Republic of Ireland v Finland - Wednesday, 14th October 2020 - UEFA Nations League

[Fixer82]

We haven’t had a fully decent squad with really quality players since 2002.

[Trequartista20]

I was actually. I'm a Rovers fan. I knew full well how good Michael was and wasn't keen on Martin at all. I might have a few whatsapp agurments with the mates from back then to prove it to you!

Screenshots, or it never happened!

[Closed Account 2]

We haven’t had a fully decent squad with really quality players since 2002.
Yet despite that we've managed to qualify for Euro 2012, Euro 2016 and make playoffs for World Cups in 2010 and 2018. We also, technically, made the playoffs for Euro2020/2021.

[tetsujin1979]

We haven’t had a fully decent squad with really quality players since 2002.

To be fair, we did start ten premier league players, plus Duffy on loan from a PL team, against Slovakia

[pineapple stu]

24 team Euros really help us in fairness. You can reach those without a "fully decent squad with really quality players"

[Bungle]

A lot of over the top negativity. I think there are big question marks over Stephen making the step up because with all due respect to the League of Ireland, you are trying to go toe to toe tactically with experienced managers and top players. However, he is trying to change a style of play that was horrific to watch and while we're not exactly lovely to watch right now, it's a million times more watchable than other regimes. He deserves credit for that.

The next 12-18 months should be deemed as a chance to blood Bazunu, Knight, Molumby, O'Shea, Idah, Connolly and Parrott in every game. A few others as well. There is already a decent core of good players there like Seamus, Doherty, Egan, Stevens and Duffy so some good heads for a young team. I like Hourihane for Villa so I think he could offer something for us still. I've given up on Jeff and Brady.

We need to face facts that even very good Irish teams with experienced managers and several world class players couldn't make it to a world cup. It's not just getting through the Germanys of this world, it's getting through the Denmarks and Switzerlands as well most likely in a home and away playoff. We are a pot 3 team in name only - we are more akin to a pot 4 team in terms of quality. Far better to get this team with an exceptional bunch of young players battle hardened for qualifying for euro 24 and aiming to be a 2nd seed for the wc2026 draw in a few years than hoping against hope that we might blag a playoff by getting a poor or off form 2nd seed and a poor 4th seed. There is not a pot 2 team aside from maybe Slovakia if they get into that pot that I would currently fancy us taking more than one point off.

[backstothewall]

Mick McCarthy > some League Of Ireland fella > former player with no management experience to speak of > Big name European
(repeat)

So who's it going to be? Keane? Duff? O'Shea?

[jbyrne]

To be fair, we did start ten premier league players, plus Duffy on loan from a PL team, against Slovakia

but no goal poacher. finding one would be a game changer imo.

[Razors left peg]

but no goal poacher. finding one would be a game changer imo.
Get the rosary beads out for Parrott

[paul_oshea]

Yet despite that we've managed to qualify for Euro 2012, Euro 2016 and make playoffs for World Cups in 2010 and 2018. We also, technically, made the playoffs for Euro2020/2021.

Yes this is the bit i dont like, for whatever reason Kenny seems to have a free reign regardless, every manager that had us at least got us to a playoff over the last 15 years. I think thats minimum criteria for a new manager really.

[paul_oshea]

but no goal poacher. finding one would be a game changer imo.

I disagree slightly, without us accommodating one that is, we'd need to change our formation/setup. We require all our front players to be busy in the current system and formation. If we had 3 finishers in the top 3 of which mcg/robinson/odowda/connolly(not yet anyway) are not then we wouldn't be on a 5(yes bulgaria) game barren run.

[geysir]

Much ado about Kenny. He's done okay with the hand served to him. Imo the goal in the NL was not to get relegated and that's still realistic.
Finland are clearly a better organised and together team than us and yet we could make it a 50/50 game, but lost out to a gifted goal.

[jbyrne]

every manager that had us at least got us to a playoff over the last 15 years.

stan and kerr didnt

[paul_oshea]

Ya sorry, memory letting me down a bit hte last week. Slight exageratioin.

[ontheotherhand]

Are we in 2022 already? I was sure Kenny has only had control for 5 games now. This idea that he has free reign is a tab premature no? Should we judge him when he has had the chance to qualify for something? Or does he immediately get the sack for losing the playoff against Slovakia?

Not sure Stan got us to a playoff. Mick's last run at it would have failed if not for the rules change to the Nations League I think?

Bit of patience.

[Fixer82]

To be fair, we did start ten premier league players, plus Duffy on loan from a PL team, against Slovakia

Yes but how many of them are vital to their teams in Premiership?

Randolph is warming the bench most games.

Defensively we have very good players. Egan, Duffy, Doherty, Coleman and Stevens all top quality (ps who replaces Stevens if he gets injured??).

Midfield - Hourihane not essential to Villa. Hendrick playing with Newcastle. Not sure if he'll be there in two seasons.
Molumby coming through and looks good but still young.
Brady not always starting for Burnley.
McClean playing Championship football.
McCarthy is probably a big player for Palace when fit.
Arter playing Championship.
O'Dowda in Championship.
Horgan in Scotland.

Forwards wise I'd say McGoldrick is essential to Sheffield.
Robinson has started well with West Brom.
Connolly seems to start most games for Brighton which is good.
Long rarely starts for Southampton.
Idah...is he playing regularly for Norwich these days?
Parrott is on loan in Championship.
Maguire playing Championship.

[pineapple stu]

Mick's last run at it would have failed if not for the rules change to the Nations League I think?
We came third in the group, which is what got us to a play-off for Euro 2016 (which we won)

So it was just a different way of getting to the same thing

[Trequartista20]

Not sure you understood the fairly simple point so here you go - managers sometimes start poorly as they try out players etc. Cant judge anyone until theyve had time to build. Lads are on here doing the usual pining for managers of times gone by. Mick had it far easier with friendlies and world class players in his team. Kenny was dropped into a ****storm of pressure and it only got worse with half the squad decimated over 3 games. Im not a fan of kenny but he needs time like any manager.

I see you referenced McAteer later on...christ....ill leave you to it so.

I understood your point and countered it fine, in my view. It's entirely unoriginal and made by many. And if Kenny hadn't have resorted to the tried and failed, eg favouring Wycombe trier, Horgan, over Obafemi, Knight, et al, your argument would've carried a great deal more weight. As it is, he didn't.

McCarthy was a young manager in his thirties learning on the job in his first couple of campaigns; making a great many mistakes, yet still keeping us competitive when it mattered. Not the ideal figure to hold up when trying to make a positive case for Kenny.

What is it about McAteer, as a professional who played at the highest level, that negates his point?

[Trequartista20]

Yes but how many of them are vital to their teams in Premiership?

Randolph is warming the bench most games.

Defensively we have very good players. Egan, Duffy, Doherty, Coleman and Stevens all top quality (ps who replaces Stevens if he gets injured??).

Midfield - Hourihane not essential to Villa. Hendrick playing with Newcastle. Not sure if he'll be there in two seasons.
Molumby coming through and looks good but still young.
Brady not always starting for Burnley.
McClean playing Championship football.
McCarthy is probably a big player for Palace when fit.
Arter playing Championship.
O'Dowda in Championship.
Horgan in Scotland.

Forwards wise I'd say McGoldrick is essential to Sheffield.
Robinson has started well with West Brom.
Connolly seems to start most games for Brighton which is good.
Long rarely starts for Southampton.
Idah...is he playing regularly for Norwich these days?
Parrott is on loan in Championship.
Maguire playing Championship.

Horgan is playing for Wycombe rather than in Scotland.

