Republic of Ireland V France - Monday, 27th March 2023 - Euro 2024 Qualifier

[pineapple stu]

Wouldn't cross your mind to consider they were kept in low gear by a team who didn't allow them to get out of it?

I don't think that was the case though. France were generally ponderous in attack, disinclined to counter too quickly, and generally played at a really slow pace that never stretched us too much. Bazunu was a spectator for much of the game for example.
Hernandez in particular was poor, letting the ball run over his boot and out of touch a couple of times under no pressure, so we can't claim any credit for that for example.

Yes, we defended well and kept our shape very well, hit them on the counter when we could - particularly as the game went on - but I think we can acknowledge that France being poor helped us put in such a good showing, while also acknowledging that we did play quite well ourselves.

[Real ale Madrid]

but I think we can acknowledge that France being poor helped us put in such a good showing

Its a pity that we must default to discrediting the opposition every time we compete at this level. France played as well as they were allowed to play.

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

You're right. I should have realized Kenny had nothing to do with setting up that team, it was all John O Shea

We lost last night. Our first home defeat in Euro qualifiers since 2010. It puts us in a difficult position to qualify from this group. It's a very strange time to try to claim vindication for sticking with Kenny after 3 years of awful results.

[mark12345]

No need to rewatch the game. France were not there for the taking. Your opinion is yours and thats fine but it's one which is definitely unique. And as far as the heat situation in Greece. Kenny even referenced it in his post match comments and rightly so.

[Razors left peg]

I don't think that was the case though. France were generally ponderous in attack, disinclined to counter too quickly, and generally played at a really slow pace that never stretched us too much. Bazunu was a spectator for much of the game for example.
Hernandez in particular was poor, letting the ball run over his boot and out of touch a couple of times under no pressure, so we can't claim any credit for that for example.

Yes, we defended well and kept our shape very well, hit them on the counter when we could - particularly as the game went on - but I think we can acknowledge that France being poor helped us put in such a good showing, while also acknowledging that we did play quite well ourselves.

I genuinely wonder if some of you lads ever get any joy watching Ireland.

I'm not gonna bother arguing with you here. I disagree with everything you said. We just went toe to toe with a team that was in world cup final 3 months ago. We keep the most dangerous player in world football under wraps all night but it was all down to them being poor.

I need a fcukin break from this place I think

[BOOMSHAKALAKA]

No need to rewatch the game. France were not there for the taking. Your opinion is yours and thats fine but it's one which is definitely unique. And as far as the heat situation in Greece. Kenny even referenced it in his post match comments and rightly so.

It's not unique, maybe you need to re-read this thread even, nevermind rewatch the match. Have our players never played in 19 or 20 degrees? I looked at Kenny's interview this morning. It was dreadful so I wouldn't be taking much from it.

[Stuttgart88]

I’ll catch up on others’ thoughts when I have time. In Starbucks Malahide now just before heading to the airport.

What a frustrating night. We kept France at bay quite efficiently until yet another brain fart / perfectly executed shot combo.

Ferguson is a masterful 9 already. He shielded the ball well and drew fouls all night.

Bazunu looked like a grown up keeper looking like he belongs at that level and like he knows he does, unlike the boy playing in the EPL wondering if his next mistake is coming soon.

Most others played well and worked hard. But one or two disappointments. I actually think Ogbene had the measure of Hernandez and I’d have liked to have seen him isolate him more. And for all his graft I think Molumby’s use of the ball was very conservative. I felt he turned back towards our goal too much, maybe expecting a tackle that wasn’t coming. He had space to turn into and attack a few times but didn’t seem aware of it.

I think Kenny got it about right. Restrict chances and trust that we’ll get a few ourselves. Be still in the game with 15 to go.

The last 10 mins wasn’t unlike previous managers but I’ve no issue with that. The game plan nearly worked and small margins on the pitch were the difference.

I think we’re able to up our game against good teams but I still worry that lesser teams bring our level down too. Greece will be hard but I feel players like Smallbone and Johnston will be too clever for Gibraltar.

[pineapple stu]

I genuinely wonder if some of you lads ever get any joy watching Ireland.

It was a very enjoyable game.

France were poor.

Those things are not mutually exclusive.

I did not say it "was all down to them being poor" (my emphasis); that's you reading what you want to read in my post.

[Straightstory]

A good night for Kenny - he got the shape of the team right, and his tactics and substitutions right. But inconsistency is always the problem. I suspect, that apart from the games against Gibraltar, Ireland may only win one other game in this group - against Greece at home. The 'feel good factor' is high at the moment - It's very frustrating that the next game isn't until June.

[backstothewall]

-------------------- Bazunu --------------------
----------- Collins - Egan - XXXX ---------
Coleman ---- Cullen ---- Molumby ---- XXXX
-------- Ogbene ------------------ XXXX ------
------------------- Ferguson --------------------

Moving things on a little, are we all more or less agreed that this is the basis of our team for the foreseeable future?

[SkStu]

He was definitely tired. He put in a hell of a shift. I don't feel he was exhausted. But these things aren't black and white. One mans tired and another mans exhausted might be the same thing. Unless we're talking about Stephen Roche in La Plagne these things are clearly points on a spectrum

But I'll say thing again in case anyone missed it.

