Republic of Ireland v Hungary - Saturday, 6 September 2025 - 2026 World Cup Qualifier

[rebelmusic]

Just so there's no illusions for those at the game, there was no question about the red card. I agree HH took too long to take advantage and Cullen deserved a slap for getting that yellow.

We did get a few yellows tonight so the team needs to be tactical and maybe control the suspensions. Probably we're better off missing players for Armenia at home?

Anyway, whatever else, there's some hope. I'd forgotten what it was like to have a qualification campaign to look forward to and unless Hungary somehow beat Portugal it's more than likely going to be down to Budapest

[Fizzer]

Make no mistake, this was yet another disaster in a seemingly endless series of years - no decades, of disasters. I’m sick of it.Sick of all the stupid pre-campaign talk of “good vibes in the camp” and empty promises of qualifying for this and that. We were given a golden opportunity, a favourable draw with our players fresh and seemingly on the up and up. A must-win game to get this sprint off to a good start. And what happens? Well, what always happens with our “must-win” games - we don’t win. Instead we throw it all away before it even gets off the ground. Individual performances that were shocking. Doherty was virtually a twelfth player for Hungary. The entire back four were dreadful. Azaz and Szmodics anonymous spectators to the unwinding of a campaign which had barely started. We’re not qualifying for this, or any other World Cup, the prospect of doing so is too outrageous, too fearful a concept for an Irish team to allow it to occur. We played most of the second half against ten men and all we could think to do was to swing it in to the back post time and time again. Idah celebrated the equalising goal like we’d won the World Cup, he had no notion of how important it was to actually win the game.Despite the numerical advantage our keeper winds up man of the match and now we listen to the plaintive pleas that “at least we’re still in it”. We’re not in anything except an attempt to avoid being bottom of the group.This team is not going to miraculously change into being anything other than what they are.

[yurt]

Surprised with how negative the general tone is on here after we saved our campaign in the 90th minute.

Couldn't disagree more on the Ogbene hate either. I was calling for him to be given the ball every single he was on the pitch. If we go anywhere near the WC he's going to be central to it. The pace and strength he has makes him a completely different threat to any other Irish player.

The comments here saying we were done and dusted at half time were spot on. We'd no right to get a result this evening at half time and the team pulled it out of the bag. The sending off completely changed the game obviously but the momentum had just swung at that stage anyway. We got the first against 11 and put them under serious pressure the rest of the game and it eventually told.

The reality is we aren't a great team, all of us should know that. That second half was good though. We maybe lumped the ball into the box from bad areas at times but generally it was the right way to approach the game. We won a ton of first balls in the box and I'm surprised we hadn't got a lucky bounce much earlier in the second half to equilise.

I am less positive about our chances of coming second than I was at the start of the day but I am just so ****ing relieved that the next few days of build up to the Armenia game in the media isn't going to be about the what ifs.

I might be in the minority but I'm pretty happy after that.

[pineapple stu]

Despite the numerical advantage our keeper winds up man of the match
Kelleher wasn't man of the match. I know he was called out as it but that was ridiculous.

Thought Manning was decent and whoscored gives him the best rating by a distance.

I think there's a place for a bit of a reality check but that post is too far. Yes, we were awful first half and it's easy to forget that given how the game ended - Hungary took the foot off the pedal with an eye on Tuesday I feel and they shouldn't.

But equally there needs to be credit given for the second half. I couldn't give a ****e that we got back into it with Jack Charlton football. It was bloody effective.

We don't have a good squad. A draw in that manner can absolutely have positives, even if we'd like to have won

(As an aside btw - just seeing the replays of the red card and I do think we got a break there. Definite yellow but a soft red for me)

[rebelmusic]

It was a high tackle from behind with what looked like malicious intent. Straight red every day of the week.


Agree as well about the negative tones. I made the mistake of reading the comments on the 42 app and dear god people are horrible about this team. I know a lot of it comes from passion but we are 60th in the world rankings and although that might be harsh, we need to be serious about where we are.

