Nigeria Post Match Thoughts and Analysis

[irishfan86]

I'll start off by giving my ratings- feel free to share yours or argue against mine.

Given-6- Not much to do, we kept them to the outside, but his presence probably helped the debutantes out.

Foley-6- Some great crosses and nice pieces of play, but didn't look strong enough at times. Probably the defender most at fault for the goal- he should have been more committed in the challenge.

Sledge-7-As good a debut as you can make as a centre-half short of scoring. Impressive.

Dunne-7-Solid at the back, and composed in possession.

Nolan-6-Doesn't look ready for this level just yet.

Lawrence-6- I've been championing his cause for a long time, but he looked pretty bad tonight. The only bright spot was his set piece delivery, and he looked reckless with his "challenges."

Liam Miller-7-One of the better performers for us tonight, as Townsend was saying, he's got the talent but he needs to find the consistency.

Andrews-7-Unspectacular but he played a role in Robbie's goal and came close with a few shooting attempts.

Duff-6- Quiet by his standards. Glad to see him avoid injury.

Keane-8-Best player on the park tonight. Some classy touches and a great finish for the goal.

Best-6.5- Glimpses of something special. Some good link up with Robbie at times as well.

Subs:

Westwood-7-Looked confident and made a couple of good takes, but didn't have anything incredibly difficult to deal with.

McGeady-6- always willing to take his man on, but to little effect.

Long-6-Great running and effort, and you've got to love his attitude, but he didn't have much to work with.

McShane-6-Poor use of the ball, not much to deal with defensively.

Whelan-6-Didn't make much of an impact during a slow second half.

Hunt-6.5-Looked lively as usual and tried to create a few sparks in a dead game.


In terms of the game next week, the only debutante from tonight I'd be willing to put straight into the side would be Sledge, with O'Shea moving out to the right.

[Closed Account]

Missed the first half hour.

Given: 7 Only really seen that he had no chance for the goal, but he gets a 7 nearly by default everyweek anyway

Foley: 6 Caught a bit flat footed for the goal and looked a bit slight of frame compared to the Nigerians, also remember one of his clearances not beating the first man. Not a bad debut, at least its out of the way but won't start on Saturday

Dunne: 7 Similiar to Given, nearly always plays above average for Ireland. Was compsed on the ball and can't remember him doing anything wrong.

St Ledger: 7 Good debut, gave away a couple of free kicks but you could see he was just over eager to make a good impression. Nearly got an assist for Best and his aerial attacking ability could prove useful. Won't disturb Dunne-O'Shea just yet but probably puts himself ahead of McShane for first defensive sub.

Nolan: 6.5 Didn't seem to do anything wrong and its hard for a right footer to have much attacking ambition when playing left. Played well from what I saw and probably doesn't help having McGeady in front of you.

Lawrence: 6 Played as I expected, our system isn't really set up for him. Likes to get the ball to feet with players to hit in front of him where as we like to knock the ball in front of our wingers to run onto. Might not get another cap for a while with Duff/McGeady/Hunt ahead of him.

Miller: 7.5 Always liked him when he's playing well and has a ball winner beside him, but he probably won't have another good game for 3 games. A lot at stake for him tonight, shop window wise, so I guess he had to play well.

Andrews: 7 Intelligent player, knows his job. Doesn't give it away, gets stuck in, wins headers in midfield. Really like him. (setanta man of the match)

Duff: 7 Another generous seven, as I didn't really see much of him. Sucked in two defenders which eventually created the space for the goal.

Best: 6.5 Getting plaudits from other avenues but I don't think he'll be too happy with his performance. He worked hard, got in good positions and maybe with a bit more confidence could of scored two. But he's a striker, thrives on confidence and usually when he got the ball to his feet in good positions, ran out of ideas. A harsh 6.5 but has put himself in the frame to replace Folan on Saturday.

Keane: 8 Best player on pitch for first 45. Looked like he was enjoying himself. Back him to score on Saturday

Subs:
Westwood: 7 Dealt comfortably with everyone and distribution from the back was excellent

McGeady: 5 Needs some expert coaching on how to play football before its too late, i would hate to be on a pitch with him.

