Derry City v HB Torshavn UECL R1 2nd Leg Match Thread

[rodgers]

Started well but looked very nervous by end and hanging on. Not very convincing.

Assuming the next team is a step up, can't see them going through unless they get a good result away.

[brandyball]

The Manager's view

https://audioboom.com/posts/8338126-hig ... _2R30dbVD8

[marcoloco]

Lots of great performances last night. Still things to work on but through 2 games without conceding is excellent. That back 4 with Maher were all very good. Duffy was a real threat last night as he moved off the touchline and found the gaps... but he never really connected with his shots. Not sure if thats a confidence thing or what? McGonigle was very good also and gave them problems all night. Once he went off we were hanging on a bit in the remaining 20 minutes. Still trying to work out what attributes Mullan adds to the team. Early days for him but McMullan making more of an immediate impact with his performances. Next round also winnable but we need to work on how to score a goal.

[stevebradley]

A game we deserved to win on possession and attempts on goal (though few were a genuine threat).

They were a fairly average side, and were reduced to hoofing the ball away for much of the second half. But it was still a very nervy watch towards the end, and their subs made an impact (their big No.4 was better than expected, and can now go back to guardhng whatever bridge they found him under).

Good game for McGonigle, and I'm glad Diallo got the goal. He put in the best shift I've seen from him this year, after being a shadow of the player he was when he first joined us. Hopefully that goal will lift his confidence again now.

I thought McMullan had a fairly quiet game versus how he's been in his league outings, but he didn't do anything wrong either. And the jury's still out on Mullan. He hasn't had much game time yet to prove himself, but that which he's had hasn't inspired much confidence anyway.

So great to get the win, but as a game it was another example of our fundamental problem. We're solid at the back and have good possession and passing, but we lack the incisiveness to get many genuine goal-scoring opportunities and goals. It doesn't look so far like Mullan is the answer to that problme, so Higgins needs to keep fishing - as we'll struggle without a solid striker.

Next Thursday will presumably be a much tougher test, and interesting to see where we're really at.

P.S. Faroes team Klasvik hammered Hungarian footballing royalty Ferencvaros 3-0 in Budapest. There are few mug teams in European football these days - which is frustrating when all the armchair heads think there are still whipping boys who Irish teams should be hammering. The days of teams from smaller nations getting hockeyed 10-0 seem to be over. On the plus side, some of the better nations and clubs also seem to less good than you'd expect (e.g. Larne beat HJK Helsinki 2-1 in normal time on Weds). So the gap is narrowing across the bottom half of European football anyway.

[remember72]

ST holder in Southend Stand and last night when I took my seat several fans sitting in ST holder's seats beside me. When I pointed this out, a stewart appeared and he said that their instructions were that you could sit anywhere. I had to tell him that was wrong and had to show him my ticket with my seat number to prove my point. The fans moved but I saw a repeat several times where ST seats were taken and the occupiers had to move.

[Nige92]

Mullan has played a grand total of 57 minutes so far. Can we pump the brakes a bit on any early critism

[brandyball]

I thought McMullan ran himself into the ground, chasing across the whole front line in search of the ball but as usual with our lopsided pitch the ball kept flying to the left

[marcoloco]

Mullan has played a grand total of 57 minutes so far. Can we pump the brakes a bit on any early critism

Hardly criticism. I've asked what type of player he is for anyone that knows him from his time in Scotland. Trying to work out how he fits in into our set up and what he offers us.

McMullan I can see from his 2 performances is a traditional winger, likes to take on the full back at every opportunity and will try and whip in a cross. Small and tricky.

Can someone do the same for Mullan? Just to give me an idea what he's about. No criticism intended.

[Keyser Soze]

He looks very small for a centre forward, and did next to nothing when he came on last night. He's only played about an hour of football for us, so will reserve judgement for a while.

Having said that, his stats in Scotland weren't particularly good.

As for McMullen, several times last night I watched him demand the ball from Boyce as he hugged the touchline, but Boyce took the usual option of passing straight back to Connolly. He is so conditioned to that pass now, I don't even think he saw the winger!

[Greengo]

ST holder in Southend Stand and last night when I took my seat several fans sitting in ST holder's seats beside me. When I pointed this out, a stewart appeared and he said that their instructions were that you could sit anywhere. I had to tell him that was wrong and had to show him my ticket with my seat number to prove my point. The fans moved but I saw a repeat several times where ST seats were taken and the occupiers had to move.

Anything to add about the game?