Republic of Ireland V Latvia - Wednesday, 22nd March 2023 - Friendly

[Calcio Jack]

I think that puts any debate about the keepers to bed.

Time to put the debate about Kenny to bed …. Why is that clown allowed to continue to embarrass us….. Latvia are ranked 143

[nigel-harps1954]

Kelleher shocking there, even allowing for deflection.

[Jd2793]

Kelleher shocking there, even allowing for deflection.

its going straight into him without the deflection lol

[centre mid]

Watching the first again, he's very slow to move his feet, almost stumbles. Might be nitpicking but could've maybe done better.

[liamoo11]

Kelleher shocking there, even allowing for deflection.

There is nothing he can do about that it's shocking defending and a lazy leg from collins

[tetsujin1979]

Think Eire was playing a good match, the team desperately need James McCarthy in the middle of the team, we need vision there , we have the legs we have someone with streetwise foottball knowledge to close down and kill off matches, the last few games have been the same. Egan was missed at the back too and in a extent Duffy!

But my view is we need Jimmy McCarthy back from ostracism

His name is James. We heard you the first time. Knock it off.

[passinginterest]

Latvia manager called one of the mids over to him after the second goal and changed the shape a bit and they were much more effective in the middle from there on.

Definitely a concern that we get so panicky at the back. Just no need for two players going for the same ball twice in build up to second goal.

Statistically we must concede a way above logical amount of goals from shots outside the box. There’s obviously an element of luck but also must be something about either the shape or the areas we lose the ball that contributes.

Hopefully still go on to get a comfortable win but anything less is going to really dent confidence for the France game.

Browne probably has been the weakest link in the middle. Although for all the good play I do think Smallbone goes missing a bit in his defensive duties. Deliveries from the wings and set pieces have been much better. Doherty is very rusty so he’s had some good moments and some very poor ones.

Thought Obafemi showed his football intelligence with the assist for Ferguson. Great anticipation to get to the ball and pull it back. Some lovey stuff from Ferguson but naive at times too. Great poachers goal. O’Dowda has been a excellent.

[Insidetherock]

Outside of Liverpool fans, who can never see beyond their nose when it comes to a Pool player, anyone who thinks Kelliher should be in goal, is off their rocker.. I'm sick of listening to people make excuses for him.. he's too casual.. he should becroaring at players, getting defences set, coming out taking charge of high balls into the box..

Outside of being decent at penalty kicks.. he's ****e

[zero]

OK we need James McCarthy to anchor the midfield, the team showed have the legs but no brains.....again!!

just stop. McCarthy's career is over.

[Razors left peg]

OK we need James McCarthy to anchor the midfield, the team showed have the legs but no brains.....again!!
The fella doesn't even play football anymore

[Jd2793]

Outside of Liverpool fans, who can never see beyond their nose when it comes to a Pool player, anyone who thinks Kelliher should be in goal, is off their rocker.. I'm sick of listening to people make excuses for him.. he's too casual.. he should becroaring at players, getting defences set, coming out taking charge of high balls into the box..

Outside of being decent at penalty kicks.. he's ****e


get it all out pet

[osarusan]

Who are you the Greek nicest spoofer? McCarthy career isn't over, mate not yet. Eire showed have legs but no brains in midfield once again.Don't you ever get tired of churning out this fake shyte? I mean what's the point of it all?

[Bielsa´s irish]

Once you get 2-0 you change the formation to a dull 4-4-1-1. Again Kenny doesn't use strategies, you have several football matches within one single football match.

[Insidetherock]

Obafemi looking decent

[Bielsa´s irish]

The team needs a boost from.the sub's bring on Mikey asap

[zero]

Ireland may go on to win this but it won't mask yet another serving of dross from kamp kenny.

[Insidetherock]

Get subs on ffs

[Bielsa´s irish]

Agaim, 2-0 after twenty you change formation, 4-4-1-1 , streetwise football !!! Then they come you kill the game off, now Ireland looks fragile and vulnerable

[Bielsa´s irish]

Bring Mikey!!!!!!!

