Slovakia V Republic of Ireland - Tuesday, 12th October 2010 - Euro 2012 Qualifier

It's one of those games where you won't know if it's a good result until the return game. If we beat them in Dublin, then yes it was. Any other result and it'll be seen as a missed opportunity.
Given only really had to make one save, and the midfield competed well. Gibson was better than I expected and there was an interesting comment from McGeady about him after the game that he "sees the game very well"
Keane was terrible. I can forgive the saved penalty, I can't remember the last one he missed for Ireland and he scored the one last friday to inspire the comeback. But, apart from a hard tackle to regain possession, and the miss at the far post, he was anonymous in the second half. With Long playing so well, and Doyle being a regular starter at Wolves, his position has to be under threat.

I'd drop the majority of the starters for the friendly against Norway in November, and give the fringe players (Foley, Coleman, McCarthy (??), Wilson, Walters) a chance to show what they can do.

For now, file under "games we probably would have done worse in under previous managers"

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Originally Posted by shaneker

Caps Goals
9 FW Kevin Doyle 18 September 1983 (age 27) 39 9
10 FW Robbie Keane (C) 8 July 1980 (age 30) 104 45
14 FW Shane Long 22 January 1987 (age 23) 14 4
17 FW Andy Keogh 16 May 1986 (age 24) 14 1

Yes, he is. Totally. However, I agree he shouldn't be played in November, and I agree with everything else you said.

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I think dropping him against Norway wouldn't do him any harm on a couple of levels:
- He'll realise there's other contenders for his spot
- He'll know that he will need to move in January
- He might also realise he's droppable. I don't know if that has ever been dropped for Ireland?
- It might give us a look at another captain

I thought Robbie looked tired today but against Russia he was our best player. Looked very sharp on the ball, which is why today's performance shocked me.

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Originally Posted by DeNiro

- He might also realise he's droppable. I don't know if that has ever been dropped for Ireland?

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definitely been subbed off under Trap, don't think he's been dropped

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Originally Posted by DeNiro

I think dropping him against Norway wouldn't do him any harm on a couple of levels:
- He'll realise there's other contenders for his spot
- He'll know that he will need to move in January
- He might also realise he's droppable. I don't know if that has ever been dropped for Ireland?
- It might give us a look at another captain

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Absolutely, let's look at alternatives against Norway (if nothing else, Robbie could get injured before Macedonia) but short of Long/Stokes/whoever scoring a hat-trick, in my opinion it would be absolute insanity not to have him start in the next qualifiers.

I wonder why after he scored the penalty against Russia did he not get the ball. It contrasted with Long racing into the goal after he scored Ireland's 2nd to get the ball. Is Keane's confidence that low? Is his own game more of a concern than the team? Would management have not picked up on this?

Would it be that insane to drop Keane for Macedonia if he still hadn't moved or had played very little? I suppose the same argument could be made about Shay Given?

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Originally Posted by tricky_colour

England 0 Montenegro 0. :party:

Mind you Montenegro are fifa ranked 40, not far behind us. theiir fifa ranking should hit no 1 in 18 months time at the current rate of ascent.

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;)


Can any of you please tell me is there any English fans forum?Thanks.

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Originally Posted by Montenegrin

;)


Can any of you please tell me is there any English fans forum?Thanks.

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Try the football365 forum - http://forum.football365.com/
They're pretty hardcore there, and there's little in the way of moderation, anything goes.

[QUOTE=shaneker;1411719]You're probably right - I'll revise it to a 5. I did say they were knee-jerk!

That said, I think he's getting too much stick. He did move off the ball, and he did get into goalscoring positions, he just failed to take the chances. I think you could tell that he wasn't used to playing with Long, he looks much more comfortable with Doyle, but that's only natural.

lets be honest here robbie keane for captain of rep of ireland tonight was a joke ,, barr the 3 wonderfull chances he missed what cost us 3 points his workrate / control and biggest disapointment his leadership to rest of his team was woefull he tracked backed with about 15 mins to go when we under pressure down left wing made a token leg up attempt block half slipped let his man bear down on kilbane 2 on 1 and stood and watched..:mad: he is supposed to lead team by example on tonights performance he let team down big time .. funny that shane long did not look to uncomfortable playing alongside keane and maybe robbie should take a long hard look at the workrate both doyle/ long put in when playing or maybee carrying robbie these days ..

