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Noelys Guitar
30/03/2009, 2:22 AM
Very surprised if this game is won by more than one goal. I have a feeling Doyle will be upfront on his own with Keane dropping back into midfield playing the role he played for Spurs against Chelsea last week. The Italian's will be happy to defend a 1-0 from the 1st to 90+ min so we have to stop them scoring. Imagine. A win will see us top the group. Highly, highly unlikely. But if we frustate them long enough on Wednesday then who knows.

Deckydee
30/03/2009, 8:07 AM
I think to be honest, a 0-0 draw

ifk101
30/03/2009, 8:44 AM
Based on Saturday night's performance, I can't see us getting anything out of this game. We will be playing for the draw but Saturday night showed we can't close out a game with the players that played against Bulgaria. Steven Reid is proving to be a big loss to us and we badly missed the balance Duff has previously offered to the team. Hunt and McShane give their all but don't have the quality required for international level. IMO we really can't expect to compete with Italy on their home turf without the players we are missing; ie, S. Reid, Duff and Finnan. But here's hoping.

Stuttgart88
30/03/2009, 9:55 AM
2-0 Italy unless we pick up our game massively from Saturday.

blobbyblob
30/03/2009, 10:25 AM
If Ireland sit back and try to contain Italy as we did saturday against bulgaria
3-0 Italy

Ireland playing attacking football through the middle
2-1 Italy

Ireland play pressure game/long ball into corners/holding ball up/bypass midfield/get men in the box
1-1

elroy
30/03/2009, 10:57 AM
I think to be honest, a 0-0 draw

I would gladly take that right now. I always felt that with Traps system we will perform better away from home and I still believe that. However, the inability of our players to maintain possession was at its most evident on sat night and that is my biggest worry ahead of this game.
If we can hold onto the ball better on Wed night, we have a chance thanks to our excellent CB and GK pairing. Unfortunately I feel the Italians will have to much for us and hurt us big time by targetting McShane in particular and KK.

On a more optimistic note, Di Natale is out, Iaquinta and Chiellini are both doubtful.

Montenegrin
30/03/2009, 12:04 PM
Hi again.I was ****ed off after this ****y decision by English referee.Is it possible that Cannavaro did not get red card for this?Please watch and tell me your opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLQJmpvxxak(see 57 second,right after Italian goal).
Is this possible?Like it is not enough that they are stronger anyway,but they need help from referee.
If you will have the same treatment,than you dont stand a chance.
btw.Player who played with his hand is the same one that did it against you.What the ****?Does He think that he is playing handball?He did it once more in this game,but it was foul against him,although it is possible that it was foul against him in this situation also,becouse of his unnatural body position.
And yes.I can not bealive that you did not beat Bulgaria.
Regards.

elroy
30/03/2009, 12:15 PM
Hi again.I was ****ed off after this ****y decision by English referee.Is it possible that Cannavaro did not get red card for this?Please watch and tell me your opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLQJmpvxxak(see 57 second,right after Italian goal).
Is this possible?Like it is not enough that they are not stronger anyway,but they need help from referee.
If you will have the same treatment,than you dont stand a chance.
btw.Player who played with his hand is the same one that did it against you.What the ****?Does He think that he is playing handball?He did it once more in this game,but it was foul against him,although it is possible that it was foul against him in this situation also,becouse of his unnatural body position.
And yes.I can not bealive that you did not beat Bulgaria.
Regards.

Hi ya,
Ya having read a few match reports in our newspapers it sounds like cannavaro shouldve been sent off. (EDIT:Just watched the clip, def shouldve been sent off. What your guy was doing with the hand for the pen I do not know). Apparently you guys had the better of the first half but Italy were stronger in the second. Looks like Vucinic was a big loss for ye.

We probably had the better chances against Bulgaria but played very defensively after we scored and were very poor in possession. In fact Bulgaria had the majority of the possession.
Think we might need you guys to do us a favour when ye play them in Sofia.

Stuttgart88
30/03/2009, 1:09 PM
Canavarro should definitely have got a red. Can't understand why not. It was totally deliberate and cynical and I'm sure it was a goalscoring chance.

FarBeag
30/03/2009, 1:14 PM
3-0. If we played their U12 side they would beat us.

osarusan
30/03/2009, 1:21 PM
I'd be delighted with a 0-0 draw.

