Yeah, that doesn't make sense. I don't buy the "He wanted to see him in real life" excuse.
But look, much and all as we're stuck for strikers, I don't think another L1 option is going to be a huge difference to what we have, so not the end of the world.
Don't understand the reason Keane was called up. I assumed it was to give him some game time against Qatar. Or maybe Kenny thinks our goal scoring problems are over after scoring 3 against a dodgy keeper.
Maybe he wants to keep the rest of the squad sweet and not just include Johnny come lately in the match day squad on his first show-up.
If Collins, Connolly or even Idah were that concerned about losing their place in the squad, they probably could scored more than one goal in 26 appearances between them.
https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status...053260807?s=20
It looks like:
Kelleher
Omobamidele Duffy Egan
Doherty Hourihane Hendrick Stevens
Ogbene McGrath
Robinson
I like that team. I'd like to have seen Knight and Collins start and Hourihane not start.
If that's a flat 2 in midfield hourihane is going to have to show more legs than he has before for usQuote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
not picking on you Tets but more the general theme of pointlessness that has been bandied about regarding Will Keane's call up since it was announced... what would make it non-pointless (pointful? pointly? :))Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
There is a lot to be said for calling up #25 as "someone to take a closer look at" without having any intention of giving game time to. It seems a bit nit-picky for people to be criticising SK for calling up some fringe players for a closer look, to get to know, to start integrating with the squad etc. It would only be a negative thing if he had replaced someone (a) playing in the same position and (b) more meritous. I'm having a hard time seeing who that is.
However, i would like to see him comment on WK's impact during camp etc.
HoganQuote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
You think Hogan and Keane are similar players and in direct competition? I don’t.
Hogan is more of a #9, a striker in the Collins mould; I see Parrott and Keane more in competition as #10’s - more like McGoldrick.
Fair point. Mcholdrock was very underwhelming in his initial games for us. That night we won in Austria je was horrific when he came on missed a terrible tackle on halfway that led to great chance for themQuote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
Interesting set piece to start. I think Hourihane was meant to put it in first time. If he does Egan has made a brilliant move around the back and is completely unmarked. Hopefully won't be a sign of things to come from Hourihane.
Ambassador, with these goals you are really spoiling us... 😀
Robinson again. Becoming a bit of a talisman. Now to push on and hopefully get another couple.Quote:
Originally Posted by passinginterest
Genuinely excellent so far. Maybe Qatar are really bad, but a bit of confidence counts for so much.
Opposition aside thats the best 12 mins of football from an Irish side since Italy in 2016
Qatar are really bad.Quote:
Originally Posted by passinginterest
But feck it, we were playing really bad teams earlier in the year and not beating them, so you can't really argue against this.
A competent forward and a bit of luck make a big difference
We played good football before Kenny? Why I never!?!!Quote:
Opposition aside thats the best 12 mins of football from an Irish side since Italy in 2016
A decent start no doubt but Qatar are poor and we've been found missing in midfield when they go over the top or play through. Similar to first half especially against Luxembourg. But looking forward to seeing it in November and whether we concede from similar positions
My thoughts also, I said the same after the Azerbaijan game.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
You can only play the team in front of you, and at least in the last two games, we are making crap teams look like crap, instead of struggling against them.
It's definitely a worry that the hole between the midfield and back three with will be exposed by a quality team. As PO'S said, you can still see it at times here, even when we're generally so comfortable in the game. Hopefully tempo doesn't continue dropping and we can put another 2 or 3 past them.
Hourhan doing his best to get on the missing list again. Hendrick is doing the work for both of them. Not sure how he gets away with it Hourihane.
Yeah Qatar are a genuinely awful side.
It's like a training game for the last 10 minutes of the half. No pressure on the ball at all from Qatar. They are dreadful tbh. Ireland are, if anything, so comfortable they are getting a little casual - there were some risky/silly flicks they (hopefully) wouldn't try against better opposition.
All that said, there have still been two or three moments when they are suddenly running at our back three and are just a composed pass away from a 1-on-1 with the keeper. They don't have that quality or composure, but others do.
They are going to get creamed out of it at the World Cup next year.Quote:
Originally Posted by centre mid
Qatar are awful but we're battering them. This is what I thought the Kenny era was going to be like. Really going for it, probably leaving gaps at the back and having high scoring matches. Obviously it never happened until a change recently.
Ogbene had a poor half, not sure if he's up to this level. Hendrick has been excellent. Really proving the doubters wrong.
Duffy really needs to step into midfield when they break on us in the middle. That's what you arebplaying the 3 forQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Hat-trick!
First one since Keane against Gibraltar?
When Duffy is skipping past a couple of defenders and then staying up front, you realise how bad Qatar are
This is nice. Lovely goal.
Smashing goal
He's a very clever player Robinson all the same. Bit dim off the pitch.
Man, Qatar being Asian Champions you'd think they'd be, well, better. But they look like they want to be anywhere else. Good for the old confidence levels this one.
Nice free header there while they were off fouling everyone else.
This is like the Oman games of old
This game is nicely set up for Horgan and McClean to run at them now
Why? That's not how his teams have ever set up. They didn't concede much at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by BOOMSHAKALAKA
Wiki tells me this is Qatar's 16th game this year, with five more to come. They've won most of them, albeit against limited enough opposition - Luxembourg and Honduras probably their best victories - but will now have lost their last six in a row. I was one of those who thought they would be a much bigger challenge in these matches, but they're painfully limited out there.
Maybe we should apply to join CONCACAF or the AFC!
Can I also say that I still find it surreal, in a good way, to see a former Limerick FC player playing for Ireland in 2021. Another good show from Ogbene tonight.
Duffys middle name is AndreaQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Pfft, I first seen him play for Cork City u 19's, against our local junior team in a pre season friendly. One of those players that looked like a lazy so and so.. until the ball came within five yards of him.. and boom he exploded.. scored a couple or more that eveningQuote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
His touch isn't the best.. but he's fast, lightening fast, and that's some weapon to have in your armoury at any level
He could turn out to be a massive addition to the side
There's a touch of the Michail Antonio about him. Players can dramatically improve facets of their games. He might do so. Duffy, for example, has looked much better on the ball at Premiership and international level this past couple of months. Confidence deserted him at Celtic and he looked like he had a permanent dose of the yips. Tonight, he's been comfortable but all in the other games.Quote:
Originally Posted by Insidetherock
Ogbene has a few strong traits. And he seems like an intelligent guy. Hopefully he can be one of those stories of players that make serous progression in their late 20s.
That Nathan Collins is a savage passer. It's hard to know what he's missing.
Well I wasn't expecting barely being able to score a goal and not getting at teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by ontheotherhand