against Italy in Euro 2016
against Italy in Euro 2016
To be honest, he was good throughout the Euros - Sweden, Italy and France games anyway. Also, the germany win. He was tenacious in that game...
I think he's right to focus on getting fit. He hasn't been involved with the squad due to injuries and has had a few very bad injuries. Palace pay his wages at the end of the day and probably took a gamble on him so he's repaying that faith.
Horrible mistakes from Steven's and egan there
Great goal mcgoldrick lovely from stevens
Disallowed by VAR, FFS
Doherty starts today after his injury scare last week. Clark getting game time and goals, Egan, Stevens and McGoldrick all flying, and Duffy and Connolly starting today. I don't know if Hendrick started but he was in the action on MOTD in a 3-0 win over West Ham, and O'Dowda looked good playing in an advanced central role for BC in their smash & grab win at Cardiff.
Doherty a real attacking threat from wing back today, just as Stevens is. Damn right we have the players for 352.
And then there's our forwards. Connolly and McGoldrick looks like it could be a match made in heaven. Instead, we will have McClean on the left and Brady or Robinson on the right with McGoldrick busting a gut trying to fend off defenders for long enough for our 8s and wide players to get close to him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
https://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/mick...-connolly-scan that's Connolly out most likely if groin was painful enough to have to come off
Start Parrott against the Kiwis and wrap Connolly in cotton wool I til Denmark game
Ring the Shane Long sirenQuote:
Originally Posted by liamoo11
Mick has really been cursed for injuries throughout this campaign - Keogh, Clark, McCarthy, Brady, Long, McGoldrick, Obafemi and now Connolly, just as he was settling inQuote:
Originally Posted by liamoo11
No doubt MON was immediately on the blower to Age the Danish manager, challenging his (frank and open ) comments about the upcoming match.
"No," said the Norwegian when asked if he was confident about beating Ireland again.
"Ireland are a much stronger team in this campaign. They are very difficult to break down and hit you late, as they did to us in Copenhagen.
"I was just surprised how open the team were in the World Cup play-off. This is a different team under a different manager.
"They don't score many goals but don't concede many either. It will not be an easy game."
connolly ruled out...
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2019...nish-showdown/
On the earlier Westwood comments, his time was during the Euros in Poland when he was at the top of his game and nominated the best goalie in the Championship. Alas Trap went with an unfit Given and the rest is history. Westwood was directly responsible for the 2 goals Wednesday conceded at the weekend by screwing up on two crosses: dropping one and misjudging another in the 94th minute :( He's still capable of world class saves but also horrendous gaffs I am afraid.
On the game itself: can history repeat itself ? Germany came to town and utterly stuffed us and on their next visit, we won. The Danes, I am cautiously optimistic. We did ok on their turf and I think we're due a big night at Lansdowne. A last minute goal by McGoldrick or someone with the prefix Mc will do. I'll take an early goal of course but I'd need to take my diapers with me in those circumstances :)
Appreciate Brady's comments today. Hopefully the memory of the 5-1 will be a badly needed motivation to fire the players up.
The Swiss just scraped by Georgia yesterday so at least we don’t have to win by two, but I think we’ll need to score more than once to win. We haven’t had a decent performance in any of the group games yet that I can remember so it’ll take our best outing yet to do it, On the plus side, all of the Sheff Utd boys have found their stride, Clarke (if he plays) and Duffy are a goal threat, and there’s a couple of peripheral players in good form. On the downside......James McLean. He’s an honest lad but it has to be incredibly demoralising as a teammate to work hard to get the ball back just to see him kicking it to touch. Not to totally slag him off but he also missed major chances to put us two nil up against France at the euros and Denmark at home in the 5-1.
I just wonder if Denmark needing a only a draw might mean they might start off cagey and give us a bit more possession than we’re used to.
With the play-off picture almost complete, which play-off path looks most promising? The League A path with Iceland and two from Bulgaria, Israel and Hungary, beginning with a home semi-final; or The League B path with Bosnia-Herzegovina and two from Wales, Slovakia and Northern Ireland, beginning with a semi-final away from home?
