Republic of Ireland V Armenia - Tuesday, 27th September 2022 - UEFA Nations League

[tommy_c12000]

Solid result, escape relegation from this friendly series. Onwards and upwards. Parrott has a lot of improving to do by early next year, finishing has hampered him all season. Nice to see Mick O score, hopefully he can get back to scoring in championship. Molumby going from strength to strength. A few more youngsters to come through and we should have a pretty decent team in 12 months or so, eh POS?

[ontheotherhand]

Ireland are now passing the ball around at the back against 9-man Armenia.

To be fair we have to contain them.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Bad miss from Hogan, probably offside anyway.

What a farcical end to this game. Why is the ref playing seven minutes of injury time exactly?

[Calcio Jack]

If the gibbering clown has any decency he?ll resign now.
This is the guy/fantasist who up to last week was saying he wanted to win the group, no doubt his post match interview will see him trying to convince himself that this was a superb campaign .
Why did the FAI give him that contract extension ??? Should of waited until the end of this campaign before deciding

[joey B]

If you Can lose a 3-2 victory we just did!!

[paul_oshea]

To be fair we have to contain them.

This made me laugh :D I've ties to Armenia I felt kind of sorry for them at the end there to be honest. They must really dislike us.

[Insidetherock]

Well, we stay in Path B...and have a great chance of picking up a play off spot.. thats about it

But we're still a long way off

[centre mid]

We seemed to have stalled as a team. No progress really. 3 or 4 of the 21's will hopefully step up.

[Trequartista20]

Kenny very, very lucky to get away with that one. Almost a catastrophe.

We are capable of losing against anybody now; this was never the case before. This is what sums up the Kenny era for me.

[NeverFeltBetter]

They got the result, OK, this is a results business, and you can't take that away from Kenny. Dominated the majority of the game, very good goal from Obafemi, it was looking like a solid, if not especially spectacular result against a lower seed.

That last 20 minutes was an absolute embarrassment though, and it's a black eye for Kenny's regime for sure. The manner of the two goals, the way Armenia looked more likely to score again, the way Ireland suddenly looked really scared (in Dublin, against Armenia!). Thank God Armenia handed us a penalty with not one, but two handballs, and then lost their minds when the ref correctly awarded a penalty. Maybe Molumby should have been sent off - personally I'm always willing to give the ref the benefit of the doubt when it comes to "final warning" calls, and it wasn't like Armenia were clear in on goal with the foul - but that's no excuse for Armenia acting the prat.

"A little bit lucky on the night" says Brady, I'll ****ing say. The result is the only good thing about tonight. Kenny has solved nothing, and has done nothing to deserve further confidence. What's going to be the next destination for the moving goalposts on his tenure?

[Dermobohs]

Mental stuff, you?re never sure if we?ll win or lose, no matter who we play.
Couple of that team need quietly dropping.
Very disappointed with bazunu doherty and parrot tonight, way below their best I felt

[John83]

Armenia are ****e. I wish we had their spirit though. That's one spineless team we have there.

[Fixer82]

The ref let an awful lot go.

Great performance for an hour. Then it was a complete shambles

[mark12345]

If you Can lose a 3-2 victory we just did!!

Well said. That's exactly how to describe it. There is absolutely zero progress in this team. One step sideways and two backwards

[joey B]

If there’s still so many questions at this stage then he isn’t the answer,I was always hopeful but you’d not be trusting this management team with another qualifying campaign….

[ontheotherhand]

We seemed to have stalled as a team. No progress really. 3 or 4 of the 21's will hopefully step up.

Yep. We need 3 more centre mids and probably two wing backs to arrive from somewhere. Brady and Doherty offer no pace or ability to get by a man although to be fair to Brady, he at least was trying to play his way into dangerous positions. All Doherty did was pass the ball back every time. A real cowards performance and he's had a few of them.

Hourihane...well....I think he was involved in almost every breakdown in play. We badly need more options there. We are already at the point where Cullen needs to play. Molumby was good though so at least we have 3 now that you wouldn't be scared to see on the teamsheet. Cullen, Molumby and Knight all making progress.

