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

p.s. I'd prefer a song with words something like "James McClean's a f####ng goal machine" than the current one doing the round which involves the head of State of the UK, including Wales. I am not sure many of the people singing the song realised how offensive that was to many Welsh people. It was also sung on the plane going home and at least two of the cabin crew were from the UK or perhaps I am just being a bit PC, although it does hark back to the days of a similar song involving Michael Fagan and the same person and their alleged intimate relationship!

Arter and Meyler interviewed on NewsTalk last night: https://cdn.radiocms.net/media/012/a...audio_file.mp3

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

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 McLean went to at the end of the game - was that his girl friend who snogged him? Relations of the players perhaps?

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That's his wife, Erin McClean (with a capital C :)). - http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-36212231.html

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

p.s. I'd prefer a song with words something like "James McClean's a f####ng goal machine" than the current one doing the round which involves the head of State of the UK, including Wales. I am not sure many of the people singing the song realised how offensive that was to many Welsh people. It was also sung on the plane going home and at least two of the cabin crew were from the UK or perhaps I am just being a bit PC, although it does hark back to the days of a similar song involving Michael Fagan and the same person and their alleged intimate relationship!

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It was sung over and over during the match, particularly after the goal, and was also sung on the streets of Cardiff. It's very widely-sung. I abstain from singing it but I reckon it's as loud as many of our other chants.

Wish we could have, as a group of supporters, come up with something that actually pays tribute to and demonstrates our appreciation for James' tireless workrate and goals. What's currently being sung doesn't do that- it just undermines the stances James has taken in relation to certain things i.e. the poppies.

That song and the Fields of Athenry are two songs I refrain from taking any part in. Both are pure dirge.

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

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?

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I assumed that was family and friends of the players, as that was his wife Erin that he embraced.

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As the 90th minute approached, I guessed 5 minutes injury time as you could see he was adding on time for every slight delay.

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The amount of stoppage time added on was ridiculous. Totally unwarranted. Where did the five minutes come from? And about eight minutes were eventually played. A cynic might think they were trying to help Bale along to a World Cup, although I do have to say that the ref was really poor for both sides.

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Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

The amount of stoppage time added on was ridiculous. Totally unwarranted. Where did the five minutes come from? And about eight minutes were eventually played. A cynic might think they were trying to help Bale along to a World Cup, although I do have to say that the ref was really poor for both sides.

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5 mins was called and just over 6 played.
In fairness to the ref we did waste a bit of time at the end and from memory we had two players (arter and hendrick I think) go down with cramp. one of Randolph or duffy was also booked for time wasting

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Originally Posted by jbyrne

5 mins was called and just over 6 played.

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You sure? I was pretty certain it went deep into a seventh minute. Meyler was booked in the sixth added minute and there was a bit more played after that. The BBC had full-time at 90'+7' in their live text updates: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41464154

I thought Martin could have used up the third substitution to kill some further time.

Some other interesting stats from the BBC:

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Originally Posted by BBC

• Wales have won just one of their past 11 matches against the Republic of Ireland (W1 D4 L6) and none of the past eight.
• This victory means the Republic end the 2018 World Cup qualifiers unbeaten away from home, winning three out of five matches.
• This was Wales' first competitive home defeat since September 2013, ending an unbeaten run of 10 matches (W6 D4 L0).
• McClean scored his fourth goal of this qualification campaign, finishing as the Republic's top goalscorer.
• All four of McClean's goals came in the second half of away matches.
• McClean scored the winning goal in three times - without his goals the Republic would have been six points worse off.
• This game saw 58 aerial duels contested - the most in a single game during European qualifying for Russia 2018.

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And a graph showing the average positions of our players over 90 minutes:

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps...28_capture.png

We weren't as stuck in our own half as we'd been against Georgia in Tbilisi. We also had a bit more width on Monday night.

I wouldn’t be complaining about that Ref . McClean could have had two yellows . He got the Joe Allen accidental collision correct . He missed the accidental head collision of Brady:) .

Ok , I thought the Daryl Murphy yellow was wrong . He certainly did not do it on purpose .

Had we been Wales we would have expected 5 minutes of injury time .

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Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

The amount of stoppage time added on was ridiculous. Totally unwarranted. Where did the five minutes come from? And about eight minutes were eventually played. A cynic might think they were trying to help Bale along to a World Cup, although I do have to say that the ref was really poor for both sides.

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I thought the ref was decent enough and, if anything, we definitely came out the better side of it, especially early on. We escaped a couple of yellows which a fussier referee might have given.

