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

[Demesne Lad]

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.
Alan Sheehan, Nathan Jones' assistant at Southampton, is one of our own, and an U-21 international.

[mark12345]

Alan Sheehan, Nathan Jones' assistant at Southampton, is one of our own, and an U-21 international.

Looking at the games at the World Cup, we are further than ever away from the required standard. Canada would have beaten us handily on the evidence of yesterday

[Jd2793]

Looking at the games at the World Cup, we are further than ever away from the required standard. Canada would have beaten us handily on the evidence of yesterday

absolutely. and if we played them in a friendly a few months ago we'd have been expected to beat them by many. the amount of historically poor teams improving has gone through the roof. we are so far behind canada/usa not to mention the likes of serbia etc

[Stuttgart88]

Hard to disagree with that, yet we've been just about competitive against better teams and often self-inflict our wounds. Hope springs eternal I guess...

[ontheotherhand]

Hard to disagree with that, yet we've been just about competitive against better teams and often self-inflict our wounds. Hope springs eternal I guess...

Should be fine Stutts. One underperforming manager can't destroy decades of investment, development and planning.

[SkStu]

Don't be daft OTOH! A new manager will fix everything and then everything's going to be totally great forever.

[CraftyToePoke]

Don't be daft OTOH! A new manager will fix everything and then everything's going to be totally great forever.

Yeah, and a side of mostly Championship journeymen & nearly men will soon after grace a major finals and upset the world order. Just need Kenny out & we're set I tells you, set :D

[Eirambler]

The prospect of Ireland qualifying for a 24 team Euros again wouldn't exactly be resetting the world order now in fairness.

[CraftyToePoke]

The prospect of Ireland qualifying for a 24 team Euros again wouldn't exactly be resetting the world order now in fairness.

You misunderstand me, upset it when we get there was what I meant. Soon as that pesky Kenny is ran outta town.

[Fixer82]

It would be nice though, after two years in charge, for us to have some idea what our team is

[tetsujin1979]

Interesting/tedious stat about Sykes' debut in this game. He's the fifteenth player to be given a debut by Stephen Kenny, the same number of debuts given by Brian Kerr in his time in charge

[tetsujin1979]

Thread locked and archived
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