Republic of Ireland v England - Saturday, 7th September 2024 - UEFA Nations League

[Olé Olé]

What will the reception be like for our two past players, particularly the former senior international?

Callum Robinson says Grealish will get enough of it but gets it everywhere he goes so he will be well used.

Might be a little more of a shock to Agent Rice. I hope he is made to feel incredibly uncomfortable by Irish people on and off the pitch in the stadium.

[Diggs246]

I dispise Rice. ( Not the food)
But I actually think booing him is beneath us.

Booing Grealish would be absolutely ridiculous

[Olé Olé]

Robinson on Grealo

“I don’t know what abuse he might get but I think he’ll be expecting it. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t because I think he gets booed anywhere he goes, even in England, so I think he’ll be getting ready for a bit of abuse.

“I think he’s old enough and being a senior player, that stuff is going to come, he gets it in England games or in the Prem [for Manchester City]. I don’t think there will be any change on Saturday, I think he’ll be getting it.”

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2024/09/03/kasey-mcateer-the-latest-footballer-involved-in-the-tangled-england-ireland-relations/

Cummiskey reckons Harry Kane's father moved to London from Galway. There is always confusion on that one, not least because i think I have seen pics of Kane clad in an England shirt with his father as a kid.

[ltfc_2004]

There is a real lack of atmosphere for this game or even awareness. The FAI celebrating its finally sold out, 5/10 years ago it would of be an instant sell out. No one has even approached me looking for tickets or to see if i could find someone with a spare. Anyone I mentioned the game to, thanked me for reminding them to avoid town on Saturday ! I'll be there and hopefully we put in a decent performance like France or Holland at home but also I would not be surprised to see us take a 3-0 hammering easily.

[tetsujin1979]

I think Rice will get the majority of the abuse. Grealish might get some, but it'll hardly be noticed in comparison.

[Olé Olé]

Rice won't be able to help himself too. He'll be around doing his usual impression of someone trying to "boss" the game with all of his gesturing and roaring. Wouldn't be surprised to see him go on the offensive and put in an early hefty challenge.

[JR89]

I dispise Rice. ( Not the food)
But I actually think booing him is beneath us.

Booing Grealish would be absolutely ridiculous

Well you'll have idiots booing Trent and Mainoo because they play for Liverpool and United.

Had to cringe at Given doing an interview where he talks about he personally texted Grealish to let him know that him, Rice, and Carsley to except a fiery reception when those three come to Dublin.

Two things, why feel the need to let every know this and I doubt any of them give a flying ****.

[jbyrne]

There is a real lack of atmosphere for this game or even awareness. The FAI celebrating its finally sold out, 5/10 years ago it would of be an instant sell out. No one has even approached me looking for tickets or to see if i could find someone with a spare. Anyone I mentioned the game to, thanked me for reminding them to avoid town on Saturday ! I'll be there and hopefully we put in a decent performance like France or Holland at home but also I would not be surprised to see us take a 3-0 hammering easily.

the 50,000 there will be one of the biggest attendances in this international window.
if the fai sold single, rather than package, tickets for croke park i would be pretty sure it would have sold out

[Stuttgart88]

Seems like O'Shea gave the press conference this morning.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2024/0904/1468301-oshea-not-concerned-by-distracting-england-sideshows/

[pineapple stu]

At what stage does Heimir say "I'm the gaffer. The buck stops with me"?

[JR89]

Sure Roy Keane was often doing media as the assistant manager. Probably did more media than MON.

[Stuttgart88]

I referred a few days ago to Mick Byrne picking the CBs for Big Jack in his second game in charge. I read in the Irish Times this week that Byrne actually picked the whole starting XI for Jack's first game in charge, Wales. I had forgotten that, if indeed I ever knew.

[Eirambler]

I think this sort of thing is fine for the first window given that he's only meeting the players for the first time this week. But by next month I'd want to see O'Shea taking a back seat and HH clearly being the man in charge.

[weldoninhio]

At what stage does Heimir say "I'm the gaffer. The buck stops with me"?

Ég er gaffarinn, dalurinn stoppar hjá mér

[texidub]

I have this sick fantasy that Grealish and Rice hop up together to overenthusiastically defend a corner and do each other an injury - nothing serious, but enough for them both to be taken off as a precaution. Boos won't be the issue in this twisted dream of mine, but howls of laughter...