There's the nucleus of a team for 2024 in there. We just look really short in a few spots. Whoever's in charge by then will need more options.

[pineapple stu]

The ref let an awful lot go.

Great performance for an hour. Then it was a complete shambles

It wasn't even great for an hour.

They were wojus. We got a set piece and a wonder goal out of nowhere. I never felt we had the guile to play through them though. And when they were giving us the ball 30 yards out, that's poor.

Then the less said about the last 20 the better obviously

[mark12345]

If you Can lose a 3-2 victory we just did!!


The ref let an awful lot go.

Great performance for an hour. Then it was a complete shambles

Great performance for an hour? Not in the game I was watching. I can tell you now that SK spent no time working on passing drills in the final third and breaking down the opposition. If he did both he and his players failed miserably.

[paul_oshea]

We're like Marty mcfly snr. We're yellow. And it flows down right from the top. I now don't believe that can change with Kenny in charge.

[Diggs246]

Yep. We need 3 more centre mids and probably two wing backs to arrive from somewhere. Brady and Doherty offer no pace or ability to get by a man although to be fair to Brady, he at least was trying to play his way into dangerous positions. All Doherty did was pass the ball back every time. A real cowards performance and he's had a few of them.

Hourihane...well....I think he was involved in almost every breakdown in play. We badly need more options there. We are already at the point where Cullen needs to play. Molumby was good though so at least we have 3 now that you wouldn't be scared to see on the teamsheet. Cullen, Molumby and Knight all making progress.

There's the nucleus of a team for 2024 in there. We just look really short in a few spots. Whoever's in charge by then will need more options.

"Hourihane...well....I think he was involved in almost every breakdown in play"

Where do u buy your coke...its good sh*t!

[Razors left peg]

Im not too pushed about that. We dominated 1st half, Molumby got stupid and had to be replaced and were left with a black hole of Hourihane and Hendrick in midfield that has killed us for years. Hourihane is the most complacent player Ive ever seen and it just seeps through the team. We thought we had it won and it nearly caught us.

Our squad depth is obviously still very weak when you see the subs that came on. We need a few to step up from the 21s now.

But all in all theres plenty on here that say its all about results ..... so a win is a win and we move on

[ontheotherhand]

"Hourihane...well....I think he was involved in almost every breakdown in play"

Where do u buy your coke...its good sh*t!

Did you not watch the game?

[Trequartista20]

It wasn't even great for an hour.

They were wojus. We got a set piece and a wonder goal out of nowhere. I never felt we had the guile to play through them though. And when they were giving us the ball 30 yards out, that's poor.

Then the less said about the last 20 the better obviously

We have no cutting edge, and this has consistently been the case under Kenny. If we don't score from a set-piece or someone creating something out of nothing, like Obafemi did tonight, then we're struggling.

Okay you want to play out from the back play and move the ball into midfield. Then what? We create so little from open play. We don't seem to have a plan, and even at this stage, the team lacks an identity.

[Diggs246]

Did you not watch the game?

I did. Hourihane was hopeless, like he is every time he plays for Ireland
He is a league 1 player and should be nowhere near our international team
He's lack of aggresstion is mortifying and his ability to disappear is at the paul daniels level

[pineapple stu]

We have no cutting edge, and this has consistently been the case under Kenny. If we don't score from a set-piece or someone creating something out of nothing, like Obafemi did tonight, then we're struggling.

Okay you want to play out from the back play the ball into midfield. Then what? We create so little from open play. We don't seem to have a plan, and even at this stage, the team lacks an identity.

That's exactly it for me. I don't know is it the players aren't good enough or is it a coaching thing. Probably a bit of both really. But while we're not at seven games without a goal level, I don't think we're creating enough at all from open play. It's a big worry

[seanfhear]

I did. Hourihane was hopeless, like he is every time he plays for Ireland
He is a league 1 player and should be nowhere near our international team
He's lack of aggresstion is mortifying and his ability to disappear is at the paul daniels level
Nobody has seen Paul Daniels for ages ! !

