David Clifford to surpass the Gooch?

[Wildweasel74]

Matt Connor was actually 26 when he was in a car accident Christmas 84, think he was the nfl top scorer for, 5/6 straight seasons.He was the only player I held above Clifford but even though Clifford was poor on Sunday he already at this level if not now above it.

[Wildweasel74]

Fitzsimmons was OK had a good game, but Clifford got away 4 scores under less pressure he had against Derry and missed, (2 were very poor and most forwards (Mayo aside) wouldn't missed) had they went over, we be saying Fitzsimmons struggled on him.

[yellowcard]

Paul Flynn doubling down on his tweet claiming that Fitzsimmons got the better of Clifford. Originally he stated that he got smoked! Which wasn't actually true at all, I thought Fitzsimmons was fairly poor but then Clifford will make most defenders look poor. Fitzsimmons was no better than McKaigue in the semi final (in actual fact McKaigue probably got closer to him), the only difference being that Clifford shot the lights out that game. I don't understand why Kerry didn't land a few longer balls in on top of Clifford similar to the Galway final last year. I think he had the beating of Fitzsimmons one on one inside and at the very least it would have made them think.

It took a late night tweet for Flynn to drop the David Brent style management speak and give an actual opinion even it was done through blue tinted glasses.     

A look at the conditions the two games were played in would probably tell you why. Weather did neither set of forwards any favours on sunday but probably effected Kerry more as it took the long ball out of their armoury. Also when operating in the tightest of spaces, as Clifford has to, a greasy ball is gonna reduce the cleanness of the strike of the ball and hence your accuracy.

I think that's a fair argument regarding weather conditions particularly the use of the bounced kick pass in front of Clifford which they seemed reluctant to supply him with. Part of the reason was the slow Kerry build up from defence to attack and also a reluctance to kick from deep on the greasy surface. However the long ball fired in on top of Clifford I felt could have at least been tried a few times by Kerry. He is good in the air and Fitzsimmons was gambling a lot by marking him 2/3 yards in front. But they brought little variation to their game.

[AustinPowers]

Clifford is an unbelievable talent but to label him the best player of all time is a bit over the top at the minute imo. The expectations set for him game in game out are are very high.

Clifford is  a brilliant player , and he'll probably get  better. 

But I still  rate Maurice Fitzgerald  higher.  He had everything.  He made the game  look so easy , and he looked  like  he had all the time  in the world when in possession  of the ball. And the things he could do  with a ball was  unbelievable.  It's just a pity  Kerry was  in the doldrums for  a  lot of his county career

[rrhf]

I think Clifford is a different type of player. He is the Haaland of Gaelic football. He has single handled dragged a fairly average Kerry to an all Ireland and only for a complete one off poor performance he would have had 2 in a row. I think he is always worth going to see and whilst I don't expect Kerry to be back in the mix for a year or two I can see him going on to win 2 or 3 all Irelands in the future.

[Wildweasel74]

Fitzgerald, never scored remotely near as much from play, granted he played half his career on poor to average kerry team.

[statto]

I think Clifford is a different type of player. He is the Haaland of Gaelic football. He has single handled dragged a fairly average Kerry to an all Ireland and only for a complete one off poor performance he would have had 2 in a row. I think he is always worth going to see and whilst I don't expect Kerry to be back in the mix for a year or two I can see him going on to win 2 or 3 all Irelands in the future.

I would expect that Kerry would be seen as the main challengers at this stage next year?

[imtommygunn]

Fitzgerald, never scored remotely near as much from play, granted he played half his career on poor to average kerry team.

He also would have played a lot further from goal a lot of the times too.

[imtommygunn]

Paudie Clifford is very under rated. When he doesn't fire Kerry are usually a lot worse. This is tbh a good part of what happened towards the end against Dublin and a good part of the reason why Derry got so close. A dirty player yes but a good one. (Jack McCaffrey really put him on the back foot and the yellow killed him).

[shark]

Fitzgerald, never scored remotely near as much from play, granted he played half his career on poor to average kerry team.

He also would have played a lot further from goal a lot of the times too.

Watched a re-run of the '92 Munster Final a few years ago. He was playing wing forward, and spent most of his time a long way from goal. He wasn't even taking the frees initially. Took Jack O'Shea to miss a couple of handy ones before he got to take them.

[imtommygunn]

IIRC he played anywhere from 8 to 15.

[Captain Obvious]

People have such high standards and expectation of David Clifford now that his deemed poor/off days like last Sunday would be more than decent for many other forwards.

David Cliffford's stats from last Sunday totted up by Journalist Pat Nolan

Made 21 plays (9, 12).
Scored 0-3 (0-1f).
Directly assisted 1-1.
Fouled for a converted free.
Completed one kickpass, leading directly to a goal.
Completed eight handpasses, one leading directly to a point.
Nine solo runs.
One tackle, resulting in a turnover.
Turned over once.
One fumble.
Four wides.
Dropped one shot short.

[inroundthesquare]

People have such high standards and expectation of David Clifford now that his deemed poor/off days like last Sunday would be more than decent for many other forwards.

David Cliffford's stats from last Sunday totted up by Journalist Pat Nolan

Made 21 plays (9, 12).
Scored 0-3 (0-1f).
Directly assisted 1-1.
Fouled for a converted free.
Completed one kickpass, leading directly to a goal.
Completed eight handpasses, one leading directly to a point.
Nine solo runs.
One tackle, resulting in a turnover.
Turned over once.
One fumble.
Four wides.
Dropped one shot short.

Disagree that this would be decent for other forwards. Imagine another forward like Paul Geaney missed 5 shots and had another couple of turnovers - especially in key periods going down the stretch - they would rightly be criticised.
If he had kicked 0-2 from play and set-up 1-2 alone, and had 2 or 3 wides / turnovers that would have been a good game

[Captain Obvious]

Disagree that this would be decent for other forwards. Imagine another forward like Paul Geaney missed 5 shots and had another couple of turnovers - especially in key periods going down the stretch - they would rightly be criticised.
If he had kicked 0-2 from play and set-up 1-2 alone, and had 2 or 3 wides / turnovers that would have been a good game

Paul Geaney off the top of my head missed 1-2 on Sunday, goal chance early on, point efforts that went wide and off the post and general view was he had a decent game however he doesn't have the high expectation of David Clifford to be judged on.

[Wildweasel74]

Here there a no. of great forwards that feel his pain, when you on a team with 3 or so great forwards, teams struggle, as they can't man mark or cover space for all. When it's only 1 like Clifford, McGuigan, McManus, O'Neill, it's alot harder