Well now, just about recovered from the weekend antics, managed to do a stag on Saturday night and still hit the game on Sunday. Had the good fortune of bumping into Dermo at the game, lovely youngfella and a credit, looking lean and like he could still dance around Croker.

Whisper it quietly, but im very encouraged about our last two performances, its looks like the early game were all about blooding and experience and padding out the panel and looking at squad options to me, i think we expected to beat Kildare and were caught with our pant down and then we had a serious look at trying to stay in the Division and get results.

We look far more direct, we're playing more of the shoulder, we're moving and creating and space and we are breaking lines, we are having a serious look at a sweeper all badly needed.

So a really enjoyable game VS Donegal for a league game - well i enjoyed it anyway, good football, a bit of excitement and both teams having a go. Was surprised Donegal went far more possession based and lateral then us. We moved the ball really well at pace and only for a first fluky goal and a second half hail memory - that had Jamesie and Shiel in a funk, we would have won comfortably, but i was glad in a way we had to fight or 70 mins for a result, something that caught us out ultimately last year.

The last two performances a huge departure, from earlier ones, the return of Jamsie, Johnny, Fitzey have really steadied the ship and showed the type of calmness and leadership that have been missing, they are all looking lean and fit. Brian Howard was spectacular on Sunday, on that form i wouldn't swap him for anyone else in the country, hes so underrated and id go as far to say our most naturally gifted all round footballer since Dermo. Thought Lahiff had one of his best games for us and he definitely offer us something no 9 is his to loose for me.

For me one of the big differences has been the return of Mc Daid, the lad is great player, can break a line and has a massive engine and is ierce in the tackle, hes a beast to have in the half backs. With him Jamsie, Small and Murchan we are well covered for line breakers, thats beginning to created space for the forwards.

We look tighter at the back if not still a bit Jekyl and hyde, Dnegal got in fairly easy at times centrally - Cooper getting caught between 3 and 6 and sweeping at some stages - but grew into it as the game went on. But we did have some great phases of defensive play that forced a few wides. The way we play we will always get chances. Sheil didnt inspire to much. Big shout out to Cian Murphy who has slipped in there in looks a real option now, sticky little defender, but clever enough to be a big supporting player in attack, he has the energy and sense and skill on the bit ive seen at this level to be a real option.

Personally i think we're lacking a bit of fluency in attack, Cormac was to over eager, felt oddly as Kilkenny was slowing everything down unnecessarily and Deano was hot and cold. We butchered some great goal chances, like most of the league but if we continue to make them we know we have the pedigree and King Con to come back. Still though, we haven't been blowing teams away ruthlessly as a forward unit.

So overall we're in a much better place then we were a couple of weeks ago, the play looks more direct, players are making space, running of the shoulder, supporting each other defense looks tighter, if we can improve our shot conversation and ruthlessness and get the forwards roaring we wont be afraid of anyone. But i think we are off peaking fitness wise.

Im looking at the squad and we have unearthed a few options and arguably look in a much better [lace then last year squad wise. Maybe there was a bit of logic to our earlier league games in terms of blooding and options.

We will be looking like this in my opinion:

Comeford.

Fitzey- Johnny -Byrne

Jamsie- Small- McDaid

------Fenton--Lahiff

Scullzer--Kilkenny--Howard

Cormac ---King Con---Deano

Bench: P Samll, Bugler, Gannon, Basquel, McMahon, Murch, Murphy, Byrne etc + extended panel.

You know what, whisper it quietly, i think we might be that bit stronger then last year with a few more options in the panel and year more blooding, if we get forwards firing, i wouldn't be to concerned about one.

Looking forward to Sunday and the spin to Clones, dont mind what division we're in to be honest, i wouldn't mind a year in Div 2 in all honesty. But we'l have the craic on Sun anyway. Cant wait.

As Always Up The Dubs.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 22/03/2022 10:41:08    2406398

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 22/03/2022 12:08:33    2406430

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 22/03/2022 13:26:17    2406463

Hi Username, it was Brendan McCole that was on Kilkenny most of the game and did a great job. Costello came on McCole once or twice as well and he shackled him too. He's been the shining light of our league campaign so far replacing Neil McGee at full back. It seems to me from the Hogan that yous didn't really have anyone on Ryan McHugh and it resulted in his best game for us in a good long time. Agree with you Howard was the best player on the pitch.

I can tell you haven't seen much of us if you were surprised by our lateral possession-based play, it's been chronic all year and we kicked it more against yous than we have against anyone!

Fancy yous to win in Clones now and you'll be back challenging again this summer. McCarthy looked in good nick there on Sunday too.

JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 22/03/2022 13:47:28    2406476

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 22/03/2022 17:09:44    2406557

Dublin are a pale shadow of the outfit they were. Didn't seem to be much cohesion or leadership on the pitch or sideline there at all. Dessie seems to be struggling badly with them. Change of manager coming possibly?

