Republic of Ireland V Oman 3rd September 2014 & Georgia 7th September 2014

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

John Giles says he'd have Hoolahan instead of Whelan, alongside Quinn and McCarthy; says its a myth that Whelan wins the ball and Hoolahan doesn't. Completely agree with this. If anything I'd say Whelan doesn't win the ball. This is one of his many, many faults. Along with regularly giving the ball away in dangerous areas, losing concentration at vital moments, getting outmuscled in midfield, getting outran, not having requisite stamina, not marking players properly at corners, getting outjumped, not giving defenders enough protection, offering NOTHING from an offensive view.

McCarthy and two others in midfield would offset taking Whelan out.

Just utterly despondent, negative stuff. If we win I'll eat my words but this is just a worrying way to start things.

[DannyInvincible]

From the pre-match interview, O'Neill appears to be implying that he might have selected Wes if we were at home.

[Closed Account]

Shane Long obviously not starting because he's down in MacLarens watching Tipperary coming up short against Kilkenny.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Where are the goals coming from us in this game? No Brady, Hoolahan, Long, Pilkington, Meyler, Hendrick, McClean (I know the last two are because of injury).....

Like it's placing a lot of expectation on Keane. Is he just supposed to pull a goal out of his arse?

Go back to the Italy game where we looked fantastic from an offensive point of view. None of the personnel from that game are playing tonight.

I understand we are playing a stifling game (in more ways than one with this heat) but it's just inadvertently going to put more pressure on us and I could see them nicking an early goal.

Sorry for all the negativity but I just cannot get past this. I hope they know what they are doing.

[DannyInvincible]

O'Neill on Hoolahan's absence:


Wes is very much a big part of proceedings here. We're playing away from home here, Wes has played more at home where he's been a big part of unlocking defences but he's on the bench and can come off if needed.

[pineapple stu]

Bloody local is showing the hurling on all tellies! Might need updates until this is over...

[pineapple stu]

I will add the hurling's quite good in fairness

[DannyInvincible]

Ha, O'Shea desperately looking around for the flag before the anthem commenced so he'd know which direction to face; there it was on the ground right in front of him!

[Closed Account]

I will add the hurling's quite good in fairness

It's bloody brilliant. Hawk eye, my word.

[tricky_colour]

Georgia

01 Loria
06 Khubutia
02 Lobzhanidze
16 Kvirkvelia
03 Kvirkvelia
10 Ananidze
07 Kankava
15 Okriashvili
04 Kashia
08 Daushvili
09 Gelashvili

Substitutes

05 Grigalava
11 Mchedlidze
12 Kvaskhvadze
13 Migineishvili
14 Targamadze
17 Ebralidze
18 Khmaladze
19 Kobakhidze
20 Kazaishvili
21 Dzaria
22 Dolidze
23 Rekhviashvili


Republic of Ireland

01 Forde
03 Wilson
17 Ward
02 Coleman
04 O'Shea
06 Whelan
18 Quinn
08 McCarthy
07 McGeady
14 Walters
10 Keane

Substitutes

05 Keogh
09 Long
11 Brady
12 Meyler
13 Pilkington
15 Pearce
16 Elliot
19 Gibson
20 Hoolahan
21 Murphy
22 Doyle
23 Given

[pineapple stu]

It's bloody brilliant. Hawk eye, my word.
Incredible finish. Literally two inches wide from 100 yards out with the last puck to win it. If we match that drama in Tbilisi, we'll be lucky!

And they've changed channel already

[tricky_colour]

01 ......................... Forde
02 Coleman... .04 O'Shea.. ... 03 Wilson....... 17 Ward



14 Walters..... 06 Whelan ......08 McCarthy..... 07 McGeady



........... .......18 Quinn........ 10 Keane

[Closed Account]

Good start, was good to see people in the box when Walters delivered. Need to take McGeady off set pieces. Floats it in which makes it hard to attack.
I hope Wilson sticks to the basics today. Has a tendency to try to play too much football around his own box.

[Charlie Darwin]

Georgia look woeful.

[pineapple stu]

Early days I know, but I think we can already see the effect of the change in manager. That the team is the same doesn't matter. We look happier on the ball, compared to off it under Trap.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

If Whelan had any nous about him whatsoever he would have went down for a free kick in a position like that.

[pineapple stu]

The foam! We have arrived!