Long: 7 Love his attitude, would like to see him start on Saturday, then again, he gives you bundles of energy from the bench and it remains to be seen if he can do it from the start.

Hunt: 6 Came on, got stuck in, got in peoples faces. Typical Hunt.

Whelan: 5 Not impressed, gave the ball away a few times and tried a ridiculous shot with options in front of him. Granted Lawrence tried something similiar but I thought that was a slightly better opportunity

McShane: 6 Final ball was terrible and very little to do defensively.

[strangeirish]

Keane: 8 Best player on pitch for first 45. Looked like he was enjoying himself. Back him to score on Wednesday

Nah, I wouldn't. Waste of money.:D

[Closed Account]

Nah, I wouldn't. Waste of money.:D
Dammit, meh, gonna leave it there, mentioned it a few times. see how many people pull me up on it. :confused:

[Umberside]

What was the score lads I wasn't around to see it.

[irishfan86]

What was the score lads I wasn't around to see it.

1-1, Keane with our goal.

[Youths4Ever]

not totally up on my Nigerian internationals but thought the team as whole played well against on ok looking Nigeria. Some very good looking players for the future I think very importantly no player making their debut looked totally out of their depth. Obviously some need a higher level of football week in week out or at least to be playing week in week out and time to develop but overall I believe a lot more positives then negatives to be taken from the game. Also looked like got through with out any injuries being picked up

[Noelys Guitar]

Very useful exercise. Dunne was excellent as was Andrews. Of the new lads I thought ST Ledger and Best looked most at home playing international football but was impressed with all of our first/second cappers. I definetely think Lawerence can play better.

[captkeen]

To be honest i never rate friendlies,especially close to a big match. Players like Duff and co look after themselves and the newish players put a bit of effort in,but they should all be fit after a season of football and i think to play an international in london a week before a match that would put us in a strong position in the World Cup Group was a stupid idea.
Im on my travels to Bulgaria next week and hope to see a very improved performance from our team. Ireland have never won in Sofia so i`m hoping we can put that straight.

[Seano]

.Ireland have never won in Sofia so i`m hoping we can put that straight.

Yes we have thanks to a Gary Mackay winner :p

[geysir]

Nothing like a game to put all the newcomers into a bit better focus. Nothing really stupenduos about their performances, maybe the match was a just "bit" of a letdown after watching Barca.

Ledger should get into the squad. There is no rush to start Foley and Nolan.
Miller did enough to show why Trap keeps him around.
Lawrence is a bit better of an option than Keogh, out right.

Did Ledger do enough to start with Dunne and move Josh to RB?
Unfortunately I suffered a long stints of attention deficiency while trying to watch the match feed and have no opinion myself.
Looks like Trap will start with a big man up front (Folan) next Saturday.

[irishfan86]

Did Ledger do enough to start with Dunne and move Josh to RB?

He just looked very composed and not out of place, and in addition to this, he headed the ball right on a silver platter to Best off a set piece.

I'm not passionate about St. Ledger replacing O'Shea in the middle, and O'Shea being pushed out right, but if a change is to happen with our back 4, that would be the one I'd make.

It was Foley's debut, and I'm not going to be too hard on him, but based on this performance I wouldn't trust him in Sofia. This isn't to say he won't be a good player for us, I just don't think he's ready yet.

McShane just isn't a fullback and wastes possession.

Nolan didn't look comfortable on the left but again it's his debut and I do think he's going to be a decent player for us in a couple of years.

For the first time in a while I think there's a bit of mystery about what the starting XI will be for next match.

[mypost]

Didn't watch it, and wouldn't put too much emphasis on the result.

The only purpose of it, was to keep the lads fitness up for next weekend.

[geysir]

If that was even the main purpose, then Trap would have started the first 11, mostly I'd say we are looking at performances of the newcomers and it's okay not to lose.

[mypost]

It's now standard procedure for us to have a friendly immediately before the June qualifiers, to keep the players sharp. They have struggled at times in the past, when thrown cold into an end-of-season qualifier.

The result and performance tonight doesn't matter. Next week is what counts.

