Scotland V Republic of Ireland - Friday, 14th November 2014 - Euro 2016 Qualifier

[pineapple stu]

We're second in the group.
Actually, we're fourth.

Granted, it means little at this stage, but the first tie-break is head-to-head. Germany, Scotland and ourselves are all on seven points and have all played each other once. Germany have four points, Scotland three and us one.

Next round is us against Poland, Scotland against Gibraltar and Germany against Georgia. That brings us to half-way. Can't see Scotland or Germany slipping up. So we really are on the back foot in qualifying terms.

Of course, we've only played one home game, and all optimism will return come March. For 90 minutes at least!

[bishbash]

Actually, we're fourth.

Granted, it means little at this stage, but the first tie-break is head-to-head. Germany, Scotland and ourselves are all on seven points and have all played each other once. Germany have four points, Scotland three and us one.

Next round is us against Poland, Scotland against Gibraltar and Germany against Georgia. That brings us to half-way. Can't see Scotland or Germany slipping up. So we really are on the back foot in qualifying terms.

Of course, we've only played one home game, and all optimism will return come March. For 90 minutes at least!

We have to be more clever with what we have, fit our more technical players into a system that allows them to maximise what we have. Gibson is taking a lot of flack & yes he was poor the other night but there have been players who have also not set the world alight for a couple of years now. I'm not sure I ever remember Glen Whelan going around regularly making crunching tackles and breaking up play, it doesn't happen, but to be fair to the man its usually cause we are being outnumbered in that area. It seems like for 4 years or more now more often than not our midfield has been chasing shadows trying to survive. Not just against top teams but against ones that are exactly of the standard that we are at. That to me is the biggest disappointment. We haven't maximised what we have we have just adopted the view we are not very good we can't do anything different.

players like Robbie Brady need to play more from here on. Yes I ackknowledge his injury record has not been great but if he can stay fit he needs to start playing more. I'm not saying he is a messiah I'm saying technically he is better than James McClean. To me work rate should be a given. McClean offers bags of it I accept that, but I believe a Robbie Brady offering the same work rate brings much more quality on the ball. Similarly with a fit Gibson I don't believe there is anything Whelan does that Gibson when fit is not capable of, however, I do think Gibson is better on the ball with a range of passing that is important that we maximise. This is where O'Neills motivation skills come in, get the work rate out of our slightly better players.

Stephen Ward is not up to it. I think he is a liability at left back he offers not much defensively & nothing in an attacking sense. Wilson for me should ply left back.

Again I'm the 1st to admit our talent pool is limited, but let's try get a bit more creative with things rather than just reverting to type.

[OwlsFan]

Actually, we're fourth.

I'd prefer to think of us as joint second.

I think there was a Scot offside (at the far post) from the free kick which led to the corner which Scotland scored from. Did anyone else pick up on this? On much minor matters games are decided. Should we demand a replay?

[geysir]

I thought we were beyond primitive. Yes we tried to get it down at times but when we did we could never get between their lines, only sideways. There were lots of high balls, chips and other non-measured, purely speculative passes that put the receiver under pressure and gave the defender every chance.

Anyway, despite that I thought it was a gripping physical context.

I liked this BBC description.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30067753

Interesting how he thinks that at key times in this campaign Scotland got lucky.
But he does add the key observation, one which usually gets ignored
"The point is that this Scotland team is now good enough to capitalise on such things (breaks), whereas before it was not".

re our style of play I was replying to a post which said we hoofed it more than Trap. In Trap's time we hoofed most every time, now we don't, except for kickouts, There's a change with O'Neill , we kept trying to play it out of defence on the floor, which we didn't under Trap. Why we are still giving impressions of a stumbling apprenticeship in elegant football and not making the 6th pass stick, instead choosing to send a 50/50 ball, is another issue. Also you could see a huge difference in the contributions between Mulgrew and Gibson in that game and both in similar roles.
Based on the reduced panel of players O'Neill could select from, the way the game did turn out, showed that he did make some poor choices on how we should play, which did not work in the circumstances.

