Ireland vs Ratko Mladic (1 Viewer)

Our big problem is that our midfield is fucking useless. Whelan and McCarthy are fucking terrified of the football. Shit thing is, both of these players would probably be okay on their own, playing defensively, but they don't seem to work together, because with both of them on the pitch, our midfield ends up 2 feet in front of the defence and hoofing the ball to the opposition goalkeeper over and over again.

In defence, we've been very good really, our record over the campaign shows that. Up front, not as good, but it's hard to score goals when your midfield keeps forgetting to show up. We have good options in Long and Walters, so we do have players who can score goals, but our style of play does them absolutely no favours.

On the wings, Coleman and Brady have been bloody great the last few matches, but we have problems at left-back and right midfield. Hendricks did well yesterday in mid, he looks a good player really, but we need to sort that left-back shit out. Ward would probably be okay-ish if he was fit, but you can't be relying on someone who gets fuck all matches for a club that isn't even in the top flight.
 
On the wings, Coleman and Brady have been bloody great the last few matches, but we have problems at left-back and right midfield. Hendricks did well yesterday in mid, he looks a good player really, but we need to sort that left-back shit out. Ward would probably be okay-ish if he was fit, but you can't be relying on someone who gets fuck all matches for a club that isn't even in the top flight.

Has Wilson been injured for Stoke or what? Shit beard aside he's alright like, miles better than Ward.
 
He came out against gay marriage or something. It's okay though, he scores loads of goals.
You sure you're not confusing him with this prick?
JohnWaters.jpg

Can't find any Jon Walters quotes on it..

Whelan in fairness to him had a good night last night, you would hope O'Neill will experiment with how to make the centre midfield more consistent though.. Be interesting seeing if any new faces emerge over the next 6 months, particularly any young strikers, we've a major reliance on Long and Walters staying fit.
 
I'm reading quite a bit of pundits saying this is our worst team in 30 years and all credit to MON, and while MON has been tactically spot on since the last Scotland game and has done absolutely brilliantly to develop such a well-drilled operation, I don't agree that this is our weakest team at all. Man for man this is a better first eleven that the 2012 team - which was on it's last legs - with some exciting actual ball players, a good balance of youth, tactically light years ahead and has genuine belief (the last team was shit-scared and forced to play 4-4-2 against Spain for fuck sake). Added to all this that it's a diluted competition, I am FAR more excited about this Euros than the last one.

As the legend Robbie Brady said, 'let's go'!

Randolph > Given (wasn't even fit)
Coleman (was left out of the 2012 squad!) > O'Shea (yep, he played RB)
Clark > Dunne (tough call, but Dunne was crocked too)
Keogh > St Ledger
Brady > Ward
Whelan 2016 > Whelan 2012
McCarthy > Andrews (by a country mile)
McClean < Duff
Walters > Doyle (+ 2016 Walters over 2012 Walters)
Long > Keane (+2016 Long over 2012 Long)
 
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I forgot:

Hendrick > McGeady (OK, maybe 50/50)
Hoolahan > anyone you like (no equivalent in Trap set-up anyway).

Would probably also revise Dunne as better than Clark, even in 2012, but right now I'd rate Clark/Keogh as a better CB pairing than Dunne/St Ledger in 2012.
 
Would I be mental if I said that Glen Whelan is underated? He works hard for the money, so hard for the money, and he basically plays shit to facilitate the greater good. He can pass. But you know, he sacrifices that. Because he'd look like billy big bollocks if he was passing the ball. The rest would complain. Because they can't pass it.

And what was the panel's insistence that Brady was too good for LB. They don't say that about Shay Coleman, do they?
 
Would I be mental if I said that Glen Whelan is underated? He works hard for the money, so hard for the money, and he basically plays shit to facilitate the greater good. He can pass. But you know, he sacrifices that. Because he'd look like billy big bollocks if he was passing the ball. The rest would complain. Because they can't pass it.

And what was the panel's insistence that Brady was too good for LB. They don't say that about Shay Coleman, do they?

Whelan is good, and has got better for us throughout his time in the team, but McCarthy and him just don't seem to work together, unless you just want the ball hoofed back to the opposition goalkeeper every two minutes.
 
Would I be mental if I said that Glen Whelan is underated? He works hard for the money, so hard for the money, and he basically plays shit to facilitate the greater good. He can pass. But you know, he sacrifices that. Because he'd look like billy big bollocks if he was passing the ball. The rest would complain. Because they can't pass it.

And what was the panel's insistence that Brady was too good for LB. They don't say that about Shay Coleman, do they?

He's been (rightly) vilified in the past by Irish fans for being a donkey who was completely overrun and exposed in a 4-4-2, but he has brought his Stoke game to Ireland in the last year by virtue of only having to play as a defensive CM, with protection, and has done OK at harrying etc (would not agree that his passing is any good). But he negates what McCarthy brings to the game (just look at McCarthy against Germany without Whelan as evidence). We're better off without him in a hot second IMO.
 
So, he's been shit until this year, when McCarthy has blossomed and he's now stifling the young man's game?

Get him the fuck out of the Ireland squad. Somebody. Please. Useless cunt.
 
