Wales v. Republic of Ireland - Monday, 9th October 2017 - World Cup 2018 Qualifier

Really enjoyed last night. We all live for the big nights and that was one of them.

I thought Randolph was really composed. He kept his focus well that time he made a blind save with an inswinger that everyone missed. That was really good, I love seeing that. One flap (was he really fouled?) but otherwise composed and very much in synch with Clark and Duffy. Both CBs were very good except Clark and his slices will be the end of me some day soon. Duffy and McClean both had serious brain farts giving away needless stupid frees in dangerous situations, but both were excellent otherwise. Christie defended well enough but struggled going forward. Meyler colossal, Arter so-so and Brady played OK in fits and starts. Murphy isn't effective at holding the ball up.

The key though was how well they played as a unit, especially without the ball.

What a strange campaign. 3 of our top ever away results, 3 really poor home results and especially performances. Now isn't the time to be critical of O'Neill but we really do need to turn a corner at home and I for one think he's too cautious. Germany and Bosnia are probably the only two notable competitive home wins since Stan was sacked.

i'm still buzzing after last night to be honest. it's great being able to follow/catch up on the other footballing stories without having the worry of results going our way etc. i've watched games every night since thursday - scotland beating slovakia, the moldova game, greece cyprus, scotland again in slovenia and last night without ever really believing we'd do it, but so glad to be wrong.

whomever we get in the playoff it's been a huge turnaround to even get there after the september games. shame about meyler's booking but if we are at home in the first leg - as has been tradionally the case with seeded playoffs - that will suit us. 7 points from 9 away from home against the 3 top seeds in our group is some going.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zero

clip of the headbutt in this article

http://www.the42.ie/robbie-brady-ash...39124-Oct2017/

it's a headbutt, but very minor. williams barely even notices it. not sure if that helps...

---

According to FIFA, it's okay for Williams to assault and fell Robbie off the ball with his shoulder and elbow, but they seek to investigate Robbie barely rubbing his nose on Williams' shirt?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zero

if we are at home in the first leg - as has been tradionally the case with seeded playoffs - that will suit us.

---

We were at home in the second leg against B&H, despite them being the seeded side. I think I read Dan McDonnell (on Twitter) saying it could go either way as well.

They'll place a seeded team and then an unseeded team into a third bowl and then the first team drawn out will be at home.

I don't think there is compelling evidence to support a contention that playing away first offers an advantage in these WC play offs.

A country that is heavily fancied usually does win, regardless. In other ties where the quality difference is less, the team who plays at home first is not at a disadvantage, judging by the play off results over the qualifying tournaments.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by geysir

I don't think there is compelling evidence to support a contention that playing away first offers an advantage in these WC play offs.

A country that is heavily fancied usually does win, regardless. In other ties where the quality difference is less, the team who plays at home first is not at a disadvantage, judging by the play off results over the qualifying tournaments.

---

It's certainly more advantageous in my eyes to play away in the second leg give that away goals count in ET.

Balls.ie have compiled some views of the game from the Welsh/British media here: https://www.balls.ie/football/welsh-...ction-3-375454

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

It's certainly more advantageous in my eyes to play away in the second leg give that away goals count in ET.

---

That hasn't come to pass yet in WC play offs. Only one wc play off has gone into et, the game that dare not be mentioned.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by geysir

That hasn't come to pass yet in WC play offs. Only one wc play off has gone into et, the game that dare not be mentioned.

---

Syria v Australia went into ET this morning.

This is somewhat a silly point as you can't really ignore the goal. But taking the goal out of it, was there much difference between this performance and the home game. If anything it drives home to me how small the margins are. The positive of our team is the defensive structure and solidity. We never looked like conceding. I just can't help thinking that we aren't getting the maximum football ability out of this team.

The Welsh were great hosts. The sparse ticket situation aside, I really enjoyed the trip and what an atmosphere. Reading their forums however, what a moany bunch of sore losers. Complaining about the physical nature of our game like whimps - it's laughable considering what happened in Dublin.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by geysir

That hasn't come to pass yet in WC play offs. Only one wc play off has gone into et, the game that dare not be mentioned.

---

That it hasn't come to pass in UEFA is irrelevant. The advantage still remains.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by elroy

This is somewhat a silly point as you can't really ignore the goal. But taking the goal out of it, was there much difference between this performance and the home game. If anything it drives home to me how small the margins are. The positive of our team is the defensive structure and solidity. We never looked like conceding. I just can't help thinking that we aren't getting the maximum football ability out of this team.

The Welsh were great hosts. The sparse ticket situation aside, I really enjoyed the trip and what an atmosphere. Reading their forums however, what a moany bunch of sore losers. Complaining about the physical nature of our game like whimps - it's laughable considering what happened in Dublin.

---

They are such sore losers. Always have been. Very Kiwi and Kerry-esque in their attitude.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Syria v Australia went into ET this morning.

---

To be more exact it was Australia v Syria and the home team prevailed by scoring in et.

Anyway, it's just what happens in UEFA land that matters to us and perhaps I should have mentioned I was only referring to UEFA territory WC play offs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Really enjoyed last night. We all live for the big nights and that was one of them.

---

Jeez Stutts I thought we agreed to keep that a secret?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Did anyone else spot Dublin Gaelic footballer Bernard Brogan (far-left) in the crowd-shot just as the anthem was finishing?

http://i65.tinypic.com/scz91x.png

---

Is that Steve Carell with the blue jacket on?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by elroy

This is somewhat a silly point as you can't really ignore the goal. But taking the goal out of it, was there much difference between this performance and the home game. If anything it drives home to me how small the margins are. The positive of our team is the defensive structure and solidity. We never looked like conceding. I just can't help thinking that we aren't getting the maximum football ability out of this team.

The Welsh were great hosts. The sparse ticket situation aside, I really enjoyed the trip and what an atmosphere. Reading their forums however, what a moany bunch of sore losers. Complaining about the physical nature of our game like whimps - it's laughable considering what happened in Dublin.

---

It is fine margins, if McClean had missed it would have been a totally different story.

I remember seeing the Irish player in acres of space with the goal at his mercy and I was quite relieved to see it was McClean I just felt out of all our players he was the one most likely to make sure he scored, who ever was there has just enough time to realise the importance of putting it in the back of the net, which is also just enough time to screw it up, but I think he is the type to stay calm under pressure, nerves might have got to some in that situation. He struck it perfectly though, great moment.

I was watching the game on RTE, and I have the qualifiers app installed on my phone. Just as Hendrick was closing down the ball, my phone buzzed with an alert from the app, "McClean scores!". I looked up to see the cross going into the box knowing what was about to happen! Very surreal experience.

Tight margins to be sure. Hennessy looked around for someone to throw the ball to - or he could have kicked it long. You can see him considering his options. Luckily for Ireland he threw it to Ashley Williams.
Don't buy this thing about O'Neill's tactics being somehow masterful. He always does the same thing: Eleven men behind the ball; kick it into the 'channels' and hope at some stage to score from a set piece. The only deviation from this is to throw Wes Houlihan in when we're playing Moldova, then substitute him after we score with Glenn Whelan; then back to eleven men behind the ball; kick it into the 'channels' and hope at some stage to score from a set piece. His luck will run out at some stage. It's neanderthal stuff for international football.

Just back from the game. Best vocal Irish support I've heard in a while. Both anthems spine tingling. I haven't been able to work out why or how there was a smallish enclave of Irish support in the main stand where James McClean went to at the end of the game - was that his girl friend who snogged him? Relations of the players perhaps?

A friend of mine who lives in Wales was with us. Doesn't know much about football. Of the 8 of us, he was the only one to predict 0-1 (shows that the art of predicting scores is somewhat random).

All the agony of previous defeats is worth it for nights like Monday. It now joins Keane, Long and O'Shea vs Germany, McAteer v Holland, McLean v Austria, Stuttgart and Giant Stadium and the best of them all, Gary Mackay vs Bulgaria. That's not a huge amount when you think of all the games I've been at but you travel in hope for nights like that. I heard McClean saying it means nothing if we don't qualify. You're wrong James. It means the world for the next month at least.
I won't deny that I didn't find the giving the ball away endlessly frustrating or the needless free kicks agonising but those in a way add to excitement of the night. If we had kept the ball and the Welsh never got a look-in, it wouldn't have been the excruciating 30 minutes that it was: no pleasure without pain. The first thing I did when we scored was look at the clock and then mumbled to myself "Oh God, 30 minutes to go". As the 90th minute approached, I guessed 5 minutes injury time as you could see he was adding on time for every slight delay. My mate, the one who doesn't know much about football, said with about 15 minutes to go "The Welsh are never going to score". I almost throttled him - he must be a relative of George Hamilton. He was right but he hadn't been there for the excruciating late goals that have killed us in the past, like Gelsenkirchen in 1988 when the sea of orange erupted around us for that fluke.

O'Neill got it right for this game and my worries about the play offs (home form etc) are for another day. Enjoy.