Fern Mc Costigan

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

The Dundalk FC Lilywhites walking on Euro sunshine

The miracle of Tallaght, is what I considered the feat done lately by Stephen Kenny chaps in their third round melee against always hardened Bate Borisov, after their lone goal lead back in Belorussia these were hoping to make the ultimate of feats.

With the return match scheduled at the colossus of Whitestown Way in South Dublin, the Lilywhites still savor the home field advantage after Oriel Park according to UEFA statutes was not fit and filled the necessary requirements.

No problem as the followers of County Louth will go anywhere their Lilywhites play, and despite not playing in their home field, the feeling of playing at home was enough for this squad to play as if they are true champions.

When the Dundalk squad, succumb at Borisov Arena back in Barsaw, Belorussia last week, the lone goal did not meant anything for the Irish players. After seeing in disbelief and feeling dejected in the field in Bate Stadium, the shock of giving up that lone score.

That feeling brought back home by the Lilywhite players and looking forward to mount a miracle or an offensive revival with the support of their home crowd. Nothing but a display of genuine Irish football is what Stephen Kenny chaps displayed in the field the ninety minutes in Tallaght.

Although their first half saw a nervous Irish eleven seeing it a certain pressure from Bate strikers in Vitali Radionov and Alexei Rios, these just became a simple scare, but the backfield of the Lilywhites came up strong and assure their keeper a tranquil afternoon from then on.

Even the lone goal scorer Mikhail Gordeychuck, Alexander Hleb and Sergei Veremko efforts , these little could do to put their squad back in the game.

As you recall last campaign, the Bate blokes eliminated the Airtricity squad in this event, advanced to the stage group, and leaving the Ireland squad out of the grand fete, but today it was a sort of payday for the Lilywhites towards their guests.

Sure they performed as locals and taking advantage of the blink of an eye from Bate defenders when the first score of the game came through a play from midfielder Darryl Horgan to a pass to who became the hero of the match with a double in David Mc Millan for the 1-0 in the 44th.

With the aggregate score tied now at one goal apiece, the Lilywhites went in the task of starting mayhem in the midfield and going forward to beat the Bate backfield and doing it in the 59^th minute with David Mac Millan putting the score in favor of 2-1.

Despite seeing the marvel his chaps were performing in the field, Stephen Kenny started working his usual magic with 90^th a few substitutions and believe me they did paid off when Robbie Benson coming in the 78^th crown his efforts in the 90^th minute.

No wonder this club has back-to-back champions in the league of Ireland and looking for their third shield, so far placed in the league table in first place. With their Boss Kenny, this squad has won a total of four shields and more to come.

Not bad for a day’s work for the Dundalk squad netting a nice payday for their efforts today in the neighborhood of €7 million as well another promise of more monies if they advance to the coveted stage group with 180 minutes in the way to do it.

I give Kudos to the whole Dundalk 11 who played a very heroic and one of a kind match with lots of heart and ambition to turn around the score to a final 3-1 as well trying to emulate the feat in 2011 by the Shamrock Rovers. This could be a sort of déjà vu for Stephen O’ Donnell and Ronan Finn- as these two was a part of that Rovers team.

So far, the magic of the Champions league seems to be a bit closer, Dundfalk FC can make all sorts of history if they achieve the ultimate of goals in advancing to the stage group, as Europe sunshine is within grasp, Stephen Kenny, and his chaps can do it.

Photos Credit and Property of © RTÉ 2016-RTÉ Commercial Enterprises LTD

Photos Credit and Property of © Independent.ie 2016

Southampton looking ahead to make an impact in this edition of Premiership

As I always stated, the House that Pochetino built, now is a heaven for the big guns of Premiership to reinforce its ranks with its players and Managers. With Mauricio Pochettino who made this squad a genuine powerhouse and then moving to Tottenham and later on Ronnie Koeman lured by Everton.

It shows how this squad has become the attention netter of many clubs in Premiership.

Even though this club always exposed to a diaspora of some of its key elements leaving to other entities, this club known to be a genuine fighter and never quitting in its ideals for excellence. Still this club always prevails with the talent they have, as you may recall this is one of the top rated academies in the whole of Premiership.

Now we have another era to witness in how well it will fare in the ranks of one of the world’s greatest and contested leagues, the English Premier League, as Claude Puelan comes with an impressive CV under his sleeves. His value comes with his multiple trophies netted during his time in Monaco.

