Republic of Ireland V Turkey, Italy, Costa Rica & Portugal - May/June 2014

[BonnieShels]

Even I can not defend Long after that. F*** sake......

Hoolahan deserved a better finish than that.

http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/jonah-hill-shock.gif

[BonnieShels]

This performance has been surreal.

Remember the performance v Italy in Belgium? We do this.

[Charlie Darwin]

Remember the performance v Italy in Belgium? We do this.
If only all our games were non-competitive matches at neutral venues against Italy. We'd be top of the world.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

The ironic thing is Charlie bizarrely accused me of racism for a lot less than that on another thread several months back.

His inconsistency surprises me.

[tricky_colour]

I don't think we will do so well with McClean on.

[Charlie Darwin]

I never accused you of racism, but yes your anecdote would be a lot closer than somebody making a joke about a weed.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Pilkington and Hoolahan have surely done their chances of attracting some interest no harm. Hendrick too has attracted PL interest in the past and he has been a credit to himself.

[Charlie Darwin]

Did the commentator say Quinn is another one playing for a new contract? I thought he had another year or two at Hull.

[Charlie Darwin]

Cox on instead of Doyle?

[geysir]

Cox on instead of Doyle?
Thats the price for dissin' Robbie.

[Charlie Darwin]

Thats the price for dissin' Robbie.
Bet Robbie put in a call from LA threatening to retire if Doyle got a run out. Just the kind of thing he'd do.

[geysir]

Robbie would leave that sort of task to his missus.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Bet Robbie put in a call from LA threatening to retire if Doyle got a run out. Just the kind of thing he'd do.

How childish.

[geysir]

Commentator keeps remarking on just how quick David Forde is.

[BonnieShels]

Thats the price for dissin' Robbie.

What'll TOWK's punishment be on that case?

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Kevin Doyle said if Martin O'Neill starts other strikers he will walk away.

[SwanVsDalton]

Quinn, should've scored though unlucky to have the shot cross out off the bar. Combination of bad luck and standard poor finishing has kept us out of goals tonight.

[Charlie Darwin]

How childish.
Childish I know, but what else do you expect from a player who spends 85 minutes waving his arms around and pointing at people?

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Childish I know, but what else do you expect from a player who spends 85 minutes waving his arms around and pointing at people?

It was 85% Charlie and the rest of that isn't remotely similar to what I said. Keep up.

[Charlie Darwin]

It was 85% Charlie and the rest of that isn't remotely similar to what I said. Keep up.
I was assuming ten minutes injury time.

[geysir]

It's just like watching Iceland.
That was a proper friendly, just we didn't win it and still remain behind Iceland in the FIFA rankings, Iceland being the bar, the standard we have to aspire towards.

[SwanVsDalton]

Very unusual to watch a dreaded 0-0 Ireland friendly and find it supremely entertaining.

16 shots on goal, seven on target but very disappointing for us not to score. But well up in terms of performance from recent games. It's still just a friendly, but our intensity, tempo and intent was very good.

[tricky_colour]

Best Ireland game I have seen in a long time, some of them have been pretty dreadful,
hope it continues.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

What more proof than you need - than this performance - that Whelan has to go.

[BonnieShels]

What positives did you take from the game TOWK?

[SwanVsDalton]

Meyler and Hendrick have certainly made great claims. If O'Neill is looking to play a higher pressing game, their athleticism would give them a serious edge over Whelan (regardless of anything else).

[Charlie Darwin]

What more proof than you need - than this performance - that Whelan has to go.
We do look a lot better in his absence but I'd give the players that were there a lot more credit.

[geysir]

Tough on Montolivo but them's the breaks.

[Charlie Darwin]

Tough on Montolivo but them's the breaks.
You're a cruel man, geysir.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

What positives did you take from the game TOWK?

I already praised Hendrick, Meyler and Pilkington to the hilt.

It goes without saying that they offer finitely more from an attacking standpoint while looking like less of a liability than Whelan does when protecting the defence.

[BonnieShels]

I already praised Hendrick, Meyler and Pilkington to the hilt.

It goes without saying that they offer finitely more from an attacking standpoint while looking like less of a liability than Whelan does when protecting the defence.

I wouldn't even think you know where your hilt is tbh.

I was working so I only dipped in and out of the game and here when I could. Your praise was easily missed.

Criticising Whelan is too easy. Since the 3-2 v Russia I have been more than convinced that he was the main cause of our midfield ills.

[DeLorean]

It was so satisfying to see Hendrick seamlessly bringing his Derby form through to this level. My friend over loves him, rates him higher than Will Hughes which is a serious compliment in those parts. It's exciting with McCarthy to come back in and Meyler is more than a useful option too.

[Razors left peg]

Very good performance, hugely encouraging how we played with the ball on the deck and created good chances.... How did that Dolly the sheep experiment go a few years ago? We need to clone Robbie quick!!

[Stuttgart88]

Nothing wrong with saying Whelan has been badly shown up. I really hope the penny drops with MON.

Just back from the game. I loved it. Great crowd, great atmosphere, and I though all of the BIG did brilliantly.
After ten mins I thought we were in for a pasting. Forde made a great stop early on but once we got into the game we really were well and truly in the game. We rode our luck on occasion but we were also short of luck at the other end.

Poor Long looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders but I thought he was super. All the players deserve praise and heaps of it. It may not have been Italy's best but nor was it ours and Italy's second string is better than most we'll play anyway.