[howsyourtouch]

the back four is being built around john o'shea and dunne,why would anyone possibly disrupt this half way through a qualifying campaign...if anyone needs to go its mcshane and put st ledger in at right back and keep it solid,no more mcshane giving the ball away EVERY time he gets it...

[Kingdom]

This new kid Miller looks ok, he looks to have a bright future ahead of him....:)

[zenokelly]

It's now standard procedure for us to have a friendly immediately before the June qualifiers, to keep the players sharp.

We haven't had a June qualifier for 4 years?:confused:

He would've played Killer, Whelan, McGeady/Hunt, McShane from the start if that was his main aim.

[youngirish]

Quite a positive performance imo. Nigeria didn't look great tbh and it might have been different if they had been playing their strongest players but I thought we were the better team and all of the debutants looked like they could have something useful to offer in future. Some of our passing was impressive particularly in the first half. Of the new players I thought both St Ledger and Best had the best night.

St Ledger looked solid and composed. If you didn't know better you'd never have guessed he was one of the players gaining his first cap. I watched him shouting instructions to the rest of the defence a number of times thoughout the match like he'd been a regular for years. Good to see.

Best looked strong and quick and I was particularly impressed with his constant harrying of the opposition back four when they had the ball, never giving them a second and ultimately forcing them to make mistakes. I think in the long term he should be a more useful alternative to Folan but he needs to get his career back on track next season and realise his potential. He's had a few problems with injuries over the past few seasons which haven't helped his progress either so hopefully he can stay injury free and get an extended run in the Coventry team next year.

Nolan looked solid enough in a weak position for us. Never spectacular but he's been playing rigth back for Preston this season so it was a big ask to expect him to set the world alight.

Foley looked good on the ball but dodgy defensively on a few occasions. Maybe a bit overawed by the occasion. We'll see how he gets on in the Premiership next season but I believe he has the ability to do well.

Of all the debutants I was disappointed with Lawrence the most. I expected him to possibly be the player most likely pushing for a starting place in the short term but he had a quiet game.

To sum up it was certainly a more impressive collection of debutants than the likes of Joe Lapira and Alan O'Brien from the dark days under Stan though credit where it's due Stan did initially discover St Ledger's Irish connections and called him into the squad and just how valuable could that turn out to be in the future?

[elroy]

McShane didnt play for very long but I think we really are going to struggle to get a result in Sofia if he plays any part in our defence next week. Standard friendly fare, but worth the run out, if for any reason to blend new lads into the team. The two big Q's for next week is who will partner Dunne/JOSH and KK and who will be alongside Keane up front.

[John83]

The two big Q's for next week is who will partner Dunne/JOSH and KK and who will be alongside Keane up front.
Unless I've missed an injury, there's still a decision to be made in central midfield too: Andrews or Gibson to partner Whelan. Even Miller might be hoping to be considered given he's supposed to have been decent against Nigeria, though I'd expect him on the bench at best.

[dr_peepee]

the back four is being built around john o'shea and dunne,why would anyone possibly disrupt this half way through a qualifying campaign.


Because Trapp disrupted it against Italy to put O'Shea full back so it's somewhere in his thinkin. Fact is that as things stand O'Shea and Dunne are our best CB pairing however for the back four as a unit there's a case to be argued for playing O'Shea at Full back.
One question to be asked is "Is St Ledger a better centre half than Kilbane is a left full or McShane Right full??"...

I don't think it'll happen against Bulgaria but I'd expect St Ledger to get games in the centre in Thomond Park in August..

Keane was quality last night... Though that air hit on the turn in the penalty area was trademark. Difficult I know, but I think it's that finesse that keeps him out of the top four sides. Defoe, allthough the inferior player in IMO would have got it on target.

Too hard to judge really, I think in terms of the new guys. Friendlies at this stage always are. Foley looked assured, but not as solid as I'd like from a full back. I always prefare solid doggish fullbacks given the choice (Carr pre 2002) but foley looked good in parts in is probbly the best specialist right full we have at the minute..

