46927 is pretty impressive considering the dross that has been served up lately
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46927 is pretty impressive considering the dross that has been served up lately
Obafemi (MOTM - a goal and assist)
Molumby (dynamo)
Parrott (classy)
Collins (classy)
All exceptionally good. If Scotland were bad, it’s because we made them look bad.
I was guilty of that. Fair play to him the way he's turned himself around. I really didn't see this player in him. Connolly take noteQuote:
Originally Posted by liamoo11
Yeah but I'm worried, first half Knight played the Hoolahan role, width from the sides especially MClean that was a train on the left. After 3-0 we returned to the 3-4-3 and we only created one that was McClean super centering to Hogan's head. Then another one from McClean that should have shoot instead of a long ball to the second post. I'm worried Kenny changed formation after 3-0Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
Yaaaaaaaaasssssssss!!!! Great win. We needed that. It just goes to show that the players are there, a mix of the experienced ones and the young players. I'm not sure about the lap of honour though. This has to be backed up against Ukraine. Scotland were awful but who cares.
Super result,the 2 in midfield and the 2 up front ran themselves into the ground ,hopefully Obafemi isn’t too badly hurt,need to back it up though,singular results are no good to us….
parrott and collins outstanding. delighted for parrott. we are so much better with 3 in midfield.
A real battling up-and-at-'em performance that brought back stirring memories of great victories of the past.
We were extremely competitive all over the pitch from start to finish. And Obafemi and Parrott's goals were of the highest quality.
But it has to be said, Scotland were absolutely gutless. They just didn't seem to have the stomach for the fight.
Let's not have the excuses for the win now. This wasn't a B or C team like has been used as a caveat for previous good results. Scotland were poor because they were out played.
Best performance under Kenny by some distance. Yes, Scotland were bad, but we played a big part in that, in always being in their faces.
If ever there was a game that showed the importance of a goal at the right time, this was it. Time and time again we've started brightly only for the attacking intensity to fizzle out after about 20 or 25 minutes when we don't see any reward. Today we did see the reward, and it gave us the momentum to keep at it.
Pretty much everything went well today apart from suicidal passing out from the back which could easily have cost us a goal, and did cost us a Duffy suspension (which I don't see as a good thing). I thought the Obafemi pass + Parrott header combination was the superb, especially from Obafemi who saw it and had played it within an instant.
And, even though it would be easy to imagine the players losing faith in Kenny after recent matches, they certainly didn't show any evidence of that tonight.
I too am especially pleased for Obafemi and Parrott. Even quite recently they were being written off by many, and they now look arguably our most exciting and effective attacking players.
Apart from Paul O’Shea who writes off all our young players as a rule, who’s been writing who off?Quote:
Originally Posted by Trequartista20
There were questions around Obafemi and his lifestyle and commitment put forth by his manager at Southampton and it’s widely recognized how crucial his move to Swansea was in getting his career back on the right track.
Similarly with Parrott, he himself talked about how this season he made a choice to put his head down and focus on hard work and application in every game.
If there were some writing these players off (not me fwiw), it wasn’t based on nothingness.
Absolutely.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
We're in the B group, because this is the level we're at. Ukraine were the team that should be in the A group, and came down last time (after being in a serious group to be honest), so they are the best team in the group.. simple as that
We're on a par with Scotland and Armenia.. and gave Scotland a tonking today. We could probably have won in Yerevan too had we managed to get an early goal.. but if's buts maybe's.. no point
Beat Yervevan in Dublin in September and I think a draw in either of the other two games, could get us second in the group.
That now has to be the absolute minimum target, because that has huge play off implications..
