Republic of Ireland V Georgia - Tuesday, 26th March 2019 - Euro 2020 Qualifier [Archive] - Page 3

Insidetherock

26/03/2019, 9:50 PM

In the grand scheme, this international break has been a massive success.

Maximum points from a pair of games which were banana skins where we could easily have dropped 2 or 3 points given the circumstances.

Accomplished performance against Georgia, controlled, measured, patterns, playing football, passing our way out of a tight spot, pressing intelligently for the most part - things we�ve been told to expect we are not capable of.

McCarthy has had no friendlies to get his approach solidified and communicated - and yet has gone into this weekend and come out the other side with 6 points and positivity. Best of all, I think we can and will play even better.

We�ve lost some important players for this squad so they will come back and make a difference in the games ahead. McGoldrick was excellent tonight as was Glen Whelan - 2 players ostracized by the previous management team. McClean (and to a lesser extent, Duffy) would be the biggest disappointment of the last two games.

MON and co (and Trap) should be ashamed of the money they took for the job they did. All they had was a book of excuses. With the success and talent of the U19s and promising early signs from Kenny�s U21s, I think we are turning a corner.

Well done Mick. COYBIG

My only issue is that we seem utterly resigned to Mick being a one term manager.. I think if he got 2/3 terms, with Kenny also getting 2/3 with the u21s, then we'd have a serious squad in 10 years time.

But look, we are where we are..

Tonight was the first time enjoying watching a game in years to be frank. We could have conceded a few, but we could also have scored 3/4.. that'll come in time.

Remember, we have the likes of Obafemi to come back too..

Insidetherock

26/03/2019, 9:50 PM

Insidetherock

26/03/2019, 9:52 PM

Well that was a real struggle, finding a stream I mean and even that packed up with 5 mins left. Probably saw about 10 mins in all!

Still at least it is 3 points.

Is that true? If so how?

Anyhow I guess the Swiss and Danes drawing works in our favour, will be interesting to see how we fare against the big guns in the group.

Regarding play offs..

Ireland may not get into the top 2 in the group.. but practically all the Nations League group A teams will, as will the majority of the group B teams.. so we'll kind of fall into the Group A or B play off by default

pineapple stu

26/03/2019, 9:57 PM

only middle class ******* would have tennis balls on hand for a protest. Then they throw them on when Ireland have a free ? Class warfare I tells you. I haven't posted on this forum in years and may have misjudged the mood .....also i'm drinking snakebite at the moment.
Probably a mix of (a) being easy to get into the ground and (b) unlikely to do any real damage if they hit anyone (which they did)

I presume the timing was pre-arranged, and it was to an extent coincidental that we had a free kick at the same time?

NeverFeltBetter

26/03/2019, 10:23 PM

While the performance was good, bar the wastefulness in the final third, I could have done with a little less of Ronnie Whelan's fawning. He called Ireland "magnificent" three times, as we were 1-0 up against a team ranked 45 places below us.

samhaydenjr

26/03/2019, 10:36 PM

Well that was a real struggle, finding a stream I mean and even that packed up with 5 mins left. Probably saw about 10 mins in all!

Still at least it is 3 points.

Despite Ireland's abysmal campaign at the end of last year that saw them relegated to the third tier of the competition, The Boys in Green are as good as guaranteed a play-off place if they fail to qualify automatically.

Is that true? If so how?

Anyhow I guess the Swiss and Danes drawing works in our favour, will be interesting to see how we fare against the big guns in the group.

Without getting into the hairpulling detail of how it works, here's why: I looked at the groups and if qualification was based on current positions (and we assume Switzerland and Denmark are ahead of us), then eight out of twelve teams would qualify from each of Leagues A and B, neatly leaving four in each League to participate in the respective playoffs. In general, as long as sixteen teams from League A and B qualify through the groups, we will be involved in the play-offs (fifteen if Norn Iron don't, as we finished ahead of them in the Nations League rankings)

CraftyToePoke

27/03/2019, 1:29 AM

Main concern for me is the lack of a goal threat. A much improved performance, but we scored from a free, missed a one-on-one and that was pretty much it.

Wasn't there the shot blocked down in the first half when the shooter (can't remember who) might have played someone in instead after Hendrick won it back really well, the offside disallowed one when Coleman (?) was just behind the finisher and not offside, and Stevens pulled a shot wide in the second half which he should have been on target from, those off the top of my head. Granted, we weren't opening them up at will or working their keeper lots, but still, we looked a totally different outfit I thought, and an enjoyable one to watch again, finally.

