Czech Republic 1-0 Ireland post match discussion thread

[OwlsFan]

Yeah. I think we would. We have the players. Czechs were bad last night. A decent manager would have got us something from last night. Team selection and tactics of Stan cost us

So tell me why in 40 years have we only had 2 decent away wins with teams far better than the one we went to Prague with. We way over-estimate the ability of our players:

Given: playing in a mediocre Newcastle side. We think he's great but if he is top class why isn't he playing for one of the top 4 teams? Let the goal in at the near post by the way.

Kelly: below average.

O'Shea: Playing (occasionally as a sub) for a top team.

Dunne: Plays for an average Man City team. We think he's great but if he is top class why isn't he playing for one of the top 4 teams?

McShane: Described by Dunphy, much admired by some of this Forum, as "an accident waiting to happen". Up to recently a Championship player and now playing for relegation candidates.

McGeady: Falls over 50% of the time when the ball is near him or runs up dead ends. Plays in a second rate league.

Reid: Championship player who failed the test in the Premiership.

Carlsley; Plays for average Premiership side and is not a creative midfielder.

Kilbane: Average player at Wigan Athletic.

DOyle, Hunt & Long: Play for Reading. We think they're great but in truth are they anything special and if so, what are they doing at Reading.

Keane: Spurs but again not playing for a top side.

Finnan: Only player playing regularly for a top side.

It is by and large a team of ordinary players who, because they're ours, we think they're great. That said, much of the opposition we have faced have been ordinary as well but we don't do away wins against mid ranking teams. Sad but true and perhaps a continental manager could somehow change the mindset of the players but I doubt it.

We need to be realistic.

[Dricky]

Defo Red, he could have done some damage with that tackle, that's why they have been told to issue reds for challanges like that.

[Thomo]

i disagree, if you watch it , you can see he tucks his trailing leg, i admit it was reckless, but not a red, a yellow and final warning, but not a red. tis a shame, because hunt looked quite good when he came on. breathed life into a stagnant attack.

[drummerboy]

The point people are trying to make OwlsFan is that if we were organised properly we could be in contention for qualifying, just like Scotland who now top their group with a bunch of players that are no better or worse than our players. The big difference is, like Northern Ireland aka Sanchez, they play like a team, are organised and have a manager with some tactical abililties, unlike our bumbling novice.

[Torn-Ado]

Its doesn't matter a jot.

We're out.

[shakermaker1982]

it wasn't a red card. I was disgusted with the Czech's rolling around throughout the game.

[eaststand85]

The point people are trying to make OwlsFan is that if we were organised properly we could be in contention for qualifying, just like Scotland who now top their group with a bunch of players that are no better or worse than our players. The big difference is, like Northern Ireland aka Sanchez, they play like a team, are organised and have a manager with some tactical abililties, unlike our bumbling novice.

A bumbling novice whose only previous coaching/managerial experience was picking up the training cones at Walsall for Paul Merson.

[Henrik]

to Owlsfan

I dont agree with your comments on Given and Dunne, they are quality, Given consistantly and Dunne the past 2/3 seasons....just because they havent been bought by one of the top 4 dosent make them any less good!

anyways i dont think anybody is coming on here saying we have a team full of world class players but we most defintely have a team more than capable of qualifying for a major tournament and progressing... you could easily pick apart the Czech or Slovak teams in the manner you did and im sure it would not make for much prettier reading. It has to come down to management, getting the best out of what you have...try pick apart stauntons managerial career and see how top class that is...................if you can find it that is

[dynamo kerry]

dunphy has asked for every single manager to get sacked. listen to him at your peril.

truth be told I agree with owlsfan. as for noely saying certain views mean you shouldn't be on a forum- get a grip pal. :rolleyes:

anyway - this isn't a great bunch of players. How do we know stan isn't a genius and the lads are just shambolic.

Scotland's players aren't that mediocre. a few of those lads are pretty good. They are well organised and so were greece when they won. they have a good measured approach which is what stan has tried to do but I don't think the players are capable of playing that game against good oppostion - they haven't the capability.

