MUNSTER HEAD COACH Anthony Foley shrugged off the notion that Munster’s attack has been more expansive in the second half of the season.
Instead, the Limerick man feels it has simply become more cohesive as his methods have had time to take hold in players’ minds.
“It’s just been about getting across the change in the game,” Foley told The42 while suited and booted at last night’s Pro12 awards.
“Even in pre-season, you’re trying to marry getting fit with trying to be engaged in new ideas. Fellas still have stuff from last year fresh in their head.
“They still see things done the same way, but different: like last year, Rob [Penney] would have had four players outside the 10. This year we’d have bodies there, but they wouldn’t have the same functions around the pivot player.
“So it changes up: what we’re looking for on the short side or from ball-carriers has changed this year and has evolved over the year.
“I think we’ve gotten better as the year has gone on. We’ve stuck to what has worked for us. We’ve tried to impose our gameplan on the opposition and make sure we can kick on and try to win something.”
Foley’s men have lost just one of their last 10 fixtures in the Pro12, a run that has pushed them in to a home semi-final berth in the league’s knock-out stages. However, that game will pit them against the one team who have managed to defeat Munster in that period – Ospreys.
Indeed, the four-time champions have managed to do the double over Ireland’s southern province, but Foley insists that the early-season loss in Thomond park will have little bearing on either the game or his squad’s mindset. And the former number eight was keen to ignore the 100% winning record of home teams in Pro12 semi-finals.
“I’ve been around long enough to know history doesn’t matter. Sport to me doesn’t dwell well on what you’ve done in the past so it’s about what we can do to prepare properly for Ospreys.
“Make sure we’ve learned from our mistakes: we’ve lost to them twice, they’ve beaten us comprehensively in both games. It’s important we we’ve learned from that and when we go in to the game we understand what it will take to beat them.”
- Reporting by Murray Kinsella
Leicester are really missing Rooney
While he is an intelligent footballer he just doesn’t have the pace up front and slows the game down way to much in midfield. This has been coming for two years but no one else has had the balls to do it.
Comment of the decade! United will play with pace today.
Leicester were hoping for Rooney to start. Utd have a good chance of a draw today !
If Jose had the b@lls to do it he’d have done it earlier don’t think he had a choice
Not at all Alan, although Rooney has been bad there are 10 other players in the team. Now Mourinho can’t be accused of given Rooney a chance.
His form hasn’t just dipped in the last 3 or 4 games les,it was obvious last season he was finished with a lot of United supporters saying that,but it’s only now that there’s more of them becoming more vocal about it that Jose has been forced to drop him
I agree Alan and would actually go further and say it’s been obvious for a couple of seasons now. I think Rooney’s days are numbered at United and that’s the point, he’s been given plenty of opportunities and failed, he has no excuses.
United on fire. Pogba playing a blinder. Mad!
United are on fire,I’d say United will have an add up on done deal tonight trying to sell Rooney
@Alan b: One carefull old lady owner……
Totally. Pogba running the show. To be fair to Rooney, he celebrated Pogba’s goal like he meant it.
Looks like thats the end of Rooney for awhile. Leicester going from champions to whipping boys fairly quick.
I think one other thing, apart from Rooney being a future ‘David Fairclough’, has been confirmed for certain today. Leicester are the new Blackburn, a one season wonder.
Brought back down to earth is their last two league away games alright. Gona be tough season but hopefully they can get back to winning ways against Porto.
They doing ok really right now Dave… Very good performance….
Rooney is looking up homes in the States or China as we speak…..
Yeah but he will follow the links into something else……
A far more balance side with the pace of Rashford and Lingard complementing Zlatan. Great to see Smalling (best outfield player last year) and Bailly paired together in the backs. Not to mention Herrera who is a very good player and is criminally underrated, he changed the game when he came on against Man City with Rashford.
Not far off their best 11,Mourinho has made a statement,the players need to do likewise today
How slow are the42′s goal alerts!
Yea it still says 1-0 ffs
Yeah, it was better when we only had teletext.
The scary thing is that It should be 7 or 8 nil at this stage.
Thank God Rojo not playing, absolute Jonah, but Blind not much better, no pace, could get caught today.
United played some of their best football under LVG when Shaw got injured a few years back and Blind filled in at LB, solid at the back and knows when to get forward. Good assist there and all.
Blind has been immense
Don’t rate him at centre but has played very well today.
Wow 3 nil and not hard time…..that doesn’t happen Utd too often. Would’ve been 0-0 last season.
Dave, it would have been Leicester 1-3 Man United at half-time last season and 4-3 at full time
2 seasons ago
Job done,Mourinho closer to figuring out his best 11,swap Mhikitaryan for Lingaard,he’s more creative and can influence a game more
Leicester in melt down.
Liverpool fans here in meltdown
It will be great to see some of my favourite United trolls back. I’ve missed you guys.
Emily or whatever your name is its gimps like you that have driven people away , it used to be banter in here now it’s pathetic childish rubbish that has ruined the app
Manchester United hammering Leicester and all you can think about is Liverpool bazinga, fair sad
Yeah, he has been missing for a few weeks and his first word is Liverpool.
Baz, the hypocrisy is astonishing. Why can’t you see it?
Thats not banter…. Banter is being around to take it when your also losing……
It was a tongue in cheek joke mick , up bravo you must be the new Paul Johnson.
I don’t comment here generally now because the app has been ruined
Yes, as you just demonstrated.
Emily davison calling other people trolls now thats funny
The best 45 minutes for Man Utd in a long time…. Untouchable at times, but wow, Leicester…. Hangover?? They will struggle big time. Too stretched.
Bye bye rooney.
But should be 6 or 7
Jesus it’s like men against boys
We want our title back.
This reminds me of Brazil versus Germany. Leicester’s marking is all over the shop, getting goals for players who have been struggling for form is a bonus
Bailly definitely it’s best signing,Rashford first touch very poor, he’s trying to hard, should be subbed.
United have no excuse today. To be fair to Rooney he’s not the only player who hasn’t been great this season. Rooney will have a right to be annoyed if they don’t perform without him.
Rooney must be climbing the walls, won’t get back into the team any time soon. That goal could be worst thing to happen to Wayne’s career.