Georgia V Ireland - Saturday, 6th September 2008 - World Cup 2010 Q - Mainz, Germany

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

like the curate's egg. Good in parts.
But 3 points is all that matters.

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Exactly how I feel.

Still, I wonder how a neutral with little knowledge of either team would have seen it. I reckon most would have had us on top.

It's important to remember that few teams impress in these qualifiers and as long as the results keep coming that's what counts. Despite the fact that many of our players are experienced enough we're clearly at the bottom of a learning curve under Trap and have a lot more room for improvement. If - and it's a big if - we can keep winning while we make progress then qualification will be attainable. Winning becomes a habit - just look at the run of results we put together in 2000-2002. What was it at one point (after we lost to Greece & Scotland in friendlies)? One or two defeats in 25 games?

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Exactly how I feel.

Still, I wonder how a neutral with little knowledge of either team would have seen it. I reckon most would have had us on top.

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Oh we were definitely the better team alright. I think 2-0 would have been more reflective of the game than 2-1. Just annoying to concede at the death.

We were very solid and compact, passed the ball well when in attacks but just allowed Georgia to have possession but they could not break us down. Tactics were used very well.

Happy enough with the performance overall, got a huge slice of luck at a time when Georgia were at their strongest, 3 points is the main thing, now if only we can stop this concession of goals in stoppage time. It leaves a terrible bad taste.
Was it a coincidence or did we look shakier at the back when McShane came on?

it definately wasnt a coincidence

Had to laugh at Trap's reasoning for taking off Finnan and Doyle....

Our first goal was brilliant play, I honestly believe people are making light of that goal.

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Originally Posted by irishfan86

Happy to get the 3 points, but the manner of it was a bit unconvincing.

Relying on a goalkeeper error for our victory hardly instills me with confidence.

A bit worried about Trap's defensive mentality in the final minutes as well.

Liam Miller for Doyle? Straight out of Kerr's tactic book.

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Come on! Its still international football and points and performances are not easy to come by. Look at France and Italy tonight.... (Same ol same old arguments!) Can you not see the Dunphy agenda kicking in like it did after Stans first game against Chile? You dont have to act like him!

We have a better set-up now than before. We got a lucky 2nd goal but then again Keane could have scored instead of hitting the crossbar. The substitutions were made with wednesday in mind clearly. I dont think Andy Reid should be ignored, but you cant argue with Whelan and Reid in the mid after tonights performance.

Good performance. Great result. We dont have to over-analyse it.

Man of the match Stephen Reid, Hunt came a close second. Great effort all around.

We seemed to adopt the Italian approach for away game qualifiers.
Win the game with a good professional performance and job done.
Reid and Whelan were well disciplined and Kilbane was excellant.

This is a very tough group.Georgia,Cyprus and Montenegero are all teams capable of pulling out unexpected results, so a well organised team is vital to pick up points in these places.

My main worry is where the creativity will come from against better opposition(Reid,Duff?).

Overall satisfied with three points and the better looking shape of the team.

We look like we have more substance to us.Wednedays performance will be interesting to see if a pattern in our performances develop.

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Originally Posted by highlight100

Man of the match Stephen Reid, Hunt came a close second. Great effort all around.

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Thought Hunt was the worst of our midfielders to be honest.

It would be silly to declare this a new dawn in Irish football, and equally silly to draw any negative conclusions about the gaffer or the upcoming campaign from it.

We got the three points, didn't get any injuries and I can't remember any bookings either. So job done.

What interested me tonight, and I believe there's another thread on it anyway so I shall not harp on, was that Montenegro held old uncle Bulgaria to a draw. The bookies tell me that we're favourite to beat them on Wednesday - I'm not so sure.

Back to Tbli... Mainz. Kilbane really put in a good show considering the state of his face. The move to left back has put years on his career in the top flight and has dug us out of a rather awkward positional hole. Kilbane is trustworthy and unspectacular, and has constantly proven his will to do anything to play.

Other positives were Steve Reid getting through 90 mins in a green shirt, Doyle taking his goal well, from a good cross by McGeady and that's about it. Any criticism of Keane is unfair, he didn't get much ball, but was unlucky not to score from a tight angle.

