Switzerland v Republic of Ireland - Geneva - 15th October 2019 - Euro 2020 Qualifier

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Originally Posted by brine3

Hendrick is one of our most natural midfielders, but I feel that he is indeed getting frustrated at having to play stoneage football.

He's one that Stephen Kenny could revive...

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Hendrick is anything but a natural midfielder, at least he's not a central midfielder, a player who moves into space to make himself available to receive the ball and distribute. When the opposition have the ball he tends towards anonymity, or just ghosting alongside an opposing player.
His midfield performance v Georgia was 'vague' 'vacant' 'meandering', take your pick or choose all 3, that performance had little to do with stone age football.
I don't know about Kenny being the panacea for all midfield woes, there was no appointed CM role v Italy, though on occasion a player drifted in and appeared to take responsibility but then drift out. When the Italians pressed high, the CM role often disappeared.

The obvious best available replacement for Hendrick is Byrne. But I'd tend towards a 4231 with Whelan and McCarthy together behind Byrne.

Hendrick was amazing in games where we tried to play football. Usually when Hoolahan was on the pitch. Germany at home, Sweden at home. Hendrick is not a Giles/Keane type who is going to dictate the midfield, but he can be a very good midfielder when he is playing next to good players. Then he shows for the ball and passes on to others. People who say he hasn't played well since 2016 are also conveniently forgetting his MOTM performance in the Wales away match.

He wasn't MOTM against Wales. His assist was absolutely excellent though for the goal

I’ve a feeling it’s going to be 4-4-2 against the Swiss. Connolly in for Robinson to play alongside Collins. Hendrick moving to the right. Stevens back in at left back.

Would make sense seeing as we won’t try play through the middle. Connolly will work back to make the extra man when defending.

Just watched Bulgaria get utterly destroyed by England at home tonight. 6-0 the final score; England hit the post three times as well.

Part of my recent improved hopes were based on a decent performance at home against Bulgaria last month, when we won 3-1 with two late goals. But that result looks nothing special at all now. More worried about tomorrow night now instead.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I see this game as a free hit.

A draw is only of benefit in the sense that it guarantees that the Danes qualify so maybe they won’t be as difficult to beat in Dublin.

My worry is that even with the incentive of a win Mick will see the best way of achieving it as being backs to the wall / nick a goal from a corner. Personally I’d see it as a chance to be bold.

Regardess however, even if the game plan is to be cautious, McClean and Robinson were dreadful. Robinson can be mitigated by the fact that he’s not a winger and he received the ball tight to the touchline way too often.

With Stevens back I’d go 4-3-1-2, with Connoplly and Robinson up front, the same midfield 3 and Byrne in the advanced role. The full backs can supply the width. I’d even be tempted to go 3 at the back, such is the nature of the outcome – a loss means nothing really, there’s only upside. Imagine waking up on Wednesday with the job done!

It won’t happen of course but, think of the karma: Mick hounded out of Dublin in 2002 after a 2-1 home defeat to Switzerland…

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Just watched Bulgaria get utterly destroyed by England at home tonight. 6-0 the final score; England hit the post three times as well.

Part of my recent improved hopes were based on a decent performance at home against Bulgaria last month, when we won 3-1 with two late goals. But that result looks nothing special at all now. More worried about tomorrow night now instead.

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Nothing to be worried about. Mick said he will be happy with a draw.

Everybody would be happy with a draw. If we get a draw tonight then Denmark are through. We need that point!

Long time since we have beaten the Swiss away from home. If indeed we ever have.

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Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid

Everybody would be happy with a draw. If we get a draw tonight then Denmark are through. We need that point!

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Anyone remember when we blew a 3-1 lead away to Poland for Euro 92 qualification, and drew 3-3? Poznan I think. Charlton put a positive spin on it, that it kept Poland with something to play for against England in the last game because we needed England to lose. Or something like that.

Wishing for a draw tonight feels a bit like that to me. Sure, take a draw if it’s what we end up with but this is the kind of day the old gits on this forum used to dream about. A win and we qualify. With a game to spare. And another game to follow as a back-up.

It used to always be if we won away and Luxembourg put 5 past Spain, and France didn’t beat Russia and all that kind of rubbish.

Come on, this is massive.

Of course we are utterly abject :). A pal of mine texted me last night to say we need to abandon all pretence at being a modern footy team tonight. Go 442 and go 1990s Neanderthal again. I kind of agree, though I’d love a slick 4312 to do the job.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Anyone remember when we blew a 3-1 lead away to Poland for Euro 92 qualification, and drew 3-3? Poznan I think. Charlton put a positive spin on it, that it kept Poland with something to play for against England in the last game because we needed England to lose. Or something like that.

Wishing for a draw tonight feels a bit like that to me. Sure, take a draw if it’s what we end up with but this is the kind of day the old gits on this forum used to dream about. A win and we qualify. With a game to spare. And another game to follow as a back-up.

