That Eustace fella must be good :)
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That Eustace fella must be good :)
My take is that Scotland are a decent side as evidenced by their WC qualifying results but they’re off form. They didn’t play well against Ukraine either.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
I thought Ralston dominated him in the first half. Two dreadful crosses as you say and some very good ones, and corners. I think he was just what we needed yesterday though. He just brings a sense of purpose to the team, like Doherty and Coleman do from wing back.Quote:
Originally Posted by elatedscum
Edit: it was McClean's brilliant right-footed cross just taken off Obafemi's head that led to the corner, taken my McClean with his left, that led to Browne's goal. Then his corner that was met by Duffy that drew a decent save by Gordon. Then he skinned Ralston and put in a beautiful cross for Hogan's non-goal goal. That's a pretty impressive montage of key moments just by itself.
Kelleher hadn’t much to do but was very composed, was good with his feet and took one dangerous cross really well. He avoided being tempted to come for some others. Sometimes deciding not to come is as important as deciding to come. He did well. I think he trusts Duffy’s passing ability a bit much though!
Browne was very professional. CBs defended well but Duffy’s passing was brutal. Collins is a superb talent.
Midfield functioned beautifully. I loved what Cullen did, a few times realising he had time to turn and look up. Molumby snapped at ankles and covered every inch of the pitch. Knight’s a very intelligent player and some athlete too.
Parrott and Obafemi were superb. I love how Obafemi is always looking to do something accretive, even if it’s a clever flick that doesn’t come off. He’s a much better player than I saw in his early career club games. Very deserving motm. I hope he’s fit for Tuesday.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
you are bang on there anyway. far too much trust in duffys ability with the ball. i reckon SK will be kicking himself he didnt go with molumby+ 3 in midfield v UKR. I dont think molumby is a player you play in games v the likes of armenia etc but in games where you arent really going to be controlling things for 70-80% of the game hes of more use. we just function so much better when theres an extra body in midfield. Lets hope this is the wake up call for SK.
On McClean, I think it's a case of horses for courses. We all know James' limitations, but we also his strengths, and we needed his tenacity, aggression and drive yesterday. Molumby and, to a lesser extent, Browne also provided this. McClean's corners caused the Scots a lot of problems too.
I just added an edit to my post above having seen the highlights again on telly this morning. Key contributions at key moments. That's what wins footy matches.
At least you know what you're getting. Stevens was atrocious against Armenia - completely flat. Starting him against Ukraine when we needed a shot in the arm down that side that McClean could give was crazy. Whatever he will be, he won't be flat.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trequartista20
Maybe Anthony Barry snuck back for a few days ? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Molumby's industriousness in hunting for a tackle is rightly lauded and he brought an extra dynamic to our play through that alone, but his passing was also excellent. He had the best accuracy of anyone on the team and opened up the game a few times. Kenny once described him as being a "chaotic" player and it's easy to see why he made him his U21 captain.
i have seen enough of parrott since christmas to be confident to say he is going to be a big player for us. would like to see him more through the middle though.
browne got stick on here last week by one or two but i thought he was great yesterday. rarely lets us dont if people are honest
The North could still be waiting as they're currently 2-0 down at home to Cyrus who are playing some decent stuff. There's relegation play offs now in League C but could very well be back to back relegations for them as they currently sit bottom of their group, 3pts behind Cyprus on 1pt as things stand.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Break down Browne's minutes played for Ireland and he's got four goals in 12 games. Always puts a shift in and a good squad player that can do a job for us when needed.Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
Browne must have balls of steel not to have flinched scoring yesterday. Talk about taking one for the team...
Parrott's goal was a carbon copy of Brady's in Lille. And Obafemi's strike reminded me of Kennedy's v Yugoslavia back in 99 (Kennedy's had more swerve and went in off the bar, but the same idea)
We've been bemoaning the loss of a Hoolahan-type creative player and a goalscorer since 2016. It's probably expecting a bit much for Obafemi to be both of them, but I think we're allowed positive thoughts until Tuesday!
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2022...tching-return/
I love reading this. Just that he has it in his head that he wants to be world class is something we haven't had in a striker in a while. It's a different mindset.
