[D1] Roscommon v Mayo - 27/03/16 [3:30pm, Dr. Hyde Park]

[manfromdelmonte]

I feel sorry for all these ring rusty teams like Kerry, Cork, Down and Donegal doing all this heavy training.

[Syferus]

I've yet to see Roscommon this year. Besides their management team what are they doing different this year?
Are they just further ahead in preparation and putting in more effort or could they have a long summer?

They looked to be on a completely different page to Donegal yesterday in terms of freshness/energy.

They did play decent ball but to me Donegal really looked like a side who were right in the middle of heavy training whereas the Rossies were hopping off the pitch.

Ros by comparision looked a side who were bang in the middle of a crest of decent form (not surprising given the 4-25 put past Cork in Cork) but the thing is Paddy's day has passed yet and the 3rd Sunday of September is more than 6 months away.

They might make it in August this year (which would be progress) but I really don't see them as being September contenders this year.

When Donegal were on a winning streak eight days ago everyone was saying they were at championship pace. Lose to little old Roscommon and they're in the midst of heavy training. Haha.

[Asal Mor]

Looking ahead to the summer, are Roscommon at 5/2 good value to win Connacht? Looks good to me given their side of the draw and the way themselves and Mayo have been playing in the league. I know it's the league and C.O'C. should be back but still I'd give Ros a decent chance.

[From the Bunker]

I feel sorry for all these ring rusty teams like Kerry, Cork, Down and Donegal doing all this heavy training.

Believe me there will be nobody feeling sorry for them come Summer. 

[moysider]

It will be interesting to see how we approach last 2 league games. Do we continue to go with this change of approach and hope it pays off later in the year or do we try and stay up?

I know that some people would accept relegation if we nurtured a few more newcomers and freshened things up tactically. But really if we were doing that well we wouldn t be struggling, would we? Hope I m wrong but players and tactics that get you relegated are hardly likely to fare any better when things get even tougher later?

[mayoman dan]

It will be interesting to see how we approach last 2 league games. Do we continue to go with this change of approach and hope it pays off later in the year or do we try and stay up?

I know that some people would accept relegation if we nurtured a few more newcomers and freshened things up tactically. But really if we were doing that well we wouldn t be struggling, would we? Hope I m wrong but players and tactics that get you relegated are hardly likely to fare any better when things get even tougher later?

Injuries have not helped either Moy.Cillian and Hiiggins are 2 of our best players and guaranteed starters.Aido is unfit or off form aswell.However out of our 6 starting forwards against Kerry i dont think any of them are comfortable in the ff line.Aido is a good ball winner but hes not a prolific forward.Doherty and Conor O Se are better suited to the half forward line.Cillian Freeman Andy and hopefully 1 of Regan or Loftus should be starting in the ff line.Relegation will not be a disaster if we have a good summer but a short summer and relegation then the knives will be out.Management have not covered themselves in glory thus far but its very early days and the injuries have not helped.The free taking is a farce and must be addressed.The supply to aido when hes at ff is awful and should be worked on

[From the Bunker]

Looking at the starting team that beat Cork in 2011 in the AI QF. Makes you realise how much this group has changed over the years. Only the ones in Bold could be sure of starting in the Summer.

R Hennelly,
K Higgins,
G Cafferkey,
T Cunniffe,
R Feeney,
D Vaughan,
T Mortimer,
A O'Shea,
S O'Shea,
K McLoughlin,
A Dillon,
A Moran,
E Varley,
A Freeman,
C O'Connor.

[mayoman dan]

Looking at the starting team that beat Cork in 2011 in the AI QF. Makes you realise how much this group has changed over the years. Only the ones in Bold could be sure of starting in the Summer.

R Hennelly,
K Higgins,
G Cafferkey,
T Cunniffe,
R Feeney,
D Vaughan,
T Mortimer,
A O'Shea,
S O'Shea,
K McLoughlin,
A Dillon,
A Moran,
E Varley,
A Freeman,
C O'Connor.

I dont think Hennelly is guaranteed.Clarke is the better keeper IMO

[Syferus]

Looking at the starting team that beat Cork in 2011 in the AI QF. Makes you realise how much this group has changed over the years. Only the ones in Bold could be sure of starting in the Summer.

R Hennelly,
K Higgins,
G Cafferkey,
T Cunniffe,
R Feeney,
D Vaughan,
T Mortimer,
A O'Shea,
S O'Shea,
K McLoughlin,
A Dillon,
A Moran,
E Varley,
A Freeman,
C O'Connor.

I think the telling thing is how little Mayo have improved in the forwards since 2011. In most ways Andy and Dillon '11 are better than who's first choice now.

[From the Bunker]

Looking at the starting team that beat Cork in 2011 in the AI QF. Makes you realise how much this group has changed over the years. Only the ones in Bold could be sure of starting in the Summer.

R Hennelly,
K Higgins,
G Cafferkey,
T Cunniffe,
R Feeney,
D Vaughan,
T Mortimer,
A O'Shea,
S O'Shea,
K McLoughlin,
A Dillon,
A Moran,
E Varley,
A Freeman,
C O'Connor.

I think the telling thing is how little Mayo have improved in the forwards since 2011. In most ways Andy and Dillon '11 are better than who's first choice now.