Still the challenge for the former defensive midfielder comes on a time when the Saints were seeking a Man that could take the reins in the South Coast as well pursue a more impacting campaign and have a continuance of his predecessors past successes.

When this club goes on a shopping spree, they do not have a spending frenzy but a good eye where good talent is available and positive results seen. So far, with new faces coming to Saint Marys Stadium has to reinforce many of the holes left, one thing this club once again can bounce back as a competitive entity.

The arrival of Nathan Redmond- Norwich City, Pierre- Emile Hojberg- Bayern Munich, Alex McCarthy- Crystal Palace and Jeremy Pied- Nice, make out a fine crop of new talent that will reinforce the ranks of the Saints. As the prospects of more players coming to Southampton are endless along of its academy development, we may have another stellar campaign in the South Coast.

For newcomer Saints Boss Puel his work and challenges ahead will be a handful as one he needs to combine his current talent with the newcomers alongside of having a continuance of his former colleagues work, especially in its Academy youth development.

Imagine if Mauricio Pochettino would continue at the helm of the Saints as well with his player base, what would happen in these parts of Hampshire, what if we had another fairy tale story as the one Leicester City had. The only problem the greed of the big club above has dismantled the foundations of this club and still it keep on fighting strong all campaign long.

At the end, this club has an all-around label of a fighter and perseverance club, since its promotion to Premiership in 2013, tis club has not been in any danger of relegation at the contrary, considered as a very feisty and hardened squad to play against.

Once gain the Saints will march in into Premierships spotlights and be considered a tough customer to beat as well a very competitive squad being formed ahead, now the question will be for its new Boss how well he will fare in England top league.

So far their preseason the club as always is showing a lot of promise to front a contested campaign as well readying to front a challenging opening day against a renewed Watford at home in Saint Mary’s then going to Trafford and face a renewed Manu and at home against Sunderland.

Photo Credit and Property of ©Southampton Football Club 2016

Photos Credit and Property of © Copyright Premier League. com 2016

Those Potters making all the right moves

Bet 365 Stadium will live up all the hype of having an all-around contender in this edition of Premiership, after last campaign saw its squad revival as a serious and determined competitor.

Ask that to a very pumped up Potters Boss, Mark Hughes, who believes and bets on his squad to the upcoming opportunities of making an all-around statement in this edition of Premiership.

For sure, he and his squad can make a decent run in the FA and Capitol One Cups respectively, but you never know this squad can be looking for a European spot or being among the elite four atop the overall table.

Nothing scandalous or in a big group of players coming to this parts of England to take part of Hughes blueprint for success in this and many campaigns to come with his Potters.

As their chief Executive, Tony Scholes so far has done an immaculate job in netting an important man for the Potters Midfield in former Red and Welsh international Joe Allen and Egypt’s prodigy midfielder Ramadan Sohbi.

So far, Scholes has been assembling a top-notch midfield and despite just two plyers have inked their signature, the prospects of getting academy wonder kid Eddy Lecygne, who has made quite an impression on the Potters Boss.

Still the buck does not here for the Potters desires and interest of netting soon the likes of Baggies striker Saido Berainho to Straffordshire as well looking at St Mirren in the SPL to net another winger in Kyle Mc Allister, as well Brighton Hove Lewis Dunk to be included in the possible. Very well, rumors insist on a £12 million bid for Kyryakos Papadopulos from Bayern Leverkusen.

With Eddie Scholes being a bit busy and netting, an important player in Allen to make a one two with Shaquiri in Stoke midfield and assuring Marko Arnatovic to a four year deal assuring the services of the Austrian and making Stoke City a force in the midfield so far.

With an American Tour, Stoke City has been looking into much needed results on the positive side, although these are just preseason tune up, but Manager Mark Hughes welcomes the chemistry so far performed in his eleven to form. With two wins, one loss, and a match pending to end their preparation on the eve of another contested campaign of Premiership.

The Potters fortunes are up by having two home matches in August and opening against recently promoted Middleborough and then their first tests of fire away at Etihad to play one tough customer in Man City and returning to Bet 365 to face a renewed Everton Toffees.