But if we give away possession as often as we did on Saturday, and our centre of midfield performs as poorly as it did on Saturday, I can see Italy controlling the game from start to finish and us not even having a sniff of a chance. With all that possession, they will cause our defence serious problems all night.

A very comfortable 1-0 win for Italy.

Morbo
30/03/2009, 2:04 PM
Canavarro should definitely have got a red. Can't understand why not. It was totally deliberate and cynical and I'm sure it was a goalscoring chance.
Agreed I was sickened that he didn't, not only would he have missed the game against us but it would have giving Monty a real chance of taking 2 points of Italy.

Anyway I think we have a slim chance of getting something out of the game, despite the poor performance against Bulgaria I think this team has good character and hopefully they will bounce back which a much better on wendesday, midfield remains a problem that isn't going to go away so I think we will have to play 5 in midfield to have any chance

Stuttgart88
30/03/2009, 2:10 PM
When you consider that we only lost 1-0 in Germany and Czech Rep and we're better drilled defensively than then, maybe we'll sneak something. We should have scored in both those games. We'll get a chance or two no matter how badly we play so we've got to be clinical and then who knows?

Ordinary Fan
30/03/2009, 2:12 PM
Logically Italy will win easily 2 or 3 nil. But the great thing about football is that in any game either team might win. That is why we go to games.
Ireland were very poor especially in the first half against Bulgaria and gave the ball away to easily. That won't happen against Italy, I hope.
The biggest problem is that the team will tire in the last 20 minutes and Trap has a no substitutions policy which is when the game will be lost.
But I hope I am wrong and we can snatch a 1:1 draw.

It is April Fols day!

Tipp Townie
30/03/2009, 2:22 PM
I wouldn't be stunned to see us grind out a 0-0 on wednesday; i agree with the comment that Trap's system will probably work best away from home and against the bigger sides where we aren't expected to take the game to them.

HOWEVER, my actual prediction for this game is 2-0 Italy. Once they've gone ahead we'll go chasing the game and they'll do us with a sucker-punch right at the death.

NeilMcD
30/03/2009, 3:42 PM
I think it will either be 1-0 to Italy or a 0-0 draw. I do think Italy will win so I would have it about 60 percent 1-0 to italy and 40 percent a 0-0 draw. I really cant see any other result.

Scram
30/03/2009, 3:50 PM
I think it will either be 1-0 to Italy or a 0-0 draw. I do think Italy will win so I would have it about 60 percent 1-0 to italy and 40 percent a 0-0 draw. I really cant see any other result.

Other than 2-0 :(

richieos
30/03/2009, 4:43 PM
my main positive from the whole reign of trapattoni is that even when we play poorly, we always seem to grind out a result. thats why i think we have a good chance of a draw in italy. i think we'd be far more likely to lose away in sofia or cyprus because they play a fast pressing game, but italys style of play mirrors ours, and i could see us cancelling eachother out. heres hoping anyway

Pike B
30/03/2009, 6:24 PM
I think we'll draw in Bari. I think we'll up it after Saturday, and it'll be another 0-0 like France a few years ago. I'm backing us to get the point.

amaccann
30/03/2009, 6:52 PM
1-0 to Ireland; it wouldn't be an Irish qualifying campaign if we didn't defy expectations. So we drew the game we were expected to win, therefore we'll win the game we were expected to lose. A battling performance that'll win back the neyseyers.

NeilMcD
30/03/2009, 6:55 PM
I love your optimism and nothin wrong with it but when did we win in the last campagin when we were not expexted to win and defy expectations or the campaign before that lol.

amaccann
30/03/2009, 7:01 PM
I love your optimism and nothin wrong with it but when did we win in the last campagin when we were not expexted to win and defy expectations or the campaign before that lol.
Optimism is nothing if not blind. Lalala, I can't hear you! ;)

DmanDmythDledge
30/03/2009, 7:01 PM
Well it looks like we will be playing the same team as Saturday (if McGeady recovers).

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0330/1224243689779.html


“Shay Given will be fit I’m sure but at the moment my only change is likely to be McGeady,” he said after a training session both men missed yesterday morning.


