Ireland 0-0 Germany- Post game thread [Archive] - Page 3

scousedub

14/10/2007, 7:27 PM

Not at all. Keane works as hard as any player we have.

Bulls**t, Keane has not performed at all in this campaign.He needs a kick up the arse. He was anonymous against the Czechs and Slovakia, missed two sitters yesterday and has no leadership skills. There is no point working hard if there is no end result. The only reason not to drop him is because we have no one else of any quality to replace him but at the very least the captains armband should be taken off him.

conlonn

14/10/2007, 7:38 PM

well said scousedub. keane has no leadership skills. To make a marker Stan should drop him for the next game ( cyprus as we should win) to set a marker down that it is unacceptable to miss a chance (or 2) like that. If it was for Spurs he would have scored it! But Stan has not the Cahunas to drop him.
Why all the suppport for McGeady on this forum?? He has not done anything special for Ireland in qualifiers, only in meaningless friendly against Denmark!!

onceahoop

14/10/2007, 8:00 PM

Keane didn't work at all. I was in the Lower Canal and watched him in the second half. He just stood there when we had the ball , made no effort to crete space, hardly ever showed for it. His miss was indicitive of his attitude on the night. In fairness to Doyle he ran across the line and was always on the move but it just didn't ahppen for him. However I don't think he's fit at the moment. Long should be on from the start on Wednesday and Richard Dunne should be captain. The back four were solid but I don't think the Germans even got into first gear never mind had to get out of it. Sure, we created a couple of chances, but I always felt the Germans could raise their game if they had to. Keogh did his best but he's not a natural wide man and really we need two natural wingers.

The Germans had us well sussed. Every time Given got the ball they pushed up on our back four forcing him to go long and inevitably it had to go to Kilbane who is probably stronger in the air than Doyle or Keane. We badly need a target man.

NeilMcD

14/10/2007, 8:02 PM

Ahhhhhhhhhh poor Kevin Doyle he is a decent lad but Robbie is a ****.

eirebhoy

14/10/2007, 8:03 PM

He was anonymous against the Czechs and Slovakia
He was not. Keane worked his arse off in both games. Certainly against Slovakia anyway.

There is no point working hard if there is no end result.
So he's purposely playing badly? As long as Keane puts in 100% effort that's all we can ask. I can't stand the abuse the guy gets.

There's probably 2 things a player deserves criticism for (criticism isn't the right word but I haven't got a great vocabulary). Being lazy and refusing to follow instructions. To actually get angry at a player for missing a goalscoring chance is absolutely insane.

Junior

14/10/2007, 8:24 PM

well he certainly made amends in this game was the best player on the park by far for the last ten minutes

what are you on?

Im a big McGeady fan but he did nothing of note for the 10 minutes apart from one cross.

Closed Account 2

14/10/2007, 8:31 PM

geysir

14/10/2007, 9:37 PM

McGeady had a good enough 10 minutes, beat 2 players before hitting a peach of a cross - nearly inch perfect for a winning goal.
Probably would have needed to perfect some garryowen type cross to get up over Mertesakker and quickly down to Keane.

How's that Cillian Sheridan getting along?

DubJohn

14/10/2007, 10:38 PM

Not at all. Keane works as hard as any player we have.

I wouldn't question his work rate or commitment at all but he's ineffectual.

We needed him to score that winner v czechs at home which was a great chance to bounce back after cyprus, or bury that shot last night. Both were very scoreable opportunities for premiership striker, not half chances. This is what he's on the team to do and he ain't doing it.

Some healthy competition for that position wouldn't hurt him.

eirebhoy

14/10/2007, 11:07 PM

Some healthy competition for that position wouldn't hurt him.
I don't see how it would change things. Competition might make you work harder but it wouldn't have helped him score a goal last night. Again if he wasn't giving 100% and I could understand what competition would do to change him. His problems with Ireland are not by choice.

jbyrne

15/10/2007, 7:42 AM

cast your mind back to the San Marino game!

a game we dominated from start to finish? they had one chance and scored and it was about the only time they left their half. we didnt play anyway well but by far deserved to win, saying anything else is sensationalist rubbish

mackannovic

15/10/2007, 8:34 AM

Thought Reid had a decent game, his passing was excellent which makes the fact that he's clearly overweight even more dissapointing. Imagine the type of player we would have if he was fitter.

Let down yet again by Robbie Keane, another non-performance for Ireland capped by a spectacular miss. Running around loads but doing very little.

