Blaine is a good keeper as iv said before but just having him in nets wouldn't guarantee a win in any shootout, also I'd remind yous Rafferty saved a penalty v Galway last year and also one of Monaghan's in the shootout, easy to say he is the reason we didn't win those because he isn't a keeper,for me Blaine is a better keeper with better kick outs, but Rafferty has a bigger kick out and although Blaine has done brilliant this year Rafferty is better under a high ball and brings more to play out the field and was a big weapon for us, it's a tough call on who you want in nets it could be horses for courses
National Football League 2024
- Thread starter Big Jim
- Start date
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
Yeah both have their pros and cons for sure. Think Rafferty might offer us something out the field though and would like to see him get a chance in the forward line or midfield, brings abit of size that we lack at times and a super left foot.
winsamsoon
Well-Known Member
Lads I can't believe it's even a debate between a keeper that when gets the ball and goes on the run and is an accident waiting to happen and one that does what a keeper is supposed to do and stays in the net for the 70 mins. I would take Rafferty out of all equations as there is much more potential there to work with.
The game yesterday was a strange one with neither team setting the world alight, I was happy though that at least Armagh broke free from the running into corners system. The kick from Mackin for the goal was the highlight of the day for me closely followed by Murnins finish. That was worth the money alone. Also Mackins wee overhead kick when he slipped was tasty.
The game was riddled with errors but as someone has stated it's February and all in all I thought it was a decent enough watch. Armagh as expected just couldn't shake Donegal off and it once again almost came back to bite them.
Not sure why Soup was dropped, we can only ever speculate but its clear it wasn't an injury or he wouldn't have featured at all. If he was just dropped then I can't understand it at all as he has been playing great stuff. Mc Parlan is also not injured but seems to be gettig no game time, again very frustrating.
Anyway back to the game, the positives were the effort by all, O'Neill and Grugan ran themselves into the ground and there were several great performances. we pushed up a little deeper on their kickouts and actually managed to compete well in the middle section.
Theres still a lot of things we can work on, there will be tougher tests ahead but when you look at the lads on the bench there does appear to be great potential so shoulder to the wheel and back at it lads.
Did anyone hear that stat from Tyrone that 70 players have passed through their panel since 2018/19, that is a serious amount of players and almost impossible to get any consistency.
The game yesterday was a strange one with neither team setting the world alight, I was happy though that at least Armagh broke free from the running into corners system. The kick from Mackin for the goal was the highlight of the day for me closely followed by Murnins finish. That was worth the money alone. Also Mackins wee overhead kick when he slipped was tasty.
The game was riddled with errors but as someone has stated it's February and all in all I thought it was a decent enough watch. Armagh as expected just couldn't shake Donegal off and it once again almost came back to bite them.
Not sure why Soup was dropped, we can only ever speculate but its clear it wasn't an injury or he wouldn't have featured at all. If he was just dropped then I can't understand it at all as he has been playing great stuff. Mc Parlan is also not injured but seems to be gettig no game time, again very frustrating.
Anyway back to the game, the positives were the effort by all, O'Neill and Grugan ran themselves into the ground and there were several great performances. we pushed up a little deeper on their kickouts and actually managed to compete well in the middle section.
Theres still a lot of things we can work on, there will be tougher tests ahead but when you look at the lads on the bench there does appear to be great potential so shoulder to the wheel and back at it lads.
Did anyone hear that stat from Tyrone that 70 players have passed through their panel since 2018/19, that is a serious amount of players and almost impossible to get any consistency.
JoeH
Well-Known Member
There's free speech and then there's abusing players.
ragingbull
Well-Known Member
Paul Faloon referee for Fermanagh vs Armagh game
PatMustard
Well-Known Member
PatMustard
Well-Known Member
Just saw a different angle to Grugan’s second half point. A thing of beauty. Pity about the close in free, but that happens.
On the Jarlath Og miss, it looks now like he was surprised to find himself in that position. Caught in two minds.
