To take the match discussion out of the squad thread, I give you...
Anyway, I'm gonna go for Ireland 2-1 win.
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To take the match discussion out of the squad thread, I give you...
Anyway, I'm gonna go for Ireland 2-1 win.
So far so good, been all Ireland so far!!
Been all Ireland the first 10 minutes but two good chances missed.
Just about to say Mccarthy is making a difference and then he did that.
Still though. So far so good.
It has a nil all draw written all over it.
I did not expect things to go down like that.
My pre-match expectation, going on the news that Green was to man-mark Zlatan, was that Sweden would exploit us in the middle through either Kallstrom or Elm being left free. In actual fact, Green did not do a pure man-marking job on Zlatan. He followed him out of his zone when he was on his side (the right side) of the pitch, but did not follow him when he drifted to the other side (or when he swapped with Hysen and went upfront obviously). When this happened, Green moved up to pressure Kallstrom, with McCarthy permanently occupying Elm (who was poor on the night).
On the other hand, if Green was marking Zlatan, Keane shocked the world by dropping back and occupying Kallstrom quite effectively. No-one was more surprised than me at Keane's performance. He also did well drifting to the flanks to create overloads, with one such occasion almost producing a headed opportunity for Walters.
This was far more of a 4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1 than we're used to from Ireland, and it wasn't the only surprise. The positioning of the full backs was also a huge shock - with both men getting licence to not only support, but to overlap. A completely new departure. Unfortunately the final ball from wide areas was poor. McClean, for example, worked hard (and had a couple of dribbles) but showed why his cross completion ratio is one of the worst in the Premier League this season.
It's a testament to how well we matched up in the middle that Sweden were forced to hit it long so often, eventually swapping Zlatan with Hysen in order to compete aerially. In the second half, we dropped off and allowed them possession in the middle, so Zlatan came back into the number 10 role. I think Trap wanted to hit them by surprise in the first half and nick one. He was not prepared to play an aggressive, pressing game away from home for 90 minutes.
Roll on Tuesday.
Very happy with that. Less of the long/hoof ball dross, more pressing, more involvement of the central midfield, more possession. Seemed like a completely different side to the one that played Germany.
Forde, kicking needs a bit of work, but aside from that a good performance, some great saves, some great ball handling. Defence, O'Shea had his best game in ages, did more to shut Zlatan down than anyone. The rest all did sterling work too, especially Wilson moving up the field when required.
Midfield, Mccarthy showed just what he can bring to the side, and I really hope he doesn't get left behind Whelan anymore. Green had a good game, not spectacular but solid. Between the two of them they bossed the centr for long stretches, really made a difference to the impact Ireland can make. When the ball was kept low and worked through them, Ireland were able to create stuff. Walters, out of position., but ran well and did his bit. McClean was the best I've seen him in ages, but I wish his dead ball delivery was better.
Upfront, it was somewhat disappointing Keane, aside from that early cross, didn't seem to add much, and was late to several crosses that could have been attacked. Long ran, made space for himself and got in a few decent crosses, but his early miss was a howler and it just seemed like he was hesitant to pull the trigger. Would have swapped Keane out earlier, but I understand that Trap was hesitant about going for it.
I think the win was there to be taken if Ireland had just risked a little bit more going forward. Sweden seemed so impotent (Zlatan looked exhausted from the start) that I just thought they could have pressed on a bit. A lack of pace on the counter-attack, more than once I saw Walters calling for players to play the ball to when he was moving forward.
I really hope we can move on and beat Austria now, and really get the quest for second on a solid footing. Trap's changed his team and his tactics, now he has to stick with it.
Also, I should have mentioned, a certain intangible thing: more heart, more commitment, more grift. Maybe its a bit of a blowback from the Germany disaster.
For all Walter's honest effort, I would prefer a bit of 'creativity' out there. I hope Brady will pass Trap's psyche test on Monday.
Agree entirely. I like John but he just wasn't in it today. But don't ever rely on Trap to do what you want him to. Green in instead of Hoolahan today? And Brady kept on the bench for so long when Walters was tiring and out of it? The worst thing about this game is that it will go down as a success. We could and should have won it. We were the better team. Suppose fair dos to Trap for that aspect of things, but it is so annoying that he won't go for the jugular when the game is there for the winning. This team is crying out for a creative force like Hoolahan.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
That game was reminiscent of a match between two Championship sides or lower-EPL sides. I'd say Wes was sitting on the bench thinking "jaysus just let me on and do my stuff and we'll win this one".
