Estonia V Ireland - Friday, 11th November 2011 - Euro 2012 Play Off 1st Leg

I think a few of us a straying into complacency.

When do we ever make it easy on ourselves in these situations??????????? When????????

Supporting "Stats" and current standard of the respective teams are provisional in this tie.

First and foremost. Its a CUP TIE - not a regular qualifier.

Estonia will scrap for every ball on Friday and could well grow in confidence the longer the game goes on.

I'd expect quite a number of shots on our goal from distance, Estonia won't need to get behind our full backs and will be shooting on site. Only 1 has to go in.

I hope we boss the game and win as much as the next man, but I'm expecting a very tough game.

I won't even begin to think about the Dublin game until the weekend and will be praying we haven't a mountain to climb in that match.

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Originally Posted by back of the net

Folks - I was asking earlier in the thread how long it will take for RTE to put the game up on RTE player after the final whistle , as im in Canada and will be in work.I was in contact with RTE and for those who cant watch it live, RTE informed me that it will be up on the Player in just 1 hour after the game...great stuff

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Just be very careful negotiating your way to the game to avoid the result, might be better to get a trusted amigo with no interest to do it for you. Just a fleeting glance at an inopportune time.. or maybe it's better to get it over with quickly.

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

Hunt has to take a peno. And he'll defo be on at that stage if it comes to it. I've never seen him miss one

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I think he has, there is a Hunt misses penalty on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgcLbNKoWe0

I assume it is Stephen Hunt, presumable for Reading.
Mind you it is over 3 years ago.
It looks like a good save though, nobody scores everyone.

Another article about Hunt 'stealing; a penalty from Doyle.
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/...nchester-city/

I would defiantly have Hunt on the list, he has the confidence and that's a big help.

Going through the related videos, I found one of Keith Andrews scoring a penalty for MK Dons in a Johnston's Paint Trophy final at Wembley. It seems he was their regular penalty taker. It's a very nice finish too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZqIhGKxhrw

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/...nd_givens.html

Given is wary of estonia

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/...ia_ruutli.html

Estonia manager is wary of Trapattoni.


Good ol respectful european media talk. I wonder if either side will have the courage to show up for the game at all given all the perilous dangers which seem to await them.

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Originally Posted by Murfinator

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/...nd_givens.html

Given is wary of estonia

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/...ia_ruutli.html

Estonia manager is wary of Trapattoni.

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Kink is afraid of McGeady

Estonia vs. Ireland: Brought to you by Xanax.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Going through the related videos, I found one of Keith Andrews scoring a penalty for MK Dons in a Johnston's Paint Trophy final at Wembley. It seems he was their regular penalty taker. It's a very nice finish too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZqIhGKxhrw

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I'd go,
Andrews 1
Doyle/Walters 2
Fahy/Whelan 3
McGeady/Hunt 4
Robbie 5

I'd have Robbie going first. Get on the scoreboard straight away!

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Originally Posted by shakermaker1982

I'd have Robbie going first. Get on the scoreboard straight away!

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Agreed. Depending on how things go, we could be beaten by the time Keanos penalty comes around. Your best penalty takers go first. Thats a golden rule. Doubt he will be on the pitch though if it comes to penalties. 5 games in 2 weeks, straight after an injury, highly unlikely he'll last 120 minutes. I expect he'll only last an hour tomorrow night and will be replaced by Cox. Hunt replacing Duff/McGeady and Fahey in for Whelan. The subs are often as predictable as the team.

Team announced: https://twitter.com/#!/FAIreland/sta...67777645617152

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Team for tomorrow Given, Kelly, St.Ledger, Dunne, Ward, McGeady, Andrews, Whelan, Duff, Keane and Walters or Cox #IrlEst #Euro2012

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Walters or Cox - do we have to phone in and vote or something?

Just noticed this, a real confidence boost:

McDonnellDan Daniel McDonnell



Estonia and Ireland have both played 12 games in 2011. Estonia have lost 7 [goal difference -11] - Ireland one loss [goal difference +16]

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Originally Posted by French Toasht

Agreed. Depending on how things go, we could be beaten by the time Keanos penalty comes around. Your best penalty takers go first. Thats a golden rule.

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It's natural to think that you go with your best first but I don't go along with it being a golden rule. The pressure builds up with each kick.
I remember Chelsea had planned for Drogba to take the 5th penalty in the event of a penalty shoot out in that Euro cup final against Man U.

Lets be honest, we should win this one lads. I do not believe in fate or any of that ****e so by saying this I'm not tempting it. I know we're all worried and we hope it goes smoothly and there isn't a shock, but lets remember, thats exactly what it would be, a major shock. I predict a dour dull 1-1 tom night followed by a comfortable 2-0 Tuesday night. And our first Euros since 88. Scorers? Keane in Tallinn, Dunne and Mc Geady in Dublin. Hopefully right in front of where I'm sitting!! :D

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Originally Posted by Murfinator

I wonder if either side will have the courage to show up for the game at all given all the perilous dangers which seem to await them.

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That's the rub. If we show up for it I think we can put the tie to bed on Friday night. If it all goes wrong we have a chance to recover on Tuesday. No excuse for being cagey. I'd like to see us start the way we did in Bulgaria.

http://img.rasset.ie/000506e010dr.jpg
Spiderman.

Or the Semen flicker from Silence of the Lambs!!

Is the Walters/Cox thing a tactical thing to keep Estonia guessing, I wonder. He hasnt bother with that lark before I know, but they are two different types of forward?

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Originally Posted by dr_peepee

Is the Walters/Cox thing a tactical thing to keep Estonia guessing, I wonder. He hasnt bother with that lark before I know, but they are two different types of forward?

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No. The real surprise is it's going to be Andy Keogh. :bulgy:

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Going through the related videos, I found one of Keith Andrews scoring a penalty for MK Dons in a Johnston's Paint Trophy final at Wembley. It seems he was their regular penalty taker. It's a very nice finish too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZqIhGKxhrw

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Yes, I'd have no problems with Keith taking one he has got a good shot on him anyway.

I wonder if it would be worth practising penalties like this, it certainly look effective when it works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWLqMfJ0WsE

However I imagine it could also go horribly wrong, so perhaps not!