Georgia V Republic of Ireland - Tbilisi - 12th October 2019 - Euro 2020 Qualifier

[geysir]

RTE have one of the most sophisticated player stream systems going, on AI final day they could handle over 160,000 simultaneous streams worldwide. It's possible to access rte via virtual proxy but the easiest and most practical way is via an iptv sub costing a few euros monthly. Considering though the game is also on Sky and a hundred other tv stations, therefore it's unmissable, it's the internet equivalent of only having to hit a barn door with a banjo.

[samhaydenjr]

But if we are on hot water in Georgia connolly is now making his debut? Are u saying the Bulgaria game wouldn't have helped. Tbc I posted that I wanted him and parrot called up at the time for Bulgaria

OK, I acknowledge your prescience Diggs and, in hindsight, it would have been great if Connolly had managed to get a cap under his belt... but at the time it was perfectly reasonable, in the absence of Robinson and McGoldrick, to give the game time to Hogan and Collins, as they were the back-ups in the squad and both needed a cap in advance of these qualifiers - this was also justified by the goal and assist they contributed (I previously joked about Hogan's assist but, in fairness, he was first to react, like any good striker, to the keeper's parry).

Connolly's cameos after the Bulgaria friendly did start to hint that he was getting close to a real breakthrough but, even taking that into account, his performance last Saturday was a fantastic game-changer that made everybody's heads spin a little (in a good way) - we here at foot.ie have been tracking him for a couple of years but I don't think many of us saw that coming. It's great and, yes, I would now feel comfortable with him getting a shot against Georgia if we needed a goal, although I would still understand if Mick gave the responsibility to one of the more established forwards.

[Stuttgart88]

I honestly don't think a Bulgaria friendly appearance would change that much. He's a good confident player and relies on instinct. The midfield will be different so for the most part it wouldn't have afforded an opportunity for the players to learn each others' runs etc.

He won the game for the U21s which was more important.

[zero]

Could you use a proxy to access RTE Player? I can't imagine they've installed netflix style anti-proxy systems

you definitely can't use an anonymous proxy (like nordvpn / cyberghost). but i think you can use ones that don't appear anonymous - i'm not quite sure how to get one of those.

[TrapAPony]

Duffy has been declared fit and is on his way to meet up with squad. I would love to see the lineup look like this :


Randolph

Coleman
Duffy
Egan
Doherty

Robinson
Hendrick
Whelan
Hourihane
McClean

Connolly

[geysir]

I hope fans do appreciate that there has been a trend happening and still in motion that Georgia are edging closer to managing that win at home against us.

[The Fly]

I hope fans do appreciate that there has been a trend happening and still in motion that Georgia are edging closer to managing that win at home against us.

Yeah but...Connolly.

[tommy_c12000]

Duffy has been declared fit and is on his way to meet up with squad. I would love to see the lineup look like this :


Randolph

Coleman
Duffy
Egan
Doherty

Robinson
Hendrick
Whelan
Hourihane
McClean

Connolly

I would go with that apart from swapping Cullen for Whelan. Mick may be forced into this if he wants Whelan fresh for the Switzerland game. McClean will give Doherty good protection away from home. Mick will also start Collins - I watched him vs Millwall last week and he really was excellent and the exact type of player we need away vs Georgia. Expect Connolly to come on at the 60-70 minute mark

[pineapple stu]

I hope fans do appreciate that there has been a trend happening and still in motion that Georgia are edging closer to managing that win at home against us.
I'm sick of getting Georgia for exactly that reason. There's only so long we can keep scamming wins off them.

The only bright side at the moment is that performances have improved slightly of late - since Gibraltar H/A anyway. But a performance like either one against Gibraltar and this is absolutely a banana skin.

[Diggs246]

Am I right in saying, that if Denmark beat the swiss and we win in Georgia
a draw against swiss for us and we are there with a game to spare?

[tetsujin1979]

Correct. If the Swiss win, and we win, then all we need is a point to qualify

[Diggs246]

Correct. If the Swiss win, and we win, then all we need is a point to qualify

Wow. Now I am nervous

[pineapple stu]

Is that right?

As it stands -
IRL 5-11
DEN 5-9
SUI 4-8

Ireland beat Georgia and Switzerland beat Denmark gives -
IRL 6-14
SUI 5-11
DEN 6-9

Ireland then draw with Switzerland to give -
IRL 7-15
SUI 6-12
DEN 6-9

We don't play on the 15th November, but Denmark and Switzerland host Gibraltar and Georgia, so let's say two home wins which gives
IRL 7-15
SUI 7-15
DEN 7-12

Then on the final day, we lose at home to Denmark and Switzerland win in Gibraltar to give -
SUI 8-18
DEN 8-15
IRL 8-15

And we miss out on head-to-head (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2020_qualifying#Tiebreakers), the first of which is head-to-head between the two teams, and here we've got 1 point from two games against Denmark and they have 4.