I saw some play from Nolan that would indicate there's a centre half in him. Wouldn't be overly confident with him at left full. Miller showed some good stuff but there's always that scene where he's half a second off the pace... Thought Andrews done well enough. He'll retain his place with Whelan on Sat. As much as Lawrence would have done nothing to displace McGeady or Duff, he has presence and physicality. These little tussles and battles are not to be underestimated and I think he'll retain his place in the squad. I think his football will come through with a few more caps..

Best done well but I couldn't help feeling there's more there. He definately ticks a few more box's than Folan in terms of atributes. And it wasn't all route one. Hopefully Trapp's the man to get him to tap into that last 20%... . I Think an eleven with Dunne a fit Reid and a Best would be a real solid spine!!!

[geysir]

Unless I've missed an injury, there's still a decision to be made in central midfield too: Andrews or Gibson to partner Whelan. Even Miller might be hoping to be considered given he's supposed to have been decent against Nigeria, though I'd expect him on the bench at best.
Most would agree that the CM partnership looks reasonably settled in Trap's mind and the question most likely will be answered, without too much stress, by Whelan and Andrews.
RB is a proven dodgy area.
Most would like to think that Trap is thinking long and hard about the options to replace McShane at RB.
This friendly game showed that Trap was quite (100%) justified in not throwing Foley and Nolan into a qualifier, even ahead of McShane.
Which leaves O'Shea or Kelly as the only real alternatives at RB.

[Junior]

I hadnt seen any of the debutants play before, only read about them on here.

St-Ledger - I thought he looked great. Physical, assertive, confident, good ariel threat. He lived up to the hype. I really liked the lok of him.

Nolan/Foley - Less impressed. Foley did make some crisp passes but also lost possession a few times far too easily. Unfortuantely he didnt get forward as much as I would have hoped. Nolan did nothing of note. I doubt either did anything to harm/improve their chances of future caps too much tbh.

Best - Put in a good shift. Thought I was watching Folan at first! Similar attributes. Will be interesting to see if he defers back to Folan for Saturday. Best was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet but for a great block.

Lawrence - Fairly quiet game, has a bit of 'dig' about him that I generally like, though I hope he has the temperment to control it.

Someone said Nigeria were poor. I actually thought they looked quite decent. Very composed at the back (ok sometimes a little too composed!) and comfortable on the ball. Some lovely passing from midfield out to their wide players, swept it around quite quickly.


Good noise from both sets of fans. Nigerias "All we are saying is give us a goooaaal" sounded great. Probably only a fewthousand behind the goal but when it first struck up sounded like 50,000 - good tune.

Good first half, 2nd half was less entertaining. Beautiful evening, treated myself to a Riverside Stand ticket (way overpriced for a friendly!!!) had a few prematch and half time swallies - all in, a good night!!

Even spotted Sligohornets jersey prematch in the Golden Lion!!

[lopez]

Won't go into a great deal of match analysis, because I'm not expert enough in it, but I think that Nigeria on the skill side of things looked more impressive. Think 1-1 was fair result and good seeing the players that were missing.

Love these internationals at Craven Cottage and hope they continue. Took Conchita y los ninos to the game. It's a great part of London but dissapointed that there was not as many as last year, probably down to the small Nigerian support to Colombia's, which is a bit of a disgrace considering that there are more Nigerians than Colombians in London and that they are more affluent. Hope to get one of the World Cup Carribbean teams (Jamaica or Trinidad) or another South American side, if it is played again next year. Irish fans have played their part ensuring this fixture is a success and gets some sort of regularity, so hope it doesn't get binned when the FAI are looking to get every friendly Ireland ever plays in future, hosted at Lansdowne Road.

[zenokelly]

Unless I've missed an injury, there's still a decision to be made in central midfield too: Andrews or Gibson to partner Whelan. Even Miller might be hoping to be considered given he's supposed to have been decent against Nigeria, though I'd expect him on the bench at best.

I think there's 3 decisions that Trap has to make.

St Ledger/McShane at the back. I'm not including Foley because I don't think the manager fancied him before last night, was at fault for the goal, and was very sloppy in the first half.