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Originally Posted by geysir

The bench was thin, could have done with Andy Reid's bulk sitting on it

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Could be a dangerous combination. ;)

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Originally Posted by DeNiro

I'd love to see Doyle and Long together up front against Norway. They'd be a handful for anybody. Have they ever played together upfront for us? It's not something I remember, could have happened on that American tour in 2007.

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For Norway, yes I agree experimental changes should be made. However, as its a bit ironic writing this tonight, I dont think either are as natural a goalscorer as RK is.

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Originally Posted by Montenegrin

;)


Can any of you please tell me is there any English fans forum?Thanks.

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Well done on tonight Montenegrin, ye guys are really on the up

That was extremely annoying and frustrating to watch.

Slovakia were very ordinary, how they got to the WC or even beat Russia, I'll never know.

It was a good, composed, first half hour or so and we deservedly had the lead. The defending for the goal was awful. Dunne should have marked the no.4. It was quite apparent from the line up of the corner that he was the man they wanted to aim it at. Whelan was on the wrong side of him but probably wouldn't have been physically strong enough anyway.

I wouldn't be disappointed if Keane was dropped. He was awful tonight. Terrible first touch, constantly giving the ball away and never going up for a ball, always depending on a defender's mistake that would never happen. Our 3 best chances of the night fell to him, he did nothing with all of them. Start doyle and Long next time, at leats they're playing week in week out. You can see why Robbie isn't getting his game at Spurs.

We can forget about 1st but I would be extremely annoyed if we came 3rd to Slovakia. They're very ordinary and I'd even doubt that they'd get 6 points off Macedonia.

Fahey was very good, very steady and tidy. McGeady was my MOTM but Long was good too though. The 1st half was good but the 2nd was dreadful.

I don't think Robbie's work rate was his problem, just nothing came off from him apart from a couple of neat touches (his control in general was poor). He just looked short on confidence and rusty. Needs a move.

Are we the last stronghold of the 'flat back 4' in Europe?

I'm going to wait till sobreity tomorrow to give my opinion of the game but i'll say this, please stop ranting about Walters being the saviour etc. He was barely discussed last season and now that he's scored a couple for Stoke of all teams he's been lauded as the next messiah. McCarthy is another story, but Walters is nothing special and anyone who's watched him playing will see this. He's a direct Doyle replacement, Doyle is ten times the player he is. Don't let the media suck you in so much.

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Originally Posted by DeNiro

I'd love to see Doyle and Long together up front against Norway. They'd be a handful for anybody. Have they ever played together upfront for us? It's not something I remember, could have happened on that American tour in 2007.

The Norway game is important in a formative sense for us. As Stuttgart said there is a good team trying to get out of us, but it still needs a few more pieces to be a complete jigsaw. Definitely CM and LB are problems, but can anyone really see Trappatoni bring a new player in and letting them feel their way around international football while serious points are up for grabs? I doubt he will change the habits of a lifetime.

Team for Norway
1. Given (needs game time)
2. Foley (hanging around the fringes 4 years now)
3. O'Shea
4. St Ledger
5. Dunne
6. Andrews/Whelan
7. McCarthy
8. Fahey
9 Doyle
10. Long
11. Duff

Subs. Keane, Hunt, Coleman, Westwood (needs a game soon), Tracey

I'd leave Keane on the bench. He's not indispensable despite what many say. It would be no harm for him to realise that.
I wouldn't drag McGeady back from Moscow for it either.

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I'd go with...

