Malta V Republic of Ireland - Sunday, 20th November 2022 - Friendly

[seanfhear]

Any chance of the Louie Barry fella coming back after the World Cup ?

[Fixer82]

Kenny Cunningham reckons we could hit France on the counter with McGrath and O'Dowda in March...

Might as well give Cunningham the gig, can’t do much worse anyway

[pineapple stu]

Might as well give Cunningham the gig, can’t do much worse anyway
He's now saying Alan Browne's high press created our goal!

I'm not so sure...

[SkStu]

Kenny tonight


https://i.imgflip.com/3xroe3.png

[tetsujin1979]

It’s a potential nice scapegoat for Kenny, “we were blooding in the youngsters….”
The starting XI had an average age of 28??!

[seanfhear]

The starting XI had an average age of 28??!
Probably feel like 38 playing for Kenny.

[paul_oshea]

I've found odowdas greatest skill and contribution to Ireland is his intellect and speaking ability. FAI should use him as a translator for kenny

[paul_oshea]

The starting XI had an average age of 28??!

Well that busts that myth that was spun for a while too.

[paul_oshea]

Our play matches kennys speak, flat , banal, lacking flair, lacking cohesion and coherence and a general feeling of discontent married to a whole lot of words(play/possession) without any (fluid) meaning

[weldoninhio]

He just said that he needed to use these games to “utilise our squad”. He played the same lads that would have played no matter what. He’s delusional.

[ontheotherhand]

He's had enough time now. I don't mind that he was given the time but it isn't working out. Reminds me a lot of his time at Rovers now. He looks gripped by fear and seems to have lost the players.

These friendlies were meaningless enough without those pointless team selections and subs. It was a time to be picking fringe players with a point to prove. As many have asked, what did we learn? What did we try? Deer in the headlights stuff at this stage so might as well let someone else get in now so they have a run at 2024.

[sbgawa]

"It was windy out there" lol he needs to go if thats the best he can come up with for another abject performance

[Paddy Garcia]

I'm not sure what was more painful, wacthing that woeful performance or enduring the Kenny interview.

Opportunity lost.

[tommy_c12000]

The starting XI had an average age of 28??!

That was in the context of bringing Ferguson on, would provide another potential excuse if we drew/lost.

[lofty9]

Learned absolutely nothing in these two games. Didn't blood anyone, bar a few mins for Ferguson.

Watched tonight's game with a particular interest for my coaching course. Robinsons movement was incredible, found space in every attacking situation. The lack of ability in finding him in the space he created was stark. I was very disappointed with that aspect of the teams game. That's nothing to do with management but the players in game awareness.

[lofty9]

Kenny is a dog€hit manager. He got lucky with the dundalk team as it was a poor time quality wise in the LOI when he brought them success. He has failed pretty much everywhere where he has a degree of pressure on his shoulders and will duly be dead man walking by mid June next year. I don't know who can replace him in the Ireland job, but preferably someone who at least receives a modicum of respect from his players, and someone who will finally shoo hairband hendrick out the door once and for all.

Sorry, got lucky with dundalk team?? It wasn't any poorer than the standard now. He got a load of cast offs and turned them into one effin unit. That's what I wanted him to do for this gig, send a few off and rebuild. He hasn't done that unfortunately.

[Fixer82]

Learned absolutely nothing in these two games. Didn't blood anyone, bar a few mins for Ferguson.

Watched tonight's game with a particular interest for my coaching course. Robinsons movement was incredible, found space in every attacking situation. The lack of ability in finding him in the space he created was stark. I was very disappointed with that aspect of the teams game. That's nothing to do with management but the players in game awareness.

His movement may have been incredible but his ball skills were absolutely not

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

What's Kenny's contract situation? What was the last one he signed? Another clueless performance last night. That's 30 games now and nothing is getting better. Long past time he got the boot.

[Eirambler]

It's unclear whether the break clause in his contract was straight after the Nations League or at the end of 2022. His selections in the last two games would suggest the latter.

But the Euros group draw was arguably a great one for him (despite being a terrible one for Ireland). Worth half a million Euros to him I would suggest. There isn't a manager in the world that would get us out of that group, so is there really any point dispensing with Kenny before it starts? Any new manager is on a hiding to nothing in 2023 anyway.

By the time his contract is finished how much will Kenny have taken the FAI for - somewhere between 1.5 and 2 million Euro I think? Life changing money for him that he'll never earn anywhere else. And he still can't even string a couple of coherent sentences together in an interview, let alone improve the team.

