Drogheda Utd v Derry City Match Thread

[marcoloco]

That’s it for me. He has to go.

Normal service resumed tonight after last week’s solid performance over the whipping boys.

Drogheda deserved their point and probably a bit more if we’re being honest.

Another rotten game with few stand out performances. Launching it forward from Connolly and absolutely no structure or game plan.

Cave man football.

[YorbaLinda]

Full time team, part time performances. Played 30 minutes first half and less than 10 2nd. Drogheda were on the ropes and we sat back and let them into the game. Daniel Kelly is not adding anything and Patching after an amazing 1st half disappointing (as he does) in the 2nd. Boyce was sleeping for both their goals but at least he tried. Sorry Higgins but you have reached the limit of your Managerial ability.

[marcoloco]

I predicted 3rd place finish at the start of the season but think Bohs will comfortably finish above us with Rene in charge. We’re looking lost and out of ideas.

[magspat]

Higgins tactical chages my arse

[fergal]

1 win in 5 should be enough to be sacked

[Paddydcfc2010]

Played some nice stuff in the first half but after that it was the same slow predictable stuff. Drogheda weren't great and were there for the taking. Same old same old.

[TenaciousDee]

Boyce was sleeping for both their goals but at least he tried.

To be fair, the first one the two centre backs stepped towards the ball when one should have been in front of Davies. I would say the same for the second, Pierrot was McEleney's man.

Your full time team, part time performances is on the money. Some of those boys need a shake.

[marcoloco]

Played some nice stuff in the first half but after that it was the same slow predictable stuff. Drogheda weren't great and were there for the taking. Same old same old.

They dominated the last 30 mins and made positive substitutions. We were digging in trying to hold out for 1-2 and threw on 2 defenders to try and shore up the defence.

Kelly again not at the races. Very little to shout about really. We looked decent for 30 mins but that was it.

Grim.

[brandyball]

Looks like it's Rovers to lose, Again.

[Keyser Soze]

Looks like it's Rovers to lose, Again.

It was Rovers to lose again even before the season kicked off. They are a different level to everyone else in the league.

As for us, it simply isn't good enough any more. How much longer are we going to have to watch these performances and tactics? Now in its 3rd season and we are not improving. I said at the start of the season that RH is never going to win us a league, and our performances this season are just cementing that.

We look lost, rudderless. Seems to be no structure to our play. We have too many guys on huge money who simply aren't producing.

We should have stuffed that team tonight. They are part time ffs. We were cruising at half time, they were pinned back and couldn't get playing. Start the 2nd half and concede the ball to them, and end up turning defensive to try to see out the game. Then get hit again with an equaliser. We've seen it before.

I'm fed up watching us now. There is next to no excitement any more. Its become a chore. And imagine come 6 months time, we have to sell another 3000 extra tickets for each game.
Good luck with that.

The club was at an amazing place not too long ago. We had 22,000 at a cup final, and the town was buzzing. You couldn't get a ticket for love nor money. Everyone wanted to be at the Brandywell. I fear we have squandered this great opportunity.

[kieran]

They are a really really really good team. Wise up with the negativity

[rodgers]

Drogheda always a tough pitch to play in and the team never give up.

Derry caught cold for first goal but then easily the better team for the first half.

Second half got suckered into what Drogheda wanted, who bto be fair were more aggressive in second half. Derry started to regress more and more. Never like it when a team makes a negative sub, it backfires more often than it works, sends out the wrong message. Drogheda deserved their point.

How can Dummigan come on last week and then not even make the bench the week after?

[brandyball]

Drogheda always a tough pitch to play in and the team never give up.

Derry caught cold for first goal but then easily the better team for the first half.

Second half got suckered into what Drogheda wanted, who bto be fair were more aggressive in second half. Derry started to regress more and more. Never like it when a team makes a negative sub, it backfires more often than it works, sends out the wrong message. Drogheda deserved their point.

How can Dummigan come on last week and then not even make the bench the week after?

Cause he's Injured.

[Keyser Soze]

Drogheda always a tough pitch to play in and the team never give up.

Derry caught cold for first goal but then easily the better team for the first half.

Second half got suckered into what Drogheda wanted, who bto be fair were more aggressive in second half. Derry started to regress more and more. Never like it when a team makes a negative sub, it backfires more often than it works, sends out the wrong message. Drogheda deserved their point.

This is all on the manager, there is no one else to blame for how we play.