CraftyToePoke

27/03/2019, 1:51 AM

What was most pleasing for me tonight was the nail in the coffin of many of our previous two managers self preserving and absolutely false narratives about how we play, and what we can be.

You can argue it was only Georgia, an expected home win, but equally they passed the ball something like four times to our one in the last campaign in one game against them, and we were told not to expect better because of the limitations on the player pool available to our A list manager.

Also MONs high handed dismissive treatment of a question re our lack of set piece routines being down to limited contact time with the players (OTB interview from memory) has been debunked for the lazy arrogant lie that it was, when you see already tonight evidence of pre planned set piece moves including Duffy in the wall for our winner which Mick has managed to bring about in little more than a week.

We may come up short against the two group favourites, its true they do have bigger profile & better club players, and more likely match winners, no getting away from that but it looks like even if we do, it will be while playing in a way that doesn't make me angry at / embarrassed of, how we go about things. After the last decade, and the underage sides absolutely fantastic set of results in this window, that will do me for now.

Razors left peg

27/03/2019, 2:46 AM

Was very enjoyable to watch.

Probably harsh to pick out this one thing but I never want to see O'Brien get picked again. On the 87th minute Mclean had the ball moving forward, o'Brien was ahead of him and Steven's to the left. O'Brien kept jogging in a straight line and nearly got in the way. The ball went out left to Stevens and I was waiting for o'Brien to make a sprint into space, but he kept jogging at same pace and when the cross came in he was nowhere near.

I would have expected better forward play from an u15 player, it was awful.

Ol� Ol�

27/03/2019, 5:21 AM

pineapple stu

27/03/2019, 6:37 AM

Granted, we weren't opening them up at will or working their keeper lots, but still, we looked a totally different outfit I thought, and an enjoyable one to watch again, finally.
Completely agree with all of that, for sure.

Yeah, there was the offside goal alright. The other two chances you mention are kinda "should have done better/something different", which does sum up a bit our problems in front of goal. The chances that stand out for me are the point-blank save from Randolph late in the first half, the 25-yarder just wide in injury time, and Keogh's (I think) block from the shot from the edge - all Georgian chances from play.

I thought it was appropriate that McGoldrick was - entirely deservingly - man of the match, but clearly left his shooting boots behind. He nearly cleared the stadium roof with that second half effort (which he created for himself brilliantly)

Let's not let that get in the way of the positives of course. The performance was much better. We didn't sit back after going ahead. There wasn't any managerial excuses afterwards; no pretence that things had always gone to plan (I liked the comment about McClean's daft cross in injury time when he should have gone into the corner - "Don't ****ing do that again") There's hopefully further improvement to come ahead of June.

But I think some are getting carried away with talk of beating Denmark - who scored more in five minutes away to the top seeds than we've done in 180 minutes against the bottom seeds - and being 8 points clear after three games. I think at the moment, we're still the same poor team we were last year, but at least playing with a plan and a bit of confidence. Probably best we keep things in perspective for now.

Cathalsmart

27/03/2019, 6:59 AM

Completely agree with all of that, for sure.

Yeah, there was the offside goal alright. The other two chances you mention are kinda "should have done better/something different", which does sum up a bit our problems in front of goal. The chances that stand out for me are the point-blank save from Randolph late in the first half, the 25-yarder just wide in injury time, and Keogh's (I think) block from the shot from the edge - all Georgian chances from play.

I thought it was appropriate that McGoldrick was - entirely deservingly - man of the match, but clearly left his shooting boots behind. He nearly cleared the stadium roof with that second half effort (which he created for himself brilliantly)

Let's not let that get in the way of the positives of course. The performance was much better. We didn't sit back after going ahead. There wasn't any managerial excuses afterwards; no pretence that things had always gone to plan (I liked the comment about McClean's daft cross in injury time when he should have gone into the corner - "Don't ****ing do that again") There's hopefully further improvement to come ahead of June.

But I think some are getting carried away with talk of beating Denmark - who scored more in five minutes away to the top seeds than we've done in 180 minutes against the bottom seeds - and being 8 points clear after three games. I think at the moment, we're still the same poor team we were last year, but at least playing with a plan and a bit of confidence. Probably best we keep things in perspective for now.

