Ireland v Russia (1 Viewer)

[Richie]

Fingers crossed for tonight. Time for Paul Green to announce his arrival in world football...

The Kerr Islands just held the Nordies to a 1-1 draw, I knew they'd screw that one up after getting great results in their first 2 games.

 

[Richie]

(double post, gah)

 

[evil bandit]

The Kerr Islands just held the Nordies to a 1-1 draw, I knew they'd screw that one up after getting great results in their first 2 games.

Now the Norn Ireland fans know how the Italian fans felt last Saturday !!!

 

[тхеодоре кацзынски]

rte can shove their poxy stream up their hole,fuck its frustrating as hell tryna watch anything on there.i give up already.

 

[тхеодоре кацзынски]

ps-come on ireland

 

[John]

That's more like it! Compact and barely interesting and a set piece. I always knew St Ledger had it in him. I just didn't tell anyone ever.

Up th'ireland!

 

[washingcattle]

Dunphy was spot on Harry fucking Rednapp cost us that match. Fucking cunt. Let Robbie either play or fucking leave you fucking cockny bollox.

Good performance first half. Poor goal to concede should have won it passed it well. Still the usual gripes. McGeady has to go he managed 2 balls into the box tonight one harmless to the far post and the other an easy clearance for the first man, never gets his head up, poor passer, Whelan never turns and gets going towards their goal, Green is woeful Gibson is anonymous.

The back four is getting a bit tighter but I still think O Shea is a better center half than right back Kilbane is too old. Miscommunication for the goal though which is a worry.

You do get the feeling watching us at the moment that Whelan can actually play the holding role well enough to allow a real ball player to play beside him (Reid for example or Fahey possibly) because Gibson and Green do absolutely nothing going forward or back. Overall more plusses than minus in the first half and a bit of fear and lack of first team football cost us in the second.

Russia nearly made a bollox of it again though so We can still do it.

 

[Unicron]

Perhaps it's more of a comment on how dreadful Green is but I thought that Gibson did well after he came on. At least he was showing for passes.

It depresses me that I'm taking that as a positive.

 

[washingcattle]

Like a choice between shit and paper covered in shit.

 

[Richie]

rte can shove their poxy stream up their hole,fuck its frustrating as hell tryna watch anything on there.i give up already.

Yeah, frustrating as hell, 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off every time I've tried to use it..

Thought we were very good for the first half, decent passing to feet, closed them down well, deservedly on top, disappointing reversion to standard hoofball tactics for the second and Keane's rustiness will probably cost us in the long run.. I think Slovakia's luck at finding themselves still level at half time spurred them on, they were much better in the second half but we dropped deep and gave them more room to play (and as the studio lads said this is probably down to the lack of a real midfield leader type of player).

Fahey looked very composed and great dead ball delivery, could have played himself into a first team spot, Long also energetic and effective but poor first touch and fouls his man a lot. McGeady caused them a lot of problems and I think is gradually coming of age as an international player but if only he could cross.. Gibson not really any more effective than Green, who was somewhat better today. Defence very solid, their goal probably down to Whelan losing his man again, really looks out of form. Point still okay if we can beat them in Dublin but we're probably playing for second place now, Russia got lucky in Macedonia it seems.

ps. Montenegro are 3 points clear at the top of England's group, awesome.

 

[washingcattle]

Still think Russia will fuck it up so we'll be okay. They seem to be doing their best to throw it away in the last twenty minutes of every match.

 

[coast to coast]

A real pity Robbie was off colour tonight, we definitely should have won against a fairly fucking average team.
Had a feelign he'd miss the penalty, although I do tend to say that before every penalty that I want to go in, as if being right would provide some crumb of comfort. I have no fucking idea how Darron Gibson plays for Manchester United. He is fucking appaling. At least Paul Green knows he's shit.

