Messages

1

Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: April 09, 2019, 08:48:09 AM »

At the moment, the full forward line worries me the most. They are too static, and I have a feeling that Evan and Donie don't play well together. When the two of them are on the pitch at the same time, teams can go forward with a little more abandon and in numbers, knowing that they have time to track back. I found it amazing that Westmeath"s full back was so adventurous, and even managed to score a point. Timmons did too, but that was a rare foray. This guy was at it all second half.

On top of the above, we are too easy to score against. Playing a sweeper now looks like a necessity. That doesn't bother me, but pace from deep should be the focus, rather than lack of pace up front. We might just have found our level and for all our players, it looked to me like Westmeath had the two best players on the pitch. Stop Heslin and Egan and it's game on. That has to be the priority

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Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: April 06, 2019, 09:35:43 PM »

Two evenly enough matched sides with their ability to execute quicker the deciding factor. Some days, it really pisses me off that we are so passive in our approach. We need to be busier and we need to be more aggressive. Westmeath are very beatable but that's twice that I've felt we don't know how to do it. I wouldn't be getting too down in the mouth about it but we need to find a new approach and an extra gear the next time we play them. A very similar submission to the one in Mullingar. Credit to Westmeath. Deserving winners

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Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 27, 2019, 08:50:47 AM »

Doesn't bother me who we play. It won't bother them either. They will feel we're beatable. I saw nothing when we played them that you can't set up properly against. Their threats are very obvious. We've been promoted without playing a full game to our potential. The 3 point win against Carlow flattered them and not us. We need to find a bit of a killer streak from somewhere.

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Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 25, 2019, 09:41:33 AM »

Long term Ballyroan. Relatively speaking, Sugrue is a young manager.

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Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 25, 2019, 08:54:39 AM »

Whisper that one very quietly Leixlad. We need to keep him for as long as possible. That said, he should be on their radar. He's doing good things with us. He's changing the mindset. Lads know what is expected of them and as a consequence of that, the rewards have followed. We're a million miles away from being a Division 1 team, and we still have so many limitations, but our players are giving their all and want to play for Laois. He has taken away the moral high ground from those who didn't commit to the panel but are good enough to be there. In the past, it was fashionable to sit on the sidelines and pour scorn on what was going on with Laois. That's not the case any more, and John Sugrue has made that happen. We're lucky to have him.

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Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 24, 2019, 08:45:17 PM »

I was thinking the same. He really got on my wick. I just hope he did what is being reported above. Just makes the win sweeter. By the way, was Sugrue having a sly dig in the post match interview by saying they were a "well coached side?". He couldn't have been serious surely?

I liked what we did today. We looked comfortable. I felt no matter what they did, we had it covered. Bearing in mind we were short three starters, I was very happy. Our play going forward was particularly pleasing. They are a better team than Offaly and Sligo so it's their own fault that they've dropped. I thought yer man going in on the pitch and setting them up like 7 year olds distracted them. Thanks Poacher

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Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 20, 2019, 12:42:47 PM »

Granted. That said, it is not unhealthy to expect a certain level of performance, and that applies to the team and supporters alike. In my experience, if you expect nothing, you generally get nothing, and we certainly should not feel that way about Division 3. If we had folk on here saying we should be in Division 1, then that would be a very different matter. There isn't though

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Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 20, 2019, 10:58:06 AM »

I don't see any entitlement. I see a realistic expectation of our ability. We imploded against Louth and were outfought up in Mullingar. On both occasions, Sugrue was damning enough about our performances. It's not a stretch at all to have us as one of the best teams in the Division (we beat Down after all) so I have no idea where o moore parklife's outburst actually came from. It's Division 3 after all. f**k it if we can't be bullish about Division 3, it's time to fold up the tent

9

Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 18, 2019, 08:14:24 AM »

I'd say the fact that Giovanni was at the match is proof enough that he supports Sugrue and the team. And the fact that we all put our shoulders to the wheel in some way for Laois GAA entitles us to an opinion. As long as nobody is being victimised, then general discussion about about teams and tactics has been going on for as long as games were being played. If you check back through everyone's posts, you'll see negativity in one way or another. I think it's fairly obvious when someone has overstepped the mark, and this forum rarely does that. As forums go, I would say this one is very tame, despite the odd wind up merchant trying to make it otherwise

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Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 17, 2019, 09:27:29 PM »

I don't see any pressure. I think the players and Sugrue would know if we don't achieve promotion, that we probably should have. Notwithstanding that, nobody will get carried away if we don't. The pressure will more than likely come from within because they will know themselves. It's obvious enough that we have yet to put all of the pieces together, and listening to Sugrue after matches, he has yet to declare himself fully happy. For what it's worth, I believe there's a lot more in the tank, but in an overall context, we're moving forward.