[NeverFeltBetter]

The media is turning, from the tone of reports. Perfect time to welcome one of the worlds best sides to Dublin.

[Stuttgart88]

Christ that was a long hard watch, and after a truly dreadful WC opener too. I put myself in the shoes of one of those Americans who doesn't get football and thought maybe they're right.

Sykes looked good in his 5 minutes.That was about as exciting as it got, and added to the frustration - why not take a look at guys like this for longer?

I don't think any player played particularly badly. We had almost total control of the game, it was just the continuously slow, laboured, unpenetrative build up and recycling never looked like creating any pressure or chances.

[Diggs246]

https://extra.ie/2022/11/19/sport/soccernews/ian-harte-stephen-kenny

[Jd2793]

the fighting spirit thing is a bit nonsensical tbh. we are crap , sack him for that reason, sack him for his poor in game decisions. not for "losing the fighting spirit" which is at best some imaginary thing we feel is innate to us a nation

[texidub]

Today I feel like a disappointed, red haired Republic of Ireland fan - Infantino

[third policeman]

I think he may have been using "fighting spirit" as a reference to intensity, energy, tempo....... all of which were absent from both these games.

[D24Saint]

Malta after bringing on a guy who didn't work out at Pat's last year, just to put this in context

Very kindly put. Not having the ability to kick snow off a rope is another way of summing up his time in Richmond.

[Stuttgart88]

It was obvious after only a few minutes how bad Malta were. Was their starting XI last night much different than against Greece? Was Greece's XI close to their normal first XI? Because 2-2 isn't a bad result at all for Malta v Greece but on yestrerday's evidence it's hard to see where it came from.

[Stuttgart88]

I think he may have been using "fighting spirit" as a reference to intensity, energy, tempo....... all of which were absent from both these games.It was there for parts of the Norway game and during those parts we were decent enough.

[Diggs246]

It was obvious after only a few minutes how bad Malta were. Was their starting XI last night much different than against Greece? Was Greece's XI close to their normal first XI? Because 2-2 isn't a bad result at all for Malta v Greece but on yestrerday's evidence it's hard to see where it came from.

Greece had a man sent off

[seanfhear]

Today I feel like a disappointed, red haired Republic of Ireland fan - Infantino
Some people just can’t catch a break.

[Jd2793]

Greece had a man sent off

after 79 mins , they were already 2-1 down at that stage

[2 Year Contract]

Greece had a man sent off

They only got the red card with 10 minutes left to be fair with the game at 2-1 Malta at the time. They got an equaliser with 10 men with 4 minutes to go

[pineapple stu]

Greece had a man sent off

Malta started against Greece with -

Henry Bonello
Steve Borg
Enrico Pepe
Jean Borg
Joseph Mbong
Matthew Guillaumier
Teddy Teuma
Ryan Camenzuli
Paul Mbong
Shaun Dimech
Jurgen Degabriele

I think one of the Borgs, Dimech and Degabriele didn't play against us, though Jodi Jones of Oxford came in and that should have strengthened them you'd have thought.

[pineapple stu]

Other thing that's worrying lately is our defence. Can't remember the goals against Scotland - other than one being a daft penalty against I think Browne? - but against Armenia we conceded two soft goals that Bazunu in particular should have done much better for, then Norway was two really lax set pieces, and last night then Malta had two great chances which a better side would have made Kelleher work a lot more for. The first one in particular was a defender (Coleman?) completely missing a header and leaving a 3v1 break, and then another good chance late in the second; a shot from the D which again a better player will punish

We do play up better than down, and we've done backs-to-the-wall defending reasonably well against Serbia and Portugal. I suspect we'll need to do it against France in March, and if we're not defending as well as before, it could be a very long night

[Jd2793]

Other thing that's worrying lately is our defence. Can't remember the goals against Scotland - other than one being a daft penalty against I think Browne? - but against Armenia we conceded two soft goals that Bazunu in particular should have done much better for, then Norway was two really lax set pieces, and last night then Malta had two great chances which a better side would have made Kelleher work a lot more for.

We do play up better than down, and we've done backs-to-the-wall defending reasonably well against Serbia and Portugal. I suspect we'll need to do it against France in March, and if we're not defending as well as before, it could be a very long night


we do look very open in any sort of counter situation though. even last night early doors got caught twice. its a common theme under SK thats never really been addressed, another issue with our midfielders imo.