I blame the stupid, ugly rule of fisting the ball over the bar. God, that is an ugly sight in the game. Had that rule not been there, he would have surely swung a welly at it, and we’d have won.
Maybe Dad will get rid of that rule (along with the forward mark).
On the Jarlath Og miss, it looks now like he was surprised to find himself in that position. Caught in two minds.
I blame the stupid, ugly rule of fisting the ball over the bar. God, that is an ugly sight in the game. Had that rule not been there, he would have surely swung a welly at it, and we’d have won.
Maybe Dad will get rid of that rule (along with the forward mark).
gael_force_orchard
Well-Known Member
I actually thought the game yesterday was low on quality and littered with mistakes from both teams. That being said, neither team will be too unhappy with the result.
On to another must win game against Fermanagh and I will be honest, I'd take any sort of win now as Brewster park is just horrendous to play in.
Couple of positives from yesterday, Murnin, C O Neill, McElroy, Blaine Hughes.
Couple of negatives, we won't get away with missing some of the easier chances in matches later on this year, some of the hand passing and passing in general left a lot to be desired in terms of accuracy. Decision making at key times lacking as well.
7 points from 4 games and Cavan are still only a point behind us, they aren't going anywhere and we have to win the next 2 to go up. Nothing other than a win against that Cavan team will see us up in my opinion.
On to another must win game against Fermanagh and I will be honest, I'd take any sort of win now as Brewster park is just horrendous to play in.
Couple of positives from yesterday, Murnin, C O Neill, McElroy, Blaine Hughes.
Couple of negatives, we won't get away with missing some of the easier chances in matches later on this year, some of the hand passing and passing in general left a lot to be desired in terms of accuracy. Decision making at key times lacking as well.
7 points from 4 games and Cavan are still only a point behind us, they aren't going anywhere and we have to win the next 2 to go up. Nothing other than a win against that Cavan team will see us up in my opinion.
Ard Mhacha 13
Well-Known Member
Sorry but have you been watching the same Armagh matches as me?!?! Blaine certainly does not stay in the net for 70 minutes!! Agreed he probably doesn't become as involved in moves further up the pitch as Ethan but he's definitely not watching the match from his goal line. Both give me heart failure when I see them pass their defensive 45 but it's what the majority of keepers do now so I'm trying to get used to it but it's not easy on the heart/nerves.
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
Yeah Blaine was up the field at one stage yesterday in first half and had to sprint back through no fault of his own when someone else was turned over.
I’ve no issue with us pushing our keeper up the field as a spare man if the other team are dropping deep. Think teams should leave at least one man up front at all times for a long kick pass if theres a turnover to put keepers off doing that
ragingbull
Well-Known Member
saying players aren't good enough for Armagh isn't abuse fans are allowed to say what players they think aren't good enough for their team ya know
Agreed. But there were certain words used to describe players and management, which went beyond a healthy debate. They were abusive
Armaghball
Well-Known Member
Yeah looked more like abuse/someone on the wind up or on the beer than anyone adding any decent debate or discussion on here.
Clearly someone that didn’t watch the game or who’s football knowledge could be written on a stamp as one of the lads mentioned was brilliant on Sunday and the other lad was on for a couple of minutes and won a break ball well from a kick out.
At the end of the day every man there is an amateur busting their arse year round to represent our county and shouldn’t be having shite like that written about them.
Bringyourboots
Well-Known Member
Said before the game it was a must win and somewhat disappointed we didn't.
Main reasons for that are that there are only one or two teams in the division close to top 10 and we want to be above them. We also want to use this league to learn how to eek out narrow victories against teams we feel we should beat to avoid repeats of previous seasons. That test was failed and I know many will say it's only February but there are limited opportunities to develop that skillset before it really, really matters.
Looking at it slightly more objectively we were great and not so great in equal parts. We probably have more to come than Donegal and more key players to reintegrate. So perhaps the result is tolerable, just.
