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Messages - Mourne Rover

#1
The win at Leicester was a massive result and a brilliant performance against top class opposition. It indicates that Leeds are perfectly capable of staying in the promotion shake up to the very end. The top two, Leicester and Ipswich, still have a significant points advantage but Leeds have now won away against both of them which sends out a strong message. We are looking solid at the back, at long last, and clean sheets will be crucial in a long and draining championship season.
#2
Something is stirring at Elland Road. Today's 3-0 win over Watford was our sixth game without defeat and our fourth clean sheet in a row. The defence has improved beyond recognition, we have a very effective midfield and the goals are flying in up front. We remain eight points from an automatic promotion place, which is a big gap, and we still have a significant injury list, but Farke is doing an outstanding job as manager. Getting Piroe in as the first reliable striker we have recruited in many seasons was a masterstroke, and, if he stays fit, we are capable of pushing on.
#3
It was an amazing game at Ipswich who had started with three wins on the bounce, and may well have been the best Leeds performance since Bielsa left. Farke could easily have sold or suspended Gnonto and Sinisterra so getting them to apologise and then reinstating them was a masterstroke. He has also managed to dramatically improve Rutter and make a key purchase in Piroe, and seeing all four of them score was quite an achievement. However, there's no doubt that more recruits are urgently needed at the back after a series of blunders yesterday. There's also a danger that a late bid could come in for Sinisterra so it's looking like another white knuckle ride for Leeds fans - in other words, business as usual.
#4
Leeds fans are pretty well used to upheaval and disaster but it usually happens a few months into a new season. This time around, we are in a full blown crisis after two championship games and supporters are already suggesting that a second successive relegation is fully possible. Coming from two behind to get a draw at home to a limited Cardiff side was not a disaster and there was probably something inevitable about the 90th minute penalty which did for us at Birmingham today. However, the combination of losing so many squad members who were contractually entitled to loans after dropping out of the premiership, a horrendous injury list and then two forwards disgracefully insisting that they were unavailable for selection unless granted transfers, probably at knockdown prices, has left the new coach Farke in a horrendous position. Gnonto, given a five year contract at 18, managed two goals in 25 appearances last year, and thinks he has been hard done by. Sinisterra, who cost £20m before scoring five in 20 matches during an injury hit season, is in the same boat. There would be a strong case for sending them to the reserves until their contracts are up, but, in modern football, they will probably get their moves shortly. The new owners, the SF 49ers, are in serious danger of seeing their investment implode in record time, and it may be too late to get the cheque book out. However, this is Leeds so perhaps we will beat West Brom live on Sky on Friday night.
#5
Down / Re: Down Club Hurling & Football
June 04, 2023, 09:53:20 PM
The visit to Parnell Park yesterday confirmed that, despite the obvious progress since last year, we deservedly remain a side of Tailteann Cup/D3 status and at this stage our forwards do not collectively possess the quality required to take us to the next level.

Our defence plainly lacks physique but did OK to restrict Meath to a modest enough total of 1-11, which would have been even lower with a decent referee. However, we only managed 1-09 in reply against limited opposition because our six starting forwards scored one point from play in perfect playing conditions.

Many of our 17 wides were from relatively straightforward positions in and around the D, and, unlike Meath, none of our substitutions made much difference. We are badly missing O'Hagan, while Gilmore and the two older Johnsons may hopefully return soon, but our prospects will only improve when we develop some further options up front.

Although we can certainly look to our successful u20s, the likes of Savage and Doran are hugely talented but are only likely to make an impact at senior level after serious S and C work. It was obvious against Armagh in the USC that a disproportionate number of pacey but lightweight forwards will take us nowhere in the big games.

Murdock was again a shining light yesterday, even if he understandably faded in the heat late on, while the competition between Kane and O'Hare in goals is serving us well.

Our main problems are at the other end of the field, and, after Laverty used 40 players in the league, more than any other manager across the four divisions, only an optimist would believe that we have many hidden gems out there.