At least twelve of the A path are going to qualify directly.. meaning 7/8 of the Group B teams will get a run at the play offs if they don't qualify directly (top four automatically entitled to play off.. but most likely 2-3 of them will qualify directly.. plus if less than 4 of the A group teams don't, that play off path will be filled with B teams)
The writing off young players has been absolutely ridiculous on here and other forums to be honest. Writing off Parrott and Obafemi.. and they 20 yrs of age. Even Aaron Connolly.. maybe the lad is a bit of an eejit, but I'd love to see him find a bit of cop on and fulfil his potential.. he looked a cracker when he first emerged.Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
Players will come and go, but give the younger ones a chance to at least show what they have.
I think that maybe the biggest loser today.. was Chedozie Ogbene. He's had a few decent games on the wing but he's no central striker.. not by a long shot. If Parrott and Obafemi are available for up front, and Doherty at RWB.. where does Ogbene fit in?
Another good season at Swansea for Obafemi... maybe get Parrott into a League 1 team for a year.. someone in the PL must surely think of giving Collins another look.. we should be hoping a few more get more game time.. Idah, Obomidele, etc.. things might finally be looking up
Ah it's not though. Nobody's been writing players off. They've maybe said they're not at the level some view them as. That's a completely different thing thoughQuote:
Originally Posted by Insidetherock
Ireland were full value for their win, there's no contesting that, and the players and management deserve full credit for that. But Scotland were really poor today and if I were the Scotland management I'd be questioning the application and commitment of a few of my players.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
I like Duffy but he is very replaceable wont say he is a liability because he is an attacking threat, but Lenihan and Egan can play the libero position better for me,Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
Anyway, that was very enjoyable. The challenge now is to make it not be another Luxembourg/Azerbaijan dead-end. But let's enjoy the win for now.
Biggest disappointments for me were Obafemi and Kelleher tbh.
Is Obafemi available for Wednesday? Not good to see him come off injured with his record.
And would have liked to have seen Kelleher have something to do bar claim one cross.
Thought Robinson did nothing when he came on to suggest he's worth his place back either
For me Robinson was as much a loser today, I thought Obafemi was in before Robinson, Robinson commited a schoolboy foul that if you look it could be easily a red, he seemed stressed,Quote:
Originally Posted by Insidetherock
We looked better with Knight in the hole like in first place, dont know why he changed the team to 3-4-3 it almost nullifies our attacking place
I think given the attacking players we have the 2 centrally up top works for us. I think if you put Robinson or connolly as one of the 2 with partott or idah or obafemi then they look better than in a 3. Obviously ogbene not in any way suited to a 2 but he is not international level in a 3 either. Hogan and Keane just options when we have injuries and that's fair enough and they definitely both need to play in a 2 centrally. Hopefully pretty soon ferguson will be making the step up to the senior squad as a genuine 9 who to be fair I think would be most suited of all our strikers in a 3 .Quote:
Originally Posted by Trequartista20
The future for ogbene and ebosele for us should be as high fullback options which amazing is where ogbene has actually played most of his football for rotherham and where I would be pretty confident any side who take him this summer will see him play.
Super handling from kelleher on crosses and his punch tonight. Lovely distribution, the changing feet to pass at times when he needs to is class. Sweeps really well and was smart enough to go long when needed and he knew technically some of the players he was going to short pass to just weren't up to it (no disgrace in that not everyone can play at Liverpool levels)
The lack of a replacement for Cullen obviously serious issue and no obvious short term solution unless Coventry makes a serious breakthrough in August somewhere.
Molumby really seemed to be trying to control his energy biting into tackles but not headlessly as we have seen before. Needs to be braver on tge ball on the half turn but hopefully confidence will come. Hendrick far better technically than him but unless or until he is playing regularly it's hard for him to put in that level of aggression around the pitch for a full game. But to be fair to Hendrick if he was in the 3 with knight today I think he would have looked better as well than been so isolated in a 2 when we play the 3 uptop luke ukraine and Armenia games.knight really our best option as that advanced player in a midfield 3
Collins all class most likely as the central centre half with omobamidele rt centre half and hopefully o shea gets back to that level as left centre half in time.