[mark12345]

It's taken the Scots two years to get to this point. Strachan didn't just come in and have them playing like this overnight. We've had four competitive matches and there has been an improvement in the style of football, regardless of what people, but it was clear that Scotland were a much better-drilled side than us and that's something that doesn't happen over the odd five-day training camp.

Good point. As much as Friday night's performance pi**** me off, we do need to give MON some time to work with the players he has. He has a limited amount of good ones to be fair, but I will judge him on whether he accepts mediocrity in his players. Cases in point - Stephen Ward and Richard Keogh. They were the principal hoof ball merchants on Friday night. I would replace Keogh with Shane Duffy in a minute and I can honestly say that there are players I have played with in amateur football that could have done the job Ward did at Parkhead. He offers zero in the way of creativity or composure to the team.

[Stuttgart88]

Strachan made a difference very quickly though and the turnaround started early. A year and about a dozen games into MON's tenure we are still struggling for direction. He has been unlucky with player unavailability at key times but still I can't shake the impression that his instincts are cautious and this will be decisive against us.

Of all the things wrong with Friday's performance I'd rank Keogh about 27th in the list of importance. He was absolutely fine on the night. Forde's pass was a hospital pass and he had one sliced long ball at the end. I even thought Ward was OK. Limited going forward, sound enough at the back. I wasn't that disappointed in any of the individual performances, it was as a unit that we failed to gel and impress.

Look, we were missing players and we have 4 key home games coming up. It's still all to play for despite my negative view of Friday night.

[shakermaker1982]

Owlsfan -

Robbie Keane thought he should be on the pitch? Not really surprising?! A player thinking he merits a starting place.

Starting Robbie Keane the other night wouldn't have made a blind bit of difference. The Robbie Keane of 4 or 5 years ago then yes he would & should have started. This version? His legs have gone & he's in the twilight of his career. Long will be the future of this team - it might not be as successful as the Keane era but it's time he was given a fair crack of the whip.

I have just started watching the game again and we have lumped in twice within 90 seconds!! One after SIX seconds.

[mark12345]

players like Robbie Brady need to play more from here on. Yes I ackknowledge his injury record has not been great but if he can stay fit he needs to start playing more. I'm not saying he is a messiah I'm saying technically he is better than James McClean. ........Stephen Ward is not up to it.

Said it on here a couple of months ago that James McLean will be our next "proper" left back, for years to come (combative, can hold the ball and is not afraid to make a challenge). And I still believe it to be the case. Like the way you think about Robbie Brady. He has technical ability moreso than several in the team. He is the type of player we need in the final third. And you're right - Ward is not up to it, not even close.

[Stuttgart88]

Brady needs to be given the chance to impress on Tuesday.

[SwanVsDalton]

Just back from Glasgow. I've flicked through the past five pages or so, I know the game's been done to death but just my two cents, off the top of my head:

- We clearly had no intent or plan to win that game. Everything about our set-up and intent was about stopping Scotland, and grabbing a draw or a lucky goal. If we wanted to play more, MON would have addressed out midfield being far too deep and our defensive forward been Jon Walters. Play JW between the lines and you're sending the statement that it's all about long balls; flick-ons and holding up hoofs. Midfield were too far from Walters to take advantage of the few balls that stuck and him and Long had not telepathy whatsoever for flicks. Ultimately if we wanted to play a bit more we needed a forward between the lines who could get on the ball and use it. In that regard, the player we missed most of all was Wes Hoolahan.

- I thought Shane Long was poor. He got no service (ala Robbie for the last 5-6 years) but he rarely (almost never) stretched their defenders (probably one of his main strengths). The game didn't suit him, he hardly saw the ball, the set-up didn't suit him but still - still he was underpar. Gibson too. These are opportunities, I want players to stand up.

- Ultimately though it's a blot on O'Neill's copybook. I'm not on the verge of turning against the management yet, but we have to see some willingness to actually play positively with the aim of winning a game. Creating chances. Troubling the opposition. With that defeat, being a team that stops is not an option (and it was never any fun anyway).