[brine3]

A fit and in form James McCarthy would be my first midfielder on the teamsheet Bielsa.

Thing is, he last played a football match for Celtic in October. And even then he only played 15 minutes.

So at this stage saying James McCarthy is the solution is like saying Roy Keane is the solution.

[brine3]

Get subs on ffs

Kenny doesn't do subs

[Bielsa´s irish]

Pass it #25 asap!!!

[Insidetherock]

Ray wonders would we go 352 or 343 against France

I'd say if we were allowed 555 we'd struggle

[Insidetherock]

41000 attendance.. who are they fooling.. there's not 25000 there tonight

[zero]

the kennyite spin is being constructed at this very moment.. best of luck, lads.

[centre mid]

France isnt going to be pretty based on tonight. Hopefully we find better balance. Maybe its a confidence thing after conceding.

[osarusan]

Second half was fairly laboured stuff. Johnston did well when he came on, a bit of energy about him.

Still, a win, no injuries (it looks like) and a goal for Ferguson can do no harm going into the French game.

[Razors left peg]

More positives than negatives there I think.

3 super debuts from Smallbone, Ferguson and Johnston. Johnston could be a fantastic find, gives us something different. Ferguson and Smallbone were both excellent, and you cant ask much more than a goal from the new boy wonder on his 1st start.

10 minutes of madness took the gloss off it a bit. If Browne had scored when we were 2 nil up it might have been different but we need to cut out these stupid lapses of concentration in games. We will strenghten up our center with Bazunu, Egan and Cullen so hopefully that helps on monday.

We've gone from being a team that are hard to score against, but could only score through set pieces with Duffy, to now a team that creates plenty and scores goals but has a terrible habit of giving away stupid goals. It may be an age thing, lot of young defenders, but its something we need to cut out.

It was far from perfect, but with 3 goals and 3 exciting debuts Im happy overall with that.

Edit: of course not Fergusons debut but it felt like it

[Razors left peg]

41000 attendance.. who are they fooling.. there's not 25000 there tonight

Looked fairly full to me

[Bielsa´s irish]

The bearded one delivered as promised for all those Catholics in the Republic, the bearded one was a tornado today in those twists and shouts, he looks a bit like a 23 years old Danny McBride!!, the aviva would have collapsed if the bearded one scored that solo goal after the 3-2

[Razors left peg]

The bearded one delivered as promised for all those Catholics in the Republic, the bearded one was a tornado today in those twists and shouts, he looks a bit like a 23 years old Danny McBride!!, the aviva would have collapsed if the bearded one scored that solo goal after the 3-2

Cut out the drugs man

[Neish]

Some positives:
Smallbone excellent
A goal a piece from two young exciting forwards
Controlled the game ( for the most part)

But it should of been more comfortable mostly due to silly mistakes that keep recurring.
France will destroy Ireland if they give away possession as much as they did tonight

[passinginterest]

I suppose we’ve learned to score and win against poor opposition in the last two games. That’s progress whether everyone wants to admit it or not. Obvious negative is we’ve also conceded two against poor opposition again. On the law of averages we shouldn’t be conceding so many to opt shots, hopefully the France game resets that balance and anything they try results in a wonder save or a near miss!

Good performances from Smallbone and Ferguson the obvious highlights. Johnstone showed some real spark and is definitely the type of player we didn’t have in the squad before. As mentioned, Cullen and Egan from the start should solidify that soft centre a bit.

Just about enough positives to head into France with some hope. With the seeming fragility when we do concede, really have to hope France don’t score early on. We look like scoring in games now so at least we have the prospect of causing them some problems if we can hold it together defensively.

[texidub]

Baffling as ever. Besides Smallbone, midfield was fairly unimpressive in terms of controlling the game and dictating pace, considering the opposition. Agree w/ RTE panel after the game that if it's a choice between Doherty and Coleman against France, you'd have to go with Coleman. Delighted Ferguson scored.. and Ogbene, of course.. tho Ogbene was fairly anonymous after that. Johnstone had an excellent cameo so lots of positives, but plenty of head scratching too. Team against France will be different and stronger. A draw would be an excellent result.