Whether he gets to that level is a different thing, but that he's willing to put in the work to try is a start
Well that was a pleasant surprise. I was delighted when I learned DAZN had the rights in Canada and that I'd get to see Ireland playing, particularly when it seemed this team had turned to corner, only to go 180 minutes of torture - I had girded my loins for another 90 minutes of this, then got a glimmer of hope when Browne forced the first home. And then the Michael Obafemi show started... that pass to Parrott - I saw the flight and realized it was going to land in a great spot and hoped that somebody would get on the end of it. But of course what makes it even better is that it wasn't just put into a good area - it was put there beautifully to match Parrott's run. And then when he picked it up in the second half I knew he was capable of something special (see his goal against Chelsea) and urged him to strike it and... wow, just wow!
I've felt he was a real, genuine talent since he broke through at Southampton and really felt Hassenhutl should have given him more of an opportunity (I've noted before his strike rate relative to minutes played) but then he had a few injuries and the Saints had spent 15 million pounds on Che Adams so he was left lower in the pecking order with limited opportunities. Now it seems that Swansea got a bargain when they paid 2 million for him. His pressing work was to the fore again yesterday, as it was against Ukraine when it led to our best chances; we saw his ability to pick key passes and his tendency to score worldies. And we didn't even get the chance to put him in a foot race against a defender!
And Parrott is really starting to fulfil his early promise - four international goals at the age of twenty is really impressive. Sure, Robbie Keane had seven by this age but look at our other great modern strikers and when they scored their fourth international goals:
Niall Quinn: 24
Frank Stapleton: 24
John Aldridge: 30
Tony Cascarino: 26
John Walters: 29
Kevin Doyle: just short of 24
I think this game was a big transition for us in terms of goalscorers - I said before that I believe that we are close to producing multiple forwards capable of scoring 30-40 international goals and I think we just saw two of them play together yesterday. I think Idah will come through if given a proper chance at Norwich this year and I believe Odubeko, OkoFlex and Ferguson will break through over the next couple of seasons. Tom Cannon and Sinclair Armstrong might also do so. Jury is out a little on Connolly, Scully and Kayode for now, but there's still an opportunity for all of them
Connolly is wrecking my head.. because I really genuinely want him to succeedQuote:
Originally Posted by samhaydenjr
I hate reading here or elsewhere that he's acting the maggot, more interested in drinking and women, blah blah whatever.. he's a kid. That's what all of us wanted at 19/20/21.. but we expect every youngster who plays ball to be perfectly mature at 19, just to keep all of us happy
Maybe he'll look at Parrott.. Obafemi.. even Odubeko.. and think, maybe I have something here that can make me a mega multi millionaire, and from 31/32 on have the time of my life.
Maybe he won't.
But somewhere in there, from what I have seen so far, there is potentially a serious baller who could do a serious job for us for a decade.
Neil O'Riordan called it Scrotal FootballQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
We only know and care about Connolly as a footballer therefore anything that hinders that will be criticised. All of us wanted that and we didn't become professional footballers. There's a paradox that comes with the fame and acclaim and status of being a young footballer, you're given such perks but in a way you have to deny them if you want to continue. He basically wants to have his cake and eat it too(inever got this saying, ofc you're gonna want to eat the cake unless you're like a baker or something then it would just impoverish you) but suits this scenario.Quote:
Originally Posted by Insidetherock
People are way over the top on the criticism of connolly. Wilder consistently praised his work ethic and there was absolutely no shortage of effort and running in the games i saw him in or any of the reports coming out of his games.Quote:
Originally Posted by irishultra
There was some very poor finishing and lots of snatching at things where you would have thought a more relaxed and confident even cocky connolly of his underage performance s would have taken. Living the life of a hermit does nothing for your confidence and composure especially if its contrary to your natural personality traits when it likely just makes you much more anxious and hyperfocused on errors/ misses which then affects your performance.
I havent seen that vision from an Irish side in nearly 20 years in Dublin. Reid and Keane came to my mind when Obafemi played that ball through for parrot. There was a clear link in their play throughout, dropping deeper and playing off one another. Scotland were poor and way off the pace, their fans said theyve been on holiday mode since the Ukraine defeat, but Obafemi and Parrot were great the last day, but lets see how they fare against Ukraine before we start getting excited. I hope Obafemis injury was minor and just good game management.
What I really liked about the last day was kelleher was mixing it up way more, going long more often than not, and winning kick-outs in midfield and turning into space. Much less of this silly going nowhere passing it about the back, even giving away 2 potential goals only for very poor finishing. Thought in general kelleher looked much better Saturday than previously, and in person doesnt look so small in the goals, like both he and bazunu do on TV. He has very thin legs though, would like to see him bulk up a little especially noticeable when he is coming out for crosses.