We have a trio of players that have the potential to go all the way in Kelleher, Collins and Ferguson but it's still only potential. There's a lot to be positive about and we have 5 games to enjoy now where we can have some belief. Even with our best teams historically it was always scraping through playoffs. We have a chance, that's more than we've had in four fecking years :)

[geysir]

It was a definite red, it was an attempt at a malicious hack with no intent to get the ball.

[tetsujin1979]

Clear red. Tackle from behind, studs showing, after the ball had gone.
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[Eirambler]

The morning after the night before and I still don't know whether it was a point gained or two dropped. I suppose if we win in Armenia we'll be in a much better position after two group games than we have been for a long time. And it would more or less guarantee that we stay alive to the final weekend of the group, which would be progress in itself.

But things still don't look right. Hallgrimsson and McCarthy spoke an awful lot of bull**** in the lead up to the game. Was it a psychological thing, almost trying to convince everyone, including the players themselves, that they weren't as mentally weak as they have looked over the last few years? I can't really see any other logic behind it. If it was it didn't work anyway.

Is the solution for Armenia as simple as dropping Doherty? I feel like, if we just have two centre mids again, we're at risk of messing up in Yerevan, bad and all as Armenia are. I'd like to see us put an extra body in there to try and dominate the middle, but they just don't seem interested in trying it.

Something like

Kelleher
O'Brien Collins O'Shea Manning
Cullen Taylor
Johnston Azaz Knight
Ferguson

with Knight tucking in as a third centre mid when we're out of possession, and also making space for Manning to push forward onto the left wing when the opportunity arises.

But I think he'll go for a more conventional 4-2-3-1 and pick two wingers.

[Acornvilla]

Feeling relieved this morning and clinging on to dreams of a World Cup, I hope you are all good gang. Having slept on it, I am still not sure how to feel about that, were we even good? Do I care? Felt like points dropped after the match, but I'm also just glad we didn't loose. Not 100% we're getting 6 points v Armenia, so let's hope we survive the next match, it's going to be a long tiring trip and a short turnaround, something we have really struggled with.

[CraftyToePoke]

But things still don't look right. Hallgrimsson and McCarthy spoke an awful lot of bull**** in the lead up to the game. Was it a psychological thing, almost trying to convince everyone, including the players themselves, that they weren't as mentally weak as they have looked over the last few years? I can't really see any other logic behind it. If it was it didn't work anyway.

They did. There was an awful amount of, its only good times ahead, from them, during the lead up & HH again looked like a man who'd unexpectedly ended up on a Texas rodeo bull but survived it, in the post match, so I don't think it was a ploy, I think they believed it but it was definitely overdone considering we've done nothing good for almost a decade.

I do think this group of players have a tendency to go out & initially do none of the things worked on which is perplexing him. He mentioned it being a psychological problem & as we know, the FAI can't afford a sports psychologist & that was him saying they could probably do with one. He deliberately said that, last night you'd have to suspect & privately he's more scathing about it & the financial farce his employers are.

I didn't read this match thread from kick off until after the game & it was like the five stages of grief on here, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance only to then be told the person wasn't dead, not yet, not fully anyhow.

So was it a point gained Lazarus moment or two dropped ? Well we don't know. We do know, if we can stay in this, with an eye on the last game, we can rattle Hungary, at least. But what this group of players produce between now & then is anyones guess.

Never seen a game like it.

[Acornvilla]

In the scheme of football financing what would a good Phycologist cost, one players weeks wages? Time for Matt Doherty to give back ;)

[Nesta99]

Was talking about that in the ground - there weren't any. Very strange; no idea why that was

Is it possible that expecting to win meant that the plan was to slow the game down and have no ballboys? It was an old trick by O'Connor at Dundalk that if we went 1 up the ballboys were called in. Last night we ended up needing multiball to keep the tempo up second half and Hungary constantly having to be switched on. Instead the were able to reset everytime the ball went out of play. They even switched the ball a couple of times when the ball went dead, refused the ball that was quickly given to them at throw ins. Super annoying but exactly waht Id want from my said if in front. Its a wider debate but the 4th official being the timekeeper was supposed to eliminate this messing and increase the ball in play time with time added on.We've all seen games go beyond the 100min mark and Id love to look back at the ball dead time though couldnt be bothered, as 6mins added seemed chort changed. My prediction for the final game, we are one ahead, playoff on the line and 12 minutes gets added for the same sort of game management and we concede.....

