Abysmal

[FatFreddysCat]

Here's a thought: Is it possible that Jol doesn't have the necessaries to send his side out on the pitch with determination and focus?

Just an innocent question?

Must admit i'm a bit underwelmed at the moment. Must say i saw great things ahead under Hughes, gutted he left. Still early doors.

[maksimir]

Nice to see Sligo Rovers get an unexpected result though.

Hey Clint? Do we have a closet Sligo Rovers fan aboard?

[HatterDon]

Here's a thought: Is it possible that Jol doesn't have the necessaries to send his side out on the pitch with determination and focus?

Just an innocent question?

Must admit i'm a bit underwelmed at the moment. Must say i saw great things ahead under Hughes, gutted he left. Still early doors.

As the young folks are apt to say these days, "Word."

[Logicalman]

I think the problem is the match is decided over 2 legs. Just the one game and the players have something to play for. No excuse for a very poor performance, but I think the players know they can win the home fixture and couldn't be bothered yesterday. Feel sorry for the fans who went to the game.

Mebbe, mebbe not. If the players come out at the cottage with the same attitude they had last Thursday, then they would rightly be booed and played off the pitch.

I don't care if the first leg is at home or away or hanging off by its sinews, they are supposed to play to WIN, not do as little as possible in the vain hope of a result in the second leg.

The players let those travelling fans down big time on Thursday, and they should each pay, out of their inflated and undeserved wages this past week, to reimburse each and every one of those that took the time, trouble and expense to support them - something that was not returned - doubly so in the case of Smurf and his partner in crime, Dickie.

[FatFreddysCat]

I think the problem is the match is decided over 2 legs. Just the one game and the players have something to play for. No excuse for a very poor performance, but I think the players know they can win the home fixture and couldn't be bothered yesterday. Feel sorry for the fans who went to the game.

Mebbe, mebbe not. If the players come out at the cottage with the same attitude they had last Thursday, then they would rightly be booed and played off the pitch.

I don't care if the first leg is at home or away or hanging off by its sinews, they are supposed to play to WIN, not do as little as possible in the vain hope of a result in the second leg.

The players let those travelling fans down big time on Thursday, and they should each pay, out of their inflated and undeserved wages this past week, to reimburse each and every one of those that took the time, trouble and expense to support them - something that was not returned - doubly so in the case of Smurf and his partner in crime, Dickie.

:clap_hands:  :Haynes The Maestro:

[Burt]

Like it or not, in these sorts of competitions it is the result that counts, not so much how you play, and getting a draw away from home in unfamiliar surroundings in hot 'n' humid conditions is "a good job done".

I appreciate it is tough on those who sunk valuable time and a lot of money to make the trip.

But is has laid the foundation for what should be a home win, and progression.

Ideally we would all like to see a bit of swagger and quality as we progress, but lets not berate the team if it didn't quite work out that way but they still get a result.

Now if we had been beaten, then...

[clintclintdeuce]

Nice to see Sligo Rovers get an unexpected result though.

Hey Clint? Do we have a closet Sligo Rovers fan aboard?

Im a bleeding hearth when it comes to any team from Ireland. Ive been following St Pats results for a while now, since there was an American playing for them.

Hopefully Sligo can get a result and make it onto the next round. It has been a very successful Europe for Irish teams so far!
Wouldnt it be something else if Shamrock get a result against Copenhagen next week?

[maksimir]

Wouldnt it be something else if Shamrock get a result against Copenhagen next week?
[/quote]

It would yeah - but they'll have their work cut out as will Pat's unfortunately but no shame there.  Sligo are the best bet of the three Irish sides to progress and they are a fine footballing outfit - as hopefully we will be against banana Split!

Would Ryan Guy be the Pat's American player you referred to?

COYW

[clintclintdeuce]

Im a bleeding hearth when it comes to any team from Ireland. Ive been following St Pats results for a while now, since there was an American playing for them.

Hopefully Sligo can get a result and make it onto the next round. It has been a very successful Europe for Irish teams so far!
Wouldnt it be something else if Shamrock get a result against Copenhagen next week?

It would yeah - but they'll have their work cut out as will Pat's unfortunately but no shame there.  Sligo are the best bet of the three Irish sides to progress and they are a fine footballing outfit - as hopefully we will be against banana Split!

Would Ryan Guy be the Pat's American player you referred to?

COYW
[/quote]

Yes that is the American. Hes in MLS now doing a decent job.

Sligo have a good chance, just dont give up the first goal.

Shame St Pats conceded in the 90th minute. I thought if they kept it 1-0, they could do a job at home.

Shamrock will bounce back into Europa play-off qualifiying if they fail to get a result against Copenhagen, and with the right draw could make the group stages.

Hopefully with some of the successes that the Irish are having, they can figure out a way to keep the league flush with some cash. Was a shame what happened to Cork City.

[ImperialWhite]

Here's a thought: Is it possible that Jol doesn't have the necessaries to send his side out on the pitch with determination and focus?

Just an innocent question?

Strong accusations (wot it be, however euphemistically phrased), require strong evidence.

Under the great Hodgson, prior to reaching a European final, in pre-season of 2009-10, we drew to the colossal AFC Bournemouth and the mighty Peterborough United, and lost to the mammoth Gold Coast United.

What reason have you for believing that Jol isn't up to the job of managing a top flight English side (apart from leading Spurs to the verge of the Champions League)?

[YankeeJim]

   :dead horse:   :dead horse:  :dead horse:  :dead horse: :dead horse:

Draw on the road, win at home, move to the next round.