That�s taking things out of context, for whatever reason Switzerland just went to sleep defensively for the last 10 minutes and Denmark got 2 real jammy goals and basic two on one that again happened from terrible defense, this wasn�t Denmark opening them up at will like for example the Swiss did to them. Denmark I believe are unbeaten in 3 years (not counting the Slovakia game for obvious reasons) but the last two games they probably should have lost but for a 90th minute equalizer (drew 2-2 with Kosovo during the week). Overall this Danish team really isn�t that great and if anything we are at risk of putting them on a pedostole, we have seen in our matches against them that they are an average enough side that imo have been creaking since the WC and tbh they could have probably done with losing one of those two matches recently in order to give them a kick up the ass. A draw would be a good result but we have a chance to put ourselves in an amazing position and to put a real dent in their qualification hopes and I really hope we don�t pass up on the opportunity.

Kingdom

27/03/2019, 7:04 AM

I was right in front of that. It was particularly poor. What made it all the more obvious was that Stevens pass was to the exact area that you'd blatantly want a forward to run into, yet there was no sign of O'Brien.

I reckon there was an order for him not to get caught too high and to stay in front of the Georgian defence to prevent them from playing out of the back late in the game. I only say that based on MMcC's comment about McClean at the end where he castigated him for crossing the ball into the box.

pineapple stu

27/03/2019, 7:19 AM

That�s taking things out of context, for whatever reason Switzerland just went to sleep defensively for the last 10 minutes and Denmark got 2 real jammy goals and basic two on one that again happened from terrible defense, this wasn�t Denmark opening them up at will like for example the Swiss did to them
I don't think it's too incomparable. Switzerland asleep are still better than Gibraltar for example. Maybe not as good as Georgia.

But my point was really that the last two matches have confirmed what we've known for a while now - we've serious problems up front. There's only so long we can paper over that (assuming players coming through won't impact this campaign)

Don't want to take away too much from the improvement last night because it was the first half-decent performance in I don't know how long, but I think there's an element of confidence creeping in which 1-0 wins against Gibraltar away and Georgia at home doesn't quite justify

jbyrne

27/03/2019, 7:39 AM

Don't want to take away too much from the improvement last night because it was the first half-decent performance in I don't know how long, but I think there's an element of confidence creeping in which 1-0 wins against Gibraltar away and Georgia at home doesn't quite justify

so what? we will take our confidence from anywhere. one cant overstate how far a bit of confidence and feel good factor can bring to a team like ours.

its a good start to the campaign from a team / manager that had to go straight into qualifiers with very little time to prepare. very good foundations for more difficult games to come

Cathalsmart

27/03/2019, 8:00 AM

I don't think it's too incomparable. Switzerland asleep are still better than Gibraltar for example. Maybe not as good as Georgia.

But my point was really that the last two matches have confirmed what we've known for a while now - we've serious problems up front. There's only so long we can paper over that (assuming players coming through won't impact this campaign)

Don't want to take away too much from the improvement last night because it was the first half-decent performance in I don't know how long, but I think there's an element of confidence creeping in which 1-0 wins against Gibraltar away and Georgia at home doesn't quite justify

And how long has the Danish manager had with his team? According to Danish media it took them around 6 months before they were starting to find their feet when they drew in a friendly with Germany. Before that they had lost two of four qualifiers and things weren�t looking so rosy, comparing all that with Micks first game in charge is apples and oranges, you have set the bar too high for this team if you think they can just click after only a week or so together.

It was just one of those nights where nothing went in, at this point it�s baby steps, we probably created more opportunities last night than all of last year combined so now we can start focusing on being more clinical.

geysir

27/03/2019, 8:08 AM

It wasn't the first time the Swiss have blown a 3 goal lead in a qualifier at home.

We don't have to beat Denmark in order to finish ahead of them, but the point they salvaged last night makes that task a bit more difficult.

