Today's Irish Independent

[Superhoops]

Important point.

Question: Robbie could/should have scored in 1st half with a flicked header to the middle of the goal where a header to the near post would have scored. Who fed him / how did the ball get there? I can't recall.

29th minute, Whelan free kick headed back across the goal into 6 yard box by Kilbane, Robbie flicked on and keeper made a good save.

[Junior]

I accept the broad point though. I think I said on this thread that Doyle & Keane are best served by central midfield than by wingers and this is an issue we need to address.

McGeady is well able to thread a through ball and is happy to cut inside from the left and shoot / link up play.

His shooting needs to improve from what I see at Celtic (though his few efforts on Weds were much better and either caused the keeper to work or had the fans thinking he'd scored!).

In a nutshell, if McGeady builds on Weds performance not only can he provide from the wings in the traditional sense but I believe he will be able to feed Doyle and Keane from a more central position.

Obviously its an attribute of S Ireland but I wont open that subject again on this thread.

[John83]

... sunday world journo R Curtis... I reckon this guy got a job based on his A in honours english and his fondness for stupid comparison's (cant remember the literary term for this, sorry I got a B in pass English)
Stupid metaphors.

Very few people have realistic expectations, especially of national teams. I look at the results the significantly more gifted teams get: Italy, France, England. We don't do that badly for what we have. People expect to win every time against weaker teams. It doesn't work that way. If it did, leagues would be really, really boring. When we lose, it's the end of the bloody world. When we win, we should have scored more goals, so and so is still rubbish, the tactics are wrong and someone's pet striker should be given a run. Very few teams rack up three and four nils over a qualifying campaign. Deal with it.

[viagogo]

never a game goes by that our captain doesnt get this kind of tripe thrown at him. keane also ran his socks off and did what he's there to do and scored two goals. decent performance and at least as good as doyle

The fact is that we were playing the poorest team in the group. Robbie Keane is our best player and he is not performing to his best. Doyle is. If we were playing Bulgaria or Italy on Wednesday night Keane would have done nothing. You say he doesnt deserve this kind of tripe thrown at him but why not? If he Keane plays like this for the rest of the campaign then he will not score another goal.

[Crosby87]

The fact is that we were playing the poorest team in the group. Robbie Keane is our best player and he is not performing to his best. Doyle is. If we were playing Bulgaria or Italy on Wednesday night Keane would have done nothing. You say he doesnt deserve this kind of tripe thrown at him but why not? If he Keane plays like this for the rest of the campaign then he will not score another goal.


Thats rubbish. We often play to the level of the opponent. Georgia came out hard and never gave up throughout. You cant even compare the game to a game against Italy. The whole buildup is different. Cold weather, must win pressure game, and they did. They will play MUCH more lose against Italy as the pressure will be on the Italians.
Gosh, you would think the team lost. They beat a fiesty team and lets move on, no? What do some of you do when you encounter true adversity in life? Scream and run for the hills or dig a hole and plop your heads in like an ostrich? This was positive result all told!

[eirebhoy]

The fact is that we were playing the poorest team in the group.
There really is no poor team in this group though. I read an article by Aidan Fitzmaurice saying we were playing a team with players from Rubin Kazan, etc. Rubin Kazan are the Russian champions.

[elroy]

The presence of Montenegro makes this group particularly difficult, imagine if we had the Faroes or San Marino instead. Cyprus and Georgia could also be considered at the upper end of their respective seeds.
Argubaly the only seed where we got a good draw was the second seeds - Bulgaria.

[Noelys Guitar]

There really is no poor team in this group though. I read an article by Aidan Fitzmaurice saying we were playing a team with players from Rubin Kazan, etc. Rubin Kazan are the Russian champions.

Exactly. And I fancy the Georgian's to do us at least one more favour in this group by either taking points off Italy or more points off Bulgaria.

[viagogo]

Thats rubbish. We often play to the level of the opponent. Georgia came out hard and never gave up throughout. You cant even compare the game to a game against Italy. The whole buildup is different. Cold weather, must win pressure game, and they did. They will play MUCH more lose against Italy as the pressure will be on the Italians.
Gosh, you would think the team lost. They beat a fiesty team and lets move on, no? What do some of you do when you encounter true adversity in life? Scream and run for the hills or dig a hole and plop your heads in like an ostrich? This was positive result all told!