In your defence of Kenny, to make your point stick, what you really have to effectively argue is that we have greatly inferior resources, playing at a lower level to Finland. I don't think you have done that.. Nor to Bulgaria and Slovakia for that matter.

[youngirish]

I do worry about Kenny. His 'so called' nice football seems to me to be the worst type of nice football. Passing it around for no other reason than just to keep possession. It reminds me of Arsenal at their worst during the last year or so of Wenger's reign whereby they almost needed to pass it into the net to score. There is no urgency when we win possession in the opponents half to quickly break forward.

We are often all too happy to instead play a sideways or backwards pass and on numerous occasions I noticed the ball going all the way back to the central defenders or goalkeeper from promising positions when we won possession. Any sniff of a chance is then long gone.

He also has to take some responsibility for persisting with Hourihane for every game when I can't think of anything constructive he has done other than a few nice touches in the initial Bulgarian game. Since then he's been anonymous.

Anyway he's had a shocking start as far as I'm concerned but we need to give him the next campaign and see how it goes. The LOI heads defending Kenny to the hilt need to remember that Finland recently lost 5-1 to Poland and their best player is a journeyman striker who has been playing in the lower leagues of Europe for his entire career. Think a Finnish Daryl Murphy and you wouldn't be far off.

[Trequartista20]

Does anyone remember our possession stats against England in Stuttgart? Or against Italy in New York?

[eekers]

If in the event the November internationals being cancelled because of the second wave in Europe. And if the world cup draw goes ahead as scheduled December without any further internationals then:

A win against Finland will get us guarantee us 2nd seeds:
Ireland (21st) would be on 1482.44 points, the most Slovakia(20nd) currently on 1,476.9 points would be able to get by beating Israel is 1,481.49.

A Draw for both Ireland and Slovakia would put Ireland on 1474.94 and Slovakia on 1,473.99.
In the case of these two draws. Only Iceland could overtake both Ireland and Slovakia by beating Belgium at home leaving them on 1,475.76.

If both Ireland and Slovakia lose. Ireland would be on 1467.44 ahead of Slovakia on 1,466.49.
But Northern Ireland could finish on 1,473.54 by beating Norway away.
Iceland could finish on 1,468.26 by drawing with Belgium at home.
Romania could finish on 1,470.28 by beating Austria at home.

Good news lads. Israel just came back from being 2-0 down to beat Slovakia 3-2.
Northern Ireland, Iceland and Romania all lost too.
We are now the 20th ranked UEFA nation.
So as it stands we are second seeds going into the World draw with the November international still to come before that.

[ontheotherhand]

I'm still not sure you did but we can move on from that. It was a very basic point around judging any manager too rashly over 5 games and specifically judging Kenny vs McCarthy when they both started poorly. It's probably unoriginal because people have to keep bringing it up!

You're saying he resorted to the tried and failed? Can't agree with that at all. Did you not see the matchday squad get torn apart in the space of a week? Did you not see Knight, Molumby, OShea, Connolly, Idah, Curtis etc getting involved? You're posting as if Horgan was his first choice and you mention Knight who actually played today. This Obafemi nonsense has to stop as well. He's a young kid, completely unproven at international level and he did nothing for the 21s yesterday. He will get his chance when he is ready.

Who would you have picked today out of interest? What is he specifically doing wrong? Personally I think his subs were iffy but otherwise probably got the teams right.

On McAteer - it's that despite playing the game at the highest level, he's also a clown who says things to stay relevant without doing any real thinking.

[irishfan86]

I think we really need to see more dynamism and interchanging from our front three. We are far too static in terms of the movement up front.

A lot of the criticism here is on the midfield and like many I’m skeptical in particular of Hourihane’s contribution from open play.

That said, the front three are not mixing it up enough. We need to at times have two or three of the attackers overload to one side to create more 3 v 3 or 2 v 2 situations. The wide attackers also need to switch positions at times or run directly across the back line, dragging their markers with them.

