Republic of Ireland V Ukraine - Wednesday, 8 June 2022 - 2022/23 UEFA Nations League

[centre mid]

Had enough decent chances in the last 15mins to win it, but took none.

[tommy_c12000]

Alan Browne is not an international player. That was established years ago. Kenny persists with him

[centre mid]

Steven Kelly

[dynamo kerry]

Ball gets thrown to Browne.

He falls over.

What do you do when you see that?

At what point does kenny lose the dressing room do you think.. is it this or does he still have the players? I'd say its close and he may have lost a few lads already

I personally feel like these guys are capable of more.

[Trequartista20]

And another game ends with Duffy playing at centre-forward...

[SkStu]

I think i'm done with this. I don't really know what a new manager does for this but whatever. Its depressing as hell.

[tommy_c12000]

The experiment has failed. Kenny remains out of his depth and has shown no signs of improvement. Time to move on. We are starting to have decent players now and will only get stronger. We need a proper gardener to nurture our green shoots

[paul_oshea]

This is atrocious.
Call in the cavalry.

Could we go this window with a Eurovision call?

The players already looked knackered

[paul_oshea]

I think i'm done with this. I don't really know what a new manager does for this but whatever. Its depressing as hell.

But we had lots of possession. And we passed it around same as that night in Slovakia and away to bulgaria. What's changed for you? The results are similar, the only difference is 20 mins of good play is reduced to about 10-15 now

[NeverFeltBetter]

Dreadful second half performance. Just headless all over the field, and a total mess after the concession. Subs came too late, and once again a team that nominally have pretensions at being a tournament finalist were relying on a centre back to score.

Positives: Obafemi looked good when he came on, so did Hamilton. The defence didn't concede another, and Collins throwing himself at that late shot was good to see.
Negatives: Kelleher likely to be dropped now. So laboured in midfield, lots of misplaced passes. Too much ****ing around outside the penalty area, not enough end product. Our rescue plan involved James McClean.

We're looking at the very real possibility of going into this window with talk of topping the group, and leaving it with four straight losses.

There's been far too many false dawns under Kenny. His tenure needs to be over this time next week. He's simply not up to this job, and that renewed contract looks increasingly laughable. No "We were unlucky", no "green shoots", no "we can still top the group", no "we were never going to top the group anyway", no "Scotland is a better chance for a win", no "There will be a reaction in the next game". It's over, or at least it should be.

And you know what else, I want to see the knives out from the media, former players, current players. No more of this ridiculous softball. Better managers got a harder experience, and it's time Kenny's feet were put to the fire properly.

[CSAD]

The same mistakes that cost us in Yerevan funny enough cost us tonight…who’d have thought it!

I’m a broken record but why are we persisting with Journeymen? They have done nothing but let us down in front of goal and instead of backing the only player who’s actually proven himself to be useful in front of goal we continue with the journeymen. Simply making effort isn’t enough, that should be a given, we need results.

The final straw for me is if Robinson and Ogbene start against Scotland, how many times do they need to let us down before Kenny gets the picture?

[third policeman]

He’ll probably get 20 minutes when we are down and devoid of any shape or idea. Should be starting and getting a decent chance to show what he can offer.

Wish I’d put money on that prediction.

[NeverFeltBetter]

And this is Ukraine's second team! No. More. Excuses.

I can't believe I'm seeing an RTE panel discussing tactical tweaks right now. Surely they can't think this is OK?

[Trequartista20]

I think that was Kenny's 25th match in charge this evening. I just don't see sufficient progress having been made in this time; he doesn't even seem to know what the problems are, let alone how to fix them.

2 competitive wins in 17 is not acceptable, I'm afraid. It's time to bring this to an end.

[tetsujin1979]

Two games in a row where we've conceded after a disallowed goal, and gone on to lose
No push for an equaliser when injury time was announced. Players seemed to have accepted the loss

[CSAD]

There just isn’t something right about this camp compared to the previous ones, this game reminded me a lot of 2018 when we were outclassed by a 2nd string Wales team.