[paul_oshea]

Stephen is talking brown. We were not brilliant/exceptional and we could not have scored 4 or 5 we'd two attempts on goal after they'd scored. He's really losing the run of things , it's very worrying cos he's going to be here a while yet. He's got an altered view of reality. I really don't think he sees the problems.

Our most potent threat is our centre backs. And that's been the case since Robbie went off form

[NeverFeltBetter]

I'm looking back at Kenny's tenure and I think there's just eight performances I am happy with: the Slovakia loss (albeit on pens), the loss away in Portugal, Azerbaijan away, Luxembourg away, Qatar at home, Portugal at home, Belgium, Scotland at home. Two of those were friendlies, two of them were against seeds we wouldn't even think about after beating them in cycles past, two were defeats. That leaves Scotland and the Portugal 0-0.

Kenny has had 28 games now, 21 of them competitive. That's more than enough to form a judgement. If the best that can be said is that he is blooding players for the next manager to benefit from, OK. But if that's the thinking, when can we get that next manager in?

[DCWA]

That went exactly how it should do against Armenia. Until it didn?t.

It was generally OK relatively good but done our best to throw it away.

Molumbuy is going to get a costly red card in one of our qualifiers I would be near sure of that.

Subs were poor and have to say not sure Kenny has the know how to make the required in game tactical tweaks (maybe this where someone like Anthony Barry came in useful?) and his subs are generally poor.

I say this as a Kenny loyalist of course (I run the Kenny cult in the Donegal hills) but certainly worrying things there from toward the end of that game.

Hourihane should never play for Ireland again, and I think that was already long the case anyway.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Stephen is talking brown. We were not brilliant and we could not have scored 4 or 5 we'd two attempts on goal after they'd scored. He's really losing the run of things , it's very worrying cos he's going to be here a while yet. He's got an altered view of reality. I really don't think he sees the problems.

Our most potent threat is our centre backs. And that's been the case since Robbie went off form

In fairness, he's got a queue of media types who would have been out to hang previous managers with a run of form like this ready to make every excuse in the book for him.

[Exgrad]

No Molumby or Cullen in midfield and we're fcuked. A past it Hendrick and Hourihane and a league 1 right back, not suprised Armenia started to walk through us.

[ontheotherhand]

I did. Hourihane was hopeless, like he is every time he plays for Ireland
He is a league 1 player and should be nowhere near our international team
He's lack of aggresstion is mortifying and his ability to disappear is at the paul daniels level

So....you're on the same coke I am then?

[Diggs246]

So....you're on the same coke I am then?

Confused! Are u saying he played well or did I miss understand u completely.?

[ontheotherhand]

Confused! Are u saying he played well or did I miss understand u completely.?

I think he was involved in almost every breakdown in play

He was poison.

[pineapple stu]

Breakdown in our play, rather than theirs, which is I think where the confusion is

[texidub]

As expected, I am none the wiser after these two games. Baffling stuff.

[Diggs246]

I think he was involved in almost every breakdown in play

He was poison.

I thought u were saying he broke down all of Armenias attacks!

So neither of us are on coke...which is good

[yurt]

I would aim the blame for this evening falling apart at the players. Not sure how much criticism deserves to be aimed at the manager when they were 2 up against an awful team with 20 minutes to go. More of a problem of individual mistakes rather than systems, I would say.

Hourihane had a stinker and I'm sure he knows it. Silver lining is that he will only be on the pitch if there's a few injuries.

[Diggs246]

I would aim the blame for this evening falling apart at the players. Not sure how much criticism deserves to be aimed at the manager when they were 2 up against an awful team with 20 minutes to go. More of a problem of individual mistakes rather than systems, I would say.

Hourihane had a stinker and I'm sure he knows it. Silver lining is that he will only be on the pitch if there's a few injuries.

I think the problem is that Stephen Kenny
Put him on the pitch...instead of just pushing Brady into the midfield and bringing on McClean or Coleman

[ontheotherhand]

I thought u were saying he broke down all of Armenias attacks!