Improving our existing forwards will not be easy but remains essential if we are to advance in this year's Tailteann or the 2024 league.
#6
When Laverty was appointed as Down's u20 manager, our total number of provincial titles at the three grades over the previous decade was zero. Given that he has now won two of the last three Ulster u20 championships, it is a little surprising to find some people questioning his performance.
#7
Down / Re: Down Club Hurling & Football
March 05, 2023, 08:52:07 PM
Today was a frustrating day as we were only two points behind with five minutes left and looking like we could at least get a draw. However, we kept going for an extra pass in search of a goal when points were available and Cavan picked us off clinically on the break. They were clearly physically stronger than us down the middle and we are repeatedly asking Murdoch to do too much at 20 years of age. We probably lost it in the first half when we had three great goal chances and only took one. Smyth was mainly decent on the ball but his two shots, a free and a 45, were poor. The referee also managed to give yellows for a blatant black and red during the same period. Our promotion chance will effectively be gone if Fermanagh win their next game, although that may not be a foregone conclusion on the basis of the amazing score Westmeath ran up today. We are definitely a much improved side but it is a long hard road.
#8
It is difficult not to share the pessimism expressed by Rufus as the Leeds season rapidly implodes. Everton were little better than Leeds on Saturday, and a nil-nil looked almost certain until Meslier's terrible blunder. However, a team that is struggling at the back, ineffective in midfield and cannot score goals is only going in one direction. Bamford has completely lost his way but Rutter, on the basis of his appearances off the bench, does not yet look up to the pace of the premiership. It would of course only take one goal to start a recovery, and it would really need to come against Southampton this weekend. A new manager would also be a big help as the directors have made a shocking mess of filling the vacancy. They presumably felt they had a candidate lined up only for him to change his mind, probably over money, but it will need to be sorted out as soon as possible.
#9
Down / Re: Down Club Hurling & Football
February 20, 2023, 10:14:36 AM
Smurfy, Francis got his third goal in five games from wing back yesterday - are you suggesting he should be dropped from the matchday squad ?
#10
Down / Re: Down Club Hurling & Football
February 19, 2023, 09:01:04 PM
Today was a thrilling contest with an incredible number of defensive mistakes on both sides. McCabe started but seemed to take a knock and was replaced by Millar early on. We are running out of midfielders as Donnelly, Poland and McParland all struggled and Murdock had a rare off day. D3 is going to the wire and we could easily lose out on scoring difference. A win on Saturday night is essential if we are to stay in contention.
#11
The two games coming up away to Everton and at home to Southampton in the space of a week are completely vital and will probably decide whether Leeds are capable of staying up. We basically have to win one of them, as matches between the sides at the bottom are always six pointers and we have a particularly tough run in to negotiate. Today largely summed up our season as a decent performance and a string of chances ended in another defeat. It looks as though Alfred Schreuder, an experienced coach with an unremarkable recent record, is going to be our new manager, although he was plainly not the first choice for the post. His main priority will need to be the attack, as, with Rodrigo injured, Bamford has been off the pace and Rutter, despite costing over £30m, has yet to convince. These are nervous times for all Leeds fans.
#12
Down / Re: Down Club Hurling & Football
February 08, 2023, 12:36:54 PM
The records show that Mayo beat Down in the 1970 league final, so it is possible that James Morgan has a losers medal from that year. He definitely has a USC winners medal from 1971, as he scored six points in the final. Not many other Kilcoo players have won a senior Ulster championship with Down.
#13
Even if most Leeds fans are pleased to see Marsch go, he definitely deserves some sympathy as he was frequently unfortunate on some big occasions. However, a manager who appears to suffer from repeated bad luck will always be on borrowed time, and only four wins from his 20 league games this season, with none in the last seven, was relegation form. He had looked a haunted figure for a while, and it might have made more sense to let him go before the World Cup break and allow a new manager to enter the transfer market rather than work with Marsch's squad. The back to back matches against Man Utd this week do not tend to provide us with many points, so the next two fixtures, away to Everton and home to Southampton will be crucial.
#14
Down / Re: Down Club Hurling & Football
February 04, 2023, 10:15:56 PM
The most dramatic finish seen at Newry for a long time cannot disguise the fact that, as we probably already knew, we are very much a work in process. Antrim were big and strong and clearly the better side until they effectively collapsed in the closing stages, and we actually missed an open goal as well as the 1-3 we scored in consecutive attacks. Both of Antrim's first half goals were defensive howlers but they had every opportunity to close the game out. They didn't manage it due to heroics from McEvoy and Murdoch when all seemed lost. Gilmore was also decent with Kerr and Havern good in patches. Laverty remains unbeaten in normal time during his five matches but he knows we will have to knuckle down during the two week break if we are to keep the run going in Fermanagh. D3 is likely to go to the wire.
#15
Down / Re: Down Club Hurling & Football
January 28, 2023, 07:14:24 PM
Niall McParland is off after a second yellow. Twenty minutes left and we are four up so it could yet be a tight finish.