[Neish]

The morning after the night before and I still don't know whether it was a point gained or two dropped. I suppose if we win in Armenia we'll be in a much better position after two group games than we have been for a long time. And it would more or less guarantee that we stay alive to the final weekend of the group, which would be progress in itself.


Looking at it from 7:45pm you would probably say 2 points dropped, looking at it from about 8pm you'd say a point earned

[Eirambler]

Honohan in for the injured Szmodics for Armenia. Obviously not a like for like replacement, so looks like a deliberate pick to increase our left back options, or in other words Doherty is no longer seen as a viable option in the position I'd say. But clearly he's not an O'Dowda fan and no route back for McClean (or possibly he doesn't want one himself).

Probably Manning to start at left back now, with Honohan in reserve if he wants to push Manning forward during the game.

[Eirambler]

Looking at it from 7:45pm you would probably say 2 points dropped, looking at it from about 8pm you'd say a point earned

How about from 9pm, when we were a goal down, a man up and still had half an hour to play?!:)

[mark12345]

The morning after the night before and I still don't know whether it was a point gained or two dropped. I suppose if we win in Armenia we'll be in a much better position after two group games than we have been for a long time. And it would more or less guarantee that we stay alive to the final weekend of the group, which would be progress in itself.

But things still don't look right. Hallgrimsson and McCarthy spoke an awful lot of bull**** in the lead up to the game. Was it a psychological thing, almost trying to convince everyone, including the players themselves, that they weren't as mentally weak as they have looked over the last few years? I can't really see any other logic behind it. If it was it didn't work anyway.

Is the solution for Armenia as simple as dropping Doherty? I feel like, if we just have two centre mids again, we're at risk of messing up in Yerevan, bad and all as Armenia are. I'd like to see us put an extra body in there to try and dominate the middle, but they just don't seem interested in trying it.

Something like

Kelleher
O'Brien Collins O'Shea Manning
Cullen Taylor
Johnston Azaz Knight
Ferguson

with Knight tucking in as a third centre mid when we're out of possession, and also making space for Manning to push forward onto the left wing when the opportunity arises.

But I think he'll go for a more conventional 4-2-3-1 and pick two wingers.

Is it a psychological thing? It definitely is. We stay in our comfort zone, namely passing sideways and backwards in front of Kelleher. To adventure forward while retaining possession is too risky so let's not try that approach. Let's bury our heads in the sand and stay in our comfort zone and hopefully we'll get a chance or two late on to win the game via a corner or free kick. That may not be the stated goal of this Irish team but it is the mental one, or quite close to it.

Contrast that with Portugal yesterday. For starters we are not Portugal and we do not have a Ronaldo or even Joao Felix. But, like them we do have 11 players on the pitch and unlike them they all work for one another. Case in point, Ronaldo's stunner from distance yesterday. That came about because when Portugal lost the ball everyone in a white shirt busted a gut to close down space and win back possession. The result- a goal for Portugal. And the visitors were 3 - 0 up at the time. That is the approach of the European champions to the game. Ours....we'll if we do go 1 - 0 up early in Yerevan on Tuesday Im pretty sure you'll see the shutters pulled down immediately.

That is our mentality- so yes it is all psychological.

[tetsujin1979]

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[MancIrishWolf]

Remember hearing Gianluca Vialli say “you don’t win or lose, you win or learn”. Hopefully HH has learnt, a lot like Amorim needs to, you fit the system to the players, not the players to the system!

Needs to ditch the turgid, antiquated 4-4-2 / four at the back formation immediately and play 3-5-2. We’re overloaded with good centre-halves, have no natural fullbacks (Doherty has been playing on the right of a central three for the last year, as his legs have gone), have two decent enough wingbacks in Manning & Ogbene, a diminutive midfield which needs to bolstered, a creative midfielder in Azaz who should be playing central and two battering ram forwards in Ferguson & Idah who’s physicality will scare defenders.

