I've been one of Hendrick's biggest critics for a while now. Have to say however, he played fine game tonight. Looked far more like the player we need him to be.
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I've been one of Hendrick's biggest critics for a while now. Have to say however, he played fine game tonight. Looked far more like the player we need him to be.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
I don't think you've said anything there to actually argue against what Brady said though.
I can be positive while keeping in context that Portugal were hugely disappointing. They'd dropped a rake of players (everyone on a yellow), gave the ball away under no pressure too often. Perspective is needed here
But you're not being positive. And neither is he.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
A poor enough game; a lack of real quality from both teams. Portugal were extremely disappointing. and never really turned up, but we just aren't of a standard, particularly in attack, to be able to have taken advantage.
Nobody was truly outstanding from our point of view. Robinson was bright and Hendrick was busy. McGrath didn't look 100 per cent fit and offered little. I would have preferred to see Idah start.
I don't think much can be taken from this match and it's still a long way off a performance like we seen against European championship semi finalists Denmark in McCarthy's last game. I think under McCarthy we would have won that game. But we already know we've gone far backwards under Kenny.
I feel happy we drew. It's better than losing 3-0 which was a possibility.Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
I just don't agree with your effusive praise of the performance.
We did fine, I wouldn't go too mad with praise: some good performances, some not so good ones. A point against Portugal nothing to be dissapointed with really. But now Kenny has to make sure we don't regress, like we did after the last Portugal game, and go out and beat Luxembourg. That's the cup final. Do that and I'll actually think better off him.
There was a really good passage of play in the 2nd half where Coleman was in very tight spot that we played it out and up along the wing that led to Egan having a very good chance he blazed over. 99 times out of 100 under any of our last 3 managers that was pumped up field only for it to come back.
Players are certainly buying into Kenny.
That might be one of the worst comments I've ever seen in all my years on this forum. As the rules say attack the post not the poster, but my god dudeQuote:
Originally Posted by BOOMSHAKALAKA
Would have agreed with the people here saying to replace Ogbene at half time but thank God that didn't happen. He was immense in the second half, he really grew into the game after a shaky first 30 mins or so.
Some heart in mouth stuff in the first half trying to play out but I think it's really important that we're confident enough to knock 5-6 passes around in those areas so that we didn't become too predictable on when we were going to knock it into space. It's exactly what we weren't doing under previous managers and was the reason everyone couldn't be f*cked watching Ireland games anymore.
I'm sure we will see a lot of the coverage talk about a poor (and understrength) Portugal performance but credit has to go to the management and players that we were able to capitalise and keep the ball for large periods in the second half, even before the sending off I thought we were giving just as good as we were getting.
I thought Doc, Hendrick and Robinson were our standout players tonight. The team is looking much more confident we just need to figure out how to score some goals.
I'm assuming I have my green tinted glasses on, but was the free out for the foul on Patricio at the end a little soft?
Very soft.Quote:
Originally Posted by yurt
But if we're complaining about that, we have to allow that Pepe shouldn't have been sent off.
The ref was crap
I think we did well. You can say Portugal weren’t up for it etc, but they still have a lot of quality. It’s clear that some people are just unable to give Stephen Kenny any credit whatsoever. In my view we’re definitely improving. I don’t mind Brady too much saying he’d wait until next year to make a decision. In reality there is no rush. I definitely think we’re going in the right direction though.
Yeah the perspective is that Portugal can drop several key players and still have a squad valued at and earning far more than if Kenny had his every eligible player available to himQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
It was very poor refereeing indeed. The foul call against Keane was soft but I think Keane did a poor job of timing/positioning.
In an ideal world you’re in between the goalkeeper and the ball as opposed to obviously moving toward the keeper as the keeper is coming out.
Ah well. Hard to say if it actually would have led to a goal as Portugal obviously turned off after it happened/whistle blown.
Let's be fair, McCarthy had tougher opposition in his group and deserved to beat both Switzerland and Denmark at home. I feel we would have beaten a disinterested team like Portugal under McCarthy but then again, we probably would be still in the group so Portugal would have put out a stronger team.Quote:
Originally Posted by Razors left peg
I think that's spot on for meQuote:
Originally Posted by TonyD
Would agree with that. I commented earlier that he was giving us nothing, but Pepe could certainly feel hard done by to get sent off. Didn’t see too much wrong with our goal either.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
He was on a yellow and threw is hand/arm out at a player, may not of been much in it but it was idiotic and put his team under pressure. Pepe has a track record of such needless booking and sending offsQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Ah there was nothing in it though. He was a bit silly but really neither was a yellow. And Danilo's wasn't a yellow either. The ref was giving those soft fouls all match
That’s fine. Conversely, I wouldn’t have gone as diabolically negative as many others (not you) have in the recent past.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu