Republic of Ireland V Serbia - Tuesday, 7th September 2021 - 2022 World Cup Qualifier

[Olé Olé]

So all those games where Kenny was using the missed chances excuse you were saying the same thing?

Sorry, you won't draw me in. You can't impose that view on me. One is allowed to support Kenny without supporting everything he says or every decision he makes. I'm not into extremism.

[SkStu]

So all those games where Kenny was using the missed chances excuse you were saying the same thing?

Was it yourself that said it’s only the result that matters and not the manner of the performance? You and/or a few of your ilk were spouting that after our performance against Portugal. Surely the same applies in reverse? Or from Serbia’s perspective…

[geysir]

Bazunu and Omobamidele were brilliant tonight. If we are getting a 1-1 draw and those two are playing that well, that young and getting that experience then I'm happy. You get what you deserve in football. Serbia had chances but didn't convert them. The game still finished 1-1.

The adage is that a team is built first from the defence, at least we have that defence. Just need to fix the rest of our game.

[TonyD]

Yes, Randolph makes those saves. Another day we lose 5-0 given those chances though.

On another day we get a penalty in Portugal to go 2 up, and the ref doesn’t add five minutes, and we take a couple of those chances against Azerbaijan to win comfortably. Works both ways you see.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

Sorry, you won't draw me in. You can't impose that view on me. One is allowed to support Kenny without supporting everything he says or every decision he makes. I'm not into extremism.

If it's the result that matters, then the excuses previously used by Kenny should be brushed aside. That's the conclusion to your point.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

Was it yourself that said it’s only the result that matters and not the manner of the performance? You and/or a few of your ilk were spouting that after our performance against Portugal. Surely the same applies in reverse? Or from Serbia’s perspective…

No. I didn't say that.

[Olé Olé]

The adage is that a team is built first from the defence, at least we have that defence. Just need to fix the rest of our game.

Definitely went out to contain the Serbs with four central midfielders. I would also like to see a heatmap.for McClean and Doherty. I don't think it was particularly deep that they were but they did get pinned back for periods of Serbian pressure and Serbia were very good at pressurizing.

Kenny needs to figure out how we can retain solidity in midfield but still stretch sides. Knight is probably integral to that.

[TonyD]

Just on a side note, Kenny was shaking Robinson’s hand afterward and Robinson didn’t seem too interested.
Are there certain players who don’t respect him I wonder?

Think you might be seeing what you want to see there. It was hardly Keane and McCarthy after the Dutch game in 2001. In fact I didn’t see anything off about it.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

On another day we get a penalty in Portugal to go 2 up, and the ref doesn’t add five minutes, and we take a couple of those chances against Azerbaijan to win comfortably. Works both ways you see.

On another day Portugal win 4-1 you mean? Missed penalty, missed open goal, post.

What's the excuses for the other 15 games under Kenny. What happened v Luxembourg? Why can't this tactical genius have us scoring more than a few goals?

[Olé Olé]

If it's the result that matters, then the excuses previously used by Kenny should be brushed aside. That's the conclusion to your point.

Maybe, yes. But I don't necessarily believe that inexcusable defeat means he should be sacked so you can't lead me to what you feel is the natural (though biased) conclusion here.

[centre mid]

Serbia s chances were much more clear cut and well created than the so called chances we created on Saturday. I see nothing in tonight to make me think we coukdvtake tge game to a middle of the road side like a finland at home and actually control the game. What formation are we playing? 541 tonight with the 4 playing narrow all basically central midfield players with no one getting anywhere close to idah, how is that ever going to get you a chance of creating openings at home?

Kenny has played more than one formation. 541 is a good formation to play agasides who will dominate possession - we played the same in Faro.

I'd imagine we will revert to 4 3 3 against sides we will expect to have more possession against.

[Trequartista20]

I just don't see any signs of improvement or progression at all under Kenny, that's the most damning indictment I can make of his tenure so far. What we saw tonight is no different to what we saw in the first couple of matches.

We're ponderous, predictable and so very easy to play against. Even with 20 minutes to go in a match we had to win to keep our slim, slim qualification hopes alive and we were tapping the ball around at the back. It's dire to watch.

What does Kenny send his team's out to do? Because I have no idea. The ball is slowly, and to no obvious purpose, knocked around amongst the back three, giving the oposition all the time in the world to organise themselves defensively and mark our midfielders and forwards, played into a midfielder who's inevitably under pressure, and then the ball is either lost, hurriedly knocked back to one of the centre-halfs, or hit into one of the channels in a ball always favouring the opposition defence. Just awful.

There's no urgency, no creativity, no moves that look like they've come off the training ground. And other than Duffy's height at corners, we carry absolutely no goal threat. Tonight's goal was simply a freak occurance. Just what does Kenny do with his players all week on the training pitch.

We go into matches, seemingly, without any definitive game plan, we look too stretched out from front to back, with Idah often completely isolated. We often have three defenders, as well as the goalkeeper in close proximity in the penalty area, attempting to tap the ball around in a triangle, while the rest of the team is strung out across the park, the ball then often gets played back to Bazunu, who under pressure, then has to punt it long onto the head of one of the giant Serbian defenders. Honestly, what's the point?

Is this the 'good' football we keep hearing so much about? Because from what I've seen of us we're one of the most boring teams to watch around.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

Maybe, yes. But I don't necessarily believe that inexcusable defeat means he should be sacked so you can't lead me to what you feel is the natural (though biased) conclusion here.

To be honest, Kenny could lose every single game and there would be those who won't admit that he should be sacked.

[osarusan]

So all those games where Kenny was using the missed chances excuse you were saying the same thing?

Even by my standards as a vocal critic of Kenny (and who wants him gone) you're coming across as very whiny.

We put in a decent shift. Serbia were better for long periods but that's because they're a better team. When you get a result against a better team you're doing something right. Yes, they could have scored more, and yes, the goal was lucky, but so what, that's Serbia's problem. You take what you get from games.

Positive in terms of the result, some very good individual performances, and team performance and belief in the last 10-15 minutes or so. Just a pity this is the last of the 3 games, and there isn't another home game 3 days from now.

[Diggs246]

Matter what happens to kenny, and I've no confidence in him but we will be incredibly grateful for his introduction to Andrew Omobamidele. He is going to be a star. If I had a choice if being his agent or gavins or troys. I would puck him all day.long