Even Reid last night a guy with great control was hoofing it when he should have been controling it and moving it around(what he was brought in to do)

we probably do need a new manager but don't expect to suddenly finish in the top 2 of a group with the same players. otherwise the next guy will be villified as well. spot the pattern.

I bet mick looks pretty good now compared to kerr and staunton.

[WembleyGreen]

From th BBC: Staunton defiant despite defeat
"We are in a building process. I said that from day one. It's coming along nicely," said the Irish manager. ???? It's coming along nicely?
Is it just me or have I missed something here? We have just failed to qualify for yet another tournament, we have witnessed 2 of the worst performances ever from any Irish sporting team under Stan, we have snatched a draw from the clutches of victory in Slovakia, The WELSH then go there and stuff the same Slovaks 5-2? Our position in the rankings/seedings are in freefall and Stan thinks we're "doing nicely" Jesus H, talk about Nero fiddling whilst Rome burns! FFs will someone please give Stan a reality check. We're a basket case, we are on our way to being rated the worst team in these islands never mind Europe. We are becoming a laughing stock if we are not one already and on top of that we are being 'managed' (and i say say that with a huge dollop of irony) by a deluded numpty backed up by a committee of blundering idiots and ceo who have adopted the ostrich routine. We need a manager now who actually can manage and who can make the most of the players we have. Failure to get maximum points from our last 3 games could cost us a WC place as well! Doing nicely my a**e!

[eelmonster]

This fine mess is solely the fault of Delaney and the FAI, Stan simply wasn't ready for the job. Delaney out.

[Docboy]

Not a chance it was a straight red. Can't even tackle anymore?

[brine3]

Do you honestly think that if we were managed by Alex F or Arsene W etc etc we would have gone out and beaten the Czech Republic?

We'd have beaten feckin Cyprus and put away San Marino properly.

We might have held on to the win at home to the Czechs, if only because we'd have had Paddy Kenny in goal instead of Wayne Henderson.

We'd have gotten the three points against Slovakia.

What's that, 3+2+2 = 7 extra points. We'd be bitching about how this loss in Prague was a minor setbeck and that we haven't yet qualified.

Basically, losing in Prague was always on the cards. It's other stuff that has fecked up this campaign. We were hammered 5-2 by Cyprus.

[NY Hoop]

if you had read my posts you would know that its not just an argument about supporting the league. Its a number of factors including proper support of the league that will lead to a better national side. Support of the league will forllow if the correct structures are in place. Just one thing needs to change in order to do this.

Namely, the Govt., the FAI and the "football fans" in this country need to realise that we have the potential to shape our own destiny by using the domestic League as the vehicle for international success. And they should start doing that TODAY. well its a bit late today.. so... TOMORROW!

Couldnt agree more with your posts. Sadly its not in the blazers interests to apply common sense and look long term. Twenty years on from the start of the glory days we dont even have a ground for the national team.

When the football association's top men all "support" english clubs and love the free trips abroad you know we have no chance of putting root and branch structures in.

Have to smile when I see how upset the ole ole brigade get when we lose. The next week most of them will be off to the pub to "cheer" on mankpool without seeing the laughable contradictions in their behaviour. These people's loyalties are scary.

Every league club should be getting at least 5,000 gates every single week. This would provide much needed revenue which in turn would mean better facilities for the players and an opportunity for the clubs to invest in academies for the kids. I'm not saying this would stop the most talented going to england but there would be a reason to stay at home.

Despite us winning 4-0 in Denmark their domestic league is something we should look at. It is arguably the strongest in Scandinavia at least judging by the beatings we have taken from them the last couple of years. But they support their domestic league. Went to a game there in a town of a population of 56,000. The attendance was 8,000 and the facilities top notch.

We are light years behind and this is down to the attitude of our population. Why whinge about how poor our league is without supporting it? Time to put up or shut up.


KOH

[Scruttox]

The Czech manager .. who has got them to World Cups and a Euro semi-final is on half of what Stan is on .. allegedly

Last time round names like O'Neill and Hiddink were being bandied about .. ridiculous now when you think about it in hindsight .. although we all bought in to the World Class Manager Delaney was promising


Yes, why not. He could bring a lot to the team. Hes proven a the top level. Unlucky not to win Euro 96. Good few results at World Cups.