Shocking turnout yesterday by the way. We probably outnumbered Offaly in Tullamore, and that says very little because the crowd was tiny. Both panels deserve so much more than that

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Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 17, 2019, 12:20:14 AM »

I take your point Giovanni and it's fair enough. Maybe it's a lack of planning, a lack of height or movement. Maybe it's all of those and more. It is very obvious at this stage that going long rarely works for us, and you have to have that option somehow. Offaly could see our nervousness and pushed up. We retreated at that point and that allowed them to get some very soft scores. I'd like to see us try something different because without knowing the stats, it feels like we come away with one in four or five when we go long. The short kick out means our backs are constantly working without a break. I often think a lot of our wounds are self inflicted in that regard. There were worrying moments after we went six points up and that was the most disappointing aspect of the day. Just reading on the hop's comments there, I'd agree that the ball in and subsequent scores were largely without pressure being applied.

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Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 16, 2019, 05:45:32 PM »

We always looked like the better team today, but we still have a number of deficiencies. We have no outlet at midfield at all and the amount of self inflicted pressure this creates can cripple us. It now looks like we are dependent on the short kick out.

Our tackling at the back needs some sort of specialist attention in my opinion. It's fair to say that we have unnatural backs, but opposing players are not put under enough pressure. I was disappointed that we conceded 15 scores against a fairly raw looking Offaly team. I'll give the Offaly lads one thing. They lack nothing in guts and determination whereas we never look like we're at full tilt. That's as bad an Offaly team as I've ever seen, but they still made inroads with too much ease. Their Number 12 consistently gave us problems and was the best player on the pitch in my opinion.

The above said, it was a rotten day and we had the better players. I just feel that there should be a lot more in this bunch, but we lack leaders and we need to address obvious shortcomings

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Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 03, 2019, 10:33:44 AM »

I think the full back line will be Seale, Timmons and Dillon. Attride and Begley wing backs. Piggott not doing enough so far this year at centre back, although maybe he's better at wing back, or, as a man marker. Collins has to be on the radar. He doesn't do too much wrong

14

Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 03, 2019, 10:09:47 AM »

I've been trying to work out where the final third performance came from last night. Prior to it, we were nervous, pedestrian and lacking ideas. It is true, as Laois Today pointed out, that Johnno suddenly started to dominate at midfield. It's also true that the substitutions made an impact, as did a bit of shuffling of the pack. We have been trying to get away with playing lads out of position for a long time, and we probably still will because we have shortfalls in several positions. However, whilst a bit of experimentation is no harm if you think you haven't got the right man for the job, in general, I always think it's best to go with the best man in that position. That means that sometimes you have to leave good players on the bench, but so be it. Easy to say when you don't have to keep lads happy.

Anyway, that final third is what we are looking for. Movement, teamwork and energy. Benny Carroll had a good game considering he's been out for a while. He's what you'd expect of a good Portlaoise lad; comfortable on the ball, makes the right decisions and doesn't panic. With the way Longford set themselves up, we needed to be patient, and his runs infield regularly gave us an option that didn't look on just a few seconds before. He's fairly typical of the sort of lad who does well for Laois; a ball carrier and a good distributor. I am always happier to see us working the ball up the field rather than hoofing it aimlessly at the two big lads. By all means use that option when it makes sense to do so, but last week in Westmeath was the limit with high balls in. Percentage wise, we don't win enough of those balls to make it something we should do every game. We arguably don't move well enough either when we isolate our bigger men, and I mean that with no offence intended. Evan is a much better player on his toes. I hate seeing him standing on the edge of the square and waiting, because when he's running at you he is so elusive.

The most pleasing aspect for me was the concession of only 4 points in the second half. We were noticeably tighter and their threatening players were stifled. I said last week that getting the mix right is so important, and for the likes of Attride, who is so good going forward, it is horrible watching him struggle in a position that doesn't come naturally to him. He was so much more involved when pushed up to wing back. We probably can't completely avoid that in fairness because keeping good players happy also comes into it, but players like him look happier pressing further out. It was noticeable also how much of the game was played in their half in the second half. That took a lot of work when the breeze was in their favour.

15

Laois / Re: 2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

« on: March 01, 2019, 12:51:56 PM »

Probably not, but I don't think it's a priority. We didn't look like a team seeking promotion last week, and we looked hopeless against Louth. I can't imagine the wheels have come off so spectacularly, although I could be wrong.