Cyprus V Republic of Ireland - Saturday, 5th September 2009 - World Cup 2010 Q

im fecking wrecked after that, poor performance, really looked like the long ball Jack era all over again. Didnt really work at any stage of the game. Although we created a few decent chances, its ironic that our best passing phase of the game was straight after we scored we played the ball around and maintained possession well.......the only time in the game as well.

Havent double checked this, but looks like results have gone our way today, particularly the hungary result.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FI...d-placed_teams

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Originally Posted by MeathDrog

Will we beat a half decent team over 2 legs?


No.

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Actually. Yes. We will bore them to death in a footabll sense. I really mean that. This old style Italian stuff is misunderstood. It is awful to watch when not played by purists. But effective when half played by our current squad.

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Originally Posted by tricky_colour

Cyprus can be a real problem at home they have taken points off better teams than us I will list them later!

Later...Germany 1:1, Ireland 5:2 Wales 1:0 :)

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we'll be playing better teams than Cyprus in the playoff and/or world cup. We have the players to be putting teams like Cyprus away with minimum fuss. Certainly if we're expecting to actually win a game in South Africa.

Robbie Keane eircom man of the match? :p That just says it all really.

On another note, I wonder are any of the lads banging the Italian translator? Surely :D

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Originally Posted by elroy

Havent double checked this, but looks like results have gone our way today, particularly the hungary result.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FI...d-placed_teams

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Ya, things went OK around Europe for us today.

I just can't figure us out though. We looked awful for most of the game tonight but we're still somehow grinding out the results all the same.

On one side, the pitch was awful, the atmosphere was crap, its a tricky place to go and I'd have gladly taken any sort of win before kick-off. Didn't see any yellow cards either.

But still, you worry that we will eventually br found out the way we're playing. Clearly Trap sees we've got no centre midfield and we're just skipping it with long balls, but its hard to see that changing anytime soon so we're going to be stuck with this gameplan. Just awful to watch.

[QUOTE=SkStu;1226277]we'll be playing better teams than Cyprus in the playoff and/or world cup. We have the players to be putting teams like Cyprus away with minimum fuss. Certainly if we're expecting to actually win a game in South Africa.[/QUOT

I completely agree. We looked like a strangers team for a lot of the game. But we won. And I expect Bulgaria to beat Italy on Wednesday comfortably throwing this group wide open.

I wish there was Ctrl [X] function on my computer I could just press to save me typing "there's not much wrong with this team that a good central midfield wouldn't rectify".

I like the two lads and Whelan nearly scored a belter and Andrews set up Doyle's goal, but CM was just non-existent tonight, doing none of what a functional CM would do.

I vividly recall typing that CM was fully functional away to Norway. That's a long time ago.

Watching the RTE analysis - come on Owls Fan and the rest, tell me it wasn't spot on - I think Souness as manager and Reid and Reid in CM and we'd be much better than we are.

It's ok to say that Whelan & Andrews are making us less porous but if we could actually hang on to the ball and actually cause a threat to the opposition then we'd be in better shape.

That said, 2-1 Ireland. Better than 5-2 to Cyprus. Job done. Next...

really happy with win and im not gonna go into the performance. we are muck really. i'd say shels could have put on a better performance against that cyprus team than ireland did tonight. difference is they probably wouldn't have won because they don't have a keane, duff or doyle but yeah just poor but the results what matter.

also wtf is up with a poor crowd for cyprus? why are the crowds apathetic towards national team but yet the league gets healthy attendances?


by the way the exuse that we don't have the players doesn't wash against a team like cyprus. they should be able to dominate games.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I wish there was Ctrl [X] function on my computer I could just press to save me typing "there's not much wrong with this team that a good central midfield wouldn't rectify".

I like the two lads and Whelan nearly scored a belter and Andrews set up Doyle's goal, but CM was just non-existent tonight, doing none of what a functional CM would do.

I vividly recall typing that CM was fully functional away to Norway. That's a long time ago.

Watching the RTE analysis - come on Owls Fan and the rest, tell me it wasn't spot on - I think Souness as manager and Reid and Reid in CM and we'd be much better than we are.

It's ok to say that Whelan & Andrews are making us less porous but if we could actually hang on to the ball and actually cause a threat to the opposition then we'd be in better shape.

That said, 2-1 Ireland. Better than 5-2 to Cyprus. Job done. Next...

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Almost completely agree. But Whelan and Andrews tonight did their jobs. They can't do the Andy Reid or Chippy Brady(unfortunately). But for me they really did their jobs. I was ****ed of with most of the rest of the team. (Given excluded). I'm depressed about today in all reality. Afraid of selling the soul to qualify. But thankully still shallow enough to ignore all such ****!

Trap pretty much said the same about CM tonight.
It's an unplugged game plan.

Great to celebrate a lovely winner and also for the fans out there.

I was singing Dunne's praises earlier this week / month. He was clumsy, awkward and downright unprofessional at times tonight.

Definetly, I said to my dad that I can see why Man City sold him. Souness was right what he said after about how he's a step away from being a top defender.

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Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

I was ****ed of with most of the rest of the team. (Given excluded).

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Yeah, but it's a CM's job to show to the back 4 for the ball. A CMer is typically the guy with a gift for football. He has the vision, the first touch & the ability to protect the ball and come away with it under pressure. We don't have that. If we did, the players you berate for not playing well enough would have played better. Instead the back 4 hoofed it all night.

Billsthoughts, whare are you and what would your Spanish mate think?

Still happy though :)

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Yeah, but it's a CM's job to show to the back 4 for the ball. A CMer is typically the guy with a gift for football. He has the vision, the first touch & the ability to protect the ball and come away with it under pressure. We don't have that. If we did, the players you berate for not playing well enough would have played better. Instead the back 4 hoofed it all night.

Billsthoughts, whare are you and what would your Spanish mate think?

Still happy though :)

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This is it. What happened today? It is almost unbelievable. Dunne seemed like he was lost. O'Shea the same. As for Kilbane! But we pulled through. And I am delighted.

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Originally Posted by SkStu

we'll be playing better teams than Cyprus in the playoff and/or world cup. We have the players to be putting teams like Cyprus away with minimum fuss. Certainly if we're expecting to actually win a game in South Africa.

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Italy only beat them 2:1 in Cyprus so maybe they are as worried as us?

they should be - theyve been terrible too!

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I was singing Dunne's praises earlier this week / month. He was clumsy, awkward and downright unprofessional at times tonight.

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Dunne has really gone off form. Maybe he needs a club manager who believes in him. Ever since Mark Hughes won the lottery he has undermined Dunnes confidence.

I really hope Dunne can get back to the player he was 12/18 months ago.

I know im gonna be jumped on for saying this, but Jamie O'Hara would really do well in that midfield.

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

Ya, things went OK around Europe for us today.

I just can't figure us out though. We looked awful for most of the game tonight but we're still somehow grinding out the results all the same.

On one side, the pitch was awful, the atmosphere was crap, its a tricky place to go and I'd have gladly taken any sort of win before kick-off. Didn't see any yellow cards either.

But still, you worry that we will eventually br found out the way we're playing. Clearly Trap sees we've got no centre midfield and we're just skipping it with long balls, but its hard to see that changing anytime soon so we're going to be stuck with this gameplan. Just awful to watch.

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I think Duff got a second yellow?

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Originally Posted by tricky_colour

I think Duff got a second yellow?

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I don't think so. From my recollection and according to the FIFA website Folan was the only Irish player booked tonight.