Dublin are worse this year under Gilroy.

Marse

On the evidence so far this year, Dublin have definitely gone backwards under Gilroy.

Royal Seahawk

Very poor tonight alright. Wouldn't read too much into Dublin league performances though. They never set the world tonight in this competition.

GAAman

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=59418580&postcount=6 :mad:

taidghbaby

far too early to judge imo

Marse

taidghbaby wrote: »

far too early to judge imo

Noted

Het-Field

The full back line of Andrews--Bastick---Hubbard can only be an experimental line-up. They have looked as weak as they come in combination, and they will need to be broken up. Henry was brought back during the game, and the likes of Paul Griffin will have to be utilised (once Crokes are finished next Tuesday). Thus, there will only be room for one of them. Furthermore, O Shaughnessy will have some role to play. While Bastick may be maintained, the other two will be panelised, with Hubbard playing a more advanced role.

The half back line will also need to be considered. The Brogan-Brennan-Chaill axis has looked weak overall. I cant imagine that it will be utilised.


How I would like to see the team...with one eye to the championship

---

Cluxton

---

Henry

---

Cahill

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Griffin

Hubbard

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Cullen

---

Brennan

---

Whelan

---

Ryan

---

Lally

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Burke

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B.Brogan

A.Brogan

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Keaney

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Vaughan

IIMII

Maybe we are just not good enough? We have 1/5 of the population of the island, not 1/5 of the Gaelic Games population

ShamoBuc

Population will only get you so far, lets face it how many people in Kilkenny.

IIMII

How many play hurling in Kilkenny? How many actually play football in Dublin? Why are we not winning more All-Ireland's with 1/5th of Ireland's population? Playing population is important..

Gingy

IIMII wrote: »

How many play hurling in Kilkenny? How many actually play football in Dublin? Why are we not winning more All-Ireland's with 1/5th of Ireland's population? Playing population is important..

According to an article I read in the Irish Times before Christmas, Gaelic Football is the biggest sport in Dublin, so the playing population is clearly there, why they can't win All-Irelands is a mystery.

On Gilroy going backwards with Dublin, relax it's only the league!

IIMII

I like Gilroy, I don't think management is a particular problem. I guess that hype and over-expectation doesn't help. There are tough teams out there, hungry for success. We have no God-given right to win matches easily. Everyone likes to beat Dublin. We need to work twice as hard to beat everyone else because we are the capital county. It's a blessing and a curse. I don't know the exact figures but I suspect that many counties have many more dedicated players than we do. I can only say that some of the backwater pitches, clubs & failities that I have seen outside Dublin would shock Dublin club players. Maybe we have the players but our country counterparts just feel more strongly and hungrier about it?

My mind alway goes back to Dublin vs Cork in the early nineties where Dublin were winning by a healthy margin in the first half partially thanks to Keith Barr, then a Larry Thompkins led Cork to come back and hammered us. I'll always remember that pissy day, soaking on the hill when it seemed we had the match won and it all crashed and burned again

Dublin teams are their own worse enemy, and rightly or wrongly I feel media hype doesn't help the county cause.

****, if incidents like the Pillar shove, and the Dublin gloats were less frequent, it might make winning easier. At the very least it wouldn't put us at the top of the GAA family hit list

IIMII

I should also add that there is no better Dubliner to lead Dublin than one that has won an All_ireland club title for the county. He'll understand what's ahead better than any. Gilroy is the man

Orizio

In stark contrast to Derry, who played it easily up to the center forward line and then played quick intelligent ball into the full forward line, I really don't see what kind of gameplan Dublin had, no obvious method to their play at all.

dcr22B

Orizio wrote: »

In stark contrast to Derry, who played it easily up to the center forward line and then played quick intelligent ball into the full forward line, I really don't see what kind of gameplan Dublin had, no obvious method to their play at all.

I honestly don't believe we have one!

Flukey

They were terrible last night, and yet somehow could have stolen it. A lot of improvement needed. There are two green and gold shirts to come soon in the league, and they will be interesting.

dcr22B

Gingy wrote: »

On Gilroy going backwards with Dublin, relax it's only the league!

That's exactly our problem, "ah sure we'll peak come the summer".

What a load of rubbish, we haven't taken the league seriously for years now and it's all expected to come to us in a Eureka moment during the summer.

We're in deep trouble and it looks like Gilroy hasn't a breeze what he's at and Mickey Whelan is pulling his strings but they're not the right decisions been made.