Move along lads, nothing to see here.

[HatterDon]

Here's a thought: Is it possible that Jol doesn't have the necessaries to send his side out on the pitch with determination and focus?

Just an innocent question?

Strong accusations (wot it be, however euphemistically phrased), require strong evidence.

Under the great Hodgson, prior to reaching a European final, in pre-season of 2009-10, we drew to the colossal AFC Bournemouth and the mighty Peterborough United, and lost to the mammoth Gold Coast United.

What reason have you for believing that Jol isn't up to the job of managing a top flight English side (apart from leading Spurs to the verge of the Champions League)?

now, now, IW, when does "just a thought" and "just an innocent question" become "strong accusations?" And I'm the last person to be longing for Roy's return. I'm just afraid I'm reliving Roy in our lack of initiative on the road under Jol.

Oh, and I didn't realize that AFC Bornemouth and Peterborough United were our opponents in the Europa League. I must get out more.

[Pata]

0-0 away from home in the 1st leg with minimum effort is hardly a disaster.

[ImperialWhite]

Here's a thought: Is it possible that Jol doesn't have the necessaries to send his side out on the pitch with determination and focus?

Just an innocent question?

Strong accusations (wot it be, however euphemistically phrased), require strong evidence.

Under the great Hodgson, prior to reaching a European final, in pre-season of 2009-10, we drew to the colossal AFC Bournemouth and the mighty Peterborough United, and lost to the mammoth Gold Coast United.

What reason have you for believing that Jol isn't up to the job of managing a top flight English side (apart from leading Spurs to the verge of the Champions League)?

now, now, IW, when does "just a thought" and "just an innocent question" become "strong accusations?" And I'm the last person to be longing for Roy's return. I'm just afraid I'm reliving Roy in our lack of initiative on the road under Jol.

Oh, and I didn't realize that AFC Bornemouth and Peterborough United were our opponents in the Europa League. I must get out more.

My apologies, that's just how I read it! But I wouldn't (openly) say at work Here's a thought: Is it possible that our boss doesn't have the necessaries to manage an office? Just an innocent question?. Or, to the biggest guy in the pub Here's a thought: Is it possible that "big Dave" over there doesn't have the faculties to open a tin of peaches, and still lives with his mum? Just an innocent question?  :015:

The answer's no by the way, I don't think it is possible that Maaaaarten "Soprano" Jol lacks the necessaries to send a side out with determination and focus, since managed two consecutive 5th place finishes (the second time he managed this, he also go to the QFs of the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup, and got to the SFs of the League Cup)!

I realise that Peterborough United and AFC Bournemouth haven't played in Europe for a long time/ever (Europe's loss, in the case of the latter), but for the purposes of the discussion I'm treating games played in June and July as honorary pre-season friendlies!

A Roy/Hughes away discussion would be interesting. We were better to watch (away) under Hughes, but it did mean we had to endure the odd tonking (City, Liverpool). It's my opinion however, that under Hughes we would have been knocked out long before the final, possibly before the knock-out stages even. Not enough tactical nous and awareness of when you're playing to draw not playing to win* (we'd never in a million years have gotten past Shakhtar Donetsk under Hughes).

*And he's an arrogant swine who thinks he's better than Fulham (he's not - he couldn't get into the Champions League with the most expensive squad in British history).

[Blingo]

If we played badly and won 20 games 1-0 this season, would anyone complain? (apart from Light Head of course) because I would not.

[Holders]

We should be better at home and we must be grateful we didn't come back with a 2-0 deficit, which would have been a fair result. Having said that, I'm still concerned. 0-0 wasn't bad for them either and they could sneak an away goal.

As for Murphy's remarks, well he was being honest which is maybe better than the unrealistic upbeat patter you get most of the time. Hardly inspiring, though.

He's 34 and it's just a job - a very well-paid job.

[Lighthouse]

If we played badly and won 20 games 1-0 this season, would anyone complain? (apart from Light Head of course) because I would not.

We play badly and scrape 1-0 wins and lose or draw the rest. Yeah I would complain because Fulham are entertaining and go forward ot we were under Hughes. Under Roy we were dull. We won but lost games we shouldn't have. When did winning become the be all and end all. If you want to win dull watch Chelscum.

[Peabody]

I totally agree that DM was being honest, just like he was last season, when he criticised certain physical sides and was, by most, deemed a hero for it. Plus, while we are on about it, these sly little digs about Martin Jol, are a little uncalled for. Surely the best time to judge a new Manager is after 10 or 12 games, not when he has just got his feet under the table.

[RidgeRider]

If we played badly and won 20 games 1-0 this season, would anyone complain? (apart from Light Head of course) because I would not.

We play badly and scrape 1-0 wins and lose or draw the rest. Yeah I would complain because Fulham are entertaining and go forward ot we were under Hughes. Under Roy we were dull. We won but lost games we shouldn't have. When did winning become the be all and end all. If you want to win dull watch Chelscum.

This reply reminds me of the movie 'White Man Can't Jump' when Woody Harrelson's character says to Wesley Snipes character "You would rather look good and lose, then look bad and win".

[MJG]

After a couple of day to reflect on the game my view has not really changed, 0-0 away from home is a good result, BUT the performance was poor, they could have lost 2-0 if a couple of those shots were either side of Mark instead of right at them. For all the team to have played so bad means it must have been the pitch and the conditions that had an effect. There is no other explanation apart from the management had led to think it would be a cakewalk and they were underprepared.