What am I missing?

[Closed Account]

What am I missing?

Am I right in saying, that if Denmark beat the swiss and we win in Georgia
a draw against swiss for us and we are there with a game to spare?



Ireland beat Georgia and Switzerland beat Denmark gives -
IRL 6-14
SUI 5-11
DEN 6-9



That would leave
Ireland beat Georgia and Denmark beat Switzerland gives -
IRL 6-14
DEN 6-12
SUI 5-8


Ireland then draw with Switzerland to give -
IRL 7-15
DEN 6-12
SUI 6-9



We don't play on the 15th November, but Denmark and Switzerland host Gibraltar and Georgia, so let's say two home wins which gives
DEN 7-15
IRL 7-15
SUI 7-12


Then on the final day, we lose at home to Denmark and Switzerland win in Gibraltar to give -
DEN 8-18
SUI 8-15
IRL 8-15

Wouldn't we need a 2-2 draw to overtake switzerland?
https://i.imgur.com/M5Xe75l.png

[Stuttgart88]

What happens if there's a hurricane?

[seanfhear]

What happens if there's a hurricane?Call Higgins !

[geysir]

I like this happy ending scenario bettter,
Denmark draw with Swiss,
we beat Georgia
We lose to Swiss and draw with Denmark
We qualify with 15 points
Denmark 3rd on 14.

[tricky_colour]

We cant afford to be complacent v Georgia, if they can get a draw v Denmark anything can happen.

Also only just realised the match is at 2pm, I was expecting an evening match!

Anyhow, the Swiss seem to be on a roll.

[nigel-harps1954]

Anyhow, the Swiss seem to be on a roll.

Careful now..

[osarusan]

Georgia manager Vladimir Weiss: "McCarthy plays another system and plays four in the back now, but Ireland play every time like Michael Flatley dancing.

"We will see tomorrow who has better dancers, because Georgia also have good dancers."

What does it even mean I wonder.

[Razors left peg]

Georgia manager Vladimir Weiss: "McCarthy plays another system and plays four in the back now, but Ireland play every time like Michael Flatley dancing.

"We will see tomorrow who has better dancers, because Georgia also have good dancers."

What does it even mean I wonder.

All it means is that there is a guy trying to throw in that one of the only things he knows about Ireland is Riverdance! Makes him sound like a bit of an idiot to be honest

[Diggs246]

My guess is that he goes for Cullen and rests Whelo for the swiss

Collins to start

Matt at LB

[CraftyToePoke]

I think Whelan will start the game we have more of a chance in and have to take something from. I wouldn't be surprised to see Whelan start both.

[Razors left peg]

Id be very surprised to see Whelan start both games at his age

[seanfhear]

Georgia manager Vladimir Weiss: "McCarthy plays another system and plays four in the back now, but Ireland play every time like Michael Flatley dancing.

"We will see tomorrow who has better dancers, because Georgia also have good dancers."

What does it even mean I wonder.The man likes dancing . Hopefully we are calling the tune tomorrow .

[Bottle of Tonic]

Georgia manager Vladimir Weiss: "McCarthy plays another system and plays four in the back now, but Ireland play every time like Michael Flatley dancing.

"We will see tomorrow who has better dancers, because Georgia also have good dancers."

What does it even mean I wonder.

That we perform with a kind of high energy panic, devoid of any classical beauty but with enough passion to please the philistine public it is marketed at.

[DannyInvincible]

All it means is that there is a guy trying to throw in that one of the only things he knows about Ireland is Riverdance! Makes him sound like a bit of an idiot to be honest

The Irish Times quote Weiss differently (https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/mick-mccarthy-confirms-shane-duffy-to-start-for-ireland-against-georgia-1.4047770):


“They are a phenomenal team whose passion is unbelievable,” he said. “Like Michael Flatley dances. I like it. But we have some players who can dance too. We will see who has the better dancers tomorrow.”

By comparing them to how Flatley dances, it seems he might have been making reference to the passion our players show when playing.

Anyway, more importantly, Mick has confirmed Duffy will start and seems to be hinting towards starting Collins up front too, although he has also suggested Connolly will feature at some point.

[Kingdom]

Randolph
Coleman Duffy Egan Doherty
Hendrick Whelan Hourihane
Robinson Collins McClean

[tetsujin1979]

1182982718990278657

[liamoo11]

1182982718990278657

Hopefully doherty can force mcclean to play with his head up and with a lot more positional sense to actually give players an option to give a pass. Doherty wont be intimidated by mcclean like alot of ours seem to be.

