Republic of Ireland V Slovakia - Friday, 2nd September 2011 - Euro 2012 Qualifier

[shakermaker1982]

Odds on us playing awful tomorrow and then grinding out a draw over in Moscow after (4 days of heavy criticism)?

1 point and it's game over.
2 points and the group is a mess for all teams.
3 points (beating Slovakia but losing in Moscow) and we should finish 2nd
4 points and I'm over the moon
6 points - start packing your suitcase for Poland/Ukraine

[jbyrne]

Yet you are making out Trap has done a great job a few months ago jbyrne.

he is. slovakia are no mugs. line their same players out under the name holland, italy etc and people would be thinking we'd be doing well to draw. they had a good wc and beat russia away.
will be very tight game, heart says 1 nil but think it'll be a draw.

[BonnieShels]

Ah lads the pessimism is killing my buzz.

Thing about Ireland games is that bias makes it difficult for realism to take hold with me.

I fully expect to win every game no matter who we play because simply any other result is disappointing for me to say the least.

I always feel because of this there's no point in me being realistic because inevitably it would be somewhat of a pyrrhic victory for me to predict an Irish loss and be correct.
This is also a reason why I can't bet on Ireland games. Ever!!!

For what its worth the head says 2-1 and the heart says 3-0.

[IsMiseSean]

A boring 1-0 win and I'll be happy, but I reckon Slovakia will score...

[Stuttgart88]

Monumental week for us. We'll get 6 points.

[IsMiseSean]

Team Confirmed http://twitter.com/#!/FAIreland

Shay Given, John O’Shea, Richard Dunne, Sean St Ledger, Stephen Ward, Damien Duff, Keith Andrews, Glenn Whelan, Aiden McGeady, Robbie Keane and Shane Long

[lionelhutz]

Long instead of Doyle. Big call. Personally, I would have picked Doyle - I think he's still a better all rounder - but I can see why Trap made the decision. Long is on a high after playing very well for West Brom since he signed and Doyle has been a bit in and out with injury/form

[EastTerracer]

Team Confirmed http://twitter.com/#!/FAIreland (http://twitter.com/#%21/FAIreland)

Shay Given, John O’Shea, Richard Dunne, Sean St Ledger, Stephen Ward, Damien Duff, Keith Andrews, Glenn Whelan, Aiden McGeady, Robbie Keane and Shane Long

Ward is the right selection and we all knew the left-back position needed to be addressed but I have to say there is a tinge of sadness that Kilbane's streak of competitive starts is at an end. He's been a legend for us and will hopefully still be part of the squad come next summer in Poland & Ukraine (he deserves it).

[Kingdom]

He's dropped the ball by dropping Doyle. Stupid decision.

[paul_oshea]

Kingdom"dropped the ball". Discuss?

[Kingdom]

Kingdom"dropped the ball". Discuss?

Seriously?

[shakermaker1982]

I think Long as an impact sub would do more damage than Doyle....

Doyle mustn't be match fit.

[Kingdom]

I think Long as an impact sub would do more damage than Doyle....

Doyle mustn't be match fit.

That has to be it. Unless he's going to surprise us by keeping the ball on the deck.

[AlaskaFox]

Ireland 2-0 Slovakia
Andrews 13
St. Ledger 56

[punkrocket]

I'm disappointed that Doyle's been dropped but no one can deny Long's form right now, Trap sees a lot more of everyone playing together during the week as well and as he's always put great faith in confidence and momentum shouldn't be too much of a surprise. That said Doyle hasn't had a bad start to his season either. Off the bench a la Quinn if needed. I'm feeling confident about these matches we're on a great run, no major injury crisis and we are well overdue a good win in the new LR. 2.0. here and 1.1 in Russia.
Then off to do a bit of online research again, shouldn't take me so long this time.

[Stuttgart88]

Looks like we're going to play the ball on the floor more, rather than lumping long balls to Doyle.

Long had an excellent game in Zilina so that might have favoured him.

I'm comfortable with that decision, especially as he has started the season so well.

After losing his place to Cox for Macedonia and coming off early against Italy, this is a big boost for Long.

We've got into a great habit of scoring early under Trap. I think this is a statement of intent.

[Charlie Darwin]

Do we play the ball on the floor more when Long is playing? I don't think so.

The way Long is playing at the moment, he has a goal a game in him. Against Stoke it took a wonder save from the goalkeeper to stop him. Doyle's botched a couple of simple chances already this season and doesn't look as sharp but is still a great option from the bench. There might be some player management going on in the sense that Doyle could be required to put in a monster 90 minutes against Russia.

[Closed Account]

There might be some player management going on in the sense that Doyle could be required to put in a monster 90 minutes against Russia.Nail on head.

[SwanVsDalton]

Surprising, not sure I agree it with but simply off the fact that Long is in serious goalscorer form and will possibly offer more threat in front of goal, I've no problem with it. Fairly daring move and people don't say that about Trap much.

[Closed Account 2]

Is Doyle suspended if he gets another yellow ?

[pineapple stu]

Dunno if it's been mentioned yet, but the two other games in the group tomorrow are 5pm kick offs. Be nice to go into our game knowing Macedonia or Andorra have done us a favour.

[paul_oshea]

BonnieShels?

[Stuttgart88]

Stu, are they on Setanta?

[zero]

Dunno if it's been mentioned yet, but the two other games in the group tomorrow are 5pm kick offs. Be nice to go into our game knowing Macedonia or Andorra have done us a favour.

hmm, i'd rather armenia win against andorra. i don't see them as a real threat in the group but if they win it keeps them in the mix - and gives them something to play for in slovakia on tuesday.

it would be great if the macedons got something but the toshak factor tells me it's about 100/1. best we can hope for is some indiscipline from russia that seems they short a few players for our game.

[Stuttgart88]

According to the Indo, St. Ledger is going to hug tight to Stephen Ward on the left, in a strange double-tag left back combination, while O'Shea and Dunne are the 2 CBs. I think it's a big risk not playing a right back myself.

"Wolves defender Stephen Ward starts alongside Sean St Ledger, with the old hands John O'Shea and Richard Dunne in the centre in front of Shay Given's goal."

[pineapple stu]

Stu, are they on Setanta?
No ideas. I just looked up livescore.

Don't see Andorra causing an upset anyway, but it's a good point on keeping Armenia's interest going.

[paul_oshea]

According to the Indo, St. Ledger is going to hug tight to Stephen Ward on the left, ina strange double-tag left back combination, while O'Shea and Dunne are the 2 CBs. I think it's a big risk not playing a right back myself.

"Wolves defender Stephen Ward starts alongside Sean St Ledger, with the old hands John O'Shea and Richard Dunne in the centre in front of Shay Given's goal."

hmm that sounds very strange are you sure? TO me if true, that sounds like Trap doesn't fully trust Ward.

[Stuttgart88]

No, but it's what the Indo wrote. My point was that it was total garbage, the type of sentence that only somebody who doesn't know anything about football could put together.

[osarusan]

No, but it's what the Indo wrote. My point was that it was total garbage, the type of sentence that only somebody who doesn't know anything about football could put together.

Far more likely to be a misused prepositional phrase: replace 'starts alongside' with 'starts along with' and the sentence is fine. That's far more likely in my opinion tha the Indo journo (whoever it was) really thought what you're suggesting.

[SwanVsDalton]

No, but it's what the Indo wrote. My point was that it was total garbage, the type of sentence that only somebody who doesn't know anything about football could put together.

The Indo's really feeling your wrath today. You appear to have an unhealthily masochistic need to read it.

[BonnieShels]

BonnieShels?

you rang?

Was actually working!

[paul_oshea]

No, but it's what the Indo wrote. My point was that it wa
s total garbage, the type of sentence that only somebody who doesn't know anything about football could put together.