- A positive - O'Neill is less set-in-ways than Trap, as Friday's selection shows. He playing horses-for-courses even if he gets it wrong. He may have some favourites, but it's reassuring to know there's some flexibility there.

[Crosby87]

Took you less than 48 hours to swim back from Scotland Swan. Not bad. Did you have any scotch eggs?

[The Fly]

Took you less than 48 hours to swim back from Scotland Swan. Not bad. Did you have any scotch eggs?

Do you get a special feeling from these left field contributions?

[Crosby87]

Its not really out of left field that he would have a scotch egg, Declan.

[Stuttgart88]

I agree with SvD in almost all of the above, but O'Neill needs to prove he has another way of winning the big games and pretty damned soon. Trap lost me completely when we played well in Sweden and then tried to bash the door down at home to Austria. (Note: Austria going great guns in their group btw.).

Long? I was infuriated by one dumb free he gave away deep in Scottish territory. He does this a lot. Sometimes he never cops on that its ok just to back off. He's not a kid any more. But still, I don't think Long and Walters played badly as Individusls, but they were not a unit and they were not even remotely connected to the rest of the team. People are quick to criticise Keane for being ineffective but I think being a forward for Ireland away is a tough ask. They key is to have a bona fide "three quarterist" occupying that space between the lines. Both Long and Keane get much more of the ball and more chances when they have played ahead of Hoolahan, for example.

---------

I do think it's kind of funny that in a week when some Scots were spouting bile at Scottish born lads playing for Ireland, the set piece that led to the goal was devised by a guy from Bradford and finished by a guy born in Malaysia with the most Irish name on the pitch!

[bishbash]

One of my fears is say Brady does play & he doesn't impress immediately he'll be bombed back out and & it will be back to the tried & tested. We need new ideas but moreover they need to be given a chance to work & cut some slack not just go straight back too 442.

[The Fly]

Its not really out of left field that he would have a scotch egg, Declan.

I meant generally, Bing.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Yes. Without saying anything about the tactical ineptitude there for all to see in friendies as well as competitive games, it is extremely disappointing to see MON put down the quality of what he is working with in much the same vein as his predecessor. Now don't get me wrong, he did show better strategic management at crucial times in the Georgia & Germany game than Trapattoni did at the same stage of games against Sweden & Austria but he should be doing it right from the start.

I haven't seen a convincing argument as to why Keane should be in the team. Walters & Long each had more chances on goal than Keane would have mustered on the evidence of his previous appearances and showed signs of good link-up play; better than Keane showed when he has been paired with anyone recently.

Again, Keogh did okay - personally think O'Shea was better - but he had several nervy moments which will be consigned to the dust heap because they went unpunished.

Does anyone honestly think there isn't going to be a problem if Keane is benched again for the Poland game in March? His body language and vibes are not good; granted he'll be back in the team again for the next game anyway so it's not like there will be a problem. One step forward, too steps back and all that. Rome wasn't built in a day. With the right formation and our strongest players back, Long will impress further; though he still managed the same aforementioned link-up play that Keane is inadequate at, and on another day would have got an opposition defender sent off after showing anticipation and breaking through on goal at pace.

Panicking, dropping Long now, reinstating Keane, persisting with square pegs in round holes (Walters) is not the solution.

Personally disappointed that Keane isn't still in the squad for the U.S.A. game. If he wants to win back his place he is due a good performance and playing a top level team like U.S.A. would have been a great opportunity.

Assuming McGoldrick will be given the chance that Stokes & Murphy haven't been given and will walk straight into the team for a start on Tuesday, will O'Neill try a McGoldrick/Murphy combination that has been working so well at club level?

Edit: On a final note. The Scots were just smarter than Ireland on pretty much every level. They had players haranguing the referee at every opportunity, they had players (Naismith) constantly diving, our players didn't harangue the referee enough into being more proactive with punishing their players, you had Keane having to tell Keogh to tell Coleman to be more aggressive. This is the best sideline management they can f'ing come up with?

[Stuttgart88]

I didn't notice Naismith diving much in real time but I'm going to watch the game again tomorrow.