K McLoughlin,
A Dillon, Doherty
A Moran, Diarmuid O'Connor
E Varley, Conor O'Shea/Mickey Sweeney/Regan
A Freeman, Aido
C O'Connor.

It's six of one!

[Syferus]

Looking at the starting team that beat Cork in 2011 in the AI QF. Makes you realise how much this group has changed over the years. Only the ones in Bold could be sure of starting in the Summer.

R Hennelly,
K Higgins,
G Cafferkey,
T Cunniffe,
R Feeney,
D Vaughan,
T Mortimer,
A O'Shea,
S O'Shea,
K McLoughlin,
A Dillon,
A Moran,
E Varley,
A Freeman,
C O'Connor.

I think the telling thing is how little Mayo have improved in the forwards since 2011. In most ways Andy and Dillon '11 are better than who's first choice now.

K McLoughlin,
A Dillon, Doherty
A Moran, Diarmuid O'Connor
E Varley, Conor O'Shea/Mickey Sweeney/Regan
A Freeman, Aido
C O'Connor.

It's six of one!

AOS is no forward. Head down bull of a midfielder, perhaps the most gifted one of his generation at that. McLoughlin a good player but always seemed a better player coming from deeper. They feel a bit makeshift as forwards to be honest. The only place I see definite improvement over 2011 is the younger O'Connor over take-your-pick. And then you're trading Andy at his very best and a still-good Dillon for a kid, a talented kid but a kid none the less.

[Blowitupref]

Looking at the starting team that beat Cork in 2011 in the AI QF. Makes you realise how much this group has changed over the years. Only the ones in Bold could be sure of starting in the Summer.

R Hennelly,
K Higgins,
G Cafferkey,
T Cunniffe,
R Feeney,
D Vaughan,
T Mortimer,
A O’Shea,
S O’Shea,
K McLoughlin,
A Dillon,
A Moran,
E Varley,
A Freeman,
C O’Connor.

Cunniffe,Vaughan could very well be starters for Mayo this summer again and Freeman,Dillion,A Moran likely subs. 12 of same 15 is a big return from a team of 5 years ago.

[moysider]

During Horan's time, a lot of the energy of the team came from back to front behind a competitive middle third. Likes of Cuniiffe, Gardiner(while he was still around), Boyle, Higgins, Vaughan and Keegan ripped into teams. That was the strength of the team.
Now were are trying to remould those players into a different approach and not sure they are as effective now. Vaughan, for one, looks like he has been disempowered by new approach.
Under Horan we were never able to make long ball inside stick. Goal chances came from our running game; not long ball in.
Rochford now has to decide to persist with what he is trying to do or backtrack. Jason Doherty played better as a grinder about the pitch than in ff line. Inside this year he has looked very ordinary.  Aidan gets crowded out and when he gets his hands on ball, defenders get away with fouls against him - something I don't see changing either. Cillian will return but Cillian struggles to win long independent ball inside as well.
Rochford has a huge decision to make now. Returning players wont make such a difference imo.

[Syferus]

During Horan's time, a lot of the energy of the team came from back to front behind a competitive middle third. Likes of Cuniiffe, Gardiner(while he was still around), Boyle, Higgins, Vaughan and Keegan ripped into teams. That was the strength of the team.
Now were are trying to remould those players into a different approach and not sure they are as effective now. Vaughan, for one, looks like he has been disempowered by new approach.
Under Horan we were never able to make long ball inside stick. Goal chances came from our running game; not long ball in.
Rochford now has to decide to persist with what he is trying to do or backtrack. Jason Doherty played better as a grinder about the pitch than in ff line. Inside this year he has looked very ordinary.  Aidan gets crowded out and when he gets his hands on ball, defenders get away with fouls against him - something I don't see changing either. Cillian will return but Cillian struggles to win long independent ball inside as well.
Rochford has a huge decision to make now. Returning players wont make such a difference imo.

Why would returning  to what wasn't good enough before with older legs be a real option Moy? Might as well stick to your guns and try something that may work rather than what we know doesn't.

[moysider]

During Horan's time, a lot of the energy of the team came from back to front behind a competitive middle third. Likes of Cuniiffe, Gardiner(while he was still around), Boyle, Higgins, Vaughan and Keegan ripped into teams. That was the strength of the team.
Now were are trying to remould those players into a different approach and not sure they are as effective now. Vaughan, for one, looks like he has been disempowered by new approach.
Under Horan we were never able to make long ball inside stick. Goal chances came from our running game; not long ball in.
Rochford now has to decide to persist with what he is trying to do or backtrack. Jason Doherty played better as a grinder about the pitch than in ff line. Inside this year he has looked very ordinary.  Aidan gets crowded out and when he gets his hands on ball, defenders get away with fouls against him - something I don't see changing either. Cillian will return but Cillian struggles to win long independent ball inside as well.
Rochford has a huge decision to make now. Returning players wont make such a difference imo.

Why would returning  to what wasn't good enough before with older legs be a real option Moy? Might as well stick to your guns and try something that may work rather than what we know doesn't.

What wasn t good enough before was nearly good enough and should have been good enough if a few decisions had gone our way or if a few bits of housekeeping were done better.
What's happening now is like a top golfer trying to reconstruct his swing, to get better, but ends up missing the cuts.
What appears to be happening now is that we are breaking down the game that nearly got us there while not having the ammo to make the new approach viable.