The highlight for me? After Forde swapped shirts with their keeper Buffon came over to Forde and the pair embraced each other like old friends and walked of the pitch together yapping away, arms around each other. That's Buffon and Forde. I always think Forde looks like he lives the dream playing for Ireland but the dream got even better for him tonight.

[tricky_colour]

Robbie gets slagged off on here sometimes but with him playing surely we have got at least one goal.
They were not all easy chances but Robbies has the knack of creating that extra yard or whatever and
putting the ball in the back of the net.


It must makes all that arm waving worth it.

[BonnieShels]

Nothing wrong with saying Whelan has been badly shown up. I really hope the penny drops with MON.

Just back from the game. I loved it. Great crowd, great atmosphere, and I though all of the BIG did brilliantly.
After ten mins I thought we were in for a pasting. Forde made a great stop early on but once we got into the game we really were well and truly in the game. We rode our luck on occasion but we were also short of luck at the other end.

Poor Long looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders but I thought he was super. All the players deserve praise and heaps of it. It may not have been Italy's best but nor was it ours and Italy's second string is better than most we'll play anyway.

The highlight for me? After Forde swapped shirts with their keeper Buffon came over to Forde and the pair embraced each other like old friends and walked of the pitch together yapping away, arms around each other. That's Buffon and Forde. I always think Forde looks like he lives the dream playing for Ireland but the dream got even better for him tonight.

Off to Italy maybe?

Anyone got highlights anywhere of the game? Is it on Sellotanta or RTÉ?

[tricky_colour]

We should perhaps remember before we get carried away that Italy
were in preparation for a World Cup and were probably move concerned
about someone not ending up with a broken leg than winning the match.
As it happened someone did break a leg, so I expect it will be a while before our next 'friendly' with them ;)

[Crosby87]

Sounds like some of you are not being negative. First time in a while! Someone do grades.

[Charlie Darwin]

Off to Italy maybe?

Anyone got highlights anywhere of the game? Is it on Sellotanta or RTÉ?
It was on Setanta. Don't think RTE bought the rebroadcast rights as it was FTA on Setanta and will probably be shown again today or tomorrow.

[tricky_colour]

brief highlights here!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVx0CWwWJAY

Not really seen that in detail before but I doing think you can blame Alex Pearce for that one.
Montolivo pretty much brought that one on himself.

[geysir]

RTE are not involved with this one. No doubt the full game will be up on sharing irish torrents in the next day or so.

[tricky_colour]

More highlights


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D7SGMglKQs

[Stuttgart88]

In real time it didn't even look like a foul to me, just a firm tackle. I'm glad Pearse is exonerated on TV.

We should play all our games away, or at Dalymount.

[tricky_colour]

I actually though it looked more Alex's fault in real time but on the slow-mo you
can see he got the ball and the Italian basically hit him. Mind you when I saw Alex
running in I though someone is likely to get hurt here.

[Stuttgart88]

I hope Long doesn't get stick for those missed chances. He really had to spring up very athletically just to get a good head to the ball. And the second chance was from wide and he was never favourite to score.

Very encouraging stuff all round. Possibly McGeadys best game for us?

[Charlie Darwin]

I'm going to reserve judgement until the diehards from YBIG get back from the game and tell us how encouraging it really was.

[aidz1]

much improved display. Well pleased with that as was getting despondent on the most recent showings.
putting the goals away would be a worry. At least we are creating the chances though.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Robbie gets slagged off on here sometimes but with him playing surely we have got at least one goal.
They were not all easy chances but Robbies has the knack of creating that extra yard or whatever and
putting the ball in the back of the net.


It must makes all that arm waving worth it.

It's a catch 22. Robbie is a better finisher but we'll get more chances with Long in the team. He really is a handful for any defense. He would have everything if he had the finishing.

He has a great understanding with Hoolahan but whether they'll be playing in the same formation in September.....

Stutts brought up a point. It does look like he has the world on his shoulders; and it's ridiculous. He has already scored twice since Martin came in. Yeah he misses chances - and it's a pity - but he has the pace, intelligence and strength to get into those positions our other forwards wouldn't get into. Ask Bonucci if he enjoyed playing against him tonight.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Off to Italy maybe?

Anyone got highlights anywhere of the game? Is it on Sellotanta or RTÉ?

Offer on the table from an unknown Bundesliga team but he's still hoping for a concrete offer from a PL team. My prediction is that he will stay in the Championship.

[Stuttgart88]

I think it's about neither Keane nor Long, as such. In a game we're marginally on top of I'd back Keane over Long all day long to take that chance / half chance that turns a good performance from a draw into a win.

But in a game where it takes all eleven players just to keep us in a game, it's got to be Long.

That's not to say Keane is a luxury player as he's also a handful, just a different type of handful than Long. I actually think Keane might have 80 goals for Ireland if our midfielders were quicker witted and adept enough to see spaces as quickly as Keane finds them.

But realistically, with our midfield options as they are Keane isn't going to get the service he thrives on so we'll need Long's industry. I think there's room for Long to put in a shift for 65 minutes to be replaced by Keane if a game is there to be won. If Keane was to come on for the last 20-25 tonight, when things had got a bit stretched, then I'd fancy us to have won.

There'll probably also be games where Keane should start, we get ahead and Long shores things up.

Can they play together? Only if our midfielders start getting a grip on games.

O'Neill will become a legend if he solves the Keane / Long puzzle.