Mayo v Dublin Sat 2nd March - 7pm Croke Park

[emmetryan]

Thanks for all the responses lads.

Cadence, I think Horan will bring it back in but they're trying to add other elements first.

highorlow, the pace certainly has an impact but you need to be able to adjust under those circumstances.

Tubberman, Like I'm saying to cadence, I think Mayo are still in development mode.

Speaking of developments, here's a video analysing Stephen Cluxton's position http://action81.com/blog/?p=6812

[joemamas]

Re Ger Brennanns sending off.I fely from the beginning that Paul Earley was not in love with Mayo but his comments and analysis of the sending off was disgraceful.Mike Finnerty needs to grow a pair and contradict him.

Of all the people you could choose to say they have it in for Mayo you selected perhaps the worst choice in the country.

Did you listen to his commentary, if not then it may be worth doing so.

[muppet]

BB was awesome, you just had to watch and admire how he went about his game.

Caff and Higgins were well off what we have come to expect of them for some reason.

Midfield and the half-forwards were missing for large parts of the game and is a problem area. Midfield should be easy enough to fix but I am not sure about the half forwards.

Doherty is playing really well but I don't see him as a high ball target. Conroy caused all sorts of problems also.

Sideline had an off day.

Ger Brennan might be given a long break by the new management. He is a serious liability to any team and was long before the sending off, Jesus or no Jesus.

[macdanger2]

We are going nowhere under this manager I'm afraid. Pity because it is not for the want of trying from the players.

You're right highorlow, Horan out!!!

Mayo seemed to be well off the pace last night, not sure if it's the training they're doing or what but very few players seemed to have any zip in the legs at all. That doesn't excuse the hail mary balls that were lumped into the FF line in the last 10-15 minutes though.

The FB line were poor enough, lucky not to concede another couple of goals, that said, there was very little pressure on the man kicking in the ball which made it a lot easier for Dublin.

Big game next weekend, win it and we're in the shakeup for the semi finals, lose it and we're into a relegation battle.

Brennan is a complete liability for Dublin - not the first time he's been sent off and probably not the last, could cost them dearly in a big match later in the summer.

[bucko]

Jesus, some people have very short memories. Year three in Horan's reign, the first 2 of which can be graphed as definite progress. Now only the first weekend in March and we have people looking for his head.
Did he get things wrong last night? Yes. Was he slow to make changes? Sure. But for him to take complete responsibility for some of the utterly headless decision making and play out on the pitch is a bit much. Too many players had bad games last night. Our full back line was completely off form, it was the worst I've seen Higgins play in a long time, Caff had a mare on a mesmerising Brogan and Barrett is a liability at CB. Both the latter 2 turned over ball that led to Dublin scores, Barrett especially playing two high risk passes in a row when better, safer options were on. Midfield and the half forward line were ineffective for long periods. Our FF line did ok when supplied with decent ball that they had a good chance of winning, but in the middle 15 mins of the second half the ball kicked into them was dire, less than 50/50. What cost us last night was complete lack of cuteness and intelligence at the critical phases. What is it that causes Mayo players to stop doing what is working and revert to crazy, hopeful high ball into a forward line that wants it in low? Even more infuriating is the fact that despite the poor performance we still had enough opportunities to get a result out of last night.

[From the Bunker]

Disappointing result. Funny how at this time of the year we give credit to results. Results that often have little or no bearing on the Championship form of a team. From Mayo perspective now is the time to experiment, try and get enough to stay up and find out a few (more) horrible realities. A team can hide during the league playing strong experienced teams in their positions and find they have learned nothing when championship starts.

If Mayo do sh1t in the league, there is no pressure on Horan. If Mayo fail this year to win an AI  or to conquer a few big guns on the way. Horan will be gone and it will probably be himself that will walk. He knows that and he knows where his priorities lie. He has probably only six months left in this job.

By the way Bernard Brogan was excellent last night. Must like playing under lights. Just a thought but i think it is probably easier to score into the Hill under lights than in daylight?

[Declan]

Very enjoyable game on Sat and a pleasure to watch Berno play like that - long may it continue. Very open game as usual between these two teams and bar Brennan's blue mist moment thought we acquitted ourselves quite well.

Vaughan did well on Brady, but Dublin made a switch early on and hauled Brady off.

