Republic of Ireland V Switzerland 25th March & Slovakia 29th March 2016 - Friendlies

[paul_oshea]

Has the sky contracted ended?

[geysir]

His comment about the WAG's is outstanding.
Outstanding, but only in the context of our sporting hacks so stuck for an intelligent question to ask MON that they follow a banal lead from their English counterparts.
And that's after construing some non story out of some non comments from Keane of Cork yesterday.
It's MON trumping their banality but they're probably too dumb to get it.

[Razors left peg]

Don't suppose if anyone knows a way to see the game in the US? I usually get them on the ESPN website but they don't seem to be showing this one.

[geysir]

It doesn't matter where you are in the globe as long as you have access to the internet, just watch it on a stream.
eg Setanta Ireland on http://nowwatchtvlive.me

[Razors left peg]

It doesn't matter where you are in the globe as long as you have access to the internet, just watch it on a stream.
eg Setanta Ireland on http://nowwatchtvlive.me

Problem is that Im gonna be at work when its on so I need to record it and watch later. Some of the websites over here have a watch later option .... but not the dodgy streaming sites obviously.

[Fixer82]

It doesn't matter where you are in the globe as long as you have access to the internet, just watch it on a stream.
eg Setanta Ireland on http://nowwatchtvlive.me

Oooh not too sure about giving credit card details. Anywhere to get a stream that doesn't require sign-up/credit card etc?

[geysir]

Oooh not too sure about giving credit card details. Anywhere to get a stream that doesn't require sign-up/credit card etc?
Never had to give up any details at any time to watch any stream, and thats going back to 1999.
What planet do you do your internet browsing on?

[Fixer82]

Never had to give up any details at any time to watch any stream, and thats going back to 1999.
What planet do you do your internet browsing on?

The one that appears to have sent you back to 4th class

[DeLorean]

The greatest trick that Trapattoni ever pulled was convincing the Irish players and fans that it was OK to accept that smaller teams can't compete with big ones

Strange signature. The one thing he did was got us competitive, against everybody, for the first four years anyway.

[geysir]

The one that appears to have sent you back to 4th class
I'm not the guy who thinks that you have buy free items with a credit card.
But I won't rule out the possibility that something creeps out from the that setanta channel, comes into your computer, somehow picks your pockets and slithers away.

[DeLorean]

So Duffy's going to start at least one of the two games, that's good to see. I'd like if he partnered Clark to see how that goes. I must say I wouldn't fancy a Duffy-Keogh partnership really.

[Fixer82]

I'm not the guy who thinks that you have buy free items with a credit card.
But I won't rule out the possibility that something creeps out from the that setanta channel, comes into your computer, somehow picks your pockets and slithers away.

But you're the guy who's being a $mart ar$e when I'm simply looking for a link to watch the match. Well done on being a smarter person than me :applause:

[Closed Account]

So who do you stink will start tonight?

Randolph;
Christie, O'Shea, Duffy, Ward;
McCarthy, Hendrick
Judge, Hoolahan, Brady
Long

is what I'd like to see. No need for Coleman. I'm not a fan of McGeady. Whelan will probably play. And Keogh.
McShane deserves another run out. Has played well for Reading this year but he still makes me too nervous to watch.

[Fixer82]

So who do you stink will start tonight?

Randolph;
Christie, O'Shea, Duffy, Ward;
McCarthy, Hendrick
Judge, Hoolahan, Brady
Long

is what I'd like to see. No need for Coleman. I'm not a fan of McGeady. Whelan will probably play. And Keogh.
McShane deserves another run out. Has played well for Reading this year but he still makes me too nervous to watch.

McShane deserves a run. Would like to see Judge, Duffy, Elliot and Hayes get game time

[geysir]

But you're the guy who's being a $mart ar$e when I'm simply looking for a link to watch the match. Well done on being a smarter person than me :applause:
Sorry about that but I had thought it was very obvious that I had given a sure fire link to watch the match on setanta where you wouldn't be troubled by such trivial matters as credit card details.

