QuoteWas King still adopting the 4 -3 -3 formation??
the goals were shown on TV3 this morning and thats how it looked okOriginally Posted by passinginterest
Was King still adopting the 4 -3 -3 formation??
yeah, it was a 4-5-1 with Stokes playing an inside-left role. Clifford was on the right, wearing number 10. He was playing in front of where I was sitting in the second half. I didn't realise it before but he's actually tiny, the jersey seemed too big for him a few times!
Long live the King.
It was an interesting shape with Clifford tending to tuck in and Stokes and McCarthy pushing up beside Sheridan for the goal kicks and Stokes playing a good bit further forward than Clifford in general. As I was saying earlier despite there being quite an unconventional shape to the side all the players seemed to understand exactly what was expected of them and they worked hard all game. Clifford looked the fittest player on the pitch to me, he seems to have a great engine, he is very small though.
Coleman was a bit underwhelming again, his passing was atrocious most of the time although he was defensively sound enough, maybe he doesn't like playing in Tallaght or nerves get to him playing for Ireland but that's 3 times I've seen him now and he's yet to be really impressive, maybe that's just my high expectations of him though.
Tallaght Stadium Regular
short interview with King after the game on rte.ie: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/...occer3_av.html
Stokes' penalty on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blEIBqOh5ic
my review of last night's game:
Noel King's first game in charge of the U21s will be remembered as a complete turnaround from the previous game at Tallaght Stadium at this level, a 2-1 loss to ten men Armenia was replaced by a 5-0 win over third placed Estonia. Anthony Stokes delivered an excellent performance throughout as an inside left, scoring twice in the opening half, and providing two assists in the second.
After an opening few minutes where Ireland struggled to retain possession, and goalkeeper Henderson was called on to make two smart saves, the team settled into control of the ball before the opening goal. A smart cut inside from Stokes made some space for a right footed shot beyond the keeper. The second goal came from the penalty spot, Stokes both winning and taking the spot kick. After drawing a tackle from the Estonian full back, the Hibernian striker chipped the ball straight down the middle of the goal and off the underside of the crossbar to double his tally for the night. I managed to get a quick snap of it on my phone here - https://sites.google.com/site/tetsuj...kesPenalty.JPG It's not great quality though, it was at the opposite side of the ground to me and the camera on my phone isn't the best
The midfield of McCarthy, Gleeson and Garvan controlled possesion well in the middle of the park, and linked up with Clifford on the right. The two goal cushion eliminated the earlier nerves, and with the pressure off the central defenders (Gunning and Kiernan) were confidant on the ball. The Estonain right winger had previously enjoyed some space between Clifford and Coleman at right full, but with this space eliminated, his threat was removed. While some of the play was excellent to watch, the opening goal laid the plan for a lot of Stokes' play, despite several overlapping runs into space from full back Nolan, the simple out ball was ignored in favour of cutting inside again and again which was frustrating to watch when he lost possession. Also, a lot of the play from the Irish team seemed to be based around long balls from deep on the right to where Stokes was, playing as an old fashioned inside left.
The second half began in much the same fashion as the first, with Estonia looking to score before conceding possession and control to the Irish. Stokes was again involved in the best moves of the half, and showed some excellent hold up play to set up McCarthy for the third of the night, and the young Wigan midfielder's first at this level for his country.
Stokes was unlucky not to complete a deserved hat trick, a header from Garvan's free kick on the right going just over the crossbar. An audacious piece of skill from the forward led to the fourth goal. With his back to goal on the byline, he backheeled the ball through the full backs legs, before rounding the hapless defender, and collecting the ball to cross. The ball eventually fell to Owen Garvan outside the box, whose shot deflected off Seamus Coleman into the corner. The goal was awarded despite some (IMO legitimate) calls for offside against the Everton player who was withdrawn before the game restarted for Histon's Lanre Onyebanjo.
I've seen some criticism of Cillian Sheridan's play, but he was right in front of where I was sitting for the second half, and he never stopped running, dragging centre halves out of the penalty areas to create space for Stokes and McCarthy to run into. He didn't see a lot of the ball, but in my opinion the team wasn't set up for him to see much possession. He was clearly exhausted when withdrawn late on for Alan Judge, which allowed Stokes to play up front with Judge replacing him on the left.
The final goal was rifled in by Garvan from outside the area, following good work from Stokes again, receiving the ball and laying it off to the Crystal Palace midfielder in space.
The only real criticism (if you can call it that) was that it could have easily been 7 or more. Stokes, moreso in the first half, was wasteful in possession and Sheridan was never directly involved in play. However, when your biggest complaint is that the team didn't score enough goals you know it was a successful night.
Nice report Tets but I think you have Gunning and Nolan mixed up, I thought Nolan was the captain, playing centre half, wearing number 5, and Gunning was the left back?
Tallaght Stadium Regular
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