So neither of us are on coke...which is good

Maybe I am on drugs. I was completely at a loss as to why you would think I was complimenting him. I'd already posted probably more than enough about how bad he was and of course I assume my posts are read by everyone.

Sorry for the confusion.

[Insidetherock]

Lets look at the play off situation

We finished 25th overall in the Nations League standings.

Germany are already through, so there are 15 teams that could either qualify for the finals directly or get play off places.

There are 10 groups, so we can pretty much assume that at least ten of the Group A teams will qualify directly

There's a reasonable chance that at least 3 of the other five, will come through the group stages, which would leave 2 teams in the A path playoffs.

If that happens, the the best team in the D path, will take one of the other 2 places. Meaning one team from Path B will move up into that play off spot.

So, I assume that 3 A teams would qualify directly, meaning there would be 7 more qualifiers from the paths below.

If four or more of the eight teams ahead of us currently in the standings, qualify directly, then we'll get a play off spot

It's not guaranteed, but there's a decent likeliehood

[Eirambler]

We finished 26th unfortunately, not 25th. Still possible, but 25th would have been a lot more comfortable. If Browne hadn't handballed at the weekend and we had taken a point in Glasgow it would have made a big difference.

[tetsujin1979]

At half time I mentioned to my friend who was at the game with me that
John Egan scored the opener against Portugal from a corner, and we went on to lose 2-1
John Egan scored the opener against Scotland from a corner, and we went on to lose 2-1
Tonight John Egan scored the opener from a corner, but the other two games were away, so the result should be fine. And it was. Eventually.

[SkStu]

So I watched the second half again and I think the reaction on here is a little OTT as it relates to the general flow of the game.

Look conceding those goals was criminal but it?s down to two things. Individual mistakes and lack of depth in the Cullen role.

Firstly, Hourihane should be cut from the squad completely. He actually started off alright with a decent tackle and some good passes and one lovely ball into the corridor of uncertainty but really quickly unraveled as he does most times in green and in the EPL and Championship. He actually turned over the ball that led to their first goal with an aimless cross into the box when we had no one in there and needed to recycle. Stupid. They then went don the pitch basically and scored. The mistake for the second goal everyone saw. Hourihane was the culprit and he was ably supported by a very weak Bazunu who had literally nothing else to do on the night.

Secondly, Molumby. He?s not a Cullen. He?s the next best thing in the squad at the moment but that?s not his role. This led to his yellow and his red that never was. All of that led to Hourihane?s 40ish minutes.

The last twenty minutes? After we went down we actually regrouped pretty well and had a few chances - Collins header, Hourihane blazing over - and controlled the game again. Sure they had a half chance that rolled past the post but we were always going to have to live a bit dangerously to win it. Which we did.

On Kenny? I don?t think the blame for the two goals is attributable to Kenny or his in game management - in this case (he?s fluffed it before though). It really was more to do with the mistakes made by the player who shouldn?t and wouldn't have been on the pitch but for us missing a Cullen replacement. We dominated almost the whole game but for a 2-4 minute spell of insanity.

What a stupid game.

Other comment: I was critical of Brady in the first half. He was way better in the second. Way more assertive and direct. Delivery was excellent.

Other other comment: Collins also p*asked me off a bit before they scored. He had clearly switched off a bit and thought we had it all done. There was one passage right before their goal where he was raving around the place just outside their box, our most forward player, trying to close down their defenders (which he did successfully tbf, they punted back to us) but he took an absolute age to get back into position and then looked really casual afterwards. He picked back up performance wise after they scored. He, like Bazunu, needs to stay switched on. Both young enough that they?ll figure it out.

[ontheotherhand]

So I watched the second half again and I think the reaction on here is a little OTT as it relates to the general flow of the game.

Look conceding those goals was criminal but it?s down to two things. Individual mistakes and lack of depth in the Cullen role.

