Dublin minus Bernard Brogan

cardoor

First off all Galway are way below the pace but Lads - yeez can't build a team around one player.
What would the Dubs be like without Brogan? Seriously?

Galway have done better without Meehan! Think about it. No team can rely on one player.

P.S. - Galway did well without Dec Meehan too.........:D

Dublinproud

As much as it pains me to say at the moment we are a one man show.However the management style of play and team selection leaves alot to be desired.Completely clueless.We had at least 2 players on the starting 15 that have never offered anything to Dublin and will continue adding nothing but will have a place on the panel.

Last night we were badly in need of a change or two especially in the middle and Giller did nothing and even when change did come it was the wrong choice.

As i have said here before i have been a Dublin supporter my whole life and i have never dreaded a forthcoming championship as much as i do this year.
Fair play to Galway they were very composed last night and at least have a manager that isn't afraid to make changes...and the right ones!

Gingy

Last night was awful, but dreading this championship more than ever is a bit much. We've had our best league in years. And there are forwards with niggly injuries, who still have to come back for championship; Alan Brogan, Conal Keaney (Not fully back yet), Mark Davoren and in general I've been impressed with McMenamin so far this campaign, so there are forwards out there.

We beat Tyrone in 2 weeks and we're in a league final and then roll on Championship;)

ShamoBuc

Great to see the Dubs optimistic about the Championship.... not sure why though!

Dublinproud

There's not a hope in hell we're walking out of Omagh with a win.We had our best League in years up until the Cork game.Teams are now as fit as us and any manager worth his salt knows how to play against out very poorly Northern style of football.Leinster football is a total joke and i'm still not convinced we will win it.

Gingy the forwards you name minus Alan Brogan range from average to slightly above average.McMenamon looks impressive as did Davoren last year but both remain largely untested.Keaney will pop over a few frees and not much else,the man hasn't played a good Championship game for many many years.As with the last 2 years the first serious team we face the wheels will come off in dramatic fashion.

Gingy

ShamoBuc wrote: »

Great to see the Dubs optimistic about the Championship.... not sure why though!

Because we have a decent team.

Dublinproud wrote: »

There's not a hope in hell we're walking out of Omagh with a win.We had our best League in years up until the Cork game.Teams are now as fit as us and any manager worth his salt knows how to play against out very poorly Northern style of football.Leinster football is a total joke and i'm still not convinced we will win it.

Gingy the forwards you name minus Alan Brogan range from average to slightly above average.McMenamon looks impressive as did Davoren last year but both remain largely untested.Keaney will pop over a few frees and not much else,the man hasn't played a good Championship game for many many years.As with the last 2 years the first serious team we face the wheels will come off in dramatic fashion.

I don't agree Dublinproud, Conal Keaney is a class act. Voted Dublin footballer of the year last year and when fit is one of the best we have and he never gives up, one of the only players who played during the second half against Kerry last year.

Davoren and McMenamon are decent players and if they get their chance they'll perform. Combine them with the Brogan's and the 6th forward that I would play is Diarmuid Connolly, with McAuley and Bastic together in midfield.

I'm not saying that we're going to win the All-Ireland, but we do have decent players and if they play to their potential, they could do well.

Dublinproud

Connolly aint even on the panel and that doesn't look like its going to change anytime soon and i am not sorry.He has talent to burn but not the dedication unfortunately.Never seems to look bothered when he's wearing the Sky Blue.

Bastic is another one that should not be even on the panel.Midfield is a real worry this year.

Spiritoftheseventies

Dublinproud wrote: »

Midfield is a real worry this year.

what about Fennell?

Drummerboy2

The position that is most worrying for the Dubs is midfield. Fennell doesn't look fit or mobile enough to play 70 minutes in the championship. McConnell has improved slightly on last year.

The full back line looks ok. Griffins loss to the half backs will be huge, although O'Sulllivan looks as though he will improve.

I can see the Dubs making the quarter finals at best but certainly no further.