Cathalsmart

27/03/2019, 8:14 AM

We don�t have to but consider omg we could have a 8 point lead over Denmark with only 4 games to go is a dream scenario.

backstothewall

27/03/2019, 8:32 AM

My Ratings for last night

Randolph - 7: Made 1 smart save in the first half. Little enough to do besides that but does everything you expect of him.
Coleman - 7: He's lost a yard of pace since the injury. Wasn't even chasing after balls i would have expected him to get on to in years gone by. That said he played well and worked hard.
Duffy - 7: Never looked troubled by the Georgians. Threat from set pieces.
Keogh - 6: Mr Dependable. It must be great for any manager to have a player like Keogh. Always solid. I can't remember him ever letting us down.
Stevens - 5: A 5 is maybe a little harsh, but he wasn't fantastic. Offered a lot less than Coleman on the other flank. Feels like he has a mistake in him.
Xavi Whelan - 8: I would say he rolled back the years, but i can't remember him playing that well when he was young!
Hendrick - 7: Just a few signs the Hendrick of 2016 might still be in there somewhere
Hourihane - 8: Great performance capped by a wonderful goal. I felt like he ran out of steam in the last 15 minutes and maybe should have been taken off.
Brady - 5: Poor performance. Rightly taken off. Coming back from a long injury so excusable.
McGoldrick - 9: I want to have his babies
McClean - 7: As ever he ran around like a stray dog that has wandered into a school playground. More effective in the second half than the first.

National Roads Authority - 2: What gormless idiot decided the night of an international match was a good time to close the northbound bore of the Port Tunnel?

pineapple stu

27/03/2019, 8:39 AM

It was just one of those nights where nothing went in
It really wasn't though. Their keeper made one save. The same as the Gibraltar keeper. And I think that's the kind of stuff we need to be careful about believing (in as much as it matters a jot at all what random fans on an internet forum think). Yes, it was a big improvement, it was enjoyable, we've 6 points, etc, etc - but let's keep a bit of perspective here is all I'm saying.

Kingdom

27/03/2019, 8:53 AM

I'll have to watch the game back in the cold light of day, but a few things stood out. I enjoy every Ireland game, but that was an enjoyable Ireland performance to watch. Players busted a gut, which is the minimum requirement, but more importantly, they look like they've busted a nut on the training ground too. We bested a team that has dominated us in recent games, by being committed, aggressive and hard-working. I'll take that.

I was unimpressed with the changes in Personnel before kick-off. I'm still unimpressed with the changes in personnel, but the structure of the team is at least improving. It's an obvious one to say that we're lacking a striker, but I think there's more to the problem than simply missing a striker at the peak of the formation (for those who dislike the term "up-top"). We're a lop-sided team.

RB CB CB LB
--------CM-------
---AM AM AM-LM
---------CF--------

We have an attacking right back, without the aid of a natural right-sided midfielder on one side, and then on the other side a very solid defensive left-full and a mindless left midfielder. Without the aid of a solid 18 yd box striker, it's still a little higgeldy-piggeldy. It's definitely something that needs rectifying. I still don't think our midfield is functioning correctly. Jeff Hendrick is second to none when it comes to harassing opposing players in their own half and winning possession, but he still looks like he has more to give. I would prefer to see Robbie Brady on the left of a three. Hourihane was good, probably better than he's been for us, but I'd still like to see Alan Browne get a run in the side - not necessarily at Hourihane's expense I might add.

Dave McGoldrick is a very clever footballer. Injuries have probably bested him in terms of getting further up the food chain, but he can be a huge influence for us. He should always have some ahead of him I feel. Whelan gave MON the two fingers.

If you're looking at players who MMcC will believe are mainstays of the team after this series, I'd say it's Randolph, Coleman, Duffy, Keogh, Stevens, Whelan, Hendrick, Hourihane and McGoldrick. There are two places up for grabs. Certain calls are going to have to be made on some of the squad options. But what's good is that if you're one of the young players, you're surely looking at the squad and thinking "I've a chance to get in there". I genuinely feel sorry for Matt Doherty. I can't put it any other way. He's not going to dislodge Coleman, who was improved last night from the Gibraltar game, but is a pale shadow of his former self. I think Doherty at right-back - in current form- gives better attacking threat than Seamus.

Finally the protest. I assume it was the 33rd minute for the 33rd team at the world cup comment.

Cathalsmart

27/03/2019, 8:55 AM

It really wasn't though. Their keeper made one save. The same as the Gibraltar keeper. And I think that's the kind of stuff we need to be careful about believing (in as much as it matters a jot at all what random fans on an internet forum think). Yes, it was a big improvement, it was enjoyable, we've 6 points, etc, etc - but let's keep a bit of perspective here is all I'm saying.

Sure only 4 days ago this was apparently a repeat of the MON regime... now we are complaining that we didn�t beat Georgia by more. It�s abit silly for you to tells us to keep perspective yet you seem to have come to a conclusion on the team based on two matches.

johnnyc

27/03/2019, 9:14 AM

The most frustrating aspect of last nights performance was that you felt these players always had this sort of performance in them. Decent footballers not being told to just sit. Players with ability not left on the bench/out of the squad. Pressing high up the pitch instead of retreating to the edge of our own box.

paul_oshea

27/03/2019, 9:31 AM

I Couldnt understand on here how after the Gib game McGoldrick wasnt seen as a shining light in an otherwise uneventful performance. He proved that it wasn't a one off with that performance last night. I'm now hoping for Sheffield United to get promoted and we have 2/3 players starting in the premier league. Mcgoldrick was superb, only thing lacking yesterday was the pace. The prospect of himself and Robinson playing together up front excites me. ANd i dont normally get excited about Irish football :D

All round great performance. Team played with intensity and never let Georgia settle, Georgians were not expecting that performance from us. 50/50% but for the first 25-30 mins we were 65% possession as we really took it to them.

Only downside was the players tired. We need them to be able do that for 90 and not drop off especially against the Swiss and the Danes. I also loved how we counter attacked, there wasn't any real clinical finishing but I'm sure that will come with time, we're not used to getting into those positions and therefore players don't know what they should do or where they should be. That will gel with time. Mick clearly proving training field exercises work, like attacking in 3's, hourihanes freekick and other set pieces. What did Trap and Mon do?Nothing.

Halfway through the second half I felt really sorry for Glenn Whelan. The lad can actually break up play aggressively, he can pass the ball forward and he can get us on the front foot. Doesn't have the turn into space quick but that can be forgiven. The abuse he has taken because of his last two managers.

Very early days but with the U21s followed by the U19s and now this, things are finally looking up for Irish football. Where are you now Trap and MON?! Irish football has been badly neglected over the last 10 years, because of pessimism and self-serving and self managers.

geysir

27/03/2019, 9:42 AM

We dominated the first 30 minutes because Georgia did not press in our half, they sat back hoping to hold out to ht.

paul_oshea

27/03/2019, 9:55 AM

Wasn't there the shot blocked down in the first half when the shooter (can't remember who) might have played someone in instead after Hendrick won it back really well, the offside disallowed one when Coleman (?) was just behind the finisher and not offside, and Egan pulled a shot wide in the second half which he should have been on target from, those off the top of my head. Granted, we weren't opening them up at will or working their keeper lots, but still, we looked a totally different outfit I thought, and an enjoyable one to watch again, finally.

It was coleman onside for hendricks offside. But would hendrick have been interfering with play even if he left it? ALso who is Egan?

pineapple stu

27/03/2019, 10:38 AM

It’s abit silly for you to tells us to keep perspective yet you seem to have come to a conclusion on the team based on two matches.
What are you talking about?

All I said at the start of all this was that, for all the positives, we only scored from a set piece. And against Gibraltar, we only scored the once. This ties in with what we already know - i.e. our forward options are probably the worst they've ever been.

You're trying to draw further conclusions that I simply haven't made, and are backing them up with comments that don't stand up to any scrutiny (e.g. it was one of those games where the ball just wouldn't go in - simply not true)

So again - yes, we played much better, didn't stand back after scoring, seemed to have an actual idea what we were doing, have six points with no goals against, etc, etc, but goalscoring is still a legitimate concern.

paul_oshea

27/03/2019, 10:48 AM

We dominated the first 30 minutes because Georgia did not press in our half, they sat back hoping to hold out to ht.

I am not sure, I think they didn't expect us to come out of the blocks like that. We gave them no time and 3 men in triangle formation always pounced on two so they couldn't do their triangular passes around us, as they didn't have the space. Then we sort of backed off towards the end of the first half and they took a bit more control. They were always going to be more aggressive coming into the start of the second half, which they were, but we played the counter attacking game to almost perfect effect, other than being more clinical and players individually taking the selfish/wrong option.