This destabilizes the defence if fullbacks have to follow their mark to the other side of the pitch. Alternatively if defenders try to hand off markers, sometimes a gap in communication occurs and that player is now unmarked, even briefly.

In brief, the movement from our attacking three remains too predictable and that needs to change.

[geysir]

We came third in the group, which is what got us to a play-off for Euro 2016 (which we won)

So it was just a different way of getting to the same thing

That's complicated, requires a bit of untangling.

[paul_oshea]

Good news lads. Israel just came back from being 2-0 down to beat Slovakia 3-2.
Northern Ireland, Iceland and Romania all lost too.
We are now the 20th ranked UEFA nation.
So as it stands we are second seeds going into the World draw with the November international still to come before that.

Nice, some good news, we seem to do better at things when its taken out of our hands :D

But the playoffs for the other teams in the Euro playoffs can push them ahead again. Lets hope for no november internationals :D

[paul_oshea]

I do worry about Kenny. His 'so called' nice football seems to me to be the worst type of nice football. Passing it around for no other reason than just to keep possession. It reminds me of Arsenal at their worst during the last year or so of Wenger's reign whereby they almost needed to pass it into the net to score. There is no urgency when we win possession in the opponents midfield to quickly break forward.

We are often all too happy to instead play a sideways or backwards pass and on numerous occasions I noticed the ball going all the way back to the central defenders or goalkeeper from promising positions when we won possession. Any sniff of a chance is then long gone.

He also has to take some responsibility for persisting with Hourihane for every game when I can't think of anything constructive he has done other than a few nice touches in the initial Bulgarian game. Since then he's been anonymous.

Anyway he's had a shocking start as far as I'm concerned but we need to give him the next campaign and see how it goes. The LOI heads defending Kenny to the hilt need to remember that Finland recently lost 5-1 to Poland and their best player is a journeyman striker who has been playing in the lower leagues of Europe for his entire career. Think a Finnish Daryl Murphy and you wouldn't be far off.

We showed urgency twice today, but that was the first i'd noticed over the 3 games ,one was the quick free kick from hourihane and another was a quick throw. I could not fathom in the slovakia game why we kept slowing things down when we were winning frees and throws giving them a chance to gegroup. its clearly a tactic and it doesnt make any sense to me.

Ya Arsenal became very uncreative during that time.

[pineapple stu]

That's complicated, requires a bit of untangling.
Welcome to UEFA!

Mick didn't get a play-off spot because of the Nations League changes. He did what MON did the previous time to earn a spot (ie come third in the group)

[Bottle of Tonic]

Being against the manager is the safest position a supporter can adopt. No matter when you adopt it you will almost always be proven right in the end.

I wouldn't listen to scatter brained, self absorbed hurlers on the ditch like Paul o shea in this instance. And associated whingers gone blind or amnesiac to the utter dross we witnessed the last 4 years where we scored phuck all while creating nothing in the line of chances against beaver homes league level Gibraltar and Georgia.

I'm certainly no tiki taka man, never have been, and despise the trend of keepers passing it short no matter what but bloody hell if you cannot see that we are playing more football now than ever and are creating clear cut chances that we never did before then you are a blind man, and that's the polite description.

As a caveat I will say I am generally a mix it up merchant who is inclined towards percentage football and I have no skin in the loi game so no biased in that respect either.

[EAFC_rdfl]

Being against the manager is the safest position a supporter can adopt. No matter when you adopt it you will almost always be proven right in the end.

I wouldn't listen to scatter brained, self absorbed hurlers on the ditch like Paul o shea in this instance. And associated whingers gone blind or amnesiac to the utter dross we witnessed the last 4 years where we scored phuck all while creating nothing in the line of chances against beaver homes league level Gibraltar and Georgia.

I'm certainly no tiki taka man, never have been, and despise the trend of keepers passing it short no matter what but bloody hell if you cannot see that we are playing more football now than ever and are creating clear cut chances that we never did before then you are a blind man, and that's the polite description.

