How can we as a team improve next season

[brandyball]

When Higgins came in it was clear that he was given a 3yr target by the Club/Chairman. So next year is when the expectation is that he has to deliver the league.

If he doesn't - and especially if Rovers are there for the taking yet again - then he needs to go. But in reality, he'll be given until then to prove himself.

Think he may have made a rod for his own back by stating Europe is the minimum requirement what's the consequences for not achieving the minimum?

[Nige92]

We'll get a European place, can everyone calm down

[Nige92]

If he comes under pressure, I'd expect stories to emerge suddenly linking him with a job in England and that might be the easiest way out for all parties rather than the sack.

As for next year, can we play two strikers at home for some of the games at least.

Apparently no-one plays 2 up anymore.

Name a successful team within the last 5 years that does on a regular basis

[davybhoy]

If he comes under pressure, I'd expect stories to emerge suddenly linking him with a job in England and that might be the easiest way out for all parties rather than the sack.

As for next year, can we play two strikers at home for some of the games at least.

Apparently no-one plays 2 up anymore.

Name a successful team within the last 5 years that does on a regular basis

Name a successful team that wouldn't change their tactics if the tactics they were deploying wasn't working instead of continuing with the same ineffective tactics for two years.

[Keyser Soze]

If he comes under pressure, I'd expect stories to emerge suddenly linking him with a job in England and that might be the easiest way out for all parties rather than the sack.

As for next year, can we play two strikers at home for some of the games at least.

Apparently no-one plays 2 up anymore.

Name a successful team within the last 5 years that does on a regular basis

Many teams might only have one recognised striker starting, but they would normally have plenty more in attacking and supporting positions, Inc forward thinking midfielders.

You really think PSG, Real Madrid, Barca, Man City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich etc only play with '1 man up'?
And I know someone will say you can't compare Derry to these teams, but it's not the players I'm talking about, it's the mindset. These teams plan to attack and score goals, and set the team up to do so, even when playing with 1 striker. They have wingers and full backs bombing the wings, midfielders arriving in the box, often a man playing behind the striker.

We play in such a way there is not much support for the front man. Most of our midfield likes to sit deep and slow the game down. We rarely have full backs overlapping men in front of them. We leave the striker isolated.

Basically, we play negative football.

[PauliAlonso]

Apparently no-one plays 2 up anymore.

Name a successful team within the last 5 years that does on a regular basis

Many teams might only have one recognised striker starting, but they would normally have plenty more in attacking and supporting positions, Inc forward thinking midfielders.

You really think PSG, Real Madrid, Barca, Man City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich etc only play with '1 man up'?
And I know someone will say you can't compare Derry to these teams, but it's not the players I'm talking about, it's the mindset. These teams plan to attack and score goals, and set the team up to do so, even when playing with 1 striker. They have wingers and full backs bombing the wings, midfielders arriving in the box, often a man playing behind the striker.

We play in such a way there is not much support for the front man. Most of our midfield likes to sit deep and slow the game down. We rarely have full backs overlapping men in front of them. We leave the striker isolated.

Basically, we play negative football.

Not only that, but if we put a second striker on the pitch, who do you drop? Our best individual players are in all those other positions. Suggesting that the solution to a misfiring striker is to put another misfiring striker up alongside him, doesn't work.

[Nige92]

Name a successful team that wouldn't change their tactics if the tactics they were deploying wasn't working instead of continuing with the same ineffective tactics for two years.

I'd disagree that he hasn't changed. We've seen numerous line-ups and formations since he's come in, along with switches in style. And I would argue that it hasn't been "ineffective" given that we've finished 4th, 2nd + Cup and likely a top 3. What we're looking for is an improvement and how to get better, build on the basis that exists.

[davybhoy]

Well the vast majority of the performances I've witnessed at home the past two years I haven't seen any improvement. I was at the Drogheda match a few weeks ago and we needed a goal he takes off Duffy and then puts McGonigle on the left wing as a direct replacement - everyone around me were baffled as to why he hasn't put two up and he stuck to the same formation that wasn't working. I think there is a name for someone who keeps doing the same thing over and over again and then expecting different results.

[Keyser Soze]

Name a successful team within the last 5 years that does on a regular basis

Many teams might only have one recognised striker starting, but they would normally have plenty more in attacking and supporting positions, Inc forward thinking midfielders.

You really think PSG, Real Madrid, Barca, Man City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich etc only play with '1 man up'?
And I know someone will say you can't compare Derry to these teams, but it's not the players I'm talking about, it's the mindset. These teams plan to attack and score goals, and set the team up to do so, even when playing with 1 striker. They have wingers and full backs bombing the wings, midfielders arriving in the box, often a man playing behind the striker.

We play in such a way there is not much support for the front man. Most of our midfield likes to sit deep and slow the game down. We rarely have full backs overlapping men in front of them. We leave the striker isolated.

Basically, we play negative football.

Not only that, but if we put a second striker on the pitch, who do you drop? Our best individual players are in all those other positions. Suggesting that the solution to a misfiring striker is to put another misfiring striker up alongside him, doesn't work.

And the manager goes with no forward tonight.

Genius.

[brandyball]

Tells us all about the manager when he's happy to play for a draw against a relegation play off candidate.

[KEVK]

Starting with some small things that can make a difference:

- When defending corners keep someone up the pitch so we can counter attack
- With our own corners, someone attacks the near post and someone peals off to the back post as so many of our own corners are wasteful because we don't do this
- Players need to stop committing stupid fouls like when opposition defenders are going nowhere and it gets them out of jail
- When Duffy is crossing from the left wing with his left foot, someone needs to attack near post as cross will likely be under-hit.
- Too much passing in our own half for the sake of it which is obvious to everyone. A new stat that is used is pitch tilt for possession. Think of the pitch as a see-saw and what way does it tilt when measuring your possession? Ours certainly tilts towards our own goal which explains lack of goals, shots, chances created, touches in final third, etc
- Patching especially needs to stay in more advanced position. No more dropping deep to get on the ball as we have other players who can do it
- Play 2 up front for at least 30 minutes if chasing a goal at home instead of waiting to last 10 minutes

The biggest thing we need to improve is our shape and player positioning which is all wrong when we have possession. Look at Shamrock Rovers' first goal last week at home to Drogheda and look how many players they have in advanced positions - this was in the first half. They had 5 players up against Drogheda's backline with additional support from midfield. Once they worked the ball into the box there was 6 players in the box with so much movement that makes it so difficult to defend against.

Our players are too deep and don't put pressure on defences and it leaves our centre forward isolated and starved of service. Doesn't matter who we play up front, the same problems will remain.

Our approach and mindset for Sligo away last month was a disgrace. We didn't complete a forward pass in their half until around 15 minutes had passed - this from a team chasing the league and had to win.

In our manager's defence, the league is suffering from young modern coaches who all want to play possession football which is sucking the life out of games. The top scorer in the league has 13 goals which is pathetic. A 10 team league playing each 4 times a season doesn't help as too much familiarity and teams cancel each other out.

Look at some statistic this season which paints a picture:

41 competitive games played this season
In 14 games we have failed to score - approx 33% which is dire
In 20 home games we have failed to score in 8 - approx 40% of home games

Would love to know how we rank in the league for shots on target - I'm guessing we are lower than our league position would suggest.

[Keyser Soze]

Nail on head.

[eugenio]

Kevin k great analysis that even those die hard Rory lovers will find it hard to argue with . I agree with all you say that opens the door for the poser is our manager up,to the strategy of the LOI or a player pleaser

[PauliAlonso]

Starting with some small things that can make a difference:

- When defending corners keep someone up the pitch so we can counter attack.

There's no benefit to leaving one player up top. It gives us one defender less in the box, as the opponent will always leave two around the halfway line. It needs to be zero up top or two. And if you go with two, you need to be confident in your team's ability to defend the corner. You also have to consider how effective a counter attack in that situation might be - the GK has to hoof the ball long and you've got two strikers facing three defenders and a GK from beyond the halfway line. If the team does want to counter from a corner, it's probably better to play the short ball and counter from there - making two players on the halfway line almost a waste.

[eugenio]

Pauli DERRY defending a corne…. If as you say the opponents leave as safety we are 10 v 8. Keeper not counted If we use an outlet man we still are 9 v 8. If we go 2 v 2 up we are 8 v 8 so what’s the prob . I saw Derry at Pars concede a corner use no,outlet so ball was bombed back in 4 times 4 more corners and yes you have guessed it a 94th min goal to take the precious point away.
Rem often players in the box eg strikers get in defenders way. Over 2. week ends in England 4 goals were ogs scored in a crowded box but and ,Brentford on Sat is a good one though there were more in EFL Where a clearance led to a goal for the outlet man.

[PauliAlonso]

Pauli DERRY defending a corne…. If as you say the opponents leave as safety we are 10 v 8. Keeper not counted If we use an outlet man we still are 9 v 8. If we go 2 v 2 up we are 8 v 8 so what’s the prob .

It's even less than that. If we keep all our players in the box (ignoring the GK for now), we'll probably have a 10v6 (opponent will have two players on the halfway line, at least one of the edge of the box for second balls, and then the corner taker - leaving 6 in the box). From our 10 players, four will probably be zonal. This leaves 6 others to man-mark the opponents and try to block their runs. To take one of those City players out to stand on the halfway line for an unlikely counter attack, leaves one opponent unmarked. To even it up, we could leave two City players on the halfway, as the opponent will then keep a third player back (for a 3v2 on the halfway). But leaving one up top makes little sense. And if the priority is to defend the corner, then of course it's an option to keep all players back. Personally, I'm in favour of leaving two players on the halfway line but, again, it comes down to what the manager sees as likelihood of creating a good counter attack, versus not conceding a goal.

[fergal]

Leaving 1 up top during a corner gives the chance to compete for the ball if it's cleared out, as apposed the leaving the other team under no pressure in possession to play the ball back in and keep the defence under pressure. With every man in the box. The best they can hope for is the other team put it out for a goal kick. Otherwise it's coming back in the box

[eugenio]

Fergal. Xxxxxxaccctly

[magspat]

??????

[Keyser Soze]

Is there any benefit of finishing in 2nd instead of 3rd when it comes to Euro football?

Do you enter at one later round or anything?