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Useless pass from Whelan played too short.

[Charlie Darwin]

Are you just going to spend the whole game talking about Glenn Whelan?

[Charlie Darwin]

Ah Jaysus Wilson.

[tetsujin1979]

McGeady! Lovely finish!

[pineapple stu]

McGeady!

Useless lump :)

[Charlie Darwin]

McGeady!!!

[tricky_colour]

Gggggooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllll!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!

[pineapple stu]

First goal in the whole Euros

[DannyInvincible]

Brilliant. We need to cut out the sloppy mistakes. Walters had a big part to play in the goal. Delighted for McGeady. Doesn't score enough.

[tricky_colour]

Ah Jaysus Wilson.

Shocking eh :)

[Closed Account]

Didn't see it mentioned anywhere, but Whelan impressed on Wednesday and seems to take less time to make his passes lately. He'll still leave a few short but looked better than Gibson when he replaced him Wed.

Glad that flick on fell to McCarthy, perfectly weighted pass. Another before half time and it'll be goodnight Tbilisi. The Georgians are poor. Will only score from our own mistakes.

[Charlie Darwin]

McCarthy lucky not to be booked there. Need to cut out the silly stuff.

[pineapple stu]

Great to see us not sitting back on the lead, but attacking just as before. Another important improvement on what went before.

[Charlie Darwin]

Great to see us not sitting back on the lead, but attacking just as before. Another important improvement on what went before.
Wait until the second half. Were a few times under Trap we kept going after a goal but came out a different team after half time.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Completely needless from Walters. Put on Long at half-time and don't risk the red. We can kill off this lot without holding on to a lead.

[pineapple stu]

What a goal.

Shouldn't take away from the fact we're the better team here.

[tetsujin1979]

cracking finish, but never should have been able to get that shot off.
have to do it all over again now :(

[Closed Account]

Cracking strike. Management, time to earn your money now.

[tricky_colour]

Conor Hourihane in disguise

[Charlie Darwin]

That's what you get for faffing about instead of controlling the game. Ward to blame for giving him the space to shoot.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Wilson booked for being fouled...

[colonelwest]

That's what you get for faffing about instead of controlling the game. Ward to blame for giving him the space to shoot.

Thought that myself, Forde completely unsighted so feck all he could do about it. We've let them back into it, that goal has really got them and the crowd up for it now, need to weather the storm until half time!

[pineapple stu]

Wilson booked for being fouled...
Was he booked?

[zero]

i thought forde's positioning was poor, and he should have reacted faster despite seeing it late.

wilson has looked well dodgy so far.

ref looked to go to his pocket for the wilson incident but they didnt show if he booked him on tv.

[Charlie Darwin]

Was he booked?
Nope.

[TrapAPony]

Poor performance so far. Walters was booked not Wilson.

[DannyInvincible]

Defending for their goal was criminal. Wilson was poor in the lead-up and they should never have got a shot in on target from there with two Irish players in such close proximity. Forde was flat-footed and got caught completely off-guard.

[pineapple stu]

That's what I thought. Walters' yellow was harsh, though he shouldn't have gotten involved.

Let's see if half time takes the wind out of their fans. Sounded a great atmosphere after they scored.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Walters getting some decent crosses in... are we going to leave Keane up front or put on someone who might get on the end of one of them? Maybe bring on Brady for his set piece/crossing threat? I mean Coleman, too, has been given ample opportunity to get crosses in. We can definitely get one or two more opportunities through this avenue. Quinn has been pretty average; no comparison to what Hoolahan can offer.

[SwanVsDalton]

Forde looked flat-footed but seemed to take a slight deflection. Either way, the shot shouldn't have been allowed to be struck.

Thought we started really well, looked good on the ball and were dominating possession for a change. First time in ages we've faced a supposed minnow and actually looked like the better side. Now, we just have to put it on the scoreboard.

[Colbert Report]

Wilson was definitely booked.

[Charlie Darwin]

Wilson was definitely booked.
Nobody told UEFA: http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2016/matches/live/index.html?day=1&session=1&match=2013814

[Colbert Report]

I saw it on my television screen. The referee walked right up to him and showed him the yellow card. I'm getting a Canadian feed of the match, perhaps whomever is carrying it in Ireland didn't show it. He was definitely booked on 41 minutes.