Sick of hearing about what worked for Iceland. We have a different psyche. Be it football, rugby or boxing we operate at our optimum with high intensity, put em under pressure tempo working as the underdog. If HH doesn’t cop on to that simple fact soon, we’d be better place getting someone like Keane & Duff in, who at least appreciate the pride of playing for their country to instill some passion, rather than overthink and overcomplicate it like we’re doing presently.

[Jolly Red Giant]

I don't know where some of the criticism for players is coming from in some posts here -


My assessment -


I thought Jake O'Brien was outstanding - even in a RB position - he delivered so many dangerous balls into the box last night than on another day could have resulted in several goals.


I thought Ferguson was very good - scoring and he had a major assist in Idah's goal, dragging two defenders with his run to the near post, giving Idah a free header.


I thought Azaz played well - but needed to be playing right behind Ferguson to maximise his input and deliver balls that Ferguson could thrive on.


Manning should have been playing LB instead of Doherty (never liked him there as he cannot use his left foot) with Johnson ahead of him.


We have CBs and I agree with those who suggest putting Collins in midfield instead of Cullen - he has better vision and passing ability without losing anything on the defensive side.


Ogbene is not the best crosser of a ball but his pace is a nightmare for defenders and makes them panic.


I felt the team selection was unbalanced last night and it impacted alot in the first half.


For those who talk about 'Charlton-ball' - two things - against the modern high press you cannot pass the ball out from the back unless you have highly technical defenders - and we don't - otherwise you will get caught in possession. There was no 'Charlton-ball' last night (Charlton used a very specific tactial approach) - what happened in the second half was a more direct approach with an emphasis on getting the ball into the box - particlarly after the sending off when Hungary defended deep. I would persist with this because it suits our players better and will lead to results.

[yurt]

One thing I certainly wouldn't accuse HH of is trying to over complicate things.

It seems like he's a fairly straight forward message to both the players and fans of what he wants the team to be.

I personally would put the slow start down on the players for individual errors. It wasn't as if the shape of the team was consistently ripped apart (although I'll accept it's easier to defend when you are 2 goals down)

[rebelmusic]

Most of the player rating folks this morning admitting that they were harsh on Manning and that he was man of the match. After sleeping on it, he was the difference in the end. Neither goal happens without him.

[Jolly Red Giant]

One thing I certainly wouldn't accuse HH of is trying to over complicate things.

I agree - unlike Kenny (who had his system) - HH can adapt and try to work out what suits the players. I wouldn't let Keane or Duff near the job with a barge pole - they are both too volatile, do a lot of shouting and whatever about Keane (who I do think is very smart), Duff is lacking a lot of stuff between the ears.

[Jolly Red Giant]

Most of the player rating folks this morning admitting that they were harsh on Manning and that he was man of the match. After sleeping on it, he was the difference in the end. Neither goal happens without him.
Manning has been excellent for Southampton this season - something seems to have clicked for him and hopefully it continues (it is possible that Still is a lot better than I think he is and and tapped into something that has got Manning motoring).

[Eirambler]

Needs to ditch the turgid, antiquated 4-4-2 / four at the back formation immediately and play 3-5-2. We’re overloaded with good centre-halves, have no natural fullbacks (Doherty has been playing on the right of a central three for the last year, as his legs have gone), have two decent enough wingbacks in Manning & Ogbene, a diminutive midfield which needs to bolstered, a creative midfielder in Azaz who should be playing central and two battering ram forwards in Ferguson & Idah who’s physicality will scare defenders.



This was tried repeatedly under Kenny though and it didn't work at all. We ended up with three centre backs marking one central striker while other opposition attacking players were given all the time in the world to beat us down the wings and ping 30 yarders past Gavin Bazunu from outside the D, because our players were in the wrong parts of the field to stop it happening. And Paddy McCarthy's more recent efforts to set us up in a 3-4-3 before HH came along were similarly unsuccessful. We don't need to play three centre backs just because we have a lot of centre backs playing at a high level - it's a waste of a player really.