It's hard not to think your criticisms are personal. I'm not sure if it'd have mattered if keane, Long, Walters or Romario were playing upfront. The service was dreadful.

As for McGoldrick walking into the team: I have only seen snippets but Daryl Murohy himself says he is a creator of chances for other forwards. Our home games (and away in my opinion) cry out for a player like this and Hoolahan isn't playing. Maybe Brady could do this role but McGoldrick would be more of a round peg in this particular round hole so I personally wouldn't be too indignant if he starts. Stokes might have a claim but too maybe, but I'm not convinced by Stokes' hunger or attitude.

[Crosby87]

Is there any Irish player who is a teenager coming up the pipeline who is likely going to be really good?
Someone they could build a team around?
I'd like to see Ireland play in a wc again before im 90. Poor Stutts runs marathons just to take his mind off this.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Aye, but you don't know all his 'secret' training routine. Definitely athleticism with a twist...

[backstothewall]

This is my first post since getting back from the game. I must confess that i was watching the game at an awful angle behind the goal at the Lisbon Lions end, but for me the difference between the 2 sides could be summed up in one word. Composure. They had it, we didn't.

McGeady was rattled by the reception he got. He was taking corners not far from me in the 2nd half and was getting dogs abuse. He lost his composure as a result and was trying to beat the entire Scots defence on his own everytime he got the ball. Scotland had a plan and executed it perfectly. Their full backs and wingers were taking up positions right out on the touchline at every chance they got, but at no point did i see Long drifting out to the wing to exploit that.

Our play was frantic in every regard. At one point in the first half Forde won a free kick and stayed down. There didn't seem to be much wrong with him, but it gave us a timeout and a chance for O'Neill & Keane to try to calm everyone down. It was as bad after the game restarted, just as it was after half time.

To be honest anything that went on at the far end of the ground was too far away for me to comment on. In the 1st half I thought O'Shea did well, as did Coleman & Forde. In the second half I thought Walters was a handful, but it wasn't working.

Scotland were good value for the win. Having seen the goal on TV it seems to fit in with the theme of the greater composure of the Scots. It looked like it came off the training ground and it worked perfectly for them.

[Bungle]

Is there any Irish player who is a teenager coming up the pipeline who is likely going to be really good?
Someone they could build a team around?
I'd like to see Ireland play in a wc again before im 90. Poor Stutts runs marathons just to take his mind off this.

Possibly Jack byrne, but he could equally be conor Clifford mark two. He has wonderful ability and viera rates him massively. The chances of him breaking straight into the city team are very unlikely, so his next loan move is going to be crucial.

Alex o'hanlon is another with a lot of ability. He's not as good as Byrne, but he has a good chance of going far. He's well thought off at liverpool.

the mad thing is that if we produce even one world class player in the next few years, with our very functional and disciplined team albeit mediocre team, we could go quite far.

[backstothewall]

This is what the pipeline looks like

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/detailsuche/spielerdetail/suche/707431
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/detailsuche/spielerdetail/suche/707420

[SwanVsDalton]

I agree with SvD in almost all of the above, but O'Neill needs to prove he has another way of winning the big games and pretty damned soon. Trap lost me completely when we played well in Sweden and then tried to bash the door down at home to Austria. (Note: Austria going great guns in their group btw.).

If there's one possible upswing of getting beat, at least it surely forces management and team to come up with a game plan for our home games that focuses squarely on winning. We have to get four, probably six points from our next two home games.

I'm praying Hoolahan is fit.



Took you less than 48 hours to swim back from Scotland Swan. Not bad. Did you have any scotch eggs?

I took the leisurely route round the isles, very pleasant. No scotch eggs, but has some battered black pudding.

[Crosby87]

Any haggis? I could see you drowning your sorrows with a nice haggis.

[Charlie Darwin]

no o hanlon bashing please. he was excellent against real in the 19s champ league 2 weeks ago and against the bulgarians . great coverage on eurosport
I'm not bashing anyone. Somebody suggested he be brought into the set-up to give him a personal boost, but the reality is that physically he's not close to that level yet.