Whelan is good, and has got better for us throughout his time in the team, but McCarthy and him just don't seem to work together, unless you just want the ball hoofed back to the opposition goalkeeper every two minutes.
Is this Whelan's idea, or the coaching? Whelan and McCarthy are very different players for their clubs.

At the moment, if we're to play our best 11, with everyone fir (and let's say that Ciaran Clark improves and takes John O'Shea's place, because O'Shea's waning) I don't thin we have a player that I hate. It hasn't been like this for a while.

Richie Keogh... He looks like he woke up in a skip, but he's been very impressive. St. Ledger, McShame... distant, painful memories.

What's the story with Darnyion Gibson these days? Is he still alive?
 
Richie Keogh... He looks like he woke up in a skip, but he's been very impressive. St. Ledger, McShame... distant, painful memories.

What's the story with Darnyion Gibson these days? Is he still alive?

Can't get into his club side. Is probably whinging like mad over it. Trap was right about him on all levels.

I've seen more that I'd expect of Derby and Keogh often looks like he has a horrendous mistake in him. Think those comedy fuckups that Dunne used to make on a semi-regular basis at club level, but on a grand scale.
 
Can't get into his club side. Is probably whinging like mad over it. Trap was right about him on all levels.

I've seen more that I'd expect of Derby and Keogh often looks like he has a horrendous mistake in him. Think those comedy fuckups that Dunne used to make on a semi-regular basis at club level, but on a grand scale.
I thought he was great against Germany. Then I thought, maybe O'Shea coached him trhough it, Big Paul/ Phil Babb style. But he was decent against Bosnia, and O'Shea looked like a cretin against Poland. Richie has a surprising turn of pace.

Let's face it, all our players have a massive mistake in them. If Long's one on one scuff was a defensive howler, the last 14 minutes could have been a lot tenser.
 
Is this Whelan's idea, or the coaching? Whelan and McCarthy are very different players for their clubs.
Quality-wise obviously, but in terms of roles, how do you figure that?


What's the story with Darnyion Gibson these days? Is he still alive?

Gibson was injured for yonks and is only back a few months and trying to work his way back into the Everton side. I wouldn;t write him off yet. McGeady on the other hand is in free fall and needs to get out pronto.
 
Quality-wise obviously, but in terms of roles, how do you figure that?




Gibson was injured for yonks and is only back a few months and trying to work his way back into the Everton side. I wouldn;t write him off yet. McGeady on the other hand is in free fall and needs to get out pronto.
I like McGeady. For years he was our best player. I mean, in terms of taking the pressure off. Everton are a team with wingers up the ya ya. So yeah, he needs out. As for Gibson, does anyone know what kind of player he actually is? I remember he used to blem them in from all angles. Or at least just blem them.

As for Whelan and McCarthy. My feeling is that neither is naturally a defensive midfielder. But it's an odd role. Are you an anchor? A pivot? A quarter back. Carrick plays deep, but he doesn't break stuff up. We need a Mascherano type, and the closest we have in terms of fitness and nimbleness is McCarthy, but in terms of dark arts, it's Whelan. So he plays both. One real terrier and we could crack that nut. We wouldn't need Whelan. As it is, I feel that we do. ANd that's why he's important and doesn't get his dues. It's easy to rag on him, but he's been shoehorned into that role.
I like Hendrick. He's coming along nicely. Yeah, this squad is ok. Who said they're shit? I mean, apart from me.

If Long can add goals to his game.. well. he's be like Mario Kempes meets Mario Mandzukic.
 
What is our best XI?
We've got a few who are certs - Walters, Long, Brady, Coleman.

Pretty much all the rest can be great in one game, and shite the next.
O'Shea was indeed fucking muck against Poland. Lewandowski made shit of him. On the other hand, the equaliser against Germany.
Keogh and Clark, both are 'unproven' internationally. Keogh, you have to say if he is all that, why is he playing for Derby. Clark isn't always getting first team at Villa either, although seems to be settling down a bit – but Villa are certainly shite.

Ward – shite really, plug a hole player. Wilson – what's happened to him?
Whelan – has come on loads the past 4 years or so, BUT, we didn't have him against Germany and still managed to bate them, so do we really need him that much?
McCarthy – probably a cert now, but as I say doesn't seem to work well with Whelan, unless you want to be defending for the entire game.
Hoolahan – quality player but still hit and miss depending on the game. Was class against Germany, didn't do much against Bosnia.
McClean – only ever an impact sub, surely? Could be good if he had any brains.
Unknown Fan – may as well be dead
Murphy – useful player, but should never be first choice ahead of Long.
Hendricks – really looks like he can be great if he keeps getting better

I mean, your best XI, going by most quality players, Hoolahan and McCarthy and Whelan would probably all be in there – but it seems to me that Hendricks has been more consistent than all 3 of them over the last bunch of matches for us.

It'd be good to see Cyrus Christie get a bit more game time, played a bloody blinder against Der Fuhrer. Anything to be said for having him on right wing, or more likely pushing Coleman to right wing and having him right back?
 
Eh, what about Conor Sammon? Fuck's sake, Corm. It's like you've never watched football in your life.
 

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