Brady went off injured from what I saw - holding his hammer as he left and Mac did well when he came on.

The bright side was the number of goal chances we created - though I don't know what the plan is for Clucko to take penalties

Anyway I think both teams will be still playing well into August/September this year 

[Jinxy]

Donal Vaughan really needs to mind his own business in future.
Tired of seeing him rolling around on the ground with his hands over his face.

[From the Bunker]

Donal Vaughan really needs to mind his own business in future.
Tired of seeing him rolling around on the ground with his hands over his face.

In fairness he got a fair wallop! Which would you rather, a player to get a wallop like he did and pretend nothing happened or to do what he did?

[Jinxy]

I'd rather he didn't go running in like a hero in the first place.
He always ends up on his arse.

[Crete Boom]

Donal Vaughan really needs to mind his own business in future.
Tired of seeing him rolling around on the ground with his hands over his face.

Back to the Div 3 thread with ya Jinxy or I'll a set a few more Killashandra men on you .

[From the Bunker]

I'd rather he didn't go running in like a hero in the first place.
He always ends up on his arse.

So you'd rather he pretend nothing happened to his team mate on the ground?

[moysider]

Thanks for all the responses lads.

Cadence, I think Horan will bring it back in but they're trying to add other elements first.

highorlow, the pace certainly has an impact but you need to be able to adjust under those circumstances.

Tubberman, Like I'm saying to cadence, I think Mayo are still in development mode.

Speaking of developments, here's a video analysing Stephen Cluxton's position http://action81.com/blog/?p=6812

I dont think so Emmet- with all respect and all that. Like Mayo not putting usual pressure on the ball carrier? I doubt that was anything else but lack of intensity/focus, rather than a tactic

. I had to watch the game on Setanta and it was unbelievable how the presenter and panel went on about Mayo s midfield dominance at ht and ft when we were destroyed in the middle for 3/4 of the game. Do these people analyse from what they see or do they go with the prompts and briefs that they think will happen before the game starts? I expected better of Dara O Sé, but in fairness he did redeem himself after, when he identified Mayo s achilles in the game being their decision making.

Mayo have never done rebuilding and transition and development or any of that. Even in better years it s cobbled together and that is why it ends in grief. When structure and tactic is needed ........ It is clear to be seen in recent times. And recent I mean 30 yrs at least. But lets look at more recent stuff.

Promising emergence in 85 with a talented team ( and probably the best manager we ve ever had) but capitulated next 2 years in a wasteland of a province at that time - no development. Possibly players not having the drive or ambition of the manager.

88/89. AI semi and a final but instead of consolidating or pushing on, got turned over in Connacht for years.

98/99 Again lost softish enough encounters even though we had battle hardened team again and playing against novices.

Yet we came from the pits to compete in AI finals   in 96, 04, 06 and last year - and you have to factor in the awful recessional years of Holmes and O Mahoney in that time frame as well to put the surges in perspective.

Has anything changed under Horan? Yes of course, a lot has. Will it will end in tears like it usually does.

Here s the thing. Is Horan keeping powder dry or is this it? Ok, we all know a couple of those lads last day wont be playing championship football but there s other stuff.

Like we had 70% of ball against Tyrone and lost like Foreman did in the Jungle. How much 'Rope a Dope' practice does a Mayo team and management need ( they played Donegal 3 times last year). Yet.

Worringly we lost out in a loose shoot out against Dubs as well.  Completely different type of game but same result. I hope I m wrong but it looks like we get places when we arrive fresh with new faces.Horan also seems to be indulging his bench - as well as one or 2 'cant- be - dropped- if -fit'.

I suspect Horan is looking at the longer term. It s foolish team that are revealing their full hand at this stage of the year tbh.

[Hound]

I'd rather he didn't go running in like a hero in the first place.
He always ends up on his arse.

I don't condone what Brennan did, but he did it to the right man. Vanghan finally had something he could have a genuine cry about!

[dublin7]

I'd rather he didn't go running in like a hero in the first place.
He always ends up on his arse.

I don't condone what Brennan did, but he did it to the right man. Vanghan finally had something he could have a genuine cry about!

I remember laughing at him when I was looking at the replay. If you are going to run in & act like a hard man, don't go down like a baby moments later.

There was also an instance in the first half where he took a shoulder on the sideline & I thought he was going to land in the stands.