Firstly, Hourihane should be cut from the squad completely. He actually started off alright with a decent tackle and some good passes and one lovely ball into the corridor of uncertainty but really quickly unraveled as he does most times in green and in the EPL and Championship. He actually turned over the ball that led to their first goal with an aimless cross into the box when we had no one in there and needed to recycle. Stupid. They then went don the pitch basically and scored. The mistake for the second goal everyone saw. Hourihane was the culprit and he was ably supported by a very weak Bazunu who had literally nothing else to do on the night.

Secondly, Molumby. He?s not a Cullen. He?s the next best thing in the squad at the moment but that?s not his role. This led to his yellow and his red that never was. All of that led to Hourihane?s 40ish minutes.

The last twenty minutes? After we went down we actually regrouped pretty well and had a few chances - Collins header, Hourihane blazing over - and controlled the game again. Sure they had a half chance that rolled past the post but we were always going to have to live a bit dangerously to win it. Which we did.

On Kenny? I don?t think the blame for the two goals is attributable to Kenny or his in game management - in this case (he?s fluffed it before though). It really was more to do with the mistakes made by the player who shouldn?t and wouldn't have been on the pitch but for us missing a Cullen replacement. We dominated almost the whole game but for a 2-4 minute spell of insanity.

What a stupid game.

Other comment: I was critical of Brady in the first half. He was way better in the second. Way more assertive and direct. Delivery was excellent.

Other other comment: Collins also p*asked me off a bit before they scored. He had clearly switched off a bit and thought we had it all done. There was one passage right before their goal where he was raving around the place just outside their box, our most forward player, trying to close down their defenders (which he did successfully tbf, they punted back to us) but he took an absolute age to get back into position and then looked really casual afterwards. He picked back up performance wise after they scored. He, like Bazunu, needs to stay switched on. Both young enough that they?ll figure it out.

Yeah but OTT reaction is why we come here.....can you at least make an effort?

I'd agree with all of that. Collins isn't great for the first either. He got sucked into centre mid to help Hourihane and then couldn't make it back to snuff out the second ball after Bazunu made the save. Doherty is also a bit all over the shop for it. Hard to tell why he wasn't in position from the highlights. A Molumby or Cullen makes a difference in both cases. Or at least wouldn't actively work against the team.

[Stuttgart88]

Hourihane's impact was disastrous. Bazunu should have saved the second goal.

We don't have the depth in midfield beyond Cullen, Molumby and Knight, and maybe Hendrick. The sooner Smallbone and Coventry can be integrated the better, about the only positive outcome from last night.

Overall I thought we played a lot like Bradley's Rovers: cosy on the ball but we work it from side to side too often and struggle to get through a packed last third.

[Fixer82]

I think Collins into the middle and Duffy in to CB would actually work in the scenario where Cullen is injured

[paul_oshea]

I'd agree with all of that. Collins isn't great for the first either. He got sucked into centre mid to help Hourihane and then couldn't make it back to snuff out the second ball after Bazunu made the save. Doherty is also a bit all over the shop for it. Hard to tell why he wasn't in position from the highlights. A Molumby or Cullen makes a difference in both cases. Or at least wouldn't actively work against the team.

Perhaps we are not good enough to play 3 at the back. We are not compact enough and tight enough, lose our shape too easily and with Duffy in there he gives us that shape and keeps everyone compact. What's our GA under kenny compared to other managers? I'd imagine its much worse although hard to compare as not many managers have had so many games in such a short period of time.

We're still scoring mostly from defenders, but it feels like we're conceding more now.

[pineapple stu]

Another thought actually - but we played really really badly against nine men. It felt like five minutes of panic, inability to keep possession, and long balls - but you can't be doing that against nine players. Could we not have just kept possession for that time (or most of it at least)? We did create one chance (Hogan's right at the death) but overall that spell worried me.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it; I don't know.

[ifk101]

Agree, thought we were particularly poor for those five minutes. Collins booted it up the field at one point to give the ball away cheaply, Robinson (who has been sub-par in his two substitution appearances) gave the ball away needlessly as well for no reason. Maybe the biggest issue is the absence of on-field leaders that organise and set the tone?