Great to get the 3 points, reminded me a bit of Yerevan a few years ago, wouldnt say the performance was stellar, but hopefully we can kick on in terms of tactics.
Btw did anyone see the highlights of Hungary vs Northern Ireland? What on earth is going on with Gerry Armstrongs hair? Looks like a cat has died on his forehead...
Astana to Almaty is quite a long way :)
I'm going to outdo Paul O'Shea here. I said from the start that O'Neill is ringing the best out of McGeady.
Poles and Scots will be livid at that result.
Forde: needs a geometry lesson.
Coleman: did well for parts but not the Everton Coleman we know
O'Shea: solid enough
Wilson: looked like he was still at his brother's wedding at times but did well in parts
Ward: very solid from a guy few of us have real faith in
Whelan: I thought he was very good, easily better than...
McCarthy: was lost that far up the pitch
McGeady: quality
Quinn: I like him. Busy and proactive.
Keane: no point in picking him if we're going to play hoofball
Walters: reasonable but more hard work than quality.
Brady: sloppy in possession
Long: looks like he didn't play football growing up
O'Neill: very disappointed. Primitive tactics after their goal. Very conservative selection, especially Walters. Substitutions made too late in a game there to be won from the start of the second half. No noticeable difference from Trappatoni. Maybe not such a bad thing when we play in a Eastern Europe.
Lots of work to be done. Very happy with the win?
Can't wait for Tony O'Donoghue.
I don't think it was ever out of our control. We were just exceptionally uncreative.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
How's Greece, Sean?Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
Still in debt, Chazza!Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Agree with a lot of your assessment, particularly on McCarthy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Have to say I thought we looked far more comfortable on the ball in the first half, even if we reverted to hoofs in the second. Compared to the last couple of years under Trap, it was much better. It may only be Georgia, but dominating possession against anyone is something of a change.
Why? He fell ass backwards into a win. He was bringing on Meyler to see out the game before the goal. Throughout the second half Georgia looked likely to win the game and only didn't by virtue of the fact that their leading scorer has four goals.Quote:
Originally Posted by colonelwest
It was a disgraceful, predictable performance and the complete lack of awareness or ability to get a grip of how to make changes to get a hold on the game does not, frankly, augur well for the harder challenges to come.
If it was a halfway decent performance and he didn't make such asinine personnel and tactical decisions, he wouldn't be getting questioned.
You won't be disappointed by Tony, Stutts.
I got a bit excited when the goal went in so just seeing the replays again properly. The double drag-back was absolutely magic. Fantastic goal.
Even before the winner came I was reasonably pleased with the performance considering there was no Hoolahan or Reid artistry.
MON went for a few scrappers in the team but he's setting a decent foundation to build upon from this first game.
If a Giles team got that result away from home with that performance when he was manager, he would be doing cartwheels.
We had a good first 20 minutes and a good last 10 minutes, we can play a hell of a lot better than that and still had enough to get the 3 points without being seriously threatened at the back.
Robbie has lost a bit of crucial sharpness with his first touch.
McGeady, what a delicious winner.
Honestly, I'm not too down on the performance. Given our porous confidence, shaky defence and lack of quality, I thought there were some positives to take out of that.
Did anyone think we were going to Georgia and turn on the style? Our tactics was indistinct, our best players very average to poor. But we played a bit of football and negotiated a tough opponent. We rode our luck (like we've done every year since I became conscious of football) and got out of jail (ditto). We are not a good side at the moment, but we can improve. I'll accept the three in the expectation our players will grow into the campaign.
We were limited, but I can't agree with that. I was extremely tense for the last quarter of the game, but it wasn't because I feared Georgia were going to steal a winner. It was because I feared one wasn't going to come for us.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
Big time. Usually I'm waiting for us to concede again. This time I was just resigned to it being a dull, disheartening draw. And that's mostly because last 20, despite totally dominating Georgia, we created so very, very little. That can improve with a bit of confidence and sharp training.Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
Care to sum it up in a word? A sentence?Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Don't feel quite as negative as others. Controlled most of the game, looked good in first half hour or so. Less hoofball, tried to be creative at times, made plenty of chances, and took two of them.
But certainly a lot that could have been done better. Too conservative after the goal, which had unpleasant similarities to Trap era. Struggled to keep a proper formation going in the second, lacked pace down the left all the time, crossing was terrible, lots of individual errors in the last 20 minutes. I still think we deserved the three points based on possession and general attacking impetus, but no one is going to be very scared of Ireland going forward. Very frustrating game to watch, Georgia remarkably quick to put 11 men behind the ball, and their defenders were far faster than our attackers when Ireland had any kind of break on.
Forde, maybe saw the shot too late, but certainly should have done better. Expecting interminable Given debate to pick up legs now, unfortunately. Not impressed with Ward or Coleman going down the wings, could beat their men but the supply was terrible. O'Shea was solid enough, Wilson a little less.
McGeady positioned himself well for the first and turned smartly for the second, but apart from that he was driving me mad with the poor pass choices, the lack of speed, the bad crossing etc. Quinn was handy, some good long balls and applied himself. McCarthy was there, but lacked any real impact. Whelan did far better, first time I've been really impressed with him for a while. Brady did little when he came on.
Upfront, Keane was slow, frequently found himself surrounded, and badly fluffed his one real chance. Amazing what playing against a half-decent defence can do for an MLS superstar. Wasn't impressed with Walters, work down the right wasn't great and the yellow was stupid. Long offered very little coming on.
I'm willing to applaud a win and look ahead. First competitive game, squad still adapting to the new way of things, lessons to be learned. I think they can get better. They'll have to.
I'll agree with that. I just don't think that's the same as controlling the game.Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
But we know Tbilisi's a tricky place to go to. Let's see if Poland and Scotland can win there.
Other two group games kicking off shortly.
I have to say I'm reasonably happy also. Until in or around the equaliser we looked like a proper team on the road away from home, got a goal, in control and passing the ball around well. The home crowd were getting frustrated. Georgia got a fine equaliser which knocked us back. Neither team really took the initiative from there but I didn't feel we'd lose it at any stage either.
Would have liked to see some subs earlier in the 2nd half. It took a moment of quality to pull us through but its a positive start. Gibraltar at home next up, should record a good win and hopefully get something in Scotland and we'll be in a good position going into the new year.
Hopefully Germany are fully focused tonight, could do with them not dropping any points against the others. Gibraltar are sure to have their best performance tonight, will be interesting to see how long they can hold out against Poland.
I'll say this. I'm far happier about that late win in the opening group game then I was with the Azerbaijan result under Trap two years ago.
Im finding it very hard to be upbeat after that game, a bit of genius from McGeady covered up what I thought was an awful peformance.
I was so excited following the appointment of MON but it was just more of the same old rubbish.
We look good at time when we get the ball on the ground and play so why the F*** do we revert to hoof ball so often.
Walters playing on the wing is astonishing. He has no pace and very little footballing ability. Robbie running around after long balls is a total waste of him.
Of course Im delighted with the 3 points but it was in spite of the team selection and tactics rather than because of it. Why were the subs left so late?
Onwards and hopefully upwards but it really feels like its still Trap in charge at the moment
I believe the thinking behind Walters is to get some height and ballast in the team somewhere. He also was under instructions to hare into the box for crosses, which were largely rubbish. It isn't totally illogical.
But I agree, I'd put the Walters-on-the-wing craic in the bin and try something else.
Kazakhstan, you mean? :pQuote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter