Sure, great friendly performances are usually completely misleading (Denmark, Sweden) but I can't help but feel really positive after these two games. That Trap lad seems to know a thing or two about football.
By the by, the Irish lad on the pitch got arrested, didn't see what happened to the Algerian but he was only a few rows in front of me.....quite surreal.
Imagine that. Someone wearing a hoody in Ballsbridge.Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
the game was held up while the players waited for the stewards to catch him, so the crowd started booing him, and the other idiot that ran on as well. His reaction was to pull down his hood (it was up when he ran on to the pitch) and start flipping off the crowd.Quote:
Originally Posted by Crosby87
Keiren Westwood: Very little to do, so kinda hard to rate him. Claimed every high ball in the 6 yard area, and made one smart save low down in the second half. I didn't realise until tonight that he kicks with his left foot, which is rare for a goalkeeper
Stephen Kelly: Considering most of their play came down the right wing, he and Lawrence dealt with it very comfortably and had a good understanding with each other on that right side
Sean St Ledger: Absolute rock. Won everything that came near him, and made some absolutlely fantastic tackles
John O'Shea: Solid beside St Ledger, pity he had to come off so early in the game
Greg Cunningham: Looked a little uncomfortable in the first half, but settled well in the second half. Considering it was his first 90 minutes of senior football, had remarkably little to do. I would have told my team to fire long balls at the 19 yeard old debutant all game long. Has now played more for the Ireland senior team than his own club's senior side
Liam Lawrence: Continued on from Tuesday, worked hard and now a definite alternative from set pieces
Glenn Whelan: Little anonymous, but a lot of their play bypassed central midfield so he didn't see much of the ball
Paul Green: Brave finish for the goal, worked really hard, and tried to keep things moving in midfield. Faded a little towards the end. When everyone is fit, it'll be a choice between him and Miller for backup centre midfield
Damien Duff: Didn't work as well as I would have hoped with Cunningham, especially in the first half. Seemed a little tired after a long season, but still got the assist for Keane's first goal
Robbie Keane: Very quiet in the first half I thought, and then two goals in the second. Would have had four on another night. We'll miss him when he's gone
Kevin Doyle: Didn't get a lot of change from the centre half who was stuck to him for the game. Will have better nights
Subs
Darren O’Dea: Apart from one suicidal tackle in the second half, he did alright. Probably fourth choice (at best) for starting centre half
Keith Fahey: Thought he might start, but only got 15 minutes or so. Seems to have a bit more bite than Duff, but needs far more time to make an impact on the game
Cillian Sheridan: Didn't do much but the game was all but over when he came on
Keith Andrews: Could have had a goal from a trainging ground set piece, did he touch the ball apart from that?
Joe Murphy: One smart save to keep a clean sheet for the home side. Can't be many players with longer times between first and second caps?
Shane Long: Honestly don't know if he touched the ball, was on the opposite side of the pitch to me
A solid win, that could have been more, against a team that will do nothing in the World Cup. The England assistant manager was in attendance, and will have nothing to worry about. Algeria are a poor side that won't cause any trouble. How they knocked out Egypt (the African Champions) is beyond me.
The positives this week are obviously the emergence of Green, and Cunningham as squad players, so I'd call these so-called meaningless friendlies a success. The team is now clearly built to not lose a game and take whatever chances come the way of the strikers, be it from a set piece or from creative play by the wingers. A lesser forward line than the one possessed by the current team would struggle to score with these tactics, so let's be appreciative of them while they're still playing.
Passed the new stadium on the way back into town, hope to be in attendance for the opening in just over two months' time.
I'd agree Algeria are not a great side, I was looking up their players on Wikipedia and they did not seem to have any 'superstars', not many playing for 'top clubs' but then I suppose you could say that about a fair few of the team we fielded,
But still a good result, they are ranked above us, we seem to be solid as a team/squad and we are certainly not short of options, we have a good system and a good manager who knows his football. looks promising for the future, touch wood!!
I thought Robbie took his first goal well, it would have been so so easy for him to put that over the bar but he kept it down well.
This is what really happened :p
Algeria 6-0 Ireland World Cup 2010 friendly match
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YOh6...eature=related
In all honesty Algeria were brutal. We had a very comfortable night and we're never really tested bar the opening few minutes of the second half and a couple of minutes prior to the penalty. Everyone put in a decent night's work and a 3-0 win is good confidence booster.