Think a European manager with a bit of savvy who can look at things from a different angle is what might be needed.

Lets try it, cant get much worse.

[drummerboy]

We were hammered 5-2 by Cyprus.

Exactly, we were trounced by a team, comprising of 6 or 7 cypriot players who had been humbled by Cork City a week earlier in a European tie. This says to me that the Irish international team is a shambles. We scored in injury time against a bunch of butchers and bakers who would not win the Oscar Traynor trophy. I suppose things have improved ever so slightly since the San Marino and Cyprus games but it is still a shamples. We have no pattern to our play, no cohesion. Players playing out of position like Kelly who I think touched the ball once with his left foot. The team is an embarrassment. And thats Staunton and Delaneys fault.

[lofty9]

. Went to a game there in a town of a population of 56,000. The attendance was 8,000 and the facilities top notch.

We are light years behind and this is down to the attitude of our population. Why whinge about how poor our league is without supporting it? Time to put up or shut up.


KOH

I know it is a way off topic..

Dublin's population est1.5 million .... top clubs Bohs and Shamrock Rovers average attendances 1,500? Embarrassing to say the least. With a population like that there should be a team(s) pushing to play Champions League football. With a home team playing in competitions like these the players would be well prepared for big games for their country if they were ver needed. The Czechs have many Slavia Prague players over the years representing them. Dunno who said it, but they mentioned playing for Steve Coppell at Reading or an Irish team and Reading being the top choice, well that is the unfortunate scenario now. However, it shouldn't be and it annoys me that a ****hole like Reading could be seen as a better step than anything that this country has to offer. Why can't we attract new fans and new money into the domestic league? Why can't we have new purpose built stadia? If the standard is raised (stadia, youth and coaching) and the FAI promote the game here our teams should aspire to be at least better than a 2nd rate English team like Reading. It is fundamentally a problem with the Irish attitude to look to England as the be all and end all. We have players like Andy Reid who shouldn't be looking to ply their trade with teams like Charlton. A player of his technical ability should be playing in European leagues where tactics and technique are paramount to playing the game at International level. If its money he is after we should be looking to have clubs here that can compete with Championship clubs. There are not enough Irish players coming through the system, we should be able to have a full youth product that the English et al can pay our clubs for instead of poaching the Irish youth.

[Scruttox]

Exactly, we were trounced by a team, comprising of 6 or 7 cypriot players who had been humbled by Cork City a week earlier in a European tie. This says to me that the Irish international team is a shambles. We scored in injury time against a bunch of butchers and bakers who would not win the Oscar Traynor trophy. I suppose things have improved ever so slightly since the San Marino and Cyprus games but it is still a shamples. We have no pattern to our play, no cohesion. Players playing out of position like Kelly who I think touched the ball once with his left foot. The team is an embarrassment. And thats Staunton and Delaneys fault.


Couldnt agree more. Thanks for the memories Stan.:o
Delaney is an accountant, he balances the books.
Doesnt give a crap about Irish Football.

Get him out.

[Closed Account 2]

How much would Hodgson or Troussier cost?


Hodgson should be easily within budget. He's a good continental manager (I know he's from Croyden, but he has a wealth of experience from the likes of Inter Milan, Switzerland, Swedish clubs, Finland etc). I don't know if he would leave the Finnish job now as they look like they might make it to Euro 2008. I doubt the FAI would consider him though as they probably haven't heard of him.

[WembleyGreen]

I've just been looking at the different possibilities for the final table and it dosen't make good reading. We could end up finishing 4th getting overtaken by Wales. Us, lose to Germany, win against Cyprus? and lose to Wales who have a game in hand and whose last game on Nov 21st is against a qualified Germany, they have away games in Cyp/SMar and us at home?? They are in a better position than us and with goalscorers like Bellamy/Eastwood and an experienced manager they will probably do the business and 4th is about all we can hope for assuming we don't get stuffed by Cyprus that is!

