Anybody that rates mattie forde or anybody for that above gooch, McDonnell, or Clarke (i.e.three of the best inside forwards of this century) is talking out of there ****. Best forward in leinster would be a different story though.

Keane16 (Kerry) - Posts: 306 - 26/08/2008 14:43:28    85234

He's no Geraghty.

posh (Meath) - Posts: 633 - 26/08/2008 14:51:05    85254

exceptional scoring to games ratio

Thats exactly what im talking about, people take statistics far too seriously and again i don't want to keep refering to Ronaldo but hes the exact same, 42 goals last season and how many were against top opposition? probably about 3. Forde has not yet proven himself a match winner against top opposition and nobody can shoot me down on this one.

Yes i consider meath to be mediocre opposition (so no use throwing a dig there) as are armagh, down, laois and any other team wexford may have beaten in the past that im forgetting. Infact i remember a number of years ago in the tommy murphy cup final when Tipperary beat Wexford it was essentially Brown v Forde and Browne proved himself to be the match winner that day where as forde did what.......you got = DISAPPEARED.

Like i said before i expect forde to blossom not only as an excellent showman but an excellent match winner, all im saying is that it hasn't happened yet.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 26/08/2008 15:02:36    85280

htaem are the ulster champions not counted as top oppostion these days??he bet galway off the field in the league.are they not counted as top oppostion?honestly what does the guy have to do??as for declan browne he was another class act.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 26/08/2008 15:10:03    85299

Hes only as good as the ball being played into him. bellew on forde was a complete miss-match for pace, i was behind the goals for that game, forde had a 3 yard head start on francie every time.
tyrone will keep him quite enough! im confident of that.

coO (Cavan) - Posts: 217 - 26/08/2008 15:14:19    85313

"and again i don't want to keep refering to Ronaldo but hes the exact same, 42 goals last season and how many were against top opposition? probably about 3."

Eamon...Is that you...Eamon? He scored in the most important game he played last season.

How'd you manage to out yourself as an ABU on a GAA board?

Stats can be misleading but you can't conveniently ignore them when it suits.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12291 - 26/08/2008 15:15:10    85315

Ronaldo. Yea id call him ronaldo if wexford were = to man utd. Matty more like Santa Cruz if we're comparing! Plays for a weaker team but still produces. I really cant believe there is a forum called matty forde overrated. Madness. agianst dublin wexford dying and no ball went into him. Armagh werent mediocre opposition goin into the game. Now they are! Im dyin for this match on sunday! If aramgh (Ulster champions) were mediocre opposition are tyrone??? And yea he's defo "He's no Geraghty" Only messing GG isnt/wasnt bad either i wouldn't go making a forum called GG - overrated??? GG = Roy keane maybe or cantona, loads of skill but something that annoys alot of people. He had trials with arsenal didnt he so maybe comparing to soccer is a touchy subject for GG

uncle sam (Dublin) - Posts: 102 - 26/08/2008 15:26:42    85351

Armagh are not top class opposition aymore if they were then they'd have no problem beating wexford just like dublin did and anyway tyrone are the only ulster team still in the championship so that must count for something. When did he beat galway off the field because it wasn't this year, he wouldn't have bin able to do it this year, galway are a lot better now anyway. The teams i expect him to preform against in a big match ie any all-ireland series match are:

1. Kerry
2. Tyrone
3. Galway
4. Cork
5. Dublin
6. Monaghan


Those are the 6 teams at the moment (regardless of what you think of them) that he needs to produce against and he hasn't really done that so far although i wouldn't be at all suprised if he proves me wrong on sunday because as im blue in the face saying he is a very talented footballer.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 26/08/2008 15:34:49    85365

I can't believe this thread has kept going for 2 months!!!!

Bald Eagle (None) - Posts: 1009 - 26/08/2008 15:39:01    85378

fair enough htaem i might not agree with you but at least you back your argument up with facts unlike others.i think it was the same year wexford bet offaly and he scored 2-10.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 26/08/2008 15:46:55    85405

Fair enough daytona11 we'll agree to disagree but if im wrong and he obliterates tyrone on sunday il be disappointed if you don't come on here to have a go at me!!!