Algeria had 6 uncapped players last night.
They have already proven their worth as a team, in qualifying (in hostile circumstances) over Egypt.
If they can keep their discipline, they can win a game at the finals.
And a chip of Aldo's block, Paul Green
"I'd take a knock like that to score for my country any day. I don't think I was knocked out but it was just like a little split second. I didn't know where the ball had gone to be honest."
Impressed with the way we have performed in the last two games. The amount of work our players put in is really impressive (Lawrence and Duff covering back especially). The emergence of Green and now Cunningham. I thought Green looked like a 50 cap player rather than a second cap player. And he is a direct stand in if Whelan or Andrews get injured or lose form. (McCarthy and Gibson are different types of players). Green looks like a David Moyes type player and would not be surprised to see him end up at a club like Everton. Also good to see Kelly improving. Two very worthwhile games.
Thats funny Tets, the Algerian guy looked like someone straight out of the 80s show Miami Vice, like he is a rogue Colombian or something haha.
A few weeks ago a young fan ran on the field at a Philadelphia Phillies game and he got tased by a cop, which opened up a national debate on if that should be the regular policy (most players seemingly supported it). I wouldnt be surprised to see that at the world cup if it should occur. I know one thing, these young punks who act all retarded and tough out there, once tased, they fall like bricks and start begging and crying for the device to be removed 100% of the time.....
i always said that, its as if they are afraid to dive ....!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
Totally disproportionate response imo, I wouldnt want to see that sort of pain inflicted on another human being just because he's had a few too many drinks and run onto a sports field.Quote:
Originally Posted by Crosby87
The kid who did it at the Phillies game wasn't drunk, he was just some douchebag who thought he was so important that him running on the field and holding up the game was just fine. He deserved to be tazed, but this is the proper way to deal with pitch invaders.Quote:
Originally Posted by boovidge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJEFY87w_Uw
The fact that these guys are attention seeking ****s is not in question.However, when the crime is simply running onto a sports field whilst heavily outnumbered by security guards and or police, is it justifiable to use a potentially lethal weapon against him? I would say it's not.
As far as the crime only being running on to the field,
A few years ago two meth heads who were a father and son combination ran on to the field and beat the living daylights out of the first base coach in Kansas City. The ump and first baseman took a step back at first, not knowing what to do....you can see it on youtube.
I think the concern is that one day one of these idiots will have a knife or worse, and thats why many players were happy to see that douche bag in Philly tased.
Also Boovidge I think the point of the taser is that it is not lethal, thats why it was invented, to subdue someone without causing them permanent harm...But in any case, i am in favor of it b/c it is hilarious watching someone get tased. i.e the internet sensation a few months ago of "Dont tase me,bro!"
If you read the back of the tickets for games here, most say you cannot go on the field. It is trespassing and in Texas you can shoot someone for trespassing. As far as I'm concerned if you decide to run on the field you deserve whatever you get.Quote:
Originally Posted by boovidge
That was, in fact, here in Chicago at a White Sox game. The police eventually found a folded up pocket knife one of those two idiots had dropped. Those two were the definition of red neck trailer trash. Tasers can be lethal, but usually only if you have a heard condition or something. If you have a heart condition you shouldn't be putting yourself in a position to get tazed though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Crosby87
The security guards are there for a reason and should use proportional force. Tasers have killed on a number of occasions and there use should be restricted to more severe cases. Let's not forget that if we take away the hype and build up of these events, they are only sporting matches (unless Ireland are playing) and the relatively short delay of a sporting event is not equal to a man's life and is certainly not an excuse for police/security guard brutality. There is also a big difference between trespassing by breaking and entering into a private residence in order to commit acts of aggression, and trepassing by running onto a sports field in order to make an idiot of yourself infront of a crowd. Obviously if the individual in question was threatening anyones life or property then a more severe responsewould be warranted.
i thought Westwood had a good catholic game.
I do think the guys who run out on the pitch are complete idiots but have to agree that a taser is not an appropriate response. The recent baseball clip is below:
Remember when Jack Charlton has to intervene in Giants Stadium to stop security from laying into an overexcited Irish fan after the Italy game? I don't condone people going on the pitch after a game either but on that day I can definitely understand the emotion.
I don't quite get what's wrong with physical force. Why do well-trained security people need to use tasers to subdue a pitch invader? Peter Schmeichal would laugh at these people.