Defence gives the platform for progress Alan Finn

Was again pleased by the defensive work from the Bit O’Red, this time against Shams

AS Sligo Rovers enjoy a muchneeded wave of positivity, it feels unfair to reflect on the tribulations of last season – but it is impossible not to reflect on the differences we are seeing this season.

As alluded to in a previous piece, I couldn’t help but feel manager John Russell’s philosophy this year is to build a strong foundation at the back and the rest will fall into place and last Saturday’s draw with Shamrock Rovers has only further convinced me of this.

For the aforementioned comparison with 2023 – nobody needs reminding that clean sheets were in an issue last season.

It took until May 1 for the team to record their first of the season – the first of three for the entire year.

By March 9 Rovers already equalled last year’s record in the space of five SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division games and look as though they’ll be a tough side for any opponent to unlock as the season goes on.

The importance of the security and trust offered by a back five to the rest of the team cannot be underestimated and this is showing when we see how flair players like Simon Power, Connor Malley and Fabrice Hartmann can play their natural game higher up the pitch.

The elephant in the room may be that Rovers have yet to claim their first goal at home, having drawn blanks against Derry City, Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers, but there is a grit to this side that reassures you that it will all come together sooner rather than later at both ends of the pitch. Three games at home in-a-row without a goal last year would have seen supporters hitting panic buttons wherever they could find them. In 2024, the effort of these players is widely appreciated and acknowledged and that belief that the goals will come certainly seems to be the general consensus among the majority of fans. Another comparison Rovers will be hoping to leave behind is their inability to up their game against supposedly weaker sides.

This certainly like an issue in 2023 and it was no more evident than against Drogheda United who they underperformed against on five occasions between the league and the FAI Cup, failing to win in any of these

The number of goals scored by the Bit O’Red in their three home games so far this season. meetings. Rovers have set a reasonably high bar with their last two performances and need to match it.

Playing on the counter and letting Rovers have plenty of possession is how Drogheda are likely to play. Those tactics suited Shelbourne – albeit a different beast than Drogheda – but Rovers need to make their quality count on Saturday night.

It has certainly been a good start to 2024 for the Bit O’Red, but these are the games which will be looked back on come the end of the year when we reflect on where in the table Rovers finish. The right result this weekend against Drogheda can certainly send out the right message about how they are a very different team this year when it comes to putting it up to sides they ideally need to be finishing above.