Whelan and Gibson/Andrews. Personally i think that Andrews will get the nod, but I wouldn't rule out Gibson, solely because of Trap's subsitution in Bari(by the way Gibson's a doubt for Sofia)

And 2 of Duff/McGeady/Hunt. People might think that it will be Duff and McGeady, but I wouldn't be so sure considering Trap could have been seen to be resting Hunt last night and his MOTM performance in Bari.

No matter what, it will be the most interesting team selection by Trap so far in the qualifiers.

[the doc]

I'm not passionate about St. Ledger replacing O'Shea in the middle, and O'Shea being pushed out right, but if a change is to happen with our back 4, that would be the one I'd make.

I don't think anyone expects Trapp to break up the Dunne/O'Shea partnership, but at last Trapp is looking at options and giving new players a chance to show what they can do.

[Colbert Report]

I'll tell you something. That young Westwood lad has an unreal leg on him. He kicked it the full length of the pitch how many times?

[irishultra]

Won't go into a great deal of match analysis, because I'm not expert enough in it, but I think that Nigeria on the skill side of things looked more impressive. Think 1-1 was fair result and good seeing the players that were missing.

Love these internationals at Craven Cottage and hope they continue. Took Conchita y los ninos to the game. It's a great part of London but dissapointed that there was not as many as last year, probably down to the small Nigerian support to Colombia's, which is a bit of a disgrace considering that there are more Nigerians than Colombians in London and that they are more affluent. Hope to get one of the World Cup Carribbean teams (Jamaica or Trinidad) or another South American side, if it is played again next year. Irish fans have played their part ensuring this fixture is a success and gets some sort of regularity, so hope it doesn't get binned when the FAI are looking to get every friendly Ireland ever plays in future, hosted at Lansdowne Road.

How about we host some England matches here for all their immigrants :rolleyes:

[paul_oshea]

lads may sound like a stupid question, but i thought foley was right back and nolan left back?sounds different from what im reading here as i thought foley looked good on the ball whereas nolan looked a bit unsure and nervous like he didnt really want the ball...

[geysir]

lads may sound like a stupid question, but i thought foley was right back and nolan right back?sounds different from what im reading here.
Looks like you need a few more days to sober up, Paul.

[paul_oshea]

Looks like you need a few more days to sober up, Paul.

edited but, yes, i do, ive been in bed all day only eating dinner/breakfast now. Cant drink pints of heineken export till 4 in the morning, it wrecks me :( :D

[geysir]

Trap looks to be edging to playing Robbie in his Bari role again, with Folan (if fit) up front.

“Yes, people talk about Caleb Folan and Kevin Doyle and we need to find other players who can play up front while Robbie plays a little but between attack and midfield. It’s important to find and another player who can play in this space.”

sounds like a verbatim quote :)

[ifk101]

I thought Nigeria were quite poor - probably the reason Liam Miller had a good game :D.

Of the debutants;
St Ledger looked too slow for the international game but I'll reserve judgement for now.
Nolan needs a few seasons of first team football before he becomes a viable option.
Foley was shaky defensively but looks a better option than McShane at right-full.
Lawrence looked out of position and had a poor game.
Best did well (I can see why NI were interested in him :)) but needs to learn how to score.

[peadar1987]

Lawrence, as I've said before, is a strange player. He can be electric or awful. Most of the time he's very good at picking out passes, and delivering them, although he's lacking in pace. About once in every five or six games though, he'll hit his time of the month, and won't be able to find a red and white shirt all match.

[Paddy Garcia]

I think there's 3 decisions that Trap has to make.

St Ledger/McShane at the back. I'm not including Foley because I don't think the manager fancied him before last night, was at fault for the goal, and was very sloppy in the first half.

.

Surely he won't pick McShane again - once again his performance was useless, unbelievable errors which underline why he cant get a game of football.

[irishfan86]

Surely he won't pick McShane again - once again his performance was useless, unbelievable errors which underline why he cant get a game of football.

He's good in the air and a good tackler. I think playing centre-half for a Championship side or lower Premier League side is what he needs to be doing- he's not as bad as some say here, but he's just not a fullback.

I think Hull should try and snap him up- even though he played as a fullback for them he seemed to fit in with their system.