That said too many scores and frees were given up on the edge of the D; our handling and decision making wasn't great at times; there were some odd decisions from the line and we are obviously trying to develop a tactic out wide that hasn't quite clicked and results in congestion on the wings and over complicated play enabling opposition turnovers.
I want to challenge the obscene remarks about Hall and McElroy. Teams have tactics, players who fulfil specific roles to enable the function of the team as s whole. These, and indeed all, players have always given their all for Armagh. If you want to argue about different systems and the merit of other players or that management when chasing a games to win it should introduce a different type of player that's fine. Be constructive and remember these are people who commit so much to bring us so much enjoyment.
Looking forward this result keeps us under pressure to perform to the end of the campaign which maybe isn't a bad thing either.
Main reasons for that are that there are only one or two teams in the division close to top 10 and we want to be above them. We also want to use this league to learn how to eek out narrow victories against teams we feel we should beat to avoid repeats of previous seasons. That test was failed and I know many will say it's only February but there are limited opportunities to develop that skillset before it really, really matters.
Looking at it slightly more objectively we were great and not so great in equal parts. We probably have more to come than Donegal and more key players to reintegrate. So perhaps the result is tolerable, just.
That said too many scores and frees were given up on the edge of the D; our handling and decision making wasn't great at times; there were some odd decisions from the line and we are obviously trying to develop a tactic out wide that hasn't quite clicked and results in congestion on the wings and over complicated play enabling opposition turnovers.
I want to challenge the obscene remarks about Hall and McElroy. Teams have tactics, players who fulfil specific roles to enable the function of the team as s whole. These, and indeed all, players have always given their all for Armagh. If you want to argue about different systems and the merit of other players or that management when chasing a games to win it should introduce a different type of player that's fine. Be constructive and remember these are people who commit so much to bring us so much enjoyment.
Looking forward this result keeps us under pressure to perform to the end of the campaign which maybe isn't a bad thing either.
Diarmi
Well-Known Member
I disagree that Ethan is better under a high ball. Yes, he is taller and has good hands but his judgement is an issue. He made number of blunders last year with the one in the Ulster final the worst in terms of judgement and consequences. Blaine is far more assured, his catch at his feet on Sunday when there were two men contesting the ball in front of him was incredible. How he kept his eye on that ball I will never know.
As for kickouts, I don't think their is much difference in length but Blaine is much better at picking a man out and seeing the spaces. I noticed numerous times last year when we had men free but Ethan just did not see them.
I also don't know how much benefit Ethan coming out offers. Yes he picked up a few points last year but I find that it can sometimes be a distraction for the team in general. We also seem to have moved away from the slow build up so it may be less necessary now.
Enjoying the debate on the goalkeeper situation. I am on the fence i think. If a team drops bac and surrenders the kickout then i think i would be inclined to go with Ethan. However, any sort of press and i would prefer Blaine picking out the pockets of space.
Now adays teams alternate between press and dropping off so it is a tricky one.
Thoughts??
Now adays teams alternate between press and dropping off so it is a tricky one.
Thoughts??
So "win absolutely nothing of note" is classed as abuse??? Come on now
Someone call the snowflake brigade.I think teams have learned how to deal with Ethan coming out the field. Wasn't nearly as effective last year as in 2022.
I dont think that was the issueSo "win absolutely nothing of note" is classed as abuse??? Come on now
I still think his positives far outweigh his negatives in goals, that run from deep he does is so effective imo, he is a real threat, I just think people have alot of recentcy bias like Ethan has been one of our better players over the last 2 years, yes he has made mistakes but so has every player, Blaine is playing Great ATM which I'm glad to see and he seems to have improved under a high ball which I remember him being targeted with previously, but we are only playing lesser teams ATM (outside Donegal) I am happy with either keeper tbh and it wouldn't surprise me if the same people saying better to have Blaine over Ethan change there tune after 1 bad game, they both have there positives and negatives, like against Donegal Blaine did fantastic but we struggled in attack and I think Ethan making punching runs from deep would of created more space for our forwards,