?

I think that was Maginn.

[eugenio]

[quote=joe3576 post_id=276803 time=1679444571 user_id=

I hope to god the council does change the pitch for next year - if only to see what excuses get trotted out instead when we're not serving up champagne football at home every fortnight Maybe it'll be the wrong kind of grass to blame then ?

Well that sums it up Steve? I’ve supported for 50odd years and only now see poor games at Brandywell. you now suggest I’ll moan about everything now if I dont see a’ champagne’

Football That’s insulting. I think the pitch is killing us. My. point But I go anyway. I see “champagne “Football away often just wish those supporters who can’t get to away games could experience the euphoria of great wins and great football. I’m a fanatic I want to see my team the best esp at home but where I see a hindrance to this I’ll highlight it
I’ve highlighted that tactics too-at home mitigate against us but please please don’t dare suggest I’ll knock my team at Brandywell even if grass is restored and punctuate the insults with smilies. It’s an opinion man live with it

[Keyser Soze]

What's our thoughts on the pitch and injuries?
Is it contributing to more injuries at the club? Does the club do all its training on astro now?

I know some fans of other clubs are blaming our pitch for some of their injuries. Didn't Sligo have a guy pick up a serious injury last Friday? And then a few days later one of their U19 players picked up a serious knee injury in their game at Brandywell too.

Or maybe just bad luck?

[brandyball]

What's our thoughts on the pitch and injuries?
Is it contributing to more injuries at the club? Does the club do all its training on astro now?

I know some fans of other clubs are blaming our pitch for some of their injuries. Didn't Sligo have a guy pick up a serious injury last Friday? And then a few days later one of their U19 players picked up a serious knee injury in their game at Brandywell too.

Or maybe just bad luck?

Anyone know what Institute's Injury record is playing @ The Brandywell?

[Nige92]

What's our thoughts on the pitch and injuries?
Is it contributing to more injuries at the club? Does the club do all its training on astro now?

I know some fans of other clubs are blaming our pitch for some of their injuries. Didn't Sligo have a guy pick up a serious injury last Friday? And then a few days later one of their U19 players picked up a serious knee injury in their game at Brandywell too.

Or maybe just bad luck?

It's impossible to tell tbh. Some teams have spells in which they've a lot of injuries, grass or not. Research into this in other countries has been inconclusive

[davybhoy]

I think Steve's right- if we are too easy to play against at home we change the system. Persisting with something that hasn't worked the past 12 months is only prolonging the agony. The pitch is bad fair enough but it's up to the management team to get a system that counteracts the pitch situation. When Higgins first came in he played a 3-5-2 which seemed to work now we persist with one up top. If the management team don't change tactics at home it'll be them costing us the league not the pitch- as others have said usually there's nothing much to get excited about at home matches apart from a few exceptions.

[stevebradley]

Lads - I don't think you all realise but practically every senior team in Ireland train on 3G 3-4 times a week.

So preparing to play Derry on 3G is actually quite straightforward for most teams. They are playing on the same surface that they play on all week!

In the Irish League for example -

Linfield train on their own Midgley park training pitch - 3G
Glentoran train at H & W welders new pitch - 3G
Cliftonville train on their pitch - 3G
Larne train on their pitch - 3G and also at Sandy Bay - grass
Ballymena train on their training pitch behind the showgrounds - 3G
Coleraine train on their pitch - 3G
Dungannon train on their pitch - 3G
Glenavon train at Lurgan Town - 3G
Carrick Rangers - train on 3G pitch behind away stand
Crusaders train on their pitch - 3G

LOI

Dundalk train at Oriel - 3G
Rovers train at Roadstone - 3G
Shels train at the AUL - 3G and Grass
Bohs - train at DCU - 3G
Sligo train on the 3G pitch beside their main pitch
St Pats train at Ballyoulster United FC - 3G
Cork City - train at Bishopstown - grass
UCD - train on University 3G pitch


So all the more reason that we are playing into teams hands - we should be training on it but playing on a grass pitch for games.

Our tactics also don't help, as we never ever change.

Apologies Joe, but this doesn't make any sense to me.

1) if artifical surfaces are so bad for players re injuries etc, as is claimed, then why do so many clubs use them for training ?
2) If training on artifical surfaces gives clubs an advantage when playing full games on artifical surfaces, then why don't more of them switch their own pitches away from grass ? And what exactly is the advantage anyway ?
3) How can training on artifical grass be an advantage for away teams when they play at the Brandywell, yet isn't for Derry City who play and train there all the time ?
4) If an artifical surface really is that different to grass - to the extent that it is allegedly & consistently to blame for a team's results and performances - then surely the team playing on it most often will reap the biggest advantage, and not a team that only plays there twice a year ?

I think we've all turned the pitch into a massive bogeyman to blame for not being happy with how the team plays. When the real problem is = how the team plays ! It's also handy for management and players to blame a pitch when things aren't right, rather than direct some of that blame inwards. If we'd had artifical grass when Stephen Kenny was here, no doubt there'd still be people saying it was the reason why we never beat PSG or won the league It's a cheesy cliché, but winners find a way to win - not excuses.