Brady believes Italy are worried (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7972704.stm).
Almost a bad a PR job as Stan would have done. Our managment team are gradually turning into a pair of spoofers.

Hibernian
30/03/2009, 7:26 PM
God I hope im wrong but I think italy 2-0...

I was shocked by our performance on Saturday night.. I'm type who always backs team when at game roaring for them and believing that they can win in any situation but when Bulgaria scored the other night I just could not helped being shocked, not shocked that they scored but just reality hitting that we played so poor we struggle to look good against fifth seeds in Europe.

But the beauty of football is that strange things can happen if we do manage to score first we will get a result I would be confident of that but for me if Italy score first I fear the worst.The way we set out to play is more suited to away games then home. Italy are there for the taking but just like Czech Republic in our last group i fear Ireland will come up short...

But I hope to god im proved wrong...

SkStu
30/03/2009, 7:53 PM
Italy will tear us a new arsehole and then beat us 2-0

stojkovic
30/03/2009, 8:55 PM
I dont think we will lose and could sneak a 1-0 win. I said that we would only draw with Bulgaria.

mrmurphster
31/03/2009, 12:04 AM
I dont give us a chance after the draw last Saturday. I felt we needed a win to bring confidence into the game.

I have no doubt the lads will put up a performance, but doubtd will there after Saturday's game.

I'd be happy to get to half time without conceding and think we'll lose 2-0.

I'ce been known to be wrong on occasion though :)

Torn-Ado
31/03/2009, 1:07 AM
A comfortable 1-0 win for the Italians.

Montenegrin
31/03/2009, 1:32 AM
Agreed I was sickened that he didn't, not only would he have missed the game against us but it would have giving Monty a real chance of taking 2 points of Italy.

Anyway I think we have a slim chance of getting something out of the game, despite the poor performance against Bulgaria I think this team has good character and hopefully they will bounce back which a much better on wendesday, midfield remains a problem that isn't going to go away so I think we will have to play 5 in midfield to have any chance



You see how little things can have great impact:(.
First of all,who knows how would our match against Italy end-up and,second,Italy without Cannavaro at back is not the same team and it would be definitely easier match for you.
Well,it is all the same for us anyhow,becouse our best players are injured.
I dont see how we can score against Georgia without Vucinic and Vukcevic(this is maybe good info for betting;)).

rebelmusic
31/03/2009, 1:39 AM
To be honest i hope we draw or win BUT if we lose i honestly hope we absolutely mangled in our soft areas like McShane and Whelan so Trap has no defence picking players like that again.

How it isnt Foley starting is beyond me and i'd have Gibson in there instead of Whelan any day of the week

noddy102
31/03/2009, 9:39 AM
To be honest i hope we draw or win BUT if we lose i honestly hope we absolutely mangled in our soft areas like McShane and Whelan so Trap has no defence picking players like that again.

How it isnt Foley starting is beyond me and i'd have Gibson in there instead of Whelan any day of the week

I agree with you about McShane. Foley should be starting, and the only reason he isn't starting is because he hasn't been capped yet for Ireland. If he doensn't get capped in the Autumn friendlies then I'll be disappointed, and really he should be capped @ Craven Cottage if Finnan is not fit.

Gibson is not playing regularly and Whelan has got his place in the Stoke team now and is playing quite well. Himself and Andrews are seeing regular football and have played together a few times for the Irish team. I am happy Trap is nurturing such a partnership in midfield, so let it grow. Gibson has added nothing extra for us in midfield when he has played, since he is too inexperienced due to lack of first team football.

Scram
31/03/2009, 9:40 AM
I dont give us a chance after the draw last Saturday. I felt we needed a win to bring confidence into the game.

I have no doubt the lads will put up a performance, but doubtd will there after Saturday's game.

I'd be happy to get to half time without conceding and think we'll lose 2-0.

I'ce been known to be wrong on occasion though :)

2-0 is what I predict

Fingers crossed for a 0-1, totally depending on luck and prayers, having seen the ridiculous midfiled set-up that can't hold up the ball for 30 seconds.