My view is that you actually have to think counterintuitively at times to solve problems. So if your problem is left back, you don't just solve it by not playing a left back, you put the best one you have in there (likely Manning) and make sure he's protected by a centre back and a defensive midfielder.

Similarly if your problem is in centre midfield, rather than just conceding the area you put a third man in there and win it through numbers because no two man combination we can play there will ever be good enough.

[osarusan]

Wouldn't be too harsh on Idah for celebrating as he did.

In light of what he's been through over the past few weeks, and the criticism at club level especially, that must have been a huge release for him.

And it cost no more than what, 30 seconds?

The first half was atrocious. Doherty looks and plays like he's rather be anywhere else.

Night and day with the second half. It wasn't complicated stuff, just get it wide and knock it into the box, but against a team of a certain quality below, that's enought to rattle them, and it rattled Hungary, and we got the rewards.

Hopefully a confidence boost fpr the Armenia game.

I second the comments about stupid fouls. The kind of situation where the full back has the ball out on the wing, facing his own endline, with the winger pressuring him, and the defender is just begging to be touched from behind so that he can fall over and get a free kick, and they did it over and over. So so silly, but happens with almost every team.

[mark12345]

I don't know where some of the criticism for players is coming from in some posts here -


My assessment -


I thought Jake O'Brien was outstanding - even in a RB position - he delivered so many dangerous balls into the box last night than on another day could have resulted in several goals.


I thought Ferguson was very good - scoring and he had a major assist in Idah's goal, dragging two defenders with his run to the near post, giving Idah a free header.


I thought Azaz played well - but needed to be playing right behind Ferguson to maximise his input and deliver balls that Ferguson could thrive on.


Manning should have been playing LB instead of Doherty (never liked him there as he cannot use his left foot) with Johnson ahead of him.


We have CBs and I agree with those who suggest putting Collins in midfield instead of Cullen - he has better vision and passing ability without losing anything on the defensive side.


Ogbene is not the best crosser of a ball but his pace is a nightmare for defenders and makes them panic.


I felt the team selection was unbalanced last night and it impacted alot in the first half.


For those who talk about 'Charlton-ball' - two things - against the modern high press you cannot pass the ball out from the back unless you have highly technical defenders - and we don't - otherwise you will get caught in possession. There was no 'Charlton-ball' last night (Charlton used a very specific tactial approach) - what happened in the second half was a more direct approach with an emphasis on getting the ball into the box - particlarly after the sending off when Hungary defended deep. I would persist with this because it suits our players better and will lead to results.

Agree with everything you say here. The system of 4 4-2 is not good. Play 3 at the back and push another player further forward because we are too congested at the back.
Instead of playing the ball in our half we need to play it in our opponents half.
I'm good with playing a more direct style. It suits us because we cannot learn how to play any other way despite years of learning how to and failing the examinations given to us every time. Kenny tried and failed. End of story for the foreseeable future anyway.
Team selection against Hungary was bad. HH scored an own goal by selecting Doherty at LB. He also was too slow to introduce Ogbene and Johnson. They actually can make things happen for us unlike any of the others in the squad. We cannot afford to leave them on the bench

[seanfhear]

I agree - unlike Kenny (who had his system) - HH can adapt and try to work out what suits the players. I wouldn't let Keane or Duff near the job with a barge pole - they are both too volatile, do a lot of shouting and whatever about Keane (who I do think is very smart), Duff is lacking a lot of stuff between the ears.Which Keane ?

[Trequartista20]

Doherty at LB is an absolute nonsense. He's a centre-half now. Have courage and play Manning there.

Cullen and Knight, whilst being our two best CMs on paper, aren't complementary for some reason. I'd bring Taylor in, probably for Knight.

Of course, Molumby should be an option.

Leaving Molumby, Ebosele and Coleman out was stupid.

Let's be honest, there is absolutely no way that Phillips (in St Mirren, playing for the equivalent of a L2 side) would hold down a regular place in a Championship promotion-chasing side like WBA.

I would probably bring Johnston in for Szmodics.

[seanfhear]

Doherty hasn't played all that well as a left-back for us. So expecting him to play as a right-back is a bit of an ask ! Especially that he is not even playing full-back for Wolves now.

[MylesNotMiley]

Cullen and Knight, whilst being our two best CMs on paper, aren't complementary for some reason. I'd bring Taylor in, probably for Knight.



I'd have Taylor in for Cullen. I thought Cullen was woeful last night, his stupid YC topped off his night - I wasn't surprised he was hooked.

[SkStu]

This thing about agricultural football / back to the days of Big Jack etc… I’m not buying at all. We moved the ball up the pitch exceptionally well at times and most of the time. Easier against 10 of course. We crossed it relentlessly but the crosses were from advanced positions well up the field and we moved it across the pitch well at times too. The second goal was from us moving the ball across the front of their defense/box and a bit of smarts and subtlety before getting a beauty to Idah. It wasn’t balls into the channels / lump it long like some of the detractors are claiming. Far from it actually. I enjoyed watching how we moved the ball last night in the second half.

[rebelmusic]

I tend to agree. Knight is a solid 6 every game he plays for Ireland and although he doesn't light the world on fire, he doesn't really put a foot wrong and I can't think of a significant mistake he's made.

Cullen seems to have the same virus that Collins has when playing for Ireland. Neither of them seem to be able to bring their club form into the international setup. On the other hand Taylor seems to rise a level when he plays for us. I've watched him a lot for Ipswich and his confidence seems higher when playing for us.

Cullen and knight in general are too similar and I'd hazard a guess that if Cullen wasn't playing that Knight would step into that midfield leadership role that we've been crying out for a bit more.

[Fixer82]

I think the most disappointing thing for me in the second half was just how many headed efforts we had off target

[pineapple stu]

This thing about agricultural football / back to the days of Big Jack etc… I’m not buying at all. We moved the ball up the pitch exceptionally well at times and most of the time. Easier against 10 of course. We crossed it relentlessly but the crosses were from advanced positions well up the field and we moved it across the pitch well at times too. The second goal was from us moving the ball across the front of their defense/box and a bit of smarts and subtlety before getting a beauty to Idah. It wasn’t balls into the channels / lump it long like some of the detractors are claiming. Far from it actually. I enjoyed watching how we moved the ball last night in the second half.
As someone who made the Charlton comparison I think I should point out I don't consider/intend it to be in any way detracting. It was effective, it was high-energy, it was enjoyable to watch, it got the atmosphere going better than I can remember in a long time. It was pretty basic stuff at times, and I'd love to see us play like Mick Part I, but whatever.

[Eirambler]

I watched the second half back again today and was seriously impressed with Manning's set piece deliveries. Far more consistently on the money than Brady's are. It's potentially a huge addition to our team for the next few years having a player who can do that and can also contribute from general play - and maybe even help with our left back problems.

[pineapple stu]

Kind of makes you wonder how he was overlooked for so long given our glaring succession issues in that position.

I know he's not always been a starter at Southampton , but still and all

[SkStu]

As someone who made the Charlton comparison I think I should point out I don't consider/intend it to be in any way detracting. It was effective, it was high-energy, it was enjoyable to watch, it got the atmosphere going better than I can remember in a long time. It was pretty basic stuff at times, and I'd love to see us play like Mick Part I, but whatever.

Definitely didn’t interpret your post that way but I’ve seen the references sprinkled all over online in the last 24 hours in a negative way. I agree that whatever it was the tempo was high and it got the blood pumping but it wasn’t Aldridge chasing the ball into the corner flags either! :)

[pineapple stu]

Fair! That said, we could play a bit of ball under Charlton at times too (only at times, mind). The USSR game was the famous one, but I watched the infamous Norway 94 game over covid and was struck by how well we played in midfield (but were toothless in the last third). We've refined it a bit for sure - Kelleher wasn't lumping it up to the edge of the box for example - but there's a definite comparison there. And I posted earlier about a spell shortly after Hungary had the red card and how it felt like that Wembley game in 1991 - the sustained pressure clip that's often shown. It was very similar. Ball in the box, up for the challenge, the opposition clear, we win it back on half way and into the mixer again - no time for a breather for them, and we kept at it for 2-3 minutes. Just continuous pressure.

As osarusan said "against a team of a certain quality and below, that's enough to rattle them, and it rattled Hungary" - and it's also rattled Serbia, Azerbaijan and Denmark in the past few years too. I'm fine with that. And yeah, you look at sides like Georgia, say, and wonder how they can play such technically adept stuff and we can't. But there's more than one way to skin a cat.

(Actually, I'm seeing now you've gotten rid of your sig about rock and roll football - the second half last night might have been the first time we've really seen it under HH, and it minded me to go look for it)

One thing we do need to change - and I don't know how much we should really read into this - is that in eight of HH's nine competitive games so far, we've conceded the first goal. Finland at home was the only exception. Be nice to buck that trend on Tuesday.

[Nesta99]

Wouldn't be too harsh on Idah for celebrating as he did.

In light of what he's been through over the past few weeks, and the criticism at club level especially, that must have been a huge release for him.

And it cost no more than what, 30 seconds?

The first half was atrocious. Doherty looks and plays like he's rather be anywhere else.

Night and day with the second half. It wasn't complicated stuff, just get it wide and knock it into the box, but against a team of a certain quality below, that's enought to rattle them, and it rattled Hungary, and we got the rewards.

Hopefully a confidence boost fpr the Armenia game.

I second the comments about stupid fouls. The kind of situation where the full back has the ball out on the wing, facing his own endline, with the winger pressuring him, and the defender is just begging to be touched from behind so that he can fall over and get a free kick, and they did it over and over. So so silly, but happens with almost every team.

I relly do think that all of this type of stuff indicates that there are issues between the ears. It lacks discipline, some sense, leadership (on the pitch), proper confidence. Fixable stuff tbh. Collins switching off for the 2nd goal, laziness by whoever didnt step out playing the 1st goal onside. Cullen getting booked when a red had already been shown, yeah the Hungarian wasnt leaving the pitch but do add to the delay. Idah, maybe some inexperience, but you get on with things not think about proving a point celebrating - charge back with the ball says more hen needing to win. Score for Swansea and milk the life out of it next weekend. It probably doesnt make a whole lot of difference but i'd play things down in public and have the time raring to go in private, not talking about must wins when we choke until we have throw caution to the wind. Its not new, under Trap eg we were stodgy v France at home 2009 but when we had to go for it in Paris we were world class so if someone can undo that mindset...


This thing about agricultural football / back to the days of Big Jack etc… I’m not buying at all. We moved the ball up the pitch exceptionally well at times and most of the time. Easier against 10 of course. We crossed it relentlessly but the crosses were from advanced positions well up the field and we moved it across the pitch well at times too. The second goal was from us moving the ball across the front of their defense/box and a bit of smarts and subtlety before getting a beauty to Idah. It wasn’t balls into the channels / lump it long like some of the detractors are claiming. Far from it actually. I enjoyed watching how we moved the ball last night in the second half.

It was obviously a tactic but I thought too many of the crosses were from too deep, floated toward a back post, some looking more like an underhit switch than a cross. The equaliser came from a more whipped cross further advanced. There were also times that players that were wider and futher forward didnt get the ball and that diagonal ball was played instead, making it a 50/50 at best. Hungary didnt look confortable but the ultimately coped and scrambled for them.

Anyways, if we start brightly on Tuesday, play a bit differently against different opposition, some change in setup we'll know there have been fixes and what were tactical instructions rather than just hopefuly attempts and playing percentages. I really fear teams breaking against us, for a long time now we just look like we're in a total panic, and thats what Armenia will be at.