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9701 - 27/03/2022 15:34:24    2407338

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 27/03/2022 15:44:30    2407345

It's not just a tactical or drive deficit with Dublin anymore, but also an intelligence deficit. how many times in that game did they reel Monaghan back in before making individual and group errors of judgement. I'm not sure who took that last shot at the end to take the lead, but it was a wild snap attempt when there was space to work a clearer chance. Anyway, as mes amis said, they've deserved relegation from this campaign. To sneak through would have been more than fortunate for Farrell, who in my opinion, can have learned nothing positive from what he's done this year. Well done to Monaghan, who showed good organisation at the back and a lot of nous up front. And what a free to win it.

Gavvygavgav (Dublin) - Posts: 382 - 27/03/2022 15:58:14    2407348

I don't normally blame management as it is an excuse alot of teams across various sports trot out. Players play games not managers but it is obvious that the manager is part of Dublin's problems. Not making changes that needed to be made in games. Players not playing on the team who should be playing. Discipline is poor. Players who played really well under previous management underperforming now. I think Dublin will be under new management when they commence their Division 2 campaign in 2023. Hard to see this team winning this year's All Ireland unless there are big changes. At least they have the Leinster championship which contains medicore teams.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 1909 - 27/03/2022 17:44:31    2407418

Have to say yez looked a bit disjointed today. leaving Fitzsimmons on Mc Carron for an hour ultimately cost yez the match. Is next year the first time no Leinster team plays in Division 1?? Could always amalgamate
Only messing

mhunicean_abu (Monaghan) - Posts: 1044 - 27/03/2022 17:56:30    2407437

Great to see after buying All Irelands for years.

HighStoolBandit (Tyrone) - Posts: 133 - 27/03/2022 18:51:13    2407479

Just in the door from Clones, some weather, would echo all the lads say above, congrats to Monaghan. Frustrating performance overall as the talent is still there, but while we wouldn't have picked relegation at the outset, a year in Div 2 won't do us any harm in development at all. More anon….Up The Dubs!

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 27/03/2022 18:53:18    2407481

Rockies (Cork) - Posts: 947 - 27/03/2022 19:01:03    2407485

Would echo the sentiments above in saying we got what we deserved. I think realistic Dublin fans will have long adjusted their expectations and know at best we are looking at another Leinster title (not a guarantee with Kildare on the upward curve) and hoping for the best then really from there on in. The reality is that we have everyone bar Con O'Callaghan available at present. Yes if he is back soon and hits the ground running he will make a massive difference but we look so disjointed, disorganised and almost disinterested at the moment that we'd need 2 or 3 of him ready to come in!

I said it a few weeks ago that relegation to Div 2 wouldn't be ideal but it's not the end of the world either. I'd imagine we will see some very experimental line ups in that division from whoever the new manager is (no chance Dessie gets another season on present form) as he looks to unearth some new talent/develop the newer lads who have been brought in this year. We should be finishing top 2 but Kildare and Derry will specifically have no fear of us on current form. I think Clare have solidified their place as a Div 2 side and that's probably their ceiling, Meath were very poor this season and a lot of work to do for them, Cork are miles off what they were a couple of years ago and Limerick and Louth will likely go straight back down.

Lastly on Dessie - I think it's definitely a case of Sam or Slán for him now. The league campaign will be all but forgotten once we get into April and if he has any designs on being Dublin manager past the summer then he needs some fairly drastic action. My fear looking in from the outside though is that under this management team we will not be up to much come crunch time in the knockout rounds. The players don't seem to have that bite about them anymore. It was always going to be a big ask to follow on from Gavin as we all know but there was certainly more than enough left behind to win the All Ireland last year (taking out the 2020 covid cup as not exactly being a traditional All Ireland) and at least be right up there this year. Yet here were are down to Division 2 and really all over the place looking into championship.

TrueBlue35 (Dublin) - Posts: 206 - 28/03/2022 09:06:57    2407620

I think Dessie deserves at least another 4 or 5 years in charge.

OldSchoolRules (Australia) - Posts: 10 - 28/03/2022 10:14:56    2407645

Wally (Tyrone) - Posts: 912 - 28/03/2022 10:24:08    2407651

Well now, cracking day for a blood bath up Clones direction as the weather didn't get the script, or perhaps a Monaghan scribe got in there for the early post. Took the back road from Cavan going over the border into Fermnagah and back, cost of petrol over there scared the bejaysus out of me - £2.00 pound a litre- yet wasn't going to be the scariest thing that came my way yesterday.

Decent crowd for a mothering Sunday, with both teams having chips on the game and a stint in Div 2 going to looser, so the scene was set for The Dubs to take the field.

Two changes to the advertised team Shiel coming in for Evan and Murch for Murphy.

