Republic of Ireland V Czech Republic - Wednesday, 29th February 2012 - Friendly

[the bear]

new jersey is nice

[BonnieShels]

I think it's cat. What was Shay thinking?

[BonnieShels]

Cracking challenge from Whelan

[the bear]

jaysus keanos on form

[tricky_colour]

Whelan seems to have taken quite a knock to the face, kind of thing that would make it difficult to concentrate.

[BonnieShels]

It's been alright so far. Keane has had some lovely touches.

[Charlie Darwin]

You can see already that Keane dropping deeper is allowing us to attack more on the front foot than usual. Hopefully this'll last.

[BonnieShels]

You can see already that Keane dropping deeper is allowing us to attack more on the front foot than usual. Hopefully this'll last.

It has allowed Andrews some space as well to overlap Keane through the centre. I like it.

[the bear]

andrews is having a stormer, great to see

[brine3]

this is fairly brutal on the eye

[theworm2345]

this is fairly brutal on the eye
Typical boring-as-paint-drying Ireland friendly

[Paddy Garcia]

No mid-field.

[Charlie Darwin]

After a good opening 20, the Czechs have really taken over and begun dominating the ball, though without creating anything it has to be said.

[tricky_colour]

The injury to the Cech at the end was the highlight of the game!! :p

[ger121]

Started promisingly, but got steadily worse as the half progressed. Fancy the Czechs to nick this in the 2nd half

[Philly]

We are defending well. Once again we can't control midfield though, every time the defence gets the ball there is a Czech player running at them with it again within a few passes.

[Paddy Garcia]

Lets all chase the ball!!!!

[DannyInvincible]

Poor defending. Sloppy.

[Maroon 7]

That was dreadful schoolboy defending. 3 defenders attracted to the ball leaving Baros in acres right in front of goal.

[the bear]

schoolboy defending

[Philly]

Very unlike us to defend like that. Might as well throw a bit more into attacking now? Maybe? Trap?...

[brine3]

Yup, beehive defense mentality.

Pray to god that Dunne is fully fit come June.

[tricky_colour]

That didn't look too clever, everyone sucked over to the left of the pitch leaving the centre wide open.

[Paddy Garcia]

The mid-field is woeful

Jesus - not Green please!

[brine3]

Haha, Stephen Hunt and PAUL GREEN warming up.

Trap is a joker sometimes.

[tricky_colour]

looking on the bright side we are doing better than group members Croatia who are 1-3 down to sweden :)

[Paddy Garcia]

Trap is our Maggie Thatcher - ultra conservative.

[tricky_colour]

Haha, Stephen Hunt and PAUL GREEN warming up.

Trap is a joker sometimes.

Just wait until Green hammers home a Hunt cross!!!

[brine3]

Why the loyalty to Hunt? He hardly played during this campaign. You may as well give McLean a runout...

[BonnieShels]

Is he kidding?

[Paddy Garcia]

Stupid substitution - nothing will be learnt from this.

[Philly]

Trap putting Green on instead of McCarthy is pretty frustrating...

[brine3]

Duffy, Coleman, McCarthy and McClean all sitting on the bench.

Perhaps the finest collection of young Irish players since Duff, Keane, Dunne and Given came through.

****'s sake

[Paddy Garcia]

Cox and Walters next.

[the bear]

for f*** sake

[the bear]

only 2 subs left

[brine3]

This is frustrating. We have some good established players and some good young players. 2012 is when they come together and we can create a team that is the mix of the two. In 2014 the good established players (Duff, Keane, Dunne, Given) will have probably have moved on.

2012 is a unique opportunity for good players from different generations to combine into a team.

Paul Green. God's sake.

[Maroon 7]

The Irish football and rugby teams are very similiar at the moment. For both it's harder to get off the team than on it.

[Paddy Garcia]

McLean warming up

[ger121]

Trap isn't interested in seeing what a lot of these young lads can do. He's more concerned with the result. Shame really as these friendlies are the perfect opportunity to give them a run out.

[tricky_colour]

McClean warming up!!
The cavalry is on it's way!! :)

[BonnieShels]

Trap isn't interested in seeing what a lot of these young lads can do. He's more concerned with the result. Shame really as these friendlies are the perfect opportunity to give them a run out.

If he was interested in the result he would change things around. Do nothing and we lose.

[Kingdom]

What I would say about this, given there will be no more friendlies to try new players, is that the senior players must be committed to the WC14 qualifying campaign, which surprises me to an extent.

Irrespective of that, it's a nonsense not giving the younger fellas a proper game.

[BonnieShels]

Here we go...

[BonnieShels]

Was his number "26" picked on purpose?

[ger121]

If he was interested in the result he would change things around. Do nothing and we lose.

Yeah but he believes so much in his "system" and the players who've played in the qualifiers that even when it's not working he thinks it will. Hence, the reluctance to change anything

[Charlie Darwin]

I'd understand Trap's point about friendlies being important for ranking points if we had a particularly good record of winning them.

[Paddy Garcia]

Crap performance

[Paddy Garcia]

Cant believe we had Green over McCarthy.

[tricky_colour]

goallllllllllllllllllll1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!