[ifk101]

Hodgson should be easily within budget. He's a good continental manager (I know he's from Croyden, but he has a wealth of experience from the likes of Inter Milan, Switzerland, Swedish clubs, Finland etc). I don't know if he would leave the Finnish job now as they look like they might make it to Euro 2008. I doubt the FAI would consider him though as they probably haven't heard of him.

He managed Blackburn as well .... did a good job there ;)

[Theskinloyal]

It was a reckless lunge but never a red, contact was minimal.

Thought the rolling and dive by the Czech player was more deserving of a red.

[Scruttox]

Reading a lot about the Eircom League and starting from grass roots so the International side can benefit in the long run. Doubtful.

The way I see it, the FAI should set up an academy of football. For the best out there from 8 year old's up.

Provide the best of everything for them. No expenses. And for the older 15-18 year olds, their training should be run in conjunction with the Inter and Leaving cert, so if through injury or whatever they have something to fall back on.

Something along the lines of Ajax in Holland.

If we got 2 players a year who made it in Premiership or elsewhere we'd have a great squad in 10 years.

[carloz]

Lets look through our qualifying campaign

Germany 1-0 Ireland : Gave an ok account of ourselves but if we were still there till now we wouldnt have scored. Stan getting sent off for acting like a child

Cyrus 5-2 Ireland : Shaeful night where we were the laughing stock of Europe/ Should have been a sackable offence.

Ireland 1-1 Czech Rep :Only game where we showed some heart, but as usual we were happy with the draw where we should have been very angry at throwing away 2 points from a very winnable game

Ireland 5-0 San Marino : The least you would expect, not much to add

San Marino 1-2 Ireland : Yeat another shameful night and yet another night where we were the laughing stock of Europe.

Ireland 1-0 Wales : Another awful performance from a game so devoid of any footballing skill. The only positive was we sligthly less bad than Wales

Ireland 1-0 Slovakia : Hardly inspiring stuff, scored with one opf our few chances and Slovakia could easily have snuck a draw

Slovakia 2-2- Ireland : A game that Slovakia could easily have won, we showed our age old quality of playing like school kids once we took the lead. Their 5-2 defeat by Wales 4 days later showed their footballing levels.

Czech rep 1-0 Ireland: Similiar to the Germany game at the start of the campaign. Few postives and a hell of a lot of negatives

Now can anyone tell me where the positives from that group are. We are out of the group with three, yes THREE games to go. And you can mark my words we will never get an easier group than what we have. look through the other groups and we easily have the the simplest one. We have been a shambles and there is no ****ing way the management team can stay on after this. he should be sacked but due to the FAI's sheer stupidity of awarding him a 4 year contract Stan will not walk and lose out on some 1 million euro. Stans talk last night of building for the World Cup in 2010 was 100% accurate. And the first step to doing that is handing him his p45 as soon as possible and getting a new manager in for the meaningless last three games of this campaign. Thanks a million Stan for making me ashamed for probably the first time ever to call myself an Irish fan. I hope John Delaney with his stupid suits and poxy hair cut is feeling truely ashamed of himself today. Its only because of Daddy that he got the job anyhow. He is a vulture on Irish football and things will only change when he is held accountable for hiring a reserve team coacjh from Wallsall, somehow think that he is worth 400,000 a year, and somehow think that he merits a 4 year contract. the anger i have inside me wrting this is almost undescribable

[carloz]

I really wish McGeady had choosen the country of his birth to represent instead of us. Nowhere near an international standard player. the fact he plays for a team that the irish love in a terrible league should have nothing to do with it

[mypost]

Look at the Czech team last night. Cech plays for Chelsea, one of the best teams in Europe, Jankulowski plays for AC Milan, Baros plays for Lyon, wonderful teams. Our lot play for the likes of Sunderland, Manchester City, Blackburn, reserve teams, and such like. How does that make them fit to play international football?? :confused: The selection policy is a joke, where only players playing in England+Celtic are eligible to play. :mad: Only England and Italy can afford to play teams made up solely from the one league, and be competitive. This policy and bad coaches have got us to 1 tournament from the last 7 available. You pick the best team available. Half the Rovers team could make the Irish team. They may be part timers, but they have the attitude, the desire, the skill, and commitment required to play International football. Fuc this no players whinge. We do have them, so go out and look for them, and play them. Look at the LOI-based players. They can't be much worse, than the bunch of jokers masquerading as an international team out there at the moment.