As a caveat I will say I am generally a mix it up merchant who is inclined towards percentage football and I have no skin in the loi game so no biased in that respect either.
Well said sir. Good to see someone cutting through some of the BS posted tonight

[brine3]

Yes this is the bit i dont like, for whatever reason Kenny seems to have a free reign regardless, every manager that had us at least got us to a playoff over the last 15 years. I think thats minimum criteria for a new manager really.

he hasn't even started his first full qualification campaign yet

[brine3]

Does anyone remember our possession stats against England in Stuttgart? Or against Italy in New York?

Ah, the old "people only remember the score" argument.

I'll tell you what though, people remember more than that. I remember John Sheridan hitting the crossbar, and that didn't get recorded on the match report. That was a brilliant pass and move play involving Townsend, Keane and Sheridan.

Some class players in that team. Kenny would kiil for them.

[paul_oshea]

Being against the manager is the safest position a supporter can adopt. No matter when you adopt it you will almost always be proven right in the end.

I wouldn't listen to scatter brained, self absorbed hurlers on the ditch like Paul o shea in this instance. And associated whingers gone blind or amnesiac to the utter dross we witnessed the last 4 years where we scored phuck all while creating nothing in the line of chances against beaver homes league level Gibraltar and Georgia.

I'm certainly no tiki taka man, never have been, and despise the trend of keepers passing it short no matter what but bloody hell if you cannot see that we are playing more football now than ever and are creating clear cut chances that we never did before then you are a blind man, and that's the polite description.

As a caveat I will say I am generally a mix it up merchant who is inclined towards percentage football and I have no skin in the loi game so no biased in that respect either.

I don't know what else we would be other than hurlers on the ditch, or are you managing some international football team whilst moonlighting as a ROI fan on internet chat forums? You've definitely a far more organised mind than me then. But for the rest of us on here that aren't at that level, we'll still give our opinions whether or not you agree with them:)

I amn't one passing or hoofball only either, I am for whatever works based off the players we have available, and using the best skills of those available, but at the sametime getting the most out of what we have as a core unit. THere is no doubt we have more possession over the last few games, and no doubt we have looked to pass the ball more, so what? People seem to be comparing this Georgia away game(s) that we drew as some stick to measure how far we've come, well for hte last two away games against Georgia we had 6 and 3 shots on target V 4 tonight. No one is disputing that we didn't play well in those games though. But everyone is acting like things are so much better now because our possession , and passing, is so much greater/better.

You can call criticism or differing opinions or those who offer them whatever you like, the reality is we have always been relatively solid defensively - i do think our shape is very good at the moment out of possession especially on counter attacks - but offensively we are very poor and over these 3 games that didnt and doesnt look like changing.

[paul_oshea]

Ah, the old "people only remember the score" argument.

I'll tell you what though, people remember more than that. I remember John Sheridan hitting the crossbar, and that didn't get recorded on the match report. That was a brilliant pass and move play involving Townsend, Keane and Sheridan.

Some class players in that team. Kenny would kiil for them.

I'd say everyone remembers that one, and it was definitely in any highlights reel and any report. I'm sure it would have been remembered universally had we drawn or lost the game.

[Insidetherock]

Give Kenny a chance.. judge him after the WC qualifying campaign..

[John83]

Give Kenny a chance.. judge him after the WC qualifying campaign..
I think even those registering mostly negative comments here aren't calling for his head. Well, except one guy, who mentioned Nicosia! Kenny's not about to be sacked. Maybe if he loses badly to Bulgaria, he'll be under real pressure, but not yet otherwise.

[Razors left peg]

Seems to be a lot of lads that revel in misery on here and are delighted to see Kenny not getting the results. We've be sh1te for years now, I dont understand if they want this to continue with the crap football or should we actually try something different and see if we can progress in the long run.