It used to always be if we won away and Luxembourg put 5 past Spain, and France didn’t beat Russia and all that kind of rubbish.

Come on, this is massive.

Of course we are utterly abject :). A pal of mine texted me last night to say we need to abandon all pretence at being a modern footy team tonight. Go 442 and go 1990s Neanderthal again. I kind of agree, though I’d love a slick 4312 to do the job.

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This is a bit different though. If we held on against Poland that night we were through.

We have zero chance of beating Switzerland. Switerland might have lost on Saturday but only due to a phenomenal performance by Schmeichel in goal and the woodwork. They are going to kill us at home. We will need Duffy to channel his inner Richard Moscow Dunne if we are to have any hope. This idea that we should 'go for it' away to them is asking for big trouble. Our only hope is play to our strengths and hope we nick a set piece goal. Hence why I'd be ecstatic with a draw.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Just watched Bulgaria get utterly destroyed by England at home tonight. 6-0 the final score; England hit the post three times as well.

Part of my recent improved hopes were based on a decent performance at home against Bulgaria last month, when we won 3-1 with two late goals. But that result looks nothing special at all now. More worried about tomorrow night now instead.

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Bulgaria had made 10 changes to the side that lost 4-0 to England a few days before our friendly against them as well, so its of even less value tbh.

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Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid

This is a bit different though. If we held on against Poland that night we were through.

We have zero chance of beating Switzerland. Switerland might have lost on Saturday but only due to a phenomenal performance by Schmeichel in goal and the woodwork. They are going to kill us at home. We will need Duffy to channel his inner Richard Moscow Dunne if we are to have any hope. This idea that we should 'go for it' away to them is asking for big trouble. Our only hope is play to our strengths and hope we nick a set piece goal. Hence why I'd be ecstatic with a draw.

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I think we are actually better defensively organised than Denmark tbf. Not that I think we'll beat them but we'll hopefully not cough up as many chances as Denmark did.

This is the day Aaron Connolly announces himself on the world stage as the best player of his generation with a hatrick against the Swiss in a 3-1 win for Ireland. He along with Parrot and Idah will dominate international headlines for the next decade as the multiple Ballon d'Or winners lead Ireland to successive World Cup wins and result in the Ireland 2020s team to be rightly crowned the best team of all time.

Jack Byrne dropped from match day squad FFS!!!

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

Jack Byrne dropped from match day squad FFS!!!

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Disciplinary reasons? Whatever, not good..... Yesterday, I took a break from being excited and remembered how Ireland were a year ago. Less than a year ago. They were probably the worst Ireland I had seen since I started watching in 1987. Now we're unbeaten in the group and if we beat Suisse tonight (not Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, France....) we qualify. I think that that progression to go from getting hammered by bloody Wales of all teams is worthy of a lot of respect. And whatever happens in the next two games, it cannot kill the excitement of what is to come from the young lads coming through and a manager who has earned respect and goodwill already through his transformation of the U-21s. All that said, please please please let me let me let me get what I want tonight.

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Originally Posted by Fixer82

Jack Byrne dropped from match day squad FFS!!!

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FFS apparently dropped as Enda Stevens is back from suspension.
So if we are 1 down with 20 minutes to go and need a bit of creativity we send on................
I actually cant wait to see the back of McCarthy and playing the **** football we do , do we even really want to be at the Euros.
Like doing a cannonball at the Olympic diving competition.
And thats not just because Jack Byrne is dropped , he probably would'nt have got on anyway, all that playing the ball forward against Bulgaria clearly went against him.
Go for a nice walk tonight while the team put on a "typically Irish brave display" of kicking the ball away.

Bring on Stephen Kenny.

Byrne. FFS indeed.

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Originally Posted by youngirish

This is the day Aaron Connolly announces himself on the world stage as the best player of his generation with a hatrick against the Swiss in a 3-1 win for Ireland. He along with Parrot and Idah will dominate international headlines for the next decade as the multiple Ballon d'Or winners lead Ireland to successive World Cup wins and result in the Ireland 2020s team to be rightly crowned the best team of all time.

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Would be nice if all of that happened. At least you have a fighting attitude rather than setting for a draw like too many of us are, including the manager. Counter attack is the biggest thing Switzerland will fear tonight and we need to frighten the life out of them in that respect.

Sorry, I assumed there was an issue with Byrne. It's just a numbers thing though, no? Stevens returns, Byrne makes way. Yopper led me to think it was for other reasons!

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

I actually cant wait to see the back of McCarthy and playing the **** football we do , do we even really want to be at the Euros.

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Yes. We do. In my case I want to do that much more than engage in a League of Ireland vanity project by picking a guy who has 1 senior cap to play central midfield in a game which is difficult and vital in equal measure.

It's Jack Byrne FFS. The way people are talking about him you would think he was one of the first names on the team sheet at Real Madrid.