'Upfront' perhaps disappointing, but Robbie put in some shift, particularly in the first half. His deep pressuring of Sweden's midfield allowed Green and McCarthy to step up and dominate that area. As a defensive performance it was crucial.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
It did mean he was a bit behind with attacks but I thought he played very well but understandably tired. Also him and Long don't seem a natural partnership, don't have the telepathy yet.
Would you have made that swap? They're in no way like for like. I accept your overall point about creativity, but that wouldn't swap wouldn't work for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by mark12345
Only place for Wes is in Robbie's position. Drop Long or Keane. Tough call either way. Wouldn't be against it but that's the only way I could see it working.
Also thought Walters played well. He wasn't exactly anonymous (of the four attackers I reckon he was probably on the ball the most, ahead of Long). Linked excellently with Coleman and intelligently popped up in the middle or left occasionally to keep the Swedes guessing.
I would agree that the three main attackers (Keane, Long and Walters) wern't really on the same wave length. But that can improve.
I wonder in hindsight is the a mild opportunity lost (Us Irish are never happy). We couldve won that game, but given by the reaction of the players at the end, their goal was a draw.
The positives far outweigh the negatives. For us Trap supporters, these are the types of performances we know he can get the team to produce. Very hard to beat, can play nice football and create decent chances. A huge plus is the willingness of our full backs in particular and McCarthy to carry the ball rather than hoofing it. There were numerous instances tonight where the full backs or our wingers took on the ball and used the ball well as opposed to hit and hope.
Hard to fault anyone really. Perhaps we couldve expected a little more end product up front and from our set pieces. No shot on target. Very happy for Forde who put in a very solid performance.
Need to win Tuesday night now to back this up. Ireland under Trap have proven to be more successful away from home than at home. The home games against Austria and Sweden are now two massive opportunities to reverse that.
It was always said that take Ibra out of the equation and Sweden are a very average side. Trap and Green did just that and did it fantastically, their attacks broke down and he could never get into the game. Suddenly we faced very mediocre opposition but it shouldn't be taken away from the setup, we made them look ordinary.
In attack we had a strong 20 minutes with well worked chances for Long and Walters who both scuffed them poorly. We didn't see any other chances.
Despite RTE's best efforts to big up McCarthy I didn't think he was contributing amount in the final third, a tidy link player in the centre but 2 wayward passes in the final third attempting to play an attacker into space were overhit out of play. In a game with few attacking chances that's quite poor.
Forde's save at the free kick was quality, we see those creep in very often. Centre backs never really exposed which was good since I'm not sure how Clark would have coped.
McClean has no end product and constantly did something good followed by something stupid all night. Given Walters industry down the other side I'm not sure he'll have any business in the matchday side when McGeady is back.
Keane was excellent throughout, in the early stages he was integral in attack with his cross to Walters being judged to perfection. For the rest of the game he hassled and harried Elm and Kallstrom especially preventing them playing their game.
Long was poor, great work ethic and some good effort but faltered at crucial moments.
Biggest difference between today and the Euros is the full backs, all our moves used to break down there but now we're getting plays going with them connecting with our teammates. Players like Green who aren't there to be on the ball get bypassed as they should and everything is a lot less frustrating.
Forde - 7
Wilson - 8
JOS - 7
Clark - 6
Coleman - 8
Green - 8
McCarthy - 6
McClean - 4
Walters - 7
Long - 4
Keane - 7
Overall a lot of good things but no cutting edge, we've always been good at playing that kind of game away from home but we'll need to see something we haven't shown before and beat a team of some worth on Tuesday.
Positive things and the point is good but I think the real battle in this double header is Austria who a lot of people don't seem to appreciate just how good they are. I'd take a draw at this stage but at some point in the group we'll need to show we can convert dominance to goals and actually win games.
We cannot accept a draw at home to 4th seeds. That cannot be seen as an acceptable result.