[Closed Account]

IRELAND:
----------------- Randolph ---------------
Coleman(c) --- Duffy --- Clark --- Brady --
Judge -------- Meyler -- Quinn -- McGeady
-------------- Long ---- Doyle ------------

Bench:
Forde, Elliot
Christie, Doherty, McShane, Keogh, Pearce, Ward
McCarthy, O'Kane, Gleeson
McClean, Hoolahan, Hayes
Murphy

(not involved: O'Shea, Whelan)

SWITZERLAND:
------------ Sommer ----------------
Lang --- Schar --- Klose --- Rodriguez
-- Dzemaili -- Xhaka -- Behrami ------
-- Embolo -- Seferovic -- Mehmedi ---

Formation more than anything annoying me. Are we going to play 2 up top in France? Unlikely. Roles of full backs, wide players and midfield 2 all change when you switch to 4-2-3-1.

[DannyInvincible]

Interesting line-up; good to see Judge in there. Hopefully, McGeady can perform. Haven't seen Doyle in a while, but he probably makes it due to injuries rather than being in real future starting plans.

Strong Donegal connections in defence tonight with Coleman from Killybegs, Duffy's father from Letterkenny and Clark's grandmother from Milford, though now residing in Manorcunningham.

[DeLorean]

Formation more than anything annoying me

Might not be too bad if they set up like this....

----------------- Randolph ---------------
Coleman(c) --- Duffy --- Clark --- Brady

Doyle -------- Meyler -- Quinn -- McGeady

----------------------- Judge ---------------------
-------------------------- Long --------------------

[DeLorean]

Told ye this Duffy Clark partnership was worth trying out :p

[DannyInvincible]

Duffy's height is a great asset.

[DeLorean]

Poor Doyler... Was looking pretty sharp n all. Murphy coming on, it would have been an ideal opportunity to bring on a midfielder and scrap this 4-4-2 madness.

[Fixer82]

Sorry about that but I had thought it was very obvious that I had given a sure fire link to watch the match on setanta where you wouldn't be troubled by such trivial matters as credit card details.

Apology accepted. Link was a bit stop start but found one eventually.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Well the idiots (not here) complaining about Doyle starting will be satisfied now.

Murphy on. God forbid Judge or Hoolahan go behind Long or Gleeson or O'Kane help out Meyler and Quinn in midfield. That would be too radical.

[Fixer82]

Looks like that could well be the end of Doyle's euro chances

[Closed Account]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4047a6_clark-goal-ireland-1-0-switzerland-friendlies-25-03-2016_sport
3dNAWRpFMP4
(http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4047a6_clark-goal-ireland-1-0-switzerland-friendlies-25-03-2016_sport)

[BonnieShels]

He was indeed. Shocked to see how on the ball he was.

That Ciaran Clark lad. Liability.

Also thanks DeL. Quality seats lad.

[SkStu]

Very unfortunate for Doyle there. Looked fairly innocuous.

[SkStu]

Very unlucky there for Long, close to perfect header. Thought Colemans ball was outstanding.

[Fixer82]

Cracking ball by Coleman. Long very unlucky. Looks very sharp tonight.
Murphy looks like an absolute beast in the new jersey

[zero]

poor enough stuff. quinn and meyler are not a midfield combo that would fill one with confidence. whelan for all his detractors is far better than either.

looks like we've gone full long ball - maybe understandably given the players available? mcgeady looks out of shape and judge hasn't had a touch really.

sad for doyler, he was giving it everything.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Setting Judge up to fail by utilizing him that way..

Maybe Murphy would be quicker to react to things, a bit sharper, if he lost some of that excess muscle; Adonis of a man that he is.

Thought Doyle offered a lot more than Murphy has.

[Siberian]

Why does the stadium announcer feel it necessary to tell us the half time score when the referee blows for half time ��

[SkStu]

Half Time Report (missed first 9 minutes)

Randolph has comfortably dealt with everything he had to deal with which wasn't a whole lot.
Centre Defence has looked good. Strong, composed and not at all helped in possession by the midfield.
Coleman has had a good half. Very effective in attack and defence. Again not much help from Judge or his mids when in possession.
Brady looks unnatural at LB tonight despite having been very impressed by him there in previous games. Hasn't done much wrong just looks a bit unsure and out of place.
Centre mids have been very poor in attack and in possession. Have done ok in defence managing to stifle out a couple of counter attacks but they are pretty much non existent from an attacking perspective.
Judge will be happy enough. Quiet debut but obviously needs to find the pace of the game and see how he can be effective. Doesn't look like a natural right winger. Believe it was his corner that led to the goal.
McGeady I'm happy with. Was fearing the worst but actually has been good in attack and defence. Won and took a few corners with one into the near post that was flicked goalward and was a chance.
Long was Long. Fast, worked tirelessly. Puts defenders under pressure.
Doyle looked sharp and fit. Very unfortunate injury. Murphy has been good too and does indeed look like a tank in that jersey.