It is baffling how doolin doesn't have o'hanlon in the u19s, especially given that he is a regular starter in the uefa youth league, as is Dan cleary. Byrne and lawlor I would wager will become Irish internationals very soon. Both terrific talents. O'hanlon and cleary maybe less so, but still very good.

Anyhow, I believe that unless we beat the USA and Poland, we have feck all chance of being 3rs seeds for the next campaign. In that case, I'd far rather a lot of new talent introduced supplemented by the core of decent players already in the set up. We would stand more from seeing derrick Williams and Shane Duffy in a game than we would John O'Shea. Lawlor would gain more from being around the set up than Shay given. Jack Byrne might be able to impress pellegrini or a good championship club and progress his career on loan. At the very least, it will give these lads a boost.

Mick did it years ago and after some very painful performances such as Iceland and Lithuania at home, we became a very decent side. I'd love something similar now, because the current bunch (good lads the lot of them) will never amount to much. When we're getting outclassed by a Scottish team where Naismith is the star, then I think it's time to rip it up.
O'Hanlon was, I'm guessing, omitted from the U19s based on how difficult he found the last campaign.

[paul_oshea]

'You always get the impression from Everton that Seamus and James are struggling to walk,' Keane said pointedly. 'So when they turn up and they can walk, it’s praise the Lord, you know.

[tricky_colour]

Maybe if Roy broke their legs to make sure they really were injured it would help?

That way it would work out better for Everton if they played.

[DannyInvincible]

Only got back from Glasgow yesterday evening so not had chance to read through the thread fully and post 'til now.

Disappointing result with a lot of huffing and puffing from both teams. Scotland just shaded it though with a greater intent to play the better football on the ground. It was all very deflating after the tense build-up. We had a strong spell at the beginning of the second half but unfortunately it came to nothing and Scotland broke the deadlock soon after that. Their goal was a moment of magic and it was actually quite similar to one Maloney scored for Wigan at Old Trafford a few seasons ago:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pypCgKOiT8

We were admittedly caught sleeping though with Brown left completely free in the box. Both McClean and Brady were standing in space doing nothing as the whole move progressed. I think Brady had only just come on(?), but still sloppy. Otherwise, we had looked disciplined at the back and I had thought we'd be able to keep them out, so the goal was unexpected when it did arrive. I thought Keogh certainly stepped up to the plate, in spite of his limitations. He showed fearless endeavour throughout the game and didn't look out of place.

Marshall was solid and composed in their goal; the more the game went on, the harder it was for me to imagine how we were going to get something past him. He pulled off a few top saves and completely nullified any potential threat we might have offered from corners. He calmly plucked the corner balls out of the air. Robertson looked decent for them too, especially going forward, but their defence generally was probably made look stronger by our ineffective strategy. We didn't really threaten them or even attempt to penetrate, besides launching the ball at them. Hanley could have had two separate straight red cards, it should be said. I don't know how the assistant behind the goal didn't spot the elbow to Forde's face.

Our midfield was non-existent and the lads up front were barely in the game either as a result; simply chasing scraps. Coleman looked a shadow of his Everton self, but we need a midfield with the ball at their feet to bring his attacking abilities into the game.

McGeady was obviously eager to prove something and seemed to be overdoing things. The occasion (and possibly the booing) got to him. I can't really fault him though as I can understand the emotions would have been running high in his head; I was just a bit disappointed for him that it didn't really work out in the circumstances. I'd have loved for him to have shut the booers up too. He spent a lot of the game wasting energy with rampant chasing down and over-ran the ball a few times when all that was necessary was a simple pass off. If the booing of McGeady was indeed pantomime stuff as was/is being claimed, then fair enough, but what about the booing of our anthem? Is that just a laugh and a joke too?

McClean, who also had a poor game, was also on the receiving end of a bit of booing. McClean got a bit of abuse over the poppy matter from a guy near us, but the idiot was quickly told to shut up by another Scotland supporter behind him. By and large, the Scotland fans where we were standing were good-natured though and the atmosphere was positive otherwise. Credit to our fans for their loud support of Aiden and for never once stooping to disrespectful responses in testing conditions.