[Fixer82]

Re the Cullen yellow I really think he was unlucky and that the ref thought he was Szmodicz.
Cullen did nothing wrong there whatsoever

[ifk101]

We certainly have a better and more compact shape under HH compared to Kenny’s last year in charge, but what use is that if we consistently concede soft goals and give the opposition long periods of control? And it’s all very predictable and easy to read. 4-4-2 out of possession, a full back pushes up and a box midfield in possession. Repetitive, slow and laboured, no urgency, no aggression, no bite.

And just on the individuals, and as poor as Doherty was, Collins was worse. His first action in the game was to balloon a diagonal ball over the head of O’Brien – the tallest player on the pitch. His second action was to miss Doherty with a simple pass across the backline. The resultant throw-in started the sequence of play for the opening goal. Doherty was too slow coming out after clearing the ball, but where’s the communication and organisation from Collins? No heads up to O’Shea that the player he was tracking on the ball Doherty had cleared had drifted in behind him. The second goal is on Collins – that’s his area of the box and his man that scores unhindered. Hungary could have had a third goal in the first half – again loose marking on the part of Collins with their striker missing a free header on goal.

We have so many good options at CB …

[Stuttgart88]

Starting to feel a bit like England-Ireland 91 out there now. That was exactly what I thought. A goal felt inevitable, as it did back in '91. OK, it took a bloody long time to come....

[Stuttgart88]

I actually think someone like Mike Maignan might have saved that Idah header, the Hungarian keeper wasn't far off it and, as others are correctly pointing out, he was crap.

I'm being harsh here, but I don't think it was that good a header! He got up well and met it well but it was right into the middle of the goal. Keeper was poor for our first too.

[Stuttgart88]

Surprised with how negative the general tone is on here after we saved our campaign in the 90th minute.

Couldn't disagree more on the Ogbene hate either. I was calling for him to be given the ball every single he was on the pitch.

I might be in the minority but I'm pretty happy after that.

Same here. I think Ogbene made a really positive contribution. A starter tomorrow, for me.

[pineapple stu]

I'm being harsh here, but I don't think it was that good a header! He got up well and met it well but it was right into the middle of the goal. Keeper was poor for our first too.
Give him credit in fairness - as tets pointed out elsewhere, he did make a good run to get into the space and anticipate the cross/chance, and that's been a huge weakness of his game previously. Maybe it's stopped clock syndrome, but if so it was bloody well timed. And if it's a sign of improvement in his game, then great.

[Stuttgart88]

Give him credit in fairness - as tets pointed out elsewhere, he did make a good run to get into the space and anticipate the cross/chance, and that's been a huge weakness of his game previously. Maybe it's stopped clock syndrome, but if so it was bloody well timed. And if it's a sign of improvement in his game, then great.

Ah no, I'm not knocking him, far from it. But it was a bit like Duffy's late goal against (Azerbaijan?). He met it brilliantly but it gave the keeper a glimmer of a chance to save it. But in reality, as both those goals show, from that distance all you need to do is meet it well and that's it, job done.

I remember my pal joking after Duffy's goal, in context of Kenny trying to change the way we play, "the more things change the more they stay the same". You can say the same here. Late headed goal saves the day.

[Kingdom]

There's only one set of people I know of who use "88" to refer to "HH" and they're about as welcome as a gas bill attached to a neo nazi.

There's definitely a subset who use it that's for sure, appropriate given we appear to be trying to strong arm teams into submission.

[Kingdom]

... I can see the ball being moved through us quickly early in the game and if we don't get a good start and get our foot on the ball a bit, our heads could be spinning - without trying to over-egg how good Hungary are (they aren't that good).

Called it!

[Diggs246]

There's definitely a subset who use it that's for sure, appropriate given we appear to be trying to strong arm teams into submission.

I just googled it

Are u saying Heil Hitler!!

Bit strange!!

[Kingdom]

I just googled it

Are u saying Heil Hitler!!

Bit strange!!

Not at all, I was saying Heil Heimar! (I'm hoping someone draws the parallel with Hans Moleman here).
I've no issue with anyone of colour, creed or nationality.