[liamoo11]

Dreadful second half performance. Just headless all over the field, and a total mess after the concession. Subs came too late, and once again a team that nominally have pretensions at being a tournament finalist were relying on a centre back to score.

Positives: Obafemi looked good when he came on, so did Hamilton. The defence didn't concede another, and Collins throwing himself at that late shot was good to see.
Negatives: Kelleher likely to be dropped now. So laboured in midfield, lots of misplaced passes. Too much ****ing around outside the penalty area, not enough end product. Our rescue plan involved James McClean.

We're looking at the very real possibility of going into this window with talk of topping the group, and leaving it with four straight losses.

There's been far too many false dawns under Kenny. His tenure needs to be over this time next week. He's simply not up to this job, and that renewed contract looks increasingly laughable. No "We were unlucky", no "green shoots", no "we can still top the group", no "we were never going to top the group anyway", no "Scotland is a better chance for a win", no "There will be a reaction in the next game". It's over, or at least it should be.

And you know what else, I want to see the knives out from the media, former players, current players. No more of this ridiculous softball. Better managers got a harder experience, and it's time Kenny's feet were put to the fire properly.

There will be no knives out. The media are totally bought into the Kenny story. Kenny is not getting sacked regardless of how results go in this window or any window and if he gets us anywhere close to qualifying for the euro s he is getting another 2 years .

[Bielsa´s irish]

Played good the last minutes. You can't play good only 10 minutes. Collins was man of the match. Your narrator said it 10 changes. Eire can't get beaten by a second string Ukrainians who didn't get a match for 6 months. Kenny last chance is vs Scotland. The heads might look for replacement, in pole position. We can see the narrator was fuming abd furious live for yet another defeat. That Darragh Maloney is the name, he was fuming and in anger you can tell by his expression

[zero]

There will be no knives out. The media are totally bought into the Kenny story. Kenny is not getting sacked regardless of how results go in this window or any window and if he gets us anywhere close to qualifying for the euro s he is getting another 2 years .

I sense the same, we're stuck with him now so hardly worth even cribbing. All games are essentially friendlies for us as there is nothing to play for after a couple of games. Try a few different ideas and players and hope for the best.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

Please just end this farce now. Kenny is a nice man but I'm getting increasingly angry at his nonsense. He'll have more excuses after this game. He should do the decent thing and walk away. This was Ukraine B, their back 3 had only played 1 cap each prior to this game. We couldn't score again and once more threw Duffy up front to try to save us. I've asked before, how bad does it have to get before enough is enough?

[Bielsa´s irish]

And this is Ukraine's second team! No. More. Excuses.

I can't believe I'm seeing an RTE panel discussing tactical tweaks right now. Surely they can't think this is OK?
Totally agree, and I am from Argentina so don't get how are the things up there the football people, but I had to check the name on Google the the guy is Darragh Maloney, and when the camera is on him speaking you can sense the guy is fuming and very angry and fed up of another fiasco. Thats was I sense from the computer.

[pineapple stu]

2 competitive wins in 17 is not acceptable, I'm afraid. It's time to bring this to an end.
More to the point, 12 goals scored in 17 competitive games. And 6 of those - half - in two games (Luxembourg/Azerbaijan). 10 times we've failed to score

Only 14 goals conceded in those games. But We'll never win anything if we can't score.

Mick's tactics of "Lump it to Duffy from the off" seem genius right now

[NeverFeltBetter]

Kenny Cunningham: "We need to make some minor adjustments in the midfield". I feel like I've been drugged watching this. You'd think we'd won the game.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

I could be petty and ask how Belgium got on tonight but I don't care what they do. Losing Barry has been a disaster for us.

[Bielsa´s irish]

More to the point, 13 goals scored in 17 competitive games. And 6 of those - almost half - in two games (Luxembourg/Azerbaijan)

We'll never win anything if we can't score.

