Time running out with Rovers still in danger
SLIGO Rovers find themselves in a very sticky situation at present. For months at this stage, we’ve all been uttering ‘a win this weekend is essential’ - we’re still waiting.
As a fan I am beyond concerned at this point. There have been positives, but we just cannot
win a game.
Saturday evening’s performance against Limerick was decent, and it was most certainly encouraging for anyone who travelled to see it.
And while I am encouraged by that, and I know Gerard Lyttle is too, is there really enough time for it all to ‘come together’?
The reality is we have ten games left. Ten games to save ourselves from a completely disastrous season’s end that could see us drop down to the First Division, the graveyard as it is so fondly known.
Tactically everything was fine on Saturday night, and defensively the Bit O’Red were strong and assured throughout the night, even during periods of sustained pressure.
Micheal Schlingermann was again excellent. Benny Igiehon was a handful again for opposition defence.
It’s the same thing every week, not winning games when we have chances, not winning games when we’ve been on top, struggling to get points from games that we need to get something from.
There’s no doubt that we need to get players in ASAP, attacking players mainly because we couldn’t buy a goal at this point - even though our chances have certainly improved under Gerard
Lyttle.
Our shape and our defence has improved massively under Lyttle, but scoring goals is still a massive issue for us and without goals, you can’t win games. We have ten games left in which we have to find goals from somewhere, whatever it takes.
I know Lyttle is working day and night to try and get suitable players in.
He’s not spoofing about that. He is doing everything he can. All we can do is sit back and hope that he pulls off some signings because we’re in trouble without any further additions.
At this stage we need to find three wins at the very least, and lose barely any games. That is a very big ask.
It’s hard to sit down and accept that the Bit O’Red are in trouble. The squad is more than good enough, on paper at least, to start picking up points somewhere.
While I do believe that they can, and they are capable of it, my only concern is that we are seriously running out of time to start finding wins.
Anything can happen or change in ten games. You never know. And while I am feeling slightly pessimistic when I look at the table and fixture list, I feel confident after watching Rovers put Limerick under severe pressure at times.
Perhaps I’m deluding myself but a big part of me is still confident it will all be OK in the end.
It’s been a strange year in the league and with Cork running away with the league title, all eyes are on the relegation battle.
Most would have predicted Drogheda and Finn Harps would be in the mix, and in fairness most Rovers fans probably would have expected them to be near the bottom when they saw the recruitment in the off-season.
It’s not over by any stretch of the imagination. Ten games isn’t exactly a lot of time to turn things around, but it’s just got to happen.
No-one cares if the football is boring or unattractive.
It’s irrelevant at this stage. Players are playing for their own careers now as much as they are trying to save the club from relegation.
People spend good money to go see them every week, travelling as far as Limerick and Cork.
That’s part of football, but Rovers fans will not accept this as easy as fans of others clubs might.
Things have to turn around somehow.
It’s the same thing we’re saying every week, it’s the same things Gerard Lyttle is saying every week, cause it’s almos the same thing we’re seeing every week. We’ve got to change the record.