But what D&S will say is that last night was our first defeat in 9 games. Which will mean nothing next summer, when we're watching the tournament on the tele.....again!!! :mad:

[Scruttox]

I really wish McGeady had choosen the country of his birth to represent instead of us. Nowhere near an international standard player. the fact he plays for a team that the irish love in a terrible league should have nothing to do with it


Or as Brady calls him... Mageddy.:D

[carloz]

silly tackle but did anyone see last night, when the czechs took the free after Hunt was sent off Andy reid done a terrible tackle from behind on the czechs player that received the ball from the free. idf the ref was sticking to the rules of the game he should have gone too

[ofjames]

Reading a lot about the Eircom League and starting from grass roots so the International side can benefit in the long run. Doubtful.

The way I see it, the FAI should set up an academy of football. For the best out there from 8 year old's up.

Provide the best of everything for them. No expenses. And for the older 15-18 year olds, their training should be run in conjunction with the Inter and Leaving cert, so if through injury or whatever they have something to fall back on.

Something along the lines of Ajax in Holland.

If we got 2 players a year who made it in Premiership or elsewhere we'd have a great squad in 10 years.


I think you meant ' no expense spared ' ?? :)

[Scruttox]

Why do we always qualify for tournaments half way around the world.

USA 94-Qualified

Japan / Korea-Qualified

We dont qualify for UK / Euro based competitions??

I heard South Africa is lovely... cant wait. :D

[WembleyGreen]

http://www.ireland.com/sports/soccer/2007/0913/1189076275910.html
Read this and weep, weep for the future of Irish football because after the shambles and sheer ineptidude of this campaign so far, to read this crap is so utterly depressing that I for one am seriously thinking about packing it all in. I love Ireland and enjoy going to games especially away games but I can't believe what I've just read here from the FAI. F*****g unbelieveable and who the F**K is this ******* BLOOD? Like Carlos I'm livid that this fiasco is going to carry on into the WC Qualifiers, it's madness, sheer madness. I was in San Marino when we got that lucky win, that night crap refereeing saved our bacon by not blowing up on time and it was SM who were robbed! That's the night Stan should have gone because I have never witnessed such a shambles as I did that night and Delaney and his gesture to the fans at the end who were rightly disgusted at what had happened should have been sacked then as well. Now we know nothing is going to change it's just even more deppressing! Where's those pills?

[Billsthoughts]

Think owlsfan is trying to make the point that if our expectations are always too high then we will forever be moving from one knee jerk reaction to another. We are a minor footballing nation in the grand scheme of things and qualification isnt a given no matter how good a crop of players we have. however where he loses me is in the thinking that we shouldnt try put everything in place to at least give ourselves the best possible chance of qualifying. We arent doing this by not having an experienced coach who knows his stuff.

[spaceghost]

theres not a chance of either of those parasites(delany and stan)stepping down. stan will go back "home" to blighty and not have to listen to the media over here and delany has a neck like a jockeys bo11ox so it obviousy doesnt bother him.

if stan ever gave a damn about irish football he'd do the decent thing and stand down altough i doubt he will.... remember siapan when he hid behind mccarhtys apron , the guttless clown, just so he would get the armband for the tournament, he's an easy option for the fai, a gormless yes man, who is incapable of independant thought or reason :ball:

[drummerboy]

If Ireland had lost the drawn game against Switzerland last year, Staunton wond have been sacked, as would have Delaney. But what happened 2 weeks after that, Delaney gave himself a new 6 year contract and Stan got a 4 year one shortly after. So if these muppets have to be removed it will cost the FAI an arm and a leg. Neither has the decency to stand down. In hindsight, I now wish we had lost that game. Never thought I'd say thalt about a team I've followed throughout Europe for over 30 years

[Torn-Ado]

The damage was done on Saturday. Yesterday was merely a formality.