Mick's tactics of "Lump it to Duffy from the off" seem genius right now

At the end was Duffy up front. I thought Collins was immense today, can he play holding center midfield? Because he is so composed on the ball, Knight was OK, but Collins was man of the match.

Anyway for me these are Kenny's last two games. 27 matches is enough.

[paul_oshea]

Jees this LoI we will show you non believers attitude really stinks. Rte is absolute garbage

[seanfhear]

I could be petty and ask how Belgium got on tonight but I don't care what they do. Losing Barry has been a disaster for us.
It certainly looks like Barry’s involvement was getting something extra out of the players.

[Jd2793]

brutal stuff. kenny too slow making changes. we had the better of the first 20, ukraine were on top from then til ht yet he did nothing at ht to change it. ogbene and robinson were shocking again , yet ogbene lasts 80 mins. hendrick was gassed after 45 and stays on again for 60 odd mins.

[NeverFeltBetter]

"They'll take some heart in the way they rallied in the last 15 minutes". What are you talking about?

[Razors left peg]

That game has totally flipped me on Kenny. There are no excuses for tonight.

It was so blatantly obvious at half time that Robinson and Ogbene were not working up front, everything going up to them was breaking down due to very poor decision making by both. To leave them on as long as he did was indefensible. Alan Browne brought on at wing back was an incredible decision when you have an exciting attacking young player like Ebosele on the bench. Hamilton brought on was just a like for like for Ogbene, speed merchant, when we needed the cleverness of Parrott.

I was fuming after the Armenia game that he changed the player but not the system when again it was so obvious it wasnt working. It was the same tonight. He is awful at in game management.

There was a post by someone in the last day or 2 that has stuck with me. The principals that Kenny has brought in I hope last into the future, that we are good enough to play football, but he wont be the man to see the results of it. After tonight I think that is exactly it. If we were to replace him it cannot be a Sam Allardyce type character. I'd like to see someone take a continuation of this moving forward.

This is as depressed after an Ireland game as Ive been in a long time. The positives are I still believe in the players, the younger ones anyway. Collins is elite, Knight was good and worked hard tonight, but for the love of God can Kelleher go and play f'ing football somewhere before we start calling him a good goalkeeper. He looks small, has no presence and was terrible for the goal.

[John83]

I got up at half two in the morning for this ****e.

I keep hearing that the public are behind Kenny. If it's still true - if it ever was anything but spin - then the public are ****ing rubes. Kenny is conning a living out of that job. A random guy off the street could hardly do any worse with those players.

Anyone who thought we'd be competitive to win the Nations League because we finally figured out how to beat Azerbaijan - and there were definitely a few of you here - was utterly duped.

It's not a great squad, but we're toothless under Kenny like an absolute bottom feeder side. Our slide down the rankings will continue.

[D24Saint]

Kenny poor enough in the interview here.

[Bielsa´s irish]

"They'll take some heart in the way they rallied in the last 15 minutes". What are you talking about?
You can't play good football only for the last 15. McClean and Obafemi improved the team, with just urgency, Hendrick showed urgency but was very tired

[NeverFeltBetter]

Kenny has nothing of consequence to say. Just nothing. "We can't play better then we did". So, is that it then?

I've seen Tony O'Donoghue go out of his way to skewer underperforming managers, to the point where you could claim he was trying to get them to quit on camera. Here he's just lining Kenny up with excuses, fatigue, change in the midfield, and that's it. It's baffling, and more than a little cowardly. RTE coverage ends with a montage about Ukrainian fans.

[paul_oshea]

Was Kenny crying? He's shellshocked. I'm getting worried about him now :( he doesn't look like a man who's in control

[geysir]

The defence is decent but the rest are not up to intl standard. Apart from some set piece panic, Ukraine held on well in the last 1/4.
How did Shane Duffy not get the (fwiw) motm award? that header alone from a standing start was the best all night from Ireland.
Based on their performances over their 3 games, that Ukraine squad is the best I have seen from them, they're not just running on fervour, great pity they didn’t make the world cup.

[paul_oshea]

I got up at half two in the morning for this ****e.

I keep hearing that the public are behind Kenny. If it's still true - if it ever was anything but spin - then the public are ****ing rubes. Kenny is conning a living out of that job. A random guy off the street could hardly do any worse with those players.

Anyone who thought we'd be competitive to win the Nations League because we finally figured out how to beat Azerbaijan - and there were definitely a few of you here - was utterly duped.

It's not a great squad, but we're toothless under Kenny like an absolute bottom feeder side. Our slide down the rankings will continue.

They're not here John,they've not been here for a year or so or very infrequently but the forum is better for it. There's far less polarization and nastiness on the forum and no few acting like it's their own personal forum who are gracious enough to let others in and contribute now again. There's a general good discussion and overall agreement on the football and the state of the management team - bar one or two or course : D

[pineapple stu]

Anyone who thought we'd be competitive to win the Nations League because we finally figured out how to beat Azerbaijan - and there were definitely a few of you here - was utterly duped.
I could be cruel and dig out the post that reckoned we should aim for an unbeaten campaign. But I won't.

Even still, I'm surprised at how quickly we've gone back to square one when it seemed we were making some progress.

Don't quite see how it improves from here in a hurry unfortunately

[paul_oshea]

Is Kenny's record similar to McCarthy's at Sunderland when they got 11 points before being relegated?

[SkStu]

But we had lots of possession. And we passed it around same as that night in Slovakia and away to bulgaria. What's changed for you? The results are similar, the only difference is 20 mins of good play is reduced to about 10-15 now

Seriously, I can't believe that you are enjoying this. A guy who takes delight in defeat so he can play the wise man for a while? Wow.

If it hasn't already been made clear by now, time has changed things for me. Expectations have changed. What i was willing to let go 12 months ago, i am less tolerant of now. Would you prefer if i dug my heels in on an old perspective or disappeared? Its typical of you to go at it this way. The role of the pessimist is the easy one in football, Paul. It ends tits up in football 90% of the time so the pessimist can always say he told you so.

Pity you cant just discuss and debate and dialogue instead of trying to get your kicks. It would make for a better forum all round.

[Jd2793]

But we had lots of possession. And we passed it around same as that night in Slovakia and away to bulgaria. What's changed for you? The results are similar, the only difference is 20 mins of good play is reduced to about 10-15 now

slovakia was actually good compared to this though. we had 2 sitters and should/could have won that game. tonight was hopeless stuff on the pitch and on the line from 20 min mark

[paul_oshea]

I'm not taking delight at all and never do but I never understood how people saw things that weren't there to see and I genuinely want/wanted to understand that.

[CSAD]

"They'll take some heart in the way they rallied in the last 15 minutes". What are you talking about?

Basically the period when the subs came on, further questioning why they weren’t on at halftime.

If we play the same front 3 as we did versus Scotland I will seriously question Kenny’s mental sanity because at this point it should only take common sense to see that changes are desperately needed.

[CSAD]

slovakia was actually good compared to this though. we had 2 sitters and should/could have won that game. tonight was hopeless stuff on the pitch and on the line from 20 min mark

And that was when we had moderately close to first team out, whereas now conveniently just like previous poor windows we’ve had a suspiciously high number of injury pull outs…if I was a cynic I’d be saying are these players getting “injuries” to get out of Ireland camp without outright refusing? I’m noticing a pattern…

[Fixer82]

At the end was Duffy up front. I thought Collins was immense today, can he play holding center midfield? Because he is so composed on the ball, Knight was OK, but Collins was man of the match.

Anyway for me these are Kenny's last two games. 27 matches is enough.

Collins in front of two Centre halves could very well work.

We need 3 in Centre midfield for sure.
Hendrick is a good player but needs more solid player beside him I think.

Cullen is solid but they both are swamped in midfield.

I would consider maybe a 4-3-2-1 formation to tweak this team.

We do some things well but ultimately it’s not working.

Perhaps Barry’s absence is the reason we are falling flat

[SkStu]

That game has totally flipped me on Kenny. There are no excuses for tonight.

It was so blatantly obvious at half time that Robinson and Ogbene were not working up front, everything going up to them was breaking down due to very poor decision making by both. To leave them on as long as he did was indefensible. Alan Browne brought on at wing back was an incredible decision when you have an exciting attacking young player like Ebosele on the bench. Hamilton brought on was just a like for like for Ogbene, speed merchant, when we needed the cleverness of Parrott.

I was fuming after the Armenia game that he changed the player but not the system when again it was so obvious it wasnt working. It was the same tonight. He is awful at in game management.

There was a post by someone in the last day or 2 that has stuck with me. The principals that Kenny has brought in I hope last into the future, that we are good enough to play football, but he wont be the man to see the results of it. After tonight I think that is exactly it. If we were to replace him it cannot be a Sam Allardyce type character. I'd like to see someone take a continuation of this moving forward.

This is as depressed after an Ireland game as Ive been in a long time. The positives are I still believe in the players, the younger ones anyway. Collins is elite, Knight was good and worked hard tonight, but for the love of God can Kelleher go and play f'ing football somewhere before we start calling him a good goalkeeper. He looks small, has no presence and was terrible for the goal.

Well said. I have turned the corner completely. The little bit of hope i had that we had finally turned the corner has been ripped to pieces since Saturday.

His interview was a disaster too. Before and after the game he was asked a fairly easy question during each interview and could barely answer (pre game: what do you think we need to do better compared to Armenia? He got spooked, rambled for 2 minutes, and ended up saying nothing and not answering the question // post game: do you think our players were less fit than Ukraine? He asked what is the question, got spooked, then got defensive and rambled). Not sure its the signs of a man under pressure as he has never been good in front of a camera but it doesnt help and you'd think that it might damage his credibility with the players.

[Jd2793]

And that was when we had moderately close to first team out, whereas now conveniently just like previous poor windows we’ve had a suspiciously high number of injury pull outs…if I was a cynic I’d be saying are these players getting “injuries” to get out of Ireland camp without outright refusing? I’m noticing a pattern…

only bazunu is missing? the rest are long term injuries??

[CSAD]

only bazunu is missing? the rest are long term injuries??

Except how many windows is that now? It’s okay if it’s one window or two but it’s got to the point where we are probably one or two injuries away from this being Ireland B…and not for the first time.

[joey B]

Was surprised anyone thought we’d win easy tonight after watching us on Saturday,even Ukraine’s reserves are better players than us and you can see that in how they pass the ball and move,I thought we noticeably went long quite a lot for the first 70 odd minutes but then it was just praying Duffy would get his head on a cross,there was zero patterns of play for the most part and it feels like the end is near for SK now,I really hoped it would work out for him but that hope is gone for me now……

[Razors left peg]

Well said. I have turned the corner completely. The little bit of hope i had that we had finally turned the corner has been ripped to pieces since Saturday.

His interview was a disaster too. Before and after the game he was asked a fairly easy question during each interview and could barely answer (pre game: what do you think we need to do better compared to Armenia? He got spooked, rambled for 2 minutes, and ended up saying nothing and not answering the question // post game: do you think our players were less fit than Ukraine? He asked what is the question, got spooked, then got defensive and rambled). Not sure its the signs of a man under pressure as he has never been good in front of a camera but it doesnt help and you'd think that it might damage his credibility with the players.

I didnt listen to his interview, I had to turn it off on final whistle. Hes never been great in front of the cameras, but he did get the respect of the players. That was obvious from the beginning so I couldnt really care less how he looked with the media. Today didnt look like he lost the player or anything like that, we just looked completely disorganized and players not in right positions