[DeLorean]

Don't want to be too hard on Meyler and Quinn becasue it's one hell of a task they have, both have been sloppy enough at times though, particularly Quinn. Waste of time playing Judge if they weren't going to give him a chance to impress in his proper position. McGeady is doing okay I think overall, working hard getting back and has won a couple of corners and that. Coleman and Brady like taking risks, fortune has favoured the brave in that respect so far! It's Trap/early MON football really, I thought we had progressed a little, hopefully it is just a case of the players available but it scares me a little that he's reverted to it, in the sense that something similar could happen in June. An out and out 4-4-2 against technically superior teams is a seriously hard watch. We're a serious threat from set pieces though.

[geysir]

Generally frustrating retro football from us. We do have the look of a basement price O'Neill team who excel on set pieces and have muscle.
Judge should be in the middle.

[SkStu]

Brilliant tackle from Clark.

[geysir]

I don't know if Keith Andrews adds much as a co commentator but I just find I agree with everything he says.

[geysir]

I saw this when the Swiss played Iceland a while back, but they are dirty féckers, spoiling and fouling in midfield when they lose possession, block the quick free and always mouthing off to the ref.

[Fixer82]

I saw this when the Swiss played Iceland a while back, but they are dirty féckers, spoiling and fouling in midfield when they lose possession, block the quick free and always mouthing off to the ref.

It's called being cute. Every team needs to be a bit cynical like that at times. Swiss seem to be getting away with it more than they should

[SkStu]

Daryl Murphy though. :)

[geysir]

Randolph has a safe pair of hands, good feet and hefty punch.
He's ambi positive.

[SkStu]

Xhaka though ;)

[Park_Lane]

3 Derry lads on the pitch for Ireland now. Has to be a first.

[geysir]

Hop Derry

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

O'Kane should have scored.

The lack of support for a game McClean at the end is shameful considering it's a friendly.

Murphy going off shows the folly of not bringing reinforcements for Walters and Keane; it could have been an opportunity for someone like Mason, Eoin Doyle or Madden.

Has Duffy jumped Keogh in the queue on the basis of that performance?

Judge wasted in that position.

Arter will probably remain ahead of Quinn and Meyler in O'Neill's thoughts without even playing; Gibson failing to get a loan move also works in his favour.

[geysir]

Is it time to ditch O'Shea?

[SkStu]

Congratulations to Ciaran Clark on his first win of the season... ;)

Much the same as the first but I thought the addition of McCarthy and O'Kane changed the tempo of midfield and quelled the growing Swiss threat.

Duffy/Clark were great. Better second half from Brady. Coleman was solid as before. Judge was as quiet as he had been in the first.

O'Kane should have buried his chance. Hayes was hard to figure out in terms of his role and position.

Good win overall and lots of positives to take from it. The Swiss put out what looked like a strong team and we contained them very well. Lots of shape, hard work and discipline in that team which is good to see. Will be interesting to see how we do against Slovakia.

[zero]

Is it time to ditch O'Shea?

he's nailed on to be in the squad and it would be a huge call to not start him. positive is we have a good few options at centre half. i'd say wilson is the one in serious danger of missing out though he can play in a few positions.

mixed feelings on the game. swiss were poor in the second half and i thought we were a different prospect when mccarthy came on. one nice interchange between judge and hoolahan, though we're unlikely to see both in the same side very often.

i thought long looked good and obviously unlucky not to score. must surely be our #1 striker now. similarly randolph was composed and commanding throughout. he's a good bit better than elliot in my view.

we definitely wanted to win more than the swiss which in some ways makes it a hard to read game. gone it seems are the early MON days of placing no value in friendlies. this was serious business and the team was set up to win ugly particularly in the first half.

[Fixer82]

Swiss dominated possession but our defence was solid. Then we handed them back possession to have another go. To be fair though, we were missing a lot of first 11. Shows there's not much back up there. Judge was a little bit wasted on the wing alright.

Hoolahan showed what a class act he is with his small cameo.

[DeLorean]

Judge will be happy enough. Believe it was his corner that led to the goal.

It was a Brady outswinger.