OwlsFan

27/03/2019, 11:21 AM

All I can really do is compare to the last visit from Georgia in 2016:

This game % possession was 49/51 while in the last one it was 43/57. Shots this one were 14/13 and in the last one 10/11. Both ended in a 1-0 win but performance wise it was considerably better than the previous game. We pressed higher and didn't allow them to play. On the other hand they didn't press us and we were much more constructive. So an improvement all round and that's all we can ask for and top of the group. Georgia must hate us with a passion.

zero

27/03/2019, 11:30 AM

I think if we'd played like last night against Gibraltar we would have won by several, but the conditions didn't allow us.

Overall a positive performance but we looked shaky at times and lacking in quality up front. Nice that we played a bit of football and good to see hourihane and Hendrick involved around the opposition final third.

Denmark away will tell us a lot.

Cathalsmart

27/03/2019, 11:30 AM

Not as much as we hate them ;)

I�m actually optimistic about our campaign now, not just because of the win and the fact we are now top but from experience a happy Irish team is a good Irish team and one the opposition won�t want to face as they know we will throw everything at them. Like I said previously we need to realize that this Danish side is nothing special and going there aiming for a draw will just get us into loads of trouble, go there aiming to win and if we don�t we might still get a draw who knows, we go there aiming to draw and the best we can hope for is a draw and we will most likely lose.

Stuttgart88

27/03/2019, 11:32 AM

It was coleman onside for hendricks offside. But would hendrick have been interfering with play even if he left it? ALso who is Egan?
He meant Stevens? If he'd squared it, it was a tap in for McG

Buller

27/03/2019, 11:51 AM

You could see from the very start the players were giving McCarthy what he wanted. From the first Georgian kick-out, Robbie Brady manned one corner of the box, James McClean took the other and David McGoldrick pushed right up on the edge of the D.

High line. High pressure. Georgia weren't going to be allowed pass it out from the back. We weren't going to sit back, keep it tight, and surrender possession, as we usually do.

CraftyToePoke

27/03/2019, 12:02 PM

It was coleman onside for hendricks offside. But would hendrick have been interfering with play even if he left it? ALso who is Egan?

Yeah meant Stevens, get those two mixed up for some reason & re the offside chance we still created a tap in goal chance is my point as you well know Posher. A rare item of late.

Stuttgart88

27/03/2019, 12:06 PM

The move that Hendrick had just strayed offside during (it would have been a tight VAR call – he might even have been level with the ball when it was struck?) followed a move of rare fluidity. So nice to see spontaneous interchanges and a through ball finding a wide player in space in the box.

geysir

27/03/2019, 12:11 PM

I am not sure, I think they didn't expect us to come out of the blocks like that. We gave them no time and 3 men in triangle formation always pounced on two so they couldn't do their triangular passes around us, as they didn't have the space. Then we sort of backed off towards the end of the first half and they took a bit more control. They were always going to be more aggressive coming into the start of the second half, which they were, but we played the counter attacking game to almost perfect effect, other than being more clinical and players individually taking the selfish/wrong option.
Have another look and just count the number of times when Whelan got on the ball in our half, with the Georgians voluntarily backing off into their own half, leaving our Glen to freely stroke the forward pass with venom to its intended target. A team with more ambition would have been pouncing on Glen, marking our players, putting on more pressure until the inevitable hoof.

Ol� Ol�

27/03/2019, 1:09 PM

Ah come on. Don't let a tired narrative get in the way of what was clear to everyone at the game. Whelan was class. His positioning precise and use of ball intelligent and/or prudent.

Diggs246

27/03/2019, 1:35 PM

yep, I think Whelan is a bang average player at best, but he was in fairness very very good yesterday

pineapple stu

27/03/2019, 1:40 PM

Ah come on. Don't let a tired narrative get in the way of what was clear to everyone at the game. Whelan was class. His positioning precise and use of ball intelligent and/or prudent.
The fella beside me was having a conniption every time Whelan got the ball; twas gas. Actually coloured my view of things as well cos all I could see was when he lost possession and nothing else...

backstothewall

27/03/2019, 2:08 PM

The fella beside me was having a conniption every time Whelan got the ball; twas gas. Actually coloured my view of things as well cos all I could see was when he lost possession and nothing else...

That is an excellent word PS. I had to look it up but I'll be using it myself in future.

geysir

27/03/2019, 3:09 PM

Ah come on. Don't let a tired narrative get in the way of what was clear to everyone at the game. Whelan was class. His positioning precise and use of ball intelligent and/or prudent.
I have already said he was class and have only positive comments to make about last night. But that does not disguise that we were allowed to have the ball in the 1st half on many occasions because the Georgians voluntarily fell back, dropped deeper and did not press us in our half.

