$h€l$ v Derry City Match Thread

[Nige92]

This 4-4-2 is not working at all. Far too much space in the middle of the park, getting zero pressure on Shels. They're cutting us open! Could have conceded 5

[Marty]

Higgins will be a much more successful manager than Lynch. I could not have been more disappointed with this appointment.

Who ever sanctioned this retirement home, thank you.

[Nige92]

Higgins will be a much more successful manager than Lynch. I could not have been more disappointed with this appointment.

Who ever sanctioned this retirement home, thank you.

Behave yourself Marty

[Nige92]

That was atrocious from start to finish. Have to say that Lynch has got that all wrong. 2 men in midfield got completely overrun, left too much space and exposed the defence which we all know has problems!

The pitch did not allow for any sort of fluid play, particularly in the 2nd half when it was really cut up. Gave the ball away far too easily at times which led to transitions and Shels oppertunites. We're lucky that game didn't up a bigger scoreline.

Only first game of the season so no overreacting but there needs to be a massive improvement.

[Paddydcfc2010]

After three months what a disappointing start. Shels looked composed, passed well and were clinical.

We were awful, not a single one of the new signings stood out. Reality check for tiernan lynch. Sign a centre half or two please.

[marcoloco]

1st v 4th so probably only Derry expecting a result tonight.

Shels worthy league winners last year and proved why tonight.

Why hasn’t the club signed a top quality CB? We’ve got one who gives 100 % but is past his best and another that appears to struggle at this level.

Pitch not great but it’s the same for both teams….

Important to win our home games this season as away fixtures will be fiercely contested.

[forza]

I doubt T Lynch ever played on a surface like that before. And as for the lights

[TenaciousDee]

Post- match Dom Thomas gave his thoughts on the defeat to Dermot Liddy

https://youtube.com/shorts/HAEOa52vGd8? ... 19e3XmTh9i

[chosen1]

Maher needs dropped , Todd needs to be loaned out again , Shiels & Higgins called it correctly . Worst opening game I can recall for a long time .
Mark Connolly is a crafty player but he needs a fast intelligent centre half beside him . Ronan Boyce didn't inspire , likewise Shane Ferguson ,who seemed to love that back pass to Todd , who was having a mare.

[Paul_C]

I could sit all night and analyse individual player performances but it will fall on deaf ears as we've played both the current league champions and champions elect. However, what i will say is this - bringing in an Irish League manager will prove to be the worst decision the club has made in some time.

It's going to be a long and difficult season

[stevebradley]

Higgins will be a much more successful manager than Lynch. I could not have been more disappointed with this appointment.

Who ever sanctioned this retirement home, thank you.

Marty is the last Stephen Kenny fan-boy still standing. Like that Japanese soldier fighting in the jungle 30 years after WW2 ended, he's still sore that SK wasn't appointed our manager for the 3rd time. The fact Kenny probably wouldn't have come to Derry even if we'd tried doesntl matter. Infatuation is not rational.

Meanwhile Pats couldn't even score a goal at home tonight against the league's basement club. Clearly that's the kind of manager we need at Derry

[IfYouTolerateThis]

Higgins will be a much more successful manager than Lynch. I could not have been more disappointed with this appointment.

Who ever sanctioned this retirement home, thank you.

Marty is the last Stephen Kenny fan-boy still standing. Like that Japanese soldier fighting in the jungle 30 years after WW2 ended, he's still sore that SK wasn't appointed our manager for the 3rd time. The fact Kenny probably wouldn't have come to Derry even if we'd tried doesntl matter. Infatuation is not rational.

Meanwhile Pats couldn't even score a goal at home tonight against the league's basement club. Clearly that's the kind of manager we need at Derry

To be fair, Steve, you said TL wouldn't come to Derry.

[Eamando1981]

When does the transfer window close?

Badly need one or two decent defenders. Surely Lynch must have been aware of Todd’s clangers last season, hence why he was sent out on loan. He was a bomb scare last night

[marcoloco]

When does the transfer window close?

Badly need one or two decent defenders. Surely Lynch must have been aware of Todd’s clangers last season, hence why he was sent out on loan. He was a bomb scare last night

Shuts on 22nd I think…

[TenaciousDee]

Last night we had no midfield. We played with a headless chicken and a fella who as a partnership just couldn't match up to Coyle and McElroy (or whatever you call him). If you are going for old school 4-4-2 you need a holder and a player to push forward and we still don't have that. We had two centre forwards who barely touched the ball in the final third and neither of them could hold up the ball to allow support to come. We struggled to get the wingers involved. Duffy scored his goal and it was a long time after before he saw the ball at his feet. Game passed Dom Thomas by but he wasn't the only one. Sadly last night we looked slow and were fortunate Mipo Odubeko couldn't score on a jotter, otherwise it would have been a bigger hammering.

I was in a bar the weekend following Christmas and I was asked how I felt going into the season. I told the fella that minus the lack of transfer activity at the time, it felt like when Kenny Shiels first came in. Last night felt like his first game at Finn Park. Poor pitch, game should have been called off, soulless defeat and players not looking up to it. Shiels' team went out the next week and beat Cork. I have a gut feeling we could beat bohs in the Brandywell next week as i think the crowd will carry the team through, or at least this is what I want to believe.

[rodgers]

Probably a bit of a baptism of fire for the manager. Players didn't look fully fit and relationships not formed.

Connolly will need some cover that has pace. Three poor mistakes for Todd from goal, thought Maher's kicking bad.

As Dee said, even though both played two in middle, Derry's two were the two overrun. Not sure about O'Reilly being so far forward.

I think some of the new players showed some nice touches at times but they didn't look up to speed at all. As a winger, Thomas doesn't look to have much pace.

[IfYouTolerateThis]

Bit harsh on Dom Thomas....he put in a great ball for Duffy's goal.

Even if that was the only thing he did, it was more significant that what many others did. Or rather, didn't do.

[rodgers]

It was a super ball for the goal and he looks like he has a lot of skill.

[Greengo]

A lot of finger pointing at Sam Todd but hes not alone in that central defensive partnership... Dont forget when he was loaned out last season he was managed by our current manager at Larne so he maybe sees something we're missing. I think Todd will come good. Looked slightly nervous last night but those around him looked the same.

We were lucky it finished 3-1 as Shels had feck all to do in the 2nd half and as Dee already mentioned, Mipo had his boots on the wrong feet

[chucho]

Todd getting all the stick but he didn't get much help from Maher, the midfield or his defensive partners.

For the first goal where was Maher? The shot was from way outside the box. One of the pundits on Virgin mentioned this during the delay at half time.

For the second Todd got a touch on the ball and Shels had players round Boyd to pick it up. Where were our midfield?

Not sure about the penalty decision but how did Maher not save it? Again the pundit called this out.

It has been glaringly obvious that since McJannet's departure, central defence is our major weakness. How this was not prioritised I don't know.

It was a rude awakening for the management team and the new arrivals - maybe not a bad thing - they know what level they are up against now.