Yep see that now completely missed it...i hope im better for getting over tomorrow as the energy levels are completely gone

[Stuttgart88]

I hate the rag, but I can't help going to the usual Irish news sites in match week. Osarusan is being far too charitable!

[geysir]

It's true enough, there's no feckin' right back in Indo man's football vision.

[Charlie Darwin]

You can understand their confusion, though, what with everyone going around wearing no. 3.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/static/images/2011/0901/1224303337812_1.jpg

[OwenGoal]

Full strength team, great run of form, weakened opposition. We're fcuked. If there's one thing the Irish can't handle it's confidence. That and new-found wealth. The last time we were on such a high going into a match we got taken apart by Russia. Or am I wrong this time?

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't think you can really compare the situations. There is a steeliness about this team that I haven't seen since the World Cup in 02. Confidence is only bad when it's misplaced but this team is so well-drilled and works so hard that I think it's a positive.

[OwenGoal]

I don't think you can really compare the situations. There is a steeliness about this team that I haven't seen since the World Cup in 02. Confidence is only bad when it's misplaced but this team is so well-drilled and works so hard that I think it's a positive.

Hhmm. Kinda know what you mean. It's less and less squeaky bottom time when we go 1 up and we do seem to be able to see out games better. But still.... as an Ireland fan you get used to a diet of disappointment.

[tommy_c12000]

Not sure if it has been discussed already but how different will the artificial pitch at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow to normal grass pitches? Could it affect our chances? I think when Chelsea played United there in 2008, there was a temporary grass pitch installed

[christo]

Full strength team, great run of form, weakened opposition. We're fcuked. If there's one thing the Irish can't handle it's confidence. That and new-found wealth. The last time we were on such a high going into a match we got taken apart by Russia. Or am I wrong this time?

You must not have read the news that Kilbane i not fit for the match

[Closed Account]

Not sure if it has been discussed already but how different will the artificial pitch at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow to normal grass pitches? Could it affect our chances? I think when Chelsea played United there in 2008, there was a temporary grass pitch installed

This was mentioned in the examiner the last day

With a new artificial pitch being laid at Ireland’s Gannon Park training base, we learned that the manager had asked for the work to be accelerated so that the squad can train on it before stepping out onto a similar surface in Moscow next Tuesday.

[geysir]

They could just take a trip to Oriel pk, same type of pitch.

[Crosby87]

Jesus Owengoal! That was funny tho.

Incidentally I heard Hamsik is out after eating some bad pork.

[Yard of Pace]

Lads, any chance of a "Get Well Soon" banner for George Hamilton?

[elroy]

Come on Ireland. I know we were probably overly confident going into the Russia game but we are cautiously confident here. Some many of our players are playing well and in form, we have good options on the bench. Our defence has been rock solid of late and has its main man back to control things - Richie Dunne. If we want to qualify automatically, we need to win tonight. We need to take things into our own hands for a change. I think we will keep a clean sheet and I sense a goal for Andrews. As always with Ireland, it will be very nervy, we wont keep the ball as much as we'd like, we wont boss the play but I do think we will win.

[BonnieShels]

Stomach is in bits. If I couldn't do any work yesterday then there's no chance today.

[geysir]

My dog has sensed that it is a match day, she gets a bit more insecure. Every time I shift, she's all ears, other times she hides under the table.
Similar to when there's some earthquake activity, gets jumpy, going hither and thither, high pitch whining.

[Mr A]

New baby in the house and massively wound up for the game = a very strange combination of great excitement and total exhaustion.

The journey to Dublin will likely alternate between listening to 50000 people singing 'Come On You Boys in Green' in my head and lapsing into deep unconsciousness.

Can't wait.

[BonnieShels]

Well congratulations on the new arrival.

I've played this match 5 or six times over in my head already.

Sick with worry.

[zero]

leaving work in 15. london bridge, gatwick then the aviva.

i need those 3 points. i need them bad.