When a player is being left on the pitch when they are consistently playing poorly questions must be asked. When is the last time Keane was substituted in a competitive international? No player should be immune from the bench.

mackannovic

15/10/2007, 8:40 AM

Robbie Keane can only play well with a big striker upfront next to him... either Berbartov or Quinn, he needs the flick-ons as service. If he doesnt have he tends to drop back to try and pick up the ball.

Thats where Stan has to come in and stop him doing this. Keane is a stupid footballer who needs clear instruction, otherwise you get what Ireland have had for the past 4 years, a headless chicken playing all over the place doing nothing effective.

lionelhutz

15/10/2007, 9:04 AM

Mostly agree.

Although Reid was good I think the only reason he seemed so earth shattering is that we have had a lack of a good midfielder for so long. IF he can keep fit for the next 18 months he could be vital alongside his namesake.

I'd swap Robbie and Doyle's scores. Doyle did nothing and what he did was trash. Robbie tried all night as always.

One thought about this campaign, has there been a single game when we got a better result than we deserved?

Oh well fair played to robbie for trying. He's captain of his country for ch***s sake!! He should have been substituted long before anyone else - his form for ireland is abysmal. Does anyone think doyle would have tried that pussy lob if he'd the whole half to himself?? No, he would have buried it

And ireland didn't deserve to beat Wales at home

eirebhoy

15/10/2007, 9:07 AM

Oh well fair played to robbie for trying. He's captain of his country for ch***s sake!! He should have been substituted long before anyone else - his form for ireland is abysmal. Does anyone think doyle would have tried that pussy lob if he'd the whole half to himself?? No, he would have buried it
Do you think Keane should drop out of the team himself? What are you annoyed at him for? He didn't purposely miss.

lionelhutz

15/10/2007, 9:07 AM

thats ****e talk - beat players, quality crosses and got in amongest them - that is the very essence of "end result" - he did everything bar score a goal - which he nearly di also.

I take your point about his other two games - but not this one

McGeady should have buried that chance that fell to him - at the very least test the keeper. But he completely mi**** it, twas going twenty yards wide before it hit an irish player

lionelhutz

15/10/2007, 9:22 AM

I think it's the worse possible outcome tonight. We've got a "creditable" draw with Germany. That is what Stan and Oscar Wilde at the FAI will say. This will be used as some sort of validation that the "team is growing", "the learning process is working" etc etc. Stan will lead us to failure in 2010 qualifiying...

The fact of the matter is this group was fairly easy, a decent level of organisation would have seen us get through. We've been very sloppy in every match bar the Germany ones. Even then tonight the Germans were without key players, esp when Schwienstiger went off. But Stan just wanted the draw.

I agree with most of the above. The Germans came here without 5 certain starters and their most creative player got injured after 20 mins. They cruised through the game happy to take the point for qualification. I doubt they'd be too down if they lost either with two games to gain one point.

So take this draw for what it really is - a missed opportunity. Just like this whole campaign

lionelhutz

15/10/2007, 9:28 AM

Do you think Keane should drop out of the team himself? What are you annoyed at him for? He didn't purposely miss.

He's been playing shockingly for ireland for the past 10 to 15 games and there hasn't even been a consideration to drop him. If any other striker went through the form he has, there's no doubt he'd be dropped and rightly so.

The fact that he's captain seems to make staunton think he can't even substitute him. He shouldn't be in the team considering he seems to be scared sh**less in front of goal for ireland

eirebhoy

15/10/2007, 9:31 AM

He's been playing shockingly for ireland for the past 10 to 15 games and there hasn't even been a consideration to drop him. If any other striker went through the form he has, there's no doubt he'd be dropped and rightly so.
I agree. I just don't understand people getting annoyed at Keane. He doesn't choose to play badly.

paul_oshea

15/10/2007, 9:35 AM

I agree. I just don't understand people getting annoyed at Keane. He doesn't choose to play badly.

someone just pointed out to me, he doesnt do it on purpose, he just isn't good enough, simple as that.

OwlsFan

15/10/2007, 9:36 AM

Thats where Stan has to come in and stop him doing this. Keane is a stupid footballer who needs clear instruction, otherwise you get what Ireland have had for the past 4 years, a headless chicken playing all over the place doing nothing effective.

So who else got a scoring opportunity for Ireland? Doyle? A "headless chicken" doesn't get in to the right spot or make the right run to be in a position to score a goal. Keane was the only one on Saturday who looked like scoring (apart from the Shane Long effort). He missed his two opportunities which strikers frquently do but at least he was in the right spot. He turns out for his country evey time. Never has feigned an injury and works hard whenever he puts on the green jersey. "A stupid footballer" who is our leading scorer.