In terms of Ireland, I'd have him in the squad as our 4th choice centre-half, and not in the reckoning at all for fullback at this point in time.

[Colbert Report]

He's good in the air and a good tackler. I think playing centre-half for a Championship side or lower Premier League side is what he needs to be doing- he's not as bad as some say here, but he's just not a fullback.

I think Hull should try and snap him up- even though he played as a fullback for them he seemed to fit in with their system.

In terms of Ireland, I'd have him in the squad as our 4th choice centre-half, and not in the reckoning at all for fullback at this point in time.

Who would you put in at right back next week against Bulgaria? Foley?

[irishfan86]

I'm loathe to break up the pairing of Dunne and O'Shea, but I'd seriously think about pushing O'Shea out to the right and putting St. Ledger in the middle with Dunne.

I think placing one of our best defenders in O'Shea up against Martin Petrov as opposed to letting him run at the inexperienced Foley or the incapable McShane would also be a smart decision.

[MeathDrog]

Anyone see the 6 o clock news on RTE? They interviewed a player (didn't know who he was) and 'Keith Fahey' came up at the bottom of the screen....

[Colbert Report]

I'm loathe to break up the pairing of Dunne and O'Shea, but I'd seriously think about pushing O'Shea out to the right and putting St. Ledger in the middle with Dunne.

I think placing one of our best defenders in O'Shea up against Martin Petrov as opposed to letting him run at the inexperienced Foley or the incapable McShane would also be a smart decision.

I don't think that's a terrible idea, but I also don't like giving a competitive debut to someone like Foley in such a big big game.

[irishfan86]

I don't think that's a terrible idea, but I also don't like giving a competitive debut to someone like Foley in such a big big game.

I assume you mean St. Ledger and not Foley?

I agree it's a risk, but I'd rather risk St. Ledger at centre-half than risk McShane or Foley at right full.

[Stuttgart88]

Enjoyed the game, though it clearly lacked the edge of a competitive game.

By and large, the debutants disappointed me. Lawrence looked OK, Nolan was hot & cold (big lad - looks like a CB up close).

Foley didn't shine at all though I couldn't see who was at fault for the goal, but surely between Duff and Nolan the guy who put the ball in should have been pressurised. Foley played at least one dreadful pass straight across our box to a Nigerian. Those, like me, calling for his inclusion weren't given anything to back their claims up on Friday.

Best tried hard and did reasonably well. Ball was played "into the channels" way too much for him and Long in second half. Wenger & Guardiola would have cringed.

Westwood was quiet but was tidy when called upon.

Sledge was clearly the pick of the bunch. One careless pass but generally very good.

As said above, that new guy Miller looks handy! I've been a big critic but credit when due, he moved the ball about accurately and quickly and generally snapped at their ankles, making a few strong tackles.

I think Andrews is getting better & better. I liked the look of him.

Decent enough performance. Nigeria played & moved better than we did initially but we got back into it and were better than them in second half. We noticably upped the tempo I think.

Anyone see the Nigerian WAGs at the Hammersmith End at half-time?

[lopez]

How about we host some England matches here for all their immigrants :rolleyes:Just for the (English) immigrants? :rolleyes:

Still way things are going with the economy there, Craven Cottage might be nearer to the workplace come next year.

[ifk101]

Just for the (English) immigrants? :rolleyes:

Still way things are going with the economy there, Craven Cottage might be nearer to the workplace come next year.

I'm sure he was referring to the sizeable Nigeria population in Ireland. A match between Ireland and Nigeria played at an Irish venue would of attracted a bigger crowd than that which attended the game in Craven Cottage.

[tetsujin1979]

Flew back yesterday afternoon from Gatwick, missed the cup final :(

Given was alright in the game, apart from picking the ball out of the back of the net, I don't remember him having much to do

Nolan looked a little out of his depth here. He seemed to be trying hard, but very little of it came off. I'm not sure if he's a natural left full back, and we've had enough square pegs in that particular round hole
Dunne was excellent. Since coming back from his last suspension, his form for Man City has returned. Deservedly took the captain's armband when Robbie Keane went off
St Ledger was the pick of the debutants. Strangely, conceding the goal seemed to calm him and he was comfortable in possession after that, as well as being strong in the air. Still not going to start ahead of O'Shea or Dunne, but should be first choice replacement ahead of Bruce after this
Foley never really settled into the game and didn't link up well with Lawrence either. Nolan had the experienced Duff in front of him on his debut, not sure if two debutants on the right was the correct call.