Jurgen Klopp finished 8th in his 1st season at Liverpool. Im sure there were plenty of idiots saying it wasnt working or calling for his head while he was trying to change the way Liverpool played after they had been unsuccessful for so long. He was working with the players every single day and it still took him a couple of seasons to get it right. Kenny has had 5 effin games while also dealing with a COVID crisis. Some one saying its as bad as the Staunton era where we lost 5-2 in Cyprus is just ridiculous.

We had years of managers telling our players that they are not capable of passing the football and to basically hoof it out from the back every time. Do ye not think it might take more than 2 months to get it right when Kenny is trying to get rid of that mentality. We are still tight at the back for the most part which is what previous managers set up to do. We are probably creating more chances than we have done in years. The fact that we are struggling to put the ball in the net will change. Its been a mix of bad decisions, bad luck, lack of confidence and a couple of ridiculously bad missed sitters. We could very well have scored 2 or 3 in every game so far.

A little bit of perspective of where we have been and what we are trying to accomplish would be brilliant.

[TonyD]

I'm still not sure you did but we can move on from that. It was a very basic point around judging any manager too rashly over 5 games and specifically judging Kenny vs McCarthy when they both started poorly. It's probably unoriginal because people have to keep bringing it up!

You're saying he resorted to the tried and failed? Can't agree with that at all. Did you not see the matchday squad get torn apart in the space of a week? Did you not see Knight, Molumby, OShea, Connolly, Idah, Curtis etc getting involved? You're posting as if Horgan was his first choice and you mention Knight who actually played today. This Obafemi nonsense has to stop as well. He's a young kid, completely unproven at international level and he did nothing for the 21s yesterday. He will get his chance when he is ready.

Who would you have picked today out of interest? What is he specifically doing wrong? Personally I think his subs were iffy but otherwise probably got the teams right.

On McAteer - it's that despite playing the game at the highest level, he's also a clown who says things to stay relevant without doing any real thinking.

Spot on. Another thing I'd like to nail is this idea that we're playing tiki taka football. Maybe in comparison to what we were doing before, but that was such a low bar. In reality all we are trying to do now is play football that way practically every other team in the world does, I.e actually looking to pass the ball. Radical I know. It's very early days to start labelling Stephen Kenny a complete flop. If we lose 5-2 to someone like Cyprus then you can start comparing him to Staunton. But sure if we lose a few more games maybe some people will get their wish. Big Sam to the rescue it is then!

[BonnieShels]

Being against the manager is the safest position a supporter can adopt. No matter when you adopt it you will almost always be proven right in the end.

I wouldn't listen to scatter brained, self absorbed hurlers on the ditch like Paul o shea in this instance. And associated whingers gone blind or amnesiac to the utter dross we witnessed the last 4 years where we scored phuck all while creating nothing in the line of chances against beaver homes league level Gibraltar and Georgia.

I'm certainly no tiki taka man, never have been, and despise the trend of keepers passing it short no matter what but bloody hell if you cannot see that we are playing more football now than ever and are creating clear cut chances that we never did before then you are a blind man, and that's the polite description.

As a caveat I will say I am generally a mix it up merchant who is inclined towards percentage football and I have no skin in the loi game so no biased in that respect either.

Just the Tonic!

[backstothewall]

I'm back having watched the highlights. There wasn't much in it. Connolly reckoned we should have won, which is maybe a bit strong, but it was a close match.

I'm typing this post while watching the full replay so it's changing my mind as I type. The first thing that strikes me is that the abuse Jeff Hendrick has been getting simply isn't merited. From what I can see a lot of what we do goes through him. Other pluses are O'Shea and Connolly. I suspect the calls for him to be dropped are more about getting the darling of the League Of Ireland into the team, rather than Hendrick having done very much wrong.