Think you misunderstood my post. Was in Croke Park last Wednesday night and was thrilled to get the win. Anything less would have been disastrous. My whole point is that Robbie Keane has to do better if we want to get the automatic spot for World Cup qualification. Rather then moaning to refs, not passing the ball and putting his hand in the air he could put himself to better use by trying to build a partnership with Doyle. It is time he grew up.

[Uncle_Joe]

Finally, I would love to hear some opinions on the sunday world journo R Curtis...I believe his writing skills and knowledge are absolute rubbish (i would like to use stronger language). Do people share this opnion.

I think most people agree http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=46919

I am amazed that Roy Curtis can earn a wage as a journalist. He is a WUM of the highest order. Being back home this weekend, gave me the opportunity to see if his standard of journalism has improved. It hasnt!:eek:
His article today is pure drivel! pure pathetic negative, self centered diatribe nonsense. He makes Dunphy look like balanced journalist.

I DONT LIKE HIM!!!!!!

[NeilMcD]

To be fair to the Sunday Indo this is a great article, Sweeney is the one good thing about the paper.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/boo-boys-let-the-side-down-1640642.html

[Paddy Garcia]

Agree with the Keane point in that article -we don't know when we are well off. I think he has been reading this forum too!

[cavan_fan]

Great article, especially on Robbie, who in any other country would be a star. I ask for few things from an international player:

Turns up - Robbie is there for friendlies, competitive matches (though not end of season tours!)
Tries hard - Again no doubts, I get annoyed at him running around on the wings but it's only because he wants to be among the play
Plays at least as well as for his club - His goalscoring record for Ireland stands comparison with his club record and he doesnt have the downtimes for us he does for his club.

[jbyrne]

If we were playing Bulgaria or Italy on Wednesday night Keane would have done nothing...... If he Keane plays like this for the rest of the campaign then he will not score another goal.

mystic meg... can i borrow your crystal ball? what are this weeks lotto numbers? thanks

[lionelhutz]

To be fair to the Sunday Indo this is a great article, Sweeney is the one good thing about the paper.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/boo-boys-let-the-side-down-1640642.html

Agreed. Excellent article. I couldn't believe the idiots behind me in the Upper Cusack who firstly booed when we conceded after a minute, then booed the team off at half time. It was pathetic. Is that supposed to help the team??

The same idiots constantly chatted away about everything and anything for the 90 mins while occasionally berating Keane. I felt like throwing them over the stand. While I've already stated my opinion that I don't think Keane played well on Wednesday night, I believe he's our best goal scorer and will be vital if we're to qualify.

[Drumcondra 69er]

I think most people agree http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=46919

I am amazed that Roy Curtis can earn a wage as a journalist. He is a WUM of the highest order. Being back home this weekend, gave me the opportunity to see if his standard of journalism has improved. It hasnt!:eek:
His article today is pure drivel! pure pathetic negative, self centered diatribe nonsense. He makes Dunphy look like balanced journalist.

I DONT LIKE HIM!!!!!!

He is shockingly bad. And his constant use of metaphor and simile is worse then junior cert standard and seems to be the only literary device he's capable of using. Plus he's not that well informed on his subjects in general.

Worst journalist I've ever read and given the low standard over here that's saying something....

[DeLorean]

To be fair to the Sunday Indo this is a great article, Sweeney is the one good thing about the paper.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/boo-boys-let-the-side-down-1640642.html

Great article alright. Something we wouldn't really have associated with Irish "fans" over the years. Still think "Sensitive Stephen" should just suck it up though, if I was to disagree about one point!!;)

[Drumcondra 69er]

To be fair to the Sunday Indo this is a great article, Sweeney is the one good thing about the paper.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/boo-boys-let-the-side-down-1640642.html

Sweeney was living in Korea at the time of the last world cup and had daily articles over there in the english language press, always came across well. His 'There's only one Red Army' book is excellent as well, a must read for any LOI and armchair fans alike.

http://www.amazon.com/Theres-Only-One-Red-Army/dp/1902602404

[Den Perry]

He is shockingly bad. And his constant use of metaphor and simile is worse then junior cert standard and seems to be the only literary device he's capable of using. Plus he's not that well informed on his subjects in general.

Worst journalist I've ever read and given the low standard over here that's saying something....

I have never agreed with anything posted on this site as much as I do your post above. Curtis is a disgrcae....his writing is based on simile and metaphor - that's it.

I just cannot understand how he writes for a newspaper...I don't care if its a tabloid, he is without doubt the worst journalist i've ever read.

[Fivesilver]

Sweeney was living in Korea at the time of the last world cup and had daily articles over there in the english language press, always came across well.

That's his younger brother.