[Fixer82]

I reckon they’ll play Gallagher, Bellingham, Maguire, Kane, Rice and Grealish just to show us what we could’ve had.

In a kind of Bullseye style. Jim Bowen’s voice is ringing through my ears as I type this

[The Fly]

I reckon they’ll play Gallagher, Bellingham, Maguire, Kane, Rice and Grealish just to show us what we could’ve had.

In a kind of Bullseye style. Jim Bowen’s voice is ringing through my ears as I type this
…and bringing them on in a speedboat.

[Olé Olé]

I reckon they’ll play Gallagher, Bellingham, Maguire, Kane, Rice and Grealish just to show us what we could’ve had.

In a kind of Bullseye style. Jim Bowen’s voice is ringing through my ears as I type this
Not sure if Maguire is eligible but I do think that Anthony Gordon is if you need a replacement?

[JR89]

I reckon they’ll play Gallagher, Bellingham, Maguire, Kane, Rice and Grealish just to show us what we could’ve had.

In a kind of Bullseye style. Jim Bowen’s voice is ringing through my ears as I type this

Bellingham is out injured.

[Deckydee]

Interesting Article -> How England won the battle with Ireland for Jack Grealish and Declan Rice - The Athletic (nytimes.com) (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5728652/2024/09/05/england-rice-grealish-ireland/)

[Olé Olé]

There's another piece in the Athletic by Michael Walker about Carsley. States that he was very torn about who to represent because he was called up to England representative sides and was keen. One year he was asked to join the England 21s squad for the Toulon tournament but had to withdraw due to injury. The following year he's being called up to Ireland 21s and a side representing the Championship against a Serie B selection. But that Jim Smith, his Derby manager, told him to go with Ireland for more certainty of caps.

[seanfhear]

There's another piece in the Athletic by Michael Walker about Carsley. States that he was very torn about who to represent because he was called up to England representative sides and was keen. One year he was asked to join the England 21s squad for the Toulon tournament but had to withdraw due to injury. The following year he's being called up to Ireland 21s and a side representing the Championship against a Serie B selection. But that Jim Smith, his Derby manager, told him to go with Ireland for more certainty of caps.
Jim Smith ( The Bald Eagle ) knew his stuff ~ That's if it was the same Bald Eagle ( Jim Smith )

[SkStu]

Jim Smith ( The Bald Eagle ) knew his stuff ~ That's if it was the same Bald Eagle ( Jim Smith )

Attilio Lombardo is the other bald eagle. Wonder if it was him?

[seanfhear]

Attilio Lombardo is the other bald eagle. Wonder if it was him?
When eagles fly !

[The Fly]

Where Eagles Dare!

[nr637]

Is Saturday's fixture v England an FAI claimed sell-out yet! :confused:

[jbyrne]

Is Saturday's fixture v England an FAI claimed sell-out yet! :confused:

no tickets on ticketmaster anyway

[liamoo11]

Is Saturday's fixture v England an FAI claimed sell-out yet! :confused:

HH has such a short contract he needs a positive start. It's all about the result for me on Saturday. Be compact show an ability to connect the thirds and offer a bit of creativity in the rare moments we are in their final third. I'd be hopeful of a draw on Saturday. I'd also be hopeful of us playing 4 at the back and abandoning thev5 at the back until.we actually have athletic wingbacks and a dominant number 6. It's a 442 for me SS off idah with a narrow 4 of molumby smallbone Knight and browne. Coleman Collins o shea doherty at the back

[Diggs246]

I think your right about the 4 4 2 formation.
People seem to laugh at it and then not offer a coherent reason to explain why they think it's a ridiculous formation.

I agree with your defense
I would have SS and Troy. They are better players than Adam.

I would also start ogbene on the right

[pineapple stu]

It's all about the result for me on Saturday. [...] It's a 442 for me SS off idah with a narrow 4 of molumby smallbone Knight and browne. Coleman Collins o shea doherty at the back
I think to say it's all about the result is a bit harsh in the context of that line-up. Not to criticise your selection as such - but you can't polish a turd. We are significantly weaker than England in every area even if they are missing a couple of their better attacking players. I also worry that Southgate was a very conservative manager and held them back a bit - maybe he didn't trust the defence fully against top teams, but that's hardly a concern against us.

