Republic of Ireland V Armenia - Tuesday, 11th October 2011 - Euro 2012 Qualifier

OK, Andorra's over so new thread for Tuesday.

I think it's fair to say we all admire Armenia. I'm not sure this is a case of showing too much respect. They probably have better basic skills than us and play with much less restriction.

I still just about fancy us to come through though.

Keane's possible absence might allow for Trap to play Doyle as a lone front man, with Long adding numbers to midfield, maybe RHM but having freedom to support Doyle where necessary.

I'd like to see Coleman & Hunt start just to inject pace and tempo, but it ain't gonna happen.

This game is the litmus test of the Trap tenure for me. They need no motivation whatsoever so this game will validate the system or show it up as out of date, conservative twaddle.

We never play well at home, we were kinda in the same situation last month against Slovakia at home in the sense that we hoped our home form could get better with a win.

The dodgy midfield is a huge problem (no invention they don't want the ball, don't know how to pass it forward) and the long ball game is disappointing when we get nervous.

Armenia i think were 4th seeded in our group although yes playing attacking good football,they have to come at us which may play into our favor in a counter attacking way, we should be still good enough to beat them, or even a nervy draw.
2 v 1 Ireland

Trap's tactical system has already peaked but Trap thinks the mentality strengthening process has a bit further to go. Didn't he say as much, that the Rugby chaps failed because they lacked having enough of the right mentality (o.O)

Brady thinks if we get through the Armenia game and playoffs, that Trap will indeed bring in the young players like McCarthy and Coleman into friendlies.

Armenia remind me too much of Cyprus for comfort. My fear for tuesday is that we'll (typically) give our opponents too much freedom in midfield and see them build up rhythm and momentum. It'l be a long night.

The blow of Keane's potential absence is softened having guys like Long and Walters about. Dunne's return is welcome and reassuring. O'Dea or Kelly at left-back I presume? As luck would have it their right winger is very threatening. They'll be under severe pressure though, I s'pose that shouldn't be underestimated.

Prediction: 2-1 victory.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by geysir

Didn't he say as much, that the Rugby chaps failed because they lacked having enough of the right mentality (o.O)

---

I knew there was something Paul O'Connell lacked and thanks to Trap, I no longer have to agonize over the answer: the right mentality.

Me being a half-glass empty man and getting more so, am not so optimistic.

Armenia to rip us a new one and lose 0-2.
And for once not 'bad-minding' in the hope we get a result.

That said the WC is far more important than the Euros but this could be a last chance to get to any Finals in a while?
Sorry am so downbeat.

But for me, Trap's star is seriously on the wane.
:(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by geysir

Trap's tactical system has already peaked but Trap thinks the mentality strengthening process has a bit further to go. Didn't he say as much, that the Rugby chaps failed because they lacked having enough of the right mentality (o.O)

Brady thinks if we get through the Armenia game and playoffs, that Trap will indeed bring in the young players like McCarthy and Coleman into friendlies.

---

I think "mentality" is one of Trap's few words of English. He just rolls it out whether it's appropriate or not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

This game is the litmus test of the Trap tenure for me. They need no motivation whatsoever so this game will validate the system or show it up as out of date, conservative twaddle.

---

Absolutely. Whatever about the results, the performances have been awful this campaign. The only thing we have for us is that we play at our best when we're either level or behind. That might make it a good game.

Not confident though. This lot went to Slovakia and won 4-0. They went to Russia and took the lead. Lansdowne Road won't intimidate them. I can see losing 2-1. Hope I'm wrong.

I see also looking back at their games that they only drew in Macedonia after conceding a 96th-minute penalty. Thank God for that...

We're one or two really good midfielders away from being a very good side. So if we do qualify who knows what the midfield might be come the summer of 2012. Back to the massive game against Armenia. I am delighted the Irish media are bigging Armenia up. They will be the current Barcelona team combined with Brazil 70 by Tuesday night. The good thing about this is it sells tickets and creates a great atmosphere. Almost certainly will be Doyle and Long upfront but don't be surprised if Walters starts instead of Long. Especially if we intend playing mostly long ball stuff. Armenia couldn't handle Pavlyuchenko's aerial ability in the 3-1 win in Russia.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by geysir

the Rugby chaps failed because they lacked having enough of the right mentality (o.O)

---

Sorry, what do the 2 circles mean?

