Mid-season review: Dundalk
Credit:
Season So Far: Dundalk are outstripping expectations so far this
season. Lilywhite fans will remember the three at the back with a
shiver, but since the back four came together so have the results.
Recent losses have taken the shine off of things, but a fit first team
squad will remedy that.
Biggest Strength: The back five have been solid, but the real bonus has been the M men in midfield. Melligan, Maher and Miller were unheralded at the start of the season, but they have brought a real bite and enthusiasm to the middle of the park.
Biggest Weakness: Must be their strength in depth, or rather lack of it, once you get beyond the first team you are looking at untried youngsters with not a lot there for Ian Foster to change things with.
Manager: Ian Foster strikes you as an intense young man who will not take failure lightly. He has brought a professional air to the Oriel Park set up. His fluid formation of 4-3-3, or 4-5-1 dependent upon how you view it, has brought a real goal threat whilst not offering a vulnerable core for the opposition to exploit.
Star Player: Peter Cherrie. When the opposition have managed to get behind the Lilywhite back four, Cherrie has been there to rescue them. Good under a cross, quick to decide whether to punch or catch, and an excellent shot-stopper who does not go quickly to ground when faced with one-on-ones.
Where To Improve: If Dundalk fans have one complaint it is probably that when plan A does not work the team do not have much of a plan B to switch to. An old fashioned centre forward type would be an option if they wanted to go longer; maybe they should start putting young Johnny Breen on a red meat diet. A bit more cover at centre half wouldn’t go amiss either.
Overall Rating: 8/10. Prior to the season if you had said to Dundalk followers that at the mid season break they would be in third place within two points of the leaders and towards the top of the goal scoring charts they would have snatched your hand off. Recent results should not cloud their judgement.
Biggest Strength: The back five have been solid, but the real bonus has been the M men in midfield. Melligan, Maher and Miller were unheralded at the start of the season, but they have brought a real bite and enthusiasm to the middle of the park.
Biggest Weakness: Must be their strength in depth, or rather lack of it, once you get beyond the first team you are looking at untried youngsters with not a lot there for Ian Foster to change things with.
Manager: Ian Foster strikes you as an intense young man who will not take failure lightly. He has brought a professional air to the Oriel Park set up. His fluid formation of 4-3-3, or 4-5-1 dependent upon how you view it, has brought a real goal threat whilst not offering a vulnerable core for the opposition to exploit.
Star Player: Peter Cherrie. When the opposition have managed to get behind the Lilywhite back four, Cherrie has been there to rescue them. Good under a cross, quick to decide whether to punch or catch, and an excellent shot-stopper who does not go quickly to ground when faced with one-on-ones.
Where To Improve: If Dundalk fans have one complaint it is probably that when plan A does not work the team do not have much of a plan B to switch to. An old fashioned centre forward type would be an option if they wanted to go longer; maybe they should start putting young Johnny Breen on a red meat diet. A bit more cover at centre half wouldn’t go amiss either.
Overall Rating: 8/10. Prior to the season if you had said to Dundalk followers that at the mid season break they would be in third place within two points of the leaders and towards the top of the goal scoring charts they would have snatched your hand off. Recent results should not cloud their judgement.