As Mark Hughes prepares to shift from his traditional 4-2-3-1 formation to one with more dynamics in its attack and setting it like the one used by his colleague Joe Coleman with Wales in the past Euro Cup that netted this squad a pass into this event semis.

As the experiment with his center backs, Erick Pieters and Glen Johnson have given the green light to roam freely in the flanks, as a part of a new formation and plays Hughes is putting in practice in his preseason.

We may see a new Potters squad more offensively prone and with a more exciting football that for sure can net this squad many satisfactions towards the end of this campaign. This is one squad to watch very closely in how will surprise everyone in this edition of the English Premier League.

Monday, August 1, 2016

That elusive road win continues to hunt the PTFC

Once again, the Portland Timbers have demonstrated how to create opportunities with their all-around initiative, but in the road there is something that haunts this club in this campaign. So far, we can state its sheer luck that does not allows them to finish what they start, despite their all-around fighting spirit, the unfortunate side is that does not win games.

With a league match between these two Western Conference foes, the SKC had the upper advantage playing in front of its faithful at Children’s Mercy Park, whenever these two squads meet -it promises an afternoon filled with a lot of passion and one of a kind game.

Granting that the PTFC had two of its defense core out with injuries, still one thing we might consider is that Manager Caleb Porter is one consummated Cheesmaster, known for his improvisations in his starting eleven. The Rose City squad Boss sent his already traditional formation into the field with Amobi Okugo and Jermaine Taylor getting the nod and accompanied by Alva’s Powell and Zarek Valentin on the sides.

The PTFC was ready to offer an exhibition of dynamic and top-notch football over their hosts, very well seek their first win of the campaign that so far is missing in this season Timbers records.

We can say this was a much-leveled match between both squads as the tale of the tape states one club having the advantage with total shoots in SKC with 11 one more than the visiting Portland Boys and a total control of the ball with 54% of the time. Being in their advantage, still the visitors were not a walk in the park with shoots from several of its starting core.

If at least one of those made it into the nets of SKC, Alec Kann who had his hands full alongside his defensive backfield trying to stop the charges and counter attack plays from the visiting Rose City strikers, something that we can translate as good fortunes for the Kansas goalie.

Something that the Portland goalie did not had when that ruinous play when Benny Feilhaber put a volley that Jake Gleeson could not stop and fell into Jacob Peterson feet for the lone and final score in the 50^th minute. The heroics, saves and efforts displayed by Gleeson were the tops as he prevented what could be a rout by the locals over his squad.

Still the PTFC through Jack Mc Inerney with an opportune kick on a ball that hit the posts on a clear score, Lucas Melano had the opportunity but his resolve once again was a bust and his play ended with a pass to Adi.

Very well, Darlington Nagbe and Faneando Adi had their share of opportunities but the ball did not made it into its destinies, another was Diego Valeri somehow dominated by the SKC defense, when he got the ball. The point here is that the Timbers game does not have to rely on just Diego Valeri to move the ball offensively and Adi to push it into the opposing goalposts.

There are eleven players in the field, as Melano is one threat offensively he needs to step up that courage and valor to finish the play and not pass to Adi all the time as the Nigerian is becoming too zealously watched by the opposing defenses. This was a very physical game displayed by both squads and five yellow cards netted by both squads.

Kudos for the center backs in Okugo and Taylor who really did the job and for the former Orlando back, his calls to Caleb’s eleven have been successful and very effective, making him a strong candidate as a starter. Although the blink the Timbers defense had- but they did stropped a very furious attack from the SKC.

The outlook defensively looks very positive, as today's loss makes it two in a row but with the arrival of former Newcastle defender Steven Taylor alongside Liam Ridgewell and if Timbers Manager risks putting Okugo and Vitautas in the sides, we may have an impenetrable wall.

For the offense, persistence and perseverance are two things they must adopt in the remainder of this campaign and despite having a busy schedule with CCL, their responsibilities and determination must not stop and continue playing a very fiery and ambitious football.

As the road to the postseason is paved with many obstacles to get to the promised land of the postseason-, it seems a bit difficult but not impossible for the PTFC chaps, who must step up their game if they want to make it to these stages as well make some notable wins on the road.

At the end, the Portland Timbers from now on their motto should in every match played with the mood of a final, this squad has it all to make an all-around impact in the remainder of this campaign, it will not come easy but nothing handed in a golden tray.