Belgium V Republic of Ireland - Saturday, 18th June 2016 - Euro 2016 Group E

[ramondo]

Not that I don'the find this chat about the intricacies of relations between the Flemish and Wallonia absolutely fascinating, but do the reasons why they have fallen out really matter? The good news from our perspective is that there seem to be problem behind the scenes.

I'd play Murphy myself. We have been getting results with a well settled system and Belgium seem to have problems dealing with the sort of balls we would be playing up to him. On that basis and on the back of a good performance against Sweden i'd make as little change as possible and put Murphy in as a straight swap for Walters

Team in-fighting is usually an explanation for a poor performance AFTER a game. Hoping that the Belgians won't turn up 100% committed based on these rumours is somewhat optimistic - a win would put them in a decent position to get to the next round.

They have the better team, so better to concentrate on how to deal with the big threat they pose, I would say. And let's try to forget Raul Nazare (for anyone who grew up in the 80s).

[Colbert Report]

Conte confirms he'll be playing the stiffs against Ireland. Huge incentive for us now to get a good result tomorrow.

I reckon all the "fringe" players will use the opportunity against Ireland to try to play their way into the starting XI for the first knockout round. I think we have to beat Belgium to have any hope of progressing. We really needed to beat Sweden, I can't see any realistic way we get out of this group, especially with our best player ruled out through injury and Wes Hoolahan being so old. He really shouldn't start tomorrow, how much gas can be left in those legs?

[Philly]

Belgium line-up: Courtois; Meunier, Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Vertonghen*; Witsel, Dembélé; Carrasco, De Bruyne, Hazard; Lukaku.

[DannyInvincible]

Belgium line-up, according to Belgian journalist Kristof Terreur on Twitter (https://twitter.com/HLNinEngeland/status/744102760254214144): Courtois; Meunier, Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Vertonghen; Witsel, Dembélé; Carrasco, De Bruyne, Hazard; Lukaku.

[pineapple stu]

Belgian police foil terrorist attack on Belgium v Ireland; 12 arrested. (http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/belgian-police-foil-major-terror-attack-planned-during-belgiumireland-euro-2016-clash-34812457.html)

****. Stay safe...

[bennocelt]

Belgian police foil terrorist attack on Belgium v Ireland; 12 arrested. (http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/belgian-police-foil-major-terror-attack-planned-during-belgiumireland-euro-2016-clash-34812457.html)

****. Stay safe...

You got to be kidding me:( Be safe

[pineapple stu]

Looks like Belgium targetted rather than Bordeaux - maybe bars, etc, where people would be watching.

Not that that makes it any better of course...

[TrapAPony]

Randolph, Coleman, O'Shea, Clark, Ward, Whelan, McCarthy, Hendrick, Brady, Hoolahan, Long.

[shakermaker1982]

C'mon lads!

The right team. Whatever happens I don't want to hear any nonsense that McClean should have started. We need ball players today to keep the ball.

[texidub]

If anyone has an RTE link, please share.. only finding ESPN and the like online.

Optimistic for today.. COYBIG

[Philly]

C'mon lads!

The right team. Whatever happens I don't want to hear any nonsense that McClean should have started. We need ball players today to keep the ball.

Don't listen to Dunphy then, already bemoaning the fact he's on the bench. Weirdly suggesting he'd rather him over McCarthy.

I'm happy with the team. Brady will give us a bit more of a threat down the left now he's further up. Very strong Belgium team. I trust our guy's to give it a real go today. Fingers crossed.

[texidub]

Good ITV link (oxymoron?), if anyone wants one: http://livestream-s.info/video/466947.html

Still looking for RTE..

[SkStu]

So nervous. Come on lads, do us proud!

[texidub]

Hmmm.. I hope they are just playing like this for the first 15.. seem to be much more in their shells than in the last game, so far at least

[osarusan]

So far it reminds me of the NI v Poland game - our inability to bring the ball out of defence (we're just kicking it away) means that we are under constant pressure.

[SkStu]

Sitting so deep, playing long ball after long ball. This is really tough to watch. Belgian goal seems inevitable...

[pineapple stu]

Rare bad touch from Wessi.

Doing better the last few minutes.