A real test this one. However if we can't win or at least draw, considering we are at home, it will confirm that some of our star players and the manager have been grossly over-rated for a long time. The football played by us in this group has been really bad. But I'll be optimistic for once and go for 2 nil home win as there must be one decent performance in this group of players.

I think this game will be 1-1. I think we could score early on, but then we'll sit back and give the Armenians lots of time on the ball. They'll equalise and we'll be very lucky to get the draw.

In to the playoffs, but potentially then a much harder draw for us, if we were not one of the seeded teams. Once in the playoffs, I could see another repeat of France games i.e us being awful at home and conceding an away goal and then being heroic away and possibly going out on goal difference.

The importance of a good midfield cannot be underestimated. In most positions, I would say we have decent players with some very good ones, but our central midfield is atrocious. For example, man for man, we're far better in most positions than lets say Scotland, but they have Fletcher/Adam, so if we played them, they'd boss the middle of the park.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Sorry, what do the 2 circles mean?

---

One small and one large.
A kind of bemused shock.

Not an out and out 2 large eye shock :shock:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I see also looking back at their games that they only drew in Macedonia after conceding a 96th-minute penalty. Thank God for that...

---

They only took the lead in that game with a 90th minute penalty.
Fairs fair.

Ah, thanks.
Where are the smilies anyway on here?

Would we be seeded for the draw??

So if we get through this game and qualify (as was expected by fans) for the play offs and possibly/probably as a seeded team
A, the manager has been justified, player mentality strong?
or
B, the manager is
1 lucky
2 just a game away from being really exposed
3 should have done better.

My own opinion is that we can give a fair opinion on Trap when the campaign is over, it is results which justify a manager's argument.
The manager's argument is not finished yet and Trap is far from being the anachronistic bogeyman

Is this game going to be a sellout? I don't mean to start any bickering I'm just curious. :hammer:

We probably would be but it depends exactly what countries qualify for playoffs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2012_qualifying

According to Sweeney in the Sindo 5 of the last Armenian starting XI play in their own league, which is ranked 50th in Europe. Interesting but the whole team obviously raise their game when playing for the National team.

The first goal will be crucial. If we get it, most likely from a set piece, they will have to attack even more, which may suit our system.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Ah, thanks.
Where are the smilies anyway on here?

---

In your reply, select go advanced my good man,
then if you want more smilies, click on more

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Crosby87

Is this game going to be a sellout? I don't mean to start any bickering I'm just curious. :hammer:

---

About 500 tickets left on Ticketmaster.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Crosby87

Is this game going to be a sellout? I don't mean to start any bickering I'm just curious. :hammer:

---

Unlikely, but fair fecks if it is...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by paudie

The first goal will be crucial. If we get it, most likely from a set piece, they will have to attack even more, which may suit our system.

---

If I remember correctly they went after Slovakia from the get-go and blitzed 'em. They don't need much encouragement! I'm all for us getting the first goal (bullet Richard Dunne header would do fine) from a set piece and enduring their response though. :D

Just hope they have an 'off day';they must be due one?

Especially in front of goal. They're the 5th highest scorers in Europe.

And for all his detractors, no Robbie, means no goals I reckon. Or very hard for us to come by.
:(

oh I'm nervous about this. Armenia are on fire by the looks of it. Robbie seems to be struggling with jetlag but hopefully he'll be well over it by Tuesday

Armenia are the top scorers in the group (by some distance) and need to win this game. This is probably their best qualification campaign ever so they have nothing to lose in having a go at us. Given the way we are set up, Armenia are likely to have a lot of ball. Whether they can turn their possession into goal scoring chances remains to be seen. They seem to excel on the counter and given we don't push players forward we might just bore them into submission. But I'm not confident about this one. We're extremely predictable in our approach to games so if Armenia have done their homework they can win the game.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by paudie

According to Sweeney in the Sindo 5 of the last Armenian starting XI play in their own league, which is ranked 50th in Europe.