Very sad news to hear about the young Scotland fan who died from a fall inside the stadium. Rest in peace.

[Stuttgart88]

Just watched most of the game again. Jeez, what a contest. Short on quality but commitment, tempo and organised chaos in an intimidating atmosphere made it something to behold.

I think Roy Keane got it right. In tight games the home team shades it 70pc of the time. We weren't as bad as I had thought. As Geysir said we did actually try and work the ball out from the back and then wide before hitting a wall and hoofing it!

We got lucky with one or two Scottish missed chances, Long could have scored and Brady's delivery when he came on was very dangerous. I tried to watch the game from a Scottish viewpoint in the last 20 minutes and I reckon I'd have been behind the sofa.


Walters put in a monumental shift. You know what you're going to get with him - brawn rather than brain, but still I think he outshone Long. The team is crying out for a guy who can get time in the ball in the final third.

[DannyInvincible]

We did have chances. It was just there was no real pattern or design to them. It would have been a relief had we equalised, but it wasn't something I would have foreseen.

[DannyInvincible]

Just saw this: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152597372862946

It was a pretty amusing, loose-on-facts Fox Sports pre-game build-up segment.

[Acornvilla]

http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/how-would-home-nations-fare-premier-league-football-manager-tells-you

Scientific proof that we're better than Scotland.

[paul_oshea]

"Scotland can do subtle nowadays. They can do brilliance when the mood strikes. They have that in their make-up. The game was a gruntathon, but it was decided by the kind of creativity and skill that is becoming something of a hallmark of the Scottish team.

Think Steven Fletcher and Anya in Germany and Maloney, again, in Poland. Strachan's team can scrap when they need to scrap - Charlie Mulgrew was a colossus in that regard - but they have another dimension and three or four players who can get them there.

There was the late miss from Georgia's Irakli Dzarla at Ibrox when all the stadium closed their eyes in fear of the worst. There was the late scare in Poland when Kamil Grosicki slapped a shot off David Marshall's right-hand post. There was another late fright on Friday when Grant Hanley headed on to Marshall's crossbar. Good fortune - but deserved. "

[OwlsFan]

They should never have had the corner. Scot offside from the free kick which was headed away for the corner. On such matters are games decided but I had better stop this as I sound like a Premiership manager moaning in the post-match interview.

[DeLorean]

Only after getting through all the comments since the match there, the time flew on the train to Dublin!

My biggest gripe, and it's a massive one, is that MON is so Traplike in fitting players into his formation instead of picking a formation to suit the players.

Firstly, starting with a 4-4-2 was daft. I honestly feel it could have been a totally different match with an extra body in midfield.

Talk of 4-4-2 being a positive, brave formation is misguided I think. It's only brave because it's so obvious you're giving your two midfielders too much to do.

We need to start looking at what our players do best.

Hendrick is clearly better in a three man midfield, he'll help out defensively but his main attributes are in the opposition's half, linking up with the front man and wingers.

Gibson's best work has been in a three man midfield as well, in the deep lying role. I've been highly critical of him over the years, but I think some of the comments regarding his performance on here were very harsh. I thought he protected our back four very well on the night.

Shane Long is better as a lone striker, the more space he has to run into the better. Walters has great heart but not enough quality. Both are better (and excellent) sub options anyway I think. Keane might not do much but he's more likely to be in the right place at the right time. There are plenty strikers that do little other than score, he's still my number one up front.

McGeady, over the years, has done his best work on the left cutting in. I don't think McClean is creative enough to justify putting McGeady on the right. I would be interested in the McClean left back experiment at some stage, but for now I'd play Brady on the right with McGeady on the left.

I was willing to cut Trap some slack. He had taken us so far, made us competitive after a shambolic period. He was old and unlikely to adapt to new formations and systems. MON has no excuses, he has to learn from Trap's mistakes, as well as his own. It's hard to believe that 4-4-2 can even be considered for games like Friday night anymore.