[DmanDmythDledge]

JOS going off was the turning point. We improved no end when he went off and Hunt's running gave the players encouragement and even a bit of momentum before HT. Kilbane even looked decent at LB after having a bit of a mare on the left wing. I have tried defending JOS on occassion here before but never again.
And what did he do wrong last night?:confused::rolleyes:

[Torn-Ado]

Germany are going to wallop us.

[shakermaker1982]

And what did he do wrong last night?:confused::rolleyes:

His positioning for the goal - if he held his line then the Czech player would have ran into the space he was supposed to be occupying. Instead he just drifted towards the ball. He was dreadful all round. Scared of the ball and scared of putting his foot in.

[barney]

O'Shea had a good game last night and was our best player for the first 30 minutes. He made 4-5 vital interceptions. Okay he wasn't great for the goal, he lost his man, but Dunne, Kilbane and McGeady were equally at fault. Also, it was brilliant play by the Czechs and sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and say fair f**ks to them.

As for Robbie Keane. Why do people insist on having a go at him? "Shouldn't play for Ireland again"?!? He is our record scorer, by a long, long way, he works his socks off and he has genuine quality (see the first goal v Slovakia). Having a pop at him last night is a joke, he got no service. It'd be like having a go at Paul Robinson for not making enough saves v Israel. Doyle and McShane missed sitters last night but they, being crowd favourites, are exempt from criticism from the bandwagon brigade that just want to have a pop at the usual scapegoats.

[antrimgreen]

I think the goal last night could have been prevented long before KK McG & Dunne even seen the ball, the ball should have been sent with Baros into the stand by Kelly instead he stood off let him check play a 1 - 2 and move the ball across the box. IMO.

[DmanDmythDledge]

I think the goal last night could have been prevented long before KK McG & Dunne even seen the ball, the ball should have been sent with Baros into the stand by Kelly instead he stood off let him check play a 1 - 2 and move the ball across the box. IMO.
Horrible defending from Kelly. Allowing the attacker to move inside is a cardinal sin (although could he have had his body facing the wrong direction because he usually plays RB?). After that Kilbane and McGeady cost us the goal. Kilbane shouldn't have gone to ground and McGeady should have been paying attention and moved inside like he was supposed to.

[DmanDmythDledge]

So tell me why in 40 years have we only had 2 decent away wins with teams far better than the one we went to Prague with. We way over-estimate the ability of our players:

Given: playing in a mediocre Newcastle side. We think he's great but if he is top class why isn't he playing for one of the top 4 teams? Let the goal in at the near post by the way.
Consistently one of the best keepers in the Premiership over the past 5 seasons.

Kelly: below average.

O'Shea: Playing (occasionally as a sub) for a top team.

Dunne: Plays for an average Man City team. We think he's great but if he is top class why isn't he playing for one of the top 4 teams?
One of the top centre back in the Premiership for 3 years.

McShane: Described by Dunphy, much admired by some of this Forum, as "an accident waiting to happen". Up to recently a Championship player and now playing for relegation candidates.

McGeady: Falls over 50% of the time when the ball is near him or runs up dead ends. Plays in a second rate league.
Plays out of position for Ireland.

Reid: Championship player who failed the test in the Premiership.
Very harsh on him. Was excellent for Charlton last season before he got injured.

Carlsley; Plays for average Premiership side and is not a creative midfielder.
Wouldn't class Everton has average and not in the team because he is creative.

Kilbane: Average player at Wigan Athletic.

DOyle, Hunt & Long: Play for Reading. We think they're great but in truth are they anything special and if so, what are they doing at Reading.

Keane: Spurs but again not playing for a top side.
He would get into any of the top 4's best XI.

Finnan: Only player playing regularly for a top side.

It is by and large a team of ordinary players who, because they're ours, we think they're great. That said, much of the opposition we have faced have been ordinary as well but we don't do away wins against mid ranking teams. Sad but true and perhaps a continental manager could somehow change the mindset of the players but I doubt it.

We need to be realistic.
Can't agree with most of that. Stupid judging players on who they play for and not how good they actually are. Ever hear of loyalty or the clubs not wanting to sell their best players. We have the spine of a team that is made up of quality players- Given, Finnan, Dunne, Reid, Keane.

