Republic of Ireland v Iceland - Tuesday, 28th March 2017 - Friendly 2017

[DeLorean]

Pretty happy with that team. Delighted Hourihane and Egan start. Horgan ahead of McClean surely though? Would have more interest in seeing Boyle than Pearce but the latter deserves his run out.

[DannyInvincible]

Very attack-minded line-up but I'd have liked to have seen Horgan and Boyle start. I'm sure they'll come on at some point. Hopefully they'll both be given decent run-outs anyway.

[liamoo11]

In fairness it's very experimental. No reason for Boyle to be ahead of Pearce Boyle has only had a few games at Preston. Not playing Gleason or Meyer defensive midfield is positive. McLean will only play a half. O'Neill deserves credit

[SkStu]

Pretty happy with that team. Delighted Hourihane and Egan start. Horgan ahead of McClean surely though? Would have more interest in seeing Boyle than Pearce but the latter deserves his run out.

very happy with that team too. What role are we thinking that Hayes will play? Right wing? Almost a

McClean------McGeady------Hayes
--------Hourihane---Hendrick------

[mark12345]

very happy with that team too. What role are we thinking that Hayes will play? Right wing? Almost a

McClean------McGeady------Hayes
--------Hourihane---Hendrick------

Backing Aiden for a big showing tonight. Then we'll all be saying "Why didn't he start against Wales?"

[DeLorean]

very happy with that team too. What role are we thinking that Hayes will play? Right wing? Almost a

McClean------McGeady------Hayes
--------Hourihane---Hendrick------

Yeah you'd imagine he'll be on the right of that three that JoeD set out above and McGeady more central. You wouldn't know though, McClean might just play up front with Long in a more conventional 4-4-2.

[DeLorean]

Backing Aiden for a big showing tonight. Then we'll all be saying "Why didn't he start against Wales?"

We know why he didn't start though really. O'Neill was more concerned with not losing than winning, mission accomplished as far as he's concerned really.

[BonnieShels]

Why was there a moments applause outside of it being for the "football family"?

Was it for Milo, McBride and Treacy again?

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I think Randolph would have had that covered.

[SwanVsDalton]

Was more exercised about whoever it was in the wall ducked their head out of the way (can't tell from my rubbish stream). Can't imagine Roy would be too impressed. Thought it was pretty tough to stop once it cleared the wall.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I'm struggling to think of something positive to say.

Bring on Horgan and Long maybe.

[BonnieShels]

Was more exercised about whoever it was in the wall ducked their head out of the way (can't tell from my rubbish stream). Can't imagine Roy would be too impressed. Thought it was pretty tough to stop once it cleared the wall.

https://soccerstreams.net/streams/5042/republic-of-ireland-158_vs_iceland-165

I'm on acestream and it's pretty good. [59838a47d8b7c71f3918805e6df1eecc82c78485]

---


Hourihane ducked

[DeLorean]

Poor half, poor setup of the team and poor goal to concede.

-McGeady was never good on the right, play him where he's flourishing.

-Hourihane isn't really imposing himself, needs to take chances like this. Plenty of space out there to get on the ball.

-Egan badly isolated for the goal, should have still been able to manage the situation without fouling. Hendrick and/or Hourihane poor in the wall.

-Hayes doing well enough, better than most. McClean working his balls off but I don't see much sense in playing him up front with Doyle there too.

-Cave man 4-4-2, way too much hoofing. Playing into their hands big time. They must be laughing at us lobbing it into the box.

[DeLorean]

Was more exercised about whoever it was in the wall ducked their head out of the way (can't tell from my rubbish stream). Can't imagine Roy would be too impressed. Thought it was pretty tough to stop once it cleared the wall.

Indeed. He had no chance.

[BonnieShels]

37,241 in attendance. Not too shabby really.

[KrisLetang]

Birkir Mar reminds me of a young Conor Clifford.

[DeLorean]

Horgan, O'Kane, Gleeson and Boyle for Hayes, Hourihane, Hendrick and Egan.

[tricky_colour]

http://shangaza.net/forums/topic/4332/20-45-soccer-ireland-iceland
decent quality stream

[KrisLetang]

The Horgan era has begun in Dublin. May it bring fruits to the tree of success so sweet....we shall get cavities.

[DeLorean]

72' O'Dowda and Long for McClean and McGeady

[tricky_colour]

still time to grab a couple of goals

[tricky_colour]

icelandic defence is melting

[KrisLetang]

still time to grab a couple of goals

Or beers.

[tricky_colour]

better second half, no dowda bout it

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Haven't been greatly impressed by Christie.

O'Kane and Gleeson have fared better than Hendrick and Hourihane.

Doyle struggling to get into the game. Should have called up another striker.

[DeLorean]

Gleeson looks like a bit of a Whelan clone, might be handy to have a spare. O'Kane has been really good since coming on, always impresses me. Get the impression Iceland could defend our crosses untroubled until this time tomorrow.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Disappointed in McGeady. I think Brady and Hayes linked up better.

Decent ball by O'Dowda.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I wouldn't say any of the debutants have played their way into O'Neill's plans.

Credit to Iceland. They have been immense.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Dreadful by Christie again there..

[paul_oshea]

Severe lack of firepower, have we had 1 shot on target in 180 minutes of football.

[paul_oshea]

No one is anywhere near the breaking ball. Its more than just a worry now.

I am not confident for Austria at all.

[DeLorean]

Think Boyle's header hit the target there right at the end!

[KrisLetang]

Well that was a waste of 5 days. I hate when they don't score. Foot.ie have some serious soul searching to do these next weeks.

[Closed Account]

Horgan looked good. Badly missing Wes or someone to pick it up between the lines.