[geysir]

This is my first post since getting back from the game. I must confess that i was watching the game at an awful angle behind the goal at the Lisbon Lions end, but for me the difference between the 2 sides could be summed up in one word. Composure. They had it, we didn't.

McGeady was rattled by the reception he got. He was taking corners not far from me in the 2nd half and was getting dogs abuse. He lost his composure as a result and was trying to beat the entire Scots defence on his own everytime he got the ball. Scotland had a plan and executed it perfectly. Their full backs and wingers were taking up positions right out on the touchline at every chance they got, but at no point did i see Long drifting out to the wing to exploit that.

Our play was frantic in every regard. At one point in the first half Forde won a free kick and stayed down. There didn't seem to be much wrong with him, but it gave us a timeout and a chance for O'Neill & Keane to try to calm everyone down. It was as bad after the game restarted, just as it was after half time.

To be honest anything that went on at the far end of the ground was too far away for me to comment on. In the 1st half I thought O'Shea did well, as did Coleman & Forde. In the second half I thought Walters was a handful, but it wasn't working.

Scotland were good value for the win. Having seen the goal on TV it seems to fit in with the theme of the greater composure of the Scots. It looked like it came off the training ground and it worked perfectly for them.
He got an ugly deliberate elbow to the face and it hurt.

[geysir]

They should never have had the corner. Scot offside from the free kick which was headed away for the corner. On such matters are games decided but I had better stop this as I sound like a Premiership manager moaning in the post-match interview.
Not every epl manager. I was reminded in particular of your favourite manager, Neil Warnock.

[backstothewall]

He got an ugly deliberate elbow to the face and it hurt.

Like I said. It was my first post since i got back from the game, and i was watching it from an awful angle.

[DannyInvincible]

I see the FAI boycotted the pre-match reception with the SFA as John Delaney sought to make a petty protest over the SFA's 5 per cent allocation, which was, of course, in accordance with UEFA's regulations: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/fai-boycott-prematch-reception-with-scottish-fa-as-relations-hit-new-low-30750037.html


Relations between the FAI and Scottish FA hit a new low on Thursday when the Irish delegation boycotted the traditional pre-match reception for the Euro 2016 qualifier between the nations.

The FAI's chief executive John Delaney had been publicly scathing of the SFA’s decision to allocate the regulation 5% (3,200) tickets for Friday’s 62,000-capacity fixture at Celtic Park.

In an interview with Radio Kerry last week, Delaney described the SFA as “unprofessional”, while suggesting that allowing Irish fans to buy up tickets in the home sections of the ground through the SFAI website could generate “tension in the air’.

Irish fans continue to dispute this, saying the problem lies with the FAI and how they allocated the five per cent.

The FAI took their displeasure to a higher level by refusing to attend the pre-match dinner hosted by SFA President Campbell Ogilvie.

This is the traditional gathering of legislators from both teams, along with the UEFA match delegate and match officials.

The delegation, including Delaney and recently-elected President Tony Fitzgerald, didn’t show up neither for the hospitality at the match venue hours before the game.

The FAI have refused to comment on the boycott by their officials.

Embarrassing stuff.

[jbyrne]

I see the FAI boycotted the pre-match reception with the SFA as John Delaney sought to make a petty protest over the SFA's 5 per cent allocation, which was, of course, in accordance with UEFA's regulations

its more likely they thought better craic was to be found elsewhere or JD was otherwise engaged in a fans ticket raffle

[paul_oshea]

"Had Ireland grabbed that late equaliser, it would have certainly confirmed O’Neill’s emerging status as a lucky manager, having got out of jail in Tbilisi with a late winner before pilfering a point at the home of the world champions."

...

"Ireland’s only other apparent tactic was to use their throw-ins to work the ball down the touchline like a schoolboy team trying to get into the opponents’ half. The interval couldn’t come quick enough.

How Ireland had kept it scoreless was anyone’s guess. Perhaps O’Neill was that lucky manager?"


Every article I read refers to the word "luck" that i had mentioned for so long yet got ridiculed. It looks like many journos share the same opinion.