Stuttgart88
31/03/2009, 9:46 AM
Gibson is not playing regularly and Whelan has got his place in the Stoke team now and is playing quite well. Himself and Andrews are seeing regular football and have played together a few times for the Irish team. I am happy Trap is nurturing such a partnership in midfield, so let it grow. Gibson has added nothing extra for us in midfield when he has played, since he is too inexperienced due to lack of first team football.Makes sense, but I think Glenn was well off the pace on Sat. Gibson's natural game is probably more suited to rectifying the flaws od Saturday's game - simple ball retention. We're scraping the barrel in CM with our current squad options but that's one chnage I'd make, Foley for McShane being the other, though perversely McShane may do a better job of simply keeping Italy out.

It's a real shame we haven't had a look at Foley yet. In fairness to Trap you can say he did give Kelly a shot, a natural right back, and he fluffed his lines.

ifk101
31/03/2009, 10:22 AM
In fairness to Trap you can say he did give Kelly a shot, a natural right back, and he fluffed his lines.

And that's why he is unwilling to make change. Trap believes that "schooling", repetition and familiarity will limit the number of errors made. He'll point out that the goal against Georgia and the first goal against Poland (Folan not picking up his marker) as reasons why not to change the team.

It's not totally impossible to force your way into the team - as the selection of Keith Andrews shows. You just need to impress when you get the chance and show that you are the bettter option than the player you are replacing. In effect it's up to the individual and not Trapattoni to force change.

Duggie
31/03/2009, 10:30 AM
i dont know how to call the game, a red hot atmosphere in bari you would have to fancy italy normally..but with gattuso, toni, gillardinho, di natale all out id give us a chance. id take a draw now gladly. im going to hope that maybe we get a peno, goal from a corner,free kick whatever to get some result. fingers crossed.

Noelys Guitar
31/03/2009, 12:57 PM
I was watching Fox Football last night and they have an English journo based in Italy on every Monday. He believes we have a chance. He tore into Canavarro calling him a chancer who should be nowhere near the starting 11. That the only reason he is at REal Madrid is that nobody else will play his wages. (said most Italian journo's say this in private). He said the loss of Gattuso is huge. Clutching at straws I know but at least a little chink of light there.

Oink
31/03/2009, 1:09 PM
Italy were very lucky against Montenegro. I watched a recording of the game last night and they scraped the result. Had Cannavaro been rightfully sent off then I fell they would have certainly lost, incredible decision.

They were exposed so many times and realy didnt impose themselves on the game, the defence is very shaky. Pirlo was outstanding as always, he is most certainly the danger man. Buffon made some incredible saves also.

The Italians play a dangerous offside game, there was no communication between the back four and an intelligent and pacey striker would have really caused them problems. They are not the stereotypical solid and patient team you would expect.

Saturday was a dissapointment for us and we were poor... yet we still didnt lose and they didnt put the ball in our net. I know Italy have the home advantage for wednesday but I believe we can get a result out there if the attitude is good and we have enough confidence. We can unsettle them very easily with strong tackling and composure and they will open to the counter attack, McGeady can really make an impact in this game.

It's a hard game to call, I have a feeling the ref will have a massive impact in this game.... the Italians have some serious divers and moaners in their team, should the ref take exception to them we could be in with a massive chance, should their acting be persuasive enough it will go the other way.

Hopefully the Trap has a masterplan.

irishultra
31/03/2009, 1:12 PM
I don't think Trap will be positive. We should just go out there and play to beat them. We have nothing to lose really.

Jicked
31/03/2009, 1:16 PM
I don't think Trap will be positive. We should just go out there and play to beat them. We have nothing to lose really.

Going out to try and play the World Champions off the park, in their own country would be naive. We'd be picked off with consummate ease.

holidaysong
31/03/2009, 1:20 PM
I hope we go and park the bus and play for a 0-0 - do an Italian Job on the Italians.

eaststand85
31/03/2009, 1:20 PM
Fearful we could get a real hammering on Wednesday as Italy know if they beat us they're pretty much qualified. On that basis they'll be up for it and unfortunately as shown on Saturday night you can't generally get away with a back six containing no recognised fullbacks and your two central midfielders, all defending on the edge of the box and inviting the opposition on.