They both look harder to navigate than a one off home game against Denmark.
Thanks for the note on the goal difference. I was wondering that. I think a fair few players are on form currently so there is that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fizzer
On James.. I love his work ethic but I think the capabilities of the squad around him has overtaken him at this stage of his career.
We have this habit of hanging onto players because they might have a moment of magic every 5 games. I'd prefer to try out some youngster than give lads the impression they just need to show up. Also we might strike gold in terms of a young mentality giant who is up to it and can keep pace with ball control.
league A. Wales and I guess Bosnia will have too much for us. Also as u said in path B we are awayQuote:
Originally Posted by samhaydenjr
Aren't we almost certain to be in the B path, due to the host nations clause?
Why would Wales and Bosnia have too much for us? We have beaten both very recently in competitive football.Quote:
Originally Posted by Diggs246
I looked at the Wales team for last night. Hennessy, Davies, Mepham, Lockyer, Roberts, Ampadu, Morrell, James, Wilson, Bale and Kieffer Moore. Aside from James and Bale (and Ramsay who came in) they are terribly mediocre or inexperienced. Stevens and Coleman are also very good full backs and you could double McClean up with Stevens also to mitigate Bale. I don't understand why anyone would say that side "will have too much for us." It's only 3 years since we put Bosnia to the sword and they are sitting behind in Greece and Armenia in their group and were beaten 3-0 at home by Italy the other night. What is your rationale on guessing that they would beat us as well?
Wales have better players then us, some of their players are actually near world class, playing for Man utd, Chelsea, Juve and Real Madrid and the last time we played them they murdered us.. full blown murdered us . We will be playing them away in wales as well, so as I live on planet earth I believe they have too much for us.Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
Granted Bosnia is less clear but again we would be playing them away and they have players playing top level football across Europe. You failed to mention that in recent history they beat N. Ireland both home and away. They beat Austria and killed Finland. World beaters they are not but as things stand they are better then us.
Based on that post I would say that you're the heart and soul of any parties you attend on "planet Earth."
well if we do somehow win tonight, there will be a party in my pantsQuote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
byrne and parrott make the bench for tonight.
Callum O'Dowda and Scott Hogan miss out. surprised at the odowda decision tbh
I have been a big fan of O'Dowda but he is one of those that Flatters to Deceive . He has been around it now quite a bit and hasn’t produced the goods .Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
It also means McLean is sure to start
https://twitter.com/OCowzer/status/1...910974976?s=19
No midfield experiment tonight anyway.
Interesting to see that pair make way. They both came in against Switzerland. I agree with the decision but I'm just a bit surprised.
A few of the top seeds/fancied teams struggled to win their group qualification deciders, but all came through in the end. Our game must be the one which provides the one obligatory upset.
I actually thought they both did well when they came on against the Swiss so fair play to Mick for not being afraid to change things.
I think it’s the right call.
Dan McDonnell piece in the Indo Playoff permutations.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
If we end up in the playoffs and Wales win - we'll be away to Slovakia.
If Wales draw - we have to go to Cardiff.
It gets complicated if Wales lose.
I wonder will Mick play Robinson and McGoldrick up top with them both interchanging between the no.9 and no.10 positions
Good to have the focus on winning tonight's game rather than the play-off consolation option.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fixer82
I'd certainly have kept O'Dowda in the squad. Based on Brady's performance on Thursday, I might prefer O'Dowda coming on out wide if the game opens up
Collins would have been the one to go for me. With McGoldrick, Robinson, Maguire, Parrott there's enough firepower.
Quote:
Originally Posted by IsMiseSean
Dale Johnson on twitter for espn writes a lot about this too. Says he’ll be shocked if UEFA let Ireland out of Path B.
It’s not the opposition that really concerns me. It’s more that we give up home advantage if stuck in Path B.
Whoever drawn into Path A will at least have home advantage.
Anyway, win tonight and an added bonus is we might get home advantage vs Spain at the Finals.