I suspect Tuesday will be the same 10 with Brady replacing Walters. Playing at home creates a certain expectation and Trapattoni will want a player who can do more on the ball than Walters.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
I don't know why people expect more from McCarthy. He is exactly as you described him - a tidy link player and a vital player in our team. I would have him in the team for every game but I wouldn't expect him to be creating scoring opportunities because it is not his game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Murfinator
Forde was super. Clark is our new centre half. Even if Dunne regains fitness - which I don't think he will, and I don't think he will ever play competitively for Ireland again - I think O'Shea and Clark is our best central defensive partnership and I look forward to 2-3 years of that before O'Shea retires, hopefully to be replaced by Mark O'Brien.Quote:
Forde's save at the free kick was quality, we see those creep in very often. Centre backs never really exposed which was good since I'm not sure how Clark would have coped.
I think, certainly, players like Dunne and Whelan will have looked on the performances of Clark and McCarthy with a sense of dread for their future international prospects.
In fairness to Trap, he more or less said in post match interview that we need to beat Austria at home.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
I wonder if Long had scored that early chance would we have put in such a solid performance? Or would we have reverted to our type that has happened so often when we lead away from home (e.g. Bulgaria, Slovakia, Macedonia), where we try to defend the lead while offering little attacking. I think we might have done so.
Having said that, the second half against Poland and the match tonight have been encouraging.
I don't think so. In those games, we didn't "revert to type", we just stuck to the gameplan and allowed the opposition to play their game. We let Sweden play their game tonight, but their game was very limited. That wouldn't have changed much if we were 1-0 up.Quote:
Originally Posted by elroy
Some highlights here.
http://eurorivals.net/sweden~republi...deo-22-03-2013
Great Result, we did what we had to, thought the lads did their jobs well.
Roll on Tues.
In Trap we Trust
Nothing more to say is there really?
Good stuff indeed last night. Fair play to Forde particularly, great passion and jersey his to lose now. Keane very alert and fresh too, fair play
However in Trap I do not trust and there is plenty more to be said. Only 15 mins for Hoolahan? Dropping McCarthy effectively? Bringing on Sammon instead of a pumped up Doyle (think Kazakhstan!)? Wilson and Coleman were great, they make us look like a modern football team pushing up like that, but why weren't they in team a year ago?
Have thought for a while that we have the makings of a decent team,but Trap isn't getting best out of us. He's a liability IMO.
Team for next year or two:
Forde
Coleman Clark O'Shea Wilson
MacCarthy Gibson
Brady Hoolahan McClean
Long
with Keane Walters Green Doyle McGeady all on the bench to change things around.
Decent flexible side, where was it the last 12 months.
Beating the likes of Sweden competitively at home hasn't been our strength for around 10 years now. Big ask. Vital we go for it on Tuesday now.
Good stuff indeed last night. Fair play to Forde particularly, great passion and jersey his to lose now. Keane very alert and fresh too, fair play
However in Trap I do not trust and there is plenty more to be said. Only 15 mins for Hoolahan? Dropping McCarthy effectively? Bringing on Sammon instead of a pumped up Doyle (think Kazakhstan!)? Wilson and Coleman were great, they make us look like a modern football team pushing up like that, but why weren't they in team a year ago?
Have thought for a while that we have the makings of a decent team,but Trap isn't getting best out of us. He's a liability IMO.
Team for next year or two:
Forde
Coleman Clark O'Shea Wilson
MacCarthy Gibson
Brady Hoolahan McClean
Long
Keane Walters Green Doyle McClean all on the bench to change things around.
Decent flexible side, where was it the last 12 months.
Beating the likes of Sweden competitively at home hasn't been our strength for around 10 years now. Big ask. Vital we go for it on Tuesday now.
It's tempting to say that Sammon looked like a fish out of water out there.
No matter what way you look at Trap's fixation with Sammon, it's Trap's most bizarre selection, there's no football justification for his presence in the squad, never mind coming on a sub.
Seemed like a great pre-match atmosphere last night, the anthems being sung would make the hair stand on your back..... was the music pre-kickoff a sample of "faster kill faster pussycat"by Paul Oakenfold..... really created worked anyways!;)
Our Anthem was butchered all to hell though. Even in a loudish pub I could tell the guy was getting the words wrong.
A prominent Irishman in Stockholm and an occasional poster here arranged the anthem singer I'm told. Fair play to him I say, a genuine local legend by all accounts.
Anyway, very decent performance in a great arena and super pitch. We actually looked fluent, cohesive and purposeful - pretty much everything I want to see in our team.
Agree with Murfon Fordes save from the in swinger. Absolute class save, showing experience and judgment. Safe hands throughout and bar one flap and a couple of iffy kicks it was as assured a goalkeeping performance as any of his more illustrious predecessors have put in.