While I'd love to get a result - and you can say they're weak in defence and we'll be up for it more and we'll have the crowd behind us and they are missing top players - I think performance is more important than result here. Even against Greece on Tuesday, though obviously that's a game we should be targetting at least a draw in.

[passinginterest]

I'd say there's a slim possibility of 4-5-1, can't see a 4-4-2 happening, most likely it'll be 5-4-1 or 5-2-3 if you want to put an attacking spin on it! I think it'll be;

Kelleher
Coleman
O'Shea
Collins
Scales
Brady

Smallbone
Molumby

Ogbene
Szmodics

Idah

Possibly Knight or Bowne over Szmodics. Browne if he really wants to get bigger physical players on the field. Might also give O'Brien a chance to come in at centre back and move Scales to the left. I do think Heimir might just focus on getting as many big lads as possible on the field.

[liamoo11]

I think to say it's all about the result is a bit harsh in the context of that line-up. Not to criticise your selection as such - but you can't polish a turd. We are significantly weaker than England in every area even if they are missing a couple of their better attacking players. I also worry that Southgate was a very conservative manager and held them back a bit - maybe he didn't trust the defence fully against top teams, but that's hardly a concern against us.

While I'd love to get a result - and you can say they're weak in defence and we'll be up for it more and we'll have the crowd behind us and they are missing top players - I think performance is more important than result here. Even against Greece on Tuesday, though obviously that's a game we should be targetting at least a draw in.

I totally agree with you if we take these games in isolation. The problem for HH is that SK used up all the opportunities for games and windows and campaigns and managerial reigns to be about performances and cultures and development and styles and philosophies without getting actual hard fought big boy results against better quality opposition. HH is the victim of that now unfortunately for him. He needs us to max out our abilities and have a game plan that focuses on the opposition and not on a philosophy and get a draw however ugly on Saturday. We went no where under Kenny , we were no more comfortable with possession football by the end of his reign than at the beginning and his vision had brought us no closer to been better than the sum of our parts which is the greatest indictment of his tenure.

[liamoo11]

I'd say there's a slim possibility of 4-5-1, can't see a 4-4-2 happening, most likely it'll be 5-4-1 or 5-2-3 if you want to put an attacking spin on it! I think it'll be;

Kelleher
Coleman
O'Shea
Collins
Scales
Brady

Smallbone
Molumby

Ogbene
Szmodics

Idah

Possibly Knight or Bowne over Szmodics. Browne if he really wants to get bigger physical players on the field. Might also give O'Brien a chance to come in at centre back and move Scales to the left. I do think Heimir might just focus on getting as many big lads as possible on the field.

I can't see how we can survive with 2 central midfield players against England. SS has zero pace playing off the left having to track saka from an advanced position will be be a total.mismatch. trying to maintain the small amount of possession we will gey in the final third will be key on Saturday and to me ogbene offers no ability to link up play, to connect with his striker or to impact the game centrally so basically ends up as a luxury winning a few frees out wide where he is going no where and getting high on the idiotic applause of the crowd for the kick and run winger stuff. If we play 5 at the back.id love to see ogbene as a wingback but his limitations make him.a liability any further forward at international level.in our side.

What benefit do 3 centre backs give us when England play kane up front who will spend most of his time droped into.midfield to overload the central areas to make it at least 4 v 2 centrally for England in midfield ? We will get utterly run over through the centre. 523 is about making the game expansive which is utterly the opposite of what we need to do to get a result. We need to make the pitch nartow give up the wide areas congest the central areas and deal with the crosses that then hopefully come in from those wide areas as our centre halves should. When we win the ball back centrally then we need to have the ability to keep possession to create a few chances not kick it towards the side line and run after it for a few cheers

[Olé Olé]

I can't see how we can survive with 2 central midfield players against England. SS has zero pace playing off the left having to track saka from an advanced position will be be a total.mismatch. trying to maintain the small amount of possession we will gey in the final third will be key on Saturday and to me ogbene offers no ability to link up play, to connect with his striker or to impact the game centrally so basically ends up as a luxury winning a few frees out wide where he is going no where and getting high on the idiotic applause of the crowd for the kick and run winger stuff. If we play 5 at the back.id love to see ogbene as a wingback but his limitations make him.a liability any further forward at international level.in our side.