---

Seeing as the Sindo like to make up stuff (like yesterday's story of how the property market is about to rebound like a ping-pong ball in water :rolleyes:), the current squad is also here. They've a couple of players playing in the Ukrainian league, and one lad with Ajax, but yeah, it's not a squad that on paper you'd be concerned about. It is a very young squad though, bar two lads who are 37 and 38 (14 of the 21 man squad are under 25), and presumably they're working off a combination of no fear at all backed up by the experience of those two older players at the back, together with those younger players being good enough for moves abroad soon.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

And for all his detractors, no Robbie, means no goals I reckon. Or very hard for us to come by.
:(

---

I don't think I agree with that to be honest, Robbie looks off the pace at the moment, I'd fancy a front pairing of Long and Doyle to get us one.

I'm flying over for the game tomorrow, it looks like it's going to be a long hard night in the Aviva!

I fear an early onslaught from Armenia, a chance or 2 in the first 5 minutes for them. Its what happens from those chances that will determine the next 85 minutes. Shay pulls us out of the $hit and the lads get an early morning wake up call and tighten up and put a decent shift in, delivering the 1-0 victory we desire. Or Armenia put their chance(s) away and play on with a youthful confidence, the Aviva is dumbstruck and we tamely exit Euro12 qualifying.........

I am not being negative, I hope the lads can pull out a performance for us - doesnt have to be scintillating football, just everyone doing their job from the 1st to the 90th minute. If we get that, then Im sure we can get the result needed. Of course it wont be pretty but we know that already and I dont care.

Reading all this is making me wish the match would never come. Argh.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by koneinc

I don't think I agree with that to be honest, Robbie looks off the pace at the moment, I'd fancy a front pairing of Long and Doyle to get us one.

---

Right about the former, but not the latter. Their record in recent competitive games hardly inspires confidence. And our midfielders even less so.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Right about the former, but not the latter. Their record in recent competitive games hardly inspires confidence. And our midfielders even less so.

---

Their record may not inspire confidence but as things stand I'd rather put money on either of those two scoring than Keano!

Completely agree re: midfield, it's a shambles, let's just hope we can get through this game (and maybe the play-offs?) and adjust it (but how and who? I don't know! Coleman? Hunt? McCarthy?)

Well you'd probably be wasting yer money, sadly?
Though it's about time the other forwards proved themselves....

You're probably right but to be honest I don't care who scores for us tomorrow as long as someone does!

You know it's bad, when during the Andorra game, the commentator refers to us missing our goal scoring threat - Richard Dunne.

anyone know armenias odds?
i reckon score draw or them sneaky armenians to grap it 2-1

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hale

We never play well at home, we were kinda in the same situation last month against Slovakia at home in the sense that we hoped our home form could get better with a win.

The dodgy midfield is a huge problem (no invention they don't want the ball, don't know how to pass it forward) and the long ball game is disappointing when we get nervous.

---

While our midfields shortcomings and its lack of creative spark is often bemoaned, - its been mentioned a lot less that while we tend to cede posession, we have abandoned (or at least well watered down) the "pressing" or "putting them under pressure" element of our game.

There's been many games under Trapp where I've felt the pressure we put on the opposition when we don't have the ball has not had the same level of intensity.

The Charlton years are the obvious reference point here. We were in a tactical straight jacket creatively back then too, but our work to win the ball back was ferocious.

I the past, our pressing game, was the difference in beginning to turn a game our way - for example, Spain at Lansdowne in 1989. They just could not cope with the intensity that we exerted upon them to win the ball back. The Spanish press wrote the next day that "The Irish attacked our players like wild dogs".

I'd be heading into this game with a crumb of comfort knowing we would not let Armenia settle on the ball and warm to their task.

Cox & Doyle upfront. Just confirmed on Twitter by Dan McDonnell

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JGKyne

Cox & Doyle upfront. Just confirmed on Twitter by Dan McDonnell

---

Cox.....? I cannot think why he got the nod ahead of Long

Cox and not Long? - bizarre, just plain bizarre. We don't make things easy for ourselves...