However our setbpieces were poor and I wish we used McClean to take frees from the rhs - in swingers like the Swedes did all night. Mccleans delivery from open play was poor but I think we could have troubled them more with in swingers.
A few others came of age last night. Clark justified his call up and looked totally at home. McCarthy and Green were both very good bar a few sloppy errors. Mccarthys overhit through balls were surprisingly poor from a player of his quality. Coleman was class and Wilson very solid. Walters put in a good shift but like Geysir I'd like to see more of a creative threat from that position.
I was behind the goal in among the Irish and from there it was clear that the final third was crying out for Hoolahan. Trap called the substitution right but maybe a bit too late.
Trap may have got lucky with McCarthy over whelan but by and large he got most things right on the night.
Maybe a win was there but I'm happy with that but we now have to beat Austria. I think the team will feel very confident and if it's not blowing a gale on Tuesday I expect the same type of performance, with maybe more intent on winning rather than making sure we don't lose.
I disagree with you on the free kicks - I haven't seen McClean put in a good cross in months. It's bizarre because when he emerged at Sunderland, he was hitting 80% in terms of successful crosses. If Brady had been playing, I think he'd have been taking them instead of McCarthy from that side.
Clark looks the part, completely, and I dare say he's a class above the doc. He stood out last night with O'Shea beside him to coach him through the game. That's something he's been lacking all season at Villa with Dunne out and Vlaar is not all he's cracked up to be. He might be a Dutch international but Clark is the better player.
One thing that disappointed me in the first half was when Clark took the initiative and looked to run with the ball into a huge space in midfield, but McCarthy took the ball off him and told him to go back, when he should really have let Clark go and filled in at centre half. On one hand, it's good to see McCarthy demanding the ball, but on the other it was tactically poor whether it was McCarthy's decision or instructions from the boss.
I'd agree. McClean's set pieces were very poor last night. We never really looked like threatening from them. Two changes I would make for Tuesday night are Hoolahan for Keane, and Brady for Walters . . . with Brady taking over set piece duties. Under Trap we have found it extremely difficult to break down defences from open play at home. Set pieces on Tuesday night will be our best chance.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
I believe the weather is foul in Ireland. Are there any doubts over Tuesday's game? Will the pitch be in decent nick? You had to have seen last nights pitch to believe it. like a billiard table. It'd have been a crime to play our usual hoof ball on it!
Very happy with that performance. Forde was assured enough in goals and won some corners at crucial sides. Excellent performance aside from one or two scuffed clearances and flap at a corner (which could easily have ended with a goal) aside.
At the back, the two full-backs most of us have been crying out for acquitted themselves very well, both defensively and offensively. I thought Wilson was excellent and put his stamp on the position. He offered so much that Stephen Ward is incapable of doing. Coleman was very good going forward, a trait of which we are all aware. Defensively, he tried to do a little too much and Kacaniklic tended to drift inwards with his dribbles. Although, it really demonstrates the irrational commentary some have made of a dearth of ability between Ireland and Sweden. Seamus Coleman wouldn't be caused any problems by Kacaniklic in a Premier League game. Entrusting him on the international stage is, consequently, rational.
In midfield, Green worked hard and gave away the ball on two or three occasions. I felt McCarthy gave a Carrick-2012/2013-type performance. He didn't close down space like Green did. What he did do, was make some well-timed interceptions and keep play ticking over. He dictated a lovely pace to our play and ensured things rolled forward.
On the flank, I thought McClean was excellent. He caused Lustig such problems and didn't run down blind alleys like he is so capable of doing. Twice, he turned back and fed the ball to the supporting Wilson. The end-product wasn't always brilliant, I agree. However, there was one occasion in the first half when he tucked in alongside Wilson. The Swedes played a diagonal ball into the far corner and McClean was there to win it.
Walters offered similar work ethic but his aerial touch appeared off. He didn't look like causing any issues in the final third for the Swedes but worked well. Can be proud.
Up front, Keane was quiet but not bad. Long worked tirelessly and could have done so much better with that opportunity in the first-half. I'll expect him to tuck away a chance like that Tuesday.
The final third was the concerning area for Ireland. There seemed to be an inability on our part to make the most of corners and decent balls in. This ensured our threat was very diminished because our play seemed to focus on the flanks and narrow attacks were few and far between. In fact, one of our only central attacks provided us with our best chance of the game when Long's effort sailed over.