Talk of sacking Kenny at this stage is premature in the extreme. The games have been thick and fast, getting a squad of any description together has been a challenge with Covid, it's all had to be done with one eye on not weakening the u21s too much, and despite all that we've not been outplayed by anyone. He'll have a few weeks to regroup now and watch all 3 games back.

For now the U21s should be allowed the use of the likes of O'Shea, Molumby, Idah and Parrott to see off Iceland and Luxembourg (although in an ideal world the next round of games would be postponed, and the World Cup draw would happen with us as a second seed).

Kenny was probably honour bound to give the guys in the squad Mick left him a chance, but he's done that now. For me the next step is a to wield the axe. For a sapling to find space in the forest, it often needs a storm to blow down one of the other trees. Stephen Kenny needs to be that storm.

Even without any of the u21s, there are guys who can be replaced now without the squad looking much weaker.

Randolph, Kelleher, McDermott
Doherty, Coleman, Duffy, Egan, Long, Clark, Stephens, Manning
Arter, McCarthy, Cullen, Hourihane, Hendrick, Browne, Mulraney, O'Dowda, Byrne
Robinson, McGoldrick, Hogan, Collins, O'Brien, Maguire, Curtis

Those guys, with perhaps a sprinkling from the League of Ireland, would allow him to look at a few new options, while ditching passengers like Brady and Long who don't offer anything apart from a reputation.

It seems odd to be saying this given how the goal was scored tonight, but our back 5 are sound. Further up the pitch, bringing in someone like Jake Mulraney would perhaps encourage Irish players to go the the MLS of other leagues in Europe. Daryl Horgan has offered very little this week, and playing for Wycombe isn't a superior standard to Atlanta United in my opinion. Even if only for one game, it would be super to have a squad with players based half a dozen countries, instead of our traditional choice of 23 guys based in England, and one playing for Celtic.

If McClean is available I think he's still worth having, but as an option from the bench.

So no need to panic. Whether Kenny was the right choice or the wrong choice, he was the choice. This is a step up for him, and he’s going to make mistakes, but the thing that matter is if he learns from them.

If nothing else Chris Hughton isn’t available, and the FAI is skint anyway.

[Bielsa´s irish]

I'm back having watched the highlights. There wasn't much in it. Connolly reckoned we should have won, which is maybe a bit strong, but it was a close match.

I'm typing this post while watching the full replay so it's changing my mind as I type. The first thing that strikes me is that the abuse Jeff Hendrick has been getting simply isn't merited. From what I can see a lot of what we do goes through him. Other pluses are O'Shea and Connolly. I suspect the calls for him to be dropped are more about getting the darling of the League Of Ireland into the team, rather than Hendrick having done very much wrong.

Talk of sacking Kenny at this stage is premature in the extreme. The games have been thick and fast, getting a squad of any description together has been a challenge with Covid, it's all had to be done with one eye on not weakening the u21s too much, and despite all that we've not been outplayed by anyone. He'll have a few weeks to regroup now and watch all 3 games back.

For now the U21s should be allowed the use of the likes of O'Shea, Molumby, Idah and Parrott to see off Iceland and Luxembourg (although in an ideal world the next round of games would be postponed, and the World Cup draw would happen with us as a second seed).

Kenny was probably honour bound to give the guys in the squad Mick left him a chance, but he's done that now. For me the next step is a to wield the axe. For a sapling to find space in the forest, it often needs a storm to blow down one of the other trees. Stephen Kenny needs to be that storm.

Even without any of the u21s, there are guys who can be replaced now without the squad looking much weaker.

Randolph, Kelleher, McDermott
Doherty, Coleman, Duffy, Egan, Long, Clark, Stephens, Manning
Arter, McCarthy, Cullen, Hourihane, Hendrick, Browne, Mulraney, O'Dowda, Byrne
Robinson, McGoldrick, Hogan, Collins, O'Brien, Maguire, Curtis

Those guys, with perhaps a sprinkling from the League of Ireland, would allow him to look at a few new options, while ditching passengers like Brady and Long who don't offer anything apart from a reputation.