Duff was ok, seemed to work hard, but didn't have a lot of space to move in. After the end of the season he's had, I hoped the Ireland setup would be a welcome respite from Newcastle
Andrews stuck to his role in central midfield well, blocked attacks and had an excellent pass for Robbie's goal. Considering one year ago he was playing in League Two, it's been some 12 months for him
Miller had his best game in a long time. If I was being unkind I would say that he's playing for a transfer. Won't start ahead of Whelan or Andrews, but should keep his place in the squad for now. With McCann, Fahey and probably McCarthy playing at higher levels next season, he'll need to reproduce this form consistently to keep it
Lawrence didn't do much for me, was wasteful in possession, didn't seem to work hard to get back the ball, and didn't show enough for a pass, meaning Foley resorted to a long ball far too often. Again I would question the logic of playing two debutants in front of one another

Keane took his goal magnificently, and worked hard behind Best, but didn't do a lot else. On the other hand, he's a striker and he's only really supposed to score goal. Ireland under Trapattoni are starting to remind me a little of Arsenal with Henry in the team in that everything the team does is geared towards creating a chance for Keane, to the detriment of other scorers. If it works, well and good, but if it doesn't.....
Best kept the opposition defence on their toes with some good movement to make room for his strike partners. Possibly tried too hard at times, with some wayward shots. Hard to choose between him and Folan, but I reckon Folan's contribution in Italy will get him the nod

Westwood, like Given, didn't have a lot to do, but made one smart save. If he hadn't, we would accuse him of having a poor game
McShane was poor, the lack of recent game time showed badly. I don't think he's a full back, but it's clear now that Trapattoni doesn't see him as a centre half either
Mcgeady was on the other side of the pitch to me, so I couldn't see him. I actually didn't notice him until about the 60th minute, maybe that says it all
Whelan replaced Andrews in a like for like substitution. They are possibly too similar players to have an effective partnership in central midfield?
Hunt came on and ran around a lot and didn't do much else. He's not a right winger by any stretch of the imagination. The guy next to me said he's like a pup chasing a piece of paper!
Long was desperately unlucky with a shot that was well saved by their keeper, and rightly complained about not been passed the ball when through on the right side

Overall, I wasn't disappointed with the result. Ireland never lost their shape, and never stopped playing the game the way Trapattoni wants them to play. For a team with so many debutants, this is encouraging that it's being drilled into them in training. Even after going behind, we still looked in control, and scoring was an inevitability. Not sure whether to blame their goal on Nolan or Duff for not blocking the pass, or Foley for allowing the shot. Their keeper was their best player, and honestly thought he could have been MOTM, until I saw it had gone to Andrews on soccerrepublic.ie

Roll on Bulgaria.

[NeilMcD]

Is there a call to say play O Shea at full back and St Ledger at centre back. I would be very reluctant to break up Dunne O Shea partnership, however Martin Petrov is a top class left winger and I would not fancy Foley or Mc Shane against him. St Ledger does look like the sort of player who would not get nervous about playing in a game. He seems a hungry mature confident player at the moment. Its a tough call for Trap but certainly worth a thought.

[tetsujin1979]

Anyone see the 6 o clock news on RTE? They interviewed a player (didn't know who he was) and 'Keith Fahey' came up at the bottom of the screen....
You can check out the news report here: http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1049074
There's a report on the game from 15:35.
The interview you're referring to is on about 17:20, here's a screenshot
http://tetsujin1979.googlepages.com/fahey.JPG

[MeathDrog]

You can check out the news report here: http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1049074
There's a report on the game from 15:35.
The interview you're referring to is on about 17:20, here's a screenshot
http://tetsujin1979.googlepages.com/fahey.JPG
Aye cheers, who is the player anyway?

[Supreme feet]

It's Kevin Foley.