Decent crowd. Shows what decent ticket prices will do.
Decent crowd. Shows what decent ticket prices will do.
It's just like watching Brazil (v. Germany)
Change of keeper has been great for Gibraltar!
We've offered nothing in the final third since Hoolahan and Keane went off. If Doyle and Murphy can't make an impression here then I despair for them.
Ireland subs and introduction of keeper who doesn't look petrified every time the ball comes near him have changed dynamic of game somewhat. Wouldn't be surprised to see no more goals.
In fairness, other players performances have deteriorated at the same time and Gibraltar have been presented with 4 or 5 chances of their own now so you can't lay it all on their feet.Quote:
Originally Posted by Supreme feet
Long probably should have came on.
Am I the only one disappoined with how this has ended?
Don't think you could say we've really learned anything too useful out of that. No one played badly. Keane, Hoolahan, McClean and Ward the best I thought. Gibraltar looked a fair bit better in last twenty minutes, but still going nowhere fast on the basis of the whole game, woefully unprepared for this level. On to Germany.
Keane now the highest scorer in Euro qualifying history.
The lads really stopped playing after the seventh goal. Pity - we should have beaten the record tonight.
A few little gripes - Wilson was alarmingly bad whenever Gibraltar attacked, and O'Shea lost a few 50-50s too. And it's clear that Hoolahan is absolutely essential; we offer very little in the final third without him. Compared to Keane's movement and sharpness in the first twenty minutes, Doyle and Murphy looked very limited both on and off the ball. Yes, they didn't have great service with Hoolahan off, but against the worst team in Europe, and a tired defence at that, they should have caused more problems.
Robbie Keane plays himself into the Germany game with a hat-trick against policemen, firemen and male strippers when, perhaps, his performance in the Georgia game would have been a greater indicator of who should get the nod against Germany.
Really need Long's mobility against Germany. We aren't going to get a bottomless well of chances set up on a silver platter in Gelsenkirchen so it's important we have his pace, energy, hold up play and ability to drop into midfield and add numbers while retaining the spring to properly utilise the counter attack. Hoolahan too has proven he is essential, can get physical and has linked up well with Long in the past.
As others have said, Keane, Hoolahan and their keeper going off changed the game.
Three points; no real negatives. Pretty much as expected. Nice to have matched Poland's score against them.
On to the next game so.
18,500 according to Sky Sports Live Centre.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
I would agree that Keane's effectiveness is limited to games where we dominate possession (which are few and far between), and I have a slight suspicion that O'Neill was resting Long so he can properly run himself into the ground on Tuesday. However, Long was absolutely septic when he came on against Georgia. The most worrying thing was that he didn't even look bothered. That's a big problem, as his game is all about enthusiasm and effort. I'm very disheartened by our striker stocks at the moment.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
I'd love an in-form, confident and motivated Long starting for us ahead of Keane. But I'm not sure that's the case at the moment.
Why was our goal early in the second half ruled out btw? Couldn't really hear in the pub; I think they were suggesting it might have been a dodgy offside call? Or was it a goal direct from an indirect free kick?
Also worth noting that Slovakia drew 0-0 with this lot in September, and on Thursday beat Spain.
Tis a funny aul game.
Is the record 8?Quote:
Originally Posted by Supreme feet
I think it was given for offside. George and Ronnie were very confused but I think whoever missed the header was offside, and it would have been a stretch to say he wasn't interfering with play. I could be way off though as I haven't seen it since.
Yeah, but as said before, the first was a meaningless friendly.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
When they are awful, they really are poor. UCD would beat them and Ardee Celtic would at least give them a game...
for Ireland, or across Europe?Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
Euro qualifiers overall. Apparently. 21 goals.
I agree with one of the Sky Sport commentators, think might have been Nial Quinn who said Hoolahan was the best at unlockingQuote:
Originally Posted by Supreme feet
tight defences, works particularly well when combined with Keane. Hoolahan creates a chance and Robbie puts it away.
Technically, across the world.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Yup. 8-0 v Malta in Dalyer in theearly 80s.Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
Was that the campaign where we won 1-0 in the return in the last minute on a pitch of glass?
Across Europe. He has 21. Suker and Koller are next on 20.
I think it was as Deloran said, a player (O'Shea) was offside when he missed a header so that would be a correct offside callQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
as it would be deemed to be interfering with play. I find it pretty annoying when players get goals disallowed by being off side.
He only plays for Ireland as far as I am aware :pQuote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
So basically Keane has as many in Euro qualifying and Ireland's next highest scorer has in all games. Some man.
that is really quite impressive, especially we you consider he plays for Ireland!Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
I wonder how he works out on goals per game?
