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

[SwanVsDalton]

That goal was pure, total magic.

[colonelwest]

Aidan McGeady you wee ginnet ya!!!!

[Charlie Darwin]

That was incredible from McGeady. Dire performance but it's 3 points and we can build on it.

[tricky_colour]

Ha Ha I made a joke about the 3 on McGeady's shirt being his international goals scored!!

Seems to have rattled him a bit!!!


Great comeback Aiden!!

He needs to make a tweet wearing the no 5 shirt now!!

[Closed Account]

After all the aimless crosses and blind alleys he had been running down all night, great to see McGeady deliver.

Brady lost the ball more times than anyone else and he only played <20 mins

[zero]

one of the best ever irish goals?

we got out of jail there.

[pineapple stu]

If McGeady can actually contribute this campaign, tonight will have been worth it.

Didn't notice any of the subs in the end.

We're still a rather average team; not much we can do to avoid that fact.

[SwanVsDalton]

one of the best ever irish goals?

we got out of jail there.

We did. But it's not necessarily a new thing. I thought the performance was below par - but not terrible - in an awkward as get out game. It's not the first time we've had to squeeze it out last minute against a lower seed and it won't be the last. Those three points will help the team in a big, big way.

Positives: First 25 was very good; we looked comfortable on the ball; McGeady's goals and a possible coming of age.

Negatives: Our confidence and composure is extremely brittle; Shaky defending; Very little quality in the final third.

As PStu says, we're a really average team. Our ostensibly best players - McCarthy, Coleman - were average. McGeady scored two great goals and was typically frustrating otherwise. Keane did nothing. Long kept getting isolated on the wing. Brady was poor when he came on.

But these guys can and will play better with more confidence. Hopefully we can settle down and kick on.

[tricky_colour]

Georgia were sitting back a bit towards the end, think they had settled for a draw, often a fatal decision,

[Closed Account]

With the Meyler substitution lined up before the goal, it's pretty clear than MON was happy to get out with a draw.

[tricky_colour]

https://vine.co/v/OzaOiVJXmJe

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Georgia were sitting back a bit towards the end, think they had settled for a draw, often a fatal decision,

They brought Mchedlidze, a striker, on, just before Meyler. They were also the first to bite and make an outfield substitution and subsequently took total control of the tempo.

[texidub]

Winning ugly away from home in the first competitive game under a new management team? I will take that any day of the week. Lots to work on, but the signs are very promising. Delighted.

[ken foree]

who's that mcgeady fella? he looks like some kind of sh!te genius.

[DannyInvincible]

Vital three points away from home and in tough conditions. Great result. I didn't think it was going to come, but we got out of jail having left it so late. TOWK said it would be Astana all over again and he wasn't far wrong. Two lovely finishes from McGeady though to give his critics a bit of elusive end product. We dominated the game and, overall, I think we deserved the win but there's sloppiness to cut out and we need something more up front. Did we create more than one or two chances inside their box? We looked quite limited and frustrated in front of goal and had to resort to lobbing balls towards/into their box in hope. Thankfully, it paid off this evening, but we can't rely on that to see us through the group. Robbie barely featured at all because he couldn't get the ball.

[colonelwest]

MON taking Tony O'Donoghue to the woodshed and ripping the pish out of him here in the post match
;)

[pineapple stu]

Don't think you can say we dominated. Though Georgia were a lot quieter after the break, and arguably just had a good fifteen minute spell, which included a hit and hope wonder goal.

[Charlie Darwin]

Two lovely finishes from McGeady though to give his critics a bit of elusive end product.
Guaranteed in every pub in Ireland right now there's some gob****e spouting on about how it was a great goal but he lacks end product.

[SwanVsDalton]

Vital three points away from home and in tough conditions. Great result. I didn't think it was going to come, but we got out of jail having left it so late. TOWK said it would be Astana all over again and he wasn't far wrong. Two lovely finishes from McGeady though to give his critics a bit of elusive end product. We dominated the game and, overall, I think we deserved the win but there's sloppiness to cut out and we need something more up front. Did we create more than one or two chances inside their box? We looked quite limited and frustrated in front of goal and had to resort to lobbing balls towards/into their box in hope. Thankfully, it paid off this evening, but we can't rely on that to see us through the group. Robbie barely featured at all because he couldn't get the ball.

I agree, that we deserved to win. We created very little but at least we're putting our foot on the ball. We usually didn't under Trap, even against lower seeds. To see us dominate possession so thoroughly is heartening.