[backstothewall]

I hate playing these lads. Always the same. Always a dreadful game to watch.

[passinginterest]

Such a frustrating game to watch. Always the same, half committed to the press, centre backs stay too deep, too easy for the Georgians to get out and suddenly we’re swamped in midfield. The lack of confidence in passing and moving the ball quickly in the Irish team is driving me mad.

[osarusan]

32 minutes gone. It's horrendous. We can't pass to save our lives.

[third policeman]

Such a frustrating game to watch. Always the same, half committed to the press, centre backs stay too deep, too easy for the Georgians to get out and suddenly we’re swamped in midfield. The lack of confidence in passing and moving the ball quickly in the Irish team is driving me mad.

Would love to see Byrne on the pitch.

[mark12345]

The Irish Times quote Weiss differently (https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/mick-mccarthy-confirms-shane-duffy-to-start-for-ireland-against-georgia-1.4047770):



By comparing them to how Flatley dances, it seems he might have been making reference to the passion our players show when playing.

Anyway, more importantly, Mick has confirmed Duffy will start and seems to be hinting towards starting Collins up front too, although he has also suggested Connolly will feature at some point.

Game a half hour old. Haven't seen these tactics in a while - hit it long and hope for the best

[Bungle]

The sooner McClean is out of the team the better.

[liamoo11]

Mcclean giving the worst left sided display I've seen since Kevin kilbane's debut. Surely he cant come out for second half

[mark12345]

Would love to see Byrne on the pitch.

We all would. But then who would hit the long balls to no one in particular

[Razors left peg]

Too many empty shirts out there. Mcclean awful, Hourihan Mr Invisible, Collins offers nothing and Whelan cant pass 10 yards

[tricky_colour]

Well you can see how Denmark drew here, we may be headed the same way, get Flatterly on.

[mark12345]

Would love to see Byrne on the pitch.


Mcclean giving the worst left sided display I've seen since Kevin kilbane's debut. Surely he cant come out for second half

Speaking about the second half, or halftime to be precise, Mick really needs to earn his keep with the decisions he makes. We need someone who can run at them. Substitute O'Dowda for Hourihane. Maguire for Robinson. He will never put Byrne on so no point in saying it

[tommy_c12000]

Poor game, pretty comfortable from Irish standpoint with a solid defence. Egan looking really good, anticipating and stepping in front of forwards. This is our partnership for foreseeable future. Doherty doing okay defensively.

Whelan has made some important interceptions. Agree on McClean, the only additional thing he has been poor defensively as well at times so the argument for justifying his starts is getting weaker and weaker. Other midfielders haven’t done much with Georgians having a lot of space. Cullen would inject a bit of energy here and needs to come on soon. Not opposed to Byrne to come on either. I have my reservations on O’Dowda, he hasn’t impressed me in irish games and looks to have stalled a bit this year in the championship.

I know it’s a difficult task as a lone striker but Collins has been v disappointing for me. A shadow of the player I saw 2 weeks ago vs Millwall. His touch is off, and not winning much ball as the “target” man. Obliged to throw on Connolly at least by 60 minutes. I hope Mick puts him up front and not on left

[third policeman]

Speaking about the second half, or halftime to be precise, Mick really needs to earn his keep with the decisions he makes. We need someone who can run at them. Substitute O'Dowda for Hourihane. Maguire for Robinson. He will never put Byrne on so no point in saying it

Please allow me a moment of fantasy. An Ireland team capable of passing the ball.

[shakermaker1982]

If we keep picking McClean and Whelan we are going to keep getting these type of performances.

[backstothewall]

I took an executive decision to sleep through most of the first half. From reading this I made the right decision.

[youngirish]

If we keep picking McClean and Whelan we are going to keep getting these type of performances.

I agree. Two donkeys that have been guaranteed starters for Ireland for far too long. Hendrick is also a liability in midfield and has been for years. Collins is useless also. I never understand the logic of playing a journeyman player instead of someone younger and more talented. At least with the young player you have a chance to get something more than huff and puff.

[third policeman]

I agree. Two donkeys that have been guaranteed starters for Ireland for far too long. Hendrick is also a liability in midfield and has been for years. Collins is useless also. I never understand the logic of playing a journeyman player instead of someone younger and more talented. At least with the young player you have a chance to get something more than huff and puff.

I think Mick identifies with journeymen,

[shakermaker1982]

Mick’s quite witty at press conferences though so all is ok, he’ll also do interviews with the Irish Sports journalists which helps keeping them on side.

This is no better fare than the last 2 regimes. Why? It’s nearly the same bloody team!!

[The Fly]

Bring young Connolly on ffs!

[mark12345]

Would love to see Byrne on the pitch.
That's it Mick. Don't make any changes. We're doing so well