[passinginterest]

Frustrating so far. Trap era stuff. Hendrick and hoolahan look a bit heavy legged to me. Slowing it down too much I think.

[texidub]

Definitely better.. putting some passes together..

[tricky_colour]

Coybig

[SkStu]

Hendrick ooh get that fcking pass off man!

[pineapple stu]

3 or 4 times now we've got to the edge of their box and given it away cheaply. Really frustrating. We should have had at least one good chance by now. Instead, we've only had a chance of a chance.

[texidub]

Come on lads.. that's a few underhit passes now..

[tricky_colour]

Brady took one for the team

[tricky_colour]

we dominate the passing distance

[SkStu]

Little bit of frustration creeping in here from the Belgians?

[pineapple stu]

That's a ridiculous card for Hendrick.

[tricky_colour]

well 0-0 a steady first half.

[texidub]

Whole team is being too bashful, overawed..

Ref not doing us any favours either.

[tricky_colour]

would 2 points get us anywhere?

[pineapple stu]

Almost definitely not.

[backstothewall]

So far, so good. A point is OK here.

[texidub]

I suppose one way to play the likes of Belgium is to pay hoof ball for 60-70 mins, then mix it up with some subs in the last portion of the game when the Belgians are frustrated.

[osarusan]

would 2 points get us anywhere?
If we draw this game and the Italy game, and Belgium and Sweden also draw, we'd be second with 3 points.

[passinginterest]

Looking very nervous on the ball. Might as well have Murphy on instead of Hoolahan if the tactic is just going to be lash everything long. At least McCarthy has looked a bit more aggressive and made a few nice interceptions.

[texidub]

Definitely a big improvement in McCarthy's mentality from the last game.

[SkStu]

Right. Get in, have an orange quarter, sip of water and regroup.

Tough, tough first half there but almost what we expected. That said they've only had a few shots on target and we have had a couple of half chances. Energy levels seem down though whereas you wouldn't think Belgium were also playing their second game in as many days.

I know Belgium defenders are susceptible to the ball over the top or long ball but they are not susceptible to the hoof from the full back. Have to change our approach in the second half and try and keep possession a little more and spread out. Game may be calling out for McClean but I don't know if it's worth getting him on if we can't get him the ball.

Long has looked better than against Sweden. Hoolohan and Hendrick look leggy. McCarthy ha been way better. Whelan has been silent and I don't know if that's a good thing. Wards done about as well as we could expect. Defenders again both doing very well and Coleman a little bit disappointing as he was in the first half v Sweden. Randolph has done well, especially that off side tip onto the bar. Wow. DeBruynes delivery has been absolutely outstanding and caused more nerves than their general play.

I don't know. Hopefully expectation will begin to weight too heavily on the Belgians and we get a little more of the ball and a little more space. I'd take the draw now, even a 0-0.

[shakermaker1982]

Need to be braver on the ball. Belgium haven't really created anything but we need to close De Bruyne down.

Think back 4 have done well.

Wessi needs to step it up.

[pineapple stu]

I suppose one way to play the likes of Belgium is to pay hoof ball for 60-70 mins, then mix it up with some subs in the last portion of the game when the Belgians are frustrated.
Long is the most frustrated player out there though.

[pineapple stu]

Big trouble now. After all they said in studio about Lukaku too.

Was that a penalty for us though? Double-kicked in the head?

[texidub]

Looked a peno to me...

[passinginterest]

Oh god this is not good at all, could get messy 😢

[SkStu]

McCarthy. FFS. Let Witsel go.

[shakermaker1982]

McCarthy lost his man for the header and should have taken a yellow for the first goal.

[texidub]

Ah fook.

McCarthy gone back to his old ways in this half.

Mentality off from the start.

[pineapple stu]

Is that goal the problem with modern football?

Lots of teams have tried putting ten men behind the ball, stifling a better team and hoping for a counter somewhere. But then the games are dull. But if we play football - as we've had to do since we scored - we get picked open.

So the best bet is to play dull, stifling stuff as long as we can.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

[tricky_colour]

Ward seems to have lost a lot of weight.

[the doc]

Come back Mr Trappatoni all is foregiven!

[SkStu]

Oooph. Goodnight.

[shakermaker1982]

James McClean - cheers mate.

Sean St Ledger - words fail me.