I spose stutts, it just gets frustrating time and time again the attitude of build up to the game, seriouslly there is a serious trend/pattern* of around a 7 day period before and after a qualifier. The usual is positive from the start thinking this is our real chance etc etc. Then we seem to be disappointed but happy enough(halfway through the trend) with a point, and then the final day is a summarisation or conclusion and going forward where we see ourselves. This just gets very frustrating as its the same old crap when it shouldn't be. On another post you and a couple of others mentioned that football stats are a misnomer/anomaly and don't really relate to fairly to individuals or even teams, and I agree somewhat with this point. BUt at the same time then you cant go back and use stats on a run of results for a team 2 years in the past. At the end of the day as I say(oleary) if we are capable of beating a team, we should be doing it, accepting anything less should not be acceptable.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
We're 24 years without a "proper" away win. That's one stat I do completely believe in. Israel and Slovakia were among the most frustrating in that regard. The Slovakia result was really disappointing, especially with the chances we had, but the performance wasn't. It happens, it just happens to us too much.
I think this can be explained by virtue of the fact that most of us who post are devoted fans of the team.Originally Posted by paul_oshea
Therefore, when we get disappointing performances and/or results there can be a certain lack of clinical detachment in how we initially view and feel about the game.
As threads develop an element of consensus usually begins to emerge - except any involving our friends from NI.
Quoting years at random since 1975
Slovakia were poor enough against us, I was surprised at how disorganised they were.
Maybe that was down to us, but I have my doubts.
They were a mixed bag at the World Cup too. Wouldn't know what to expect from them in Dublin.
Nah, I just get nervous waiting for someone to pull me up for making messing up!
Last edited by Kingdom; 10/02/2011 at 4:52 PM.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
Giles on Newstalk suggesting Coleman should start on the right side of midfield and is a better player than Lawerence, McGeady or Hunt. Duff should be playing upfront alongside the center forward with McGeady playing outside left.
Urgh. Have no desire to go back to 2005.
Ou-est le Centre George Pompidou?
Agreed. I think he may well be right on Coleman, though as Geysir points out, how referees let him away with some fouls in the box is quite a skill. But no way should Duffer play upfront. I think one of the reasons we actually passed the ball OK on Tuesday is because Duffer was always making himself available. I've noticed this in other games too, very notably in Bulgaria last time out.
Giles was more positive about Coleman than Clark which is fair enough
Thing is, we are more desperate for a full back than a RM.
i'd say Clark's performance had more impact, pound for pound, on our team.
With Clark, Coleman, hopefully McCarthy, Mayler coming through and the resurgent Long we could have a fairly dangerous side at 2012 if we do qualify.
My team vs Macedonia
-----------------Given----------------
O'Shea------Dunne----Sledger------Clark
McGeady----Whelan---Fahey------Duff
-------------Long Doyle---------
Westwood, Foley, McCarthy, Coleman, Gibson, Stokes/Keogh, Walters
(No need for a centre half given there's 4 of them at the back)
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
That's a decent looking line-up. I suspect though, if Keane's missing, Trap might take a punt on physicality up front, opening the door to Walters or Best. If one of them (probably Best) was to score a lock of Prem goals, that might seal it.
Ou-est le Centre George Pompidou?
Keane won't be out that long will be?
Pretty close if not exactly the team and bench come Macedonia injuries permitting.
I'd go along with that. Throw Coleman at them in the later stages. McCarthy on in injury time
6 weeks apparently.
These next 3 months and a bit are crucial. They probably are the most important 14 weeks in the international career of most of the squad.
The Macedonia game obviously is must-winnable. The following 3 friendlies take on a life of their own then though, as it will give the younger guys a chance to put their own stamp on the squad.
Is it too far fetched to think that come the trip to Skopje, that the likes of Clark, Coleman, McCarthy, Stokes, Long, Foley, Wilson, and with luck the recovered Meyler, Cunningham and maybe even O'Halloran will have shown that they deserve to be hanging around the household names of the squad? It's thinking of possibilities such as this that keeps me optimistic for the future.
It does underline just how important it is that the next few months are utilised correctly. Returning from Skopje with the full compliment from the two fixtures allows the team to really push on in the big two qualifiers that follow in the autumn. If the new blood are given time in the aforementioned friendlies, it gets a rebuilding job done 9 months earlier, hopefully allowing an open minded selection in advance of Euro 2012.
A squad that up to yr end 2010 looked like:
Given, Westwood, Murphy, O'Shea, McShane, Dunne, St Ledger, Kilbane, Foley, O'Dea, Lawrence, Whelan, Andrews, Green, Fahey, Duff, Hunt, McGeady, Keane, Doyle, Folan
could in 6 months look like:
Given, Westwood, Murphy, O'Shea, Foley, Dunne, St Ledger, Clark, Cunningham, McGeady, Coleman, McCarthy, Meyler, Wilson, Gibson, Whelan, Duff, Fahey, Keane, Doyle, Long, Walters.
The dross gone from the squad, the age profile getting younger, and hopefully a bright future.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
Bloody hell. I didn't hear that. Gutted because of the Macedonia game + I'm gonna have to take him out of PL fantasy football team! I'd only just brought him in.
"If God had meant football to be played in the air, he'd have put grass in the sky." Brian Clough.
You'll NEVER beat the Irish.......you'll just draw with us instead!!!
Where did Lawrence go?
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