Outside of ten minutes before and after half-time, we were by far the more positive, purposeful team albeit fairly poor in the final third.

[the doc]

I said before the game, I'd take a point, so delighted with 3.

Poor performance,
Wilson is never a CB, he along with the likes of Keogh, Pearce and Clark will cost us in games this campaign.

MON like a Rabbit staring into headlights as the game seemed to pass him by.

Spent force without Robertson.

Still every man and his dog will qualify for this Euros.

[Closed Account 2]

Great to get the 3 points, reminded me a bit of Yerevan a few years ago, wouldnt say the performance was stellar, but hopefully we can kick on in terms of tactics.

Btw did anyone see the highlights of Hungary vs Northern Ireland? What on earth is going on with Gerry Armstrongs hair? Looks like a cat has died on his forehead...

[Stuttgart88]

Astana to Almaty is quite a long way :)

I'm going to outdo Paul O'Shea here. I said from the start that O'Neill is ringing the best out of McGeady.

Poles and Scots will be livid at that result.

Forde: needs a geometry lesson.
Coleman: did well for parts but not the Everton Coleman we know
O'Shea: solid enough
Wilson: looked like he was still at his brother's wedding at times but did well in parts
Ward: very solid from a guy few of us have real faith in
Whelan: I thought he was very good, easily better than...
McCarthy: was lost that far up the pitch
McGeady: quality
Quinn: I like him. Busy and proactive.
Keane: no point in picking him if we're going to play hoofball
Walters: reasonable but more hard work than quality.

Brady: sloppy in possession
Long: looks like he didn't play football growing up

O'Neill: very disappointed. Primitive tactics after their goal. Very conservative selection, especially Walters. Substitutions made too late in a game there to be won from the start of the second half. No noticeable difference from Trappatoni. Maybe not such a bad thing when we play in a Eastern Europe.

Lots of work to be done. Very happy with the win?

Can't wait for Tony O'Donoghue.

[DannyInvincible]

Don't think you can say we dominated.

I don't think it was ever out of our control. We were just exceptionally uncreative.

[Charlie Darwin]

I said before the game, I'd take a point, so delighted with 3.

Poor performance,
Wilson is never a CB, he along with the likes of Keogh, Pearce and Clark will cost us in games this campaign.

MON like a Rabbit staring into headlights as the game seemed to pass him by.

Spent force without Robertson.

Still every man and his dog will qualify for this Euros.
How's Greece, Sean?

[the doc]

How's Greece, Sean?

Still in debt, Chazza!

[SwanVsDalton]

Astana to Almaty is quite a long way :)

I'm going to outdo Paul O'Shea here. I said from the start that O'Neill is ringing the best out of McGeady.

Poles and Scots will be livid at that result.

Forde: needs a geometry lesson.
Coleman: did well for parts but not the Everton Coleman we know
O'Shea: solid enough
Wilson: looked like he was still at his brother's wedding at times but did well in parts
Ward: very solid from a guy few of us have real faith in
Whelan: I thought he was very good, easily better than...
McCarthy: was lost that far up the pitch
McGeady: quality
Quinn: I like him. Busy and proactive.
Keane: no point in picking him if we're going to play hoofball
Walters: reasonable but more hard work than quality.

Brady: sloppy in possession
Long: looks like he didn't play football growing up

O'Neill: very disappointed. Primitive tactics after their goal. Very conservative selection, especially Walters. Substitutions made too late in a game there to be won from the start of the second half. No noticeable difference from Trappatoni. Maybe not such a bad thing when we play in a Eastern Europe.

Lots of work to be done. Very happy with the win?

Can't wait for Tony O'Donoghue.

Agree with a lot of your assessment, particularly on McCarthy.

Have to say I thought we looked far more comfortable on the ball in the first half, even if we reverted to hoofs in the second. Compared to the last couple of years under Trap, it was much better. It may only be Georgia, but dominating possession against anyone is something of a change.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

MON taking Tony O'Donoghue to the woodshed and ripping the pish out of him here in the post match
;)

Why? He fell ass backwards into a win. He was bringing on Meyler to see out the game before the goal. Throughout the second half Georgia looked likely to win the game and only didn't by virtue of the fact that their leading scorer has four goals.

It was a disgraceful, predictable performance and the complete lack of awareness or ability to get a grip of how to make changes to get a hold on the game does not, frankly, augur well for the harder challenges to come.

If it was a halfway decent performance and he didn't make such asinine personnel and tactical decisions, he wouldn't be getting questioned.

[Charlie Darwin]

You won't be disappointed by Tony, Stutts.

[DannyInvincible]

I got a bit excited when the goal went in so just seeing the replays again properly. The double drag-back was absolutely magic. Fantastic goal.

[geysir]

Even before the winner came I was reasonably pleased with the performance considering there was no Hoolahan or Reid artistry.
MON went for a few scrappers in the team but he's setting a decent foundation to build upon from this first game.
If a Giles team got that result away from home with that performance when he was manager, he would be doing cartwheels.
We had a good first 20 minutes and a good last 10 minutes, we can play a hell of a lot better than that and still had enough to get the 3 points without being seriously threatened at the back.
Robbie has lost a bit of crucial sharpness with his first touch.
McGeady, what a delicious winner.

[SwanVsDalton]

Honestly, I'm not too down on the performance. Given our porous confidence, shaky defence and lack of quality, I thought there were some positives to take out of that.

Did anyone think we were going to Georgia and turn on the style? Our tactics was indistinct, our best players very average to poor. But we played a bit of football and negotiated a tough opponent. We rode our luck (like we've done every year since I became conscious of football) and got out of jail (ditto). We are not a good side at the moment, but we can improve. I'll accept the three in the expectation our players will grow into the campaign.

[DannyInvincible]

Throughout the second half Georgia looked likely to win the game and only didn't by virtue of the fact that their leading scorer has four goals.

We were limited, but I can't agree with that. I was extremely tense for the last quarter of the game, but it wasn't because I feared Georgia were going to steal a winner. It was because I feared one wasn't going to come for us.

[SwanVsDalton]

We were limited, but I can't agree with that. I was extremely tense for the last quarter of the game, but it wasn't because I feared Georgia were going to steal a winner. It was because I feared one wasn't going to come for us.

Big time. Usually I'm waiting for us to concede again. This time I was just resigned to it being a dull, disheartening draw. And that's mostly because last 20, despite totally dominating Georgia, we created so very, very little. That can improve with a bit of confidence and sharp training.


You won't be disappointed by Tony, Stutts.

Care to sum it up in a word? A sentence?

[NeverFeltBetter]

Don't feel quite as negative as others. Controlled most of the game, looked good in first half hour or so. Less hoofball, tried to be creative at times, made plenty of chances, and took two of them.

But certainly a lot that could have been done better. Too conservative after the goal, which had unpleasant similarities to Trap era. Struggled to keep a proper formation going in the second, lacked pace down the left all the time, crossing was terrible, lots of individual errors in the last 20 minutes. I still think we deserved the three points based on possession and general attacking impetus, but no one is going to be very scared of Ireland going forward. Very frustrating game to watch, Georgia remarkably quick to put 11 men behind the ball, and their defenders were far faster than our attackers when Ireland had any kind of break on.

Forde, maybe saw the shot too late, but certainly should have done better. Expecting interminable Given debate to pick up legs now, unfortunately. Not impressed with Ward or Coleman going down the wings, could beat their men but the supply was terrible. O'Shea was solid enough, Wilson a little less.

McGeady positioned himself well for the first and turned smartly for the second, but apart from that he was driving me mad with the poor pass choices, the lack of speed, the bad crossing etc. Quinn was handy, some good long balls and applied himself. McCarthy was there, but lacked any real impact. Whelan did far better, first time I've been really impressed with him for a while. Brady did little when he came on.

Upfront, Keane was slow, frequently found himself surrounded, and badly fluffed his one real chance. Amazing what playing against a half-decent defence can do for an MLS superstar. Wasn't impressed with Walters, work down the right wasn't great and the yellow was stupid. Long offered very little coming on.

I'm willing to applaud a win and look ahead. First competitive game, squad still adapting to the new way of things, lessons to be learned. I think they can get better. They'll have to.

[pineapple stu]

I don't think it was ever out of our control. We were just exceptionally uncreative.
I'll agree with that. I just don't think that's the same as controlling the game.

But we know Tbilisi's a tricky place to go to. Let's see if Poland and Scotland can win there.

Other two group games kicking off shortly.

[abcd]

I have to say I'm reasonably happy also. Until in or around the equaliser we looked like a proper team on the road away from home, got a goal, in control and passing the ball around well. The home crowd were getting frustrated. Georgia got a fine equaliser which knocked us back. Neither team really took the initiative from there but I didn't feel we'd lose it at any stage either.

Would have liked to see some subs earlier in the 2nd half. It took a moment of quality to pull us through but its a positive start. Gibraltar at home next up, should record a good win and hopefully get something in Scotland and we'll be in a good position going into the new year.