The Dubs started with a roar racing ahead with the early momentum, going 4 up and at the time thought we were settling in for me a give me. Monaghan were having none of it and are a dangerous animal in Clones, willfully came back at Dublin tacking over a few before a goal ignited the home crowd, Monghan indicative of Dublin the entire year getting in way to easily, this was followed up with Monaghan tacking over a few in Oceans of space and running at the Dublin defense at will - often with much joy. Monhgan went into a 5 point lead as the half went on, but Dublin got a burst before the break and brought it back to two, before the break, the break came at the wrong time for Dublin during a deent period of momentum, the gap could have been smaller but fir Deano leaving a fairly straight forward one short, Bugler hitting the post and Cormac going for a green flag when a point was on heading into the break.

On the terraces at half time, to a man and hid dog were saying, we need to hold these for the first quarter, dont let them get the first few points, silence the crowd and and make them nervy - we need the first score second half. Dublin of course did exactly the opposite allowing Monaghan the first three of the second half, with the crowd roaring them on and Dublin looking like a rabiit in the headlights. The painfully tacked over a few to gt back to 2 or three point game, then boom acres of space in he back line to run into and a to my mind dubious penalty was given that Monaghan gobbled up, crowd went bananas.

The Dubs realised they were in the Manure business and began to play like the game meant something, taking over point after point, when it looked like we might have a chance at eking out a finish, again Dublin loose pocession McCarron gets the better of Fitzy, Fitzy doesn't play to the whistle and Mcarron lobs Shiel for another green flag. Cue bannaramma in the crowd. Game turned scrappy with a good few high tackles, tactical fouling and Wiley getting the line for a close line, Jamsie following later for a second yellow. Dublin not all that fluidly kept taking over and a hail mary penalty was given in the last 10 that Deano dispatched to bring both sides level. It looked on witht he momentum with Dublin, but we butchered a good chance to win it, Beggan kept his head ploughed up feild and we gave away a needless free for McCarron to win the game. And thus Div 2 beckoned the Dubs in 2023.

Where to start, it was a tactically regressive performance on the last two, our defensive shape in massively naieve, Dessie playing man for man, which is useless as while everyone has a man, the defender are pulled all over the shop to make space for a runner through the center channel or any channel for that matter and no one putting pressure on the man with the ball. Oceans of space for attackers taht leading to countless goal chances and easy point - so naieve. Apart from that we need a sweeper again, no one putting pressure on an attacker, acres of space and you can get out in front of Dublin to win a high ball. The defense lacks any tactical ideas, nous or stratgey.

Monhghan packed the midfield zone, pulling theri half forward back and half backs forward in there, safe in the knowledge that Dublin wouldn't kick it long and would play through the lines. What happened Dublin did just that and got it congested in midfield, when they did push Monaghan back, Monaghan could keep their shape. with the men back and Dublin either brought into contact and got turned over, it broke down and we got caught on the counter or if they looked like getting over run Monaghan were happy enough to take a free, rather then risk a goal.

This meant that the full forward line was isolated for lots of the game and when they did get on the ball they had a rush of blood to the head, tried to be to clever or Deano or Ciran would slow it down and not press home an advantage. All Glacier.

So in summary yesterday was a mess in terms of of tactics and quite simply in game awareness of what was happening. Tactically it was the worst ive seen in the league and no decisions were taken in the game when strategies weren't working. I get Dessie doesnt have the players Jim had, i get we are in transition, i get we have to throw lads in and persvere, i get we wont be winning the All Ireland every year, but im sorry there was much that could be done decsion wise yesterday by the manager in that game and other games that was stem the blood flow.

To my mnd there is enough talent in that team to be competitive for an All Ireland, i dont think the manager is getting the best out of the players and i think tactically his decisions, approach and philsphepy is undermining us. Hes not for changing either, hes going to die on sword of this approach and he just may in the summer. Yesterday was a gmae we would have game managed in our slepp under Jim.

What can we expect, back to the Dubs of 90's 00's - showing promise and potential in performances and then reallt poor performances in other games no coherence, stability, consistency or game management.

As for Div 2, bring it on, im not disappointing at all, i think Fitzy, Jamsie, Cooper have a decision to make in the summer and we will need new bodies in the squad, Div 2 or a couple of seasons in it, will help these lads developmentally. Looking forward to some of the trips, if they come of PUC, Derry, Limerick, Clare and seems like it will be a mini Leinster to. No worries on that score.

So to sum it up lads we're in for a short disappointing summer ahead, based on yesterday a Leinster is a good year for us and anything else bonus territory. The Dessie era will end in 2020 then and we attack Div 2 with a few jaunts and craic in between.

Next up Offaly or Wexford in Championship at the end of next month. Cant wait.

As Always Up The Dubs.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 28/03/2022 11:47:18    2407692

Keephimthere (Roscommon) - Posts: 97 - 28/03/2022 11:50:19    2407694

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3675 - 28/03/2022 12:08:50    2407709

tarfboy (Dublin) - Posts: 27 - 28/03/2022 12:37:53    2407726