I remember Robbie Brady going through the back of Ben Davies a couple of minutes after Allen's deserved yellow for one. It was his second foul as well so I was expecting the yellow to come out. Christie was a bit clumsy and late going into a challenge with Andy King also. McClean and/or Meyler weren't booked either for the Joe Allen incident. McClean, in particular, might have been a little guilty here! Hard to know if he meant the nudge to cause harm but it definitely put Allen in a vulnerable position. Arter swung the leg at Lawrence as well, breaking up a quick counter attack after he had taken a heavy touch.

I can't really remember all the specifics, but I was expecting a decent amount of injury time too. Hendrick and Arter were both down for a while, as was Ben Davies. Clark & Randolph were both booked for time wasting. I think if the shoe was on the other foot we'd absolutely expect the referee to add a decent amount of time for these transgressions. The first minute at least was taken up with the Daryl Murphy substitution, as he made his way across from the other side of the pitch. Then McClean kicked Ramsey in the stomach after that!

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

I thought the ref was decent enough and, if anything, we definitely came out the better side of it, especially early on. We escaped a couple of yellows which a fussier referee might have given.

I remember Robbie Brady going through the back of Ben Davies a couple of minutes after Allen's deserved yellow for one. It was his second foul as well so I was expecting the yellow to come out. Christie was a bit clumsy and late going into a challenge with Andy King also. McClean and/or Meyler weren't booked either for the Joe Allen incident. McClean, in particular, might have been a little guilty here! Hard to know if he meant the nudge to cause harm but it definitely put Allen in a vulnerable position. Arter swung the leg at Lawrence as well, breaking up a quick counter attack after he had taken a heavy touch.

I can't really remember all the specifics, but I was expecting a decent amount of injury time too. Hendrick and Arter were both down for a while, as was Ben Davies. Clark & Randolph were both booked for time wasting. I think if the shoe was on the other foot, we'd absolutely expect the referee to add a decent amount of time for these transgressions. The first minute at least was taken up with the Daryl Murphy substitution, as he made his way across from the other side of the pitch. Then McClean kicked Ramsey in the stomach after that!

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I was with you on this. I groaned when I saw 5, more from a "I want the game over ASAP" pov rather than any sort of "the ref is doing us here" feeling.

Are yellow cards wiped for the playoffs?

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Originally Posted by IsMiseSean

Are yellow cards wiped for the playoffs?

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Says they still count on Wiki so...maybe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_F...3_UEFA_Group_D

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Originally Posted by seanfhear

He missed the accidental head collision of Brady:)

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I still haven't seen that. foot.ie verdict?

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Originally Posted by KrisLetang

Says they still count on Wiki so...maybe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_F...3_UEFA_Group_D

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That seems to suggest suspensions carry into the playoffs, hence why Meyler is suspended for the first leg. It doesn't say that players already on a yellow carry them into the playoff rounds.
All our back five are currently on yellows.

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Originally Posted by Straightstory

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.

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Actually if you watch the video, it is Hendrick who points out Williams to the keeper!!


Here at about 7 seconds. Pretty stupid, a keeper taking directions from the opposition, but blame on Williams too, he could have done better
there and made it easier for the keeper to release the ball.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KueXCT9VA-Y

Williams was poor even after the event.

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Originally Posted by tricky_colour

Actually if you watch the video, it is Hendrick who points out Williams to the keeper!!


Here at about 7 seconds. Pretty stupid, a keeper taking directions from the opposition, but blame on Williams too, he could have done better
there and made it easier for the keeper to release the ball.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KueXCT9VA-Y

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You could say that 3 welsh player performed badly for that goal . Probably not good for them psychologically . You’d wonder if Ashley Williams is fully fit at the moment . Apparently he has not been playing well for Everton this season either .

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Originally Posted by tricky_colour

Actually if you watch the video, it is Hendrick who points out Williams to the keeper!!


Here at about 7 seconds. Pretty stupid, a keeper taking directions from the opposition, but blame on Williams too, he could have done better
there and made it easier for the keeper to release the ball.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KueXCT9VA-Y

Williams was poor even after the event.

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I don't think Hendrick is pointing out Williams to the keeper....I believe he's signalling to teammates behind him that he is marking Williams and is aware that he's there so they don't double up.

Of course I could be wrong. Thanks for sharing the video though. Great moment and what a strike.

I agree. Surely we are past this sort of chip on the shoulder stuff.

I can see why there might be some references to the various political controversies he has been involved in as part of a hypothetical song but the one being sung about him isn't remotely subtle.

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Originally Posted by IsMiseSean

That seems to suggest suspensions carry into the playoffs, hence why Meyler is suspended for the first leg. It doesn't say that players already on a yellow carry them into the playoff rounds.
All our back five are currently on yellows.

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I'm sorry Sean i don't see anything about it in here.

http://resources.fifa.com/mm/documen...en_neutral.pdf