LOI in Europe 2016

Gary McKay wrote: This gobsh*te doesnt know Cruijff died a few months ago ;   http://news.google.ie/news/url?sr=1&ct2=en_ie%2F1_0_s_0_1_a&sa=t&usg=AFQjCNGdDVjBZPeEvSOpH88bZzhDJwsatw&cid=52779243988536&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.ie%2Fsport%2Fsoccer%2F10-stats-which-show-how-incredible-dundalk-have-been-in-europe-this-year-35149613.html&ei=MOwJWMCZNtSOWNeFtKgJ&rt=SECTION&vm=STANDARD&bvm=section&did=7939450378224922382&sid=en_ie%3As&ssid=s&st=1&at=dt0

Okay, so a few assumptions from the final six games:

Zenit beat Dundalk
Dundalk (have to) beat AZ Alkmaar (I can't see Dundalk drawing that game and getting out of the group)
Zenit beat Maccabi (at home, they really should)
AZ don't beat Zenit in the last match in the group

That leaves two results that matter:
Maccabi v Dundalk
Maccabi v AZ

The table before counting those games:
Zenit 16 or 18
Dundalk 7
Maccabi 3
AZ 1 or 2

That means AZ aren't a threat (assuming they lose to Dundalk). Preferably, they'd beat Maccabi in the next game. That means they'd be on 4 going into the last game, having already lost to Dundalk on 7 points, with Maccabi on 3. It could, theoretically, mean Dundalk have qualified before the last game, if AZ beat Maccabi and Dundalk beat AZ. There would be a serious issue if Maccabi get a draw or win against AZ, because that would leave them only needing to beat Dundalk to go through. If Maccabi are 3 points behind, chances are they will do Dundalk even if they only win 1-0. Maccabi currently have a vast advantage on goals scored, and Dundalk could well lose more heavily in Russia than Maccabi do, which would be the deciding factor if it were to come to goal difference (which would only happen if Maccabi and Dundalk end up level on 7 points after a 1-0 Maccabi win in Tel Aviv).

There are a lot of potential outcomes but it does seem that the best hope for Dundalk is to face AZ at home in a situation where a win will effectively be enough: for that to happen, it would be ideal for AZ to beat Maccabi. I did think before last night that AZ needed between 2 and 4 points from the games against Maccabi to work in Dundalk's favour. It could still happen of course, but it is looking less likely now than it was. It definitely isn't ideal to have Dundalk needing to go to Tel Aviv to get a draw to progress, especially if Maccabi only need the win. The most important thing is that Zenit win their next two games.

AZ are not a worry at all, given that Dundalk probably need to beat them at home to go through, and that knocks AZ out, regardless of how they get on in their other games, because it puts Dundalk on 7, leaves AZ with a max of 7, and Dundalk do them on head to head... plus, even if Maccabi somehow also finished on 7 points (losing to Maccabi, beating Dundalk, drawing with Zenit), then Dundalk would still go through: they'd have 7 head to head points, Maccabi would have 6 and AZ would have 4, which would also suit Dundalk.

So AZ beat Maccabi, Dundalk beat AZ and they're as good as through.


Edited by SuperDave84 - 21 Oct 2016 at 4:37pm

greenforever wrote: Gary McKay wrote: [URL=http://news.google.ie/news/url?sr=1&ct2=en_ie%2F1_0_s_0_1_a&sa=t&usg=AFQjCNGdDVjBZPeEvSOpH88bZzhDJwsatw&cid=52779243988536&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.ie%2Fsport%2Fsoccer%2F10-stats-which-show-how-incredible-dundalk-have-been-in-europe-this-year-35149613.html&ei=MOwJWMCZNtSOWNeFtKgJ&rt=SECTION&vm=STANDARD&bvm=section&did=7939450378224922382&sid=en_ie%3As&ssid=s&st=1&at=dt0] This gobsh*te doesnt know Cruijff died a few months ago ;   http://news.google.ie/news/url?sr=1&ct2=en_ie%2F1_0_s_0_1_a&sa=t&usg=AFQjCNGdDVjBZPeEvSOpH88bZzhDJwsatw&cid=52779243988536&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.ie%2Fsport%2Fsoccer%2F10-stats-which-show-how-incredible-dundalk-have-been-in-europe-this-year-35149613.html&ei=MOwJWMCZNtSOWNeFtKgJ&rt=SECTION&vm=STANDARD&bvm=section&did=7939450378224922382&sid=en_ie%3As&ssid=s&st=1&at=dt0[/URL] Jordi is alive and well His dad died

PanteirA wrote: They will give Zenit a good test away also. Lads seem to dismiss this Dundalk side too easily. Only the width of the post from going 2 up. If they didn't have so many games of late there was more in them.

They have the same challenge as Rovers had in 2011, playing every few days at home and abroad. And Rovers league season then was 3 games longer. This is the price they must pay for all those postponed games during the summer. The clubs refuse to pay their players in November, so the league has to finish by the end of October, and that applies to Dundalk as to everyone else. For contract reasons, there can be no extensions given.

It's not the first time it has happened, and it probably won't be the last, but until the clubs decide to extend the length of the season, they just have to get on with it, and find a way to cope with it.

Strazdas wrote: the clanger by the keeper were game changers.

Bit harsh considering the ball bobbled up right before he kicked it. It should never have gone back to him anyway as there were other options available.

As one poster said a while back, they'll be complaining about lack of games going into the last two European group games.

Rovers had to play 6 competitions in 2011, and like Dundalk this year, postponed a heap of league games that summer. But they still have to be played by the end of October, whether they want to or not.

I never accept tiredness as a valid excuse in football, as there are many other jobs that are much more demanding, where one slip up can have far more catastrophic consequences, when it's no defence to say that you were "too tired". As a footballer, your job is to play football games, not put your feet up, so just get on with it.

2011:

July 22: Rovers v Bray. Game postponed due to European commitments. Played September 25. League Summer Break follows the following week.

August 19: Galway v Rovers. Game postponed due to European commitments. Played August 21.

August 26: Rovers v UCD. Game postponed due to European commitments. Played August 29.

September 17: Sligo v Rovers. Game postponed due to European commitments. Played September 19.

September 23: Rovers v Derry. Game postponed due to crowded schedule from European commitments. Played October 13.

September 30: Rovers v Drogheda. Game postponed due to European commitments. Played October 2.

October 7: Bray v Rovers. Game postponed due to crowded schedule from European commitments. Played October 9.

October 21: UCD v Rovers. Game postponed due to European commitments. October 24: Game postponed due to waterlogged pitch. Played October 25.

So, a total of 8 games rescheduled over 4 months, on top of other games postponed for domestic reasons and/or cup commitments earlier in the year. Rovers played 15 games in September and October. Summer football was created to help LOI teams in Europe, but the 8 month programme is designed to save clubs money on their payroll. So crowded schedules are an inevitable consequence of progressing in Europe.

Edited by planning - 28 Oct 2016 at 1:58am

Dundalk FC announced away ticket sales for Petrovskiy Stadion.

Hopefully they get a draw or a win, I'm not too fussy.