Daysha

taidghbaby wrote: »

far too early to judge imo

Pretty much this. There's no way a new manager can be judged this soon.

robpurf

IIMII wrote: »

How many play hurling in Kilkenny? How many actually play football in Dublin? Why are we not winning more All-Ireland's with 1/5th of Ireland's population? Playing population is important..

looking in as a meath man i think the fact you have so many outside players playing for clubs restricts local lads coming thru.didnt mickey whelan admit after vincents won the all ireland it was the country boys that made a difference?then you add the fact the gaa are woeful at having a decent fixture list for club players unlike junior soccer and thats why the playing population isnt what it could be

Yavvy

again I agree its too early to tell but I would also agree that there is more to be concerned about than positive about.

none of the new guys are setting the world alight - and there seems to be the same old frailties. You can really tell till the Championship...but Im worried.

Marse

I reckon come championship the team will pretty much the same as last year.

An Citeog

I'm definitely worried by Dublin's performances at the moment but I don't think it's time to panic quite yet. Giller and Mickey Whelan have had the team for about 2 months now and they'll need time to get their ideas across and get the players playing the way they want to.

Of the team that started against Derry, only 6/7 of them would be definites for the championship. With the Kilmacud lads coming back into the fold, Paul Griffin, Kevin Nolan and Cian O'Sullivan will add a lot more strength in depth to the defence, particularly the full back line. I don't think Andrews or Hubbard will be starting in the summer. I'm still undecided on Bastic at full back aswell. Cluxton behind them is still the best shot-stopper in Ireland but his kick-outs have been getting more and more erratic in the last couple of years.

The half-back line has been a big worry, with far too much space being given to the opposition forwards. Only Barry Cahill is a certainty for me there. Cullen has had a poor couple of years by his own high standards and Ger Brennan, although brilliant going forward and strong in the tackle, has been leaving too many gaps behind. I'd like to see Lally get a go on the right but I'm really not sure who'll start come championship time.

In midfield, we seem well covered with Whelan, McConnell, Fennell, Magee and Shane Ryan, who's carrying a bit of extra weight but I think he'll come good in the summer.

The half-forward line has been another problem area so far in the league. I'd love to see Henry line out at wing forward in the summer but not to the detriment of our full back line. Dublin have been missing a Paul Galvin/Brian Dooher style half forward and Henry's the best we've got imho. Ger Brennan at wing forward could be another option. The 2 Brogans and Keaney are also certain to start and I'd like to see Jayo and Diarmuid Connolly get the remaining starting berths. I'd play Berno full forward but I'm still not quite sure about where I'd like to see the others.

At the moment there's not much to be positive about and I'm as worried as the next Dublin fan but I'll reserve judgement until the end of the championship.

blackbelt

Thats a pretty good assessment Citeog but Fennell hasn't even featured yet this year or much since the championship.This is a waste of talent that can be tried out.He had a great year last year until he lost out after the Louth game but also he has been injured and I am just hoping he hasn't lost form.

Ross McConnell isn't playing well or commanding midfield enough for a guy who is very tall and built like a tank.He doesn't pull his weight against the bigger teams and I am of the opinion that he'll fade away.He's been subbed for Ryan in two games this season when it was going pear shaped in midfield.

As for Magee,I am wondering if he is as good for Dublin as he is for Kilmacud Crokes.I've seen Magee play some seriously good football for Dublin and then I have seen him fade out of games at crucial times when the going gets tough such as the league final although that could be accrued to the fact that he wasn't getting regular football with Dublin under Caffrey.I saw against Rhode when Rhode came out and blitzed Crokes for a while.In that period he looked uninterested.It was only when Crokes got back that he became involved in the game more.

However you hit the nail on the head in regard to our half back line.Too much space is being given and we seem susceptible and lethargic in that department.1-16 and 1-12 should be enough to win league games this time of year but we're not winning them with this scoreline.Instead we're conceding 1-18 and 20 points.An average of 20 points per game.Most of this due to the half backs dilly dallying and not marking their man.

Cian O Sullivan looks primed to be our next full back and I am of the opinion that Hubbard will be dropped and that Bastic will be pushed out in his place should he stay on but Griffin,Brennan,Cahill look to be 3 certainties.I don't know bout Casey.Where has he gone?

As for our forwards.Sherlock is a half forward end of story.Pumping high ball into Jayo at this stage is useless unless he is coming up against defenders around his own size.Dermot Connolly looks poor though Citeog.His handling was atrocious on Saturday and he looks to be struggling.Keaney is having a good year so far in a priod where Dublin as a whole are underperforming and Bernard Brogan is getting through a whole lot of work.He could possibly captain the team in years to come.

Cluxton had a game on Saturday.For once when we were in big trouble,he saved us compared to other games when he were in control and he bottled it.He is a great shot stopper but his kickouts are dodgy to say the least and he suicided us in the Galway game.I don't see any area of the pitch that doesn't need improvement.

I am worried too but I won't write us off yet.People did that to Tyrone after they lost to Down and look what happened.Leinster looks to be for Dublin for another year.We have gotten worse in line with the likes of Laois,Wexford and Westmeath.I think Meath are starting to look a bit more dangerous but Dublin should have enough for them in June in the heat of the championship.