What benefit do 3 centre backs give us when England play kane up front who will spend most of his time droped into.midfield to overload the central areas to make it at least 4 v 2 centrally for England in midfield ? We will get utterly run over through the centre. 523 is about making the game expansive which is utterly the opposite of what we need to do to get a result. We need to make the pitch nartow give up the wide areas congest the central areas and deal with the crosses that then hopefully come in from those wide areas as our centre halves should. When we win the ball back centrally then we need to have the ability to keep possession to create a few chances not kick it towards the side line and run after it for a few cheers

Agree with all this. So if JOS has his say expect 5-4-1.

[Eirambler]

Better to just see this game as a free hit I think. Kenny was given over two years of free hits before there was any real sign of accountability for his failure so I think HH can at least be given this game!

I think we need to be realistic about this Nations League campaign. I follow a football stats/data page that has us as statistically fourth favourites to win the group, third favourites to come second, joint second favourites to finish third and favourites to come last. So if we can even finish third here while being competitive across the four Greece and Finland games, Heimir can consider it a job well done.

Third is fine anyway, we're not going to win this group and there's no major benefit to coming second over third. So basically the aim will be to match Finland's results throughout and try to win the head to head against them.

[Razors left peg]

Better to just see this game as a free hit I think. Kenny was given over two years of free hits before there was any real sign of accountability for his failure so I think HH can at least be given this game!

I think we need to be realistic about this Nations League campaign. I follow a football stats/data page that has us as statistically fourth favourites to win the group, third favourites to come second, joint second favourites to finish third and favourites to come last. So if we can even finish third here while being competitive across the four Greece and Finland games, Heimir can consider it a job well done.

Third is fine anyway, we're not going to win this group and there's no major benefit to coming second over third. So basically the aim will be to match Finland's results throughout and try to win the head to head against them.

The digs at Kenny aside ( its over man, let it go), I agree that tomorrow is a free hit and irrelevant really. If we play well and get a win Hallgrimsson will make himself an instant national hero, but as long as we show some good things I'll be happy enough. Lets get the basics right, pick the right players in their right positions and get subs right. If a player is obviously having an nightmare dont leave it until the 85th minute to change it.

The Greek game is more important to see what his actual way of playing might look like

[BonnieShels]

I'm genuinely dreading heading to this game for every single one of the reasons you'd think. The combination of factors is just grim everyway you look at it.

[Razors left peg]

I'm genuinely dreading heading to this game for every single one of the reasons you'd think. The combination of factors is just grim everyway you look at it.

The new manager gives a bit of new hope so Im not dreading it as much as I was.

[pineapple stu]

Third is fine anyway, we're not going to win this group and there's no major benefit to coming second over third. .
Second gets a promotion playoff and third gets a relegation playoff

[Eirambler]

You're right - I'd forgotten they brought that in.

[Snapshot]

There should be no free hits, only a powerful statement-of-intent performance from HH and the players. Optimism, pragmatism and clear separation from the Kenny era and the headless chooks who fueled it. The pathetic anti John O’Shea mob should also grow a brain. Here’s to a future where we might actually achieve something.

[Eirambler]

Interesting to see Carsley filling up the English back pages, and incredibly some of the front pages too, by saying he won't sing the English anthem. Should be irrelevant of course, but unlikely to appeal to the neanderthals that make up a fair amount of their core support.

[texidub]

Watched the FAI press conferences tonight. Few things that stuck out for me from the manager, who seems very professional, was when he said Ireland is quite like Iceland - 'quite like' could mean anything and it makes sense up to a point in the context of the level our players are playing at- but Ireland is not like Iceland in terms of football history or our international level and expectations. Sure, we won the Iceland tournament FFS :D

He also said something to the effect that we have a lot of players that are the same. On the plus side, this means he will probably be making substitutions quicker than Kenny did, which would be an immediate improvement. He added that there are several players who could make a claim for each spot in the team, which is probably true. On the other hand, he didn't really express much excitement about the players. I like realists, but the psychological aspect of sport requires a smidgin of enthusiasm. Then again Kenny had all the enthusiasm you could ask for and we didn't do great, so what do I know?