Given that Trap only ever cahgnes his team due to complete outside of his control accidents like injuries followed by a good performance, lets hope somehow Fahey ends up getting a run in the centre of midfield and Glenn Whelan gets over whatever form of temporary shitness he's caught this week. Fahey is tidy and patient both qualities AWOL in the rest of our midfield and we all know that he won't pick Andy Reid.

I heard Liam Brady comment afterwards that James McCarthy might've somehow burned his bridges with Trap already by missing the summer kickabouts where Greeny staked his claim to Eire glory? Seriously? Already?

 

[coast to coast]

double post, scuse.

 

[Richie]

Trap's already said that McCarthy will get a run out in the Norway friendly next month, if he's fit and turns up. I think all this stuff about him being 'exiled' and burning bridges is just media nonsense trying to stir up more rancour. He was told by his club to give the last training camp a miss so he could rest but still turned up to hang around with the team, Trap doesn't like to put players he hasn't integrated into his system yet into competitive squads is all.

 

[coast to coast]

Good to hear Richie. I hadn't really paid much attention to the summer friendlies so didn't hear that story and when Brady said he was hoped he'd play but there was some doubt I was kinda thinking... well most people hope Andy Reid or Steven Ireland will play and there's fuck all chance of that.

Just to reiterate I wouldn't have Steven Ireland near the team even if he wanted to play. No heart.

 

[Hector Grey]

mccarthy is still only 19? having a rest probably wasn't a bad idea. but trap seems to be loyal to a line up, and i suppose he though green did okay against algeria and para-gay and deserved a run. but he's poxy. he runs around but every time he got on the ball he gave it away. and darron gibson.... what the fuck is he? fergie has always had an irish lad in the team, i think he likes to keep his irish fans on board, and rightly so, but gibson is an utter nothing.

poor robbie, needs a game. back to wolves this jan?

most disappointed that trap only made one change from a team that were hammered by russia. which really shows slovakia up for the average joes that they are. 1 point from six. gah!

 

[Unicron]

mccarthy is still only 19? having a rest probably wasn't a bad idea. but trap seems to be loyal to a line up, and i suppose he though green did okay against algeria and para-gay and deserved a run. but he's poxy. he runs around but every time he got on the ball he gave it away. and darron gibson.... what the fuck is he? fergie has always had an irish lad in the team, i think he likes to keep his irish fans on board, and rightly so, but gibson is an utter nothing.

Johnny Giles was talking about Gibson a few weeks ago on Newstalk and he said that he reckons Fergie keeps Gibson around and talks him up so much is that he's a useful body to have around in the squad. Play him against the shit sides in the Prem that wants to rest his top boys against and he'll stroll around and do a job, maybe smack one in from 25 yards and then when they're playing a good side next it's back to the bench at best for him.

 

[kevin gallen]

Ok, lets see the following get a game against Norway. Jaysus fuckin Norway...should be fun

McCarthy
Walters
Marc Wilson
Stephen Ward
Kevin Foley
Greg Cunningham

Everton would be a great club for Robbie Keane

We need more options

 

[ratmonkey]

Except he did start the second leg against Bayen last season. Which probably says more about the lack of quality in United's midfield these days than anything else. Handy shot on him though, I'd nearly play him as a replacement for Robert Keane and get him to wait outside the box for the entire match for anything that falls.

 

[Luther Blissett]

Trap's already said that McCarthy will get a run out in the Norway friendly next month, if he's fit and turns up. I think all this stuff about him being 'exiled' and burning bridges is just media nonsense trying to stir up more rancour. He was told by his club to give the last training camp a miss so he could rest but still turned up to hang around with the team, Trap doesn't like to put players he hasn't integrated into his system yet into competitive squads is all.

Fingers crossed McCarthy gets a game against Norway and then plays in the qualifiers in March. I was shocked watching the RTE webcast last night that Brady, and I presume Trap and Tardelli too, didn't realize that McCarthy is still eligible for Scotland as he has never played a senior competitive game for Ireland. It seems unlikely that he'd switch allegiance now, but it must be frustrating being frozen out of the squad. Surely it would be better to be safe than sorry and give him a competitive appearance?