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 26/08/2008 15:54:41    85443

i wouldnt do that htaem.at least you back your points up.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 26/08/2008 16:30:12    85496

htaem, you say Armagh are not top class anymore because they couldn't beat wexford. That proves my point that it's almost impossible for wexford to get respect. In the eyes of people like yourself, Wexford CAN'T beat a decent side because being beaten by wexford automatically means that are team are not decent. Catch 22 or what?!?

Down and Armagh were very much in the decent (or better) category before the wexford games and people assumed both would beat wexford. But they didn't and hey presto both were labelled poor sides.

Monaghan have been getting great press here and elsewhere due to an honourable defeat to Kerry, and are now regarded as one of the sides wexford need to prove themselves against, whereas the ulster champions are dirt because wexford beat them. Incredible.

PT109 (Limerick) - Posts: 61 - 26/08/2008 16:44:33    85519

At this stage of the season the only teams that matter are the four left. No others can do anything more so theres no real point in making these rankings of teams.

mid-mon man (Monaghan) - Posts: 1680 - 26/08/2008 16:55:35    85547

whereas the ulster champions are dirt because wexford beat them. Incredible

When did i say that PT109? What i did said was "Armagh are not top class opposition aymore" meaning they are still a decent team say 7/10 but when you compare them to kerry, galway, tyrone and dublin (yes dublin, never mind the tyrone game) they don't really make the grade like they used to and you can't possibly deny that.

I have nothing against wexford, as a matter of fact like most neutrals id love to see them winning the all-ireland, all im saying is that if you look at the calibre of teams they've been beating then its hard to call them a top class team. This is why:

Meath = Good attack, terrible defence 6/10
Laois = Mediocre all round 6/10
Dublin = Good team all round but prone to mental collapse 8/10 (got a hiding from the dubs)
Down = Sleeping giant, will possibly never wake up 6/10
Armagh = Gone over the hill but still could regroup next year 7/10

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 26/08/2008 17:01:58    85560

My point is that if armagh had beaten wexford, the semi-final between themselves an Tyrone would have been seen as an even money game. Likewise if they had drawn each other in the quater finals. If tyrone are beaten on Sunday will they then be classed as not top class?

PT109 (Limerick) - Posts: 61 - 26/08/2008 17:37:13    85615

Fair enough PT109 if thats your point but you shouldn't make up nonsense like "whereas the ulster champions are dirt because wexford beat them. Incredible" to prove it. Il reserve my ultimate judgement of tyrone till after the game on sunday but if im to be honest (and i always am) id say they are a top class team at the moment and i didn't feel that way at the start of the year. I thought the two games against down proved me right but they have stormed back since then and must be taken very seriously now.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 26/08/2008 17:49:24    85634

Not trying to get into an argument here htaem but again you say you'll leave your judgement of tyrone until after Sunday. So I was c orrect in stating that Tyrone will be classed as not top class if they dont manage to beat wexford. So basically, on that line of thinking there will be no top class team in the country if wexford win the all-ireland. All this is fine as my only point is that Tyrone should not be such a short price to beat wexford on sunday. i am not stating that this wexford team is one of the all time greats but that on this seasons form, kerry are the only team who I would rate as strong favourites to beat them.

PT109 (Limerick) - Posts: 61 - 26/08/2008 18:10:52    85651

And by the way htaem, i didn't make up any nonsense, you did by stating that Monaghan are in the top-class category but not Armagh after winning Ulster. Sorry but i see that as incredible.

PT109 (Limerick) - Posts: 61 - 26/08/2008 18:14:53    85654

BALD EAGLE...
I think this thread could go for a lot longer. I dont think Sunday will define Mattie Forde's greatness. It takes consistency at the top level over a long period for any player to be caled great. Look at some of the present so-called greats with some missing penalties / handy frees and others failing to show up on certain days.
Mattie is not 100% fit at present and should not be judged on how he plays this Sunday. He might still do a lot of harm though!!
I have said it before that Mattie has good days and middling days but he is as good as there is around and certainly as good if not better than any individual Tyrone forward. I think Tyrone's advantage may be that they have better teamwork.

BIG SACKS (Tyrone) - Posts: 1681 - 26/08/2008 18:17:24    85655