Should have used a 7th sub for ranking reasons

[paul_oshea]

Regardless of hoolahan I'm not sure how bar scoring himself. Our front row are not finding scoring positions and not getting headers but we keep hitting crosses in.

The free kick was not that good. We had a wall of small men and the smallest man, hayes, ducked his head. That should never have gone in.

[DannyInvincible]

The stadium atmosphere sounded like a swimming pool on a Saturday afternoon.

Westwood didn't have a chance for the goal; Hourihane should have put his head on it instead of ducking out of the way.

Horgan did well when he came on. Boyle looked good on the ball too, bar one bad pass.

Once again though, we didn't seriously trouble their goalkeeper at all. Hennessy wasn't tested either last Friday night. That's worrying.

Shouldn't there have been at least 6 minutes of injury time considering there were 12 substitutions?

[KrisLetang]

The stadium atmosphere sounded like a swimming pool on a Saturday afternoon.


What does that mean? Lots of splashing?

[IsMiseSean]

Stating the obvious here, but we're badly in need of a decent striker.

[DannyInvincible]

Regardless of hoolahan I'm not sure how bar scoring himself. Our front row are not finding scoring positions and not getting headers but we keep hitting crosses in.

The free kick was not that good. We had a wall of small men and the smallest man, hayes, ducked his head. That should never have gone in.

Hourihane ducked his head; not Hayes. Hayes (#20) was standing to the left of the wall.

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc12/poguemahone85/17623099_10210337034196833_988777280_o_zpsezswfbi8 .jpg

The ball went over/between Hourihane (#3) and Hendrick (#13) - neither jumped with the left side of the wall - but I'd blame Hourihane more so for having ducked out of the way when he easily could have put his head to it.

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc12/poguemahone85/fk_zpsfe034d5b.jpg

Edit: Video of their goal here: https://www.facebook.com/eirSport/videos/1242953252426107/

[DannyInvincible]

What does that mean? Lots of splashing?

Lots of shouting/screaming kids and echoes.

[KrisLetang]

Hopefully no candy bars floating around.

How many shots on goal total from the two games? Is it only one? That's what peeps are saying in the 42 comments on the player grades. That's ridiculous if so.

[DannyInvincible]

McClean had two shots in quick succession late on against Wales; the first was blocked, the ball came back to him and he then volleyed the rebound only for it to take a deflection wide off a Welsh defender, but it was on target. I think those were our only serious efforts on goal on Friday night.

Was Boyle's late header the only effort on goal from us tonight? Not that it really challenged the keeper, mind.

[backstothewall]

Westwood - 5: Caught flat footed for the goal. Looked ropey throughout
Christie - 6: Few decent moments
Egan - 6: Didn't have a lot to do
Pearce - 6: See Egan
Brady - 7: Obviously the best player on the park
McGeady - 4: Awful and predictably awful.
Hourihane - 6: A few good moments but struggled to impose himself
Hendrick - 6: Didn't look interested
Hayes - 6: Never really noticed him tbh
McClean 7: Gives you the same no matter where he plays. Always a handful but more effective in midfield
Doyle - 5: I'm not sure he's still up to this level anymore

[KrisLetang]

Oh Ok.
It says only 1 tonight in the boxscore.

[DeLorean]

According to the BBC match reports:

v. Wales

Total shots = 13
On target = 1

v. Iceland

Total shots = 4
On target = 1

[KrisLetang]

Only a simpleton like me would think the answer is to get more shots on goal. And yet....

[DannyInvincible]

According to the BBC match reports:

v. Wales

Total shots = 13
On target = 1

Hmm, I can't remember 13 at all. It sounds a very high figure given just how poor we seemed to be on the creativity front.

Here are some extended highlights from the game:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DCvqfMUFMo

Just rewatching that, Keogh had a tame enough effort (at 2m16s) that bounced wide without threatening Hennessy after he got a foot on the end of a corner. Long also had a volley from just outside the box (at 2m30s), but it was blocked and deflected well wide of the Welsh goal. McClean's two efforts are at 3m20s in the video above. I think I recall McGeady also had a right-footed effort as he came inside from the left wing but it went well over the bar. I really can't think of much else. Are they counting merely getting a head on to the end of a cross (irrespective of where the ball goes) as a shot?

[TrapAPony]

Dire match tonight between two dire sides. Between the Icelandic and Welsh matches we only managed 1 shot on target, that is a brutal record. Horgan, Gleeson, O'Kane and O'Dowda showed that they might have something to offer going forward. Aside from that I don't think any of the new caps did anything of note. Doyle should not play for Ireland again, he had his day and offers nothing anymore. We need to get someone like Scott Hogan on board, no ifs or buts. Another thing is that Jeff Hendrick has been living off of his Euro performances for too long now and IMO should be dropped from here on in. He goes missing in far too many matches. Brady is also wasted at left back and tonight was an opportunity missed to see Cunningham in that position with Brady further forward.

At least Austria weren't impressive tonight either in their draw against Finland with the added bonus that their goalscorer will be suspended for our match in Dublin.

[DeLorean]

Are they counting merely getting a head on to the end of a cross (irrespective of where the ball goes) as a shot?

No idea. Thought it seemed really, really high as well.

[DannyInvincible]

According to the BBC match reports:

...

Total shots = 4
On target = 1

After driving forward through the centre with the ball, O'Dowda had a left-footed effort that seemed to be on target until it deflected wide. Brady also had a shot late on with his left foot that was blocked; it never had a chance of making it near their keeper as there were about four or five Icelandic defenders in Brady's way. I assume Boyle's headed attempt counted as another "shot", although I'm pretty sure it was on target too. Not sure what the fourth "shot" would have been.