[Eirambler]

Just more of the same as the autumn unfortunately. But at least this time with a couple of encouraging performances in midfield and up front that would give you hope for a future era where the team might be properly set up and have some kind of defensive strategy or cohesiveness.

But that won't be for a while sadly. In the mean time we'll continue to concede worldies from outside the box and wonder how it is that it keeps happening. Must just be bad luck I suppose...

[Razors left peg]

Cullen is our most important player by a mile I think. In and out of possession he controls our midfield. Without him we get a bit lost at times and it showed tonight.

[paul_oshea]

It's begining to look a lot like the Staunton era. Purple patches of good play and then complete abandon of defensive structure and duties. We've gone so far away from the deep lying midfielder and low block to carefree attacking like cows out of the shed after a long winter in spring. Our players are playing with carefree abandonment. It's all so very naive.

I think it's clear Kennys lack of experience at a higher level is showing he just doesn't know how to set us up to play defensively and doesn't have the ability to see the gaps and structure cos he's just not used to having to deal with that quick turnover a few passes later and a goal. He's so tactically naive. How often can we concede goals from outside the 18 yard box from so called minnows time and again? They all look at our matches and yet we never learn. France could destroy us Monday

As eirambler says and a few others it's nice to see smallbone and Ferguson showing well for what hopefully are the near future and not " the future *

[backstothewall]

It's begining to look a lot like the Staunton era.

It is.

[nigel-harps1954]

41000 attendance.. who are they fooling.. there's not 25000 there tonight

Just home now, I actually thought it was more, from inside the ground.

It was a comfortable enough win really. A crap goal given away, and a wonderstrike. Aside from that, it was largely one way traffic.

Can't learn anything from a game like that really, but it's minutes in the tank as a collective.

Bazunu, Cullen, Coleman, Ogbene and Johnston could all come in as starters potentially.

[ontheotherhand]

Regardless of what you think of Kenny, the positive from tonight is the average age for me. It was 23 I heard? The majority of that side won't peak until the Euros or next WC. Add in a few more early bloomers like Ferguson ( maybe Zefi, Sinclair, Moran etc) and the ones who will be even more experienced at that point (Cullen) and we will have a decent squad for whoever is the manager.

On the game it's more of the same issues against minnows which are frustrating beyond belief. We need someone to step up when we concede a ridiculously low probability shot like tonight and get the team rallied. Obviously stopping the shots would be more ideal but it was a phenomenal strike. It's disheartening how much it shook us though. The second goal came from pure panic in our box. We don't seem to have a captain and it's not coming from the sidelines.

Smallbone and Ferguson did well. I was more impressed by Smallbone to be honest. He might be the creative outlet we need. He made good runs and kept the ball moving with purpose after 1-3 touches. He was better in the advanced role than in the more withdrawn one. Ferguson was trying a bit too hard but he got his goal and that's brilliant.

Kelleher was unluckyish but he needed a top class performance to dislodge Bazunu if that was even being considered and he didn't deliver. Should probably have done better with at least one of the goals but he looked very comfortable with his feet. So languid it's almost as nerve wracking as Bazunu's less relaxed approach.

[pineapple stu]

But that won't be for a while sadly. In the mean time we'll continue to concede worldies from outside the box and wonder how it is that it keeps happening. Must just be bad luck I suppose...
The worldies question is an interesting one. I can count four in Kenny's time - Luxembourg H, Azerbaijan H, Armenia A and Latvia H - but it feels like there's one or two more? This is proper 30-yard top corner hits rather than just any aul shot from outside the box.

Those four all really well placed though - Armenia in off the post for example, Azerbaijan into the inside side netting, and so on - and while you can say Kelleher's footwork looks to let him down badly (though it might have gone in anyway; blaming him for the second is just bizarre), the reality is shots from 30 yards out are rarely so well placed. Most of them go high, wide and handsome to ironic cheers. Others are into the keeper's midriff.