At least you can say this campaign, if we don't qualify it will not be because the manager is a clown.

ideally hunt would be an impact sub,for me, he has only impressed me when hes come of the bench. did he get down the line and get any crosses in tonight? no cos trying to take on the entire georgian team.

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Originally Posted by conlonn

S Hunt is a headless chicken not up tp this level.

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:eek: He is indeed tp to this level.

Positives: Reid (immense), 1st goal (great movement, nice finish), O'Shea's performance, Kilbanes performance, Whelan's performance (impressed me, a sceptic).

Negatives: late goal (we didnt deserve to concede), substitutions (unnecessary, disruptive), Hunt & McGeady wasteful in posession, absence of A. Reid.

overall rating - 6.5/10. We will need to improve against Montenegro. A win would leave us sitting pretty, im leaning towards a 1-0 victory but would take a draw.

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Originally Posted by SkStu

Negatives: late goal (we didnt deserve to concede), substitutions (unnecessary, disruptive), Hunt & McGeady wasteful in posession, absence of A. Reid.

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Again I'm amazed how McGeady is considered a negative. He was our most creative force going forward. Gave the ball away a couple of times but that's what happens when you are trying to make something happen. I'm sure he could pass the ball 5 yards sideways or backwards each time but then people would complain that he's not trying anything.

Don't get me wrong sometimes he should hang onto possession rather than try a chancy pass or flick but you either give him some freedom or tell him to pass everything sideways and never lose the ball.

Just in from watching the game and I enjoyed it.

Happy with the performance tonight. We never looked like not winning the game. More importantly under Trap we seem to be improving every game. Pluses for me were:

• We seem to have a gameplan going forward now while under Stan, and to a lesser extent Kerr, we were clueless in the final third of the pitch
• Whelan showed he can be quality against poorer opposition (he might well struggle against better teams though)
• Doyle weighed in with a good goal
• McGeady looked quality in patches
• Kilbane was solid at left back
• Hunt was full of energy and harried the opposition

Still some negatives:

• The game was there to be won by more goals but Trap proved very negative with his substitutions which inevitably cost us a goal in the end. Hasn't he watched any games under our previous managers who would often make the same mistake?
• Miller came on instead of Reid
• McGeady looked poor in patches
• Keogh is not good enough for International football at present particularly when he still can't get into the Wolves team

We are on the right track. I do however think Georgia looked a poor team tonight. Montenegro will be our first real test as they look fairly handy.

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Originally Posted by youngirish

I do however think Georgia looked a poor team tonight.

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Most teams struggle away from home. They will be a handful in the group.

Look around Europe,France well beaten in Austria, Romania hammered at home by Lithuania.Closer to home Nordies and Scots lose by the odd goal away(Slovakia and Macedonia).The Welsh scrape a late winner at home to Azerbijan.There are no easy games in the group,which should make it a real roller coaster.I'm convinced that the team at the top and bottom, come the final group table, will be separated by very few points, hence any 3 points "away" are very welcome.I would take a point on Wednesday.

In the cold light of day we had a reasonable slice of luck (long overdue btw) especially with the second goal and the time Dunne lost his man at the far post - knew nothing about the block & it could well have gone anywhere - like in the goal.

If nothing else I hope Trapp & the team realise we are always going to need a two goal cushion - at least.

Agree with the earlier posts that our history is scattered with defeats/draws caused by the substitution of an attacker for a midfielder/defender. Someone send Trapp a vid collection of the goals.

We are going to need players in the first team who play football for a living every week. The right flank was very vunerable once McShane came on - there is a reason he is struggling so badly at club level & he has been responsible for an astounding number of goals over the last season (I dont mean for his own team). I thought Whelan did ok, but is going to have to improve quite a bit if we are going to dominate in midfield. He is also going to have to get himself a game at club level.

S Reid was MOMT for me, though he was challenged hard by Kilbane, who was excellent - reminded me of the bravery & commitment of Moran, McCarthy & that lot. Wonder what that eijit who was delighted he broke his face last week thought !

Also agree with the posts that call for Lawrence to be in the shake up. Could make a huge difference to the midfield & he knows where the goal is. We should have tested that goalie far far more than we did.

Hope A Reid will get a chance on Wednesday & that he will be raring to go (unplanned benefit by Trapp!).