[pineapple stu]

Probably do, but in Portugal for example our defence held firm and against Serbia our keeper bailed us out. But they failed us against Norway and Armenia respectively.

They really can't afford to do that against France.

[Stuttgart88]

Other thing that's worrying lately is our defence. Can't remember the goals against Scotland - other than one being a daft penalty against I think Browne? - but against Armenia we conceded two soft goals that Bazunu in particular should have done much better for, then Norway was two really lax set pieces, and last night then Malta had two great chances which a better side would have made Kelleher work a lot more for. The first one in particular was a defender (Coleman?) completely missing a header and leaving a 3v1 break, and then another good chance late in the second; a shot from the D which again a better player will punish

We do play up better than down, and we've done backs-to-the-wall defending reasonably well against Serbia and Portugal. I suspect we'll need to do it against France in March, and if we're not defending as well as before, it could be a very long nightYes, Browne. Other was a header from a cross after Doherty over-committed himself and was beaten easily.

[Fixer82]

Watching England V Iran here. England schooling them. I'm positive Iran would beat us well

[Stuttgart88]

t's hard to tell what level Iran really are but I'm watching this just depressed on how far off the level required to be competitive we are. It's not just the skill, it's the pace and athleticism.

[youngirish]

I hear Steve Bruce is available.

[paul_oshea]

On a signal chat I'd backed netherlands as a potential darkhorse, but there's not much to fear about them here , apart from the fact we've been playing two seeds below where we should be. But that's us not them

[paul_oshea]

Gotta say that made me laugh. BS kalaka if you took out some lines from your paragraphs you'd have some great points. And probably a great party too

[OwlsFan]

There's one thing (well a lot more than one) I don't get. Why is Ogbene being played as a No 9 when he is a winger? I know Rotherham may have started using him in that role but to me he would be much better as a winger/wingback with his pace. Obafemi as the centre forward and Ogbene raiding on the wing.

[Jd2793]

There's one thing (well a lot more than one) I don't get. Why is Ogbene being played as a No 9 when he is a winger? I know Rotherham may have started using him in that role but to me he would be much better as a winger/wingback with his pace. Obafemi as the centre forward and Ogbene raiding on the wing.

never understood it either. he is a lot better out wide than in the congested middle of the final 3rd. whatever about parrotts or obafemis finishing those 2 are miles ahead technically. SK seems to have wedded himself to the idea of ogbene as a forward similar to ebosele. we could have done with seeing him there vs malta IMO. his strong direct running would have been an addition as dohertys best bits come without the ball.

[Demesne Lad]

Christ that was a long hard watch, and after a truly dreadful WC opener too. I put myself in the shoes of one of those Americans who doesn't get football and thought maybe they're right.

Sykes looked good in his 5 minutes.That was about as exciting as it got, and added to the frustration - why not take a look at guys like this for longer?

I don't think any player played particularly badly. We had almost total control of the game, it was just the continuously slow, laboured, unpenetrative build up and recycling never looked like creating any pressure or chances.

Just for comparison, highlights of the Malta v Ireland World Cup qualifier, November 1989 www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cVVFFCsKw4

[osarusan]

Thats 33 years ago.

[SkStu]

there was another game away to Malta that i remember watching a while back and being really f**king annoyed during it. I think Staunton scored a belter of a free to win it late - 99 or 01 maybe? Anyway, it was cack.

[Eirambler]

That was the 3-2 game in the Euro 2000 qualifiers. We were very poor that night but got away with it through Staunton's free kick. Didn't count for anything in the end though unfortunately.

[Stuttgart88]

there was another game away to Malta that i remember watching a while back and being really f**king annoyed during it. I think Staunton scored a belter of a free to win it late - 99 or 01 maybe? Anyway, it was cack.2-0 up and coasting then we conceded 2 quick goals and as Stu said, Stan bailed us out with a free kick.

[ifk101]

Don’t know the coaching situation following the departure of Eustace but it doesn’t reflect well on Kenny that peak performances during his tenure have come when Barry and Eustace had found their feet (in the case of the latter Scotland (H) and Ukraine (A)).

I thought we really struggled in both games in moving the ball from back to front, that transition between defence and attack. We are crying out for genuine quality in a playmaker/ creative role – like a Ødegaard, which we don’t have on the bench or outside the squad. That said, we are able to paper over this deficiency with coaching and inventiveness (ie games with Barry and Eustace) but if that’s not there, we get the passive/ flat performances of Norway/ Malta.