1. Westwood
2. Foley
3. Cunningham
4. Dunne
5. St Ledger
6. Whelan
7. Walters
8. McCarthy
9. Doyle
10. Keogh
11. Duff

Subs: Murphy, Kelly, Ward, Wilson, Fahey, Long, Stokes, Murphy

I would definitely want to get Kelly, Wilson and Ward on at some point. Is there a limit on subs? If not I'd stick them on for Foley, Cunningham and Whelan at half time.

I have always thought friendlies are about seeing partnerships together. It would be good for example, to see Ward and Cunningham play on the left with Duff. Similarly, as we now know Long can replace Doyle if we ever lose him again. It would be great to know how Doyle and Keogh look together, in case we lose Robbie for a game. I am leaving Dunne in with Sledge as if the goalkeeper and fullbacks are changed, it would be good to keep the consistency of the regular centre backs, and I would like to see McCarthy in with Whelan, as it looks as if our midfield will be Whelan + one for the foreseeable future.

Happy enough with that albeit with some regret at an opportunity missed. Slovakia looked very ordinary. I think we can reasonably expect to finish above them. Macedonia games will be pivotal.

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Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

Knee jerk immediate thoughts:

- Robbie needs a move in January, his confidence is gone. One of those matches where nothing went his way, but Robbie used to make his own luck. He couldn't buy a goal tonight.
- Green isn't going to happen. For forty minutes he was a disaster with the ball at his feet, if a decent at making a few tackles. Gibson was a big improvement, even if he wasn't great, simply because he seemed to lift Whelan. It was a better combination and at least Gibson attempted to take the ball on. Whelan was better than Friday but his poor marking conceded a set-piece goal for the second game in a row. Possibly could use a move too...
- Fahey and Long played well, particularly Fahey even if he faded in the second half.
- McGeady did well too though we're still crying out for him to sort out his delivery.
- Our defence was immeasurably better albeit against poorer opposition that Russia. All four played well.
- Trap desperately needs to look into some new options against Norway, we were desperately short on the bench after only 2-3 injuries. He needs to blood a couple of players, in particular McCarthy, Wilson and possibly Walters.
- It's not over yet and we're still alive. Macedonia home and away will be crucial though.
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Fully agreed with all of that, well said.

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Originally Posted by rebelmusic

I'm going to wait till sobreity tomorrow to give my opinion of the game but i'll say this, please stop ranting about Walters being the saviour etc. He was barely discussed last season and now that he's scored a couple for Stoke of all teams he's been lauded as the next messiah. McCarthy is another story, but Walters is nothing special and anyone who's watched him playing will see this. He's a direct Doyle replacement, Doyle is ten times the player he is. Don't let the media suck you in so much.

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Agreed
He's got a lot more to do before he warrants a call-up.
Murphy and Stokes are far ahead of him at this stage in my opinion
McCarthy HAS to be called up v Norway

Robbie was Rubbish tonight, but he shouldn't be in the forward line anymore, he should be playing just behind the front two. It would give us that much more presence up front. We need a big man up front with Doyler (because as everyone saw tonight even when we played it on the floor a bit, we still opt to pump it long to set up anything in attack) and Robbie playing just behind them.

The defence is a huge concern - some of the passing and clearances were awful.

If Trap's squad was all about being a settled one before, surely now it's time to change. He needs to unsettle a few people - Whelan, Kilbane (goes without saying) and even Dunne and O'Shea are not immovable. Fahey is useful, Gibson also and I think McCarthy should be given the chance to replace Whelan. We also have to look at maximizing our potential for the remainder of this group. I think Andrews at center back or Lawrence at right back need to be tried to strengthen the back four.

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

Agreed
He's got a lot more to do before he warrants a call-up.
Murphy and Stokes are far ahead of him at this stage in my opinion
McCarthy HAS to be called up v Norway

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Have to say I disagree. I don't think anyone used the word saviour, or anything like it. He has been playing well for Stoke, and the right of midfield is not a position where we have a dearth of options. The alternatives for the Norway game are Lawrence or McGeady, and there is nothing to be learned from playing either. So why not give him a go.

The only thing I disagree with about McCarthy is that he has to start as well as be called up