Some people make me laugh they are so myopic.

onceahoop

15/10/2007, 9:42 AM

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/many-questions-but-no-answers-1166786.html

Sums it up really.

Hibs4Ever

15/10/2007, 9:42 AM

someone just pointed out to me, he doesnt do it on purpose, he just isn't good enough, simple as that.

I think his form when playing for Spurs shows he IS good enough

mackannovic

15/10/2007, 9:42 AM

Do you think Keane should drop out of the team himself? What are you annoyed at him for? He didn't purposely miss.

This is possibly the worst case for Robbie Keane I have ever heard. True, he didn't purposely miss but in the same way Gary Doherty isn't purposely a insult to the term "Professional".

youngirish

15/10/2007, 9:44 AM

Apparently McGeady had a great 10 minutes (this is very debatable I'd say he was decent but hardly brilliant) so Staunton was a fool not to have started him. Some of the reactionist rubbish spouted on here makes me laugh.

Yes McGeady was ok for 10 minutes in a meaningless match which in fairness before a ball had been kicked we had by any realistic assessment already failed to qualify. Let's all just conveniently forget he was absolutely dire in all 4, yes 4 of his previous starts in the competitive games in this group. He even managed to make JOS look good in the last 2 games. Rubbish player. Never going to be near consistently good enough for International football.

tetsujin1979

15/10/2007, 9:47 AM

He's been playing shockingly for ireland for the past 10 to 15 games and there hasn't even been a consideration to drop him.
Funny, I remember him scoring twice in Denmark.

If any other striker went through the form he has, there's no doubt he'd be dropped and rightly so.
Every other striker we have is going through the same form as Robbie. Doyle has scored as many in the last year as Robbie, and noone is calling for him to be dropped?
I didn't think taking off Doyle on saturday was the right decision, but Long did more in the 20 minutes he was on, than Doyle did for the rest of the game.

tetsujin1979

15/10/2007, 9:49 AM

Independent's review of the game and match ratings: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/many-questions-but-no-answers-1166786.html

Think the ratings are a little harsh, especially Dunnes:

Richard Dunne: An imposing presence against an admittedly diffident offensive threat, was always on hand to disrupt nascent German attacks before they seriously threatened his goal. Loses kudos for dumb booking and consequent ban. 6

Man Of The Match
Andy Reid deserved his award although for me Finnan, Dunne and O'Brien were immense with Kelly, Carsley and Kilbane not far behind.

grounded

15/10/2007, 9:53 AM

I forgot to buy one of those Ireland - Germany scarves. Does anyone know where I could still get one? Thanks!

gustavo

15/10/2007, 9:59 AM

someone just pointed out to me, he doesnt do it on purpose, he just isn't good enough, simple as that.

If Keane isnt good enough for us I dont know who is

eirebhoy

15/10/2007, 10:11 AM

This is possibly the worst case for Robbie Keane I have ever heard. True, he didn't purposely miss but in the same way Gary Doherty isn't purposely a insult to the term "Professional".
The only thing I've been arguing in this thread is about the abuse Robbie Keane gets. Abuse players for being lazy, abuse players for not following instructions, don't abuse players for not being good enough. It's the one thing I can't stand at football games. Shouting at players for misplacing a pass or making a mistake.

lionelhutz

15/10/2007, 10:11 AM

McGeady would have most likely been rubbish if he started. Dropping him to the bench was the best thing to do. It released the pressure. I know the mind of a confidence player inside out. ;) He knows a lot of the fans think he's rubbish. When the manager still picks you when you don't deserve to be picked it does no good.

Maybe this is what is happening to robbie keane at the moment

lionelhutz

15/10/2007, 10:17 AM

Funny, I remember him scoring twice in Denmark.

Every other striker we have is going through the same form as Robbie. Doyle has scored as many in the last year as Robbie, and noone is calling for him to be dropped?
I didn't think taking off Doyle on saturday was the right decision, but Long did more in the 20 minutes he was on, than Doyle did for the rest of the game.

Are you seriously putting 2 goals in a glorified training session as a case for the defence of keanes form?? Are you actually for real?

Doyle scored 2 vital goals - at the time - in qualifying games and contributes so much more to the team than keane - he holds the ball up excellently, wins the ball in the air, etc.

mackannovic

15/10/2007, 10:32 AM

So who else got a scoring opportunity for Ireland? Doyle? A "headless chicken" doesn't get in to the right spot or make the right run to be in a position to score a goal. Keane was the only one on Saturday who looked like scoring (apart from the Shane Long effort). He missed his two opportunities which strikers frquently do but at least he was in the right spot.