Spiritoftheseventies

Drummerboy2 wrote: »

The position that is most worrying for the Dubs is midfield. Fennell doesn't look fit or mobile enough to play 70 minutes in the championship. McConnell has improved slightly on last year.

The full back line looks ok. Griffins loss to the half backs will be huge, although O'Sulllivan looks as though he will improve.

I can see the Dubs making the quarter finals at best but certainly no further.

Yeah Griffin will be a bad loss but think Ross O Carroll's return will give us a bit of steel at the back.
Didnt see the Galway game but we struggled big time against Cork. There is a big gap there that needs to be bridged.

Dublinproud

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

what about Fennell?

Yeah i'll agree Fennell has to be given one of the midfield places but his mobility especially in the summer in Croker is worrying.

I really hope MacAuley gets the other spot.McGee is always a let down on the big stage and McConnell should not even be on the panel.I've watched his form throughout the league and on the rare occasion that he actually leaves his feet he goes up in the air with one hand.A midfielder who cant field.I wouldnt fancy my chances of Bastic in the middle and finishing the game with 15 men either.

aidan24326

Bernard Brogan was superb. I've always felt he was a better footballer than Alan and he has definitely become Dublin's most important forward now. The only problem with having such a brilliant forward is that there's a tendency to play everything through him, this has been a problem for Galway aswell with the over-reliance on Meehan.

This year Dublin have done what Galway were doing in previous years, starting off the league really strong and then fading later on. But you'd have to say it's been a satisfactory league for Dublin overall, considering alot of people were tipping them for relegation. Leinster is still between the Dubs and Kildare, I don't see anyone else challenging (maybe Meath). But Dublin badly need a good 1/4 final performance this year, they can't endure another hammering.

As for Galway, things were loking bad for us a few weeks ago but we've had two good wins now over Tyrone and Dublin and at least relegation is off the menu. I think Galway and the Dubs are about on a par at the moment, both are capable of beating almost anyone on their day, but inconsistency is a major problem.

Gingy

Dublinproud wrote: »

Bastic is another one that should not be even on the panel.Midfield is a real worry this year.

Sorry, meant Fennell, I don't know why I wrote Bastic.

yop

Gingy wrote: »

We beat Tyrone in 2 weeks and we're in a league final and then roll on Championship;)

Any what about Mayo and Cork

RMDrive

cardoor wrote: »

First off all Galway are way below the pace but Lads - yeez can't build a team around one player.
What would the Dubs be like without Brogan? Seriously?

Galway have done better without Meehan! Think about it. No team can rely on one player.

P.S. - Galway did well without Dec Meehan too.........:D

Yeah, imagine having a county team that is almost completely dependent on one player.

Spiritoftheseventies

We have Alan Brogan coming back soon. Then we will be reliant on two players

Gingy

yop wrote: »

Any what about Mayo and Cork

Should Dublin beat Tyrone, and Cork beat Mayo, then as far as I know, it will be Cork v Dublin because this year it's going on head to head results rather than overall points difference.

Tristram

I'd expect Tyrone to beat Dublin. Does that mean a Cork Mayo final regardless of the result in that game?

yop

Gingy wrote: »

Should Dublin beat Tyrone, and Cork beat Mayo, then as far as I know, it will be Cork v Dublin because this year it's going on head to head results rather than overall points difference.

Yip you are spot on.

If Dublin draw/lose then its Mayo V Cork in the final.

hurler_87

There's a lot of teams that rely heavily on one player, nearly every county relies on one player (either to get the scores or too set up the scores) but they have others contributing in some way or form - but the way dublin are playing with the over-reliance on Brogan (who i think is the best footballer in the country)... is only going to shoot themselves in the foot??

kpnuts

Thankfully we haven't had to play without Berno so far this year. Best we've ever seen. Hail Berno!

dcr22B

Dublinproud wrote: »

There's not a hope in hell we're walking out of Omagh with a win.

D'oh

rpurfield

jesus lads i read the fisrt post and thought what the hell and then seen the date on it