Enjoyed Saturday the first time really since seeing Ireland under Kenny, we mixed it up a lot and went through the centre, it wasn't all about passing it along the back the sides, back again, across the back 4 and then out to the wings for a cross, there was much more directness about us, and playing through the centre, getting on the ball and turning into space. Molumby's bite was good to see kind of the aggression we needed given how poor we were in midfield the previous two games. It was fairly controlled aggression too bar one or two tackles. Collins is good, his positioning was much better the last day, we really are spoiled in the central positions at the back.
One thing I saw that I liked and really got the crowd going was Duffy, and later on mcclean, picked up the ball Gaelic football style and did a solo running with it, doubt it was picked up on TV, but it got the crowd going around me, and I can imagine it got the crowd going elsewhere too. It was like a sutble doth the cap, again something that makes these players more relatable as if they knew this was the salute/gesture to play.
Oh and the SS were singing Only one Stephen Kenny well before any goal went in. There'd be a big LOI contingent in there - make of that what you will.
Ya I put up before what I'd like to see something like a 4-1-2-1-2, wasn't quite what we had as we persisted with two wing backs but it felt like a proper 1-2 in the forward line, and molumby and cullen in as the 2 anchors in midfield giving knight free reign going forward. Perhaps he's stumbled on it, but really interested to see the same formation against Ukraine with the same players pretty much.Quote:
Originally Posted by liamoo11
This is exactly how I feel, I was saying from early days that I wanted to see a hybrid game, where we played the percentages when needed but went long and did the other stuff too. I felt Saturday had this, I'm wondering if part of this is kelleher being a little bit smarter and more "aware" with his distribution. If this is kenny now realising finally what needs to be done then that's great, and I am happy to see this approach and style of play, but dont let others dress it up in any other way. We had much less possession, much less passes and much less passing accuracy. This was back to a more direct approach that we know Ireland can play, and are decent at. Long may it continue!Quote:
Originally Posted by Eirambler
To stus point, I dont write off players, I just dont get excited early on, one swallow doesnt make a summer. I've been critical of parrot and connolly and rightly so, I never mentioned obafemi really.
multi-quotes have been a thing on the forum for some time paul
Great question on Twitter.. imagine we qualify for USA 26.. first game tomorrow
Who'd our imaginary 11 be
I went with
Bazunu
Omobomidele, O Shea, [AN Other]
Aradamola, Ebosele
Collins, Molumby
Parrot
Ferguson, Obafemi
Sorry tets, when replying to different posts I hate to see it all stacked up and it puts me off reading them plus i read them in chronological order, so I apply the same when doing it myself. But if you want them in one feel free to put them into it.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Relax the kaks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Insidetherock
Bazunu (23)Quote:
Originally Posted by Insidetherock
Omobamidele (22)
Collins (24)
Egan (32)
Doherty (33)
Knight (24)
Smallbone (25)
Cullen (28)
Bagan (23)
Parrott (23)
Obafemi (24)
At the start of the qualifiers that team would have 8 of the starting XI between that 23-28 age group. Bazunu, Doherty, Smallbone, Parrott, and Knight birthdays fall before the first qualifier.
Still think Doherty and Egan will be in the starting XI come the start of the qualifiers in March 2025. Think Duffy will lose his place as Collins will have moved into the centre of the three. Would hope someone like Smallbone improves and makes that third spot in midfield with Cullen and Knight his own. Up front is tricky as if Idah can stay injury free think he'd push for a starting spot but think our three main strikers come 2025 will be Idah, Obafemi, and Parrott.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JR89
That could be our team by September!
Yes big LOI contingent in the SS but that didn't stop a fair size element booing the Liverpool player and then counter-booing of the Man U player. I found that cringeworthy and embarrassing and so out of place.Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
Thought it was a great result but not sure the actual performance matched the scoreline as we only had something like 7 shots on goal the whole game as almost gave away 2 soft goals. However it's a results business so that's all that matters. Thought the performance in Poland was much better but I am still not convinced there isn't another Armenia around the corner (first time we've lost to a "minnow" away from home since the debacle in Cyprus under Staunton (2007 ?)).
I would get on The left The dundalk kid at mls Jonny Gallagher tremendous talent
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