Hopefully Germany are fully focused tonight, could do with them not dropping any points against the others. Gibraltar are sure to have their best performance tonight, will be interesting to see how long they can hold out against Poland.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I'll say this. I'm far happier about that late win in the opening group game then I was with the Azerbaijan result under Trap two years ago.

[Razors left peg]

Im finding it very hard to be upbeat after that game, a bit of genius from McGeady covered up what I thought was an awful peformance.

I was so excited following the appointment of MON but it was just more of the same old rubbish.

We look good at time when we get the ball on the ground and play so why the F*** do we revert to hoof ball so often.

Walters playing on the wing is astonishing. He has no pace and very little footballing ability. Robbie running around after long balls is a total waste of him.

Of course Im delighted with the 3 points but it was in spite of the team selection and tactics rather than because of it. Why were the subs left so late?

Onwards and hopefully upwards but it really feels like its still Trap in charge at the moment

[SwanVsDalton]

I believe the thinking behind Walters is to get some height and ballast in the team somewhere. He also was under instructions to hare into the box for crosses, which were largely rubbish. It isn't totally illogical.

But I agree, I'd put the Walters-on-the-wing craic in the bin and try something else.

[DannyInvincible]

I'll say this. I'm far happier about that late win in the opening group game then I was with the Azerbaijan result under Trap two years ago.

Kazakhstan, you mean? :p

[Razors left peg]

I believe the thinking behind Walters is to get some height and ballast in the team somewhere. He also was under instructions to hare into the box for crosses, which were largely rubbish. It isn't totally illogical.

But I agree, I'd put the Walters-on-the-wing craic in the bin and try something else.

If we dont have natural height and strength in the team naturally we shouldnt be trying to falsely force it. Just because we have a history of long ball to the big man since Jack doesnt mean that we have to constantly try it now.

We have players who are decent on the ball and should be trying to get the most out of Robbie, McCarthy, Coleman, Long, McGeady etc

[da bishop]

great three points away from home,had plenty possession but did not create anything,the fact remains we just do not have the players.hopefully MON will get the best out of this group of players,tbf we actually passed quite well early on ,lost our way at different stages,but kept plugging away to get the points.delighted MON had a go at TOD,sick of the constant negative angle to his interviews ,the big shock is he never asked MON about ...our national saviour...wes...after the game,..oh hold on we won.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Pfft, close enough.

[tricky_colour]

who's that mcgeady fella? he looks like some kind of sh!te genius.

He scored almost as many goals to day as in the rest of his international football career!!!

He seems to finally found end product, long may it continue!

[tricky_colour]

France could only manage a draw in Georgia last year, Spain only beat them 1-0
maybe they could even give Germany a spot of bother when they go there?

[DannyInvincible]

France could only manage a draw in Georgia last year, Spain only beat them 1-0
maybe they could even give Germany a spot of bother when they go there?

They're a competent defensive outfit. One or both of Scotland and Poland will drop points when they travel to Tbilisi. Georgia's goalscorer tonight, Okriashvili, also looked a dangerous player if given enough space.

[SwanVsDalton]

If we dont have natural height and strength in the team naturally we shouldnt be trying to falsely force it. Just because we have a history of long ball to the big man since Jack doesnt mean that we have to constantly try it now.

We have players who are decent on the ball and should be trying to get the most out of Robbie, McCarthy, Coleman, Long, McGeady etc

I agree. In fairness, though we didn't hoof it that much until we started to get tired and desperate. Unfortunately all those players you mentioned, except McGeady, underperformed. Long gets a pass since he was off the bench, and Coleman did ok in the first period but Robbie was too isolated and McCarthy did very little except the very composed assist for the goal.

[Paddy Garcia]

They're a competent defensive outfit. One or both of Scotland and Poland will drop points when they travel to Tbilisi. Georgia's goalscorer tonight, Okriashvili, also looked a dangerous player if given enough space.

Not sure about that - Scotland holding Germany 1-1

[SwanVsDalton]

Not sure about that - Scotland holding Germany 1-1

It's 2-1 but, regardless, Northern Ireland have made a great habit of beating higher seeds and falling over to supposed minnows. Scotland or Poland or us or anyone can easily put it up to a Germany or Spain and then get sucker punched by a Georgia or Estonia.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Yeah and for all our ability to beat minnows more than them the difference is a sum total of one more tournament than Scotland since we were last able to get credible results; and that was an Armenian favor more than our ingenuity.