It seems odd to be saying this given how the goal was scored tonight, but our back 5 are sound. Further up the pitch, bringing in someone like Jake Mulraney would perhaps encourage Irish players to go the the MLS of other leagues in Europe. Daryl Horgan has offered very little this week, and playing for Wycombe isn't a superior standard to Atlanta United in my opinion. Even if only for one game, it would be super to have a squad with players based half a dozen countries, instead of our traditional choice of 23 guys based in England, and one playing for Celtic.

If McClean is available I think he's still worth having, but as an option from the bench.

So no need to panic. Whether Kenny was the right choice or the wrong choice, he was the choice. This is a step up for him, and he’s going to make mistakes, but the thing that matter is if he learns from them.

If nothing else Chris Hughton isn’t available, and the FAI is skint anyway.

we have no excuses for not playing Shane Long

[Bielsa´s irish]

Kenny got the team wrong again, unless he is using this games as friendlies.

after these games we have to try new guys, we need to beat Bulgaria and see how it goes

Cillian Sheridan has to be in the team, Idah is learning his trade, maguire as winger only.

I.want him to field Ryan Manning, Cillian Sheridan and Jon Gallagher

[Trequartista20]

Just the Tonic!

You'll need vodka with that if we continue as we have been.

[Trequartista20]

Kenny got the team wrong again, unless he is using this games as friendlies.

after these games we have to try new guys, we need to beat Bulgaria and see how it goes

Cillian Sheridan has to be in the team, Idah is learning his trade, maguire as winger only.

I.want him to field Ryan Manning, Cillian Sheridan and Jon Gallagher

Why do you overlook Eunan Kane?

A very cultured player.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Why do you overlook Eunan Kane?

A very cultured player.
unfit but greg cunningham is coming back

[Trequartista20]

Ah, the old "people only remember the score" argument.

I'll tell you what though, people remember more than that. I remember John Sheridan hitting the crossbar, and that didn't get recorded on the match report. That was a brilliant pass and move play involving Townsend, Keane and Sheridan.

Some class players in that team. Kenny would kiil for them.

No need to get salty, brine.

People remember the scoreline first and foremost, but they also remember the performance, and that includes chances created.

Not how much the ball is passed around amongst the back four. And Saxa fact.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Read we might play England, dont think is a good move right now, can we play a minnow? Or a team from concacaf or asia?

If we play England and we lose by a big margin, thats goodbye Kenny.

I hope Kenny is not that naive, lets play bosnia or a minnow at home

[backstothewall]

we have no excuses for not playing Shane Long

I have 33 excuses for not playing Shane Long. Every one of them is a candle on his last birthday cake.

[Bielsa´s irish]

I have 33 excuses for not playing Shane Long. Every one of them is a candle on his last birthday cake.

doesnt matter the age!!! , kids are not ready yet

[Insidetherock]

Look, the Welsh did us a huge favour tonight.. them winning in Bulgaria makes things simple.. no matter what happens next round of games in Wales, if we beat Bulgaria at home, we remain in Group B.. that has to be the target for now.

Staying in Group B for 22, means that like finishing bottom in the last NL, we were almost assured of a play off place because practically all the A sides will either qualify directly, or end up in the A play off... so will a huge chunk of the B sides.. so even a 3rd place in Group B would almost assure us a play off place.

By then, we'll have played these 6 NL games.. maybe 3-4 friendlies.. and 8-10 WC qualifying games.. so even if we dont get to the next WC.. we'll have 6 NL games.. and the Euro qualifiers to get to Germany in 2024.. that's loads of time to bed in new players, ease out older players.. and fine tune a playing style

MON got that opportunity and time with the 6.. give Kenny at least that too

Start learning German lads.. zwei Bier bitte, und Kurrywurst.. the craic will be 88 again