I guess there's two likely reasons why we've conceded so many then. Pure bad luck is one - and a streak like that can happen. And the other is not closing players down quickly enough; ultimately these guys are all pros and if you give them time they can hit with decent accuracy. And giving them time seems a common trend - Stevens steps towards but then backs off the Luxembourg guy, the Azeri player had a ridiculous amount of time (he had about three goes at lining up the shot), as did the Armenian (and not just for their goal, but also in a similar position a couple of times in the build-up), and again tonight. Each time we're giving 3 or 4 yards of free space to line a shot into.

Is that a deliberate tactic on our part then? Call their bluff and say that they won't hit the corner from there anyway, so lull them into trying? I guess the alternative is we close them down and leave space behind - but is that really so bad with three at the back? We weren't caught for numbers for any of the goals. Or are the defenders just plain not doing what they're supposed to be doing? That'd be more worrying tbh.

Out of the country so didn't see the game (only the goals online) but view from those at the match seems to be it was a bit more promising than the Armenia bottle job and much better than Malta? That said, we did get a bit lucky for the winner - great play from Johnstone, which I wasn't expecting at all! Unlucky to hit the post, but then two Latvia defenders had a chance to clear and didn't - though I suppose that happens against weaker teams. And losing possession in our half seemed a common theme too and we really can't afford that on Monday.

Will give Kenny credit for a nice mix in the line-up, and great to see Ferguson get off the mark in particular; I'm increasingly feeling he's the one to fill Robbie Keane's boots. On to Monday, but can't imagine France will have seen much to scare them here.

[Razors left peg]

The run of shots going in from distance against weaker teams has to be a concentration issue. Tonight we were 2 nil up and it was easy. Maybe the players switch off against these teams in a way we don't against better ones.

I think we'll put in a good performance Monday night, and I'm more confident after that tonight. For years we have a habit of playing to the standard of the opposition, we usually up our game against the big boys. Even in last campaign our best performance was Portugal away.

[seanfhear]

I didn't see the game ~ I was wondering how did O'Dowda do as Left-Back ?

[paul_oshea]

He did alright. He faded as the game went on like almost all the players so hard to tell really. But he was an out for a lot of the first half. Though most of our attacking play came down the right side. Smallbone and Doherty linking up well in the first 30 mins and Ferguson dropping and bringing others into the game. Between those 3 there was some lovely understanding at times. A couple of examples of this early on where ferguson dropped deep laid it back off the smallbone whilst Doherty had overlapped on the right and smallbone sets him off with a quick well executed pass down the right. Looked like simple training ground exercises but wotked

[lofty9]

He did alright. He faded as the game went on like almost all the players so hard to tell really. But he was an out for a lot of the first half. Though most of our attacking play came down the right side. Smallbone and Doherty linking up well in the first 30 mins and Ferguson dropping and bringing others into the game. Between those 3 there was some lovely understanding at times. A couple of examples of this early on where ferguson dropped deep laid it back off the smallbone whilst Doherty had overlapped on the right and smallbone sets him off with a quick well executed pass down the right. Looked like simple training ground exercises but wotked


It worked, but does Doherty start v France in light of his defensive performance?

[Exgrad]

I know the Greek gyros eater is frozen him out, but Can Kenny bring back James McCarthy, both Browne and Molumby aren't ready to command the team! Good game Smallbone as the roaming 10, some glimpses of Platini on him

Whats his ethnicity got to do with it? You brought religon into your other posts. Your account was fcuked off YBIG for racist posts (related to James McCarthy funnily enough). How you're allowed continually pollute this forum with your xenobophic crap I'll never know.

[John83]

Please report problematic posts.

[John83]

Tets got to it before I could.

Bielsa will be taking a short break from the forum.

Racism and wumming are not allowed.

[tetsujin1979]

Removed all the pointless spam posts about McCarthy as well

[paul_oshea]

It worked, but does Doherty start v France in light of his defensive performance?

Ya his misplaced pass directly led to a goal(as did browns faffing about in the box) and his overall positioning defensively was poor. He really is a form player, loses all consistency in his play if he's not playing regular and his fitness is always suspect too when he's not playing regularly for his club.