The solution for this is quite simple, isn't it? Wes Hoolahan. I think Ireland need to bring him into the side, but ensure that we don't lose presence in Austria's area. I'd advocate a 4-2-3-1 as follows; Forde; Coleman, O'Shea, Clark, Wilson; Green, McCarthy; Long, Hoolahan, McClean; Keane. It's asking a lot of Long and McClean to contribute a lot to attack and defence but who else is as quick, fit and powerful as these two in our squad?
What about bringing in Sammon and Keogh when we could have nicked a goal? Baffling stuff. Why not bring in Brady? I know we were away, but momentum was on our side for much periods of the game. Sammon and Keogh offered absolutely nothing and contributed less. Keogh looked uncomfortable on the ball and one occasion a ball was played upfield to Sammon he made something resembling a leap and flapped his arms aimlessly, coming nowhere near threatening the centre-half (Olsson, I think) for the ball.
And on a final note, nice to see Clark come through a game without an error. It demonstrates that with a screening midfielder and an experienced partner, he is a very assured and capable centre-half who offers us many years of defensive promise.
im not saying mccleans set pieces were good, they clearly weren't. But several occasions cried out for an inswinging free rather than a floated outswinger. I'd still have trusted McClean but Coleman, for example, could havevtaken one orbtwo from the left. We never varied it once. Keepers hate a good in swinger. A bad in swinger can be more dangerous than a bad floated out swinger.Quote:
Originally Posted by tommy_c12000
It should be fine. It hasn't rained since last night and the Aviva presumably drains very well. Plus Ballsbridge is at a higher elevation than most of Dublin so it should be fine. A good gauge will be if the UCD match tonight goes ahead, which I suspect it will.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Keogh was inches away from latching onto a Hoolahan pass from which he likely would have scored. Neither McClean nor Walters made a single run like that in the entire game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
He didn't latch onto it though and he didn't score. That almost-latch-on aside, he offered nothing offensive in his, admittedly short, appearance when the game was more open. Brady was left sitting on his hands. McClean was never offered that supply and Walters was entasked with a defensive job and treated to higher balls, with which he could have dealt better.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Hoolahan feeding our most dangerous attacking players would seriously sharpen things up in the final third.
Because the pass wasn't good enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
In the first half, McClean's corners were good until the last one. His first half performance was the best out of all the players. Not one mistake and not one misplaced pass.
His basic duties went well and he added to our impetus with some 4 or 5 good pieces of play.
Just for the record, like.
I bet you were claiming McShane was the new Paul McGrath after his game against Czech Rep too?Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Clark did well last night, but Sweden forwards never got a run at him or put him under pressure.
Ask the Villa fans who watch him every week what they think about him?
I think you are being disrespectful to St Ledger who has never let us down in over 30 plus caps.
If Clark can do that THEN you may be able to say such things as Clarks a class above.
What to bet on that?
Really pleased we won last night, but some of the rubbish sprouted by posters on Foot ie if we win or lose is laughable.
In Trap we must Trust!
You are a very odd chap doc.Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
What did we win last night?
Anyway, you're being a bit too sensitive. Clark was very good last night and who cares what villa forums say?
Forde, Long, McClean, Coleman, Hoolahan, Sammon. 6 ex LOI players played last night. Interesting stat. Can't believe Doyle was omitted and Sammon picked instead but still.
My match ratings:
Forde - 8: Very impressed. You cannot really argue with him holding down the keeper's spot.
Coleman - 7: Was caught out positionally a few times but defended well and gave Walters help on the attacking end.
O' Shea -7 : Solid, one of his better games recently.
Clark - 7: No real complaints. A bit slow to clear his lines but did well.
Wilson -7: Hopefully we will never see Ward in an Ireland jersey again.
MIDFIELD
McClean -5: Not a very clever footballer. Bet his man a few times but crossing was dire. Not a step up from McGeady.
Green -6: Didn't pass the ball well but did better than expected by plugging the hole in front of the back 4 and cutting out through balls.
McCarthy -8: Needs to impose himself more on the game but does the simple things right and effectively.
Walters -5: Didn't look fully fit and we suffered for creativity down the right hand side when Coleman wasn't forward.
FORWARDS:
Keane -6: Played ok but never threatened and faded out of the game.
Long -6: Didn't link well with Keane at all. Had our best chance and got fouled a lot, the majority of which weren't called.