[antrimgreen]

Very good point about Kelly being played out of position, blame for first goal = Stan for not playing KK left back. Mind you at that level you should be able to turn any direction and kick with both feet.

[markmc]

can i have some of what your smokin?

Assuming we win our final 3 games :rolleyes: (well I did say miracle :D) then the Czechs need 3 points, here is how they could fail.

Germany Away lose 0 points - likely a 'dead cert'
Slovakia Home draw 1 point - least likely I can only see the Czechs winning
Cyprus Away draw 1 points - fairly likely we lost 3 points there, germany lost 2, they are a decent side at home (so far anyway).

We could also qualify with win win draw, 7 points, if he Czechs lose all their matches. But then again two miracles back to back is asking a bit much.

Actually the Slovikia result which I say is least likely might happen they can run hot or cold as witnessed against Wales where they won 5-1 away yet lost 5-2 at home, they might actually beat the Czechs!

Having said that we will be lucky to get 4 points. But the glimmer of hope is that they struggled against us with 10 men.

Qualification is in our hands lads - unfortunately ;)

[galwayhoop]

Horrible defending from Kelly. Allowing the attacker to move inside is a cardinal sin....
I don't know about that Dman, there was plenty of cover inside. its 6 of one half a dozen of the other. by showing him inside the numbers Should have been able to cope and infact they were untill he passed the ball to Janokauski (sp?)


After that Kilbane and McGeady cost us the goal. Kilbane shouldn't have gone to ground and McGeady should have been paying attention and moved inside like he was supposed to.
correct on McGeady, he did nothing to help defending the goal, he should have ran with Janokauski (sp?) to put pressure on him once he passed the ball.

McGeady is nowhere near the level required for international football.

[DmanDmythDledge]

I don't know about that Dman, there was plenty of cover inside. its 6 of one half a dozen of the other. by showing him inside the numbers Should have been able to cope and infact they were untill he passed the ball to Janokauski (sp?)
I can't remember exactly what happened last night but defenders should always be looking to move the attackers away from the goal and force them into the smaller space, giving up a corner at worst.

[Morbo]

Gutless ref, doubt he would have given that red if it wasn't a home game.
He also didn't book the Czech earlier when he dived for a penalty, its either a penalty or a booking for a dive, it can't be neither.
Anyway the Czechs won't go far, I'd be surprised if they got to the quarters

[antrimgreen]

I can remember clearly and found myself screaming at Kelly to make a tackle he had the oppurtunity to send ball out of play (timing) and in doing so made Baros feel like he was going to get nothing for free....

[galwayhoop]

I can't remember exactly what happened last night but defenders should always be looking to move the attackers away from the goal and force them into the smaller space, giving up a corner at worst.
iirc:
Czech attacker was on edge of the box (rhs), Kelly showed him inside (not the major mistake), ran 2/3 steps parrallell to goal, passed the ball accross the box (and back a few yards), attacking midfielder stepped over the ball and Janokauski (sp?) came onto it, turned inside (kilbane turned his back expecting a shot and was out of the game), then he played a one-two with front man, brought ball onto his left foot (taking Dunne out of the equation) and shot into net past Given.

the above is from memory but i think its close enough. IMO Kelly is far from the major ciulprit in the goal. and in fairness i wouldn't really hammer any of the Irish players individually for the goal as it was decent Czech play, no-one covered themselves in glory defendsively but no-one jumped out as the villian either.

[galwayhoop]

I can remember clearly and found myself screaming at Kelly to make a tackle he had the oppurtunity to send ball out of play (timing) and in doing so made Baros feel like he was going to get nothing for free....

possibly but what if he lunged at Baros and Baros skipped around him (very likely) and was clear in on goal? then he is lambasted for diving in!

I know when I played football we were always told to stay on your feet and hold up the attacker and not to dive in! allow your cover to get into position. you must remember it was a very quick break by the Czechs after Reid's (poor) free kick.

i thought we actually got back in decent numbers after the initial break although we did stand off Janokauski - however he only got the ball after a step over which seemed to give him the extra yard he needed. and it is extremely hard to track a run like his from deep.