Drogs always a tough team to play, and never give up? So why can't we be that team too? Why did we give up the 2nd half completely? We are a full time outfit, they are part time. We should be on a higher level.

Why did we regress in the 2nd half? Simple, manager tactics. We sat back. Old school managers would have had a halftime team talk along the lines of " we have these guys, we are all over them. Let's get out there and finish them off". But no, not us with our defensively minded manager. No, we go out to hold what we have, against a team who lost both their full backs in the first half. Hang on, manage the game and get the 3pts. Then you concede possession, you let the opposition get their confidence up as they have plenty of the ball, and eventually they get a chance and take it. And then you panic and have a hectic 10min trying to find the winner, but unfortunately you have made defensive subs cos you're boring and want to hang on to the 2 1 lead.

We have now won 1 of the last 7 games in drogheda.

[eugenio]

Played practically whole game with 10 men Kelly just not a player in spite of being selected 6 times in a row
Then Mullan Patching Even OReilly faded out but still we dominated till the DREADED SUBSTITUTIONS again. Or “HOW TO THROW AWAY WINNING POSITIONS’ by G Higgins Instead of a striker for a striker a winger for a winger a mid fielder for a midfielder no make positional and disastrous changes …. drop back…… do NOT. close down opponents. do not even dare go for a third goal do not play up in their half ….no drop back …get in each others way and fluff it. Read more of this exciting new development in Derry football as we stumble and stumble against rubbish sides .
I will forecast now the comments of our leader Drogheda is a difficult place to come to } by the way is there an easy place to come to in football] IT was a big point. Ooops Imthought it was a little point The players gave everything Agreed but it’s ac90 min game now bet{ has been for over a hundred YEARS }. We must be patient wow patient patient I’m bored rigid Gary

[brandyball]

The Manager's view

https://audioboom.com/posts/8490005-hig ... EtjNdpRFnI

[rodgers]

I think what's one of the more frustrating things is that the players are capable of a lot more but are being held back. For most of the first half was the most dominant I've seen Derry in Drogheda. We should have gone for the third. The switch to the back five backfired. I think it's an innate conservatism that he will never shake off even though those type of changes work far less than they fail.

I'm assuming Dummigan was injured but am wondering how since he came on last week so he must have been fully fit and the team news made zero mention of him being unavailable. Another training injury? Who knows! How long? Who knows! We'll probably spend the next four months hearing about how he is "nearly there".

The reason I mention it in the context of the game is that Higgins will be using the injuries as a reason for staying in the job (once we "get a bit of luck with injuries" etc). But I don't think our appalling injury record is attributable to luck.

[eugenio]

I think what's one of the more frustrating things is that the players are capable of a lot more but are being held back. For most of the first half was the most dominant I've seen Derry in Drogheda. We should have gone for the third. The switch to the back five backfired. I think it's an innate conservatism that he will never shake off even though those type of changes work far less than they fail.

I'm assuming Dummigan was injured but am wondering how since he came on last week so he must have been fully fit and the team news made zero mention of him being unavailable. Another training injury? Who knows! How long? Who knows! We'll probably spend the next four months hearing about how he is "nearly there".

The reason I mention it in the context of the game is that Higgins will be using the injuries as a reason for staying in the job (once we "get a bit of luck with injuries" etc). But I don't think our appalling injury record is attributable to luck.

Totally agree. I suspect the “training regime” a lot

[barry]

Few key notes

1. Our injuries are not pitch or training related. We've signed players with extensive injury records.

2. To be fair I understand why Higgins put an extra cv on to combat the direct ball into the 2 big Strikers. It wasn't 3 cbs for the goal was the problem, it was their positioning.

3. Higgins is tactically naive. Rennie carried him, now we are seeing Higgsys conservative style coming through.

4. The players aren't without blame either. Connolly has been abysmal, Kelly is so so poor it's embarrassing, McMullan is one of the most overrated, one trick ponie. I've said it a long time. Duffy is a shadow of him former self. Coll and mullen are very very average.. Fats, Dummigan and hoban are and will continue to be great players who play a handful of games before being out for months.

We've big problems on a big budget. I can't see Phil hitting the emergency button before August. He's thran too.

[marcoloco]

Our biggest payday of the season starts in June - July.

Questions will be asked if that manager and that squad can get us through one or two preliminary rounds in Europe.

At the moment it's unlikely.

Our squad is weaker than last season and the Manager's preference for a conservative approach to all games win, lose or draw is stifling.

Make a change now and give the new man a fighting chance.