[DannyInvincible]

"Had Ireland grabbed that late equaliser, it would have certainly confirmed O’Neill’s emerging status as a lucky manager, having got out of jail in Tbilisi with a late winner before pilfering a point at the home of the world champions."

...

"Ireland’s only other apparent tactic was to use their throw-ins to work the ball down the touchline like a schoolboy team trying to get into the opponents’ half. The interval couldn’t come quick enough.

How Ireland had kept it scoreless was anyone’s guess. Perhaps O’Neill was that lucky manager?"


Every article I read refers to the word "luck" that i had mentioned for so long yet got ridiculed. It looks like many journos share the same opinion.

Every article? Really? Can you provide links?

Even so, if you want to analyse something properly, examine cause and effect. Rely on talk of luck if you need a crutch, couldn't be bothered or if superstition is what you're into.

[Stuttgart88]

"Had Ireland grabbed that late equaliser, it would have certainly confirmed O’Neill’s emerging status as a lucky manager, having got out of jail in Tbilisi with a late winner before pilfering a point at the home of the world champions."

...

"Ireland’s only other apparent tactic was to use their throw-ins to work the ball down the touchline like a schoolboy team trying to get into the opponents’ half. The interval couldn’t come quick enough.

How Ireland had kept it scoreless was anyone’s guess. Perhaps O’Neill was that lucky manager?"


Every article I read refers to the word "luck" that i had mentioned for so long yet got ridiculed. It looks like many journos share the same opinion.so you agree with the BBC article that Scotland have been lucky?

It looks to me that any marginal gains that ever go our way are lucky whereas any marginal losses that don't are down to some superior scheming on behalf of our opponents.

Repeat ad Infinitum: football is not science. Stuff happens.

Had Hoolahan scored a beautifully crafted equaliser 6 or 7 minutes before O'Shea's goal (blocked) in Geksrnkirchen would it have been lucky or beautifully crafted?

[Stuttgart88]

"How Ireland kept it scoreless was anyone's guess".

Jesus. For an away game I was remarkably relaxed until they scored. Forde had one comfortable save to make. Scotland missed the target twice or three times with presentable chances. We did so once, and hit the bar once.

Is hitting the bar in injury time more lucky/unlucky than hitting the bar on 35 minutes?

[BonnieShels]

We all know Paul's feelings on goals scored either at the end of regulation time or in injury time. They are always purely lucky and nothing to do with anything that went before. :rolleyes:

Teams play on the pitch for the same length of time. What ever happens between the whistles is as valuable as anything else that happens between the whistles. Some will have a greatereffect than others on the outcome of the game. However, they all contribute.

I'm tired of the luck argument being the final determinant in anything we do.
If Hanley's header had gone in, we would have considered ourselves lucky, but it was as a result of a period of sustained pressure from our team that caused it to happen. That's the part that deserves analysis, not the fact that it came off!

[ArdeeBhoy]

Tbh, in the context of the game and the preceding two v.Georgia/Germany, it would have been extremely lucky overall. But that's football!

More bothered about our generally unconvincing performance, at times, in all three games, which makes me feel quite pessimistic about how we're set up for qualifiers in the main.

[BonnieShels]

Thats a different argument band something that should be discussed. We have one clean sheet so far and that was v Gib and but for Forde's head we could have conceded.

[paul_oshea]

Another article featuring the word luck. DI i dont store up all my links, but they've been by various jounros from rte/bbc/indepentent and irish times.

Leahy in rte, mcdonell and mahoney in independent, English in bbc.

I'd take the word of the experts over some random punter on an internet forum most days of the week to be honest, they can't all be lazy or require a support/crutch.

"The Scotland result changes everything for O'Neill. Maybe there was a feeling of destiny after O'Shea's eleventh-hour heroics in Gelsenkirchen and McGeady's slice of genius in Tbilisi. After Friday, those results seem lucky."

[jbyrne]

the biggest bit of luck for either team last Friday was how the scottish ctre back managed to stay on the pitch after his assaults on Long and Forde. wonder how the scots would have survived the 2nd half with ten men?