Unfortunately we're seeing Josh Cullens limitations..
Same with Burnley.. he's an excellent Championship player, but he'll be dropped in a week or two at Burnley, and he'll spend the rest of his career getting teams to the Premiership, them getting let go
What kind of food is served in French stadiums? Do they have fancy hotdogs
No shame in this performance at all. France are really, really good. While we're all disappointed in the result, I think this went as well as it could have.
Agree on Cullen, as I’ve said previously he’s a championship level player. Burnley will need to upgrade in that area if they are to survive
It would be great to get someone new in now, it is inevitable so why waste time when you can give the new guy early dead rubber competitive games
Smallbone looks like a better long term option as a 6. Can actually play the ball forward.Quote:
Originally Posted by Crosby87
We did better in DublinQuote:
Originally Posted by Colbert Report
We just didn’t lay a finger on them second half. The one thing we knew would happen is that France would come out blazing and looking to put the game to rest and we made it so easy for them. A bit cynical but stick a foot through them early in that half and set them back a bit. Take a yellow. But we just let them come at us. After that goal there’s nothing you can do as players, heads drop and it’s just damage control.
The entire program is stuck in neutral at best
Men against boys. Lucky not to lose by more. France coasted and did what was needed.
SK will be happy enough, only 2-0 in the end.
one of those awkward situations where the head says i hope we don't get a result v the dutch in case it means he stays on. He couldn't have done much more tonight (bar the obvious mistake of starting stevens), but it's the other results and performances that should see him shown the door.
Another game/result like that in a few days and SK will be getting another few months. Somehow.
France won without really needing to break a sweat. It was always going to be like that I guess.
I find it hard to criticise anybody as the opponent was just better. We were game enough I suppose, but we're just a very limited team and were simply outclassed.
We're parked on a hill with a dodgy handbrakeQuote:
Originally Posted by Crosby87
there were some positives - kept the goal difference down so still in the box seat to finish 4th in the group.
Yup. We put ten men behind the ball and just defended. Practically zero ambition in the second half. To an extent I don't recall us ever playing before.Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
Yet it worked I suppose - even if France missed two or three glorious chances. It really could have been 4/5 but wasn't.
I think Kenny comes out of that one about as he went into it. But we can't do the same on Sunday surely?
One random stat - four games in and we mathematically can't win the group
Reality is.. you now see the group take shape..
France will win it easily
Holland will easily take second
If Ireland beat Greece at home.. they'll likely finish third.. depending on goal difference between the two sides and Gibralter
Finishing third.. is where we're supposed to finishing.. playing to our seeding
We've brought through, a whole new squad.. not even a new team.. Ebosele tonight is the 19th new debutant..
We've played most of the last 8 games, with an u21 team.. hopefully, hopefully.. the next manager, because I expect Kenny to be gone next week.. can take on those players.. do well in the world cup qualifiers, probably not qualify there either.. but have a mature team ready for the Euros in 2028..
We're playing better football than when Kenny started.. but we need results..
Stevens, Browne, Duffy, Mc Clean, Keane, and a few more.. we may as well drop them now, but they'll maybe get the end of the campaign.. but we do have lots of.. potential
Hopefully it's going to come through
Crikey - France had 25 shots but only 5 on target. Wasteful stuff
The opponent are just better, of course but the bar is so low that we didn't lose 4-0, the players showed up in the correct tops, no one appeared to lack sobriety or show up at the wrong stadium so we are happy.
In the glory days of foot.ie it would not be good enough. Age has mellowed many of ye!
France are legit the best team in the world - and probably better than the best club side which is rare for international football, like even that great great Spanish team probably weren’t as good as the Barcelona side that existed at the same time. No shame to lose to them.
Saying that, performance in the second half was underwhelming…