Running on fumes or not, he's demonstrated he has a poachers instinct and we needed a goal. IMHO we needed to get him more support, not hook him.

Yes, he was tired, but that doesn't automatically mean he should have come off. When the ball was being fired in to the box in the last 10 minutes he was our best chance to bundle something over the line.

Ah stop will ya! If you are on fumes, the first thing to go is your ability to be where you need to be at the time you need to be there and, not far behind that, is your brain letting you know where you need to try to get to. With all respect, that is just a bad take.

I think with all the talk of playing a different style, it's worth noting that our biggest threat against France came from set pieces. Some Kenny fans like to dismiss it as a dinosaur tactic but is it worth having Duffy on the bench for the last 10 minutes? It was made for him last night.

We played some really attractive stuff to get to the point where we had corners and free kicks in dangerous areas. The way Kenny used Ogbene was brilliant too. Mixed it up between good passing and balls into the channels.

[SkStu]

-------------------- Bazunu --------------------
----------- Collins - Egan - XXXX ---------
Coleman ---- Cullen ---- Molumby ---- XXXX
-------- Ogbene ------------------ XXXX ------
------------------- Ferguson --------------------

Moving things on a little, are we all more or less agreed that this is the basis of our team for the foreseeable future?

Pretty close. Though I think that Kenny takes more of a game by game approach to things as we saw last night when it comes to deploying his personnel. Regarding your team there, id say the following:

Bazunu guaranteed starter for the foreseeable future.
I think the back three of Collins, Egan and O'Shea picks itself now. They were all excellent last night.
I think it is likely a toss up between Doherty and Coleman at RWB especially if O'Dowda is our new, long-term LWB. These wide positions are a problem area for us, need to try and bring more options through.
Cullen and Molumby - check.
Ferguson - check (Idah an effective deputy i think after last night - I was pleasantly surprised by what he showed - demonstrated the Portugal game wasnt a one off).
I think it is going to be a toss up between Ogbene and Obafemi with Obafemi getting the nod in most games. Ogbene when we're likely to have less of the ball and as an impact sub.
Knight and Smallbone are probably in close competition and, again, i'd say its on a horses for courses basis.-

[paul_oshea]

There was a great 4 v 3 break around 60 mins where he had Ferg, Knight and Molumby all in support and he should have rolled the ball.in front of Evan. It was an excellent opportunity from where we were.

Ya Evan pointed to him, to play it across the box into the middle, Ogbene took the easy option. He should have gone another couple of yards using his pace to make that ball in front of Ferguson easier to make its target(between penalty spot and 6 yard box). Ferguson had about 2-3 metres on anyone and a big open space to run into. It was very disappointing. I guess that Ogbene isnt quite at that level. If that was France it was a goal, into Giroud. Ferguson needs good supply like Giroud does for France to be effective. That was fairly apparent last night, thats where his strength is and his running showed it throughout last night.

[Eirambler]

Its a pity that we must default to discrediting the opposition every time we compete at this level. France played as well as they were allowed to play.

France played as well as they needed to play.

[paul_oshea]

Some individual points I picked up on. Dont have time to elaborate for now:
France are real athletes. Fine specimens of men!
Coleman, saddens me he really should have been at a champions league club for the majority of his career. Great game.
Can Ogbene be the next Coleman, slow steady rise into a top class player.
Why were our set-pieces so bad given we focused solely on scoring from set-pieces? That training ground move was so bad and so easily read.
A game of 1 half and 2 quarters.
Yesterday showed we dont need to have all the possession, or keep ball for the sake of keeping ball. This was an entertaining game that focused on the important things, until it didnt and we conceded.
Can players like Molumby, knight and Ogbene deliver these performances when its not Tier 1 teams. Are they big game charlies?
Collins looks great when he has support around him and he doesnt have to do a man marking job.
France toyed with us for 20 mins where we were chasing shadows. They also identified to press high after about 20 mins and we werent capable of playing out - no bad thing we played great intelligent balls over the top and hoofed it under pressure in the first 45.
Ogbene was much better when the shackles were off and he was given the freedom to get forward.
Ferguson hopefully learns from this type of game whats required of him in an Irish Jersey and not just a Brighton jersey.
Idah held the ball up better when he came on I thought but I still don't see anything extra from him - ball for mccleans chance aside.
Cullen will find it much tougher in the PL, I thought he generally did well, but he was not able to dictate our own play like he normally did - not focusing out of possession.
Kenny for me got the first 45 spot on. He still wouldnt say it was wrong to play the ball around the box, against lost possession and a worldie. Thats 20 in 24/5 now. And many are correlated to our losing possession.
Was it just me or did Kenny sound a lot better post match? Perhaps all the frustration felt by most of us lead to his inability to articulate himself. He needs to balance his emotions.
Thought our subs were generally very good, france had settled for 1 goal and get home, but they all made impacts of different kinds that got us on the front foot and driving forward.
Loved Collins and Molumby driving on the crowd. It was class. But is that something that soothes with experience and age? I feel so but I hope not.