But he doesn't score big or important goals.
He won't get a sniff against Germany is the crux of what I said. When you look at it in the context of every goal is a big and important goal, then yes it's a phenomenal record. He scores goals against Faroes and Gibraltar like Sonic The Hedgehog collects rings.
If we were playing Gibraltar again during the middle of the week he would be first name on the teamsheet but games against Portugal and the game against Georgia are probably more important to learn from than the one we witnessed today.
Yes Long's record isn't good enough. Neither is anyone else's - granted Long hasn't even strung consecutive competitive appearances together - but it's beside the point. Keane doesn't have the legs to get on the end of chances and he isn't going to create them himself. Playing him and we are conceding territory to Germany and we can't afford that with players like Gotze, Muller and Schurrle drifting all over the place. We need someone with physicality who can run his legs off, hold up play, link-up and break away.
Keane can come on with 15-20 minutes to go.
We get you TOWK.
Good to get a win, but share your concerns regards the defence, I really don't think Wilson's up to it at CB.Quote:
Originally Posted by Supreme feet
Add that to the awful Clark, Keogh and Pearce and I think we have problems.
Not convinced by the management team either, Germany, Scotland and Poland will give us an insight of whether they have it to take us forward or turn out to be yet another false dawn.
I was at the Malta game in Dalyer that night. Arguably the worst first half performance ever by an Irish team. Seriously! It was weird how that game panned out.
No, I'm pretty peeved at that last half hour. None of the three substitutes made any positive impression whatsoever, and Murphy was beyond atrocious. Sure the game is over, but for the love of God the performance was relatively impressive up to that point, and just turned bad.Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
The substitutions, and the tactics for the last 30 mins confused me. I understand the need to give Murphy a run-out. 100% the right thing to do. It didn't work out for the fella, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. But to take off Hoolahan when he was carving them open at will, and to not move McGeady into the centre, and go two up top, was just bizarre. Hendrick wasn't in the game at all, and Gibson wasn't at the level he can get to, so to rely on them to open things up wasn't going to work. Therefore why not bring on Stokes, instead of Doyle?
By not bringing on Long and Whelan, I'm going to assume both are going to start on Tuesday. I assume that taking Hoolahan off so early means he is going to play a part on Tuesday too. I felt they could have given young Lenihan a run, particularly if bringing him into the squad was to assess him.
Germany are going to really embarrass the Gibraltarians badly, records are going to fall in those two games.
(Sighs) So, what else Sean?Quote:
Originally Posted by the doc
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
As usual, you change you mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
Got your wish with Murphy. What did you think? I know what I think.
Thank heavens for Robbie Keane. Still knows the way to goal and made the job a formality early on. Great to see the crowd show its appreciation for him despite the handful of begrudgers, one of whom above even suggested when the score was only 2-0 that he should let someone else take a penalty. Unprofessionalism of the highest order. Without him knocking them out of the game early on, it would have been a lot tougher than it ended.
When the two best players on the pitch, Hoolahan and Kean,e were taken off, the game died along with Ireland's creativity.
Why will Hoolahan's performance in this match ultimately be completely disregarded yet Keane will start? I don't understand that logic at all.
Same old problems on Tuesday I'm afraid.
Whelan (a player that gets outpaced by 37 year olds) getting the runaround by Schurrle, Muller and Gotze drifting all over the place.
Keane completely lost up front against good opposition.
Walters on the wing losing every header he competes for and wasting every counter-attacking oportunity (not that we will have the pace up front to take advantage of them anyway.
Players not having a clue what to do once space opens up in the final third because scoring and creating chances is literally not in the game plan.
I think the game is there to be won, drawn or at least to lose tightly but the writing is on the wall in terms of the personnel he is going to choose.
If McClean or Long can't do the job Walters can do while offering more pace and better technique, and if Hoolahan hasn't proven that he can offer the tenacity Quinn offers while offering proven creativity I despair.
Whelan will play full stop. Hopefully more bodies in midfield will legislate for him (I doubt it).
As for Keane - if people think he's earned a start in the Germany game on the back of this, where the Portugal and Georgia games were more important comparisons, and if they think he will genuinely get scoring chances let alone take them, fine. If they think he has the mobility, energy, link-up play and experience of playing against players of similar technique in the MLS to get in amongst them, fine.
We'll see on Tuesday.
First sensible thing you've said in weeks. Can you not just accept that MON got it right yesterday and wait until you've your full facts before laying into him about Tuesday. He might not even be fully decided himself yet so ripping into him is pointless.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
We have no chance on Tuesday regardless, after last night's result Germany to 'Muller' us even more than they would have done...
Realistic.... pragmatic.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean