Having watched the game and supported Mayo throughout, I find it hard to use bad luck as an excuse every time. What is the general opinion? Bad luck or Bottlers?

GalwayPaddy (Galway) - Posts: 15 - 04/10/2016 08:43:39    1922208

Neither.

If they were such bottlers then they surely wouldn't have gotten the draw the first day, or even gotten to the final in the 1st place.

Calling a team bottlers is just lazy analysis imo. Usually it's thrown out as a thinly veiled attempt to belittle the team in question. During the 00s Dublin were often tagged as bottlers when in fact they just weren't very good when it came to it.

Mayo are a very good team that are capable of beating anyone on their day. They just haven't been quite good enough on the days they've played in the All-Ireland Final.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13704 - 04/10/2016 09:58:34    1922227

Sadly I have to say that I believe there is a fear this team that has cost us dearly. Not so much in this years final although we were in contention to win it but there were better examples over the years:

- 2013 after we got the goal in the second half we were in a great position to go on and win. Instead we conseeded a sh!te goal and gave up the lead straight away. It was there for us to kick on
- 2014 (the worst IMO) the second half against Kerry in the drawn match was i think the best display of football by a Mayo team I can remember until we were 4 up and we realisied we were going to beat Kerry then we froze and ended up drawing the game. Lost the replay and we spent the next few weeks complaining about the referee, the venue etc.. if we hadn't choked in Dublin there wouldn't be a replay
- 2015 - lucky not to lose the drawn match against Dublin - didn't really deserve a draw. But in the replay 4 up with 15 to play, we lost by 7.

There is always a hard luck story for Mayo. And this year, I actually think it applies, how we ended up 5 down at HT in the drawn match was hard luck but the examples above show (IMO) that its not all bad luck.

Mayo have a great team and i would think they have better players than many teams that won AI's over the years. But there seems to be a fear in them that when the line is in sight they freeze like rabbits in the headlights. If I could figure out how to change that i suppose I'd be a wealthy man!

Cbar (Mayo) - Posts: 308 - 04/10/2016 09:59:33    1922229

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 04/10/2016 10:06:02    1922232

AthboyCelt (Meath) - Posts: 147 - 04/10/2016 10:14:28    1922237

Unlucky. The two Dublin ogs. That was outrageously unlucky. I never in thirty five years playing or watching gaa saw an og in my life. Should the thread be ... Dublin, great or lucky?.

galwaydublin (Galway) - Posts: 226 - 04/10/2016 10:27:59    1922247

Condorman (Dublin) - Posts: 983 - 04/10/2016 10:28:49    1922248

No they're are not bottlers or unlucky.

When Mayo have the best team in Ireland they will win Sam.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12115 - 04/10/2016 10:29:13    1922250

No
Stupid question
Dublin are a better side, Simple as that. The Dubs 2 years ago were better again. The Kerry team of the 00's were excellent. The Donegal team that beat were almost unstoppable.
Mayo are a fine fine team, but at no point in my lifetime have they been the best team in the country, so no, they are not bottlers, they are just the second best team.

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 04/10/2016 10:32:30    1922254

No and i challenge any true fan to question their desire and hunger on those last two tencacious finals. Truth is Mayo have played very good teams and only narrowly lost. I feel were Mayo suffer is they are always chasing a different way to get them over the line, there is no consistency in approach or philosphey, always lets change as we didnt get over the line, Mayo need to stick to a strategy and give it five years and become the best within it. Thats what Dublin, Kerry, Donegal have done to win all irelands. Mayo play the percentages under Horan, then in the first game Vs Dublin last year play defenively, the second game wide open running game and this year again ultra defensively. There ios no conisistency and lads are constatly chopping and changing and the team is not evolving naturally. I give the example of the Dublin team, Mayo would have beaten Dublin in 2014 - just as Donegal did with how they set up. The Dublin team has evolved from swashbuckling football when it needs to and win with grit and solidity. Its about becoming experts and the best within your approach and philosphey and then evolve to play in different ways when required. Mayo never have patience with an approach and as such dont evolve as a team in my opinion. Rochford should be given five years to develop this team, im certain there is an all ireland in it if they do.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 04/10/2016 11:00:39    1922276

Bottlers ?? Absolutely not.

They lost by a point.... one point, after a replay to the greatest dublin team of all time.

Mayo are an immense team with some serious players. They will win an all ireland sooner rather than later in my view

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 04/10/2016 11:53:32    1922312

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 04/10/2016 12:00:14    1922316

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 04/10/2016 12:12:34    1922323

YES

Toothless (Dublin) - Posts: 38 - 04/10/2016 12:17:55    1922328

Anyone who thinks Mayo are still bottlers/chokers, is about 3 years behind the times. Once yes, right now - no chance.

I'll call it now. Mayo land Sam before 2020. 2018 is my guess.

Jaden (Dublin) - Posts: 139 - 04/10/2016 12:39:25    1922342

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4206 - 04/10/2016 12:52:09    1922349

Maybe calling them bottlers is harsh but they lack leaders like the likes of Padraic Joyce, Michael Donnellan, Ja and many others on Galways All Ireland winning teams. Looks like Mayo wont get over the line with this team.

GalwayPaddy (Galway) - Posts: 15 - 04/10/2016 13:13:31    1922355

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1337 - 04/10/2016 13:22:19    1922359

How can anyone possibly say that that team are bottlers. absolutely not. perhaps some small issues with management decisions but the players themselves left everything out there on the pitch. Simply beaten by a slightly better team, that's all. It's unfortunate but their day will come.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 04/10/2016 13:33:03    1922363

dave1988 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1043 - 04/10/2016 13:43:43    1922371