On the other hand they've been lucky in this campaign so far with a couple of jammy wins against Cyprus and Montenegro so hopefully the worm will turn and we can take advantage by scraping a 1-0 win. Come on Ireland!!!!!!

gustavo
31/03/2009, 1:20 PM
I'd be happy with a draw to be honest , I am hoping that they will come out with renewed vigour and purpose and that Trap's style is well suiited for the underdog playing on the back foot as it isn't really suited for a team expected to go out and take the game to the opposition , Hope McGeady is fit , He could shine in occasions like this

fergalr
31/03/2009, 1:44 PM
I'm looking forward to this match. My prediction - it won't be pretty and there will be a maximum of one goal.

You never know....

Duggie
31/03/2009, 1:54 PM
when you look at the italian squad there no real goal scorer in it, maybe rossi. toni and gilardinho are out,so toni's arial threat is gone and gilardinho was having a really good season for fiorentina. pirlo has a good shot dangerous from free kicks. there not all that at the moment the italians.

paul_oshea
31/03/2009, 1:58 PM
ya and we are definitely not even near that at the moment!!!

Kingdom
31/03/2009, 2:04 PM
There is absolutely no basis on Saturdays performance to say we'll take anything away from Italy. That said, when we produce a poor performance (and there's been a few in the recent past) we normally bounce back strong.

I'm struggling with two frames of mind.
One is that Italy will absolutely demolish us with their techical ability and superior players and we'll get beat
2/3-0.
The other is that we'll give our best performance so far under Trap, and that we'll give as good as we get.

I reckon there's a goal for us tomorrow evening. I'd agree that Italy haven't been great so far. We're still unbeaten. I've this nagging feeling that we're going to nick a win. This is now a double horrible millstone hanging around our necks, the 22 years since a proper away win against a top seeded nation, and the failure to defeat an actual rival since 2001.
I reckon Doyle and Robbie and Aiden (if fit) can terrorise the Italian back 4.

Italy 0 - 1 Ireland

Duggie
31/03/2009, 2:05 PM
ya and we are definitely not even near that at the moment!!!

looks like it will be pazzini and rossi upfront, id take that in fairness.

Lionel Ritchie
31/03/2009, 2:20 PM
I have no idea which Ireland side is going to turn up.

Our best chance of winning it is if we score the only goal in the final minutes because when we score any way early we just freeze up.

This Italian team, world champs or not, are no great shakes mind.

weldoninhio
31/03/2009, 2:30 PM
I hope we go and park the bus and play for a 0-0 - do an Italian Job on the Italians.

Unfortunately we have more a broken down hiace than a bus. Hasn't really been able to pass the NCT since 2002.

The Fly
31/03/2009, 3:06 PM
I thought I'd bring some much needed levity to forum...........

............whatever some poster's opinions are on Hunt's merits as player in general or relative to Duff, they pale into insignificance next to a fella who posts under the name 'Javier' on the eleven a side forum/messageboard.

Javier, bless him, thinks we should deploy Hunt in central midfield - where, and brace yourself, he believes he could or would be the Irish Pirlo.

Always provides a little comic relief that Javier!


Maybe we should start a new thread named 'Javier Watch,'..........:D

Anyway here are Javier's suggestions for the match against Italy tomorrow night;

"i saw both games italy was very lucky to get a penalty that ireland did not get away vs macedonia."
err.....that's montenegro Javier

"Ireland played awful in midfield, last sat, no drive, no tactics, that is why players like DELAP AND ANDY REID are needed, THEN again, stephen hunt, can play in a free role - like pirlo :D , where he is more happy, as he did with reading,"
this follows on from his earlier suggestion that Trapattoni should be sacked if Delap and Reid do not make up the centre midfield against Italy

"mc shame needs to be replaced by kelly i think this time, but Trappatoni, is making to many mistakes with the formation and the lack of substitutions, CALEB FOLAN is needed to create confusion in the box, and young LONG is another tall mobile player that always performs when in the green shirt"
not sure if mc shame is a typo ;)
the only place Folan might create confusion is in the stands,
and Long is apparently a tall player.

In fairness to Javier he is apparently from Argentina, so you can excuse spelling mistakes but would expect better football knowledge - a stereotype I know but...............
Maybe he thinks Irish surnames are given in a cryptically literal fashion - Long is tall, McShane is McShame............

Javier - always good for a laugh, I look forward to his expert analysis post Bari.