Cork City face a much-improved Cobh Ramblers tonight
Cork City's Cathal O'Sullivan racing away from Wexford FC's Cian Corbally during the SSE Airtricity First Division game at Turner's Cross. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
JUST over a month ago, these sides met in a game that Cork City totally dominated.
Although Tim Clancy’s men won the game 3-0, it could have been a lot more. That night Cobh simply could not live with the tempo City played at.
However, what was surprising from Ramblers was the lack of fight they produced. They just seemed overwhelmed by the occasion and never got into the game. I wouldn’t expect to see the same again tonight.
With Cobh being at home, I believe they will get after City. After victory against UCD in Dublin, they will be full of confidence. Having watched all of City’s games, I think teams are showing the Rebel Army too much respect.
Of course, opposing teams are aware that City are the strongest side in the division, and that they have to be clever against them.
However teams are sitting off City too much. They aren’t pressing City enough and it seems opposition teams are going into games with the attitude of just trying to get a point off City. I think Cobh could go after City from the first whistle.
That could be both a good and dangerous thing for City. Good in terms that if Cobh do press up against City, it will leave more room behind their defence. It must be frustrating for the players playing against sides that want to put 11 men behind the ball.
I do think that City do overplay the ball across the backline and could take more risk, but it must be hard for the likes of Cian Coleman or Charlie Lyons not to pass to one another when they do look forward and there isn’t spare man to pass to because opposition teams have so many men behind the ball.
Although City do play against a low-block most of the time, I still feel their attacking players need to try to stretch the game more. They don’t run in behind opposition defences enough. Their first thought is always to show to feet.
Against Wexford, City made it too easy for their defence. Everything was in front of Wexford.
I thought Jaden Umeh led the line well but needed to add the threat of running in behind. Nathan Wood and Cian Bargary started on the wings but rarely did I see them receiving the ball behind the defence.
I don’t know if it is modern football that teams are against the idea of putting the ball in behind a defender and that everything must be played to feet, but I’d like to see City mix their game up a bit against Cobh.
That isn’t solely the responsibility of the manager to instruct more crosses into the box.
There is nothing to stop the striker from demanding his full-backs or wingers to put the ball in the box at the earliest opportunity.
City looked tired against Wexford and I would give them the excuse of having been on the road so much in recent weeks but it’s a short journey for them against their local rivals and they will have to put in a much better performance against Cobh if they want all three points.
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