Irish_Praha

27/03/2019, 8:07 PM

I have already said he was class and have only positive comments to make about last night. But that does not disguise that we were allowed to have the ball in the 1st half on many occasions because the Georgians voluntarily fell back, dropped deeper and did not press us in our half.

Sounds like what a lot of average sides would have said about Ireland over the last few years.

irishfan86

27/03/2019, 10:59 PM

yep, I think Whelan is a bang average player at best, but he was in fairness very very good yesterday

Whelan was exceptional. My main concern is if he can put in that kind of exertion twice within a tight international window. Hoping James McCarthy can get playing again and either play alongside Whelan or replace him in the sitting role as this campaign progresses. Fair play to Mick for resting Glenn against Gibraltar and for having the foresight to call him out of retirement to start with.

samhaydenjr

27/03/2019, 11:56 PM

If you're looking at players who MMcC will believe are mainstays of the team after this series, I'd say it's Randolph, Coleman, Duffy, Keogh, Stevens, Whelan, Hendrick, Hourihane and McGoldrick. There are two places up for grabs. Certain calls are going to have to be made on some of the squad options. But what's good is that if you're one of the young players, you're surely looking at the squad and thinking "I've a chance to get in there". I genuinely feel sorry for Matt Doherty. I can't put it any other way. He's not going to dislodge Coleman, who was improved last night from the Gibraltar game, but is a pale shadow of his former self. I think Doherty at right-back - in current form- gives better attacking threat than Seamus.

Finally the protest. I assume it was the 33rd minute for the 33rd team at the world cup comment.

Mick could actually have a selection headache come June with Stevens, Hourihane, McGoldrick and Whelan grabbing their chance to put themselves in the frame. I don't think they're undroppable, though, when you consider that this is the list of players who weren't available this time, who could be available by then: Clark, McCarthy, O'Dowda, Browne, Long, Obafemi, Robinson and Crowley; plus you have Arter and a resurgent McGeady in the wings; plus there may be a couple of breakthroughs by younger lads before the September qualifiers. You know what? I think we have a shot

Ol� Ol�

28/03/2019, 5:26 AM

A lot of the players you name there would fit well into the formation the other night. I actually would fancy Long on the right of a 3 front line. O'Dowda could fit in on either flank. Robinson is an option for both flanks. The Hendrick and Hourihane position is tailor-made for Alan Browne. Crowley would surely be suited there. Whelan and McCarthy competing for the base of the midfield. Obafemi on for McGoldrick to run the opposition ragged at the end!

Ronan and Idah to push into the frame?

Stevens, McGoldrick and Egan to be in the PL?

It looks as though Mick was very unlucky with his first squad. Hopefully he isn't quite as unlucky with his next.

Kingdom

28/03/2019, 8:26 AM

Mick could actually have a selection headache come June with Stevens, Hourihane, McGoldrick and Whelan grabbing their chance to put themselves in the frame. I don't think they're undroppable,

Mick came out yesterday and said that the two full-backs are his men. Doherty isn't going to be left-back, when Mick catagorically states he's not picking him due to not having a wing-back style position for him.
He also said that he wouldn't call Whelan up to a squad if he wasn't going to pick him. That's as clear as it could be. I wouldn't have all of those named above as definite's either.

For me, and my history of posting here is consistent on the subject of Glenn Whelan, but if Whelan is ever-present, I'd name him captain.

though, when you consider that this is the list of players who weren't available this time, who could be available by then: Clark, McCarthy, O'Dowda, Browne, Long, Obafemi, Robinson and Crowley; plus you have Arter and a resurgent McGeady in the wings; plus there may be a couple of breakthroughs by younger lads before the September qualifiers. You know what? I think we have a shot

I agree with the ones in bold above. Again I'm probably McGeady's biggest fan here, but his time is past. If he's not going to be selected for the easiest double-header of the campaign, he's not going to be selected at all. McCarthy isn't going to play with traditional wingers/wide-men, otherwise there would have been a case for Daryl Horgan to be in as our only out and out wing option.

I'm not sure what lads will breakthrough this summer, I suspect we'll be looking at some bolters ahead of Euro2020 if we get there, or a complete overhaul of the squad if we don't.