"It'll be a good window for me regardless of results" (said in the context of learning about the players etc.) might be a red flag. How hungry is he? He seems very laid back - maybe it's a facade for the media or something he picked up in Jamaica. I just hope he's not a spoofer.

One positive from the press conferences was a comment he made made that he would ideally like to get to a fixed starting 11. He said that in the context of players getting minutes at the highest level, but I liked that direction.

Carsley may be out of contention for the England manager role already the way some of the press are going after him over there. It's a rubbish story. Plenty of people half-English and half-Irish, born in one and live in the other and vice versa and it's not right that some of them get a hard time in both places. Rice deserves a hard time for his lack of loyalty and cheek but I 'm actually hoping Carsley and Grealish don't get too much grief now.

Looking forward to the game. And a tiny bit more optimistic about the result considering some of the dropouts from the England team and the inexperience of some of their squad. Still think they'll win though.

[Eirambler]

The Carsley anthem thing ties back to the "culture wars" that the conservative media - The Mail, Express, Telegraph etc. are obsessed with in the UK. The conservative party's plan was to use that approach to win the last election, until it turned out that culture wars just didn't resonate at all with the wider population, who voted based on the state of the economy.

But the core support of the English football team is a narrower group who are more likely to turn on a manager because of his dual-nationality, and are still heavily influenced by the print media. They won't see the irony in most of the team being dual nationals as well.

From Carsley's point of view it was a naive thing to say and the English FA should have had him better prepared for that line of question given his background. The kind of people who write for these papers will have already taken a view on him as an English person who played for Ireland. Expect xenophobic headlines and cartoons if things don't go well for him in the position.

But at the end of the day he chose the England job so he chose this kind of nonsense, he has nobody else to blame other than himself. He certainly won't get much slack from here if results aren't good, nothing close to the leeway true-blooded Englishman Gareth Southgate got anyway.

[Olé Olé]

Reading the Carsley quotes here:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/sep/06/lee-carsley-will-not-sing-englands-national-anthem-before-first-game?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

His not singing the anthem has nothing to do with his dual nationality from my reading. He says he never sings a national anthem because he reckons he would lose focus by doing so. Can't say I remember him beating out Amhráin na bhfhiann either.

Pitiful enough stuff from the likes of The Telegraph going after him hard. The Guardian leading with the what and not the why is less aggressive but the conclusions can and will be drawn.

Pitiful stuff but, yes, he should have been more careful.

[texidub]

True on the culture wars element. Worth noting that there are plenty of anti-monarchist born and bred English that wouldn't sing the anthem either. It's also just toxic elements of the UK sports press doing what they always do regardless of any culture wars - it's like they want the team to fail.

Carsley seems like a decent human being - just saw a lovely short video of him showing off the U-21 trophy to his son (who has Down Syndrome) and son's team mates. Life is just more complicated for people than simple black and white thinking and rushing to judgment allows for.

[Olé Olé]

https://x.com/willocallaghan/status/1832170098523590752

The Daily Mail and Telegraph pieces can be seen here for the hit jobs on Carsley.

Also, I see it consistently referenced that he qualifies through a grandmother. Is it not the case that both maternal grandparents were Irish? It seems to go between grandparents and grandmother only depending on the narrative.

[ColourfulPeanut]

This is just the start. They will likely win these 6 games without too much fuss and he'll probably get the job. Just wait until the real games come and they start going sour. Then the media will really start getting toxic about this nonsense. I don't know why he'd invite this on himself, he seems to be a very quiet and private sort of fella.

Irish bias and everything aside, their anthem is truly awful. Religious, royalist with hints of imperialsm. Literally drolling at a deity to save a person you're acknowledging was born better than you. I don't know why anyone would want to sing it.

[OwlsFan]

Ours is about soldiers, rifles and cannons so let he who without fault...Actually most anthems are fairly toxic, particularly the Balkan ones, some of whom identify other nationalities by name as being their enemies.

[Olé Olé]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13822579/Lee-Carsley-sacked-FA-refusal-sing-national-anthem-Jeff-Powell.html

Parody?