He had two chances on Saturday over the course of the game. The first his first-touch let him down and he brought the ball too wide, and the second he made a complete mess of. Whats the use in getting into these positions if you aren't gonna score?? Whens the last competitive goal he scored against significant opposition?? His record post 2002 is pretty poor for Ireland. He's constantly coming far too deep to recieve the ball, at one point during the game teh other night he was right back on the edge of our own box. While it may look like hard work he then leaves Kevin Doyle isolated up front. I don't want to get into tactics but in my opinion he does a lot of running but with very little end product.

He turns out for his country evey time. Never has feigned an injury and works hard whenever he puts on the green jersey. "A stupid footballer" who is our leading scorer.

1. Because he's never dropped no matter how poor he plays.
2. What has feigning an injury got to do with Robbie Keane not playing well for Ireland.
3. I can't stand this cop-out of players working hard. That should be a given, you're praising him for something thats expected.
4. Yes, a stupid footballer who continues to do make stupid decisions on the pitch.
5. Its some international scoring record when David Healy a championship level player has scored more goals than you.

mackannovic

15/10/2007, 10:41 AM

The only thing I've been arguing in this thread is about the abuse Robbie Keane gets. Abuse players for being lazy, abuse players for not following instructions, don't abuse players for not being good enough. It's the one thing I can't stand at football games. Shouting at players for misplacing a pass or making a mistake.

The most annoying thing about Keane is that people are aware of what he's capable of but he just hasn't performed. Perhaps because at Spurs he knows that he has to perform or he doesn't play, he doesn't have that pressure playing for Ireland because the previous three managers haven't had the balls to make the decision. It looks as though he approaches internationals without the conviction he has at Spurs.

dr_peepee

15/10/2007, 10:52 AM

Stan getting booed at half time...

Haven't heard anyone booed as bad since Chris Doran at Lansdowne a couple of years ago. heh heh..

Sad state of afairs I know, but fans have no medium now to the FAI and the team so this is their only vent!

tetsujin1979

15/10/2007, 11:09 AM

Are you seriously putting 2 goals in a glorified training session as a case for the defence of keanes form?? Are you actually for real?

I'm saying his form isn't as bad as you're making it out to be. to say he hasn't played well in over 15 games is a massive sweeping statement, considering he's scored 6 goals in those game

hunt4the

15/10/2007, 11:21 AM

I have spent a long time looking at threads on this site and wondering whether i should post and tonight spurred me into posting.

First of all I would like to acknowledge a player who is constantly slated on this forum. Robbie Keane was brilliant tonight. He missed a few chances, but any player who has played up front at any level will recognise that the work he did tonight was unbelievable.

A lot of people have made reference to the fact that he seems to play better for Tottenham than he does for Ireland but I believe that if you look at the guy on the park he puts in as much effort than I've ever seen anyone put in for Ireland.

Another man whot is regualarly made fun of is Steve Staunton!

I'm sick of looking at the telly/radio/forums and regularly hearing so-called experts/fans dismiss his contribution to our national team.

When Brian Kerr took charge of Ireland I was delighted. I thought, "Here is a guy who understands our game, who has grown up in Ireland with the league as it is here, and who knows how it is to be a supporter of Irish football."

I feel Staunton has learned from the mistakes of Kerr. He has brought players into the team who would never have got a look in under any other manager. These players have a loyalty to the manager who gave them their first cap. Look a Keogh tonight. He didn't use the ball well at all times but when we were with or without the ball, he showed that he had a desire to play well for team and manager.. for country.

I also want to praise the contribution O' Brien made tonight. Coming into the side and distributing the ball excellently as well as playing well positionally (and this is not an easy thing to do) was a welcome sight for me. This man really stepped up to the plate.

The performance of Andy Reid will be talked about by one and all. This fella should start every international for us.

here here absolutely spot on,
the abuse robbie gets is just pure irish he's our best striker fact and has been for years, sure he missed one or two chances tonight but i couldnt see anyone else getting into decent scoring positions.

hunt4the

15/10/2007, 11:24 AM

NeilMcD

15/10/2007, 11:30 AM

The article in the indo hit the nail on the head. THe most balanced piece I have seen on Robbie Keane anywhere. Very good article.

lionelhutz

15/10/2007, 12:06 PM

I'm saying his form isn't as bad as you're making it out to be. to say he hasn't played well in over 15 games is a massive sweeping statement, considering he's scored 6 goals in those game

Since the world cup 2002, israel at home - for the half hour he was on - was the only competitive game i've seen him play anywhere near potential. Other than that game, he's been sh**e

And don't give me his goals against san marino and in friendlies as a case for defense. They're simply meaningless goals

mackannovic

15/10/2007, 12:29 PM

conlonn

15/10/2007, 1:19 PM

OwlsFan

15/10/2007, 1:40 PM

Robbie keane is a disgrace for Ireland the last few year, to give him the captaincy was a foolish move by hte Ginger gimp. After that miss against Germany on Sat night he should be dropped but he will not be by the Ginger gimp. To start him against Cyprus would be telling all the team it ok to miss an easy chance like that against Germany in a meaningful qualifier.
,

No matter who he scored them against, he is still top joint scored this campaign. If it was so easy to score against San Marino, then why didn't anyone else score 3 against them?

A "disgrace". How can you describe someone as a disgrace who works his socks of for his country, makes the runs and 90% of the time doesn't get the pass because of our poor midfield and does his best. Sure he missed the chances but I repeat at least he got in to the right position to score unlike his striking partner who seems to be beyond reproach.

3 goals against San Marino is all he has scored versus how many for Spurs,

I suspect the Spurs midfield is better than ours. A striker needs creative midfielders and now Reid is back, I am expecting more goals from Robbie but of course if he scores against Cyprus, they won't be acknowledged by his detractors :rolleyes:.

Torn-Ado

15/10/2007, 1:41 PM

I said it before, the Keane Doyle partnership upfront is a complete misnomer. What Ireland badly need is a targetman. A big lad to cause havoc in the air up front. The majority of our players are tactically inept. Watching our players attempt to trap a ball and pass it is simply depressing and frustrating. Reid aside, our midfield is full of hoofers and cloggers, our defence is not much better.

We've tried our hand at playing football and failed. We simply can't do it. Bring back Route One.

Torn-Ado

15/10/2007, 1:43 PM

No matter who he scored them against, he is still top joint scored this campaign.

As far as I know, Stephen Ireland is top scorer on his own with four. Keane and Doyle have three each.

paul_oshea

15/10/2007, 1:50 PM

lads that match on saturday was crap. good atmosphere, but we werent any good, germany didnt care, it was their C team, they were happy to come and go i.e. turning up was all they were interested in doing. Drawing against germany 0 - 0 at home and only producing 2 clear chances is not a great display or a moral victory. Had this been a must-win game for Germany they would have now, had it been we cannot lose game for us, we would have lost. Enough reading crap into these meaningless matches. Until we start winning let the analysis start. We have been here for the last 6 years and it does nothing, just frustrates me more and more. Rant over.

Can someone post that andy reid stuff I cant find it!

geysir

15/10/2007, 1:54 PM

That indo article,
Making the case for Liam Miller to play at RM against Germany
'On Saturday, the decision to include Andy Keogh in the starting 11 on the right side of midfield was a startling one. The Wolves striker is a talented player and does not deserve such ridicule and humiliation.

Admirably, while thrust into a role that only his international manager seems to genuinely rate him in, Keogh never shirked his responsibilities and continued to look for the ball despite the fact that he rarely looked comfortable on it and was struggling to expose the supposed weakness of Marcell Jansen.'

So we get some sanctamonious crap about Stan setting up Keogh for ridicule and embarrassment and that it was Keogh's own strenghts that saved him.
How about the simple explanation, the Manager had faith in Keogh's ability and we will be a better team for the experience and Keogh will be a better player for the experience.
Jansen needed plenty of help to curtail Keogh. He would have swallowed Miller alone.

Then the journo goes on to write
"In fairness to Staunton, his faith in O'Brien's ability to fill in at centre half was justified, although it helped that he had the inspired Richard Dunne alongside him"
Well surely Stan also knew beforehand that O'Brien would have Dunne beside him and we have had other centre half partners for Dunne who were not exempt from making crucial errors because of that privilege.

The Journo then says the "worst was saved for last" when Shay was told to get back in goal.
Stan was perfectly right in telling Given to get back in goal at the end.

If the journo has any idea on how Robbie can be less wastefull I would like to know them.

paul_oshea

15/10/2007, 2:04 PM

Then the journo goes on to write
"In fairness to Staunton, his faith in O'Brien's ability to fill in at centre half was justified, although it helped that he had the inspired Richard Dunne alongside him"
Well surely Stan also knew beforehand that O'Brien would have Dunne beside him and we have had other centre half partners for Dunne who were not exempt from making crucial errors because of that privilege.

But in fairness he only had the drop of a coin - which he probably did - to decide, it was a forced "decision" to include obrien at centre half. I basically think he thought about who is the naturally more gifted player and went with him.